Classes of 1960-69

Allen Grossman, PhD’60, P’99, of Cambridge, Mass. — one of the most powerful and original voices of 20th-century American poetry, a charismatic and influential teacher at Brandeis for more than three decades, a mentor to poets and scholars, and the author of many deep and searching reflections on poetics and the philosophy of poetry — died on June 27, 2014, of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. He served as the second Paul E. Prosswimmer Professor of Poetry and General Education at Brandeis and was one of the moving spirits behind University Studies, the 1980s core curriculum program. He taught at Brandeis until 1991, when he joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins. He retired in 2005. His honors and awards include a MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant, the Witter Bynner Prize for Poetry, the Bassine Citation and the Bollingen Prize. He leaves his wife, novelist Judith Grossman, MA’63, PhD’68; their daughter, Bathsheba; and their twin sons, Lev and Austin. He is also survived by two children from his first marriage, Adam, MFA’99, and Jonathan. Ira Landess ’60, of New York, a psychotherapist for 40 years, died on Dec. 31, 2013, after falling through ice on the pond behind his second home, in Harpersfield, N.Y. His wife, Nancy Klinger-Landess, also died in the accident. He leaves two sons, Jeremy and Gregory, and a grandson. Burton White, PhD’60, of Newton, Mass., a psychologist who specialized in child development, died of congestive heart failure on Oct. 6, 2013. He wrote two popular books on parenting, “Raising a Happy, Unspoiled Child” and “The First Three Years of Life.” He taught at Brandeis, the Harvard School of Education and Tufts. He leaves his daughters, Laura and Emily; his sons, David and Daniel; his brother, Ronald; his sister, Susan; and seven grandchildren. He was predeceased by his first wife, Jacqueline (Want) White ’59. Lawrence Zalkind ’60, of West Palm Beach, Fla., died on Oct. 17, 2013. He leaves his wife, Sheila; daughters Debra and Beth; sister Judith; and five grandchildren. James Hamilton, MA’61, of Cambridge and Truro, Mass., a lawyer and champion of civil rights and liberties, died on Aug. 4, 2014, after a long illness. After earning a master’s degree in chemistry from Brandeis and a JD from Harvard Law School, he embarked on a law career that included working in the law departments in the cities of Boston and Cambridge, running his own small firm, working at Verrill Dana and serving as president of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. He leaves a sister, Virginia; a daughter, Lauren; a stepson, Paul; his longtime friend Constance Paige; his former wife, Margaret; two grandchildren; two stepgrandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. W. Glenn Howells, PhD’61, of Richmond, Calif., an industrial chemist, died on Feb. 25, 2014. He worked at Chevron Research; MacMillan Bloedel Research; and the University of California, Berkeley, and later formed Berkeley Chemical Research and the WaterJet Technology Association. His findings were published widely. At Brandeis, he served as Professor Myron Rosenblum’s organic-chemistry graduate assistant; coached the men’s soccer team for two years, including an undefeated season; and was a dormitory counselor. “Those of us who were fortunate enough to know Glenn benefited from his presence in many ways, whether in the lab, on the soccer field, or in social (and musical) interaction in the dormitories,” recalls Stephen Bluestone ’61. Joel Rosenblatt ’61, P’88, of Jupiter, Fla., formerly of Bloomfield, Conn., a dentist in the Hartford area for nearly four decades, died Aug. 3, 2014, after a brief illness. Joel met his wife of 52 years, Adrienne (Udis) ’61, at Brandeis Orientation when they were both 17. They were “pinned” during their senior year and announced their engagement on graduation day. Joel graduated from New York University College of Dentistry and was a captain in the U.S. Army during the late 1960s. He was active with Beth Hillel Synagogue and served as president of the Jewish Family and Children’s Service. In addition to his wife, he leaves his daughter, Julie ’88; his son, Lenny; his sister, Susan; and two grandchildren. Gifts in his memory may be made to the Brandeis National Committee’s Sustaining the Mind Campaign, Brandeis University, MS 132, Waltham, MA 02454-9110. Gifts may also be made online at giving.brandeis.edu. Brian Hollander ’62, of Bloomfield, Conn., a lawyer and standout Brandeis basketball player, died on July 19, 2014. As a Brandeis hoops star, he scored a then-record 50 points in a 1961 game against Merrimack. Graduating from New York University School of Law in 1965, he worked as an attorney at Neighborhood Legal Services and later at Day Berry & Howard. He went on to serve as president of the Hartford Institute of Criminal and Social Justice, and as an assistant to the chair of the board at Aetna Life and Casualty. He was active in a number of local organizations, including the American Jewish Committee, Connecticut Junior Republic and Mount Sinai Hospital. He leaves his wife, Carol; his son, Joshua; and three grandchildren. Ellen Banks ’63, P’93, of Bloomfield, Conn., and New York City, died on Feb. 20, 2014, after a two-year battle with cancer. She worked as a copy editor for the American Society of Civil Engineers; Holt, Rinehart and Winston; Wilson, Haight and Welch; and the Connecticut Jewish Ledger. She enjoyed traveling and tennis. She leaves her husband, Morris; her sons, Jeremy and Lorin ’93; and two grandchildren. Ellis Golub ’63, of Bryn Mawr, Pa., a professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine for 37 years, died on Jan. 22, 2014, after falling down the stairs at a Philadelphia subway station. He chaired the Department of Biochemistry from 1996-2003 and was interim chair from 2009-13. His laboratory focused on the calcification of hard tissues and computer applications in biochemistry and molecular biology. He leaves his wife, Linda; his sons, Michael and Daniel; his daughter, Karen; his sister, Ilene; and six grandchildren. Donald Roemer, MA’63, PhD’71, of Franklin, Mass., who taught at Northeastern University and high schools in Wayland and Franklin, died on Oct. 1, 2013. He leaves his wife, Marjorie, PhD’84; his son, David; his daughter, Lizabeth; and two grandchildren. Richard Pomerance ’64, of Waban, Mass., a clinical psychologist who had a private adult psychotherapy practice, died on May 31, 2014, after a lengthy struggle with pancreatic cancer. His research interests included the articulation of intuitive thought in decision making, and the benefits and challenges of the interface between human beings and emerging technologies. He leaves his wife, Lydia; his son, Carl; and his sister, Norma. Arleen Rosenthal ’65, of South Miami, Fla., died on June 2, 2014. After several years as a social worker, she transitioned to guidance and college counseling. She was active with the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and the Central Agency for Jewish Education, and helped develop a Jewish special-education program. She leaves her husband, Jack; sons Avraham and Oren; brothers Robert and Howie; and five grandchildren. Victoria Hammer ’66, of Birnam, Scotland, who worked for the World Health Organization in Bangladesh, the Philippines and Switzerland, died of metastatic breast cancer on Oct. 20, 2013. She leaves her husband, Alasdair Wylie; her son, Daniel; her daughter, Kanti; and her sister, Lynn. “Despite the geographic distance, Vicki maintained friendships with many of us in the Class of ’66, and we miss her terribly,” writes classmate Mary Huff Stevenson. Judith H. Smith ’66, of Missoula, Mont., an activist for women’s rights, world peace and social justice, died on Nov. 6, 2013. She taught classes at the University of Montana’s School of Social Work for many years as well as assertiveness training at the Women’s Resource Center she helped found. She leaves her sisters, Linda and Laura, and her life partner, Jim Wheelis. Marc Snyder ’67, of Westchester, N.Y., a psychotherapist, died on Jan. 20, 2014. He will be remembered for his humble wisdom, sharp sense of humor and sage advice. He leaves his son, Michael; his daughter, Rachel; his sister, Jessica; his brother, David; and his mother, Rose. He was preceded in death by his wife, Susan Krupnick ’68. Arthur Warmoth, PhD’67, of Rohnert Park, Calif., a psychology professor at Sonoma State University for 41 years, who was at the forefront of the humanistic movement in his field, died on April 4, 2014. He served as the president of the Association of Humanistic Psychology and co-founded the Humanistic Psychology Institute, now Saybrook University. He leaves his wife, Georgina; two daughters, Monica and Tonantzin; a son, Arthur Jr.; and three grandchildren. Donald Mirisch ’68, of Westlake Village, Calif., a veteran Hollywood business-affairs executive, died of brain cancer on July 26, 2014. He held senior executive positions at Fox Studios, Universal Studios, Embassy Home Entertainment, Hanna-Barbera Productions and MGM, including serving as executive vice president of MGM Animation. He leaves his wife, Roberta; daughter Niki; son Marc; sisters Lynn and Carol; and three grandchildren. Andrew Gillinson ’69, of Lancaster, Pa., died on April 26, 2014. He leaves his brothers, David and Alexander; his sister, Heather; and his partner, Sharon. Barry Gordon ’69, of Charlottesville, Va., an artist, died on July 7, 2014. He leaves his brother, Jim. David Pitt ’69, of New York City, died on Feb. 24, 2014. He leaves his wife, Martha; his children, Katharine and James; and his siblings, Debra and Timothy. Janet Tannenbaum ’69, of New York City, an editor and high-school science teacher, died on May 13, 2013, after a long battle with lymphoma. She served as an editor at the New York Academy of Sciences and W.H. Freeman Publishers, and was a teacher at Taft Educational Campus, Life Sciences Secondary School, and the LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and the Performing Arts. She leaves her parents, Esther and Wesley, and her sister, Sandy.