1940s
DANTE VADALA ’48, of Colorado Springs, Colo., died January 20, 2019. After serving in the U.S. Navy on the USS Patapsco in the South Pacific during World War II, Vadala became CMC’s first student body president. He then earned an MBA at Harvard Business School. Vadala had a long and successful career as a systems analyst in a wide range of industries and companies. His greatest joys came from his family, golf, gardening, the St. Louis Cardinals, his ’66 red Mustang, volunteering at the Olympic Training Center, and enjoying all that Colorado offers. He is survived by his wife, Gail; three children; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
1950s
WILLIAM T. HAMMOND ’50, of Ojai, Calif., died November 13, 2018. A former partner in the Yorba Oil Company, Hammond established the William T. Hammond ’50 Alumni Fund Scholarship at CMC. He was also a major supporter of the College’s Washington, D.C. semester program.
HAROLD G. STANLEY ’50, of Fallbrook, Calif., died September 20, 2018.
CHARLES R. “BOB” SUTHERLAND ’50 P’71, of Lincoln, Calif., died July 18, 2017. A native of Berkeley, Calif., Sutherland served in the U.S. Navy before attending CMC. He then worked as an assistant vice president for Wells Fargo Bank and managed several branch banks in the Bay Area. After retirement, he lived in Oakland and Rossmore before moving to Del Webb’s Sun City in Lincoln, Calif. He loved the great outdoors, wildlife, and birds, and enjoyed hunting, fishing, golf, gardening, and his family. Sutherland is survived by four children, 10 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren.
DAVID S. MACALPINE ’51 P’76, of Pebble Beach, Calif., died November 30, 2018. A U.S. Army veteran, MacAlpine earned his undergraduate degree from CMC and his law degree from Southwestern University. He was manager of the trust department and vicepresident of the Monterey branch of Security Pacific Bank. An avid golfer, MacAlpine was a long-time member of the Monterey Peninsula Country Club. He volunteered as a bell-ringer for the Salvation Army at the Pebble Beach Post Office. He is survived by his wife, Paula; two children; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
LAWRENCE R. MCNAMEE ’53, of Pacific Palisades, Calif., died November 30, 2018. After serving in the U.S. Army as a member of the commanding general’s staff, antiaircraft command, McNamee earned his B.A. from CMC and his M.A. in public administration from Claremont Graduate School. He had a long and rewarding business career with General Dynamics, Arthur D. Little, Booz Allen, and Hydril Corporation before creating his own consulting company, The Diogenes Group. He then was CEO of Radiant Technology Corporation, which manufactured silicon chips used in the solar panel industry. McNamee enjoyed travel, fly fishing, golf, photography, and sailing, as a longtime member of the California Yacht Club. He also served on CMC’s Board of Trustees and endowed the McNamee Scholarship Fund. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; three children; and six grandchildren.
ALBERT TIPPENS JR. ’53, of Kenilworth, Ill., died January 1, 2019. Tippens graduated from Culver Military Academy before enrolling at CMC. A dedicated member of numerous organizations, including the Chicago Symphony, he was honored by social services agency Lawrence Hall for 50 years of service. He was an accomplished pianist who played almost every day and a world traveler who enjoyed going to France every year. Tippens is survived by his wife, Elicia.
WILLIAM S. TELLAM ’54, of Ramona, Calif., died October 13, 2018. As founder of Tellam and Wettig Construction, he was a pioneer in opening roads and bringing water to the Rancho California/Temecula area; he was appointed to the State Water Quality Control Board by Governor Ronald Reagan. A third-generation cattle rancher, he supported his local 4H and FFA by supplying show calves. Tellam was a four-time World Champion Team Penner who competed throughout California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado; his teams earned significant wins at the Justin National Challenges at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla. and the Avi Casino in Laughlin, Nev. He was an original inductee of the United States Team Penning Association Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas. Tellam was a member of the California Cattlemen’s Association, San Diego Imperial County Cattlemen’s Association, Los Senderos riding group, and Rancheros Vistadores (Los Flojos camp). He is survived by his wife, Eileen; four sons; and a grandson.
ALLEN TINKLEY ’54, of Los Angeles, died August 31, 2018. With Lou Robin ’53, he founded Artist Consultants Productions and promoted more than 5,000 concerts for artists including the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Johnny Cash. He is survived by his wife, Diana, and three children.
DONALD M. NORMAN ’55, of Newport Beach, Calif., died October 9, 2017.
PHILLIP N. CUTTING ’58, of Pasadena, Calif., died September 1, 2018. Cutting served as president of the CMC Alumni Association from 1976-1977, and was a member of the CMC Board of Trustees from 1983 to 1986.
CLARK FERGUS ’59 died January 20, 2017.
1960s
JAMES BASSET ’61, of Polson, Mont., died October 20, 2017, after a two-year battle with throat cancer. Before attending CMC, he was a four-year letterman in track and football at Claremont High School. A successful businessman, his last project was building a restaurant, the East Shore Smoke House. He is survived by his wife, Janice; a daughter; two stepdaughters; and a granddaughter.
JERRY J. SYMCOX ’61, of San Marcos, Calif., died May 27, 2018.
ROBERT W. SUNSHINE ’61 GP’18, of Santa Ana, Calif., died October 8, 2018. A U.S. Army veteran, Sunshine was passionate about his family, business, the beach, and bocce ball. A former basketball player and one of the Stags’ biggest fans, in 2017, the team captain award was named in his honor. He is survived by his wife, Sylvia; three children; eight grandchildren, including Caroline ‘18; and one great-grandchild.
BRADLEY J. BENSON ’62, of British Columbia, Canada, died July 29, 2018. He came to CMC from Shattuck Military Academy in Faribault, Minn. After graduating, he joined the U.S. Army and served in Nuremberg, Germany. He then worked for U.S. Steel in Chicago before moving to West Vancouver, B.C. As founding director and longest-serving chair of the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association, Benson was involved in the formation of the Tetrahedron Alliance. He earned the John Hind-Smith Award for his commitment to the environment. Benson is survived by two children and two grandchildren.
JOSEPH BATTAGLIA ’63, of Whittier, Calif., died August 8, 2018, from complications of Lewy body dementia. At CMC, he served as student body president. In the U.S. Army, Battaglia earned the rank of first lieutenant while stationed in Kaiserslautern, Germany. He and his brother Paul founded Battaglia Associates. Inc., and built homes throughout the San Gabriel Valley. He then launched his own company, Joseph E. Battaglia, Inc. Battaglia was a member of Glenkirk Church in Glendora, where he helped start the financial freedom ministry, cooked for the homeless, and served as a deacon and an elder. He also served on the City of Glendora’s Beautification Committee and Planning Commission. Battaglia is survived by his wife, Catherine; two sons; a stepson; and five grandchildren.
JAMES R. RIDGWAY JR. ’63, of La Jolla, Calif., died September 11, 2018. After graduating from CMC, he joined Investors Diversified Syndicate in Minneapolis, Minn. before starting a long career with Merrill Lynch, where he was a vice president and top institutional trader. Ridgway served on the school board in Bernardsville, N.J., was an active Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader, and volunteered at the Matheny School for children with special needs in Peapack, N.J. He is survived by his wife, Susan; eight children; three step-children; 19 grandchildren; and two greatgrandchildren.
STEPHEN A. HASELTON ’64, of Santa Barbara, Calif., died in 2017. He and his wife, Toni, donated more than $5.5 million to a fundraising campaign to help rebuild Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
THOMAS B. HOFELLER ’65, of Raleigh, N.C., died August 16, 2018, of cancer. After serving on a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Tonkin Gulf during the Vietnam War, Hofeller earned his B.A. at CMC and his Ph.D. at Claremont Graduate University. He was co-founder and senior technical consultant, then assistant and associate director, for the Rose Institute of State and Local Government. A nationally prominent redistricting expert, Hofeller created a computerized mapping system for the California State Assembly and oversaw data operations for the Republican National Committee. He also served in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and as the staff director of a House committee overseeing the census, before returning to redistricting full time as a consultant for the Republican National Committee and other groups. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen, and a daughter.
ROBERT F. WILLIAMS ’65, of Minneapolis, Minn., died May 28, 2018, of complications from Parkinson’s disease. After graduating from CMC, he played French horn with the Honolulu Symphony. Williams then earned a Ph.D. from the Eastman School of Music and taught at the University of Calgary before embarking on a career managing large computer systems at Honeywell. A tennis enthusiast, he took on leadership positions in several local programs, developed a World Team Tennis corporate league in the Twin Cities, was named WTT community director of the year in 2007, and received the Delaine Mast Award from Billie Jean King. Williams also loved classical music and travel. He is survived by his wife, Andrea; two children; and six grandchildren.
DREW G. HARPER ’66, of Laguna Niguel, Calif., died July 31, 2017. He served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. A passionate man with limitless energy, he enjoyed volunteering and was deeply ingrained in the special needs and Christian communities. In retirement, he enjoyed traveling with family. He is survived by his wife, Kay; three children; and two grandchildren.
JESSE B. “BEN” NEWKIRK III ’68, of La Mesa, Calif., died July 10, 2018. After earning a Ph.D. in psychology from Claremont Graduate University, Newkirk served as a professor of psychology and held the distinguished chair in mathematics and science at Grossmont Community College. A model train and airplane enthusiast, he participated in and organized the All Gauge Toy Train Association and First Weedwacker Aero Squadron model aeronautics club. Newkirk also served nine years as a reserve officer and consultant for the San Diego Police Department, where he was an active competitive marksman and achieved a distinguished master rating in police pistol combat. He is survived by his wife, Pamela, and three children.
MICHAEL J. BURKE ’69, of Scottsdale, Ariz., died September 11, 2018, of a heart attack. A two-sport athlete at CMC, he played football and baseball, and participated on a baseball team that traveled to Europe. After college, Burke served with the U.S. Army in Korea. He then worked for Proctor and Gamble before starting his own businesses in the fields of residential construction and financial services. He was a Rotarian with the Phoenix Arcadia Rotary Club and highly involved in Dementia Friendly Tempe. He is survived by his wife, Sharon; two children; four step-children; 16 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
WILLIAM M. WEST ’69, of San Jose, Calif., died May 12, 2018, of acute myloma lymphoma. After graduating from CMC, West earned a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Chicago. He worked as a certified public accountant in private practice for many years. A Ragtime jazz enthusiast, he attended the West Coast Ragtime Festival annually.
1970s
CHARLES E. “CHUCK” CURTIS ’70, of Hawthorne, Calif., died October 31, 2018, of complications of an upper respiratory virus. He served on the CMC Alumni Association Board of Directors from 1987 to 1992. He is survived by his widow, Rose.
ALAN J. RAPPOPORT ’74, of Bellevue, Wash., died February 18, 2019. A Magna Cum Laude graduate with departmental honors in political science, Alan also received a master’s degree from the Columbia School of Journalism. He began his career as an investigative broadcast journalist and spent eight years on the air in Phoenix, where he won three Emmy Awards. Alan later coached senior executives of Fortune 100 companies, Hollywood stars, and other leading industry professionals on public speaking and crisis management and communication. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; two daughters; and extended family and friends, including his fellow CMC ’74 “brothers,” Riley Atkins, David Kitch, and Kim Ledbetter, all of Portland, Ore.
THEODORE L. “TED” JACKSON JR. ’76, of Los Angeles, died September 12, 2018, hiking in the Sierra Nevada. He earned a B.A. in literature from CMC and a B.B.A. from California State University, Sacramento. After joining the California State Parks Department as a ranger cadet, Jackson served in Southern California and the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. He then transferred to headquarters in Sacramento, where he worked in the human rights office and as liaison to the Park and Recreation Commission, which oversees the Department of Parks and Recreation. Jackson also served as district superintendent of the San Joaquin District, chief of the Southern Field Division, and chief of operations.
LUIS P. MORA ’77, of Etiwanda, Calif., died August 18, 2018, of cancer. After attending CMC, he served as a medic in the California National Guard. Mora then went on to a long career as a computer programmer, designing custom programs for small businesses throughout Southern California. He appreciated music, comedy, and movies, as well as lending people a helping hand, whether it be a neighbor, a friend, or a random stranger with a flat tire at the supermarket. He is survived by two children and two grandchildren.
1980s
DANIEL H. BIGG ’81, of Chicago, died August 21, 2018. A harm reduction advocate who worked to expand the use of opioid overdose reversal medication, Bigg was cofounder and director of the Chicago Recovery Alliance, a primarily mobile support organization that offers education, care, and recovery help for people addicted to drugs. The Drug Policy Alliance, a nonprofit advocate of harm reduction in drug treatment, awarded Bigg the Norman E. Zinberg Award for Achievement in the Field of Medicine in 2015. He also was named a Chicagoan of the Year for his efforts to quell overdose deaths. He is survived by his wife, Karen, and three children.
REMY C. ROCHFORD ’81, of Irvine, Calif., died November 21, 2018, of leukemia. She earned her B.A. in political science from CMC, and pursued a professional career with Digital Equipment Company, selling computers and software. Rochford was passionate about mentoring young girls to become strong, independent women through career development. She is survived by her husband, John, and two daughters.
GARY D. EISENBERG ’85, of Charlottesville, Va., died December 23, 2018. At CMC, he majored in political science and played competitive water polo. He began his professional life in Washington, D.C., then lived in Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and China. Upon his return to the United States, he earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law School and worked as a corporate attorney in New York City. He then relocated from Brooklyn to Charlottesville, Va. A witty conversationalist and voracious reader and eater, he was interested in cooking, wine, history, and politics. He is survived by his wife, Ira, and daughter.
2000s
MARGARET H. “NELLIE” HAUFF ’05, of Vail, Colo., died October 10, 2018. After graduating from CMC, where she was a leader on the tennis team, she sought adventure around the country, living in five states over 10 years. She returned to her home in the Vail Valley in 2016. A lover of dolphins, sea turtles, dogs, and cats, Hauff advocated for animals both professionally and personally. She was an avid amateur photographer. Hauff is survived by her parents, Brian and Jeannie.
2010s
ERIC CRAMER ’18, of San Diego, died February 26, 2019. A biophysics and French double major, Cramer was a scientist at heart. He loved Bach and playing pool. For his college essay, Cramer wrote about finding opportunities in simple places, like benches. He wrote, “On a bench you can meet someone new. On a bench you can get to know someone better. On a bench you can get to know yourself better.” Cramer is survived by his parents, Peter and Michelle.
JEREMY PETERSON ’18, of Princeton, N.J., died February 19, 2019. An economics and psychology dual major with a leadership sequence, Peterson had an adventurer’s passport. Among the places he traveled: Colombia, Cuba, France, Honduras, Hong Kong, Italy, Iceland, Mexico, Panama, Portugal, and Spain. While Peterson loved art, books, music, and film, he reserved his greatest enthusiasm for food—from hog wings at the Amish market to multicourse Michelin-starred tasting menus. He is survived by his parents, Jason Peterson ’85 and Audrey Chen, and sister, Avery.