1970-79

Mordecai Arin, PhD’71, of Las Vegas, who tested and inspected medical devices and instruments during a long career at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, died on Oct. 30, 2015. He volunteered for the Democratic Party and Jewish causes. He leaves his wife of 55 years, Jean; his children, Imanuel, Naomi and Deborah; and his siblings, twins Theodore and Barbara. Neysa Pritikin ’71, of Silver City, New Mexico, a real-estate agent and loan officer, died on Jan. 24, 2016. She served as president of the Mimbres Region Arts Council and was instrumental in starting the Silver City Blues Festival. She leaves her father, Leonard, and her brother, Steven. Fatima Mernissi, MA’72, PhD’74, of Rabat, Morocco, one of the founders of Islamic feminism, died on Nov. 30, 2015. Her pioneering work included studies of the sexual politics of Islamic scripture and a book, “Dreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood,” based on her childhood in a domestic harem, which has been published in nearly 30 languages. She was a professor for many years at Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco’s capital. In 2003, Fatima received the Princess of Asturias Award for letters, the Spanish equivalent of the Nobel Prize for literature. Her first book, “Beyond the Veil: Male-Female Dynamics in Modern Muslim Society,” was based on her Brandeis dissertation. George Ross, professor emeritus of labor and social thought, and her thesis adviser at Brandeis, recalls Fatima as a “charismatic” student focused on bringing about change in her native country. Ron Glover ’73, of Framingham, Massachusetts, whose commitment to Brandeis and its students spanned nearly a half century, died on June 15, 2016. An active participant in efforts to better serve the Brandeis alumni population, he joined the Alumni Association board of directors as an at-large member in 2012. He was the first African-American to lead the university’s Student Union, co-founded the Brandeis Alumni of Color shared-interest group, and worked closely with Interim President Lisa M. Lynch to reach a conclusion to the student takeover of the Bernstein-Marcus Administration Center in fall 2015. After graduating from Brandeis, Ron earned a degree from Suffolk Law School in 1978, then served as a senior trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Labor in Massachusetts for four years. In 1982, he became corporate legal counsel in the human resources department at Digital Equipment Corp. He later served as vice president of human resources at high-tech companies Compaq and i2 Technologies. He joined IBM in 2003, and retired as the company’s vice president of global workforce diversity. He and his wife, Gail (Corbin) ’73, generously supported a number of initiatives at Brandeis, including the Joseph D. Warren, MSW’72, PhD’83, Endowed Scholarship. In addition to his wife, Ron leaves his daughters, Nicola, Camille and Corinn; his siblings, Jean and Mark; and three grandchildren. Gifts in his memory may be made online at giving.brandeis.edu or by contacting Alan Bertman, director of annual and special gifts, at 781-736-4032 or abertman@brandeis.edu. Stewart Pearce ’73, of New York City, whose career at the Metropolitan Opera and Metropolitan Opera Guild included a variety of leadership roles, died from lymphoma on July 17, 2016, with Kevin Kellogg, his adored husband, at his side. Upon his retirement, the opera’s board of directors recognized Stewart for “his extraordinary expertise, leadership and commitment throughout the entirety of his distinguished career at the Met.” Kevin writes of his husband, “He was simply the smartest man in the room. Sensitive and quiet, he was able to pull people together with grace and kindness. A true Renaissance man, his interests ranged from liberal politics, to cooking, to theater.” In addition to Kevin, Stewart leaves his nephew, Chris, and his niece, Noelle. David Stock, MFA’73, of Shadyside, Pennsylvania, a composer, conductor, teacher and the founder of the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, died on Nov. 2, 2015, after a brief illness. He was a prolific and stylistically versatile composer who wrote six symphonies; 10 string quartets; a dozen concertos for various instruments; and many other vocal and instrumental pieces for dance, theater, TV, films and the concert hall. He also taught at Duquesne. He leaves his wife of 52 years, Celia; his children, Jeffrey, Rachel and Sara; his siblings, Lee, Robert and Ruth; and seven grandchildren. Dorrit Elsa Bat-Ami Burlingame ’74, of Mystic, Connecticut, a data analyst, died on May 27, 2015. An ardent gardener with the greenest of thumbs, she could often be found watering, weeding and planting. She enjoyed traveling, hiking and kayaking, and was a member of Congregation Beth El. She leaves her father, Eli, and her son, Sam. Deborah Colker ’75, P’17, of Miami, who grew up in West Virginia with a deep love for animals and went on to become a veterinarian, died on Aug. 2, 2016. After receiving her degree in veterinary medicine from Ohio State, she moved to Miami to begin her career. Past president of the Dade County Veterinary Association, she was universally respected for her loving and compassionate care for each animal she treated. She leaves her husband of 34 years, Michael ’75, P’17; her children, Max, Samuel, Louis and Leah ’17; and her brothers, David, Steven and Larry. Mary Joyce ’76, of La Mesa, California, who worked in the mental-health field for most of her career, died on Jan. 28, 2016. She leaves her siblings, William, Thomas, Paul and Eileen. Robert Posner, MA’77, of Rosenberg, Texas, who positively impacted Jewish communities around the country, died on Jan. 6, 2016. He was dedicated to helping preserve and sustain world Jewry, and worked in Jewish communities in Boston; San Antonio; Rockland County, New York; and Asheville, North Carolina. He leaves his wife, Nancy; his children, Rebecca, Benjamin, Miriam and David; and his siblings, Daniel and Lorraine. Louis Benjamin ’78, of New York City, a businessman-turned-furniture maker, died on June 29, 2016. He graduated from Hofstra University School of Law in 1981, then worked as an associate at Kaye Scholer. He later became president and CEO at Modern Gas, and principal at Floodtide Ventures. In 2009, Lou founded Riverdale Fine Furniture, where he created handmade one-of-a kind pieces. An active alumnus, he served as co-president of Brandeis Hillel, and generously supported Hillel and the Alumni Annual Fund. He leaves his children, Joshua, Shoshana and Yona, and his sister, Idie ’74.