In Memoriam: Alumni Classes of 1970 - 1979

Melissa (Cohen) Hommer ’70 of Rockville, Md., a preschool teacher at the Glenbrook Cooperative Nursery School, died on Aug. 22. She leaves her husband, Daniel; two daughters, Rebecca ’98 and Elana; two sons, Jonathan and Zachary ’09; a granddaughter, Alice; a brother, Daniel ’74; a sister, Hedy-Beth ’80; and her mother, Florence.

Carol Simkin ’70 of New York, a leading lawyer in the fields of trademark and copyright law, died of cancer on July 9 at her summer home in East Dennis, Mass. She was a partner at Cowan Liebowitz & Latman and later at Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu. Carol also served as a mediator, privately and for federal and state courts in New York. She leaves her husband, Ron; a daughter, Lauren; a brother, Steven; and her father, Maxwell.

Gerald DeMauro ’71 of Vorheesville, N.Y., who worked for the state education departments in New York and New Jersey, died on Aug. 15 in New York from complications due to multiple myeloma. A Fulbright Scholar, he received an M.A. from Columbia University, an M.A. in theology from St. Charles Borromeo and a Ph.D. from Stony Brook University. He was director of assessment for the state departments of education in New York and New Jersey, worked for Educational Testing Service and was a psychometrician for the American Institute for Research in Washington, D.C. He was ordained as a deacon in 1994 and served in that capacity at several churches. He leaves his wife, Bunny; a daughter, Daniella; three sons, Edward, Alexander and Thomas; a brother, Joseph; his mother, Carmella; and seven grandchildren.

Eunice Crowder ’72 of Mound Bayou, Miss., an accountant who started her own tax preparation business, died June 8 after a brief illness. She lived in the Boston area for many years before relocating to her hometown in Mississippi. She is survived by a daughter, Sonji; a brother, Lamar; a sister, Joann; and four grandchildren, Bandon, Akira, Deonte and Jamari.

Antoinette “Toni” Wright ’73 of New Haven, Conn., a teacher at St. Thomas’ Day School, died of a rare form of cancer on Aug. 17. After graduating from Brandeis, she earned a master’s degree in psychology from Wesleyan University. She worked at St. Thomas Day School, initially as an assistant teacher and later as the school’s library teacher. Toni was a lifelong member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in New Haven. She leaves two daughters, Nia and Challa; a son, Calvin; four grandchildren; her mother, Marion; a sister, Victoria; and a brother, David.

Jean Tancrede, Ph.D.’73, of Katy, Texas, a research chemist with ExxonMobil for more than a quarter-century, died on Aug. 14. A graduate of Saint Anselm College, he received a doctorate in organic metallic chemistry from Brandeis. He worked in the chemical industry for 34 years, including 27 years with ExxonMobil as a research chemist. He recently served as a global technology leader with Dexco Polymers and as president of NMR Consulting. He leaves his wife of 42 years, Paulette; three daughters, Nicole, Monique and Renee; three brothers, the Rev. Roland, Roger and Hervé; and a sister, Lorraine.

Stewart Tartell ’74, an elementary school teacher who later taught English in Germany, died on Aug. 23 in Zurich, Switzerland. Following graduation, he enrolled in the Teaching Corps (now Teach for America) program at Boston University and was a bilingual elementary-school teacher in Fitchburg, Mass., and Worcester, Mass., for several years. He subsequently moved to Germany, where he developed a unique system for teaching foreign languages, using it to train sales force employees of Siemens AG in English and cultural sensitivity.

Jimmy Gomez ’75 of Buda, Texas, a firefighter with the Austin Fire Department and dining services director at Texas State University, died on Aug. 22. He is survived by his wife, Maria Rodriguez ’75, four children and five siblings.

Cheryl Elaine Lemmons ’76 of Onset, Mass., a surgeon and psychiatrist who volunteered with Doctors Without Borders, died on Aug. 6 after a brief illness. Known as Cherie, she was born and raised in St. Louis and earned a medical degree from the Boston University School of Medicine. She completed her medical internship at Tulane University School of Medicine and her residency at Yale University Medical School. She worked for more than 20 years at a variety of institutions and health organizations, including the Harvard Street Health Center in Dorchester, Mass.; D’Veal Family and Youth Services in Pasadena, Calif.; and the Pasadena Unified School District. She especially enjoyed working with adolescents and their families. She was a member of the American Psychiatric Association, the National Medical Association and the National Organization for Women. She leaves two daughters, Zoe and Sky; two sisters, Kasi and Adrienne; her mother, Dorothy; and her stepfather, Denis.

Vincent Scalia ’76 of Alexandria, Va., who spent his professional career working on U.S. government contracts around the world, including in Russia, New Jersey, New Mexico and Virginia, died on July 9. While in Russia, he worked on the Defense Threat Reduction Initiative. He leaves his wife, Hazel.

Michael Lafferty ’79 of Landisville, Pa., a mortgage broker and avid soccer player, died on Aug. 7 at Hospice of Central Pennsylvania. Michael worked in the lending business for more than 20 years with Cole Taylor and Beacon Mortgage. He played soccer for the Lancaster Kickers, coached and refereed many matches. He leaves wife Alcira Maldonado ’80, with whom he would have celebrated 28 years of marriage on Nov. 5; his parents, Edward and Margot; a daughter, Julia; a son, Patrick; and a brother, Jeffrey.