Friends of Lewis & Clark Remembered

Peter Nycum, professor emeritus of law, died October 5, 2015, at age 74, with his wife, Marilyn, by his side. Nycum joined the Lewis & Clark law faculty and was appointed law library director in 1978. He had a deep love and appreciation for the law school, the faculty, and the staff, but especially for the many law students who crossed his path.

Under Nycum’s directorship, the Boley Library collection grew from 120,000 volumes in 1978 to over 500,000 volumes, an accomplishment the law school celebrated during the 2004–05 academic year. The library also moved to quickly adopt new technology. In 1981, it became one of the first institutions in the country to offer both Lexis and Westlaw. From 1999 to 2002, Nycum chaired the law school building committee for the construction of Wood Hall and the remodel of Boley Law Library. Later, he created the Peter S. Nycum Rare Book Room. He donated many of the rare books in the collection, especially those pertaining to English legal history. The Sir Edward Coke Society, which he founded to “stimulate an interest in legal history through education presentations, collegial discourse, and informative libation tasting,” provided funding for the acquisition of additional rare books for the collection. Nycum also worked closely with Phillip Margolin to create the Doreen Margolin Law in Popular Culture Collection.

“Even during the period of his declining health, he retained his intellectual curiosity, his interest in people and events, and his infectious sense of humor,” says Jennifer Johnson, dean of the law school. “We will all miss him greatly.”

Robert Perry, who worked as the instrument model maker and machinist for the Mathematics and National Science Division Shop from 1973 to 1992, died August 3, 2015, at age 81. Before joining Lewis & Clark, he held similar positions at the California Institute of Technology and the University of Hawaii. In addition to his work at Lewis & Clark, he was the owner of SecurTech, a manufacturer of anthitheft devices to physically secure electronic equipment. The company grew out of his design for a computer lock system, which he created to prevent theft of computers and A/V equipment on college campuses.

John “Jack” Baxter Jr., a life trustee of Lewis & Clark College, died October 8, 2015, at age 95. After graduating from Bowdoin College and marrying his high school sweetheart, Alice Comee, Baxter became president of his family’s food processing business, H.C. Baxter & Bro. Active in government, he served as majority leader of the 100th Maine State Legislature as well as vice chair of the Governor’s Executive Council. In 1965, Baxter and his family moved to Oregon, where he eventually merged the family business with Amfac, a Fortune 500 company. He headed the company’s food division until his retirement in 1981.

Baxter enjoyed a variety of outdoor pursuits, including hunting, golfing, horseback riding, and skiing. He had a strong passion for photography and often photographed the people and places he encountered on his world travels. The Jack and Alice Baxter Scholarship at Lewis & Clark is awarded to students in art, with a preference for students concentrating in photography.

Survivors include his son John “Randy” Baxter; two daughters, Connie Baxter Marlow and Judy Baxter; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

In Memoriam

1930s

Elizabeth Haworth ’36, July 24, 2015, age 100.

1940s

Imogene Sittner ’40, April 24, 2015, age 96.

Melba Miner ’47, April 30, 2015, age 89.

Berkeley Snow Jr. BS ’48, May 21, 2015, age 92.

1950s

Charles Babin BA ’50, April 3, 2015, age 90.

Donald Barrett BS ’50, September 1, 2015, age 90.

Hon. Tony L. Casciato JD ’50, September 7, 2015, age 97, of congestive heart failure. Casciato worked for the Bonneville Power Administration until he was drafted in 1942. Following his military service in World War II, he studied law. In 1950, he married Dolores “Dede” Carlo. The couple had four children. Casciato was admitted to the bar in 1951 and practiced law until 1971, when he was appointed to the municipal bench (later the District/ Circuit Court) for Multnomah County. He retired in 1993. Love of family, friends, the law, and sports (particularly baseball) characterized his life. Over the course of his career, he was a mentor and guide to legions of young lawyers, many of whom credit their subsequent success to his wise counsel. Casciato was preceded in death by his wife, Dede, and his son, Peter. He is survived by his son, Tom; his daughters, Mary Jo Binker and Nancy Casciato; and six grandchildren.

Cecil “Miles” Edwards BS ’50, August 15, 2015, age 89.

Mary Hulme BA ’50, May 29, 2015, age 85.

Stanley Stewart BA ’50, July 10, 2014, age 88. Stewart attended Lewis & Clark after being honorably discharged from the Navy in 1946, with the Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal and a World War II victory medal. He worked for the rest of his life in the airline industry and will be remembered by his brother, Elton, and others for his love of music, his generous spirit, and his favorite car, the Jaguar XK120 (in red).

Harry S. Sutherland MEd ’50, July 10, 2015, age 93.

Constance A. Robison BA ’51, January 27, 2015, age 85.

Barbara Shaw BS ’51, September 23, 2015, age 85. A Washington native, Shaw moved to California with her husband, James Shaw BS ’51, to raise their sons, James and Robert. Later in life, she moved to one of her favorite places, Arch Cape, Oregon, and opened a bed and breakfast, which she ran for 35 years.

Ruby M. Wortham BA ’51, July 27, 2015, age 84.

Nancy I. Bates BS ’52, May 29, 2014, age 84.

Lenore Gerber BA ’52, July 25, 2014, age 86.

Jesse Kregal BS ’53, June 18, 2015, age 84. He is remembered by his children, Heidi Billittier, Rachel Kregal Phillips, and Julia Billittier; his brother Joseph Kregal; and grandchildren Sarah and Julia Billittier.

Nita V. Baldwin BS ’54, July 28, 2015, age 87.

Eleanor Jones BS ’54, June 11, 2015, age 82. At a young age, Jones played violin in the Portland Junior Symphony. She worked as a nurse throughout her adult life. Jones cared deeply for others and worked during her retirement years to help improve school dormitories in Baja Sur. She is survived by her children, Randy and Margy, and many other family and friends.

Raymond Hyde BS ’55, June 5, 2015, age 82. A member of the Lewis & Clark Sports Hall of Fame, Hyde was a gifted athlete. He was named to the Portland All-Star baseball team two years in a row as well as the Northwest College Conference All-Star team. Hyde went on to play minor league baseball for the Lewiston Broncs in 1958 and 1959 and the Salem Senators in 1960.

Richard Uhl BS ’55, March 29, 2015, age 87.

Joseph Wimmer BA ’56, August 11, 2015, age 81. Wimmer was a professional jazz musician for nearly 60 years as well as a music teacher. He had many adventures along the way, such as sitting in with jazz great Louis Armstrong. He is survived by his wife, Siggi, and his children, Kenny and Laurie.

Reva B. Sisco BS ’57, October 12, 2015, age 86.

Claire Breckon BA ’59, December 7, 2014, age 77. A true jack-of-all-trades, Breckon traveled extensively with her husband, foreign service officer M. Lyall Breckon, to Saigon (where she taught at the American School Saigon), Bangkok, Madras, Kuala Lumpur, Vienna, and Geneva. In Thailand, she worked as a tutor to Princess Ubolratana, preparing her for study at MIT. She was an accomplished pianist, a published author, a lover of fashion, and even a yoga teacher.

1960s

Diane Parkin-Speer BA ’63, March 14, 2015, age 74.

Betsy McClung CAS ’64, September 2015, age 72. In the 1980s, McClung helped found the Oregon Osteoporosis Center, widely recognized as a leading research center. She also served as president of the Endocrine Nurses Society and taught and mentored many people. Survivors include her husband, Michael, and her children, Holly and Andy.

Patricia Norstrom BS ’65, July 3, 2015, age 72.

Mary Gallagher BS ’67, June 29, 2015, age 69.

Roderick L. Bunnell JD ’68, October 1, 2015, age 85. After earning his degree from Lewis & Clark Law School, Bunnell represented Blue Cross Blue Shield in state and national legislative matters. Throughout his life, he supported many local civic groups in the Pacific Northwest. He had a love of the outdoors and a fascination with the history of the Northwest and its native cultures. Survivors include his wife, Sally McMillan Bunnell, and his sons, John and David.

George Wenzlaff BA ’68, June 13, 2015, age 69. As a child actor, Wenzlaff, whose stage name was George Winslow, appeared in the movies alongside several prominent Hollywood stars, including Marilyn Monroe (in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) and Cary Grant (in Room for One More). Unfortunately, young Wenzlaff didn’t enjoy acting and retired at age 12. After attending Lewis & Clark, he served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. He later worked as a mail handler for the Postal Service in northern California.

1970s

Rev. David W. Duncan BA ’70, May 17, 2015, age 67.

John Dewitt BA ’75, February 26, 2015, age 60.

Jerome J. McKay BS ’77, September 11, 2015, age 71.

Philip McKinney BS ’78, May 26, 2015, age 63.

1980s

Stephen Spalding BS ’80, August 31, 2015, age 59.

2010s

Emylee Darneille BA ’13, July 5, 2015, age 24, in Seville, Spain. Darneille graduated from Rochester High School in Illinois, where she received multiple awards and certificates in the areas of science, music, literary endeavors, and speech. She was a member of the National Honor Society and an Illinois State Scholar. Showing horses was her passion, and she received numerous awards for her riding skill. Darneille attended West Point Military Academy and Lewis & Clark College, where she received a BA in international relations. She loved to travel, never met a stranger, and touched people all over the world with her spirit, giving heart, whimsical nature, and humanitarian efforts. Survivors include her parents, David Darneille and Cherylee Bridges, and her brothers, Jason Williams and Edwyn Darneille.