Deaths
Alumni
Ruth R. (Rickey) Swanson, Class of 1937
Marion L. (Valvo) Heaney, Class of 1938
Mary Jane (Ambrose) Postove, Class of 1939
Violet E. (Cornell) Jones, Class of 1941
Jean S. Swenson, Class of 1946
Melvin F. Sullivan, Class of 1950
Rowena (Stillman) Annunziato, Class of 1951
Raymond J. Shahin, Class of 1953
David A. Fancher, Class of 1958
Bevell Mason, Class of 1958
Gail (Clement) Olson, Class of 1959
Charlene (Lenox) Denton, Class of 1964
Mary Elizabeth (Torrence) Rideout, Class of 1964
Sophie B. Kapuscinski, Class of 1966
Veronica A. Astrello, Class of 1969
Virginia S. (Stetson) Hartley Laumer, Class of 1969
Gary R. Sutter, Class of 1969
Gary M. Green, Class of 1970
Kenneth R. Dowd, Class of 1971
George Moore, Class of 1971
Mary Ellen (Raczek) Benamati, Class of 1975
George W. Skelly, Class of 1975
Linda (Howell) Davidson, Class of 1979
Karen M. Liss Levin, Class of 1980
William J. Blair, Class of 1987
Margaret “Peg” (Sherwood) Spath, Class of 1987
Frances G. (Goldinger) Wolinsky, Class of 1988
Catherine (Zielinski) Wojcinski, Class of 1992
Mark Woodring, Class of 2000
Faculty/Staff
Mary A. Abers, Cleaner, 1997-2009
Emily (Gay) Carpenter, Coordinator of Veterans’ Affairs, 1980-1985
Marilyn H. Christian, Nurse; 1973-1976, 1987-1996
Mary G. Crea, Secretary; Admissions, Faculty Council, several academic departments, 1969-1992; United University Professions office, 1992-2011
Dr. Marvin Lunenfeld, Department of History, 1970-1996
Gary A. McCown, Plant Utilities Engineer, 1978-2010
Judith (Austin) Miller, Student Accounts, 1983-1991
Helen M. Nalepa, Cleaner, 1979-1995
Dr. Ruth E. Roberts , Department of English, 1963-1978
Mark W. Speziale, Faculty Student Association
Students
Lauren E. Pronto
1950s
Barbara (Buczkowski) Polasik, '51, (elem. ed.) represented President Virginia S. Horvath and SUNY Fredonia at the Inauguration of Towson University's 13th President, Dr. Maravene Loeschke.
Richard A. Stephan, '52, (music ed.) has been retired for 12 years, but is still writing for Neil A. Kjos Music Company-Publisher and playing jazz guitar.
Dr. Frank, ’56, (music ed.) and Sallie (Shapley) Pullano, ’58, (music ed.) received the Jessie Hillman Award for Excellence from the Hillman Memorial Music Association and SUNY Fredonia prior to the Nov. 10 Hillman Opera performance. Dr. Pullano is professor emeritus in the School of Music at SUNY Fredonia, and Mrs. Pullano a retired music educator and former Chautuaqua County Legislator. They now reside in Rock Hill, S.C. PHOTO
Sandra (Peterson) Fry, '59, (music ed.) spends the winters in Vero Beach, Fla. where she and her husband sing with the First Methodist Church of Vero Beach choir. She still maintains her church choir directorship in Erie, Pa., when not in Florida.
1960s
Ronald Corsaro, '61, (music ed.) has organized the annual Lewiston Jazz Festival for the past eight years, which attracts over 40,000 fans.
Calvin Stewart, '61, (music ed.) is performing on the steel pan drums at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Hotel and plays at weddings and private parties. He also performs at The Island House Hotel in Orange Beach, Ala.
Nancy (Claybaugh) Krestic, '62, (music ed.) was presented with the Grace Stearns Saxton Award by the American Association of University Women.
Mary Anne Harp, '63, (music ed.) is happily involved in conducting musicals - most recently, Legally Blonde, for Jamestown Community College. She also plays trumpet in the American Legion Band, Post 264, in North Tonawanda, N.Y., and in the Jamestown Area Community Orchestra.
Carolyn (Christy) Boyden, '65, (elem. ed.) has been busy in her retirement hobby as an actor. She did a short story reading for, “The Hungry Ear,” library program in Binghamton, N.Y.; two staged readings with the Southern Tier Actors Road (STAR) group and co-directed a children's play in Owego, N.Y. She appeared in Binghamton's spirit walk as Alice Freeman Palmer, and performed in, Till Death Do Us Part and A Christmas Carol.
Martin Zavadil, '65, (music ed.) continues as conductor of the Schoharie Valley Concert Band and Director of Hosanna Bells at Christ Community Reformed Church in Clifton Park, N.Y.
Jerry Soffer, '67, (psych.) published his first novel as an eBook on Smashwords.com and Amazon.com. The Shadow of Xeno's Eye, is an historical novel, re-telling the Trojan War myth as a parable to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Jerry will soon retire from the practice of law in hopes of promoting this book and writing others. He lives in Maplewood, N.J., with his wife, Elaine, and they have grown twin daughters, Pam and Cara.
Shirley (Nugent) Allessi, '68, (elem. ed.) retired in 2003 after 35 years of teaching elementary school.
Phil Zimmer, '69, (history) assisted prominent historian Stan Weintraube by providing research for his latest book, Final Victory, which deals with Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s World War II presidential campaign.
1970s
Jerry Wrubel, '70, (elem. ed.) retired recently as Director of Career Services at SUNY Geneseo, completing a 40 year career in higher education.
Laura (Bonomo) Wrubel, '71, (sec. ed. speech/English) fulfilled a lifelong dream by participating as a volunteer for the entire 2012 dig season at Tel Megiddo (Armageddon) in Israel under the auspices of Tel Aviv University. Weekends away from the dig allowed travel to Jerusalem, Akko, Masada, the Dead Sea, Caesarea, and several other locations, including the Golan Heights and the West Bank.
Braemar Energy Ventures’ Managing Partner Dennis Costello, ’72, (econ.) was named an honorary Kauffman Fellow during the Kauffman Fellows’ Global Summit on Smart Connected Capital in New York City on Oct. 24. He received the award from the Kauffman Fellows Program for his role as a mentor to the original Kauffman Fellows charter class, and is one of only 10 individuals to receive the honorary
designation. The two-year fellows program is designed to develop and network emerging leaders in the venture capital industry.
Nancy Lesko, '72, (elem. ed.) is currently working as a service coordinator for Trinity Tower of Buffalo, N.Y.
David Katz, '74, (biology-sec. ed.) serves on the International Association of Athletics Federations' Technical Committee. He is the Olympic marathon's official course measurer.
Elissa LiVecchi, '74, (English) has been named Director of Marketing at Purolator International, a Canadian logistics services company.
Mary McDonnell, '74, (theatre arts) is the leading character in the TNT television series, "Major Crimes," starring as Capt. Sharon Raydor.
Dr. Deborah (Anders) Silverman, '76, (music ed., English) was inducted into the College of Fellows by the Public Relations Society of America in October at its annual conference in San Francisco, Calif.
Stephen L. Gage, '78, (music ed.) has been appointed conductor of the W.D. Packard Concert Band. He is the Instrumental Music Coordinator, professor of conducting, and Director of Bands at Youngstown (Ohio) State University.
Valerie (Booth) Nixon, '78, (bus. admin.) was recently promoted to Executive Vice President at Alfred State College.
1980s
Debra (Wesolowski) Komosinski, '80, (music ed.) received the Buffalo Philharmonic/Erie County Music Educators Association (BPO/ECMEA) Excellence in Teaching Award in April 2012. She is currently in her 11th year of teaching at Akron (N.Y.) Central Schools.
Susan Parker-Bobseine, '80, (English) and her husband, Michael Bobseine, '79, (pol. sci) along with Matt Carney, '79, (English) summited Allen Mountain in the Adirondack High Peaks together to complete their combined quest of climbing all 46 High Peaks in New York's Adirondack Mountains. The trio, who now may offically sport "ADK 46-R" regalia, were joined by SUNY Fredonia Political Science Professor James Hurtgen, himself a burgeoning 46-R (with Allen Mountain being his 33rd High Peak; Dr. Jim plans to complete his quest by 2014).
Gail Hunter, '81, (theatre arts) has been hired as Vice President of Public Affairs and Event Management by the Golden State Warriors of the NBA.
Lauren E. Smith, '81, (Spanish) was named October 2012 Author of the Month by Books In Sync, a book promotion website for her three children's mysteries. She will be featured in the winter issue of Cold Coffee Writer's Magazine. She is hard at work on the next Ashley Enright mystery as well as starting a new series of cozy mysteries for adults.
Kathleen (Carrado) Gregar, '82, (chem.) has been elected to the 2012 Class of Fellows of the American Chemical Society. She is the User and Outreach Programs Manager at the Center for Nanoscale Materials at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.
Joey Babay, '83, (biology/sec. ed.) was recently hired as the Education and Outreach Director for Youth Performance Co., an award-winning youth theater doing community-based work in Minneapolis., Minn. Meanwhile, he is also actively performing with Twin Cities Cabaret Artists, a small consortium of singer/storytellers bringing the genre of cabaret to the local scene.
Dr. David Christian, ’83, (coop. engineer, physics) received his Ph.D. in Computer Science this past May from George Washington University.
David Musial, '84, (special studies) and Marcus Goldhaber,’00, (mus. theatre) had integral roles in the creation of ”Project Eleven,” a collection of recordings that commemorated the 11th anniversary of the Pentagon and World Trade Center attacks. All proceeds from Project Eleven through iTunes on Sept. 11 went to the United States Young Veterans Association and charities such as Wounded Warriors. Mr. Musial, a record producer and Founder/CEO of One World Artists Group, served as Project Eleven executive producer and composed its anthem on 9/1/01 before the second World Trade Center tower collapsed. Jazz vocalist Marcus wrote and sang, "Honestly Abe,” one of the songs.
Kelley Briggs, '85, (visual arts) is the Principal, Executive Creative Director for DesignWorks NY, LLC. The company won a prestigious 2012 Communicator Award for its "Emotional Exclamations" ad campaign for Wilson & Son Jewelers.
After 25 years in the insurance business, Erica Chigos-White, '85, (commun.) has completed her Registered Nursing degree. She will begin her master’s degree in nursing in the spring.
Muffett (Mauche) George, '85, (math) joined Wendel, an architectural and engineering firm in Buffalo, N.Y., as a project manager.
Alex Conti, '86, (elem. ed./curr. and instruc.) was selected as an assistant coach for the women's wrestling squad at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Joe D'Urso, '86, (commun.) released a 13th CD with his band, Joe D'Urso & Stone Caravan. He recently became owner of CBGB, a legendary New York City music venue and now festival, www.CBGB.com.
Dr. Paul Blanchet, '88, (psych.) started a new position as Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
Dr. Thomas Millioto, '88, (music perf.) received the 2012 Cecile Insdorf Award for Excellence in Teaching by the Office of the President at CUNY Hunter College.
Lynne Scalzo, '88, (psych.) has been promoted to Vice President of Business Strategy and Health Care Reform at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.
Tim Capowski, '89, (commun.) was named one of AIG’s (Chartis’) Top Ten Lawyers of 2012, following a nationwide selection process. He was honored at the annual AIG conference in New Orleans last October. Tim handles catastrophic personal injury and property damage litigation for excess property and casualty insurers.
Trina S. Newton, '89, (elem. ed.) was named Superintendent of Schools for the Geneva (N.Y.) City School District in December 2011.
Andrew Prinzing, '89, (pol. sci.) is the Assistant Principal at Community Charter School in Buffalo.
1990s
Greg Faust, '96, (theatre prod.) won an Artvoice Artie Award for Outstanding Set Design for, Emperor and Galilean, at the Torn Space Theatre.
Greg Borowski, '97, (commun.) is Director of Sales Engineering and Product Solutions at Synacor, Inc., in Buffalo, N.Y. Synacor provides products and services for the telecommunications industry.
Craig Harris, '98, (commun.) was promoted to Associate Vice President for Development at Hilbert College in Hamburg, N.Y.
Loretta Maggio, '99, (commun.) has spent the last 24 years in commercial production and is Controller at B-Reel of New York City.
2000s
Charmagne (Hale) Chi, '00, (theatre arts) won an Artvoice Artie Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical, Avenue Q.
Devon Goffman, '00, (mus. theatre) has been on tour as an actor/singer with the second national tour of the Broadway musical, Jersey Boys. He also taught a workshop in Denver, Colo.
Dr. Donald Barnes, '01, (bus. admin./finance) has relocated to North Carolina and is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Randolph V. Clower, '01, (recombinant gene tech.) was appointed an associate at the law firm of Phillips Lytle.
Jeff Tara, '01, (visual arts) began his own graphics design business a year ago, Brand Vue Design.
Erin (Hotchkin) Boylan, '02, (bus. admin./market.) has been named Interim Executive Director of Alumni Affairs at SUNY Cortland, where she is the Associate Director of Alumni Affairs.
Stacy (Robbins) Rublee, '03, (literacy) was named Teacher of the Year for the 2011-12 school year at Cumberland (Va.) Middle School.
Allison (Green) Mosher, '04, (English) recently married and moved from New York to New Jersey and is working for the State of New Jersey for the Office of Child Support Services.
Joel Muth, '04, (Spanish) recently partnered with Burt Ramos in the Edward Jones Fredonia office. He worked at Merrill Lynch in New York City for five years, then came back to Western New York in 2010 after being recruited by a prominent wealth management team at Morgan Stanley in Buffalo.
Kaela Altman, '06, (acting) has been hired as the Executive Director at a Chicago non-profit theatre, the Bohemian Theatre Ensemble.
M. Andrew Burr, '06, (econ.) was a recipient of Business First's 30 Under 30 award. He is an economics instructor at SUNY Fredonia and a financial consultant for AXA Advisors.
Chris Howard, '06, (bus. admin.) was the recipient of Business First's 30 Under 30 award. He is the President of Ice Hockey Systems, COO of Bucks4Books and Co-Founder of the Five Nine Group, Inc. PHOTO
Michael Myers, '06, (visual arts) had his first solo art show this past fall in New York City. He moved there six years ago to pursue art and he showcased 23 pieces of artwork (11 of which sold on the first day).
Steve Copps, '07, (music theatre) won an Artvoice Artie Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, for Floyd Collins, at the American Repertory Theatre of WNY.
Rob Hopkins, '07, (visual arts) was appointed Digital Art Director for Eric Mower Associates.
Victoria Vargas, '08, (music perf.) is currently a resident artist at Minnesota Opera and this season she has sung the role of Fenena in, Nabucco, and will be singing Smeton in, Anna Bolena, as well as covering Denyce Graves in the world premiere of, Doubt. In the summer, she will also be a Gerdine Young artist with Opera Theater of Saint Louis where she will cover the role of Ruth in, The Pirates of Penzance.
Steven Bernstein, '09, ’11, (curriculum and instr.) was recently hired as a Special Education Math Teacher at North County High School, Glen Burnie, Md.]
Jessica Dieffenbacher, '09, ’11, (curriculum and instr.) received an Advanced Certificate in Gifted Education from Canisius College in 2010 and was recently hired as a Gifted and Accelerated Programs Teacher at Colonial Forge High School in Stafford, Va.
Thomas Foster, '09, (music perf.) was awarded a master's degree in Historical Performance by the Royal College of Music in London, England. He studied fortepiano, harpsichord, clavichrod and contino playing. He also performed in venues in and around London and England, including the Queen Elizabeth Hall in the South Bank Centre. He was privileged to work with renowned musicians such as Geoffrey Govier, Bart van Oort, Miklos Spanyi and Robert Woolley. Thomas is scheduled to appear as a harpsichordist with Sinfonia Cymru, a chamber orchestra in Cardiff, Wales. He is the founder of Editio Nova, a private publishing service for musicians. He can be contacted at his website, www.thomasfoster.org.
Jonathan Nungesser, '09, (commun.) accepted a position with WKSU Public Radio in Kent, Ohio, as the producer of “Folk Alley.”
Julia (Hopson) Williamson, '09, (visual arts) just finished writing, illustrating and publishing her first children's book, Little Pig, Little Pig. She is an Assistant Coach of Track and Field at SUNY Fredonia.
2010s
Katie Boyle, '10, (geology) completed her M.S. degree in Geosciences at Penn State University and has moved to Houston, Texas, where she is working as a Geophysicist - Fayetteville Shale with Southwestern Energy. Her thesis was entitled, "Crustal shear wave velocity structure of Southeastern Tanzania from ambient seismic noise."
Michael Gerdy, '10, (history) was promoted to Physical Education and Youth Sports Director for The Winifred Crawford Dibert Boys & Girls Club of Jamestown.
Joshua Radford, '10, (commun./TV and digital film) won the Katherine Cornell Award (Debut Performance) for, The Hostage, by the Irish Classical Theatre Company in Buffalo, N.Y.
Melissa Widzinski, '10, (sound rec. technology/music perf.) was named Senior Event Support Technician in the Office of the Dean of Students at the University of Rochester.
Lauren Williams, '10, (English) had her first educational children's book published, Avie Changes a Dollar: Avie Knows How Many Coins Equal $1. Do You? last August.
Emily Bird, '11, (commun./pub. rel.) has been hired as an Account Coordinator at Text100, a global communications firm in Rochester, N.Y.
Tara L. Sager, '12, (bus. admin./finance) was hired as a Staff Accountant at Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro, P.C., in Jamestown.
Emeritus
Dr. Patrick Damore (SUNYAC) received the 2012 Eastern College Athletic Conference Commissioner's Award. He recently retired as SUNYAC Commissioner.
Dr. Len Faulk (Academic Affairs, Political Science) received the first Pam Lydic Coalition Builder’s Award from the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce.
Faculty
Dixon Reynolds (Theatre and Dance)won an Artvoice Artie Award for outstanding costume design for, La Bete, performed by Buffalo’s Irish Classical Theatre Company.
