In Memoriam

A. James Clark

Trustee emeritus A. James Clark, HON ’10, whose Clark Enterprises grew to become one of the nation’s largest contracting companies, died on March 20 at his home in Easton, Md., of congestive heart failure. He was 87. Mr. Clark’s company presided over landmark GW facilities, including the new Science and Engineering Hall, as well as local projects including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, FedEx Field and Nationals Park. At GW, he established an endowed professorship in 1986 and, in 2011, the A. James Clark Engineering Scholars program.

Laura Finamore

Among the eight killed in the May 12 derailment of an Amtrak train was Laura Finamore, BA ’90. Ms. Finamore, 47, lived in Manhattan and was a senior account director at Cushman & Wakefield, a corporate real estate firm. She was a native of Queens, N.Y. Amtrak’s Northeast Regional Train 188, carrying 243 people, derailed in Philadelphia while en route to New York City from Washington, D.C.

Eddie LeBaron

Decorated veteran and former NFL quarterback Eddie LeBaron, LLB ’59, died April 1 in Stockton, Calif. He was 85. The 5-foot-7 Mr. LeBaron — nicknamed the “Little General” — played 11 NFL seasons, seven for Washington and four for Dallas, while getting his law degree. He retired from football in 1963 and practiced law until 1997. A Marine, Mr. LeBaron was twice wounded in Korea and later awarded the Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.

Marjorie Townsend

Marjorie Townsend, BS ’51, the first woman to earn an engineering degree from GW and the first woman to manage a U.S. space launch, died April 4. She was 85. Ms. Townsend joined NASA in 1959 and went on to lead the Small Astronomy Satellite program, eventually overseeing the development and launch of the first X-ray astronomy satellite. She also was instrumental in the creation of weather satellites. Ms. Townsend retired in 19

We Remember

Kenneth W. Donelson, AA ’47, LLB ’49
Jan. 2, 2015
Sequim, Wa.

E. Scott Dillon, LLB ’48
Sept. 17, 2014
Gaithersburg, Md.

Thomas W. Smith, BA ’48, JD ’49
Jan. 1, 2015
Falls Church, Va.

John R. DeBarr, JD ’50
Dec. 28, 2014
Riverside, Calif. 

Warren E. Finken, JD ’51
Feb. 25, 2015 
Delray Beach, Fla.

Edwin S. Nail, JD ’51
Jan. 19, 2015 

Edward Solomon Jr., LLB ’51
Jan. 3, 2015
Ebensburg, Pa.

Peter A. Cerick, AA ’52, BA ’53
Jan. 30, 2015 
Herndon, Va.

Albert L. Jeffers, JD ’52
Aug. 10, 2013
McAllen, Texas

R. J. Kenny, JD ’53
Oct. 13, 2014

Walter M. Meginniss, JD ’54
Dec. 31, 2014
Tallahassee, Fla.

Elli S. Riismandel, LLM ’55 
Dec. 24, 2014
Washington, D.C.

Keith B. Romney, JD ’55
Jan. 21, 2015
Salt Lake City, Utah

Frieda S. Shapiro, JD ’57
Dec. 10, 2014

John P. Craven, JD ’58
Feb. 12, 2015 
Honolulu, Hi.

Edgar B. May, LLB ’59
Jan. 19, 2015
Washington, D.C. 

Vida M. Baugh, JD ’61
Aug. 3, 2014
Alexandria, Va.

Edward W. Nypaver, JD ’61
Jan. 10, 2015 
Dayton, Ohio

John Preston Creer III, JD ’62
Jan. 30, 2015
Salt Lake City, Utah

Robert H. Quenon, JD ’64 
Nov. 19, 2013
Ladue, Mo.

William T. Deitz, JD ’68
Jan. 27, 2015
Stuart, Fla.

Richard D. Gilroy, JD ’68
Jan. 25, 2015
Indianapolis, In.

Harris Elliott Coleman, LLM ’72
Dec. 31, 2014 
Olney, Md.

Mark D. Blocher, JD ’73, LLM ’78
Feb. 10, 2015 
Cincinnati, Ohio

Anne Stowell Davidson, JD ’74
June 18, 2014
Morristown, N.J. 

Richard Max Ginsburg, JD ’74
March 1, 2015
Hillsboro, Ore.

T. Jay Thompson, LLM ’76
Jan. 5, 2015

William Boyd Wharton, SJD ’79
Oct. 9, 2014
Alvin, Texas

Jackie Ling Der, JD ’80
March 2, 2015 
Seattle, Wa.

Elmer Culberston Hulen, JD ’81
Sept. 30, 2014 
Davidson, N.C.

Thomas Anthony Zupanc, LLM ’82
Jan. 29, 2015
St. Cloud, Minn.