alumnotes
obituaries
two great-grandchildren; a brother, James retiring as a captain in 1970. He was Barlow; and a sister, Margaret Jane Lawson. awarded the Air Force Commendation for Meritorious Service. In his civilian W. David Usher ’61 died April 26, career, he worked for Metropolitan Life 2009, at his home in Quartzsite, Ariz. in the private placement investment He was born in Boston on September department, where he worked on 28, 1939, the son of W. Lawrence venture capital, real estate and leveraged Usher ’32, and prepared for college at buyouts. He retired as a corporate vice Winchester (Mass.) High School. He president after 24 years at the company. attended Bowdoin from 1957 to 1960, He moved to New Hampshire in and was a member of Zeta Psi fraternity. 1998 and became an active member He served as a pilot in the Navy before of Synergy and a certified level 3 yoga being discharged with diabetes. In the instructor with Pathways Yoga. He 1960s, he worked as an engineer’s taught yoga in the schools and at Exeter assistant at Pratt and Whitney. He also Adult Education. He enjoyed reading, attended management training at the solving New York Times crossword Friendly Ice Cream company, and puzzles, music, nature and athletics. studied at the University of Hartford, but He was a bike club member for many he was most dedicated to maintaining years, completing many bike marathons the family farms. He worked as a and a bike ride up Mount Washington. salesman in a variety of businesses to He is survived by his mother, Vincenza support the Tillotson Farm in Craftsbury, Augustini; his wife of 46 years, Virginia Vt., which he owned and operated for Rich Augustini; three sons, Joseph many years. He eventually sold Tillotson Scott Augustini, Peter Augustini, and Farm to help his late wife work her Michael Augustini ’89; two brothers, family dairy farm. He enjoyed shooting David Augustini and Charles Augustini; guns, riding ATVs in the Arizona four sisters, Charlotte Augostini, Denise desert, visiting the National Parks and Mianti, Roberta Augustini, and Mary traveling across the country, and served Ellen Austin; and six grandchildren. as a mentor for students at Craftsbury Academy for several years. He is survived Taylor “Tad” Gaither ’64 died in by two daughters, Lisa Jakob and Kari August 2009, at his Fort Worth, Texas, Usher; a son, William Usher; two sisters, home. He was born on July 21, 1942, in Deb Palmer and Leslie Anderson; four Cleveland and prepared for college at Unigrandsons; and former wife Susan Lowell versity School in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Usher, whom he married in 1962. He is He was a bibliophile from an early age. predeceased by his former wives, Marilyn One summer in high school, he negotiated Rondoe Usher, who died in February with the organizers of the Cleveland Col1996, and Linda Stoddard Usher, who lege Book Sale to haul, sort and sell books died in March 2008. in exchange for any books he wanted to take. He also was an avid collector of Joseph A. Augustini ’62 died April stamps and coins in those days. At Bow14, 2009, at home in North Hampton, doin, he was a member of Theta Delta Chi N.H., after a long battle with skin fraternity. He lived in New York City for cancer. He was born on March 26, 1941, many years before moving to Fort Worth, in Framingham, Mass., and graduated where he worked for Harcourt Holt/ from Natick (Mass.) High School. After Rinehart and Dryden Press publishing Bowdoin, where he was a member companies. In 1997, he opened the first of of Sigma Nu fraternity, he spent two his two Black Dog taverns, a cornerstone years at the University of Colorado and of the Fort Worth jazz community with its one year at Denver University before Sunday-night jam sessions, but also played graduating from Harvard Business School host to fusion, funk and rock musicians. in 1972. He also served for eight years The taverns closed in 2007. as an electronics officer in the Air Force,
Russell E. Miller ’64 died April 10, 2009, in Traveler’s Rest S.C., after a brief battle with cancer. He was born March 23, 1942, in Schenectady, N.Y., and prepared for college at Pennsbury, High School in Yardley, Pa. After graduating from Bowdoin, where he was a member of Delta Sigma fraternity, he earned a master’s degree in business administration from Columbia University Business School in 1966. He served to the rank of first lieutenant in the Army Reserve. During the course of his career, he worked at Spencer Stuart, Prudential Insurance, T. Rowe Price and Alex Brown and Sons, specializing as an oil industry analyst. He also worked for American Values Investments. In 2001, he started Foundation Financial, Inc., a South Carolina company that focused on providing biblically responsible investing through screened portfolios for separately managed accounts. At the same time, he became involvement in Kingdom Advisors. He also had been deeply involved in the Christian Business Men’s Committee in Baltimore, with training by the Navigators. He also was active in his local church, Arlington Baptist Church, and served as a Sunday School leader for many years. He is survived by his mother, Arline Miller; his wife of nearly 45 years, Nancy Steeble Miller; two daughters, Laura Miller and Sarah Miller; two sons, Ted Miller and Andrew Miller; two brothers, Larry Miller and Craig Miller; and two grandsons. Alan C. Clark ’66 died March 25, 2009, in Mentor, Ohio. He was born on May 6, 1944, in Springfield, Mass., and prepared for college at Agawam (Mass.) High School. A member of Sigma Nu fraternity at Bowdoin, he was a National Science Foundation undergraduate research participant in chemistry. He graduated cum laude, with honors in chemistry, and at commencement was awarded the American Institute of Chemists Student Medal for Excellence in Chemistry. He went on to earn his doctorate from Indiana University in 1970. From 1966 to 1974, he held several teaching and research posi
CLASSNEWS@BOWDOIN.EDU 107