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In Memoriam | Spring 2024

In Memoriam: 1980s

Notices sorted by graduation date

Cade Stockmeyer Beach (Col ’81 CM) of Maplewood, New Jersey, died Nov. 19, 2023. She enrolled in UVA in 1970 as part of the first class of women, ultimately receiving her bachelor’s degree in 1981. She was a past president of the Junior League of the Oranges and Short Hills. She loved playing with her grandchildren, sitting on the beach on Nantucket, gardening and traveling. Throughout her life, she was proud of her New Orleans roots. Survivors include her husband of 50 years, Richard Beach (Com ’72 CM); her mother; two children; and seven grandchildren.
John R. Burrows (Arch ’81) of Milton, Wisconsin, died May 20, 2023. He earned his master’s degree in architectural history from UVA, studying under Professor Richard Guy Wilson. He won the award for best master’s in architectural history thesis for his research on architect E. Townsend Mix and became known in the department for his passion for the Victorian era. He also studied art, architectural history and Victorian culture at Grinnell College. An expert in the field of 19th-century architecture, in 1985 he established J.R. Burrows & Co., a decorative furnishing supplier specializing in carpets, lace curtains and wallpaper from the Federal, Neoclassical and Victorian periods. In its nearly 40-year run, the Massachusetts-based company consulted for or provided restoration products for hundreds of museums and historical sites, including the White House’s Blue Room, Gracie Mansion in New York City, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Colonnade Club at UVA’s Pavilion VII. One of Burrows’ other passions was LGBTQ+ rights and advocacy. In 2001, he established “Bear Week”—an annual celebration of the gay “bear” subculture—in Provincetown, Massachusetts, a longtime favorite destination for LGBTQ+ travelers. His passion for Victorian culture extended to his leisure time, and he enjoyed hosting high teas, baking scones and participating in contra dancing. Survivors include his mother and three siblings.

Carolyn O’Brien (Educ ’81) of St. James, North Carolina, died Oct. 25, 2023. She received her master’s degree in educational program evaluation from UVA after earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pitzer College in Claremont, California. She became a research assistant for a new experiment in very early childhood education, a study that continues today as the Carolina Abecedarian Project. She continued to work on education and health studies until 2013. During her years in Charlottesville, she became hooked on UVA men’s basketball. In 2014, she and her husband built a home overlooking a pond in St. James. She volunteered as a teacher’s aide and guardian ad litem and became an avid golfer and skilled quilter. She loved reading books and building sandcastles with her grandchildren. Survivors include her husband of 52 years, Ralph; two daughters; two grandchildren; a brother; and nieces and nephews.

Stephen G. Jurczyk (Engr ’84, ’86 CM) of Fredericksburg, Virginia, died Nov. 23, 2023. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from UVA. He enjoyed a 32-year career at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and served as acting administrator from January to May 2021. He previously served as the associate administrator, leading NASA throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. His accomplishments included overseeing the successful landing of the Perseverance rover on Mars, the launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 to the International Space Station, and the return of Crew-1 back to Earth. Over the years, he served in several other leadership roles at the agency, including as associate administrator of the Space Technology Mission Directorate and director of NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. He received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, two Outstanding Leadership Medals, the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executive in 2006, and the Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Executive in 2016. After retiring from NASA in May 2021, he continued to contribute to the field of space exploration as the president and CEO of Quantum Space, focusing on lunar space exploration. He was a passionate New York sports fan and could often be found on the couch screaming at the Giants for losing yet another game to the Cowboys. Survivors include his wife of 31 years, Ann, and two daughters.

Steven W. Heimann, M.D. (Col ’85 CM) of Suffolk, Virginia, died Aug. 22, 2023. He earned his bachelor’s degree at UVA, where he was a member of Phi Epsilon Pi fraternity. He then graduated from Eastern Virginia Medical School and completed his fellowship at Duke University School of Medicine. He was the medical director of youth and family services at the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board (H-NNCSB), where he served in various capacities for 23 years as a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist. In partnership with the H-NNCSB, he also served as the assistant professor of clinical psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Eastern Virginia Medical School. He was instrumental in establishing a child and adolescent residency program for the H-NNCSB, where he led a specialized learning environment for a rotating set of residents to address crisis needs for children. He was a telepsychiatry champion and led the medical services team in its immediate conversion to telehealth. Survivors include his wife, Treniece, and his daughter.

Ian David Kaufman (Com ’85) of Long Island, New York, and Chandler, Arizona, died Oct. 30, 2023. While studying finance at UVA, he was a member of Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity. He began his career as a financial analyst but ultimately moved toward work revolving around his passion for technology. He worked as a software engineer and technical project manager at several large private institutions, but he most recently served as the information systems manager for the Arizona Department of Transportation. His many passions included the music of the Grateful Dead, his SAM brothers, UVA sports, the New York Jets, and his family. Survivors include his wife of 20 years, Elena; his two daughters; his sisters; and many nieces and nephews.

Anne Kneipple Warga (Educ ’86) of Rosslyn, Virginia, died May 10, 2023. She earned a bachelor’s degree at George Washington University, a master’s degree in education from UVA, and a doctorate from George Mason University. She taught in the public schools of Maryland, D.C., Vermont and Virginia at the elementary, junior high and high school levels. Before she retired from Chantilly High School in 2008, she had long focused entirely on chemistry. In her youth, she held an FAA pilot’s license. Her hobbies and interests included science fiction, animals, guitar and chess. She was a home repair enthusiast and amateur sculptor. Survivors include her husband, Anders; four children; a brother; and 12 grandchildren.

Elizabeth (Liza) Acors Bruce (Col ’87 CM) of Glen Allen, Virginia, died Aug. 7, 2023. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from UVA. As a teenager, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, and 15 years later, had a kidney-pancreas transplant after losing her sight. The skills she learned at the Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired made a full life possible, along with guide dogs from Leader Dogs for the Blind. After a second transplant in 2009 brought her renewed strength, she worked at VCU Health from 2012 to 2022, with a passion for new employee orientation. She did volunteer work and public speaking for organizations including the Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired, the VRCB Volunteer Council, LifeNet and Virginia Transplant Council, and Leader Dogs for the Blind. She loved hang gliding and tandem biking. She was predeceased by her husband, David Paul Hines (Engr ’68 CM). Survivors include her mother, her brother, and a niece and nephew.