In Memoriam Archive

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Bernadette Handrahan Neyhart ’43

Bernadette (Debby) Handrahan Neyhart ’43, January 18, 1993, in Berkeley, California. After attending Reed, she transferred to Radcliffe and married Stanley Neyhart in 1942. Though the college has no information about her early career, we learned that in retirement, she was active in local political issues in Berkeley and served on the Citizens Budget Review Commission and the City Council revenue and finance committee. She was also a revenue and taxation consultant for the Berkeley League of Women Voters. Survivors include her husband and a daughter.

Arthur J. Neils ’36

Arthur S. Neils ’36, May 26, 1996, in Spokane, Washington. He attended Reed for three years and then transferred to Stanford University, where he earned a BA in business. He had a career in the lumber and paper business and at one time was vice president of J. Neils Lumber Company in Troy, Montana. He was married and had five children. His sister, Ruth Neils Ward ’37, survives him.

Dorothy Pennock Nile ’27

Dorothy Pennock Nile ’27, April 24, 1999, in Bozeman, Montana. She received a master’s degree from the University of Washington in 1929 and later pursued a doctorate at Columbia University, completing all but her dissertation. In 1929, she moved to New York City to marry Stephen Nile ’27, whom she had met while at Reed. The couple lived in New York for nine years while he taught at a variety of schools and she pursued her studies. They moved to Butte, Montana, where he took a position teaching in the physics department at the School of Mines, Montana Tech. There, she managed the school bookstore and worked in the library. She became an accomplished photographer and her photographs of students, faculty, and their families were greatly admired. In 1965, the couple retired to a ranch in the Gallatin Canyon, where they had spent many previous summers. She combined her love of the natural world with her photographic talents to produce many portraits of wildlife, the canyon, and Yellowstone Park. Many of her photographs have been preserved and may be seen at the Pioneer Historical Museum in Bozeman, and some have been included in publications, including the book Montana’s Gallatin Canyon, by Dorothy Vick. She is survived by a cousin and their children, and many friends. Her husband died in 1981.

Katherine Niles Lind ’28

Katherine Niles Lind ’28, January 29, 2000, in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she had lived for 65 years. After graduating from Reed, she moved to Chicago and spent two years as the editorial secretary of Religious Education, published by the Religious Education Association. She then entered the graduate program in sociology at the University of Chicago, where she also worked in the sociology department, earning a master’s degree in 1935. While there, she met and married her husband, Andrew Lind, who was on the faculty at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu. During World War II, she worked for the YWCA as a counselor, and she continued there as a volunteer after the war. She also helped her husband edit his writings on social relations in Hawaii. In 1959, she took a paid position with the YWCA as associate director of the education department, and later became administrative director. She retired in 1969, but resumed the position for several years in the 1970s. She and her husband spent sabbatical years in Jamaica, Thailand, and Singapore, and also traveled to Europe and parts of the U.S. In retirement, she continued to volunteer with the YWCA, the Church of the Crossroads, Common Cause, and Pan Pacific and Southeast Asia Women’s Association. She is survived by two sons, a daughter, several grandchildren, and a sister, Helen Niles Bentley ’32. Her husband predeceased her.

Mary Greblo Nys ’35

Mary Greblo Nys ’35, August 18, 2001, in Salem, Oregon. After graduating, she worked as a medical technologist. She married Francis Nys in 1942 and they had one son. She later worked as a bookkeeper in her husband’s business, Nys Machine and Welding.

Harold Newson ’45

Harold Newson ’45, September 12, 1997. After a year at Reed, Harold enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard. His later career was as vice president of Familian Northwest, a Portland-based company supplying residential and commercial plumbing supplies to eight states. He married and had a daughter.

Reid M. Neufer MAT ’65

Reid M. Neufer MAT ’65, January 30, 2005, in Campbell River, B.C., Canada. Reid received a bachelor’s degree in 1957. At the time of his death, he was living on Cortes Island in British Columbia.

Barbara Bates Nelson ’43

Barbara Bates Nelson ’43, June 10, 1999, in Olympia, Washington.

Kathryn Loraine Newschwander Webb ’44

Kathryn Loraine Newschwander Webb ’44, August 8, 2010, in Tacoma, Washington. Kathryn attended Reed for two years, returning home to Tacoma because of a sports injury. She later earned a BA and MA in education from the University of Puget Sound. In 1943, she married V. Edward Webb; they raised two daughters, and both enjoyed boating, sports, and fishing. Kathryn taught in Tacoma public schools for over 20 years—most as a fifth grade teacher at Lowell Elementary School. Survivors include her daughters, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandson. Her husband died in 1968.

Caroline Newberger Canafax ’42

Caroline Newberger Canafax ’42, April 23, 2011, in Seattle, Washington. Caroline attended Reed for two years before transferring to the University of Washington, where she earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in special education. Caroline taught in elementary schools in Seattle and at Head Start. During the Vietnam War, she joined the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and traveled on behalf of the league “to get out the word to end war.” Her opposition to war began when she saw photos of the World War I dead, she said, and, from the standpoint of a teacher she also saw social needs going unmet as defense spending rose. Caroline founded the WILPF publication Pacific Vision in 1982 and served as league international vice president. “Women have been the prime nurturers, and therefore they are really oriented to life and the human race,” she wrote. She marched in peace rallies and protests, sang with the Raging Grannies, and dedicated her life to promoting democracy, women’s rights, and organized representation for labor. She also found time for hiking and agate collecting. Her passion for opera and chamber music grew out of the hours she spent listening to classical music in the Capehart room in Winch. Caroline married Leo Canafax in 1947; he died in 2010. Survivors include a son and daughter, four granddaughters, and a sister.

Rose Lea Nathan ’79

Rose Lea Nathan ’79, September 20, 1994, in Toronto, Canada. The twin sister of Jody Nathan ’79, Rose attended Reed for one year. She later attended the Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto and received a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Nursing from that institution in 1987. She was one of the first nurses in Canada to pass the Emergency Nursing Certification Examination and become a certified emergency nurse. She spent several years working in intensive care units and emergency rooms in Toronto's major hospitals, and she was a volunteer staff nurse for the Sexual Assault Care Center. At the time of her death, she was a nurse educator, emergency and intravenous services, at Wellesley Hospital, Toronto. She led seminars on triage and trauma, and she participated in national conferences on triage and emergency care. She also developed a sexual assault documentation tool that is used throughout Canada. She was a practicing Buddhist. Survivors include her sister.

Helen Gilham Neilson ’35

Helen Gilham Neilson ’35, August 20, 1995, in Redmond, Washington. She received a BA from Reed in political science and was a homemaker, married to Andrew Neilson ’38, who worked for Standard Oil.

Allan R. Neubauer ’38

Allan Neubauer ’38, September 13, 1995, in Portland. He had a long career in social work in Washington and Oregon. After graduating from Reed with a degree in sociology, he attended the University of Washington Graduate School of Social Work. In 1941, he married Maxine Dunsmoor. During World War II he was a conscientious objector assigned first to a Forest Service camp in California and then to a Veterans’ Administration mental hospital in Lyons, New Jersey. He served there as a psychiatric aide and assistant director until the end of the war. He returned to Seattle to continue his studies and worked at the Seattle Children’s Home, then moved to Portland and began a job with the Boys and Girls Aid Society of Oregon. He continued to work on his master’s degree, which he received in 1950. He remained with the Boys and Girls Aid Society for 37 years as a social worker in adoptions and services to unmarried parents. He helped pioneer several concepts of adoption and child welfare at the agency, especially in the area of planning for children with special needs. In the ’70s, he also worked part time for the Portland Youth for Christ, serving boys and their parents in post-delinquent programs. After retirement in 1984, he continued to volunteer with Boys and Girls Aid Society and was also active in the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia. He was an active member of Tremont Evangelical Church and served as their business manager and in other capacities. Survivors include two sons; a daughter; a brother, Arthur Neubauer ’31; a sister; and three grandchildren. Maxine died in 1990.

Fred E. Nicodemus ’34

Fred Nicodemus ’34, August, 1997, in Oakland, California, after a long illness. After graduation, Fred remained at Reed as an assistant in the physics department under Professor Knowlton [A.A., 1915–48], and then followed Margaret Shaw ’36 to Boise, where he obtained work as a bank messenger. They were married in 1935. He obtained a job with the Social Security Board, Bureau of Old-Age Benefits, and worked in Boise, Honolulu, and Indianapolis for nearly 10 years. Shortly after the war, he received an offer from a former physics professor to work as an administrative assistant with the USAF Cambridge Research Laboratories, with the option to attend graduate school on company time. In 1956, another job offer took him to Sylvania Electronic Defense Labs in Mountain View, California, where he worked for 13 years on missile detection problems in infrared systems. In 1969, he moved to the Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, California, where he continued to work on military uses of infrared radiation. In 1974, he transferred to the National Bureau of Standards to become the editor of a self-study manual on optical radiation measurements, which enabled him to pursue his interest in helping develop instructional and reference materials on radiometry. He continued to work on the manual after official retirement, which was published in parts over a period of time. He was a fellow in the Optical Society of America, the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers, and other professional organizations. He is survived Margaret.

Margaret Nace Mitter ’43

Margaret Nace Mitter ’43, August 3, 1999, in Bloomington, Indiana after a long illness due to Parkinson’s Disease. She joined the WACS immediately following graduation and worked primarily in psychiatric hospitals for the duration of World War II. She earned a master’s of social work from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri in 1948 and worked in child welfare jobs for a year. She married Lawrence Mitter in 1949 and spent the next 10 years raising their three children. In 1963, they moved to Indianapolis, where she took a job as a caseworker for the Indianapolis-Marion County Family Services. In 1969, her husband died of complications from a stroke. She left her job with the county in 1984, and spent two years teaching English at Kwassui Women’s College, Japan, where she had been born. Upon her return to the U.S., she taught English conversation to Asian women. She retired to Honololu in 1990 and married her first husband’s cousin, Wayne, in 1995. They returned to live in Indianapolis later that year. Survivors include her husband; two sons; a daughter; a sister, Rebecca Nace Koch ’47; two brothers, including Robert Nace ’45; and seven grandchildren. Another brother, George Nace ’43, died in 1987.

Harold Patton Niles ’42

Harold Patton Niles ’42, October 13, 1999, in Novato, California. He attended Reed for three years and then served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, receiving the Air Medal and the Distinguished Fkying Cross. He worked in Portland for 25 years selling rock-crushing and construction equipment. In 1968, he moved to Novato and opened Pacific Crusher Systems in San Rafael. He enjoyed golf, gardening, and fly-fishing, and he was a strong supporter of wildlife organizations. Survivors include his wife of 57 years; two daughters; a sister; six grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. A son predeceased him.

Steven D. Nygaard ’69

Steven Nygaard ’69, April 19, 2001, in Roverud, Norway. After attending Reed, he worked as a systems analyst for Hewlett Packard in San Jose, California. He later earned a diploma from the InterEurope Technical Writing Academy in the United Kingdom, and, after moving to Norway, he earned a certificate in graphic design from the Merkantil Institut and a certificate in marketing. He was a freelance technical writer and translator in Norway, and he also built custom furniture and restored antique furniture.

Ellen Virginia Lewis Noble ’45

Ellen Virginia Lewis Noble ’45, September 21, 2003, in Los Altos, California. Ellen attended Reed for two years She married Paul Noble Jr. ’43 in 1946, and they had a daughter and two sons. Ellen was active as a volunteer for the Red Cross, the El Camino and Veterans hospitals, and the Retarded Children’s Guild. Survivors include her husband, three children, a granddaughter, and her sister.

Frances Mesher Nemser ’44

Frances Mesher Nemser ’44, May 1987, in Portland, Oregon. Fran received a bachelor’s degree from Reed in French language and literature, married Arlan Nemser, and was a self-employed bookkeeper doing auditing and accounting for local government.

Helen Chiotti Nizich ’41

Helen Chiotti Nizich ’41, June 5, 2002, in Oregon. Helen received a bachelor’s degree from Reed in sociology and married Anton J. Nizich in 1941. They had two children.

Ann Nelson Behrman MAT ’68

Ann Nelson Behrman MAT ’68, September 28, 2005, in Belvedere, California. Ann received a BA in English from Mount Holyoke College in 1954. She married classmate Richard Behrman; they had four children. The family lived in Portland while he completed a pediatric residency at OHSU, and she attended Reed, earning her master’s in teaching in English, while working at Lincoln High School and caring for her children. She taught in public and private schools for 20 years in five states, and retired in California. In retirement, she worked for the Stanford admission office, leaving that occupation in the early 1990s. She also worked as a San Francisco city guide, a mentor and college counselor for at-risk high school students, and a court appointed special advocate. She volunteered in numerous capacities for St. Stephen Church in Belvedere. Berhman credited Reed with enriching her professional path and mobilizing her as an activist; she, in turn, enriched the lives of thousands of students, and of her family and acquaintances. Survivors include her husband, three daughters, and son; eight grandchildren; and a sister and brother.

Paul Noble ’43

Paul Noble Jr. ’43, May 5, 2005, in Los Altos, California. Paul attended Reed for two years. He married Ellen Virginia Lewis ’45 in 1943. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Paul completed a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Rochester. In 1954, he moved to Los Altos, and was a scientific consultant for senior management staff for more than 30 years at Lockheed Missiles and Space in Sunnyside, California; he retired in 1990. Survivors include his daughter and two sons, and a granddaughter. Ellen died in 2003.

Margaret Ethel Shaw Nicodemus ’36

Margaret Ethel Shaw Nicodemus ’36, March 15, 2007, in California. Margaret attended Reed for two years. Following her sophomore year, she accepted a position at a newly formed Idaho Emergency Relief Administration. “This piece of luck was due solely to the fact that I had survived two years at Reed College—which strongly influenced the State Director, who had a vast respect for Reed,” she wrote in 1986. In 1935, she married Fred E. Nicodemus ’34. Margaret became Fred's secretary when he was elected to the position of lieutenant governor of Idaho. His next position, with the Social Security Board, took the couple to Hawaii for six years. Following the Pearl Harbor incident, Margaret worked as a cryptographer for the Signal Corps, and organized and taught classes in cryptography. The couple moved to Indiana, and then to Massachusetts, where Fred worked at the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratory, and Margaret worked in the Tufts College (University) library. She then took a position with the library of Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology, before the couple moved to Mountain View, California, for Fred's position with the Sylvania Electronic Defense Laboratories. Margaret spent 16 years caring for her parents, and lived in Maryland before returning to California. Fred died in 1997.

Robert K. Nace ’45

Robert K. Nace ’45, August 31, 2008, from natural causes, in Peterborough, Pennsylvania. Robert attended Reed and Franklin & Marshall Academy (College), from which he received a BA in philosophy in 1944. He earned a BD from Union Theological Seminary—studies with theologians Reinhold Niebuhr and Paul Tillich prepared him for career ministry in the United Church of Christ, for which he was ordained in 1949. He also attended the Washington School of Psychiatry in Washington, D.C., and Thiel College in Greenville, Pennsylvania, from which he received a DD. Robert worked first as a psychiatric chaplain at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, D.C. He served as parish pastor at Abbey Reformed Church, in Huntington, Pennsylvania, and at Zion's Reformed Church in Greenville, Pennsylvania; he retired in 1990. Robert was a pioneer in the development of Parish Clinical Pastoral Education program. Additionally, he was active in civic groups, and supported civil rights and feminist and gay rights—he saw humankind as one family. “I am dismayed at what I perceive to be the mean-spirited elitism and subtle racism of the loudest voice in politics today,” he told the college. In retirement, he was interim pastor for churches in Arizona, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Pennsylvania, and enjoyed his hobby as an apiarist. Survivors include his wife, Ruth Carbaugh Nace; a son and four daughters; nine grandchildren; and his sister, Rebecca Nace Koch ’48. His sister, Margaret Nace Mitter ’43, and brother, George W. Nace ’43, also attended Reed.

Allison Daniele Notter ’00

Allison Daniele Notter ’00, December 18, 2010, in Cuba, from a sudden illness. Allison earned a BA from Reed in history and literature, and wrote her thesis, "The Creation of Chicano Cultural Consciousness: The Arts in the United Farm Workers of America," with Laura Leibman, [English and humanities, 1995–]. Laura recalls Allison as one of her all-time favorite thesis students. “She had a great sense of humor and fun and I always looked forward to our weekly meetings. Even when she hadn't gotten writing done for that week, she was honest about it and moved on to the next hurdle in her usual upbeat approach to life.” Laura said that the thesis focused largely on dramas written, produced, and acted by members of the Chicano farm workers movement, and that Allison did a substantial amount of primary research to complete it, including reading and translating large numbers of dramas and newspapers written in Spanish. After graduation, Allison returned to her hometown, New York City, and was performing, studying, and teaching dance there. She was a dance education major at New York University on a K-12 certification track, and taught ballroom dance in public schools through the American Ballroom Theater. A colleague described her as a conscientious and cooperative individual, who handled the ups and downs of performance with equanimity and grace. Allison had taken a year's leave of absence from the university to continue her study of Cuba's popular dances. “It does not surprise me that she was back in Cuba,” said Laura. “Throughout her time at Reed she was dedicated to learning about other cultures in a hands-on way. I am sure her students must miss her very much.”

Molly Este Koch Nudell ’69

Molly Este Koch Nudell ’69, February 6, 2007, at her home in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from lung cancer. Molly received a BA from Reed in general literature. She was an early student and friend of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche-Tibetan Buddhist meditation master, artist, and poet-and was considered one of the principal holders of his visual dharma teachings. In January 2007, Molly completed A Dharma Art Workbook, which is available through the Halifax Shambhala website (halifax.shambhala.org). A radio interview of Molly may he heard online at www.chronicleproject.com. Survivors include her husband, David; her daughter; and her brother. We thank Laura Fisher ’68 for providing details for this memorial.

Robert Hale Noyes Jr., Trustee

Robert Hale Noyes Jr., November 29, 2010, in Portland. Robert served as a member of the Reed board of trustees [1962–68], and on the board of the Oregon Symphony, the Portland Opera, Outward Bound, Marylhurst College, and the Catlin Gabel School. He was educated at Williams College and Yale University, served with the navy during World War II, and established the Rono Corporation and the Norwest Publishing Company. He enjoyed fishing and playing tennis, even in his 90s. Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth Cronin Noyes; his daughter; three stepchildren; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Ethel Emma Fahlen Noble ’40

Ethel Emma Fahlen Noble ’40, December 24, 2012, in Portland. Ethel was a day-dodger at Reed, along with her sister, Mildred Fahlen Taxer ’42. Initially commuting an hour and a half twice daily, the sisters were able to arrange a morning lift to the campus from Beepske Brevet Selhorst ’41, one of the rare Reedite car owners at the time and also carpooled with Ricky Heinicke ’42 (Thomas Frazier) and Eugene Snyder ’41. Ethel was on the Central Dance Committee and was a member of the chorus. She majored in psychology, studying with (William) Monte Griffith [psychology 1926–54], and served as an assistant to Griffith in his role as supervisor of the merit systems for the state of Oregon employment service. She had a brief teaching experience at Chiloquin High School near Klamath Falls before her marriage to John L. Noble, a structural engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. During World War II, while John served in the military, Ethel sold dresses, typed letters, worked as a bookkeeper, and did statistical studies at Kaiser Shipyard on Swan Island. Following the war, she managed the couple’s Portland home, raised their two sons, and did volunteer work. She was a member of the League of Women Voters for over 50 years, through which she exercised a long-standing engagement with public policy issues, and was a member of the First Congregational Church for more than 55 years. She enjoyed activities with Reed alumni and with the Corps of Engineers Auxiliary. In an interview in 2004, Ethel said: “I appreciate the Reed training that has enriched the ordinary process of living and the relationships with family, friends, and associates. Some of the Reed goals that I value the most are the continuing quest for knowledge, the open-minded approach to problems, and the postponement of judgment until other points of views are considered. I realize what a privilege it was to have been exposed to a very dedicated and talented faculty—most especially Monte Griffith. His wit, keen insight, practical approach, and concern for the individual are not forgotten.” Survivors include her sons, two grandsons, and sister Mildred. Her husband died in 1998.

Stanley Gail Nathenson ’55

Stanley Gail Nathenson ’55, October 15, 2012, in Pelham, New York. Stanley was at Reed for two years and earned a BA in psychology. He went on to earn an MD from Washington University in 1959, with special honors in pharmacology. Following that, he had additional training at the National Institutes of Health and the Queen Victoria Hospital in Sussex, England. He was recognized as a National Foundation fellow and as a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Stanley joined the faculty of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1965 in microbiology, immunology, and cell biology. He was later named Samuel H. Golding Chair in Microbiology. The college also recognized Stanley as a distinguished professor and awarded him the Marshall S. Horwitz, MD Faculty Prize for Research Excellence. He held numerous leadership positions at the college, including director of the immunology and oncology training program. His research focused on two costimulatory molecules, B7-1 and B7-2, which had been found to play an important role in activating and regulating T-cell immunity. His studies helped reveal the immunological basis for rejection of transplanted tissues and organs and led to therapies for overcoming the rejection process. He was the author of more than 250 research papers in the field of immunology. Stanley married Susan E. Lawrence in 1959; they had two sons.

Loraine Beryl Nunes Brownlee ’52

Loraine Beryl Nunes Brownlee ’52, July 23, 2009, in Pebble Beach, California, from cancer. Loraine came to Reed from Hawaii—a place she loved and returned to in 1950 with husband Robert L. Brownlee ’49. She originally aspired to be a teacher, but was devoted to her life as a wife and mother. She held administrative positions while Robert moved through his career in education in Hawaii, Oregon, Colorado, Wisconsin, and California. As an avid golfer, she enjoyed living on the Monterey Peninsula, and being a member of the Pacific Grove Women's Golf Group and the USGA. For 20 years, she worked at Brooks-Cole Publishing, retiring in 1996 as executive secretary to the president. Survivors include her daughter, son, and three grandchildren. Robert died in 2008.

Loyd B. Nesbitt Sr. AMP ’44

Loyd B. Nesbitt Sr. AMP ’44, July 8, 2006, in San Jose, California. A resident of Fargo, North Dakota, Loyd enlisted in the Army Air Forces in 1943, and came to Reed in the premeteorology program. He earned a BS in physics from Rutgers University and married Ruby Lee Parr. He and his family moved to Alplaus, New York, where he worked as a physicist for General Electric. In 1968, he was transferred to the nuclear energy division in San Jose, California, where he worked as a chemical engineer specializing in off-gas systems for nuclear power plants. Survivors include his wife, three children, and five grandchildren.

Stephen Daniel Nemeth ’45

Stephen Daniel Nemeth ’45, October 14, 2011, in Sunnyvale, California. Stephen attended Reed for a year in 1941–42 and was an electrical engineer for Hewlett-Packard and the Lockheed Missiles and Space Corporation. He was married for 55 years and is survived by his wife, Eunice, and his son.

Ruth Sittner Nishikawa ’51

Ruth Sittner Nishikawa ’51, March 2, 1995, in Portland. She worked as a certified medical assistant and worked for 20 years as an assistant to her brother, a physician. She was a member of the Second German Congregational Church. Survivors include her husband, a brother, and a sister.

Lilian Schwichtenberg Neilson ’34

Lilian Schwichtenberg Neilson ’34, January 29, 1996, in Portland. After graduating from Reed with a BA in biology, she and her twin sister, Marian Schwichtenberg Neilson Ellis ’34, entered the University of Oregon Medical School, where they both earned masters degrees in bacteriology with minors in biochemistry. Lilian worked as a bacteriologist for the State Board of Health from 1935 until 1942. She married Duncan Neilson in 1938 in a double ceremony with her sister, who married Neilson’s identical twin brother. After World War II, Lilian's husband practiced medicine in Portland while they raised a family of seven children. Their hobby of growing orchids eventually expanded, becoming a family business. She took an active role in propagating and cloning the plants. After her husband’s death in 1971, Lilian continued to work as the business’ master plant propagator and vice president until her retirement in 1986. She was active in the Westminster Presbyterian Church and a longtime volunteer with the March of Dimes. Survivors include her twin sister; four daughters; three sons, including Duncan Neilson II ’65; and 13 grandchildren.

Mary Gertrude Opp Nutting ’22

Mary Gertrude Opp Nutting ’22, February 3, 1999, in Milwaukie, Oregon. After graduating with a BA in biology, Gertrude worked as a lab technician in a TB research lab for one year. She met and married Forrest Foster ’22, a banker with the Federal Reserve Bank in Portland, and they had two children. While raising her family, she also worked part time for a number of years in market research and was active in the American Association of University Women, Girl Scouts, and the Red Cross. Her husband retired in 1959, and they moved to the suburbs of Portland. After his death in 1960, she worked as assistant librarian in the Milwaukie Public Library. In 1965 she married Haven Nutting, and together they operated a holly growing farm. Shortly after the death of her second husband in 1979, she moved to the Rose Villa Retirement Center in Milwaukie, and there she lived with her sister, Julia Opp Johnson ’23, until Julia's death in 1993. Gertrude maintained an active role in the Reed community and was a frequent visitor to the campus to attend events. Survivors include her son and daughter, Rosalind Foster ’52.

Jessie Kremers Newman ’33

Jessie Kremers Newman ’33, November 10, 1999, in Portland, of complications from Alzheimer’s Disease. She attended Reed for two years and then transferred to Oregon State College (now Oregon State University), where she earned a BS in business in 1933. She was a secretary in the ophthalmology department of Oregon Health Sciences University for 25 years before her retirement in 1972. She married Roy Newman in 1972 and moved to his home in Vista, California, where she enjoyed gardening and volunteered with Retarded Citizens of the North County as a cashier in their thrift shop. After her husband’s death in 1988, she returned to live in Portland. Survivors include two nieces and a nephew.

Rose Neusihin Cooper ’47

Rose Neusihin Cooper ’47, October 11, 2000, in San Mateo, California. She attended Reed for two years and transferred to the University of Washington, graduating in 1947. She married Max Cooper in 1947 and raised two children; the couple later divorced. She worked for Multnomah County as a medical social worker in the early ’60s. In 1967, she earned a master’s degree in social work from Portland State University and moved to San Mateo that same year. She was a clinical social worker for San Mateo and Santa Clara counties until retiring in 1986. Survivors include a son, a daughter, a sister, and two grandchildren.

Kenneth A. Neiland ’50

Kenneth Neiland ’50, January 15, 2000, in Redmond, Oregon. He earned a master’s degree from UCLA and worked on a doctorate there. In 1961, he was hired by the new state of Alaska as a wildlife researcher for the fish and game department. He was a specialist in wildlife diseases and parasites and often worked from field camps with his wife, Bonita, who had a doctorate in plant ecology. The couple lived in Fairbanks from the ’60s until their retirement in the late ’80s, when they moved to Sisters, Oregon. Kenneth was recognized for his research and many publications on northern wildlife, and he contributed to a number of national and international wildlife disease conferences. He was among the first Alaska scientists to collaborate with Russian colleagues during the thawing of the Cold War, and he made several research trips to Siberia. He was an outdoor enthusiast who enjoyed hunting, fishing, and camping, and he designed and crafted both fishing poles and firearms. He also played the piano, composed music, and collected books and stamps. Survivors include his wife and a sister.

William R. Neal ’52

William Neal ’52, April 9, 2001, in Hemet, California. He earned an MD at the University of Oregon Medical School in 1955 and practiced internal medicine until the time of his death. He served as a colonel with the US Air Force Medical Corp until 1975 and was in private practice in Cody, Wyoming, and Hemet, California. He married Lillian Nolan and they had five children.

Arthur H. Nusbaum ’41

Arthur Nusbaum ’41, January 30, 2002, in San Francisco, where he had lived for the past 52 years. He attended Reed for two years and then left to serve in World War II. He attended officers training school, attaining the rank of captain in the Third Infantry Division, and he was awarded the Silver Star for his actions in France. After the war, he joined Nusbaum Wholesale Hardware Company in San Francisco, and with partner Richard Levy built the Nusbaum Levy Company. After his retirement, he became a volunteer for the International Diplomacy Council in San Francisco, where he arranged programs for visitors brought to the U.S. by the State Department. Survivors include his wife, a son, and a daughter.

Adele Virginia Matthias Nederburgh ’41

Adele Virginia Matthias Nederburgh ’41, October 5, 2002, of a brain aneurysm, in Whittier, California. Nederburgh attended Reed but did not graduate. She married Warner Clark Jr. ’42 and later J.R. Nederburgh. She had two sons. Active in the restoration of the first home built in Whittier, the Bailey House, Adele worked as a docent and gardener, restoring the grounds with plants popular in the 1880s.

Helen Niles Bentley ’32

Helen Niles Bentley ’32, December 21, 2003, in Saginaw, Michigan. Helen received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Reed, and went on to earn a master’s degree in religion from the University of Chicago. Her teaching career spanned 44 years in California and Michigan. Community involvement included membership in the American Association of University Women, the League of Women Voters, Church Women United, and Countryside Trinity Church. In 1934 she married Robert A. Bentley, who died in 1970. She then married Cleaves Byers, who predeceased her. She is survived by a son and daughter, five grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

Thomas A. Norton ’37

Thomas Allen Norton ’37, April 12, 2003, in Muir Beach, California. Thomas attended Reed, but did not graduate, before volunteering to fight fascism in Spain with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in the ’30s. During World War II, he worked in the Sausalito, California, shipyards, and was a warehouseman in San Francisco for 30 years. Thomas was an active member of the ILWU, serving as steward and delegate. He was a man of deep convictions, who believed in social justice and human rights. He was also read extensively and was a poet. Survivors include four children, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His wife, and one son, predeceased him.

Lois Geraldine Noel Rogers ’41

Lois Geraldine Noel Rogers ’41, December 4, 2006, in Oregon. Lois earned a BA from Reed in general literature. She married Horace M. Rogers in 1946, and was a social worker for Clackamas County Children’s Services for 17 years. Survivors include three daughters, a stepdaughter and stepson, 18 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. Her husband died in 2005.

John W. Newport ’75

John W. Newport ’75, December 26, 2005, in Del Mar, California. John earned s BA from Reed in biology. In 1980, he earned a PhD from the University of Oregon in chemistry, and accepted a postdoctoral position at University of California, San Francisco, in biochemistry and biophysics, investigating the basic processes of the cell. He was a faculty member at San Diego for 22 years, joining the biology department in 1983. He was an internationally recognized cell biologist, noted, among other things, for his discoveries about how proteins in the cell regulate the timing of early developmental events. His research earned him a 10-year merit grant in 2000 from the National Institutes of Health. In the last years of his life, John worked on the genetic basis of sleep and sleep disorders. He was described as an innovative, creative, yet modest, scientist, who also contributed to raising the quality of academic life at UCSD. He was active in the Del Mar community, a volunteer for his childrenis schools, and for a recreational soccer team. Survivors include his son and daughter, and a sister.

Dorothy Louise Neil Cohen ’51

Dorothy Louise Neil Cohen ’51, December 31, 2007, at home in Tempe, Arizona. Dorothy attended Reed for two years, later earning a BA from Arizona State University in English in 1981. In 1953, she married composer David Cohen. A Fulbright scholarship for David provided a two-year study in France, after which the couple moved to Alabama for his position with the University of Alabama. In Tuscaloosa, they raised three children and were active in the Civil Rights movement. Dorothy was chairman of the legal committee of the Human Rights Council and took five dossiers to Washington, D.C. She maintained a passion for civil rights and social activism throughout her life, supporting the ACLU, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the Arizona Democrats. She also took pleasure in travel, theatre, and 20th-century music. The family moved to Tempe in 1967, when David accepted a position with Arizona State University. In 1987, Dorothy earned a master's in French poetry translation from the university. She was a member of the American Literary Translators Association. Survivors include her son and two daughters, and three grandchildren. Her mother, Mary Gantenbein Holt-Hartford, graduated from Reed in 1923. David died in 1999.

Charles M. Nielsen ’49

Charles M. Nielsen ’49, April 30, 1994, in Sacramento, California. After graduating from Reed, he entered Union Theological Seminary, New York, where he earned a BD in 1952 and a ThD in 1959. He was an instructor in church history at Union Theological Seminary from 1956 to 1958, and from 1958 to 1962 was assistant professor of church history at the Graduate School of Religion, University of Southern California. In 1962, he began teaching at Colgate Rochester Divinity School/Bexley Hall/Crozer Theological Seminary. He became professor of historical theology in 1965, retiring in 1987. He was awarded a faculty fellowship from the American Association of Theological School in 1968 to study abroad at Oxford and Berlin. After retiring, he and his wife, Eloise, moved to his home town of Sacramento. He was named distinguished visiting professor at the American Baptist Seminary of the West, Berkeley, in 1988 and continued to teach there until his death. He was the author of numerous scholarly and satirical publications and a member of the American Academy of Religion and several other professional associations. Survivors include his wife, a daughter, a son, and two grandchildren.

Katherine L. Neugebauer Garnett ’22

Katherine L. Neugebauer Garnett ’22, June 12, 1995, in Portland. She taught English, Latin, and journalism in rural Oregon and Montana for five years after graduating from Reed. She and her husband lived in Portland. Her interests included golf, bridge, woodcarving, and cultivating bonsai, and she volunteered with the Toy and Joymakers. Her husband died in 1976.

Muriel Nichols McKay ’21

Muriel Nichols McKay ’21, May 30, 1996, in Seal Beach, California. She taught English after her graduation from Reed. In 1927, she married Joseph McKay, and they remained together for 62 years until his death in 1989. She was a homemaker and volunteer for numerous charities in the San Francisco Bay area and on the Monterey Peninsula. She is survived by her daughter, three grandchildren, and a sister, Harriet Nichols Stevenson ’29.

Carolyn Norton Nance ’37

Carolyn Norton Nance ’37, May 30, 1997, in Sausalito, California, where she had lived for 50 years. She attended Reed for several years and later earned an undergraduate degree at the College of Marin, in California. She was a painter, poet, violinist, and dancer. In her early years in Portland, she rode in dressage events and was a licensed glider pilot at the age of 16. She is survived by a daughter, a sister, two grandsons, and two great-grandsons.

Lois Nelson Holloway ’46

Lois Nelson Holloway ’46, October 19, 1998, in San Rafael, California. She earned a master’s degree in mathematics in 1954 from the University of Southern California. She also received a National Institutes of Health fellowship and a PhD in biometrics and biostatistics from the University of California, Los Angeles. She worked part time for the California State Health Department. She is survived by a daughter.

Harriet Nichols Stevenson ’29

Harriet Nichols Stevenson ’29, June 8, 2000, in Lake Oswego, Oregon. She taught high school in Washington for three years and later did administrative work for Pacific Northwest Bell, retiring in 1960. She is survived by a niece.

Arthur W. Neubauer ’31

Arthur Neubauer ’31, January 3, 2001, in Yakima, Washington. He earned a master’s degree in chemistry from Cornell University in 1933 and had a long career in the paper industry in the state of Washington, primarily with Crown Zellerbach, in Camas. He retired in 1974 but continued to do consulting work. He was married and had a son and a daughter.

Eleanor Gunther Norlin ’35, MAT ’49

Eleanor Gunther Norlin ’35, MAT ’49, July 6, 2002. For five years following her graduation from Reed in history, Eleanor was a clerical assistant in two Portland public high schools. She earned a degree in library science from the University of Washington in 1940. She became librarian at Franklin High School, Portland, in 1943, a position she enjoyed for 32 years. She was a member of the first class to be granted an MAT from Reed. In 1953 she married Arthur H. Norlin, and they had a daughter and a son. In their retirement, they focused on gardening and traveling to Australia, New Zealand, the Maritime Provinces and British Columbia in Canada, and along the Oregon coast. She is survived by her husband and children, four grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and a sister.

Rowena Imogene Owen Newton ’50

Rowena Imogene Owen Newton ’50, June 21, 2003. Rowena attended Reed for two years, then studied voice at the Conservatory of Lausanne in Switzerland in 1949–50. From Lewis & Clark College, she earned a BA in music in 1953 and an MAT in music education in 1974. She married Frederic J. Newton in 1953 and they had two sons and a daughter. In addition to being a homemaker, Rowena worked as the executive secretary for the Japanese Garden Society, and was active in Mu Phi Epsilon Portland alumni chapter, and the Portland Beautification Association. Moshe Lenske ’50 remembers Rowena as a "big voice" in Reed’s Gilbert & Sullivan productions. She is survived by her husband, children, and two grandchildren.

Roy F. Noland ’35

Roy Frank Noland ’35, June 17, 1996, in California. Roy attended Reed but did not graduate. He earned an MD from the University of Oregon Medical School, practiced as a physician and surgeon in the Los Angeles area, and served in the U.S. Medical Corps.

Bernice Noble ’60

Bernice Katz Noble ’60, November 8, 2003, in Eggertsville, New York, following a lengthy illness. Bernice attended Reed, but received a bachelor’s degree from Bryn Mawr College. She earned a master’s degree from Brandeis University and a doctorate from the University at Buffalo (UB) in 1975. In 1977, she became a member of the UB department of microbiology, part of the School of Medicine and Biomedical Science. Her research work in the field of immunology was nationally recognized. Bernice was also a strong advocate for status of women, encouraging UB to boost representation of women across the campus and to eliminate the disparity in the professorial pay. Bernice was outspoken and passionate, possessing a bright intellect and a love of literature. She and her husband, Robert, who survived her, were married 40 years. Survivors also include her three sons, and a grandchild.

Samuel Frank Nebel ’41

Samuel F. Nebel ’41, August 5, 2005, in Everett, Washington. Samuel earned a BA in biology, and then attended the University of Oregon Medical School where he met Eleanor C. Hart, a nurse whom he married in 1942. He graduated with an MD in 1943, and interned at Multnomah County Hospital in Portland, before serving in the U.S. Army as a battalion surgeon in the Pacific Theatre. For his service he received two Bronze Stars. In 1946, he opened a practice in Arlington, Washington. He was a compassionate individual, a poet and painter, who loved hiking as well as classical music. And he was a tireless "old-school" doctor, who exchanged his service for produce, firewood, or whatever was offered to him by those struggling to survive. Samuel's focus on treating the physical ailments of the mentally ill in South Mountain, Pennsylvania in the ’80s, made it possible for many to leave institutions to which they had been committed. He had a reverence for the aging and the young alike. Professional associations included membership in the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Practice, and Cascade Surgical Club. He was on the staff at Providence Hospital in Everett for over 30 years, was a member of the Arlington School Board for six years, and was also choir director at Our Saviour’s Lutheran church in Arlington. Samuel hiked in the Olympic mountain range, a place he loved, with members of his family into his late seventies. He dealt with the aftermath of a stroke he had in 1998 with dignity and tenacity. Survivors include his four daughters and two sons, six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. His wife died in 2003.

Marvel-Dare Fellows Nutting ’27

Marvel-Dare Fellows Nutting ’27, April 24, 2005, in Sun City, Arizona. Viewing Marvel-Dare as a premature baby (1.5 pounds at birth), a nurse remarked, "It will be a marvel if that baby dares to live," and inadvertently provided the baby with her name. Marvel-Dare earned a BA in biochemistry from Reed; taught at Washington State College (University) in Pullman, from which she obtained an MS in biochemistry in 1930; then received a PhD in biochemistry and biophysics at the University of Rochester Medical School, New York, in 1938. She married Perley G. Nutting Jr. in 1939. During World War II, she taught in the Army-Navy V-12 program for medical students. Along with two other researchers, she received two distinguished service awards and a superior service award for outstanding comprehensive research in war gas projects. During her career as a research biochemist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, she published scientific information essential to the growth of the frozen and dehydrated food industry. Marvel-Dare was active in her retirement community, and remained a loyal friend of Reed College.

William Howard Naylor ’51

William Howard Naylor '51, July 6, 2008, in Portland. Jack served in the U.S. Army in World War II. He received a BA from Reed in psychology, an MS from the Illinois Institute of Technology, and a MD from the University of Oregon. He practiced surgery in Portland and was chief of surgery at Woodland Park Hospital. Jack described himself as a physical fitness enthusiast, and was chair of the central YMCA cardiac advisory committee. In 1988, he married Ruth English. Survivors include his wife, son, daughter, nine grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and his sister.

Ruth Mitsuko Nishino Penfold ’43

Ruth Mitsuko Nishino Penfold ’43, July 23, 2009, in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, from complications related to Parkinson's disease. Ruth was a junior at Reed in December 1941, when she and her family, along with thousands of other Japanese Americans, were banished to internment camps. Before she left, she entrusted her mother's precious ikebana tools to the Reed library. (Ruth, Gus Tanaka ’45, and Hattie Katawara Colton ’43, were featured in the article “On the Home Front” in Reed, November 1999.) After the war, Ruth married a fellow internee from the Minidoka camp in Idaho, and moved to Canada, where she worked as a legal secretary. She took pleasure in opera, theatre, bonsai, gardening, cooking, and baking. Ruth was a member of the Hamilton Ikenobo Ikebana Society for many years, and was a board member of the Women's Institute of Ontario and the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. She also enjoyed family camping and travel with husband Frank Penfold. In 1985, she earned a BA in sociology and fine arts from Brock University and was honored at the ceremony as the year's oldest graduate. Survivors include a daughter, a son, and two grandchildren. Our thanks to Gus for his assistance with this memorial.

Ann Almquist Niles ’63

Ann Almquist Niles ’63, April 7, 2011, in Seattle, Washington, from leukemia. Ann was born in Burbank, California, and moved with her family to Grants Pass, Oregon, when she was five. She majored in economics at Reed and wrote her thesis on immigration and the economic development of Israel. At Reed, she met Philip H. Niles ’63. They were married the day after graduation and moved to Canada to attend graduate school at the University of Toronto. They also lived in London before relocating to Northfield, Minnesota, where Phil joined the history faculty at Carlton College. After completing an MA in library science at the University of Minnesota in 1969, Ann joined Carleton's library and took charge of acquisitions and collection development. They had three children: Ian Niles ’88; Colin, who died in childhood; and Nell Niles Edgington ’95. Ann and Phil retired in 1998 and returned to Oregon, where they divided their time between Neahkahnie on the Oregon coast and Portland's Pearl District. Ann developed a second career in urban development and transportation and did volunteer work with the city of Portland and the Pearl District Neighborhood Association on a variety of projects such as the streetcar, the light rail, bike lanes, and wide sidewalks. The Northwest Examiner presented Ann's family with a posthumous lifetime service award for her work. Survivors include Phil, their children and three grandchildren, and her sister, Sue Almquist Dodd ’66.

Mary Jean Nelson Murray ’42

Mary Jean Nelson Murray ’42, March 24, 2012, in Portland. Mary was raised by her mother, grandmother, and aunt, as the only child in a Scottish household with plenty of tea and baked goods. Her father was a Canadian wheat farmer. Mary earned a BA in psychology from Reed. During World War II, she joined the navy as an officer in the personnel department at Port Hueneme, California. There she met Harold (Max) Murray, who was also doing military service. They married in Portland in 1946 and moved to Eugene so that Max could complete his education at the University of Oregon. Three children were born before they returned to Portland, and a set of twins followed.Mary kept busy with family, household responsibilities, and work as a partner in an employment office. Mary and Max were deacons in the Presbyterian church and enjoyed cultivating roses, square dancing, and taking walks with their dogs. The couple was “virtually inseparable”—giving space to one another to enjoy personal pleasures like classical music (Mary) and sports (Max)—until Max’s death in 2011. Survivors include their daughter and four sons, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

John Hugh Noland ’51

John Hugh Noland ’51, May 6, 2012, in Chico, California. John was a radio operator in the navy during World War II. He earned a BA from Reed in mathematics and an MS in applied mathematics from Montana State at Bozeman. In 1959, he moved to Chico and was a mathematics instructor at Chico State for 28 years. Chess was a great passion for John, and he entered national competitions, earning the title of national master from the U.S. Chess Federation in 1988. Survivors include two sons, a grandson, and two sisters.

Richard Elmer Nelson ’50

Richard Elmer Nelson ’50, March 18, 2013, in Anacortes, Washington. During World War II, Dick enlisted with the Army Air Corps and served in the 16th Weather Squadron. He studied at Reed for two years and completed a BA in chemistry at Oregon State College in 1949. That same year, he married Joyce L. Holen ’50; they raised a son and daughter. Dick worked as a resin chemist with American Marietta and also was employed with Georgia Pacific and U.S. Plywood. He and Joyce lived for many years in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He retired as vice president of operations and manager of the Catawba Hardboard plant in Catawba, South Carolina, in 1987. Following that, Dick and Joyce returned to the Pacific Northwest and enjoyed a home in Anacortes with a view of the San Juan Islands, the surrounding waters, and gorgeous sunsets. They also enjoyed travel abroad and time spent with their children and grandchildren at their cabin in a remote part of British Columbia. Dick is survived by Joyce; their daughter, Janis, and son, Craig; and four grandchildren.

Charles Harding Noll AMP ’44

Charles Harding Noll AMP ’44, October 20, 2012, in Bogart, Georgia. Charles enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and studied in the premeteorology program at Reed. Following service in World War II, he worked as an industrial engineer for Johns Manville in Illinois, completed a degree in political science at Northwestern University, and later moved to the company’s plant in Georgia. Twice a widower, Charles is survived by his longtime companion Peggy Wall, three daughters and a son, eight grandchildren, and a sister and brother. One son predeceased him.

John Edwin Norbeck ’52

John Edwin Norbeck ’52, July 13, 2013, in Coralville, Iowa, from a heart attack. “Although I was a chemistry major at Reed,” Ed wrote in 1992, “I took many physics and math courses. My specialty was in radiochemistry with a secret interest in the chemistry of explosives. The radioactivity in the radiochemistry focused my interest on the nucleus of the atom, which is usually studied by physicists.” During the summers of 1951 and 1952, Ed carried both of his special interests “to the extreme,” he said, by working in Hanford, Washington, where the explosive materials were made for nuclear and hydrogen bombs. “This was great fun, but at the end of the summer in 1952, I put the weapons work behind me and went to the University of Chicago for a PhD in nuclear physics (1956).” (During his work at Hanford, Ed provided Arthur Scott [chemistry 1923–79] with an illustration for a small nuclear reactor, which he believed may have inspired Scott to build Reed’s research reactor.) Ed taught at the University of Minnesota before joining the faculty in physics and astronomy at the University of Iowa; he was made full professor in 1967. For a number of years, he did research in Europe. “Most of my funding for nuclear-physics research has been in French francs, deutche marks, and rubles. Fortunately, I had studied German and Russian at Reed, and then French and more Russian at the University of Chicago. I now have research funding in dollars, but I am grateful for the interlude in Europe, which provided a fascinating addendum to my liberal arts education.” His research consisted of colliding the nuclei with heavy atoms, including uranium, at energies high enough to break up both nuclei into a number of smaller nuclei. “Obtaining suitable beams of the heavy nuclei requires huge accelerators, of which only a few exist, all in the U.S. and Europe.” He designed and utilized a computerized data acquisition system to record events in collisions between accelerator beam particles and target nuclei, and was the first recipient of an award established by the Computer Applications in Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Technical Committee of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The award, which was presented to him in 1987, honored his pioneering work in building the first computerized data acquisition system based on a general-purpose computer. Ed joined the University of Iowa’s high-energy physics group in 2000 and was engaged in experimental work with the Compact Muon Solenoid collaboration at CERN. He retired as professor emeritus in 2002. Reporting Ed’s death, the University of Iowa astronomy department stated: “Our Iowa group will greatly miss his advice and expertise.” Ed was a member of the Coralville Methodist Church, the Iowa City Community Band, and IEEE, and a fellow of the American Physical Society. He married Betty A. Samuelson in 1956, and they had three daughters and a son. Survivors include his wife Janet Branson, whom he married in 1984, two daughters, a son, two stepdaughters, two stepsons, six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and his sister.

Christopher Johannes Namtze ’75

Christopher Johannes Namtze ’75, May 10, 2013, in South Bend, Indiana, following an extended illness. Chris earned a BA from Reed in political science and an MA in sociology from Brandeis University. He made a career in finance, working in Boston and in New York City. Chris was a member of Reed’s National Advisory Counsel and a generous supporter of the college and of education for students who were financially disadvantaged. “I think that the person who most inspired and challenged me was John Pock [sociology 1955–98]. It was in his sociological theory class that I learned intellectual accountability. Not just critical thinking, but accountability. This has helped me in my work today probably more than in school. I give the college credit for teaching me how to think.” Survivors include his mother and sister.

Herbert L. Newmark, Friend

Herbert L. Newmark, August 25, 2013. Herb Newmark was born in New York City and grew up with his sister, Florence, in San Diego. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He completed flight school and basic training and served in the Pacific during World War II. Returning from the war, he completed studies at San Diego State College and Balboa University Law School before being called up from the naval reserves for active duty in the Korean War. His service in the war earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, and the Gold Star. Herb and Jeanne Mittleman were married in 1952 and lived in Portland, where Herb worked in property management with Jeanne’s father. He later purchased Newtronics, an electronics distribution company, which he operated successfully, and then joined Norris, Beggs & Simpson as a commercial real estate broker. Herb opened a real estate brokerage firm, Newmark & Associates, which he operated for more than 50 years. He and Jeanne raised a family of five, including Richard Newmark ’76, and enjoyed ski vacations throughout the Pacific Northwest and trips to Europe and to their vacation home in Mexico. Herb served on the boards of the Mittleman Jewish Community Center, Temple Beth Israel, the Oregon Realtors Association, and the Vida del Mar condominium association. A generous benefactor and community supporter, his gift to the Portland Center for Performing Arts was recognized with the naming of the Newmark Theatre. At Reed, he established the Herbert L. and Jeanne L. Newmark Scholarship in support of students in biology, chemistry, and physics. Herb enjoyed woodworking, sculpting, bridge, and reading. Survivors include Jeanne, two daughters, three sons, seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Jennifer Ariane Nonas ’00

Jennifer Ariane Nonas ’00, January 1, 2014, from pneumonia. Jen had an intense two-year struggle with cancer, which she charted in her blog, jenandlumpy.blogspot.com. Jen’s blog, while created for her to chronicle her experience with cancer, serves as an exemplary resource guide for those navigating the journey of cancer as a bystander. Along with narrating the battles with the cancer forms she named Lumpy, Sneaky, and the Rebel Forces, Jen catalogued what forms of support are actually helpful (and not helpful), and provided insight into how cancer may affect relationship roles. Jen came to Reed from West Milford, New Jersey, and earned a BA in psychology, completing the thesis “How Happy Will I be if I Lose? The Effect of Sensation Seeking on the Self-Prediction of Emotional States” with her adviser, Prof. Kathryn Oleson [psychology 1995–], who, along with Jen’s friend Moira Tofanelli ’99, contributed significantly to this memorial. After Reed, Jen worked as a web developer with CollegeNet in Portland and then attended Drexel University, where she earned a master’s degree in art therapy; most recently, she worked for WES Health Care in Philadelphia. Jen’s graduate thesis was on optimism, a practice she herself engaged in throughout her life and health struggles: continuing to delight in tastes of gelato when well enough; scripting an anticancer lullaby; creating a cancer cell cat toy so that her cat “could kill some cancer, too”; relishing chance meetings with neighbors while practicing walking on her prosthetic leg on sunny days through her Philadelphia neighborhood, Passyunk; and finding pride in her daily accomplishments.

While a consistently cheerful and lighthearted person, Jen held a depth of understanding of the world and herself that many can only hope to manifest. She demonstrated such self-awareness when, postamputation, she penned on her “little leg” a quote from Walt Whitman:

Robert Mountz Noel ’48

Robert Mountz Noel ’48, July 20, 2014, in Oregon. Bob served as a B-25 bomber pilot during World War II and earned a BA from Reed in economics. He married Nancy Edwards Strong in 1946 and they had four children, living in Lake Grove and on a small ranch in Tualatin. He had a diverse and lengthy career in the lumber industry, traveling extensively across the U.S. and Canada as a lumber broker and sawmill machinery designer, and he took pride in his ability to memorize all of his contacts and their phone numbers. “He was highly respected for his honesty, integrity, intelligence, and ability to communicate with people from all walks of life.” Bob was a member of many community organizations, including the Portland City Club, the Ski Patrol, and 4-H. He enjoyed gardening and time spent with his horses and dogs. He loved his family and was happily retired for 15 years with Nancy on Puget Island on the Columbia River before they moved to a home in Tigard. Survivors include his wife, two sons, two grandsons, and one great-grandson. He was predeceased by his daughter and one son.

Ruth Suzanne Blum Nace ’45

Ruth Suzanne Blum Nace ’45, September 7, 2013, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sue studied at Reed for two years, leaving to work in San Francisco as a store manager. A renewed friendship with Margaret Nace (Mitter) ’43 there led to her marriage to Margaret’s brother George W. Nace ’43 in 1946. The year before, Sue completed a BA in political science and journalism at the University of Oregon. George attended graduate school in biology in Los Angeles and San Francisco and did postdoctoral study in Brussels, Belgium, and Washington, D.C. He taught at Duke University and joined the faculty at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1956. During these years, Sue raised their four children, volunteered for remedial reading programs in public school classrooms, and worked with the International Neighbors program. When her children were grown, Sue became a substitute teacher and a proofreader for the book manufacturer Braun & Brumfield. “As a lifeguard in her youth, she developed a lifelong avocation for physical exercise,” her family reported. “She was a stickler for the proper use of words and grammar, an advocate for gracious living and sharing of ideas across cultures, and, as she described herself to the end, ‘fat and sassy.’” Sue enjoyed baking and stocked the kitchen pantry with homemade bread, rolls, pastries, and pies, as well as homemade preserves, jams, and pickles. Sue once reported to Reed, “My life is full, and like many others, I deplore the paucity of hours in the day to fulfill all my goals, but I feel blessed that I have sufficient health and alertness to achieve most of them.” George died in 1987. Survivors include two daughters and two sons, and four grandchildren.

Robert Nieman ’64

Robert (Bob) Nieman was to have joined the class of 1964 in fall 1960, but died in a climbing accident just before the term began, wrote Celia Hansen Morris ’64 in July 2014. Bob lived in Seattle at least from elementary school onwards. He had a non-identical twin brother, Louie, who had been crippled by polio, and an older brother, Paul, and perhaps a sister. "Bob and I were academic competitors and friends in fourth and fifth grade at Lake Forest Park elementary school. I lost touch with him after sixth grade, but then, by chance, we attended the same summer camp during our eighth and ninth grade summers (his brothers were there as well; Paul as a counselor along with my older sister)." Celia and Bob again lost touch, but at 16, while practicing going into crevasses for a Mountaineers climbing certification course on Mount Rainier in the Washington Cascades, Bob recognized Celia and spoke with her. "When I got the list of incoming freshmen, I was very glad that I would come knowing another member of our class. To this day, I regret that I felt too shy to call Bob and suggest we drive down to Spirit Lake together. I believe it was that weekend that he died of a head injury sustained when another climber accidentally dislodged some rocks during an ascent in the Cascades."

William Sumio Naito ’49, Trustee

William Sumio Naito ’49, May 8, 1996, in Portland, from cancer, eight days following diagnosis.

Bill came to Reed after serving three years in the U.S. Army (Japanese American 442nd Division) in the Pacific during World War II. After graduating with a degree in economics and membership in Phi Beta Kappa, he went on to earn a master's degree in economics from the University of Chicago. In 1951, he married Millicent (Micki) Sonley in Chicago, and they moved to Portland, where Bill joined his family’s import business, Norcrest China Company.

David C. Newell ’62

Musically gifted and adept at mathematics, Dave earned a BA from Reed in mathematics. His thesis, written with Prof. Joe Roberts [1952–2014], was “Propositions Equivalent to the Axiom of Choice.” After graduating, Dave went to Brandeis University, where he earned a PhD in mathematics. He taught at Tufts College and then at UC Irvine, but his political leanings prevented him from receiving tenure. He also taught at California State University at Long Beach and West Los Angeles College, and retired in 2005. “Mostly I was a ‘freeway flyer,’” he wrote, “going from school to school each day, teaching a class here and there.”

Described as a “gentle giant” for his stature—6 feet 7 inches—and his behind-the-scenes approach to issues, he was drawn into advocacy in the late ’70s, when he campaigned against the Briggs Initiative, a proposal to ban gays and lesbians from public school teaching positions. Distressed by the injustice, prejudice, and suffering he observed during the AIDS crisis, he became an active member of the Long Beach Lambda Democratic Club and served as club president. A plaque recognizing his advocacy is mounted in Equality Plaza at Harvey Milk Promenade Park in Long Beach. His concern for those dealing with addiction led him to be a founding member of the Atlantic Alano Club, a 12-step meeting for LGBT people. He also was an active member of the California Democratic Party, at one point serving as regional director. “I am proud to say I was part of the transition of the city of Long Beach, being known as ‘Iowa by the Sea’ when I moved there, to the progressive and diverse city it is today.” Dave got involved in the U.S.–China Peoples Friendship Association, traveled twice to China, and was chair of a local chapter. He also traveled to Costa Rica, Egypt, South America, Southeast Asia, and the Panama Canal. At the time of his 50th-class reunion, though his health was of great concern, he looked ahead to a trip to Europe. “I do what I can, and I enjoy my books, CDs, and my subscriptions to the LA Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and to many chamber music series.” Survivors include two sisters, a niece, two grandnieces, and a grandnephew.

Rebecca Nace Koch ’48

Becky was the fifth child of Congregational missionaries Israel George Nace and Mary Rosa Keifer, born in the winter of 1927 in the small Japanese town of Akita. Mary was a marine biologist who passed her love of nature to her children. Becky’s childhood unfolded in Japan, then at an orphanage run by her grandfather in Greenville, Pennsylvania. Finally the family moved to Tillamook and then to Portland. Becky was a peripatetic little girl, traveling around the world by ship, and across the country by car. Experiences at Bible camp, Girl Scout camps, and summer camps on the Oregon coast and at Mt. St. Helens fostered her love for the outdoors. She even worked as a fire lookout in remote towers in the Mt. Hood National Forest. Becky’s interests also included knitting and sewing, playing the bass in the Portland Junior Symphony, and making friends.

Graduating from Grant High School at the age of 16, she followed her older siblings, Margaret Mitter ’39, George Nace ’43, and Robert Nace ’45 to Reed. She was particularly fond of reading sessions at the home of Prof. Ruth Collier [English 1933-52]. Later, when Becky taught in Japan, she invited her students to potluck suppers at her home where they read aloud from their literature assignments.

She had the idea of teaching outdoors where she could combine her love of children and nature. Leaving Reed, she finished her bachelor’s degree at Springfield College in Massachusetts, in the first class of women admitted to the previously all-male college. But she always regretted leaving Reed and said, “There is no way to describe the extent of my Reed experience for it permeates all my activities of life.” She met her first husband, Bill Koch, at Springfield.

David Novogrodsky ’55

In the early Fifties when David was at Reed, a group of students founded a mythical island nation from which they issued satiric declarations about campus events.

“David was the Commissioner and after serving an apprenticeship I was elevated to the title of M. le Directeur,” Michael Munk ’56 remembers. “Well into our dotage we continued to address ourselves with those titles. David was part of the posse that indoctrinated me into the culture and politics of Olde Reed.”

James Bridges Nickson ’69

Born in Chicago on March 22, 1945, Jay was the son of Dr. James Nickson and Dr. Margaret Hofrichter Nickson. He grew up in London and New York and attended college at Dartmouth, Reed, and the University of Alabama. Jay was a talented software designer and engineer, and began working for IBM in 1965. Subsequently he worked at Digital Equipment Corporation and other technology firms in the northeast United States. Several of the software products he designed won product of the year awards from industry magazines, and in 2014 he was awarded a patent for systems and methods for semantic URL handling that he invented. James was also a programmer at the School of Aerospace Sciences in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

He was a voracious reader dedicated to the study of philosophy, a motorcycle enthusiast, an avid swimmer, and a scuba diver. His brothers, Robert and Michael,;sister-in-law, Julie; and niece, Catherine, of Arlington, Virginia, survive him.

Robert D. Neikes ’39

Born in Portland, Robert attended both Reed and Oregon State University. In 1943, he graduated from the College of Medicine at Creighton University in Nebraska. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps on the hospital ship USAHS Charles A. Stafford. He moved to Astoria in 1948, where he practiced medicine at the Doctor’s Clinic and Astoria Clinic. Robert married Elizabeth Judd in 1951, and they had five children. In 1976, he married Betty Jane Quinn.

As president of the Astor Library Construction Committee, he was instrumental in establishing the Astor Library, dedicated in 1967. Additional civic duties included serving as president of the Clatsop County Medical Society, the Civic and Community Concert associations, and the Library Board of Trustees. He received the Astoria Junior Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award in 1968. Robert delighted in reading, fly-fishing, music, opera, and especially spending time at his farm in Jewell. In his late years, Robert volunteered at the Clatsop County Historical Society and as a tutor in Oregon’s SMART Reading Program (Start Making a Reader Today). He is survived by his children, Martha (Gunther) Romanov, David Neikes, Tom (Joom) Neikes, Jim (Jackie) Neikes, and Carrie Neikes; stepson, Peter (Anna) Quinn; six grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.

Catherine Gesas Nelson ’43

Born and raised in Idaho Falls, Catherine attended Reed but graduated from Oregon State University as a registered dietitian. Later she also obtained a teacher’s certificate and taught for many years.

“Although I only attended Reed during my freshman year, the school had a big impact on my life,” Catherine said. “To be in Prof. Barry Cerf’s [literature 1921–48] class, be introduced to great literature, and be allowed to form my own ideas was a great joy. Each moment at Reed I still cherish.”

Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche ’16

Taliesin at his Reed graduation pictured with his father, mother, and sister Aurora Dachen.

By Randall S. Barton

It was Friday, May 26, the first day of Ramadan, the holiest time of the year for Muslims. Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche ’16 was riding in a Portland MAX train when a man got on board and began harassing two teenage girls, one of whom was black and the other who wore a traditional Muslim hijab. As the man escalated his rant about how Muslims should die, Taliesin cut short his phone conversation with his aunt. He had to help the girls; the man was out of control. He and two other passengers stepped forward to intervene when the man, Jeremy Christian, pulled a knife from his pocket, and repeatedly slashed them before fleeing the train at the next station. He was later apprehended and charged with murder.

Kurt Nelson ’48

November 7, 2016, in Tigard, Oregon.

Born in Helsingborg, Sweden, to Harry and Anna Nelson, Kurt moved with his family to the United States when he was four months old and eventually settled in Portland. As a chemistry major at Reed, he wrote his thesis, “Preparation of Pure Silver for Atomic Weight Determinations,” with Prof. Arthur Scott [chemistry 1923–79] advising. During World War II he was decorated with the Bronze Star for his service in Europe. After the war, Kurt was a respected analytical chemist. His wife of 67 years, Sylvia Ruth LeValley, and children, Donald Nelson, Ann Olive, and Debra Sewell, survive him.

Roger Newhall ’51

February 26, 2017, in Portland.

A gentleman in dress and manner, Roger was an eccentric who took refuge in his collection of recordings, art, and books. He preferred reclusiveness, but enjoyed planning luncheons, dinners, and concerts with family and friends, and was known to brighten someone’s day by delivering an unexpected gift.

James T Nelson ’50

James was born in Portland, Oregon, and served in the navy during World War II, as an electronics technician in the Pacific Theater on the USS Vega. After the war he attended Reed, where he met and married Gem Elizabeth Cressman ’50. James earned a bachelor’s degree in physics, and went on to the University of Oregon, for both a master’s and a doctorate degree in physics. He worked for years at AT&T Bell Labs, as a physicist in transistor development, in the memory diagnostics group, and as a supervisor in reliability physics. James had numerous patents, awards, and published research papers in semiconductor technologies. His children, Patricia and Richard, survive him.

Marshall Nechtow ’59

January 8, 2019, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Born in Los Angeles, Marshall earned a bachelor’s degree from Reed and a master’s from Johns Hopkins University, both in physics. He was a pioneer in designing and manufacturing semiconductors, blazing a trail with integrated circuits and major improvements in CMOS circuits. A principal engineer and scientist at McDonnell Douglas and senior principal engineer and scientist at Boeing, Marshall held multiple patents and his products went into space, starting in the NASA Mercury program.

David B. Nadal ’77

January 20, 2019, in Portland, from heart failure.

As president of his sophomore class at Portland’s Wilson High School, David organized the signature gathering that put the Oregon Scenic Waterways bill on the ballot. Two years later, he opened and ran the Citizens Advancing McCarthy’s Policies (CAMP) office in Portland to support the presidential campaign of Senator Eugene McCarthy. He attended college at New York University, Reed College, and then Lewis & Clark College, where he had a double major in biology and history.

Stephen Nugent ’72

November 13, 2018, in London, England.

Celebrated for his work in Amazonia, in many ways Stephen defied quantification as an anthropologist. Combining materialism and scientific quantification, he saw anthropology as the best approach for analyzing world-systems even as he was critical of it for creating an industry that commercialized culture.

Emiliano [Yano] Navarrette ’98

November 22, 2020 in Manor, Texas, of cancer.

Yano majored in English at Reed, but transferred to the University of Texas at Austin to complete his bachelor’s degree. He returned to Portland for law school at Lewis & Clark, but did not finish that degree. He worked for the Texas Water Commission.

Margaret Newton Sprinkle ’44

January 21, 2021, in Portland.

By the time she passed away at the age of 97, Maggie had lived well, laughed loud, and loved much. No one needed to be reminded that she was not only the smartest person in the room, but also the funniest.

John Steventon Neeley ’58

December 10, 2015, in Portland.

A natural father, teacher, and coach, John earned a bachelor of science degree in physical education and then a master’s in teaching at Reed. He was a scientist, mountain man, and athlete. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and his daughters, Ednalyn Neeley, Dulcy Neeley-Brown, Skye Gould, Leirion Gaylor Baird, and Alison Gaylor.

Ruther Oser Newman ’55

April 25, 2021, in Sunnyvale, California.

Ruthie was born in Berkeley, California. The family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and then, in 1935, to the Soviet Union. Two years later, they fled the threat of Stalin’s Great Purge, taking refuge with Ruthie’s grandparents in Tel Aviv. In 1938, they returned to Berkeley, where Ruthie met Dirk Newman at Garfield Junior High. They began dating in high school and married in 1954, following his graduation from UC Berkeley. The following year, Ruthie completed her BA degree at Reed, having written her thesis, “An Analysis of Louis MacNeice’s Ten Burnt Offerings,” advised by Prof. Kenneth Hanson [English 1954–86]. She credited Reed for providing an intellectual foundation that set the course for her work as a teacher, and for establishing her enthusiasm for art, music, philosophy, poetry, and literature.

Brian Nicholson ’85

February 23, 2022, in Missoula, Montana, from pancreatic cancer.

CONTRIBUTED BY SCOTT M. YOUNGSTEDT ’85

Sylvia Nemer Davidson ’47

February 22, 2023, in Portland.

A civic leader and social policy advocate, Sylvia Nemer Davidson spent much of her life in service to her community and causes she cared about.