serve in the U.S. Army during WWII as an information-education specialist. He served as chief executive officer of the University of Pennsylvania, Berks, for 25 years, during which time he played a major role in the campus’ expansion. In 1970, Dr. Perkins received a government appointment to the state Advisory Council for Vocational Education. He remained active in the community after his retirement, serving as past president of the Reading Rotary Club, president of the Pennsylvania Association of Junior Colleges, and a leader in many other organizations.
engineering department at DuPont for more than 40 years, retiring as a principal consultant. He was an adjunct professor of chemical engineering at the University of Delaware, a registered professional engineer in Delaware, and an emeritus 50-year member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. He is listed in the 1979 edition of American Men and Women of Science. He served on the board of directors for many organizations, including the Wesley Foundation and several local YMCAs, and was a member of a volunteer group in charge of monitoring the Chester River water quality.
Joseph A. Murray ’42, Montpelier Court, Pa., died Sept. 3, 2010, at the age of 90. He retired from Pittsburgh Plate Glass after 27 years of service and later worked for Kenny Glass in Columbus, Ind. He was a WWII U.S. Navy veteran and 50-year member and past master of the Masonic Lodge.
Wallace P. Cathcart ’45, Chambersburg, Pa., died Sept. 20, 2010, at the age of 86. An early pioneer of railcar linings, he founded Tank Lining Corporation in 1950 with his brother and bought the company in the 1970s, becoming its sole owner. Mr. Cathcart built the corporation into the largest of its kind, with branches in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Tennessee and Texas. In 1984, he sold Tank Lining to Trinity Industries, Inc., and worked as technical counsel
Frank E. Rush Jr. ’43, Chestertown, Md., died July 18, 2010, at the age of 88. Mr. Rush was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and worked in the
to Trinity until his retirement in 2000. Mr. Cathcart was one of only five Americans to be named an “expert in surface preparation.” He also served on the board of directors for the Western Pennsylvania Home for Boys and Learning Camps, Inc., a summer camp for children with learning disabilities. Theodore Stevens Kramer ’45, Traverse City, Mich., died Feb. 7, 2010, at the age of 85. A WWII veteran, he was a member of the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he was a pilot and flight instructor. He joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1947, working as a special agent in Oklahoma City; Washington, D.C.; Portland, Ore.; and Detroit. He received several commendations from J. Edgar Hoover referencing the capture and conviction of three fugitives on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list. After retiring from the FBI in 1976, Mr. Kramer entered the fields of property management and investments. He later moved to Florida, where he served as the economic development airport manager for the local government.
E. Henry “Hank” Knoche (1925-2010):
Basketball star turned national intelligence director One of the first players picked in the inaugural 1947 draft of the league that would become the NBA, 6-foot-4 center E. Henry “Hank” Knoche ’46 got his start on the basketball courts at W&J, where he played with brothers Charles N. Knoche ’50 and David R. Knoche ’50 under Coach Adam Sanders. After graduating from W&J in 1946, Mr. Knoche originally signed on with the Pittsburgh Ironmen, but since the team was going out of business, his contract was sold to the New York Knicks. In attempts to renegotiate a salary increase, he ended his basketball career when the Knicks said “no deal.”
During his distinguished career, Mr. Knoche was accustomed to meeting with presidents at the White House, but one of his greatest honors was meeting John F. Kennedy, one of his idols, to inform him of the latest developments during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In recognition of his many accomplishments, Mr. Knoche was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, one of the country’s highest honors. Regionally, he was a member of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and recipient of the W&J Distinguished Service Award.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PANDORA.
Refocusing his career path, Mr. Knoche joined the U.S. Navy, serving as an intelligence officer during World E.H. Knoche on the W&J War II. In 1953, he joined the Central basketball court. Intelligence Agency as an analyst fluent in Russian and the Fuzhou dialect of Chinese. According to The Washington Post, his “colleagues respected him for his efficiency and work ethic, and he received steady promotions within the agency.” In 1976, Mr. Knoche became deputy director of the CIA under George H. W. Bush. He then was promoted to acting director—a position he held for seven weeks under President Jimmy Carter—and was privy to the country’s deepest secrets.
Mr. Knoche kept those secrets safe until he died at the age of 85 at a hospital in Denver, where he lived in retirement.
Knoche played basketball with his brothers, Charles (#8) and David (#5), during the 1946-47 season. Knoche (#15) is pictured kneeling, fourth from right.
WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE
39