Theta Xi - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tax Service. Sam is survived by his two children and two grandchildren. Kenneth E. Vought, Jr. '59 (A919), 82, of Croton-on- Hudson, NY, entered Chapter Eternal on December 16, 2018. He graduated from RPI with a degree in ElecE and was a member of the IEEE New York Section. Kenneth was a proud Navy veteran who served on active duty with the USS Bristol's Destroyer Squadron 12 that escorted USSR missiles from Cuba. He was also a Mason affiliated with Lodge #859 and served as a SCORE counselor. He is survived by his wife, Inge, a stepson, and a granddaughter. Robert W. "Bill" Brakeman, Jr. '61 (A948), of Litchfield, CT, entered Chapter Eternal on February 14, 2020. Bill earned a degree in ElecE from RPI and enjoyed a successful career working up to the age of 81 at the company he founded, the Sonic Corporation in Stratford, CT. He was an avid pilot and passionate about flying his entire life. Among his many interests, Bill was a dog lover at heart. He is survived by his wife, Lee, four children, and six grandchildren. Stephen A. Horn '61 (A954) of Harbor Springs, MI, entered Chapter Eternal on August 3, 2020. Steve graduated with a degree in MechE from RPI where he played football and baseball. He received a MBA from University of Michigan before working at Arthur Andersen and the Fred Sanders Company. In 1984, Steve was recruited to become the CEO of the Renaissance Center Venture and managed the operation of the well-known Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit until his retirement in 1994. He was an avid squash player and a staunch supporter of animal rescue operations. Steve is survived by his wife of 58 years, Jane, three children, and eight grandchildren. Richard R. "Zeke" Zavesky '66 (A1025), 75, of Indian Harbor Beach, FL, entered Chapter Eternal on August 9, 2020. Dick graduated with a CivilE degree from RPI and worked at Exxon briefly before changing direction and joining the Peace Corps, serving several years in Nepal. His closest brother at RPI, Roger Cavanna (A1035), also served in the Peace Corps. While at Rensselaer, both played major roles in RPI football and lacrosse; in point of fact, many of the mid-'60s era will confirm that Dick was one of the most physically fit individuals they ever met. Zeke, as Dick was known to the brothers, was the leader of his pledge class and was house steward his junior year, working famously with the house cook, Ben Mitchell. After his time in the Peace Corps, he eventually returned to school and earned a MS degree in 1976 and a PhD in 1982 at The Polytechnic Institute of New York City. Following a 17-year career working for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and a stint as Town Engineer for the City of Stamford, CT, Dick and his wife, Ellen, moved to the sunny climes of Florida where he offered services as a design build consultant. Many thanks to Rick Gordon '65 (A1024) for contributing details of Zeke's life and career. He was "a real mensch" according to Rick. Michael J. "Campy" Campanella '87 (A1250), 56, of Auburn, NH, entered Chapter Eternal on May 6, 2021. He earned a BS in CompSci at RPI and went on to work as a software engineer for Newforma for 16 years. While at RPI, Campy served as vice-president at Alpha, and he is fondly remembered for his efforts along with the seven other Alpha brothers in reorganizing and in breathing new life into the chapter in the mid-1980s. His attitude of choice was calm with a smile rarely far from his face. He was a wonderful example of how to belong, get along, all the while, forging ahead. He enjoyed playing pool, exploring the family genealogy, playing guitar, and was a huge New England Patriots fan. Michael is survived by his wife of 16 years, Christine, his parents, three siblings, and his nieces and nephew. A big thank you to Allan Herman '89 (A1284) for contributing details. ALUMNI NEWS ________________________ Richard L. Maher '55 (A839) shared that the Maher clan lost four homes to the Glass Fire in the Napa Valley area of California last September. Among those was the home of 45 years where Dick and his late wife raised their five children. "Been busy ever since wrestling with the insurance company." He lives in Yountville, CA. Email: dick@maherwine.com Rudolph R. Nessel '58 (A889) wrote that he is still going strong as CEO of Interface, Inc. Rudy's company provides consulting services to companies doing business with the federal government. Environmental science is his current focus with the company office in Manassas, VA. Rudy also wished to report the passing of Dr. Jerry Pallet from the Class of 1958. Email: rnessel@interfacinc.com David L. Schuettner, Jr. '89 (A1272) of North Reading, MA, has started a new business, ColorOnTheWall, which you can find on Facebook or Instagram, offering portable vertical wall printing for residential and commercial applications as well as many other custom printing solutions. Email: schuettner@gmail.com Daniel A. Swaab '92 (A1313) of Seattle, WA, reported that his daughter, Olivia, is a senior in high school and about to select a college. Dan's feeling very youthful about the whole process. Email: danielswaab@msn.com We Want to Hear from You! Tell us what you're up to! Do you have any career highlights or family updates you'd like to share with your Theta Xi brothers? How have you been coping with life during the pandemic? What has been keeping you busy? We are always looking and listening for stories to include in our AlphaBet Soup updates. Submissions can be sent to Matt Glaccum '92 (A1324) at mattglaccum@gmail.com.

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