Brandeis Magazine

Larry Diamond, MA’70, of Boston, who focused his career on the health needs of seniors, died on Oct. 11, 2013. As president of Senior Health Systems, he advised hospitals, government agencies, nursing homes and nonprofit agencies on strategies to improve outcomes while containing costs. He leaves his life partner, Linda; his son, Jonathan; his brothers, Darryl and Jeff; and two grandchildren. Gerda Norvig, MA’70, PhD’79, of Cambridge, Mass., a noted William Blake scholar who loved and collected both books and PhDs, died on Nov. 15, 2013, after a three-year struggle with cancer. She received a doctorate in English literature from Brandeis and later earned a PhD in clinical psychology. She taught at the University of Colorado, Boulder, for many years. She leaves her sons, Peter and Marc; her daughter, Laura; and three grandchildren. Douglas Granville ’71, P’12, of Southborough, Mass., a restaurant executive who served as regional director for the Wendy’s Co., died of esophageal cancer on Feb. 14, 2014. He was a devoted Boston sports fan and an avid tennis player. He leaves his wife, Norma; his daughter, Jessica ’12; and his brother, Charles. Robert Johnson Jr. ’73, of Framingham, Mass., who overcame physical disabilities to become a successful businessman, died on May 29, 2014. Although stricken with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at age 2, he went on to graduate from Brandeis and earn an MBA from Boston University. He established Johnson’s Auto Literature, which bought and sold antique automobile literature and grew to employ 10 people. His worldwide clientele included entertainer Jay Leno. He leaves his sister, Amy, and his cat, Smudgie. Victoria McKee ’73, of Onset, Mass., a freelance writer who became a singer/songwriter, died on Oct. 20, 2013. She lived in Great Britain for many years and worked as a freelance writer for the London-based Times, Telegraph and Independent newspapers, as well as The New York Times and The Boston Globe. As Vicky McKee, she wrote and performed music. She leaves her husband, Jack Pearson, and her children, Daniel and Jessica. Ronald Miller ’73, of Northampton, Mass., an ecologist for the Nature Conservancy and the World Bank, died on Dec. 16, 2013, after an extended illness. His research ranged from studies of lemurs and butterflies in Mozambique to the health of forests in Tennessee and New England. He presented his findings at conferences around the world. According to Meyer Drapkin ’73, P’12, Ronald is remembered for his love of music, his elaborate stories, his friendships and his smile. He leaves his brother, Steven, and sister, Marilyn. Evelyn Wiener ’73, of Elkins Park, Pa., an internist and longtime executive director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Student Health Service, died of ovarian cancer on May 8, 2014. She received her medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine. She leaves her husband, Ken, and her children, Alex and Molly. She is also survived by two cousins who graduated from Brandeis, Bryna Brownstein Klevan ’88 and Ilana Brownstein ’93. Richard Honoroff ’74, of Fort Lee, N.J., a composer, arranger, musician and musical director, died on June 13, 2014, after a long illness. He wrote music for television sports, including theme music for the National Football League, and performed as a pianist on Broadway for “Eubie.” He leaves his son, Zachary; his daughter, Julia; and his brother, Brad. Ronnie Sapp ’75, of Brockton, Mass., an Emmy Award-winning video editor at Boston’s WCVB-TV for 33 years, died in a boating accident near his home on Nov. 16, 2013. He grew up in Gainesville, Fla., and was one of the first black students to attend Buchholz Junior High School. He earned a master’s degree in communications from Boston University. He leaves two brothers, Reggie ’73, MA’05, P’13, and Fred, and two sisters, Cheryl and Karen. His nephew Michael ’13 graduated from Brandeis. Ann Weick, Heller PhD’76, of Lawrence, Kan., dean of the School of Social Welfare at the University of Kansas from 1987-2006, died on May 31, 2014. During her 19-year tenure, the school was recognized for its innovation in social-work theory development. Ann joined the Kansas faculty in 1976 and was inducted into the university’s Women’s Hall of Fame in 1992. She leaves her husband, Dennis; daughters Jennifer and Meghan; sons David and John; her brother, Jerry; and her sister, Jeanie. Charles Raffel, MA’77, PhD’83, P’06, of New Rochelle, N.Y., longtime professor of Jewish philosophy at Yeshiva University’s Stern College for Women, died on April 19, 2014. He leaves his wife, Rivka; his daughter, Aliza; and his son, Joshua ’06. Jeffrey Rahn ’79, of Longmeadow, Mass., an attorney who was active in the Jewish community, died on June 24, 2014. He leaves his wife, Leslie; sons Jordan and Jamon; a daughter, Elise; and a granddaughter.