David Jenkins ’79
1956–2023
When David Jenkins ’79 took a year abroad to attend the Netherlands’ Nyenrode Business Universiteit, he launched both a business career and an adventurous spirit.
Jenkins, a native of the Pacific Northwest, was part of a Puget Sound exchange program focused on international business. Besides exploring international companies, students toured NATO headquarters and the Berlin Wall, then worked six weeks for a major corporation. Jenkins also took advantage of a side trip to Russia.
The year-long program “was pretty profound,” says Molly Miller Jenkins ’79, who also took part in the program and who would marry Jenkins 40 years later. “They just gave us so much exposure to things. It really fostered a lot of ideas for David that he wanted to learn more about.”
After college, Jenkins earned a master’s in social work and an MBA, then worked in human resources in Colorado and in real estate in Florida before returning to Seattle, partly to help care for his aging mother. Jenkins’ overseas experience and love for sailing prompted him to quietly establish an experiential learning endowment at the university, centered on improving Puget Sound waters and the world’s oceans. The other endowed fund he created, the Mike Veseth International Political Economy Scholarship, honors his favorite professor.
“David was a beneficiary to many people, and he didn’t do it for the glory,” says lifelong friend Walt Suman. “He had a deep-seated kindness.”
Jenkins, 66, died unexpectedly April 4, 2023, atop Washington’s Mount Si. Despite coming to mountaineering late—in his 50s—he had climbed the tallest mountains in 49 states as well as six of the Seven Summits, the world’s highest peaks.
Besides his wife, Jenkins is survived by three children and seven siblings.
—Meri-Jo Borzilleri
Neva Topolski ’14, P’07, P’12, P’14
1962–2023
Neva Child Topolski ’14, P’07, P’12, P’14 was a longtime administrative assistant for the Physics department and the Science, Technology & Society department. “Sam,” as she was known to many, retired in 2022 after 21 years in the Puget Sound campus community.
A naturally ebullient person, Topolski frequently inspired smiles and laughter in friends and family, often brightening others’ days while running errands on campus or visiting the Sub. Coworkers viewed her as a tenacious problem-solver and a trusted confidante. Off campus, she was a mom to four and grandmother to four more, roles that she enjoyed more than anything. She was also a much-loved member of the Sunset Bible Church in University Place. In high school, she met her lifelong friend Jillian Bates, and the two of them embarked on many adventures together, including half-marathons, vacations, backpacking, baking, eating at favorite restaurants, and camping.
Topolski met her future husband, Brian, in 1985 and married him six months later at Seymour Conservatory in Wright Park; the two sent out their wedding invitations on Post-It notes. Three of their four children—Meghann Edwards ’07, Peter Topolski ’12, and Chris Topolski ’14—graduated from Puget Sound; a fourth, Holly, went to Seattle University.
Topolski loved travel and had interests ranging from Jeopardy! to Disney and from Shakespeare to coed church league softball. She died May 25, 2023, at age 60.
—Julianne Bell ’13
Thomas Dixon MA’71, Hon’89, P’96
1936–2022
Thomas Dixon MA’71, Hon’89, P’96, founding director of the Tacoma Urban League and a mentor to other civil rights leaders, died at his home in Tacoma on April 26, 2023. He was 92.
In 1968, during the height of the civil rights movement, the Tacoma Urban League began with Dixon as its executive director. For the more than three decades that followed, Dixon created programs that helped people secure employment, housing, and education. An Air Force veteran, he was especially sensitive to challenges facing veterans. “Mr. Dixon’s leadership, vision, and passion created opportunities for many returning from war,” read a statement by the League. For his leadership in civil rights, Dixon received the Greater Tacoma Peace Prize in 2015.
After receiving degrees in sociology and economics from Sophia University in Tokyo, he earned a master’s in urban studies from Puget Sound, and later was awarded an honorary doctorate from the university.
He co-founded the Black Collective in Tacoma in 1969 to mentor the next generation of civil rights leaders. He also co-founded the Elizabeth Wesley Youth Merit Incentive Award, given to youth in ninth through 11th grades who demonstrate academic progress, community service, and good citizenship.
Dixon was a life member of the Tacoma Branch NAACP, a trustee at Evergreen State College, a member of the Governor’s Affirmative Action Policy Committee, and a member of Tacoma-Pierce County Economic Development Board, among many other organizations.
Among his survivors are his wife, Sylvia, and his son, Whitney ’96.
—Cristina Rouvalis
Matthew Pickard
1953–2023
Matt Pickard MEd’94, P’06, who taught math and statistics at Puget Sound for more than 40 years, was known as a generous colleague, teacher, and leader, as well as a consistent source of patience and gentle guidance. His courses were thoughtfully prepared, and he was always happy to provide support outside of class. He also served as the statistician for the Center for Writing and Learning for more than 20 years.
Pickard, who was a respected elder at the First Presbyterian Church and frequently led Bible studies, served as an advisor for the Lighthouse Christian Fellowship and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and was a regular presence at the Christmas at Kilworth: Festival of Lessons and Carols service. He retired from the university in 2021.
Pickard held a particular affection for golf and running. Director of Student Programs Serni Solidarios remembers a time when they participated in a 153-mile Rainier to the Pacific relay on a team with a few other colleagues about 30 years ago, calling Matt the “only rational member” and “the team’s inflator—a positive force with his quiet encouragement on a long all-day and all-night run.”
Pickard died June 6, 2023, a day after his 70th birthday. He is survived by his wife, Kim P’06, and their sons, Austin ’06 and Andrew.
—Julianne Bell ’13
Sheila J. Lamar Hungerford ’48 of Roseburg, Ore., died Feb. 25, 2023. She was 96. At Puget Sound, she was active with Pi Beta Phi, SPURS, and The Trail.
Robert V. Lynch ’50 died July 31, 2023, at age 95. A business administration graduate of Puget Sound, he began working in the vending business while in college and continued after graduating. He lived in Tacoma.
Beverly J. Sinkovich Marcelia ’51 of Tacoma died July 19, 2023, at age 93. A biology major at Puget Sound, she managed the laboratory at the former Puget Sound Hospital and laboratory services for AKE Pathologists. She was active in the nonprofit organization Quota of Tacoma and once served as president of Quota International.
Shirley M. Brubaker Harader ’52 died May 30, 1922, in Silverdale, Wash. She was a retired counselor, having worked at View Ridge Elementary in Bremerton, Central Kitsap District, and Central Kitsap Junior High. She also was an avid gardener and enjoyed going to the theater and shows. She was 92.
Janet Hunt Dawes ’53, a Tacoma native, majored in music at Puget Sound and enjoyed playing and teaching piano throughout her life. She was an active volunteer with a passion for local land-use issues, and worked to preserve the Nisqually Delta—work for which she was profiled at HistoryLink.org. She died June 9, 2023, in Lacey, Wash., at age 91.
William D. Bridges ’54 died March 14, 2023, in Tacoma. He was 90.
William P. Adams ’55 of Des Moines, Wash., died May 1, 2023, at age 89. He earned a business degree at Puget Sound and worked for 29 years for Boeing, finishing as a senior manager in contract administration. He met his future wife, Patricia DeMars ’55, in college; she died in 2009.
Agnes V. Beall Downs ’56 of Davenport, Iowa, died Aug. 9, 2023. She was 89. After graduating from Puget Sound, she worked as a teacher, then raised a family. Later she became a nurse and was director of nursing for a hospice. At Puget Sound she met her future husband, Richard Downs ’56; they were married for more than 60 years before his death in 2017.
Cora Ann Keller Kelly ’56 of Gig Harbor, Wash., died July 11, 2023. She was 89. Known as “Corky,” she raised a family, played competitive tennis into her 70s, was a guild member at St. Nicholas Catholic Church, and volunteered for many years at the Peninsula FISH Food Bank.
Jane White Santucci ’57 majored in art/design at Puget Sound and pursued an art career, specializing in batik paintings, antiquing, and interior designing. She was a longtime member of the Marin Society of Artists in California. She died May 2, 2023, in San Anselmo, Calif. She was 87.
Alica Marie Waage Rowan ’57, of Turlock, Calif., died at age 90 on May 21, 2023. She was an accountant at Anglo Crocker Bank, Pabco, and Fiberboard, then started Service Supply System, Inc., with her husband. She also was active in her community and in her local Catholic parish.
Ralph W. Emerson ’58, MEd’69, died in June 2022, at age 91. A retired teacher in the Tacoma schools, he lived in Olympia, Wash.
Lloyd R. Filkins ’59 of Gig Harbor, Wash., earned a business administration degree from Puget Sound, then married his college sweetheart, Mary Lucas ’60, and began a career as a commissioned officer in the Air Force. He retired after 20 years with the rank of lieutenant colonel, then worked for Blue Banner Foods and H&R Block. He died March 27, 2023 at age 86. Mary survives him.
William W. Ruddick ’59 died July 5, 2023, at age 86. A business administration major, he worked as a business consultant. He lived on Bainbridge Island, Wash.
We learned in March 2023 of the death of Douglas J. Tenzler ’59 of Port Townsend, Wash. He was a business administration major at Puget Sound.
Glenn T. Alstead ’61, known to many as Ted, grew up in Tacoma and was a general contractor, land developer, and realtor in the Puyallup/Tacoma area. He died April 5, 2023, in Tacoma at age 85.
We received word in June 2023 of the death of Frederic A. Babb MA’61 of Black Diamond, Wash.
Sandra L. Garrison Ehrhard ’61 attended Puget Sound and finished her accounting degree at the University of Washington. Most recently she lived in Puyallup, Wash. She died Dec. 2, 2022, at age 83.
F. Richard Miller ’62 majored in political science, did a fellowship at American University, and then spent seven years working for the CIA. He later managed the family real estate business in Tacoma and was a librarian, historian, and writer for the Tacoma Art Museum. He died at age 83 on May 17, 2023, in Tacoma. His sister, Sharon Miller Montgomery ’64, died in 2019.
William R. Hansen ’63 of Lakewood, Wash., was a physical education major at Puget Sound and played varsity basketball. He died Feb. 25, 2022, at age 81.
Arthur H. Schultz ’63 died Jan. 3, 2022, in Puyallup, Wash. He was 88. At Puget Sound he was a music major and played in the band.
James Otis Bunnel ’64 died Sept. 5, 2020, in Auburn, Wash. He was 82.
Tom E. Riley ’64 of University Place, Wash., died July 31, 2023. He was 82. After graduating from Puget Sound and serving in the Army Reserve, receiving an honorable discharge as a first lieutenant, he worked for Weyerhaeuser Company, traveling extensively for the company in the Far East. He retired in 2003.
P. Ann Petterson Amies ’66 of Vancouver, Wash., earned a B.F.A. in art from Puget Sound. She was an artist, specializing in pen-and-ink work, and taught art both privately and in schools, colleges, and nursing homes. She and her husband also self-published two sets of books. She died May 24, 2023, at the age of 78.
After graduating from Puget Sound, Reverend Dr. Wayne S. Martin ’66 attended seminary and spent five years in the ministry in the Chicago area. He then earned a medical degree from Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara School of Medicine in Mexico and eventually practiced family medicine in Burlington, Wash. He, his wife, and daughter also created a ministry at Creekside Continuing Care Community. Martin, of Mount Vernon, Wash., died May 28, 2023. He was 79.
We received word in June 2023 of the death of Dale George Smith ’67, of Prescott, Ariz.
Michael L. Baird ’70 died Dec. 14, 2022. He was 74 years old and lived in Gilbert, Ariz. After graduation he served a number of years in the Air Force, including a stint flying a C-130 Hercules transport plane in and out of Vietnam. After leaving the Air Force, he was a pilot for United Airlines until his retirement.
Rueben Brunson Jr. ’70, MBA’73, P’96 joined the Army in 1965 and served in Vietnam, earning a Purple Heart; his injuries required nearly two years’ hospitalization. He earned two degrees from the university and then opened Brunson’s Market and Deli in Lakewood. Brunson, who lived in University Place for 50 years, died June 12, 2023. He was 80. Among his survivors is daughter Kimberly Hardy ’96.
Ellen Davis McKanna MEd’70 started college in the late 1940s, then finished her bachelor’s in the 1960s and went on to get a master’s from Puget Sound. She taught elementary school in the Franklin Pierce School District for 30 years, including 15 years focused on special education. She also was a past president of the Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society. McKanna died May 28, 2023, at age 92.
We learned in May 2023 of the death of John D. Bryce ’71. He was a political science major as an undergraduate and lived in Vancouver, Wash.
Jack L. Daniel Jr. ’71 died June 24, 2023, in University Place, Wash., at age 79. He was a Vietnam War veteran who was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Valor. He later taught business classes at Puget Sound and other universities before retiring in 1998. Among his survivors is his wife, Margaret Simpson Daniel ’83.
Carolyn Johnston Hendricks ’71 of Lacey, Wash., died July 6, 2023, at age 74. She was an executive assistant at various Washington state agencies, and enjoyed quilting and volunteer work.
Karen Enz Hunter ’71 died Nov. 12, 2022, in Kalispell, Mont. She was a devoted mother of two and a voracious reader who surrounded herself with books. At Puget Sound she was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority and met her future husband, Douglas Hunter ’71. She was 73 years old.
Jerrold D. “Jerry” Lambert ’71 of Port Orchard, Wash., died Jan. 13, 2023, at age 84. He enrolled at Puget Sound after serving in the Army; then, after graduating, he worked in banking for many years, was a substitute teacher, and later served full-time with the Washington State Army National Guard.
We learned in June of the death of Bernice H. Cherrey Ward ’71, P’75 of Centralia, Wash. Among her survivors is a daughter, Carol Netzel ’75.
Rev. Ann S. Blair ’72 was an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and served as pastor of congregations in Pennsylvania and upstate New York for 30 years. More recently she lived in Portland, Ore. She died May 12, 2023, at age 72.
Daryl L. Thompson ’72 of Auburn, Wash., earned an English degree from Puget Sound and worked at Boeing and several nonprofits; she also was a grant writer and public relations officer for Auburn School District. She was active in Kiwanis, PEO, and the PTA. She died April 28, 2023, at the age of 73.
Roy N. Burt ’73 grew up on a dairy farm in Washington and joined the Navy after high school. He later spent 21 years as a patrolman and detective with the Seattle Police Department, earning a degree in public administration from Puget Sound along the way. He died in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Sept. 29, 2022. He was 86.
Nathan A. Kirk ’73 earned an accounting degree at Puget Sound, then went on to get a law degree from Brigham Young University. He practiced law in the Tri-Cities, Wash., for 15 years before going back to his true passion: computer programming. He died June 6, 2023, in Auburn, Wash., at age 71.
We received word in March 2023 of the death of Mark A. Rhodes ’73. He was an art major at Puget Sound.
Teresa A. Valois ’73, known as Resa, earned a degree in occupational therapy from Puget Sound and settled in Seattle, where she developed the Driver Rehabilitation Program at the University of Washington, helping people with disabilities learn to drive modified vehicles. She loved hiking, backpacking, swimming, dancing, and sailing. She died March 3, 2023, at age 71.
After graduating from Puget Sound, Kathy E. Murray Dahlum ’74 went on to earn a master’s and doctorate in education and worked as an educator and inclusion facilitator in Los Angeles Unified School District for 34 years. She died in Torrance, Calif., April 23, 2023, at age 70.
We received word in February 2023 of the death of Bob M. Patterson ’74. A history major at Puget Sound, he lived in Gig Harbor, Wash.
We learned in March 2023 of the death of Lee O. Rutherford ’74. He was a sociology major at Puget Sound.
Jan B. Seferian MM’74 of Tacoma died July 2, 2023, at age 91. She attended Julliard School of Music and performed at the New York City Opera and in off-Broadway productions. She moved to Tacoma when her husband, Edward, took a teaching position at the university; together they helped develop the Tacoma Symphony. She was an avid supporter of the arts in the community.
Scott Gaspard ’75 majored in business administration at Puget Sound, where he also played football. After graduation, he worked for the state government in Olympia for five years, then was CEO of the Washington Financial League, a banking trade association, for 25 years. He died July 25, 2023, in the home he built on Anderson Island, Wash. He was 69.
John G. Mansfield ’75 spent five years in the Navy after high school, then worked as a communications officer for the CIA before getting his Puget Sound degree. He retired in 1992 after 26 years of government service and moved to Tacoma, starting a company called the Media Center. Later in life he was a realtor. He died April 11, 2023, in Tacoma at age 81.
Robert L. Martin Jr. ’75 died April 15, 2020. He was 66 and lived in Plymouth Meeting, Pa. After graduating, he was a Peace Corps volunteer in Southern Asia, then spent a career in finance, working on stock equity and option trading floors in Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York. He also was a representative of New York Life Insurance Company.
Mack D. Stanhope ’75 died Dec. 22, 2020. He was 80.
We received word in June 2023 of the death of Charles D. Coffinger ’76.
Michael D. Dunham ’76 died Feb. 24, 2023 at the age of 72. He was a business administration major at Puget Sound.
We received word in March 2023 of the death of Evaristo Gonzalez ’76. He was a political science major at Puget Sound.
Philip R. Peters ’76 earned a degree from the University of Washington, then served in the military in Vietnam, where he was twice wounded, receiving two Purple Hearts and a Silver Star. He later earned a second degree, this one in business administration from Puget Sound. He retired at 59. Peters died April 25, 2023, in Tacoma at age 76.
Michael E. Purdy ’76, MBA’79 who followed a career in managing government contracts with a second one as a presidential historian, died Aug. 2, 2023. He was 69. Purdy, who was ASUPS president as a student, went on to work for the City of Seattle, Seattle Housing Authority, and University of Washington. After retiring, he started a website, presidentialhistory.com, and wrote two books and numerous articles on U.S. presidents. In the 1980s he also earned a Master of Divinity degree.
Christopher Scott MBA’77 died April 2, 2023, in Lyndon Center, Vt., part of an area known as Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. He was 74. His career included stints in the Air Force acquisition community, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, and the commercial sector. He was an avid swimmer, swim coach, and trail runner.
Delores J. Davis Chaney ’78, known as “Dee,” died May 20, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. She was 88, having earned both an associate’s and a bachelor’s degree later in life. She is remembered for her love of family, country dancing, and playing pool.
Ilene Ann Evans ’78 of Shoreline, Wash., graduated from Puget Sound with degrees in art and sociology, and was a prolific artist and writer. A member of the Qagan Tayagungin tribe of Aleuts and the Shumagin and Aleut Corporations, she was an activist and an advocate for Native fishing rights in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1970s; she also was active in the Pacific Northwest Aleut Council for many years. She died May 12, 2023, at age 80.
We received word in June 2023 of the death of Donna L. Hennessy ’78 of Round Rock, Texas. She had a degree in business administration from Puget Sound.
We learned in March 2023 of the death of Kelley Olwin Cahill ’83 of Erie, Colo. She was a business administration graduate of Puget Sound and had worked at Bank of America.
Alyson L. Ruff-Roberts ’86 was a double major in biology and music at Puget Sound, where she became interested in microbes that live in extreme environments. She later earned a master’s at Montana State, doing research on the microbes in the hot springs of Yellowstone National Park, and worked in the biotech industry until becoming a full-time mom. She died in Belfair, Wash., on June 18, 2023, at age 58.
Kenneth Camplese ’90 was a biology major at Puget Sound and went on to earn a master’s in marine biology from Western Washington University. He taught biology at colleges in Washington and Connecticut. He was an active member of his Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and volunteered for several wildlife and oceanic organizations. He died Jan. 17, 2022, in Marlborough, Conn., at age 54. Among his survivors is a sister, Karen Camplese Migliaro ’93.
Craig K. Chamberlin ’92 of Veradale, Wash., died April 30, 2023, at age 52. He attended Puget Sound on a football scholarship, graduated with a degree in economics, and worked for the sheriff’s offices of Okanogan County and Spokane County for a combined 26 years. He later was a a spokesperson and business developer for SERVPRO.
Katharine Day Bunnell MOT’93 of Vashon, Wash., died May 17, 2023, at age 80. She earned an art history degree from Cornell University and later moved to the Pacific Northwest, where she raised her family, did her master’s in occupational therapy at Puget Sound, and became an occupational therapist in the public schools. Katie, as she was known, was active in the Vashon Island community for more than 40 years.
Maria T. Shalako ’96 of San Dimas, Calif., died May 8, 2022, at age 65. She was an English major at Puget Sound and had worked at Allied Entertainment Inc.
Faculty and Staff
Robert Hermanson had an M.B.A. from California– Berkeley and owned Forest Enterprises, a wood chip mill in Spokane, Wash. He also taught finance at Puget Sound and other universities. We learned of his death in May 2023.
Carolyn Ady Simonson, who taught at Puget Sound and later chaired the English department at Tacoma Community College, died April 20, 2023, in Tacoma. She was 96.