O B I T U A R I E S Gwendolyn Mardin Trefethen Haynes ’32, December 29, 2006, in Montgomery, Ala., at 96. She received her master’s in French from Middlebury in 1964 and taught school in several Maine towns. She traveled extensively before retiring in Florida. Survivors include her three sons, Robert, Michael, and William, a sister and a brother, and several grandchildren. Willard C. Flynt ’34, December 25, 2006, in Plattsburgh, N.Y., at 94. He received his master’s from the University of Maine and served in the Navy in both World War II and the Korean War. He worked as a guidance counselor and English teacher before dedicating himself to SUNY Plattsburgh, where he served as dean of admissions and dean of students. Later, he was special assistant to the late Senator Ronald B. Stafford. He played the tenor sax and enjoyed a good game of golf. His children, Heather and Willard R., his sister, five grandchildren, and two greatgrandchildren survive him. Raymond W. Farnham ’36, November 3, 2006, in Orono, Maine, at 95. During World War II he served as an Army interviewer and counselor. He earned his master’s from the University of Maine and was a teacher, coach, and principal in Maine schools. He was executive secretary of the Maine Principals’ Association and was inducted to the Maine Sports Hall of Fame. Predeceased by his brothers, Roderick ’31 and Albion ’35, and his sister-in-law, Margaret Davis Farnham ’28, he is survived by his son, Raymond Jr., and his daughters, Dian Jordan and Judy Carter, five grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews including Alden C. Sprague Jr. ’53, Patricia Farnham Russell ’62, Margaret Farnham Rabeni ’66, and Margaret Russell Ewalt ’92. Nancy D. Libby ’36, November 25,
2006, in Hallowell, Maine, at 92. She taught high school English in Maine while working on her master’s at Columbia. During World War II she joined the Navy. The GI Bill allowed her to earn her doctorate at Duke after the war. She then taught English literature at SUNY Fredonia for 30 years. Upon retirement, she traveled extensively, volunteered locally, and relished time with her family. Predeceased by her brother, Thomas W. Libby ’35, and her nephew, Thomas E. Libby ’59, she is survived by her niece, Nona Libby Thompson. M. Elizabeth Oliver ’38, November 26, 2006, in Columbia, Conn., at 89. A writer, teacher, and champion for freedom, she wrote for Reader’s Digest and Harcourt, Inc. She ran language and writing programs in New York, Taipei, and Shanghai. At 71 she joined the Peace Corps and taught in the Philippines. She also helped re-establish the Northeast Chapter of the United Nations Association. Survivors include her sister-in-law, Frances R. Oliver, and a niece and two nephews. Elizabeth “Libby” Bavis Decker ’39, October 4, 2006, in Hampton, Minn., at 89. She earned her master’s in nursing from Yale in 1942 and established a career in public health nursing. She helped establish the associate degree program in nursing at Rochester (Minnesota) Community College, where she later taught. Her children, Margaret, David, Arthur, and Ann, and four grandchildren survive her. Calvin K. Hubbard ’43, September 22, 2006, in Prescott, Ontario, at 85. He served in World War II as a navigator and a captain in the Army Air Forces in Europe, returning to Colby in 1945 to complete his education. He became a floor manager at the C.F. Hathaway Co. in Waterville, where he worked for 35 years, retiring as vice president of manufacturing
at the company’s Prescott, Ontario, factory. He played cribbage, enjoyed curling, and excelled at baseball trivia. His wife, Merial, five children, nine grandchildren, and one greatgrandchild survive him.
during World War II. He became a stockbroker with A.G. Edwards in Orlando and was active with the Masons and the Elks. His wife of 60 years, McGee, and a daughter and a son survive him.
Anson T. Perley ’43, January 5, 2007, in Damariscotta, Maine, at 85. He served as an Army rifleman during World War II. With his wife he operated Perley’s Greenhouse and then Perley’s Realty, both in Damariscotta. He was one of the founders of Damariscotta Bank & Trust Company and served as director. He was an avid camper, liked to hike, and split his own firewood. His wife of 65 years, Thelma, his son and daughter, three grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter survive him.
Martha Wheeler Zeltsman ’44, November 2, 2006, in Whiting, N.J., at 84. She and her husband ran a portrait photography studio for 40 years. In 1974, she was the first woman to receive the Fellowship Award from the American Society of Photography. She taught photography, practiced flower arranging, and raised four children. She was predeceased by her father, Nathaniel E. Wheeler 1909, and her sisters, Grace Wheeler Marsh ’35, Mary Louise Wheeler Bruzga ’40, and Julia Wheeler Morton ’40. Survivors include her brother, Nathaniel H. Wheeler ’42.
Alice Katkauskas Drake Deming ’44, May 28, 2006, in Hanover, N.H., at 85. She earned a degree in medicine from Harvard and worked in the field of hematology. After raising her children, she moved to New England and settled in New London, N.H., where she opened an art gallery. An elder at her church, she involved herself in art enrichment programs. Her daughter, Dail Deming Mueller, her brother, and a grandson survive her. Arthur T. Eaton ’44, October 10, 2006, in Marietta, Ga., at 83. An Army officer during World War II, he served in India before earning his law degree from Boston University. He practiced in Waterville with his father, Harvey, then moved to Georgia where he worked at Lockheed-Martin for more than 30 years. His son, Brooks, and several nieces and nephews, including A. Raymond Rogers Jr. ’49, survive him. He was predeceased by his brothers, Harvey Jr. ’16, Fletcher ’39, and John ’41. William E. Frazier ’44, September 15, 2006, in Orlando, Fla., at 84. A captain in the Army Air Corps, he f lew missions over Germany
Marjorie Merrill Melv in ’45, October 2, 2006, in Bangor, Maine, at 82. She worked in the Waterville and Bangor public libraries and for Community Health and Counseling Center in Bangor. A dedicated mother, she was active in her church. Predeceased by her brother, Earle K. Merrill ’44, she is survived by her husband of 60 years, Ernest, two children, and two grandchildren. Joseph G. Ragone ’45, September 10, 2006, in North Falmouth, Mass., at 86. A naval aviator during World War II, he served in the South Pacific and received the Distinguished Flying Cross. He became a self-employed contractor and was president of two companies. An avid golfer, he was also a yachtsman. His children, Lawrence, Richard, Linda Lovell, JoAnn Devaney, Anne Donovan, and Judith Fothergill, a brother, 25 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and his companion, Maria Gleason, survive him. Rowen Kusnitt Kessler ’46, October COLBY / winter 2007 69