Note: An * before a name means the alumnus was a faculty or staff member, too. So they also are listed under Faculty/Staff below, with links to obituaries and other remembrances when available. If a name does not have a link to a public obituary, it means we were unable to find one. To submit a name for the In Memory listing, please click on the Share Your News button on the Class Notes page and fill out the form.
1940s
Opal Pearl (Wigner) Boffo, BS ’42, MA ’48, December 8, 2021
*Richard James “Dick” Kotis, BS ’48, November 21, 2021
Bernard “Bernie” Rickelman, BS ’49, MEd ’52, June 26, 2021
1950s
William G. Ansley, BS ’50, April 20, 2020
Charles H. Shadel, BS ’50, May 4, 2021
Paul E. Powers, BS ’51, October 17, 2021
Richard G. Ellers, BA ’53, July 7, 2021
Edward H. Yursky, BS ’54, May 15, 2020
Robert F. Evans, BS ’55, MEd ’61, October 26, 2021
Ming C. Lee, BS ’55, May 8, 2021
Jack R. Cordier, BS ’56, MEd ’56, August 17, 2020
Thelma M. Wise, BS ’56, April 23, 2021
James A. Pastore, BBA ’57, November 17, 2020
Robert Wick, BFA ’57, January 13, 2022
Ruth Enold, BSE ’58, February 7, 2021
Janet L. Fencl, BS ’58, September 29, 2021
Francis E. “Frank” Quine, BS ’59, October 31, 2021
1960s
Phillip W. Hosmer, MEd ’60, December 24, 2020
Joseph H. Reed, BBA ’60, October 22, 2021
John W. James, BSE ’62, August 10, 2021
Laird Brown, BS ’63, November 29, 2021
John J. Cogan, BS ’63, August 15, 2021
Jerry Bals, BS ’64, July 14, 2021
Richard Douglas “Doug” Cowan, BBA ’64, December 3, 2021
Martha J. Cox, MA ’64, June 12, 2021
Leonard E. Frick, MEd ’64, October 2, 2021
Ann C. Greiner, BS ’64, MA ’78, November 13, 2021
Gary W. Huber, BS ’64, July 6, 2021
Janet H. Mather, BS ’64, September 18, 2021
Alice L. Staman, BA ’64, March 30, 2020
Leslie A. Barta, BBA ’65, January 18, 2022
Kathleen E. Miller, BA ’65, PhD ’82, September 23, 2021
Mary Jo Ruggieri, BS ’65, March 11, 2020
Lysle Burky, BS ’67, MBA ’68, March 3, 2020
Gary D. Fair, BS ’67, July 4, 2021
Daniel R. Koch, BA ’67, May 12, 2020
Stephen L. Reid, BS ’67, MEd ’78, November 2, 2021
Frances J. Ritz, MEd ’67, November 29, 2019
Peter Stilton, BA ’67, December 11, 2020
John M. Strefeler, BS ’68, September 26, 2021
Chi Chen, MA ’69, April 1, 2020
George Ferencz, BA ’69, September 14, 2021
1970s
Leona W. Farris, MA ’70, February 27, 2022
Gerald A. “Jerry” Johnson, BArc ’70, July 6, 2021
Linda (Gibson) Klein, BS ’70, July 27, 2021
Robert T. Pickett Jr., BA ’70, January 18, 2022
Harold C. “Hal” Walker, BA ’70, June 21, 2021
Laurence Clisby, BS ’72, February 27, 2021
Stanley R. Miller, BBA ’72, September 9, 2021
Ivan M. Welch, BS ’72, MEd ’75, January 4, 2022
William G. Arthrell, BS ’73, January 31, 2022
Michael A. Carroll, BA ’73, December 11, 2021
Stephen R. Sheil, BBA ’73, September 3, 2021
William Buttermore, MEd ’74, June 2, 2021
James R. Erwin, AAS ’74, April 8, 2021
Linda Thompson, BA ’75, June 20, 2020
Barbara Commins, MM ’77, February 13, 2020
Rudy G. Donatelli, BS ’77, January 9, 2022
Robert L. Albright, PhD ’78, September 18, 2021
Roy E. Allen, BBA ’78, July 17, 2021
Shirley R. Terrass, MEd ’78, PhD ’83, June 29, 2021
Nancy Birk, BA ’79, MLS ’82, October 16, 2021
Michaela “Mike” Cox, AA ’79, February 19, 2021
Allan Macdonald, MS ’79, May 28, 2021
1980s
Karen Franklin, BA ’81, August 25, 2020
Janice R. Niepert, MLS ’81, August 1, 2021
John C. Decker, BBA ’82, May 10, 2021
Judson C. “Jud” Logan, BA ’82, January 3, 2022
Michael Conto, DPM ’83, July 9, 2021
Louis J. Rodgers, BBA ’86, August 14, 2021
Paula Sheets, AAB ’86, May 8, 2021
Thomas E. May, BA ’88, March 19, 2021
1990s
Malinda Gavins, MEd ’93, December 25, 2020
Craig A. Rice, BA ’93, December 6, 2021
Joy Kimpel, AAB ’94, October 22, 2020
Amy Christine Franjesevic, BA ’95, December 1, 2021
Geoff D. Lambert, BA ’96, August 21, 2021
Christina McDonald Smith, BSN ’96, February 10, 2021
Edson A. Knight Sr., MEd ’97, June 19, 2021
Shawniese L. Harmon, AA ’98, May 24, 2020
Randy L. Eppinger, BS ’99, July 31, 2021
Amy L. McRoberts York, AAS ’99, September 14, 2020
2000s
Richard Harden, BA ’00, February 24, 2020
Carmel J. Katich, AAS ’00, BA ’02, June 12, 2020
Bonnie L. Chapman, AAS ’02, June 10, 2021
William “Bill” Ebert, MA ’03, August 28, 2021
Terrance J. Melville, BBA ’04, May 20, 2020
James A. “Jim” Baughman, AAB ’07, BS ’09, October 16, 2021
Sean Conroy, BBA ’07, February 26, 2021
2010s
Michael F. Boland, BBA ’10, August 13, 2021
Adrianne Hailey, BSN ’12, September 8, 2020
Hannah Baldwin-May, BSN ’15, October 12, 2017
Vincent J. Saluppo, BBA ’15, February 17, 2020
Devante M. Strickland, BS ’15, July 26, 2020
Rhys Daniel Winter, BA ’17, December 10, 2021
Luke Grandjean, BS ’18, April 20, 2021
Brian W. Wessels, BBA ’18, November 13, 2021
Faculty/Staff
Sue (Gambaccini) Briers, former secretary and administrative assistant at Kent State, (1943 to 1977), January 23, 2022
She lived her entire life in Kent and died just days from her 100th birthday. She worked for Kent City Schools and Kent State University in several roles, including secretary and university treasurer of the Board of Trustees. She said she especially loved her time as secretary to the president of Kent State, Robert I. White (1964 to 1971).
David R. Brunton, assistant professor at JMC, now the School of Media and Journalism (1982-1988), December 26, 2021
“He came to Kent State from the private sector and taught advertising courses, including Advertising Copywriting and Advertising Campaigns. He was faculty advisor of the KSU Ad Club (student chapter of AAF, the American Advertising Federation), and he had a biweekly column in The Plain Dealer called ’Marketing and More.’ After Kent State, he taught at Lakeland Community College and had a small advertising agency. He was an engaging teacher, a great advisor and a good friend.”—Phil Soencksen, BS ’89
William F. Dollard III, former KSU director of alumni and development (1980 to 1982), February 19, 2022
“He led the development of the Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising during his tenure at Kent State. He and then-President Brage Golding worked tirelessly to bring the fashion design school to KSU. Mr. Dollard was well known for his charming personality and his love and appreciation for classical music, fine wine and gourmet cooking. He was 93 years old.”—Gerald Canton, BS ’79, MEd ’98
Richard James “Dick” Kotis, BS ’48, former KSU assistant football and basketball coach, November 21, 2021
He played varsity football for Kent State from 1946 to 1948 and later was appointed as an assistant coach for football and basketball, serving from 1951 to 1957. He then joined the Fred Arbogast Co., became president in 1959 and retired in 1991. A legend in the sport fishing world and a founder of the Fish Ohio program in 1980, Kotis was inducted into the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Hall of Fame in 2010. He was a lifetime member of the Kent State University Alumni Association, a member of the President’s Club, and a member of the Blue and Gold and Varsity “K” clubs. He was named Varsity K “Person of the Year” in 1997. There will be a celebration of his life in spring 2022.
Myron Julius “Mike” Lunine, former KSU Honors College dean (1968-1972), May 4, 2020
“Dr. Lunine, along with Glenn Frank and Seymour Baron, worked to convince Gen. Robert Canterbury not to open fire a second time on students who had massed on the Commons soon after the shootings. Film footage of the day shows Dr. Lunine doing all that he could to avert an even wider slaughter. Another alumnus called Dr. Lunine one of the ‘unsung heroes of May 4th.’ In addition to the irony of his death date, Dr. Lunine, even at his advanced age, had been prepared to return to the campus for the 50th commemoration. The pandemic, and his death, intervened.”—Thomas M. Grace, BA ’72