Alumni Profiles
In Memoriam
Marriages
DEBORAH DACHINGER ’80 and Albert Llata
CAROLYN BOBB ’83 and Jon Whitby
ALAN W. KOENIG ’84, MA ’86, and Gina L. McConnell
KEN JORGENSEN ’89 and Nicole Cosand
BRET MARNELL ’89 and Samantha Degen
HOLLY FLEISCHMAN MS ’91 and Michael Kagan
JO SCOTT ’91 and Justin Coe
AZNIV KETENCHIAN SAHAKIAN ’92 and Armand Sahakian
MATTHEW SCOTT FOY ’92 and Siobhan Connolly
CHARLES ROSS ’93 and KRISTI (DOOMEY) ROSS ’94
JENNIFER ANN (BAKER) ALDOUS ’95 and Tyler T. Aldous
ERIKA H. SMITH ’96 and MICHAEL W. MERRELL ’96
CHRISTINA MARIE ASARO ’98 and MORGAN PAUL ENSBERG ’98
MacKENZIE MARIE CLARK ’99 and KALEB NICODEMUS THOMPSON ’00.
Births
MARC H. CORMAN ’79 and Elizabeth Corman, a son, Ryan Anthony
BRUCE MacFARLANE FURNISS ’79 and Sharon Marie Salem Furniss, a son, Quinn Richard Wallace. He joins siblings Kyle, Troy and Brooke, and is the nephew of William Wallace Furniss Jr. ’73, MS ’76, Donna Marie (Patrick) Furniss ’74, Steven Charles Furniss ’76, Linda Susan (Ramirez) Furniss ’76, Craig Scott Furniss ’81 and Janice Elizabeth (Hart) Furniss ’81. He is also the cousin of Kristina Marie Furniss.
SUSAN (KOMATSUKA) RODRIQUEZ ’79 and Paul S. Rodriquez, a son, Daniel Tsuyoshi. He joins brother Joshua, 20 months. He is the nephew of Carol (Komatsuka) Baba-moto ’78
ELENA MARTINHO MD ’82 and Michael L. Wiechmann, a son, Shaun Michael. He is the nephew of Antone Martinho II ’90
KEITH NOBUHARA ’82 and Mary Ellen Nobuhara, a son, Dylan Koji. He joins his brother, Matthew, 2. They are the nephews of Thad Nobuhara ’78 and Cathy (Nobuhara) Ioki ’80
REED MARKHAM MPA ’83 and Lorena Ayon, a daughter, Natalia Carissa, who joins her brother John, 3
KATHLEEN HALE MARTELLA ’83 and Mark Martella, a daughter, Haley Kathleen. She is the granddaughter of Walter W. Hale PhD ’75
ANDREA (FLEISchER) McCUTCHIN ’83 and Michael McCutchin, a son, Ryan Fleischer McCut-chin. He joins brother Evan Fleischer, 3, and is the nephew of Adam Fleischer ’93
KURT SIEGELIN ’85 and MARY CAMPANA SIEGELIN MA ’85, twin boys, Andrew Curt and Jason Anthony
SUSAN HUBER SYNSTELIEN ’85 and Johnny Synstelien, a daughter, Shereese Joy. She joins brother Nicholas, 9, and sister Courtney, 6. They are the nieces and nephew of Kathy Huber-Moses ’89
LISA L. LEWIS ’87 and David A. Lewis, a son, Eli Anthony
SCOTT J. LOW ’87 and Lynn Low, a son, Ian James
ALEX SALOTTOLO ’87 and SHANNON (GOLDMAN) SALOTTOLO ’89, their third daugther, Margaret Rose. She joins sisters Jessica, 5, and Ann Marie, 3
MICHAEL S. LAMBERT ’89 and Adrena Lambert, a son, Christopher Sean
ERIN O’MALIA GEHAN ’89 and Robert Gehan, a daughter, Bridget Kelly
ELIZABETH ANNE ARGUE POLLON MA ’90 and Joseph Pollon, a daughter, Megan Elizabeth Argue; JOHN M. ARGUE ’90 and JULIE WINDES ARGUE ’90, a son, Jack Sutherland; they are the grandchildren of John C. Argue LLB ’56
JAMES DAVENPORT ’90 and SUSIE DAVIES DAVENPORT ’90, a son, James Franklin, joining brother Luke Davies, 5. He is the great grandson of Louis Tallman MA ’44, the grandson of Sally Tallman Davies ’64 and the nephew of John Davies ’95
STEVE INOUYE ’91 and Ann Inouye, a daughter, Brooke Yoshiko. She is the niece of Chris Inouye ’83, Mitchell Lew ’86, MD ’90, and Deena Lew ’85
GEOFF FITZPATRICK ’92 and LISE (SELLIER) FITZPATRICK ’93, a girl, Harleigh Clio. She joins sister Catalina, 2. Harleigh is the granddaughter of Denis Fitzpatrick ’74 and niece of Marc Sellier ’92, Mona Al-Haddad ’92 and Kathleen (Fitzpatrick) Markles ’94
KATHRYN (STRAINING) MURDOCK ’92 and Christopher Murdock, a daughter, Caitlin Ryan
NANCY (ABBOTT) TUPY ’92 and JOSEPH TUPY MBA ’93, a daughter, Madeline Mae
CARRIE (BECKER) SKOLL ’93, MBA ’00, and Matthew Skoll, a daughter, Camden Reese. She is the niece of Jeffrey Becker ’91
FRITZ BATTCHER ’94 and KIMBERLY (FRIEDMAN) BATTCHER ’94, a daughter, Emma Blair. She is the niece of Steven Friedman ’85 and Carey Ellis MD ’94
MICHAEL L. LITTLE ’95 and MIRANDA-RAQUAEL R. LITTLE ’95, a daughter, Rose Monet Paloma. She joins her brother, Michael-Thomas Rosales, 2. They are the grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. David J. Rosales EdD ’92
CHRISTOPHER ROBERT GANIERE ’96 and Beverly Sue Ganiere, a son, Patrick Henry
ELBA M. (VILLACORTA) GRANT ’97 and Jason Grant, a first-born daughter, Maria Elizabeth. She is the niece of Sara Villacorta ’97 and Richard Villacorta ’99
BRETT RUBIO ’99 and Jennifer Rubio, a son, Bradley Donovan.
Deaths
MARGARET BLANCHE McGRATH FOWLER JD ’25, of San Marino, Calif.; Oct. 17, 2000, at the age of 100. She was an early USC law graduate and a philanthropist. Born in the Oklahoma Territory, she came to Los Angeles with her family as a child. Her father, Warren F. McGrath, became a real estate and oil field developer in Long Beach during the 1920s. Fowler graduated from Occidental College and became one of the first female graduates of USC Law School. She was the first elected president of USC’s Town and Gown organization and contributed to its scholarship fund. She also established scholarships in the name of her late mother, Charlotte Strong McGrath, at USC, and of her late husband, John Davey Fowler, at St. Louis University School of Medicine. A Beverly Hills debutante, she married Fowler during World War II when he was a captain in the Army Medical Corps.
IRMA KLEINPELL TOWNSEND MLS ’31, of Santa Barbara, Calif.; Feb. 4, 2000, at the age of 91. Born in Cassville, Wis., she received her bachelor’s degree in 1930 from the University of Wisconsin. After earning her master’s at USC, she was the children’s librarian at the North Hollywood Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library. In 1935 she married Clayton J. Townsend DDS ’28, who predeceased her. Surviving are two daughters, four grandchildren and one great grandchild.
FLORENCE RICHERT ADAMS ’33, MA ’35, of Cambridge, Idaho; Aug. 7, 2000, at the age of 92. She was born in Los Angeles and taught school in Taft, Los Angeles and Inglewood for 30 years. She was predeceased by her husband, Neil, and is survived by her son, Norman ’51, and two granddaughters, Darlene ’84 and Janet ’88.
ROBERT T. “BOB” NICHOLAS ’33, Oct. 11, 2000; at the age of 89. He gave up a career in a family business to enter the Christian ministry at the age of 26. He subsequently established four Southern California churches associated with the General Association of Regular Baptists: Bible Baptist Church of Huntington Park (1944), First Baptist Church of Vista (1949), First Baptist Church of Encinitas (1951) and Ranch View Baptist Church near Rancho Santa Fe (1962). Often, to subsidize his ministry, he worked with his brother, the late William Homer Nicholas, as a salesman and office manager at the McGuire Nicholas Manufacturing Co. near Hollywood. In addition to his pastoral role, Nicholas published gospel tracts and booklets and conducted many evangelistic crusades. He served as a camp and church evangelist in the West, Midwest and Southern parts of the United States. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Pearl, two sisters, two sons, including David R. Nicholas ’67, six grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
ROBERT O. POLLARD, SR. ’36, of Bakersfield, Calif.; June 26, 2000, at the age of 85. He was employed at Richfield Oil/Arco for 40 years and was a pioneer in the development of offshore oil drilling techniques and helped in the Alaska oil field expansion. He retired as vice president of exploration in 1980. While he was at USC, he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity and the track and field team. He is survived by his wife, five children, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. There are 11 USC alumni in his immediate family.
MacRAE KERR ’37, of Beverly Hills, Calif.; Oct. 25, 2000, at the age of 84. He was engaged in sales all of his business life, first in insurance and later for his family glass manufacturing business. He held the title of vice president of marketing and sales for the commercial glass division of the company, overseeing the sales from nine manufacturing plants. As the company later entered into various plastic, metal, glass and cork packaging products, he took over the management of those sales as well. He was involved in community service, a member of the Bel Air Country Club, on the board of the Good Shepherd Hospital and a past member of the Glass Containers Manufacturers Institute. Married since his days at USC to a fellow student, Maxine Gerard, he leaves her, a son, a daughter and four grandchildren.
AURA-LEE AGETON PITTENGER ’38, MA ’41, MEd ’56, PhD ’61, of Pasadena, Calif.; June 15, 2000, at the age of 84. She was an economics professor and psychologist. She was awarded two postdoctoral fellowships by Stanford University and one by the Foundation for Economic Education. She was a graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, did graduate work at the University of London and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, where she was also a teaching assistant, and received a certificate in labor economics from Ruskin College, Oxford University. In 1956, Pittenger was the second person hired for the newly formed Department of Economics at Los Angeles Valley College and was chairman of the department at the time of her retirement in 1983. Some of her students established the Ageton-Pittenger Perpetual Scholar-ship, which is awarded annually to a Valley College student. A licensed psychologist in the State of California, Pittenger was a member of four professional/honorary fra-ternities and founded Tau Alpha Epsilon, the scholastic society, at Valley College. Her memberships included the American Association of University Women, National Federation of Business and Pro-fessional Women (past president) and The Century Club (having visited more than 100 countries). She was married to James Hobbs Pittenger for 25 years before his death in 1971. She is survived by two first cousins and several second cousins. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory should be made to the Ageton-Pittenger Perpetual Scholarship and sent in care of Glenn R. Milner, Los Angeles Valley College, 5800 Fulton Avenue, Valley Glen, CA 91401.
RICHARD E. HUDDLESTON ’39, MEd ’41, of San Diego, Calif.; Oct. 27, 2000, at the age of 91. He worked as a music teacher and served in the Navy during World War II. He was a 50-year member of the Kiwanis Club and a 52-year member of the Masons. At USC, he was a member of the Trojan Band and a founding member of the university radio staff, which initially broadcast band and orchestra presentations from Bovard Auditorium over radio station KFAC. Survivors include his wife, Agnes, and a daughter, Carol Huddleston Paquette.
LOUIS WARSCHAW ’39, of Beverly Hills, Calif.; of prostate cancer, at the age of 83. He was a political activist and business leader who used his fortune to promote performing arts and medical research. He helped shape the political and commercial landscape of Los Angeles, devoting his energies to a wide range of interests, including politics, civic life, the arts and cultural affairs. Warschaw was involved in banking, insurance and real estate. He served as chief executive and president of Signal and Imperial Insurance companies, president of General Ore and Chemical Corp. and was a general partner in the Arlan commercial real estate company. In 1978, Warschaw founded Warland Investments, one of the largest real estate developers in Orange County. He was a delegate to the 1948 Democratic National Convention, and became deeply involved in California politics with his wife of 63 years, Carmen Warschaw ’39. He was treasurer for California Gov. Edmund G. Brown’s first campaign for governor in 1958, and later became the head of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners. He helped found The Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County. He also endowed two medical research chairs at Cedars-Sinai. Warschaw was a generous supporter of his alma mater and was instrumental in founding USC’s Institute for the Study of Jews in American Life (recently renamed the Casden Institute for the Study of the Jewish Role in American Life). In addition to serving on the institute’s advisory board, he and his wife established the Carmen and Louis Warschaw Distinguished Lecture Series that brings prominent speakers to USC. Survivors include his wife, two daughters, Susan W. Robertson ’62 and Hope I. Warschaw; and three grandchildren. His grandchildren, Cara and Chip Robertson, serve on the advisory board of the Casden Institute.
WILLIAM M. CALDWELL III, ’43, of San Marino, Calif.; Sept. 24, 2000, of heart failure, at the age of 78. He was chairman of King Koil Corp. and previously served as chairman and president of Van Vorst Corp., Southern Cross Industries, and the Englander Co. after leaving the American Cement Co., where he was executive vice president, CEO and a director. He was student body president and was active in many affairs at USC, where he was a founding member of the USC Associates, a member of the USC Associates’ Presi-dent’s Circle, USC Ambassadors and also served on the board of USC Commerce Associates. Caldwell served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific during World War II. He received an MBA from the Harvard Business School in 1948. His first wife, Mary Louise Edwards Caldwell, predeceased him in 1980. He is survived by his wife of 15 years, Jean Bledsoe Caldwell, and a daughter, two sons, a nephew and eight grandchildren.
HOWARD H. CHERNOW DDS ’43, of Arcadia, Calif.; at the age of 83. He was a captain in the U.S. Army during World War II and practiced dentistry for more than 40 years.
ARTHUR G. MILLBERN JR. ’47, of Mission Viejo, Calif.; Sept. 1, 2000, of pancreatic cancer, at the age of 77. He was an active alumnus who contributed greatly to the quality of the USC experience for many graduates of the university’s NROTC program. While attending USC in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps in 1944, he was appointed Staff Adjutant of the Unit and Regimental Commander over the 2,500 members of the armed forces stationed at USC. In the same year he married his wife, June, and was given an early commission to serve aboard the destroyer USS Lardner in the Pacific during World War II. Aboard the Lardner he participated in numerous task group campaigns, earning five battle stars and the rank of lieutenant. His was the sixth ship to enter Tokyo Bay for the signing of the peace treaty, and he was one of the first naval officers to set foot on Tokyo soil at the close of the war. In 1984 he founded the USC NROTC Alumni League and helped organize many of the league’s events and reunions, bringing together USC graduates from across the nation to celebrate their USC heritage and provide support and encouragement to USC’s growing family of NROTC students. In honor of his devotion to the USC NROTC, a memorial scholarship fund has been established in his name to assist qualified officer candidates with their education at USC. Donations, with a note indicating that the donation is in memory of Arthur Millbern, may be made to USC NROTC Alumni League Scholarship Endowment, c/o NROTC Alumni League, Dept. of Naval Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0645.
MINOT BOYD DODSON MS ’48, of Yorba Linda, Calif.; Aug. 21, 2000, of cancer, at the age of 85. He was born in Nettleton, Ark., and graduated from high school in nearby Jonesborough. He was 16 when he joined the Army National Guard. He received a master’s degree in science at the University of Arkansas. He taught high school math and science while getting his graduate degree. When the U.S. entered World War II in 1941, he was sent to the Pacific theater. Following the war, Dodson and his family lived in many places, including Texas, Louisiana, Japan, Hawaii and Virginia. He served on the front lines in Korea from 1951 to 1953 as a tactical opera-tions officer. He was promoted to colonel in 1954 and won a full scholarship to Caltech, where he earned his master’s in missiles and nuclear engineering. Following his career in the Army, he worked for North American Rockwell and later became vice president of California Plant Protection. He didn’t retire until last year. His first wife, Florence, died in 1992. He is survived by his wife, Carol, three children and a granddaughter.
CHARLES NEISWENDER ’48, of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.; Aug. 16, 2000, of heart ailments and throat cancer, at the age of 74. He was a long-time Southern California newspaperman, who lived on the East Coast for more than two decades. He attended the USC School of Journalism and was a reporter on the Wilmington Press Journal, Long Beach Independent-Press Telegram and Los Angeles Times. He was general manager of the Times-owned Costa Mesa Daily Pilot and bought and ran the Dana Point Lamplighter, both in Orange County, and was general manager of a Spanish-language daily newspaper in El Salvador for two years. He also worked a year in the news department at KCBS-TV in Los Angeles, and was press secretary for former Los Angeles County Supervisor James Hayes. In the late 1970s he moved to Connecticut and until he retired a few years ago was an executive of International Executive Service Corp., which recruits executives to help Third World countries. Neiswender married a USC classmate, Mary Jonich ’48, in 1948. He is survived by her and their son and daughter, six grandchildren, his second wife, Gloria, and a sister. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the USC/Norris Comprehen-sive Cancer Center.
ROBERT M. ABELL ’49, of Los Angeles; in September 2000. He was the son of Reva and Abraham Abell, founder of A.N. Abell Auction Co., the family-owned business, established in 1916. After serving in the U.S. Army and graduating from USC, Abell, his son Barry, and three cousins, built the business to international prominence. He was very involved in his community, donating his time to more than 1,000 charity auctions, raising millions of dollars for worthy causes. He is survived by his wife, Connie, his brother, David, three sons, a daughter, 13 grandchildren and four nieces. He was preceded in death by his sister, Rosalee Shaw. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be sent to STOP CANCER or Good Samaritan Hospital c/o Abell Family Cancer Fund.
RALPH PFISTER ’50, of Washington, D.C.; Oct. 17, 2000, of a ruptured aortic aneur-ysm, at the age of 75. He played 41 years in the first violin section of the National Sym-phony Orchestra. He also served 25 years as concertmaster of the Beethoven Pops Orchestra and the Washington Opera Society Orchestra. He retired in 1997. He had played with the Houston and Balti-more symphonies before joining the National Symphony. Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Edith, and two sons.
JAMES TANTE LLM ’53, of Laguna Hills, Calif.; Sept. 25, 2000, of pneumonia, at the age of 86. He was a former judge of the Los Angeles Superior and Municipal Courts and member of the California Adult Authority. Born in Savannah, Ga., he was raised in Chicago, where he attended DePaul University before moving West to earn law degrees at Loyola University and USC. When his education was interrupted by World War II, Tante became a lieutenant in the Army Air Corps; he was discharged as a major. His legal career began with work in the motion picture industry, as a business representative for the Studio Electrical Technicians, Local 728, a director of the Motion Picture Pension Plan and a trustee of the Motion Picture Health and Welfare Plan. By 1955, he segued into judicial administration, first conducting hearings on parolees and other matters as a member of the California Adult Authority and serving on the State Board of Corrections. In 1959, he was named a Juvenile Court referee and commissioner, and three years later was appointed to the Municipal Court bench by then-Gov. Pat Brown. Brown elevated Tante in 1965 to the Superior Court.
KENNETH FOREST DAVIS ’54, of Palo Alto, Calif.; Sept. 1, 2000, of cancer, at the age of 68. He was a recently retired stockbroker with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. Born in Los Angeles, he served four years as a pilot in the U.S. Navy aboard aircraft carriers following graduation from USC. He was an active private pilot, avid fisherman, golfer and lover of all sports. Author of the highly acclaimed book Kids and Cash, he is survived by his wife, Kathryn, two daughters, a son-in-law, twin granddaughters, his mother and brother. The family asks that donations in his memory be made to Azusa Pacific University, c/o Hank Bodoe, 901 East Alosta, Azusa, CA 917202-7000 or to Ting-sha Institute (a cancer patients retreat), P.O. Box 226, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956.
JOHN (JACK) F. EGAN ’58, of Carmel, Calif.; April 7, 2000, of pulmonary fibrosis, at the age of 64. He was employed by American Building Maintenance Industries for 40 years. He served as vice president and later as president of the janitorial division. He is survived by his wife, Karen Dietrich Egan ’59, a daughter, Mintee ’82, and two sons, Michael and Stephen, and six grandchildren.
TALMAGE W. “JACK” DEAN PhD ’60, of Abi-lene, Texas; Oct. 26, 1999, at the age of 84. He was born in Russellville, Tenn., where he graduated from high school in 1931. In 1933 he moved to El Paso, Texas. He attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago for one year before enrolling at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, where he received the BA and BM degrees in 1940. In 1940-41, Dean attended Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., graduating with the master of music degree. In the fall of 1941 he returned to HSU to teach organ and music theory. In 1950 he enrolled at USC to begin work on his PhD degree in musicology. By commuting when time permitted, he was conferred this degree in 1960. From 1956 to 1967, Dean was professor of music theory and composition and chairman of graduate studies in the music school of Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth. In 1967 he returned to HSU as dean of the School of Music. Since Dean’s retirement in 1981, Hardin-Simmons has bestowed on him the Keeter Award in 1982, and the honorary degree of doctor of humanities in 1986. In 1995, the Former Faculty and Staff Administration Fellowship of HSU presented him its honorary award. In 1991 the School of Music at Southwestern Theo-
logical Seminary in Fort Worth honored Dean with a Distinguished Service Award. Survivors include his wife, Frances, three daughters and their husbands, a son, four grandsons and several cousins, nieces and nephews.
LORENZO CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO ’56, of Los Angeles; June 14, 2000, at the age of 69. He was an artist and architect who cataloged archives of his composer father, Mario. The Jewish Tedesco family was forced to leave its native Italy in 1939, threatened by fascism and war. Sponsored by Arturo Toscanini and Jascha Heifetz, the family immigrated to New York and a year later settled in Beverly Hills. The son grew up to attend the Jepson Art Institute and had many oil paintings shown at galleries in Los Angeles and New York. After working for others, he opened his own firm, Tedesco Architects, in 1972. He did restoration work on historic buildings throughout the Southland and designed innovative, award-winning condominiums in the Venice area. He also taught at the School of Environmental Design at Cal Poly Pomona. Because of his strong family background in music, he devoted himself to sorting and cataloging his father’s musical archives, which he donated to the Library of Congress.
DOROTHY SLADE WILLIAMS MA ’61, of Washington, D.C.; May 13, 2000, at the age of 77. She was an educator, public policy analyst, writer, lecturer, speaker and consultant. Her husband, Louis, preceded her in death, as did her brother, James.
MABEL L. LEUNG PharmD ’66, of Monterey Park, Calif.; Nov. 9, 2000. She served for 34 years at Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center. She began her career as a staff pharmacist and subsequently became the director of pharmacy, pioneering the Antibiotic Utilization Monitoring Program at Glendale Hospital. The program was credited with expanding the role of clinical pharmacists and improving patient care. She is survived by her husband, Paul, three children and four grandchildren.
WILLARD “BUBBA” SCOTT ’72, of Los Angeles; Sept. 1, 2000, after a lengthy battle with cancer, at the age of 53. He was a member of the famed 1969 USC defensive line nicknamed the “Wild Bunch.” That year he teamed with All-Americans Al Cowlings and Jimmy Gunn, Charlie Weaver and the late Tody Smith to form a defensive front that powered the Trojans to a 10-0-1 record and win over Michigan in the 1970 Rose Bowl. As a sophomore, Scott was a member of the 1967 national championship team that went 10-1 and defeated Indiana in the 1968 Rose Bowl. In his three years at USC, the Trojans went 29-2-2. After college, he worked for Southern Pacific Railroad and most recently was a probation officer. An avid golfer, he also attended many USC football games. He is survived by his wife, Terrie, and two daughters. In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted in Scott’s name to the Parker Hughes Institute, 2665 Long Lake Road, Suite 330, Roseville, MN 55113.
RICH DIMLER ’78, of Torrance, Calif.; Sept. 30, 2000, of pancreatitis, at the age of 44. He was a two-year starting nose guard for USC in the mid-1970s and co-captain of the Trojans’ 1978 national championship team. He was a four-year (1975-78) letterman at USC under head coaches John McKay and John Robinson. During his career, the Trojans went 39-10, were ranked in the Top 20 each season (the 1978 team finished first in the UPI poll and the 1976 squad was second in the AP and UPI polls), won four bowls (1975 Liberty, 1977 Rose, 1977 Bluebonnet and 1979 Rose) and beat rivals UCLA and Notre Dame three times each. As a senior in 1978, he was an Academic All-American first team pick and All-Pac-10 first teamer, as well as being USC’s Defensive MVP. He played in the 1978 East-West Shrine Game. A fifth-round selection of the Cleveland Browns in 1979, he played a year each with the Browns (1979) and Green Bay Packers (1980), then was with the Philadel-phia Stars and Los Angeles Express of the USFL. A native of Bayonne, N.J., he owned a trucking and air freight delivery business in Inglewood, Calif., for the past 15 years. He is survived by his wife, Tracy, father Al, mother Marie, and two sisters.
ELIZABETH REED ANNIS, of Laguna Beach, Calif.; June 25, 2000, at the age of 96. She was married to the late Verle L. Annis, a professor of architecture at USC. She was predeceased by her sister, Ruth.
PETER D. KING, of Encino, Calif.; Aug. 28, 2000, of liver cancer, at the age of 73. He was a psychiatrist who specialized in treating young people and did extensive research on schizophrenia and autism for most of his career at USC. Using his research at Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center and elsewhere, he wrote more than 50 books and papers on autism and schizophrenia, hospital administration and other subjects, including the effects of alcohol and tranquilizers on human coordination and judgment. Educated at the University of Chicago, he served in the Army Air Corps and later held psychiatry positions at facilities in Altoona, Pa., and Madison, Ind., before moving to Los Angeles in 1959. Off duty, King wrote poetry and was a champion runner, earning a gold medal in the 1983 Los Angeles Triathlon.
BEATRICE PERHAM KRONE, of Hemet, Calif.; Aug. 20, 2000, at the age of 98. She was a lecturer at the USC Thornton School of Music in 1946. With her late husband, Max, she founded the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts at Mt. San Jacinto half a century ago. Krone and her husband, then dean of the USC music department and a renowned choral conductor, worked with then-USC Law School dean Robert Kings-ley to establish the Idyllwild Arts Foun-dation. Four years later, their fledgling summer school opened with 40 students and eight instructors on 250 acres of mountain land 120 miles east of the University Park Campus. In 1995 the school’s name was shortened to Idyllwild Arts. The school’s new 10,000-square-foot Max and Beatrice Krone Library and Museum was dedicated only one day before Beatrice Krone’s death. The complex includes a computer center, music and listening library, research materials, a gallery, museum and classrooms. She is survived by a stepson, stepdaughter, brother, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
SALVATORE MERENDINO, of Pasadena, Calif.; Jan. 2, 2000; at the age of 86. He taught at USC for more than 30 years, first in the Industrial Design Department and then in the USC School of Architecture, primarily teaching basic design to first-year students. Former students honored him with the funding and dedication of the Sal Meren-dino Seminar Room in the Helen Topping Architectural Library at USC. Survivors include his wife of 31 years, Janet, and son, Marc. To those wishing to honor his memory, the family prefers contributions to
the Sal Merendino Scholarship Fund, University of Southern California, Watt Hall, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089.
BROOKS SMITH, of Hacienda Heights, Calif.; Oct. 31, 2000, at the age of 88. He was a pianist, longtime accompanist of Jascha Heifetz and a professor at USC from 1972 to 1988. A native of Texas, he began studying the piano at age 4 and earned a full scholarship to the Juilliard School after graduating from high school. He began his career as an accompanist when he was a student in New York City, where he played first for singers such as mezzo-soprano Rise Stevens, and baritones Julius Huehn and Mack Harrell. In addition to Heifetz, he later played
for violinists Zino Francescatti, Nathan Milstein, Itzhak Perlman and Ruggiero Ricci, as well as cellists Gregor Piatigorsky and Lynn Harrell. After military service during World War II, Smith was invited to join the faculty of the newly established Aspen Music Festival. In 1966, he opened the Department of Accompanying at the East-man School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., leaving six years later to join the faculty of USC’s music school, where he taught for 16 years, retiring at age 75. His relationship with the legendary Heifetz included tours that took them through the United States, Canada, Europe and South America. He also performed with the violinist on a series of recordings and in a television appearance. Smith accompanied Heifetz in his final concert, a recital in October 1972 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. He is survived by a sister, nephews and a niece.
JOSEPH D. TEICHER, of San Diego; Aug. 18, 2000, at the age of 88. He was a psychiatrist and an expert in teenage suicides who helped develop the Child Guidance Clinic of Los Angeles and directed Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center psychiatric services for children. His wife, Alice, and a son preceded him in death; he is survived by a son, David A. Teicher MS ’76, and two grandsons. The family has asked that any memorial contributions be made to the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
McCORMICK TEMPLETON, of Los Angeles, Calif.; Aug. 3, 2000, at the age of 77. He was a retired associate professor of anatomy at the USC School of Dentistry. He attended the Hill School, Columbia University, and the University of Kansas. He taught anatomy at Northwestern University Medi-cal School. At USC, he chaired the Depart-ment of Anatomy for a number of years, retiring in 1988. He was active in the University Senate, the local AAUP chapter and several other committees. He was a member of the Southern California Hand-weavers Guild and tutored in the Library Adult Reading Project. He is survived by his wife, Anne. Contributions in his name may be made to Tree People, 12601 Mulholland Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.
VERN WOLFE, of Fallbrook, Calif., Oct. 25, 2000, at the age of 78. He led USC to seven NCAA championships during his 22 years as the Trojan men’s head track and field coach. Wolfe, who had Parkinson’s disease, died due to complications from a broken hip suffered in a recent fall. As USC’s coach from 1963 to 1984, he saw his Trojans win five outdoor NCAA titles (1963, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1976) and two indoor crowns (1967, 1972). In 13 of his 22 years, the Trojans placed among the top four teams at the NCAA meet. He had a 105-17-1 record in dual meets (.858), won eight conference and posted seven undefeated dual meet seasons (he never lost more than two duals in a season). He guided USC to four Track & Field News national dual meet championships (1971, 1976-78). He was the 1978 national Track and Field Coach of the Year. He retired as the third-winningest coach in collegiate track history. He coached his athletes to 33 NCAA outdoor individual and relay titles, as well as six Olympic gold medals and 30 world records. His athletes broke or tied every USC individual record. He was inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1998 and into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999. Wolfe began his coaching career at Torrance (Calif.) High for three years (1952-54), then spent the next six seasons (1955-60) at North Phoenix (Ariz.) High, where he produced national record holders in the pole vault, shot put and discus. He next coached undefeated seasons at San Jose State in 1961 and Foothill Junior College in Los Altos, Calif., in 1962. Wolfe was a pole vaulter during his student days at USC (1942-46, 1947), which were interrupted because of World War II service. He remained an active pole vaulter throughout his life, even regularly competing in senior events (he won his age division at the 1979 Senior Olympics and was second in the 1981 Veterans Games). He was an All-League performer in track and football at Gardena (Calif.) High. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn, sons Corey and Dean, and granddaughter Amanda. The men’s locker room of USC’s track and field stadium, currently under construction, will be named for Wolfe. Donations in Wolf’s name can be made by calling USC associate athletic director Don Winston at (213) 740-4155.
LESTER WOLFF, of Long Beach, Calif.; July 2, 2000, at the age of 85. He was the father of Roger Wolff ’71 and a supporter of USC sports since his son attended the university on an athletic scholarship in 1965 until the time of his death. An aerospace engineer, he helped develop sophisticated antenna designs for military aircraft at North Amer-ican Rockwell. He is survived by his wife, June, and his son, Roger, an architect.
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