1960-69

Diana (Silverman) Litman ’60, Brandeis National Committee, of Swampscott, Massachusetts, on Feb. 27. A member of Brandeis’ 13th graduating class, which she fondly referred to as the “bar mitzvah class,” she kept the books for husband Harvey’s accounting office, and was a gifted concert pianist, a voracious reader and a lover of pandas; her family envisions her enjoying “mile-high pastrami sandwiches” with her late husband and brothers “at the best Jewish deli in heaven.” Survived by two children and two grandchildren.

Armand Yazejian ’60, of Coral Springs, Florida, on Aug. 30, 2019. An athlete in football, track, basketball and baseball at Brandeis, he was an insurance agent and real estate broker in Auburndale, Massachusetts, and was passionate about the stock market, stamp collecting, traveling, going to the casino and spending time with his family. Survived by wife Lynda Amorello and two sons.

Joseph L. DeAmbrose ’62, of Waltham, on June 7. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he retired from Raytheon, where he worked for 33 years and rose to director of international taxation; taught tax law at Bentley University; and loved sailing, skiing, studying history, classical music, old movies, the New England Patriots, and spending time with family and friends. Survived by wife Francine Theberge and a daughter.

John B. “Jack” Slattery ’62, of Ashland, Massachusetts, on June 21. A railroad ironworker’s son whose football prowess won him a scholarship to Brandeis, he developed a keen interest in human behavior and different cultures; was among the first group of Peace Corps volunteers sent to India; and spent 25 years with the U.S. Agency for International Development, an adventure that took him to nearly 65 countries. Survived by wife Cynthia Rogers, two daughters and four grandchildren.

Elizabeth “Lisa” (Mehler) Cohen ’63, of Los Angeles, on April 16. Born in Colombia to immigrants who escaped from Poland and Austria in the 1930s, and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, and Miami, she was fluent in five languages when she graduated from Brandeis, and brought a cosmopolitan spirit to all her endeavors, whether hosting elegant dinner parties, working as a translator and a real estate agent in Atlanta, or teaching her grandchildren to ski in Vail, Colorado. Survived by husband David, three children and eight grandchildren.

Bernard J. Coughlin, PhD’63, of Spokane, Washington, on Jan. 28. The former president and chancellor of Gonzaga University, who earned his doctorate in social welfare at Brandeis, he was a member of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits, for 77 years, and an ordained priest for 64 years, most of which were spent in teaching and university administration at St. Louis University and Gonzaga. He is survived by a sister, and many nieces and nephews.

Elizabeth J. “Betty” (Towne) Segel ’63, MA’68, PhD’69, of Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania, on March 25. She was a pioneer in children’s literacy; the founder of Beginning With Books, a Pittsburgh nonprofit that promotes reading for disadvantaged children; and an activist who fought against the world’s injustices. Survived by two children and six grandchildren.

Carol (Cutler) Wolff ’63, of Jerusalem, on Feb. 15. A senior teacher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, she is recalled for her zest for life, intellectual curiosity, devotion to family and talent for friendship. Survived by husband Michael, two sons and several grandchildren.

David J. Levenson ’64, of Rockville, Maryland, on April 11. A graduate of Boston College Law School, he worked for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C., before moving to private practice and serving as a partner in global law firms. Survived by wife Louisa, three children and four grandchildren.

Robert V. Sillars, MA’64, of Cape Coral, Florida, on April 26. A graduate of Tufts University and Brandeis, he was a veteran of the Korean War, served in the U.S. Navy and worked as a systems analyst for the U.S. Air Force. Survived by a son and a granddaughter.

William F. Burns ’65, of West Hartford, Connecticut, on April 10. Recalled as a generous soul who championed causes he cared about, he was a caseworker for foster children in New York City; a leading member of Men of All Colors Together; and an avid reader, cook and hiker, who trekked up to Mount Washington’s summit at age 69. Survived by two brothers and a sister.

Peter D. Kurtz ’65, of Cliffside Park, New Jersey, on May 8. A licensed clinical social worker who cared deeply about the patients he served, he loved music; Sea Ranch, California; a good pie; and his family. Survived by wife Odette Cohn and two sons.

William Howard Hodge, PhD’66, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on Jan. 26. A cultural anthropologist who taught at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, he is remembered for his endless curiosity, which inspired his work with immigrant communities, his research into Native American culture, his interest in world history and folk art, and his stories about local haunted houses. Survived by wife Doris, three children and three grandchildren.

Mike F. Mass ’66, of Jacksonville, Florida, on June 22. A U.S. Air Force veteran who served patients for more than 40 years as a medical doctor, he was active in his community as president of the Duval County Medical Society, a trustee at Florida State College at Jacksonville and a board member at the Jacksonville Jewish Center, and loved travel and fine cuisine. Survived by wife Marilyn, two children and three grandchildren.

Christie (Caswell) Moran ’66, of Beverly, Massachusetts, on May 28. A licensed independent clinical social worker in Wakefield, she provided comfort and sage advice to many in the community; was a lifelong learner who read every label at a museum; and loved music, nature, chocolate and family. Survived by three children.

Dana (Katz) Sitnick ’66, of McLean, Virginia, on Jan. 8. Retired as a senior executive at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, she avidly supported the arts and the Washington Capitals, and was a foodie who studied cooking in Italy and judged 150 barbecue competitions as a member of the Kansas City Barbeque Society. Survived by husband Robert.

Ellen Siev Belson ’67, of Armonk, New York, on June 21. An occupational therapist and the author of a book on caring for adult stroke patients, she was also an attorney specializing in wills, trusts and estates; a farmer for five years in Moshav Idan, Israel; a quilter; and a choir singer. Survived by husband Robert, two children and two grandchildren.

Joel Dansky ’67, of Northampton, Massachusetts, on May 7. A social worker who for decades helped children, families and young adults, and who coordinated services for the disabled at Hampshire College, he is remembered for his commitment to social change, displayed at antiwar vigils and protests against climate change, and his love of bird-watching, cycling, hiking, sketching and baseball. Survived by wife Nancy Felton, a daughter and a grandson.

Richard L. Brodsky ’68, of Greenburgh, New York, on April 8. A 14-term Democratic state assemblyman from Westchester County, described as “Albany’s conscience,” he was instrumental in encouraging New York state to monitor 700 quasi-public authorities that had borrowed $150 billion with no oversight, according to The New York Times. Survived by wife Paige and two daughters.

Herbert L. Wasserman, PhD’68, of Lincoln, Massachusetts, on April 19. A social worker in the mental health field, he developed alcoholism treatment services for Tufts-New England Medical Center, directed one of Boston’s first methadone clinics and oversaw addiction services at Emerson Hospital; in retirement, he traveled the world, campaigned for Barack Obama, and donned a tricorn hat to welcome tourists to the Lexington Battle Green. Survived by two children and two grandchildren.

Carla Fink ’69, of Milford, Massachusetts, on April 1. The founder of the Wraparound Project, now known as Walden Community Services at the Learning Center for the Deaf in Framingham, which has served more than 350 families across Massachusetts, she is remembered for her dedication to deaf children and their families. Survived by husband Efrem Mallach, two stepchildren and four grandchildren.

Charles A. Kasdorf III, MA’69, of Houston, on March 6. An economist with the Houston Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Houston Partnership for many years, he was deeply involved in census research, edited an annual compendium of Houston information and, in his spare time, sang in his church choir. Survived by a son.