TAPS William J. Leck ’51
William John “Bill” Leck ’51 of Rockville Centre, New York, died Dec. 17, 2013. He was 84. Leck matriculated from Rockville Centre and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He earned his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He is survived by his wife, Maureen; children, Debra Ciccarello (Gerald), Karen Molloy (Peter), Lori O’Neil (Shane), Donna O’Connor (Frank), William H. Leck (Anne) and Thomas Leck; 20 grandchildren; and sister, Nancy Galas (Joseph).
Henry B. Higby Jr. ’51
Henry Baldwin Higby Jr. ’51 of Bonita Springs, Florida, died Dec. 17, 2013. He was 85. Higby matriculated from Petersburg, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Renate; children, Stefanie Higby-Baker (Tim) and Brig. Gen. Patrick Higby (Heather); sister, Heanne Stapp; and three greatgrandchildren, Brenna, Hannah and Noah.
Scott T. Underwood ’51
Scott Thomas Underwood ’51 of Richmond, Virginia, died Jan. 28, 2014. He was 83. Underwood matriculated from Richmond and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from VMI.
James M. Stallings ’52
James Melvin Stallings ’52 of Glen Allen, Virginia, passed away Jan. 31, 2014. He was 83. Stallings matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Margaret D. Stallings; daughter, Margaret; son, James Duncan; and grandchildren, Christopher, Brittany and Jeffrey.
Franklin D. Tuck ’52
Franklin Dandridge Tuck ’52 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died Dec. 13, 2013. He was 82. Tuck matriculated from Richmond, Virginia, and attended VMI for one year. He is survived by his wife, Pauline 2014-Issue 2
Speight “Polly” Tuck; sister, Mary Tuck Echols; daughter, Harriett Tuck Snyder (John); son, Franklin Scott Tuck (Laurie); grandsons, Scott H. Snyder and Frederick Scott “Scotty” Tuck; and granddaughters, Meredith T. and Caroline A. Snyder and Claire D. and Paige J. Tuck.
Henry S. Hulme Jr. ’54
Henry Squire “Hank” Hulme Jr. ’54 of Arlington, Virginia, died Nov. 25, 2013. He was 81. Hulme matriculated from Arlington and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He received a Master of Hulme ’54 Science degree in civil engineering from Catholic University. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; sons, Michael Henry Hulme (Donna), Rev. Dr. Gary Lee Hulme (Chris), David Steven Hulme (Taunya) and Gregory Squire Hulme (Robin); son-in-law, Michael James Gallagher; grandchildren, Andy, Tony, John (fiancée, Tiffany Johnson) and Tia Hulme, Curtis Gallagher (Lisa) and Sara Gallagher (fiancé, Timothy Bronson); great-grandsons, Allen Michael Hulme and John Yates; sisters, Susan Virginia Hulme Cissel (William) and Patricia Marie Hulme (Berthie); and brother-in-law, Clyde Watkins. He was predeceased by his daughter, Cynthia Ann Hulme Gallagher, and sister, Nora Lea Watkins.
Albert E. McCants Jr. ’55
Albert Eugene “Mac” McCants Jr. ’55 of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died Jan. 19, 2014. He was 80. McCants matriculated from Petersburg, Virginia, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Joyce C. McCants; children, Albert E. McCants III, Kimberly T. Smigo and Daren F. McCants; five grandchildren, Albert E. McCants IV, Emily G. Smigo, M. Tyler Smigo, C. Eric Smigo and Carter S. McCants; and sister, Ann M. Carter.
James F. Thornton Jr. ’55
James Francis “Jimbo” Thornton Jr. ’55 of Athens, Georgia, died Nov. 10, 2013. He was 80. Thornton matriculated from Athens and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from VMI. He is survived by his wife, Lyn Woodward Thornton; daughters, Rosalind Thornton Gilbert (Walter Jr.) and Kathleen Thornton Inabet (William III); grandchildren, Anne Lanier Gilbert, Frances Grace Inabet and William Barlow Inabet IV; sister-in-law, Kathy Woodward Mitchell; and brothers-in-law, Richard Dowdy Hester and Hampden DuBose Kenan. He was preceded in death by his sister, Jane Thornton Hester, and sister-in-law, Anne Woodward Kenan.
Robert J. Real ’56
Robert Jere Real ’56 of Lynchburg, Virginia, died Nov. 16, 2013. He was 79. Real matriculated from Jackson, Mississippi, and was a distinguished graduate of VMI, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He also earned Master of Science degrees from the University of Mississippi and the University of Virginia. He is survived by a brother, Edward H. Real; nephew, Bill Jackson; niece, Misty Harris; and long-term friend, Peter Q. Santini.
Charles W. Adkins ’57
Charles William Adkins ’57 of Dallas, Texas, died Jan. 16, 2014. He was 79. Adkins matriculated from Joliet, Illinois, and attended VMI for four months. He is survived by his wife, Sandy; children, Denise (Steve Kapp), Sindy Gerlach, Sheree (Jim Madden), Chris Edwards (Brenda), Craig Edwards (Amy), Jody (Kenny McCullough) and Bill Blaydes; and numerous grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Connie Adkins, and sister, Jean Hague.
Harry E. Bennett Jr. ’58
Retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Harry Earl Bennett Jr. ’58 of Oxford, Mississippi, died Dec. 22, 2013. He was 77. Bennett matriculated from Norfolk, Virginia, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from VMI. He received his Master of Arts degree from the University of Northern Colorado. 149