In Memoriam: 1960s
Notices sorted by graduation date
Bruce Daniel Michelsen (Col ’60 CM) of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, died June 2, 2023. In 1954 he graduated from the Maine Maritime Academy, earning the rank of ensign in the Navy and serving for two years. In 1960 he graduated from UVA, where he played varsity basketball and was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He moved to Durham, North Carolina, where he bought Alarms and Protective Systems, a company he ran for 45 years. He was an avid golfer, winning the senior men’s golf championship at ages 55 and 56 and again at age 80 at Hope Valley Country Club. Survivors include his wife, Betty, three children and eight grandchildren.
Arnold Alexander “Sandy” Dempsey Jr. (Col ’61 CM) of Suffolk, Virginia, died May 6, 2023. He entered UVA with a full football scholarship and, as a quarterback, led the ACC in passing. While earning his bachelor’s in psychology, he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, the IMP society, the Eli Banana Society and the Cavalier Daily. He served in the U.S. Army from 1961 to 1963 as a first lieutenant at Fort Lewis, Washington. Upon discharge, he and his family moved to Franklin, Virginia, where he worked for Union Camp Paper Co. In 1968 he joined Manry Rawls Insurance Co. as vice president and retired in 2008. He was an avid golfer at Cypress Cove Country Club and was club champion in 1985. He was a board member at Franklin James L. Camp YMCA. Survivors include his wife of 31 years, Nancy; four children, including Stacy Dempsey (Com ’89 CM); three stepchildren; six grandchildren, including Jacob Pittman (Col ’14 CM); seven stepgrandchildren; and one sister.
Christopher H. L. Owen (Arch ’61 CM) of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, died May 2, 2023. He spent his early years in England before studying architecture at the University of Virginia and Columbia University. He began his career as an architect at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and eventually established his own successful practice in New York City. Many of his projects were published and recognized internationally, most notably his own contemporary home, which he built for his family on Block Island, Rhode Island. The project that best represented his creative spirit was his restoration and renovation of part of Las Pozas, Edward James’ sculpture gardens nestled in the jungle of Xilitla, Mexico. An appreciator of the arts, he spent hours in galleries and museums and collected art and antique automobiles. He was also an advocate for the environment and wildlife conservation, sponsoring many wildlife organizations and rescue shelters. Survivors include his daughter, Tjasa Owen Kalmbach (Col ’93 CM), his son, his former wife, four grandchildren and a brother.
John S. Watterson (Col ’62 CM) of Charlottesville died March 16, 2023. While studying history at UVA, he was a Lawn resident and a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society, and the Cavalier Daily. He also earned a master’s in history from Case Western Reserve University and a Ph.D. in history from Northwestern. He taught at the University of South Dakota, University College, University of Maryland, and on Army bases in Korea, Germany and Spain. Later he taught sports history at James Madison University and Virginia Commonwealth University. He authored three books, including College Football: History, Spectacle, Controversy and The Games Presidents Play: Sports and the Presidency. Survivors include his wife, Yvonne; his brother, Stuart G. Watterson (Educ ’75); two daughters; and three grandchildren.
Coulbourn Hurt Tyler (Educ ’63, ’64) of Gloucester, Virginia, died May 27, 2023. He served in the U.S. Army in the 101st and 7th Infantry Divisions, the latter in Korea. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education at UVA. Before and during his time at the University, he worked for the Southern and C&O Railroads, as well as the Railway Express Agency. Upon graduation he worked in the athletics department for two years. He received his doctorate in education at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and served in faculty and administrative positions at Ferrum College for 32 years. He was proud to be on the staff of three of Ferrum’s championship football teams and served on an NCAA committee in 1988 and 1989. Upon his retirement from Ferrum, he worked for Adventure Travel in Kilmarnock, Virginia. He was also a member of the Crossroads Ruritan Club in Franklin County and the Piankatank Community League. Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Anne, a son and three granddaughters.
Catherine “Cathy” Turner Carter (Nurs ’64) of Baltimore died Dec. 6, 2022. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from UVA. She worked at Union Memorial and Sinai hospitals and spent most of her career in Virginia Beach at Virginia Beach General Hospital as an emergency room nurse. She was known for her natural ability to put people at ease. After many years in Virginia Beach, she had recently returned to her native Baltimore to be closer to family. Survivors include a son, three sisters and three brothers.
Robert Peyton Kuhlthau (Col ’67 CM) of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, died Aug. 24, 2022. While earning his bachelor’s degree in economics from UVA, he enrolled in Air Force ROTC. After graduation he served in the U.S. Air Force for five years. After leaving the Air Force, he attended the Medical College of Virginia of the Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned a master’s in hospital administration in 1974. He then entered in U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) where he served in New York City. While in the USPHS, he received the Meritorious Service Award and earned the rank of captain. He retired from the USPHS in 2000 and moved to the Washington, D.C., area, where he began a second career with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In 2012, he fully retired and moved to Ponte Vedra Beach, where he continued his passion for cooking and traveling and developed a love for golf and croquet. Survivors include his second wife, Andrea; his brother, Richard H. Kuhlthau (Grad ’79 CM); and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
William Wulf (Engr ’68 CM) of Charlottesville died March 10, 2023. In 1968, he became the first person to receive a doctorate in computer science from UVA. He joined the computer science faculty at Carnegie Mellon University, where he worked on computer architecture and programming languages. He co-founded Tartan Laboratories, a software company that was later sold to Texas Instruments, with his wife, fellow computer science professor Anita Jones. He returned to UVA in 1990, taking leave during his first two years to serve at the National Science Foundation as assistant director of the Computer and Information Science and Engineering directorate. At UVA he worked with Jones, who chaired the computer science department, to grow the undergraduate and graduate programs in education and research. In 1993, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, later serving as president. He retired from UVA in 2012 as the AT&T professor emeritus of computer science. He was an avid woodworker and gardener. In addition to Jones, survivors include two daughters and four grandsons.
George Garris Jr. (Com ’69, Darden ’75 CM) of Norfolk, Virginia, died April 10, 2023. After earning his bachelor’s in commerce from UVA, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He worked as a computer programmer at the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in Colorado Springs, receiving an Air Force Commendation Medal. Following his military service, he earned his M.B.A. from Darden. He joined the family business, Old Dominion Stevedoring Corp., serving as secretary and then president until 1990 when it was sold to Ryan Walsh Inc. He worked at Ryan Walsh as the vice president of labor relations and port manager before working at F.P. Gaskell Co. and Garris Travel Service. His involvement with the Port of Norfolk included serving as president of the Hampton Roads Maritime Association and Hampton Roads Shipping Association. He was also a troop committee chairman with the Boy Scouts and volunteered for the CHKD telethon. Survivors include his former wife, Patricia Turney Garris (Arch ’70 CM), two children, a brother, a sister, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.