Classes of 1970-79

Jean Bethke Elshtain, PhD’73, of Nashville, Tenn., an ethicist and political philosopher at the University of Chicago, died of heart failure on Aug. 11, 2013. The Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor of Social and Political Ethics in the university’s divinity school, Jean supported the U.S. war on terror, saying America’s power as a nation meant it had a great responsibility. She was also concerned about such issues as political systems’ attempts to remake family life and the effect of genetic interventions on the human body. Though stricken with polio at age 10, she was determined not to let physical challenges slow her down. She received a bachelor’s degree in history from Colorado State University in 1963 and master’s degrees from both the University of Wisconsin and the University of Colorado. After earning her doctorate at Brandeis, she taught at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and Vanderbilt University before joining the University of Chicago faculty in 1995. She leaves her husband of 48 years, Errol; daughters Sheri, Heidi and Jenny; son Eric; sisters Bonnie and Patricia; brothers Richard and William; and four grandchildren. Richard “Rick” Radin ’77, of Hanover, Mass., a manager for Blue Cross Blue Shield and a longtime youth soccer coach, died unexpectedly on July 12, 2013. He volunteered at many of his children’s sporting events and closely followed the fortunes of the Patriots and the Red Sox. He leaves his wife, Susan; his daughters, Katherine and Victoria; his son, Gregory; his mother, Dorothy; and two sisters, Patricia and Susan. Bonni (Levine) Curran ’77, of Ketchum, Idaho, a physician and international health volunteer whose work with disadvantaged women took her to Cambodia, Bhutan, Liberia, Uganda and India, died on Aug. 6, 2013, after a bicycling accident. Bonni earned her medical degree at SUNY Stony Brook and completed her residency at the University of Illinois. She was active in the arts scene in Sun Valley, her home for the past 16 years. She leaves her husband, Peter; daughters Jessica and Cody; her mother, Rhoda; and brothers Richard and Mark. Mark Zabierek ’78, of Pittsburgh, a Democratic political consultant and lobbyist, died of heart failure on June 8, 2013, following a diagnosis of liver cancer earlier that day. He worked as an aide to former Pittsburgh mayors Richard Caliguiri and Sophie Masloff in the 1980s, and grew into a veteran political insider and lobbyist. He leaves his son, Matt; daughters Alexandra and Gabrielle; brothers John, Peter and Paul; and his mother, Marilyn. Susan Gilman ’77, of Washington, D.C., died of cancer on Sept. 6, 2013. She worked in advertising and later joined Mogul Entertainment Group and Capitol Records. She helped found Radio Maximum in Moscow, the first English-language music station in Russia. She leaves her husband, Rustem Safronov; her father, Leonard; and her sister, Julie. Hannah Aroesty, MA’76, of Newton, Mass., died on April 2, 2013. She leaves two sons, Eli and Adam; and her daughter, Devorah.