1961 Martha Bishop Wilhelm-Brandon ’61 Marti Bishop WilhelmBrandon of Weymouth passed away on December 3, 2014, after a long illness. At Thayer, Marti was a member of Theta Alpha, the Girls’ Athletic Association (GAA), the glee club, and the tennis and softball teams. Beside her yearbook photo, this is written: “There was a star danced, and under that star was I born.” Marti earned a bachelor of science degree from Stephens College, and then completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from Boston University. She worked for ten years as a flight attendant for Pan American Airlines, traveling all over the world. She lived for a while in Iowa, where she opened Harmony Hollow Stables, and her lifelong love for horses grew into a career as stable owner, horse trainer, and premier riding instructor. She held her students to high standards and taught them to be self-reliant. She was an inspirational mentor and a role model for professionalism and sportsmanship. Above all, she had a magnetic life force that drew people to her. At her 47th Thayer reunion in 2008, Marti reconnected with her high school beau Michael Brandon ’61 and they married shortly thereafter. It was only four years later that Marti was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which eventually took her life.
Eleanor Southworth Norris ’61 Eleanor Southworth Norris passed away from lung cancer on Thursday, November 20, 2014 in her home in Forest, VA. At Thayer, Eleanor was active in student government, serving as a member of the student council and as class secretary. She was a member of the yearbook staff, the newspaper staff, the Girls’ Athletic Association (GAA), the glee club, the chapel choir, the art club, the dance committee, and the cheerleading squad. She was an honor roll student and a member of Theta Alpha, and she played on the field hockey and basketball teams.
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She was predeceased by her aunt Dorothy Southworth Hatfield ’25, her grandfather Stacy Southworth who served as headmaster at Thayer from 1920 to 1948, and her father Edward S. Southworth ’34.
1965 Bernard Joel Dushman ’65 Bernard Dushman of Brooklyn, NY died suddenly on March 29, 2014. He was 67 years old. At Thayer, Bernie was an honor roll student, a member of the yearbook staff, the Latin club, the baseball, cross-country, and track teams, and he participated in Thayer’s esteemed Summer Science Program. After graduating from Thayer, he earned a B.A. in comparative religion at Boston University. He then graduated cum laude with a JD from Boston University School of Law, and later served as a graduate fellow at Yale Law School. As a professional, Bernie served first as a law clerk in the U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit in Greenville, SC, and next as an associate in the firm of Chadbourne & Parke in New York City. He then became a law instructor at NYU School of Law, and an assistant professor at the University of Dayton Law School in Ohio. He was the assistant dean at Yale Law School for two years before going back into private practice. Most recently, Bernie worked for the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation where he was senior vice president and general counsel. He was a member of the American Civil Liberties Union board of directors from 1980 to 1989, serving four of those years as president of the board. He worked on the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama, Paul Tsongas, and Gary Hart. Bernie’s family and friends remember him as humble, thoughtful, and generous – a man who lived his life with grace, honor, and a passion for deeply-held causes. Bernie is survived by his wife Marley Kaplan, his sister Sandra Dushman Ellis ’72, and his sister-in-law Robin Wassersug Dushman ’66. He is predeceased by his brother Mark Robert Dushman ’66 (a Thayer trustee from 1991 to 2001 and the 2006 recipient of Thayer’s Alumni Loyalty Award).
1966 Kathleen Fitzgerald Wardwell ’66 Kathleen Grace Fitzgerald Wardwell, passed away on May 31, 2014, following a lengthy illness. Kathleen was born on May 12, 1948 to Grace and James Fitzgerald of Brockton. She was educated in the Brockton schools and graduated from Thayer Academy in 1966. She was an active real estate broker for over 40 years in the Bridgewater/Plymouth area. She dearly loved the fields and mountains of New Hampshire, and was an honorary trustee of the Little Blue School. Her family called her Nant, a nickname coined by her godson Gene – a combination of Nana and Aunt. In turn, she called herself The Nant because, of course, there was only one. She was a loving mother, a caring sister, and a devoted friend to many. Her sense of humor allowed her to quickly make friends wherever she went, and she was known for her storytelling genius. She will be remembered most of all for the laughter that she brought into the hearts of all who knew her. At Thayer, Kathleen was a member of the glee club and Theta Alpha. She was also active in play reading and modern dance. Kathleen is survived by her siblings Janet Fitzgerald Boesch of St. Louis, MO; Nancy Fitzgerald of St. Louis, MO; and Donald Fitzgerald of Brockton; her son James and his wife Tara of Hanover, MA; her four grandchildren, her nephews, and her longtime friend Anna Colby, of Carver, MA. Kathleen was preceded in death by her son Merill Willie Wardwell and her brother Scott Fitzgerald.
1970 Michael W. Bucken ’70 Michael Bucken of Milford, MA, died on October 25, 2014 at the age of 62. For the past 10 years, Michael was a news editor for Computerworld. At Thayer, he served on the yearbook staff, and the prom committee. He was a member of the varsity club and played on the football and hockey teams. He was also co-captain of the hockey team.