Arthur W. Hedgren, Jr.
Art,
of Upper St. Clair passed away peacefully on Friday, May 31, 2024. He
will be lovingly missed by his wife Eileen Tennant Hedgren, children
Gregg Hedgren (Katie) and Linda Hedgren Smith (Nate), stepchildren Scott
Tennant (Melisa) and Brandi Julian (David), and eight wonderful
grandchildren. Art was preceded in death by his first wife of 50 years
Kay Matthews Hedgren and son Carl Hedgren.
Art
earned his civil engineering degree and PhD from Princeton University,
including a year of study in Sweden under a Fulbright Scholarship.He ran
track, ate at Dial, and roomed senior year with Huey, Fike, Blair
Edwards, Reynolds, John Morris, and Millsops.
He
had a long and distinguished career at HDR Engineering, Inc. where he
designed a number of prominent bridges in the western Pennsylvania and
West Virginia area including the Sewickley Bridge and I-79 Ohio River
Bridge. The capstone of his late career was the opportunity to consult
on the design of the Hoover Dam Bypass bridge.
Art
was an avid golfer and member of St. Clair Country Club for over 40
years. In his retirement, Art enjoyed extensive travel throughout the
world including China, New Zealand, Scandinavia, Alaska and more.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to St. Clair Hospital (https://www.stclair.org/giving/
Posted 6/24/24
===============================================================================
Randolph W. Taylor
Randy died on November 13, 2022, in New York City. He prepared for Princeton at Kew Forest School n Forest Hills, NY, where he was a member of the yearbook team and the Student Government. At Princeton he majored in the Woodrow Wilson School, writing his thesis on The Heroism of the French Resistance during World War II. He took his meals at Key and Seal, was Executive Editor of the Daily Princetonian, and roomed with Frank Childers.
Following Princeton, Randy earned his law degree at Yale, and entered practice with Lovejoy, Wasson, Lundgren and Ashton, then Goldfields Consolidated, and finally Murray, Hollander and Bass until his retirement. He lived in New York City his entire adult life.
We know little else, as, regrettably, he was never in touch with the class or the University, so far as we know.
He is survived by Emilia, his wife of 48 years.
Posted 5/29/24
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Celebration of Joe Prather’s life was held on May 10. 2024 at the Calvary Episcopal Church, followed by a luncheon at The Beacon Hill Club, both in Summit, NJ.
Back row: Jim Wickenden, George Brakeley, Ken Lomas, Jim Blair, Jon Hlafter, Joe McGinity
Front row: Lorraine Menna, Ev Prather, Carol Wojie
Others in attendance: Frank Novak, Lee Blyler, Ted & Carol Newlin, Bob Pickens, Martha Wickenden, Pat Hlafter, Maureen McGinity, Sue Blair, and Tamara Brakeley.
Also, Mike & Gerri Horn attended the church service.
Brakeley's Remarks
The University has an event every February called Alumni Day, and there’s a huge luncheon for maybe 1,500 people at which an award called the Madison Prize is given to some outstanding undergraduate degree holder. About four years ago the awardee was Meloddy Hodson, class of 1991, who has had a remarkable history in the business world. In her thank-you remarks she said that her new husband had attended his first Princeton reunion a few years earlier, after which he said to her, “This isn’t a college – it’s a cult”, which, of course, got a big laugh. But, she went on, “Let me remind you my husband is George Lucas, who created Star Wars, and thinks we are a cult!”. Indeed, we are a cult, and the cult is reinforced by the individual cults of the 83 living Princeton classes, including our own. It’s one of the phenomena of being a Princeton alumnus.
Another phenomenon is how, if you set one foot on the campus freshman year, you are an alumnus, ever and for always, even if you don’t graduate. Which was Joe’s case – he left early to get married, but his commitment to our University and our class never wavered.
In my capacity as class secretary and Len Berton’s as our webmaster, you might say we two are the voice of the class, but, as I wrote in Joe’s PAW memorial, “Joe was the heart and soul of our class", serving in so many ways for virtually his entire adult life.
Over the years he served as our president, two different terms as vice president, and Reunions chairman. When I was president of the class he was my reunion chairman, and when he was the president, I was his class secretary. Sort of a tag team thing.
In all these years he missed only three reunions – the 1st, 4th and 5th. Since then, a perfect record, plus every class event and mini-reunion. He was always there.
He organized any number of class dinners on Friday evenings of our off-year reunions, as well as receptions for families of deceased classmates after the Service of Remembrance on Alumni Day. And for the last ten years or so, he and Ev attended the memorial service of every classmate in the region.
He had the vision to create the Class of 1961 Foundation, was its first Board president, and launched our participation in Teach for America. The Foundation also created our Caring Committee, which looks after classmates in need and sponsors colloquia on topics relevant to the fact that we are in our eighties.
And he represented the class in innumerable other ways, working with the Alumni Office and other University offices on class business. He was our “go-to” guy for just about everything. And he served the University over and above our class. He was Chairman of the Alumni Council’s Committee on Reunions for several years. And he was Grand Marshal of the P-rade for seven years. Who will ever forget him in his wonderful DaVinci hat!
My fondest memory of Joe will be his appearance. Yesterday my wife observed, “Joe had SWAG.” In his Bernardsville News obituary, his son Tony wrote of his “stylish attire and neat appearance.” He was always dressed to the nines – the perfectly knotted tie, never a single hair out of place, always dapper and totally unruffled, even in hot weather.
And then there’s the legacy Joe has left us in the presence of Evvie, who was at his elbow on every occasion, and, in recent years, represented him so well when he had such difficulties communicating. We are so lucky that she is staying on as our Reunion Chair and as a Director of the Foundation, and will long remain a part of the life of the class. Not for nothing was she made an Honorary Member of the Class of 1961 some years ago!
- Lead Singing of Old Nassau
- Lead a locomotive cheer for Joe
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A mournful Taps was rendered by Ken Lomas.
Posted 5/12/24
Vincent J. Menna, M.D.
VJ Menna, of Doylestown, PA, passed away on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at his home. He was 85 and the husband of Lorraine Menna. Born in Philadelphia, he was the son of the late Nicholas R. and Mary Pili Menna.
He was a graduate of Glassboro High School, in Glassboro, NJ, Princeton University and Hahnemann Medical School. He was a Major in the United States Army, serving from 1968 until 1970. At Princeton, VJ played rugby and JV football, ate at Cannon Club, and roomed with Iseman and Hagstrom.
Dr. Menna was in private practice in Cherry Hill, N.J. for four years, two years in North Adams, Massachusetts, for 32 years as a pediatric physician in Doylestown, PA, was on staff at Doylestown Hospital from 1976 until his retirement and physician for Central Bucks East High School for 27 years.
He was a member of the Bucks County Medical Society, on the Board of Trustees of Central Bucks YMCA and Peace Valley Nature Center and volunteered at Ann Silverman Community Health Clinic. In his free time, Dr. Menna enjoyed playing golf and tennis, skiing, bird watching and hiking.
In addition to his wife, Dr. Menna is survived by his three daughters: Nina Menna Carlineo, her husband, Dominic, of Riegelsville; Anne Menna Carrozza, her husband, Erik, of Blue Bell and Joan Menna Bell, her husband, Bob, of Chalfont, as well as seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and his sister: Marianne M. Wilkins of Cherry Hill, NJ. He was preceded in death by his brother, Nicholas R. Menna
Relatives and friends are invited to his memorial Mass at 12 p.m., Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Roman Catholic Church, 5194 Cold Spring Creamery Road, Doylestown where the family will receive guests from 10 a.m. until the time of Mass. Interment will follow Mass in Doylestown Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Dr. Menna’s name may be made to: Central Bucks YMCA, 2500 Lower State Road, Doylestown, PA 18901 or to: Peace Valley Nature Center, 170 North Chapman Road, Doylestown, PA 18901.
Posted 4/14/24-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert H. Craft, Jr.
My Dad’s Obituary. written by Tiger Craft
Robert Homan Craft, Jr., respected attorney, active member of both the legal and cultural communities, and beloved husband, father and grandfather, died peacefully at his home in Washington, D.C. on March 15, 2024, following a five-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 84 years old.
Born on September 24, 1939, in New York City, Bob attended Scarsdale High School, where he was school President his Junior and Senior years. He later attended Princeton University (where he played 150 lb. football, joined Cap & Gown, and roomed with MacMurray, Waters, Kornrumpf, Baldwin, Norton, and Wooley), Oxford University and Harvard Law School.
Bob joined the New York office of law firm Sullivan & Cromwell in 1966. In 1974, he moved to Washington, D.C. and served for two years as Special Assistant to the Undersecretary of State for Security Assistance and as Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. In 1977, he helped found Sullivan & Cromwell’s Washington office, where he served as Managing Partner from 1987 until his retirement in 2006.
Bob had an outstanding career during which he represented underwriters, including virtually every major investment bank, on securities offerings in the U.S. and global capital markets. He was considered by many as the “go to” lawyer for supranational and government agency issuers, including the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the African Development Bank, and Fannie Mae. He also advised on numerous securities offerings by International Finance Corporation, Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF), Federal Home Loan Banks and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Outside of his professional pursuits, Bob was actively involved in his community. An avid opera fan, he was particularly devoted to the Washington National Opera, where he served over the years as President, Vice President and General Counsel, and supernumerary in multiple performances. In 1994, Bob and his wife Jamie appeared in a production of Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos with Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia – a moment memorialized in the documentary film RBG.
Bob also served as a member of the Board of Directors of his beloved Camp Dudley, Fundraising Chair and member of the Visiting Committee of Harvard Law School, Co-Chair of the National Patron’s Council of Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and President of Friends of the House of Sweden.
He also pursued his love of photography, self-publishing two works of which he was justifiably proud – one on birds and one on the Adirondacks, where he spent nearly 80 summers. But perhaps Bob’s favorite title was “Coach Craft” when he coached the ASAP Giants Little League baseball team, on which his son Ford was the team’s catcher.
Bob will be remembered for his energy, enthusiasm, generosity and positivity – qualities that he brought to his life as a husband, father of two, grandfather of five, uncle of many, friend, and lawyer. And we will all miss his smile.
He is survived by his wife Jamie, sons Tiger and Ford, and grandchildren Ellie, Olive, Robert, Coco, and James. A funeral mass will be held at Holy Trinity Church in Georgetown on Tuesday, April 30th at 10:30 am. A celebration of his life will also take place this summer at Lake Champlain, a place Bob held dear.
The Craft family is grateful to Dr. Valerie Lee at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital for the expert and personal care he received from her and her team. After five years of treatment, he considered them all dear friends. Donations may be made to their research.
Posted 4/7/24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Harlan Spitz
With great sadness we announce the passing of Harlan Spitz, M.D., on Feb. 29th, 2024, in Greenport, New York. He was 84 years old and died from Parkinson’s disease. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, son of the late Henry and Rose Spitz. Survived by his daughter, Rivi Handler-Spitz, his brother Arnold and Arnold’s wife Toby Spitz, their children David and Naomi, five grandnieces and grandnephews, and many other cherished family members, friends, and colleagues.
Harlan earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Princeton University, where he joined the Woodrow Wilson Society, the Sailing Club, and the Hillel Foundation. He then received his M.D. with honors from Yale Medical School. Following a pediatrics internship and residency he served as a Captain/pediatrician in the U.S. Air Force. Then, after a combined residency in adult psychiatry and fellowship in child psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, he practiced child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry for 25 years at Einstein and its affiliate institutions.
Following retirement from NYS Service in 2004, Harlan served as a Consultant Psychiatrist in child and adolescent psychiatry in New Zealand six months a year for four years in a district health clinic with a sizable Maori population.
Harlan had a wide range of interests which he enjoyed immensely and pursued to their fullest including: tennis, cycling, cross country skiing, kayaking, sailing, music, folk guitar, and extensive international and domestic travel. As one of his colleagues at Bronx Children’s Hospital said of him: “Whether it’s cross-country skiing or cycling, cross-disciplinary discussion or problem resolution, Dr. Spitz is that careful adventurer who enlivens the paths for all around him. Harlan is truly a physician for all seasons.”
For those who may wish to make a memorial contribution in tribute of Dr. Harlan Spitz may we suggest Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the details of which appear below. During his distinguished 25-year career in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry Harlan trained, taught, and worked at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and its affiliated institutions. To make a contribution, click here to make a gift online, or call 718-430-2411.
Posted 3/3/24
 Talbot C. Mack
Talbot Chambers Mack, beloved father and teacher, left this life on January 28th, 2024. He died peacefully at home with his family in The Plains, Virginia.
Tal was born on March 5th, 1940 in New York City. He grew up in New Canaan, Connecticut, and attended Phillips Exeter Academy (‘57) and Princeton University (‘61) where he played hockey, served as a chapel deacon, and ate at Ivy Club. His senior roommates were Sanger, Miller, Butt, Brown, Barker and Garrett.
He joined the United States Navy in 1962, serving as first lieutenant on a minesweeper. Upon leaving the Navy, Tal worked as an editor for Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Moving to Virginia in 1973, he earned a Master’s degree in education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and embarked on his long teaching career. Teaching first in the Fauquier County Public School system, then at Powhatan School, he found his permanent home at The Hill School in Middleburg, Virginia. At Hill he taught English, writing, history, founded Calliope, the school’s literary magazine, and coached sports for over 40 years.
After school or during the summers, Tal could most reliably be found running for long distances on the back roads around his farm, weeding his vegetable garden while smoking a cigar, or sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee revising a draft of his most recent poem. He is survived by Catherine, his wife of 48 years, six children, and nine grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Lucy G. Mack, and sister-in-law, Barbara A. Gerlach. He is pre-deceased by his brother, John H. Mack, and first wife, Mary Tayloe Mack.
A celebration of Tal’s life will be held at The Hill School’s Dornin Science Center on April 27th. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Piedmont Environmental Council, Windy Hill Foundation, and The Hill School of Middleburg, Virginia.
Posted 2/13/24 |
 Alan E. Oestreich
Dr. Alan Emil Oestreich, a compassionate and celebrated individual, passed away on September 20, 2023, at the age of 83 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was born on December 4, 1939, in Brooklyn, New York, to the late Drs. Mitchell and Edith Oestreich. Alan's life story was adorned with countless achievements and impactful moments. Alan had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and a passion for healing as a Pediatric Radiologist at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital for 43 years. He dedicated his life to caring for the youngest patients and providing comfort and hope to their families. Alan's unwavering commitment to his profession earned him the respect and admiration of his colleagues and the community he served. Alan is a graduate ofNichols High School in Buffalo, NY. He went on to receive his bachelor's degree in mathematics from Princeton University, where he wrote for several publications such as Tiger Magazine and the Princeton Engineer, joined Theatre Intime and the Pre-med Society, and ate at the Woodrow Wilson Lodge. He roomed with Steve Gersten. He continued his education at Johns Hopkins medical school and completed his residency at Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, NY. Alan joined the faculty of the University of Missouri Medical Center in Columbia, Missouri, where he met and married his love, Tamar Kahane in 1973. Their son Michael was born in 1983. Alan was a member of several organizations, including the Society for Pediatric Radiology, the National Medical Association, the European Society of Pediatric Radiology, and the German Society of Pediatric Radiology. Beyond his dedication to his work, Alan was a lover of adventure and exploration. His wanderlust led him to travel the world, immersing himself in diverse cultures and often learning foreign languages, as well as being an avid reader of history, literature, and poetry. He was the author and co-author of several medical textbooks and numerous articles. His greatest passion was teaching his medical students, residents, and fellows, often with his distinct wit and humor. Never one to shy away from fighting for what he believed in, Alan was a dedicated civil rights activist, passionately advocating for equality, justice, and inclusion. His unwavering commitment to making the world a better place reverberates through the lives he touched, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of those who knew and admired him. Alan was a beloved husband to his wife, Tamar, of 50 years, who stood by his side through every triumph and challenge they faced together. He is also survived by his son, Michael, his sister, Dr. Janet Bernstein, nieces, nephews, and several cousins. A celebration of Alan's remarkable life will be held at a later date at Cincinnati Children's Medical Center. Posted 2/3/24 |
