In Memoriam: 1950s
Notices sorted by graduation date
Herbert Sohn (Col ’50 L/M) of Chicago died June 7, 2019. A New York native, Dr. Sohn took a detour from his prelaw studies at UVA to enlist in the U.S. Navy at 17. He was stationed at Great Lakes Naval Facility, north of Chicago, a time memorialized in the documentary Heroes on Deck: World War II on Lake Michigan. He later served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. After graduating from UVA, he earned his medical degree from Chicago Medical School in 1955 and remained in the Chicago area for the rest of his professional life. Dr. Sohn later received a law degree from the John Marshall Law School. He practiced urology for 59 years at Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital and helped found the Strauss Surgical Group. In addition to serving as president of several urological associations, Dr. Sohn was a member of many civic and professional organizations and active in politics, running for mayor of Chicago as well as for Congress. Known for his sense of humor and boundless enthusiasm, he had an endless capacity to serve others. Survivors include his partner, Kathleen “Kitty” Martin; children Andrew and Douglas; his brother; two grandchildren; and three stepgrandchildren.
Douglas Robert Copeland (Grad ’51) of Winter Park, Florida, died July 18, 2019. He served in the U.S. Marines in the Pacific theater of World War II, where he was awarded three Purple Hearts and received the Bronze Star Medal. He later served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Mr. Copeland received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry and psychology from Hampden-Sydney College and earned a master’s degree in education and training from UVA. Survivors include his children, Virginia and William, and five grandchildren.
Samuel B. Hellier (Col ’51 L/M) of McLean, Virginia, died July 15, 2019. He served in the U.S. Army from 1944 to 1946 and later completed the Management Development Program at Harvard Business School. He began his career during the advent of the nuclear submarine program at Electric Boat (later a division of General Dynamics Corp.). He worked in the planning and construction of U.S. Navy nuclear submarines and in the development of submarines for the United Kingdom. His political career included time as a Connecticut state senator, during which time he chaired the Corrections, Welfare and Humane Institution Committee, and as a Republican nominee for Congress. Mr. Hellier joined the firm Booz Allen Hamilton in 1975. He eventually settled in McLean, Virginia, where he founded ORS Associates, a dedicated facilities relocation planning and management firm, in 1981. A compassionate family man, he was active in the community. In retirement, he coached and mentored friends and family, and wrote Broader the Base, an Autobiography. Survivors include four children, James, Leslie, Scott and Carolyn; 11 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and his brother and sister.
J. Stewart Walker III (Col ’51 L/M) of Charleston, South Carolina, died June 9, 2019. After his honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy in 1946, he attended The Citadel for one year before transferring to UVA. At the University, he was president of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, served on the Student Council and the faculty-student athletic council, captained the cross-country team, and ran on the track team. He was a member of Eli Banana and the IMP Society. After graduation, he was a salesman with Sinclair Refining Co. before accepting a position with South Carolina National Bank, where he became a vice president. Mr. Walker was active in civic, church and local affairs. He served on many boards including the Chamber of Commerce, United Fund and Christ School, and he was president of the Legal Aid Society. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed golf, hunting, fishing and sailing. Survivors include his daughter, Betsy, and three grandchildren.
Leighton Mansfield Lobdell (Col ’52 L/M) of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, died June 15, 2019. He served in the U.S. Army in Japan from 1946 to 1948, where he was known as “Golden Toe” for his athletic abilities. Later, Mr. Lobdell worked at the Continental Corp., rising to becoming vice president and treasurer over nearly 30 years. He served as senior vice president and treasurer of the Brooklyn-based Independence Savings Bank until his retirement. Over the years, Mr. Lobdell participated in a variety of church, civic and charitable activities, and he played competitive and social racquet sports, achieving some statewide notoriety in several. He was involved with the New Jersey Junior Chamber of Commerce and served a stint as its international director. After retiring to Florida, he read to second graders and played piano for church services and social events. He also composed music for which his wife, Marybeth, wrote the lyrics. Survivors include five children: Shelley, Lanier, Leighton, Kimberly and Andrew; three stepchildren: Mark, Eric and Carol; 19 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Robert Carson Gardner (Com ’53 L/M) of Vero Beach, Florida, died April 12, 2019. At UVA, he was a member of Zeta Psi fraternity and after graduation served in the U.S. Air Force for two years. Mr. Gardner began his publishing career at Time Inc., where he excelled as an advertising sales executive at Sports Illustrated. His affinity for the publication and acumen for the magazine business sparked a lifelong love of publishing and advertising. Mr. Gardner later joined the Magazine Publishers Association as executive vice president, successfully increasing its revenues and market share. In 1980, he was appointed president of Decisions Publications, a company he later purchased with a colleague. When the two sold a majority interest in 1986 to Act III Communications, a company owned by Norman Lear, Mr. Gardner continued on as chief operating officer. Respected by colleagues and clients alike, he continued as an advertising and publishing consultant in retirement. He was known for his generosity, leadership and devotion to family and friends. Survivors include two daughters, Ann and Lynn; a son, William; and four grandchildren.
Harriette Tebell “Sissy” Long (Educ ’53 L/M) of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, died Sept. 4, 2018. A native of Charlottesville, she had fond memories of her adventures around Grounds, from roller-skating in the Rotunda to riding in a convertible onto the field at Scott Stadium on game days. Her father was Gus K. Tebell, head coach of UVA’s football, basketball and baseball teams from 1930 to 1955 and athletic director from 1951 to 1962, and she was married to William W. “Bill” Long (Col ’52 L/M). She faithfully followed her Cavaliers in all sports, watching nerve-wracking games with the sound off and hands over her eyes, and would have been so proud of this year’s national championship teams. Survivors include her son, William, and daughter, Beverly Long Supler (Col ’82, Grad ’86, ’94, ’96 L/M).
Joseph Linwood Bingler (Educ ’54, ’66) of Charlottesville died Nov. 20, 2017. A star athlete at Lane High School, he went on to run track and field and play football at UVA. After serving in the U.S. Army at Fort Knox, Kentucky, he began his career as an educator and coach in Charlottesville. He taught his players the value of character and commitment and worked hard to bring teams together at the height of integration and the civil rights movement. The pinnacle of his coaching career was the famous 53-game winning streak at Lane High School from 1962 to 1967. Mr. Bingler was the first athletic director at Western Albemarle High School and helped create and cultivate their athletic programs. He went into real estate after retirement but for years could be heard doing the color commentary of the Friday night game of the week and seen volunteering with the Falcon Club. He never met a stranger and was devoted to his family and those he coached and mentored. Survivors include his daughters Melissa, Joanna and Karen Bingler Nelson (Educ ’80, ’18); eight grandchildren, including Katie Nelson Marsh (Col ’05), Joseph Nelson (Col ’13) and Ashley Clark (Col ’22); a great-grandson; and two brothers.
Sherman Master (Col ’57 L/M) of Richmond, Virginia, died Aug. 14, 2019. At UVA, he played varsity lacrosse for two years and was a member of Army ROTC, ZBT fraternity and T.I.L.K.A. He went on to earn his medical degree from Medical College of Virginia and, after interning at Emory University Hospital, returned to MCV for a psychiatry residency. He was a captain in the U.S. Army at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, serving as a military psychiatrist and chief of services at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks. Dr. Master returned to Richmond and practiced general psychiatry for 52 years. In his later years, he became an authority in the new field of addiction psychiatry and was cofounder of the Virginia Center for Addiction Medicine. He loved his work and his family. Survivors include his wife, Dianne; four children: Steve, Jeffrey, Stefanie and Randy; and four grandchildren, including Hannah Feder (Educ ’22).
David B. Walthall III (Col ’57, Med ’61) of Port Charlotte, Florida, died May 2, 2019. He served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956. After residency at Norfolk General Hospital, he established a practice in Dublin, Virginia, and helped establish one of the first coronary care units in rural Virginia, at Radford Hospital. He loved training health care workers and rescue squads in CPR and advanced cardiac life support with the Virginia Heart Association, where he made many lifelong friends known as “the Heart Group.” Passionate about adult education, Dr. Walthall joined the faculty of what was then the Medical College of Virginia in 1973 and served as an associate professor and assistant dean. In 1977, he joined the Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C., until his retirement in 1995. There, he held numerous leadership roles and served as director in the developing fields of continuing medical education and quality assurance. Dr. Walthall served a term as president of the Virginia affiliate of the American Heart Association. In retirement, Dr. Walthall found his greatest joy in family and friends. An avid cook, he and his wife often entertained family at their home in Waynesboro, Virginia. Survivors include his wife, Vivian Dennis Walthall (Nurs ’64); five children: David, Eric, Lois, Jeffrey and Cecelia Walthall (Law ’03); stepdaughter Diane; nine grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a sister.