1955 Gay Loftus Sullivan ’55 Miriam Gay Loftus Sullivan, a resident of Alexandria, VA and Falmouth, MA, died on August 30, 2014 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. She was 77 years old. She was born in Quincy on August 21, 1937 to Dr. Edward and Miriam Carr Loftus. It was in the seventh grade that Gay Loftus met her future husband, the now-retired Army General Gordon R. Sullivan ’55. They didn’t begin dating however, until fourteen years later, when he returned to the United States from Vietnam. They married in 1965. The couple made 24 moves during General Sullivan’s career of more than 36 years, which culminated with his service as Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army. Mrs. Sullivan was a wife, mother of three, grandmother of three and a competitive bridge player. She served on the Army Distaff Foundation’s Board of Trustees and was a parishioner in the Christ Church of Alexandria. Mrs. Sullivan also served as a trustee for Browne Academy and volunteered her time with countless causes and activities throughout the community. As a Thayer student, Gay was an active community member. She competed in badminton, field hockey, and tennis. She was a member of Theta Alpha, the Girls’ Athletic Association (GAA), the yearbook staff, the glee club, and the cheerleading squad. She also served on the student council and was elected class secretary. She is survived by her husband Gordon Sullivan ’55; her three children MNC John Sullivan USN Ret. and his wife Eneliza, of Arlington,
VA; Mark Sullivan and his wife Heather of Leawood, KS; and Elizabeth Sullivan of Fayetteville, NC; her three grandchildren Christopher, Jack, and Samantha; her sister Suzanne ’56 and her husband John Andrews ’56 of Bridgton, ME; and her sister Adria Keneagy ’60 of Augusta, ME; her two stepsiblings Edward Loftus II of Holliston, MA, and Kristin Fletcher of Jacksonville, FL; her sister-in-law Penuel and her husband Eugene Cohen of Scituate; and her niece Emma Casey ’17 and her nephew Jake Casey ’18. Gay was predeceased by her aunt Frances Brett ’21.
1957 Barry Howard Fentin ’57 Barry Fentin died in White Plains, NY on December 12, 2012, at the age of 72. Barry grew up in Quincy and went to high school at Thayer, where he was in the orchestra and the band, and played on the tennis team. From Thayer, he went on to Dartmouth College where he majored in history and in his freshman year, played in the orchestra and took part in Le Cercle Français. After Dartmouth, Barry went to Boston University Law School, graduating in 1965. For many years, Barry practiced law in White Plains, NY, and in 1993, he and Gary Goldman founded Fentin-Goldman LLP. Barry was the firm’s senior managing partner, and was licensed to practice in both New York and Massachusetts. According to the firm’s website, Barry represented thrifts and mortgage lenders and was experienced in both commercial and residential acquisitions, sales, and mortgage transactions. Barry served for seven years on the school board of the NY Union Free School District. Barry is survived by his wife Joyce; his daughter Dr. Deena Reimer of Scottsdale, AZ; his son Edward Fentin Esq of Beverly Hills, CA; his brother Richard Fentin ’62; and five grandchildren. He was predeceased by his cousins Hazel Fentin Follansbee ’70 and Howard Fentin ’61; and his aunt Evelyn Cooper Fentin ’36.
James A. Schwenk ’57 James A. Schwenk, a longtime resident of Hingham, died peacefully in Needham on April 13, 2014 (Palm Sunday) at the age of 74. Jim was born on November 11, 1939 (Veterans’ Day) in Kansas City, KS to the late Clayton W. Schwenk and Marjorie Crabill Schwenk.
IN MEMORIAM: 1950s
Laurence leaves behind his wife of 55 years, Darlene Houston Babb ’54; his son Lee ’81 and his wife Aileen; his son Stuart ’83 and his wife Trisha; and his four grandchildren Luke, Grace, Kyle, and Lilly. He was predeceased by his brother, Charles.
At Thayer, Jim was a member of the glee club, the French club, the yearbook staff, the newspaper staff, the tennis, golf, and track teams, and he participated in school ski trips. Beside his photo in the 1957 yearbook, his classmates wrote, “If laughter be a crime, a master criminal he would be.” After graduating from Thayer, Jim furthered his education at the University of Pennsylvania. He left college to serve in the U. S. Air Force from 1960 to 1965. His duty stations included Dover, DE and Bangor, ME. He flew KC 97 Stratotankers, which were used to refuel other planes, such as B-52 bombers, in the air. After leaving the Air Force, Jim finished his undergraduate degree at the University of New Hampshire and earned a master’s degree in European History from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. Jim then worked at the Hingham Institution for Savings as head teller and branch manager, and later at Tarzia Construction Company in Cohasset, as office manager, before retiring at age 65. He was an active member of the Hingham Congregational Church, where he held volunteer officer and committee positions. He especially enjoyed working with the youth ministry in the annual Summer Workcamp – a community service opportunity for young people to work with ministers and parent volunteers in various locations throughout the U.S. doing light carpentry, painting, and renovations to improve homes in serious disrepair. He is survived by his two nephews William Scott Schwenk and his wife Roxanne Bogart of Amherst, MA; and James Dirk Schwenk and his wife Stefanie of Annapolis, MD. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Carolyn Schwenk Derby ’56 and her husband Stephen Derby ’56 of Annapolis, MD; as well as by Crabill cousins and their families from across the country.
Thayer Magazine Winter 2014-15
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