1943
Helen Bradford Wasley passed away May 21, 2021. She grew up in Denver and attended CC for two years before her family moved to Utah. Helen belonged to multiple organizations, including Daughters of the American Revolution Arapahoe Chapter and Delta Gamma, for more than 50 years.
1950
John Bacon Leisure passed away peacefully Jan. 27, 2021. He was raised in Beverly Hills “when it was mostly orange groves.” After serving in the Navy, he attended CC. John will be fondly remembered for his unfailing humor, joy of life, passion for golf, and love of family. Among his survivors are sons Marr, Roy, and Glenn, all ’76.
Barbara Kent McGinnis passed away May 31, 2021, in Wilmington, Delaware. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education, and worked as a reading teacher and librarian. Her family was what brought her the most joy. Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, William Joseph McGinnis ’48, in 2008.
William A. Murray Jr. died Jan. 18, 2021, in Aurora, Colorado. Bill was a WWII Navy veteran and retired as a media specialist from the Aurora Public Schools in 1992. Bill was awarded the Intellectual Freedom Award in 1988 from the American Association of School Librarians and Social Issues Resource Series Inc. He earned his master’s at CC in 1964. He is survived by his wife, June McHardy Murray ’52, and children, including Coqui Murray Conkey ’77 and Christi Murray ’80.
1952
Glenda Breford Tinsley passed away June 8, 2021, in Great Falls, Montana. She graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts in mathematics and taught math in Great Falls schools until retiring in 1992. She was married to Frank Tinsley ’52, who died in 2010.
1953
Shirley Keay Campbell passed away June 7, 2021, in Colorado Springs. She was born in Hawaii when it was still a U.S. territory. She was a Kappa Alpha Theta and remained involved with CC for many years. Shirl’s passion was traveling the world, and she was an inspiration to all who knew her. She is survived by her daughter, Janet; and her niece, Maile Gray ’77, and Maile’s husband, Spencer Wren ’73.
Luann Lewis Whitmore died May 22, 2021, in Juno Beach, Florida. In college, Luann met Patten B. Harvey ’52 and they married in 1951. She later married Edwin Whitmore, and the couple traveled the world. She is survived by her children, Phil Harvey ’79 and Ann Harvey Carey ’81.
1954
Ron A. Timroth passed away May 9, 2021, at home near Snowmass, Colorado. After graduating from CC, he worked for Atomic Research mapping uranium deposits in Utah. He returned to CC, earned a master’s degree in 1958 and taught geology in summer school. Ron developed property in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley and was in the oil business in Kansas. In 2008, he started a mining venture in Alaska. In 2017, he accepted the Hardrock Mineral Small Operator Award, a nationwide environmental award. He is survived by his wife, Zana Pflugrath ’59 ’71, and daughter, Valana Timroth.
1956
Dr. Donald Emerson Hale Jr. died Dec. 3, 2017, in Mansfield, Ohio. He was a Phi Gamma Delta at CC, and he served as an Air Force dentist from 1964 to 1966. In his later years, he played the bagpipes for the Royal Scots Highlanders and the trumpet for the Ribticklers Dixieland Jazz Band.
John William “Jack” Knight passed away June 10, 2021, surrounded by loved ones. He was the first in his family to go to college, thanks to a football scholarship to CC. Jack’s favorite roles were as husband to Sheila, father to Julie, John, Tim, and Colleen, and grandfather of 11. Everyone who met Jack could not forget his terrific smile.
Joyce Lind RePass passed away May 26, 2021. She graduated magna cum laude from CC and earned a master’s degree from Harvard. Joyce was active in local politics in her younger years and remained a strong advocate for social and racial justice throughout her life. She and her husband, David RePass, retired to Charlottesville, Virginia.
1955 In Memoriam
David van Diest Skilling, better known as Van, died Sept. 15, 2021, after battling a severe illness. He was a beloved member of CC’s Board of Trustees for many years, was chairman of the board, and was honored as a life trustee.
Van also was awarded an honorary doctorate and taught courses on business strategy in the Department of Economics and Business. With his family, he was a generous philanthropic supporter of the college, making an impact for our campus and students. Van dedicated himself tirelessly to the highest good of Colorado College in so many ways. He believed in the best of us, and in the institution.
Van is survived by his wife of 65 years, Barbara Jo Chaney Skilling ’58; children Kim Skilling ’79 and Mark Skilling ’82; and grandchildren including Chaney Skilling ’19.
Memorial gifts may be made to: Colorado College, Attn: Advancement P.O. Box 1117, Colorado Springs, CO 80901 or at coloradocollege.edu/give (other)
Donations will sustain the Van Skilling Fund, which supports student research projects through the Economics and Business Department.
1958
Bettie Bellamy-Rosensen passed peacefully on May 2, 2021. Bettie was loving and supportive to many and leaves a legacy of helping hundreds overcome addictions to alcohol and drugs. Like the lighthouses she so loved, she was a beacon to those needing guidance for safe passage through the dark and unknown. Bettie’s survivors include her son, John Aaron Bellamy ’96.
1960
Carl Henry Boyer Jr. of Wilmette, Illinois, passed away peacefully April 25, 2021, from acute myeloid leukemia. He is survived by his wife, Mary Boyer, and three daughters, including Abby Boyer ’98. Carl was a pioneer in licensing intellectual properties and deployed his design skills in the watch and clock industry. The intellectual curiosity he honed at CC propelled him to return to the classroom at age 62 to pursue his master’s in liberal arts at the University of Chicago.
June George passed away April 17, 2021, in Colorado Springs. In 1992, June retired after 37 years with Colorado Springs School District 11. She was an amazing woman with a zest for life who was dedicated to all the children she taught. Her loving and generous spirit will be greatly missed. She is survived by two children, five grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
1965
Harold “LeRoy” Ling passed away in his Jackson, Minnesota, home on May 2, 2021. He earned his master’s degree in chemistry at CC and taught chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer science in Minnesota. LeRoy will be forever remembered by all of the students he taught throughout the years.
1967
Nixon “Nick” Hare passed away May 17, 2021, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. While at CC, he played lacrosse and soccer. He served during the Vietnam War.
In 1995, Nick founded MS Partners to invest primarily in specialty chemical companies. He is survived by his widow, Caroline.
Cliff Young died May 28, 2021. He was drafted during the Vietnam War and served as an Air Force chaplain in Virginia. Cliff was known as the restaurateur who led the fine-dining revolution in Denver during the 1980s. He established a wine-lovers’ estate, The Vintner’s Club, in a medieval French chateau and operated it from the late 1990s to 2008.
1969
Martha Cogswell Auld passed away May 2, 2021, after a long and courageous battle with breast and ovarian cancer. She was an active member and supporter of the To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation. A loving and cherished wife, mother, and grandmother, she is survived by siblings including Mariana Cogswell Weinhold ’62. Her grandmother, Florence Gellatly Means, attended CC in the early 1900s.
1970
Ann Bellamy Smith passed away Sept. 7, 2021. While at CC, she met her future husband, Robert Reddick “Bob” Smith ’72, and they married in 1973. During their nearly 50 devoted years together, they raised three children, including Sarah Smith Williams ’99. Ann was one of the most loving people the world has seen, and she delighted in brightening the day of those around her. Ann is also survived by her brother, Thomas Bellamy ’83.
1973
Harry Pond Allen passed away peacefully Sept. 7, 2021. At CC, he played hockey and was a Phi Delta Theta. Whatever the weather, you knew you could find Harry messing about with boats. His booming voice, bushy mustache, adventurous spirit, and endless knowledge of all things history will be missed.
Francis “Nick” Nickle Jr. passed away in Colorado Springs on May 21, 2021. He earned a master of arts in teaching at CC. Nick loved philosophy, journalism, history, art, music, and poetry, and intrigued his high school students with his unique style during his 33-year teaching career. His wife, Leslie, died in 2007; he is survived by two daughters.
1976
Mitchell Bird died Sept. 2, 2015. He was a Phi Delta Theta, was involved in campus publications, and earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology.
David Patrick Trowbridge of Brooksville, Maine, died July 24, 2021, from Parkinson’s disease. Patrick was a keen observer of the natural world, an avid beekeeper, sailor, gardener, and woodsman who took great satisfaction in cutting his own firewood and splitting it by hand. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; two children, and two stepchildren.
1983
Mitch Scott Ivy passed away Aug. 2, 2021. He was active on the CC swimming and diving team. Mitch is survived by his loving wife, Lenora Ivy, children Alissa and James, his brother Matt ’81 and wife Jane Ivy, and parents Jim and Mary Gean Ivy. The family has set up memorial donations in Mitch’s honor to support cancer research. Information »
1986
Jeff Lyle Shaw passed away May 7, 2021, in Atlanta, Georgia. At CC, he was a Kappa Sigma and was active in multiple sports. He was editor-in-chief of the Catalyst student newspaper and received the Cutler Publications Award for Outstanding Student Publications in 1986. Jeff earned his juris doctor at the University of Kansas, where he graduated at the top of his class, and practiced law.
1992
Mike Van Zandt passed away July 28, 2021, in Riverview, Florida, from complications related to COVID-19. At CC, he played football and lacrosse, and he was a Kappa Sigma. The family lived in Japan for the past 17 years. He is survived by his wife, Naoko; and daughters Anne and Hannah ’25.
1993
Jeanne Marie Ulmer passed away Aug. 13, 2021, in Longmont, Colorado. She was an adventurer, educator, runner, friend, devoted dog lover, and beautiful soul who leaves an indelible imprint on the hearts of all who knew her. She was a Beta Delta who traveled the world and spent the last 16 years working for the University of Colorado in Boulder.
In Memoriam
Steve Handen
Steve Handen died of cancer July 12, 2021, at age 82. He taught CC’s Foundations of Nonviolence General Studies class starting in the early 1990s to around 2011 (continuing as a guest), mentored generations of CC student activists, supported civic engagement, and engaged widely with professors, students, and the community.
He embodied his faith every day, dedicating his life to working for nonviolence, living simply, embracing others with compassion and loving kindness, and working for the dignity of all to change systems that perpetuated injustice.
Steve’s teaching, like his living, balanced moral clarity with humor and grace. He thought and felt deeply, his spirituality one of liberation and daily activism. Steve’s sharp and critical mind tirelessly drew him to engage with the communities he rooted himself within — he helped start a poor people’s clinic, credit union, a land trust with more than 20 houses for people who need no or low rent, a free bike shop, a community newspaper, a burial ground for unhoused people, political theatre troupe, and sustainable living houses.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Lynn Sheetz, daughter Emmy Handen ’00, and sons David Spence and Luis Meja. A memorial Mass took place July 23.
Elaine Gordon Yaffe
Elaine Gordon Yaffe, 84, died July 20, 2021, in Denver. She was a writer, photographer, and longtime CC administrator who wrote the first biography of visionary women’s college president Mary Ingraham Bunting (Radcliffe College).
Elaine graduated from Radcliffe and Columbia, then married writer James Yaffe in 1964. They moved to Colorado seven years later for his job teaching English at CC. Elaine joined the CC administration in the early 1980s, first in communications and later as assistant dean of the Summer Session.
James taught at CC until 2002 and preceded her in death in 2017. Elaine is survived by her children, Deborah, Rebecca, and Gideon Yaffe; three grandchildren; and her sister. Donations may be made to the Interna-tional Center of Photography in New York or any local arts organization.
Tom Nycum
Tom Nycum, 76, who served CC as a vice president for business and finance/treasurer from 2001-2008, died July 20, 2021, at his home in Fruita, Colorado, after a long journey with health issues. Tom was a thoughtful, steady, smart, and kind human being. He was guided by his inner compass; integrity was essential to him in his leadership, relationships, and work. He was insightful with people and in the business world, grounded, and connected to his values.
Tom took great interest in mentoring those he worked with and was committed to helping the institutions he worked for create something better for the future. He had a sense of stewardship and took that role seriously in many capacities, and he was an early and staunch supporter of sustainability.
He is survived by his wife, Vicki, and son Ture, and three grandchildren.
A funeral Mass was held Aug. 14 in La Junta, Colorado, where Tom was born. The family asks that donations be made to HopeWest in Grand Junction, Colorado, or to The Woman’s Club of Colorado Springs.
Brian Young
Brian Young, vice president for information technology/chief technology officer, died suddenly July 28, 2021, at age 50. Throughout his eight years at CC, Brian’s kindness, humor, care, and joyful spirit built community in numerous ways. His energy was expansive and full, focused, and determined.
Brian was an imaginative manager, trusted colleague, loyal friend, and loving partner, uncle, and sibling. He embraced life with vibrancy: on the golf course, watching his beloved Bengals, and with us in his everyday interactions. His heart was big and he was a gift to all who knew him.
He is survived by his partner, Heather Kissack; and his sister, brother, and their families. A memorial service took place on Tava Quad on Aug. 5. Donations can be made to the American Cancer Society.
Iggy Igloo
Iggy Igloo (Jonathan Ellis) passed away June 1, 2021, after a battle with cancer. Iggy loved the arts and music community, and he hosted “Planet Groove” on KRCC for many years. His research of music and their creators from around the world educated us about other cultures and styles of art and music.
The accomplished musician started playing the piano at 8 years old, graduating to trumpet and picking up the guitar and banjo in his 20s. He was able to master any instrument he touched, and was a prolific lyricist and songwriter, with at least 13 CDs to his credit.
Iggy was brave until the end, always comforting his caregivers, friends, and family. When he learned that he was dying, he said, “I want to show my family that I am a warrior.”
He is survived by his son, mother, father, siblings, and many other family members and friends.
Bill A. Yost ’66, ’97, P’93, Catherine Grant Weir-Parker ’65, and Lex Towns ’67, P’96 have written “Liberal Arts and Sciences in Academia: A Case Study and Tribute,” in honor of four former Colorado College psychology professors: Doug Freed, Carl L. Roberts Jr., Don Shearn P’86, P’90, P’08, and Gilbert Johns. The faculty members joined the college between 1956 and 1962 and served for nearly 35 years. Sadly, Freed passed away in 2013, and Roberts and Johns died in 2021. Read the article.
