In Memoriam

Beloved Teacher, Coach, and Friend

Remembering Steve Ward

On the morning of January 19, legendary and long-time faculty member Steve Ward died—peacefully, and at home— after a long illness. Beginning when he was hired in 1976, Steve had a significant impact on the lives of countless Roxbury Latin boys. When Steve retired in 2014, he was appropriately celebrated for his distinctive and effective style as a teacher of history, highly successful varsity wrestling coach, lighthearted coach of junior varsity baseball, devoted advisor, and fair-minded Dean of Students.

Over nearly four decades, Mr. Ward—like the bards of old— found stories to be the best way to teach any important ideas or values. An inveterate storyteller, and a master weaver of seemingly disparate references (often involving baseball or Yogi Berra!), Mr. Ward made his classes meaningful and memorable. While the usual business of history was attended to, his courses were never about names, places, and dates, but the forces that shaped the events, and the patterns of institutions, governments, and people that were evident time and time again. Mr. Ward’s classes were popular for all the right reasons: they engaged the learner, gave him a chance to experience historical concepts first hand, and expected him to go away with lessons that would inform his life. In his years at RL, Mr. Ward taught U.S. History, Western Civ, and wonderfully wrought electives on America at War and Contemporary America. Mr. Ward’s students, like his athletes, always felt he was rooting for them, giving them the benefit of the doubt, helping to find some reasonableness and even humor in what others might construe as a serious, even dire situation.

For thirteen years, Mr. Ward served as Dean of Students. Outside the classroom, however, Mr. Ward’s most famous contributions to the life of the school were as a coach. He worked effectively as junior varsity baseball coach, as assistant coach for the varsity baseball team, and for many years as a football coach. Most famously, however, Mr. Ward was for 36 years the head coach of the varsity wrestling team. The

statistics only begin to tell the tale, but they are remarkable. He was the second winningest coach among the New England Independent School Wrestling Association coaches with 393 career victories. In one 12-year span, RL went 132-7-1—that’s a 94.2 winning percentage. Along the way his teams won twelve Graves-Kelsey Tournaments and ten ISL titles. His colleagues in the sport recognized him in two prominent ways by naming him the recipient of the coveted Neil Buckley Service Award in 2011 (presented each year at the National Prep Wrestling Tournament to one individual from the over 200 schools represented). This followed on the heels of Mr. Ward’s 2009 induction into the Massachusetts chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. In recognition of the esteem in which Coach Ward was held by his brothers in the ISL, they commissioned a special plaque in his honor. Anyone who wrestled for Mr. Ward knows that that privilege was simply a continuation of the classroom in which each boy was treated with respect and affection. A remarkable motivator, Mr. Ward was impressively able to make what is by nature an individual sport a team sport. The loyalty he engendered among his wrestlers one for another was a logical extension of the values and attitudes that he, himself, modeled.

As Headmaster Kerry Brennan read at Steve’s retirement in 2014, “Schools are better for the characters who populate them; faculties are built on the likes of Mr. Ward. For all that you have meant in some way to each one of us, and especially for your virtually unrivaled service to the school (only ten masters in the history of Roxbury Latin have offered longer service!), we say, ‘Well done, oh good and faithful servant. Thank you and Godspeed.’”

Steve will be greatly missed by many. The Roxbury Latin community offers its condolences to his wife, Pat Rogers; his daughter, Barrett; granddaughter, Ophelia; his brothers and other relatives. Steve will be celebrated in a memorial service to be held at the school in the spring. Please keep all the Wards in your thoughts and prayers. // Richard H. Linden ’57 of Sherborn, Massachusetts, died January 17, 2022, at the age of 82. He was born December 4, 1939, the son of Edith and Milton Linden. Rick grew up in Chestnut Hill and attended the Edith C. Baker School in Brookline prior to gaining admission to Roxbury Latin.

At Roxbury Latin, Rick was a strong student, excelling in history, Latin, Greek, and French. He participated athletically both in soccer and track and field. Rick also acted in the school play, served on the student council, and was editor of the Tripod. In his college letter, Headmaster Weed described Rick as “a very able boy… he is intellectually curious, and not afraid to work. His range of interests is wide.”

Rick matriculated at Harvard College, where he earned his AB in Government in 1961. He then served in state government for nearly three decades. Rick first worked for the Governor’s Office from 1964 through 1974. Subsequently, he worked as one of five members of the Civil Service Commission until his retirement in 1994. In retirement, Rick remained a member of the Board of

Directors of the Commonwealth Child Care Corporation, which he helped found, and served as an elected member of Sherborn’s School Committee.

Rick is survived by his wife of 56 years, Leilani (Marsh), his son, Ian, his daughter, Aline, and their families.

Lawrence F. Wasser ’59 of New York City died of complications related to Parkinson’s disease on May 1, 2020, at the age of 78. Born June 2, 1941, to Golden and Louis Wasser, Larry grew up in Brookline and attended the John D. Runkle School prior to gaining admission to Roxbury Latin.

At Roxbury Latin, Larry played baseball and tennis. He also managed the football team. He participated in Chess Club, Photography Club, Stage Crew, and as a member of the Business Staff for the Tripod.

Larry matriculated at McGill University, where he earned his BA in 1963. He then attended the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Medical School at McGill, where he earned his MD, CM in 1967. In 1968, Larry was drafted as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army. He became a decorated Vietnam War veteran. He subsequently practiced emergency medicine for a number of years before embarking on his own venture. Larry founded and served as chief of Heartland Medical, Staten Island urgent care centers, which provided care for tens of thousands of patients from 1983 to 2014.

Larry is survived by his beloved wife Sara Weiss, his children Samantha, Rachel, Louis, and Jason, and their families.

Thomas W. Latham ’60 of Berkeley, California, died peacefully after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease, on October 27, 2021, surrounded by his family. He was 78. Born January 18, 1943, Tom was the son of Allen Latham, Jr., and stepson of Charlotte (Stone). Prior to gaining admission to Roxbury Latin, he attended the Joseph P. Manning School in his native Jamaica Plain. Tom’s older brothers, the late Nick Latham ’54 and David Latham ’57 also attended Roxbury Latin.

In his college letter, Headmaster Weed wrote of Tom, “This boy has been one of our leading students, and our leading citizen. He has been the President of the Student Council (the school’s highest position), and a very good one, concerned with all problems and wholly forgetful of himself. He was the soccer captain, on the wrestling team, [and participated in] Glee Club and debating team. He is an attentive, modest boy from a fine family.” Tom was awarded the Henry W. Cunningham Award for his “high character and scholarship.” In the Yearbook, Tom’s classmates lauded Tom, noting that “the respect he commands in the class is obvious.”

Tom matriculated at the California Institute of Technology, where he earned his BS in 1964. He then earned his MS at MIT in 1966, his master’s from the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton in 1968, and his JD from Georgetown’s School of Law in 1973. Upon graduation from Georgetown, Tom moved to San Francisco and began his legal career with a small law firm that became Evans, Latham and Campisi. Tom excelled as a litigator and mediator, expanding both the firm’s mediation practice and organizing a voluntary mediation panel for the Probate Department of the San Francisco Superior Court. Tom was also one of the editors and writers of trust and probate publications developed by the Cwontinuing Education of the Bar. For many years during the 1980s, Tom hosted Roxbury Latin alumni gatherings in San Francisco.

Tom is survived by his wife, Tauni Sauvage, to whom he was married for 42 years, his children Russell, Paris, and Jackson, and their families, as well as his sister, Harriet Robinson, his brother, David Latham ’57, and extended family.

Jonathan Goldstein ’64 of Brookline, Massachusetts—formerly of Carrollton, Georgia—died on January 3, 2022. Jonathan was born in Boston on March 24, 1947, the son of Miriam (Sargon) and David Goldstein.

At Roxbury Latin, Jonathan was a strong student of mathematics, and he was known for his political activism. The staff noted that his “talents as an artist won him many an honor and much praise from his contemporaries.” Jonathan played football and lacrosse, and wrestled. He was also class treasurer for all six years. He participated in debate and was editor of the school’s yearbook, Odyssey. He was “one of the few who [had] been able to remain on the honor roll constantly, and was also a National Merit finalist.”

Jonathan matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned his BA in East Asian studies and history in 1969. He then earned his master’s at the University of Pennsylvania in 1970, and his PhD in 1973. He worked as a professor of East Asian Studies at the University of West Georgia from 1981 until 2013, and as a research associate of Harvard University's Fairbanks Center for Chinese Studies since 1985. He wrote and edited voluminously including the two-volume The Jews of China; Jewish Identities in East and Southeast Asia; China and Israel (1948-1998); as well as numerous articles and several additional books on American trade with China and the East. His papers, which include a great deal of Jewish-related material, are deposited at West Georgia University. Jonathan is survived by his friends, colleagues, and many students.

Geoffrey W. Conrad ’65 died at home on December 20, 2021, in Bloomington, Indiana, after a brief illness and just shy of his 74th birthday. He was born December 24, 1947, the son of Ruth and Albert Conrad Jr. Prior to gaining admission to Roxbury Latin, Geoff attended the Islington School in his native Westwood. Geoff’s younger brother Peter also attended Roxbury Latin and graduated in 1967.

As a student at RL, Geoff was broadly involved in extracurricular life. He played lacrosse and football, and wrestled. He also debated, served as class treasurer, and worked on the play. Headmaster Weed wrote in his college letter that Geoff was “an excellent citizen with a fine mind, and great courage—well regarded by all.” Geoff earned high marks in all of his classes, particularly excelling in Latin and Greek, for which he won the Greek Detur his junior year. Geoff served as valedictorian at graduation. In the Yearbook, his classmates noted, “Throughout the years Geoff has made himself one of the most valued members of our class… his self discipline and clever wit will take him to the top of his profession.”

Geoff matriculated at Harvard College, where he earned his AB in anthropology in 1969. He earned his PhD in anthropology from Harvard in 1974. He worked as a professor of archaeology at Harvard until 1983, when he was hired by Indiana University, Bloomington, as a professor of archaeology and the director of the Mathers Museum of World Cultures (now the IU Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology). In the 1990s he switched his focus to the Taíno culture of the Caribbean in the Dominican Republic, studying the Taíno chiefdoms encountered by Columbus and other early Spanish explorers of the Caribbean. He also served in multiple administrative roles for IU, including serving as the chair of the anthropology department and working in the Office of the Vice Provost for Research.

Geoff is survived by his wife of 50 years, Karen, whom he adored, and his sons, Matthew, Peter, and Marc, and their families. He is also survived by his brothers, Peter ’67 and Marc, and his sisters, Kathy Grossman, Judy Millener, and Laurie McBride, as well as many nieces and nephews. //