1960s
John Gillen Zeis ’61
John Gillen Zeis ’61, a teacher and school administrator of Wells, N.Y., was born on April 16, 1939, in Morristown, N. J., a son of the former Agnes Reusch, a school social worker, and John Zeis, a lawyer. He graduated from the Morristown Prep School.
Active on College Hill, Zeis was a three-sport athlete, lending his talents to the hockey and lacrosse teams as well as the undefeated 1958 football squad. A member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, he majored in government and also participated in the Newman Club, Block H Club, and the International Relations Club.
After Hamilton, Zeis continued his education in Central New York, earning a master’s degree in education at Colgate University. He landed his first position teaching social studies at the Wells (N.Y.) Central School, which led to posts within the administration at several schools throughout New York state, first at the Stratford Schools, then at Mount Markham Schools and Hudson Falls Schools, where he worked for more than 25 years. During that time, he also received a Ph.D. in educational administration from Vanderbilt University in 1978.
For his 40th reunion yearbook, Zeis noted how his Hamilton years fostered his professional career: “The rigor of academics and the forced experience in public speaking were invaluable to a career in education. There is no question that the confidence gained through participation in athletics and the learning of organizational skills…were also of benefit.”
After retirement, he continued to fill interim superintendent positions, which returned him to Wells. Zeis was also an adjunct professor at Plattsburgh State University. He was the administrator of the Glens Falls Foundation for many years and a member of the Wells Fish and Game Club and the 4 Rivers Alliance of Hamilton County. He enjoyed the family camp and farm in Stratford, and hunting and fishing.
John G. Zeis died unexpectedly on March 4, 2018, while ice fishing on the Great Sacandaga Lake in the Adirondacks with his son and granddaughter, who survive him. He was 78 years old. He was predeceased by his wife, the former Diane Lepska, in January.
William Lester Curtis, Jr. ’63
William Lester Curtis, Jr. ’63, a teacher and teacher union field representative of Watertown, N.Y., was born on June 24, 1941, in Buffalo, a son of the former Helen Austin and William Curtis, Sr., an automobile mechanic. He graduated from Sackets Harbor High School.
At Hamilton, Curtis was a member of Psi Upsilon and majored in history. After graduation he earned a master’s degree in education from Colgate University.
Curtis was a teacher of European history at Watertown High School for 12 years before focusing his career on labor relations. He worked at New York State United Teachers as a senior field representative in Watertown for many years, retiring in 1998. Among his duties were representing teachers in collective bargaining and processing of personal grievance.
Remarking on his career choice in his Hamilton 25th reunion yearbook, Curtis noted, “I’m sure there are not many union members among Hamilton’s graduates, and I suspect that being an employee of a union puts me in a very tiny minority.”
He was a former commissioner for the St. Lawrence planning board, chairman of the Jefferson County planning board, and a member of the Dispute Resolution Center Board. He was an avid antique tool collector and a member of several antique collectors and dealers clubs.
William L. Curtis, Jr., died suddenly on or about March 8, 2018, in Scranton, Pa., while attending an antique tool show. He was 76 years old. Curtis is survived by his wife, the former Judith Ferris, two daughters, two grandsons, and one great-grandson.
John Elias Soffey, Jr. ’63
John Elias Soffey, Jr. ’63, a New York State human resources director and football official lately of Naples, Fla., was born on March 4, 1942, in Albany, N.Y., a son of Rose and John Soffey, Sr., a railroad brakeman. He was a graduate of the Vincentian Institute in Albany, where he excelled in football as an All-Albany player.
At the College, Soffey continued to shine on the gridiron as a running back for the football team. A member of Psi Upsilon, he also participated on the baseball field and in the Newman and Block H clubs.
Upon graduating with a major in French, Soffey worked for five years at the Hartford Accident & Indemnity Co. as a claims representative. He then began a 35-year career with the state of New York, retiring as director of human resources management for the Civil Service Department.
Soffey’s love of football remained with him throughout his life. He began as a college football official in 1972 with the Eastern College Athletic Conference and in 1984 with the Collegiate Independents Football Officiating Association. From 1991 to 1994, he was an on-field referee for Big East football and officiated many major college bowl and Army-Navy games. In 2011, Soffey was inducted into the Capital Region Football Hall of Fame.
Reminiscing on the impact of the College on his life for his 40th reunion yearbook, Soffey opined: “Hamilton reinforced the principle that one must ‘do the right thing’ when faced with a variety of choices. I carried that philosophy with me in my human resources position and every time I stepped onto the football field to officiate—and it served me well in both disciplines.”
An avid tennis player and golfer, Soffey was a member of Normanside Country Club in Delmar, N.Y., and Naples Heritage Golf Club, according to a published obituary.
John E. Soffey, Jr. died on May 12, 2018, in Naples, Fla., after a long illness. He was 76 and is survived by his wife, the former Ellen Banker, whom he had wed during his senior year at Hamilton, four daughters, and four grandchildren.
Jeffrey Ralph Ginman ’64
Jeffrey Ralph Ginman ’64, an account manager of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., was born on April 30, 1942, in Yonkers, N.Y., a son of the former Marjorie Sullivan and Wesley Walker and, later, Ralph Ginman, a sales manager. He attended Sacred Heart High School in Yonkers and graduated from Bronxville High School in New York.
Ginman attended Hamilton for one year and was a member of Sigma Phi. In 1967, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University, majoring in economics. He also served in the Naval Reserves, receiving an honorable discharge in 1968.
For almost 45 years, Ginman worked with Energizer Batteries, starting as a salesman and working up to national account manager. He had previously worked for Radiologic Specialists of Indiana, Inc.
As a young adult, Ginman was the lead singer of a rock band, the Esquires, which played with such renowned musicians as Fats Domino and Chuck Berry. The group headlined at popular places such as the former CBGB and the Cheetah in New York City, according to a published obituary. It was also during one of his concerts that Ginman met his future wife, Helen Marie Campbell. The two would enjoy 50 years of marriage.
Jeffrey R. Ginman and his wife died on April 10, 2017, in a tragic fire. He was 74 years old and is survived by two sons and five grandchildren.
James Bennett Southard III ’65
James Bennett Southard III ’65, an anesthesiologist of Cumberland, R.I., was born on Nov. 25, 1942, in Cold Spring, N.Y., a son of the former Adair Sohst and James Southard, Jr. ’25, an attorney. Southard was a graduate of the Taft School in Watertown, Conn.
Intending to pursue a career in medicine, Southard majored in biology and was a member of the track and field team and Delta Phi. After three years at Hamilton, he was called to duty with the U.S. Army, serving from 1964 to 1967 as an operating room technician in Würzburg, Germany, during the time of the war in Vietnam.
Following his military service, Southard enrolled at Boston University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1970 and a medical degree in 1974. His career as an anesthesiologist included work at Hartford Hospital and Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Connecticut, and at the former Lying-In Hospital, Notre Dame Hospital, Roger Williams Medical Center, and Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in Rhode Island.
Southard was a member of the Lincoln Council Knights of Columbus, the American Medical Association, and the Rhode Island Anesthesia Association. He enjoyed gardening, making home improvements, and hockey, regularly playing in men’s leagues, according to a published obituary.
James B. Southard III died on Jan. 21, 2018, at the age of 75. He is survived by his wife of 18 years, the former Jean Clauss; one daughter; three sons; two stepdaughters; two stepsons; five grandchildren; and three step-grandchildren. An earlier marriage to the former Nancy Wood had ended in divorce.
Robert Steven Anderson ’66
Robert Steven Anderson ’66, an attorney of New York City and Chappaqua, N.Y., was born on Dec. 8, 1944, in Auburn, N.Y., a son of the former Marjorie Hunter and Bror Anderson. His father was serving as a captain in the U.S. Army during World War II when he died; Anderson’s mother then married Burke Drummond ’31, an Auburn attorney, who raised Anderson and encouraged him to attend his alma mater. Anderson graduated from Auburn East High School.
On the Hill, Anderson was a member and captain of the swimming team and Theta Delta Chi, for which he served as treasurer. He majored in history. In addition to his stepfather, Anderson’s Hamilton legacy includes his daughter, Avery Anderson ’03; his step-grandfather, Richard C.S. Drummond, Class of 1901; and a cousin, Richard Babcock ’83.
After his Hamilton graduation, he earned a J.D. degree from Cornell University in 1969 and spent his career practicing law as an attorney/partner in New York City firms.
Anderson’s devotion and connection to his alma mater continued throughout his life. In 1978, he was elected president of Hamilton’s Metropolitan NY Alumni Association. He also volunteered in numerous capacities with fundraising campaigns and served with his wife, Jan, on the Parents Advisory Council. In 2012, his mother established the Marjorie H.A. and Burke W. Drummond ’31 Scholarship to support students from New York’s Auburn or Cayuga counties who demonstrate financial need.
R. Steven Anderson, who found the Adirondack Mountains to be the closest place to his heart, died on April 14, 2018. He was 73 years old. He is survived by his wife, daughter, and a son.
Gary Richard Drum ’67
Gary Richard Drum ’67, a college professor and Methodist pastor of Jackson, Tenn., was born on April 26, 1945, in Rochester, N.Y., the son of Iola and Ardean Drum, an editor and biller for the Eastman Kodak Co. He graduated from Greece Olympia High School.
At Hamilton, Drum was active in a variety of activities and took on a number of leadership roles. He served as president of the Conservative Club and as program director at WHCL. A member of Delta Phi, he was manager of the cross country, track, and hockey teams, and participated in the Block H, German, and Philosophy clubs.
After graduating with majors in classics and philosophy, and earning the Winslow Prize in Greek, he began graduate work at the University of Tennessee and eventually earned a master’s and a doctorate in communication in 1976 and 1987.
Reflecting on his Hamilton years, Drum shared these thoughts for his 40th reunion yearbook: “I arrived in 1963 as just another bright kid with good grades and test scores and a cut-and-dried idea of life: college, career, retire, die. I left the Hill in 1967 with unanswered questions, unclear of what was next, and a sense that life had possibilities I would have to discover. From my love for learning … to my desire to make a difference in the lives of others, Hamilton influences virtually every day of my life.”
After stints working in radio, Drum turned his career focus to education. He joined the faculty of Kentucky Wesleyan College, where he also served as radio program director, and, later, Murray State University in Kentucky. His favorite teaching position, however, was at Lambuth University in Tennessee, according to a published obituary. He taught communications, philosophy, ethics, and film at the various colleges where he worked.
Interested throughout his life in advocating for social justice issues, Drum was a licensed United Methodist pastor and served churches for 28 years. He was also active with the Tennessee Equality Project. He loved hockey, traveling, making films, reading, his Asiatic lilies, and Macs, the obituary noted. His friends said he stood for something, even in these troubled times.
Gary R. Drum died on March 31, 2018, after a long illness. He was 72 and is survived by his sister, his best friend, Anthony Julian, and nieces and nephews.
Hiram Ward Hamlin, Jr. ’68
Hiram Ward Hamlin, Jr. ’68, an attorney of Colden, N.Y., was born on Dec. 22, 1946, in Buffalo, N.Y., the son of the former Margaret Baker and Ward Hamlin ’30, a sales manager for a chemical company. He was a graduate of the Nichols School in Buffalo, where he joined the Glee Club and started a lifelong passion for music and choral singing.
Hamlin continued singing at Hamilton, where he was manager of the College Choir and Buffers, and a member of the soccer and track and field teams, Root-Jessup Public Affairs, and Chi Psi. He majored in government and received his degree in 1969.
In a 1990 Hamilton College Alumni Register survey, Hamlin noted, “The liberal arts program whets an inquiring mind and prepares one for the process of learning, which never ceases in life. The core curriculum mandated exposure to a broad range of subject matter — some of which has been of surprising utility in later years.”
After earning a J.D. from Albany Law School in 1971, Hamlin embarked on his long career as an attorney, first in the Albany area where he also managed the Troy Music Hall. Returning to Buffalo, he worked as a defense attorney for the St. Paul Travelers Cos. for 35 years and then joined the firm of Brown and Kelly in 2007, retiring in 2016.
Active in professional circles, he was a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Erie County Bar Association, the Western New York Trial Lawyers’ Association, and the Defense Trial Lawyers Association of Western New York. Hamlin was also a tenor soloist with the Trinity Choir at Trinity Episcopal Church for many years and was a member of St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir, performing with them in England, France, and Sweden.
H. Ward Hamlin, Jr. died on June 30, 2018, after a brief illness. He was 71. He is survived by his wife of 31 years, the former Emlynn Samter, two daughters, one son, and two grandchildren.
Ebou Manga ’68
Ebou Manga ’68, a food business worker of Riverside, Calif., who was instrumental in leading Alex Haley to his “roots,” was born on May 26, 1945, in Bathurst, Gambia, a son of the former Jengoy N’Dow and Malick Ousman Manga, a druggist and Gambian tribal leader. He attended the Crab Island School in Bathurst and graduated from the Salisbury School in Connecticut.
At Hamilton, Manga participated in a variety of extracurricular activities while majoring in public policy. A member of the soccer team, he trouped with the Charlatans and lent his talents to The Spectator, Root-Jessup Public Affairs Council, and the Black and Latino Student Union. He was a member of the Emerson Literary Society.
It was also during his time on College Hill that Manga happened to meet Alex Haley, who was spending two years at Hamilton as a writer-in-residence. Conversations between the two would lead Haley to believe that Manga might be the key to providing a link to his familial past in their mutual native country of Gambia.
“Before Alex met me, he had searched desperately for someone who could speak [the] same language as his grandmother, someone who was from Gambia and could take him there — but he hadn’t found a soul,” Manga later recounted. “What Alex didn’t know was that there was someone right under his nose who could help him — me.”
The professor and student traveled to the West African country where Manga introduced Haley to his father and other tribal oral historians who helped the writer find the watershed to his clan’s history that eventually became the best-selling book and groundbreaking television series Roots. Haley and Manga were reunited at Hamilton in 1977 when the former student presented his former teacher with an honorary doctor of humane letters at that year’s Commencement ceremony.
Ebou Manga, who worked as a purchasing and operations executive with Hunt-Wesson Foods in Fullerton, Calif., died on Nov. 15, 2017, with his wife of 42 years, Velma Lee Manga, by his side. He was 72 years old and is also survived by three children and seven grandchildren. Manga’s legacy at Hamilton includes his sister, Lena Manga-Sagnia K’73, the first black graduate of Kirkland College, and a nephew, Kekoye Sagnia ’97.
William Goold Tripp ’68
William Goold Tripp ’68, a high school English teacher of LeRoy, N.Y., was born on April 12, 1946, in Rhinebeck, N.Y., a son of the former Frances Bostwick, a music teacher, and Frederick Tripp, a high school administrator. He graduated from the Schoharie Central School District.
During his time on College Hill, Tripp was a member of the men’s baseball team, Psi Upsilon, and a number of instrumental groups. He focused his studies in English both at Hamilton for three years and later at the State University College at Geneseo, where he graduated in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree. He earned a master’s degree in English, also from Geneseo, in 1976.
From 1969 to 2001, Tripp was an English teacher at LeRoy High School where he remained active with athletics. He coached baseball and cross country and filmed varsity football games. He was also a class adviser for many years, according to a published obituary.
Tripp was an avid fisherman and bowler who enjoyed music (including playing the French horn), hunting, golfing, and playing euchre card games. During summer breaks from school and into his retirement, he could be found painting houses and providing lawn care and general yard work around the neighborhood.
William G. Tripp died on July 23, 2017. He was 71 years old and is survived by his wife of 40 years, the former Susan Davis, a daughter, and two granddaughters. An earlier marriage had ended in divorce.
