Theta Xi - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

ALPHABET SOUP – WINTER 2023 CHAPTER ETERNAL___________________ Robert W. McNeally '49 (A619), 96, of Gorham, ME, entered Chapter Eternal on April 6, 2016. A lifelong resident of Maine, Bob was born in Portland on February 6, 1920. Counted among those who served with the 57 th Bomb Wing of the United States Army Air Force, he saw action in World War II in Northern Africa, Corsica, and Italy. Following the end of the war, Bob went on to earn a bachelor's degree in management engineering from RPI in 1949. After graduation, Bob was employed by the S.D. Warren Company and the State of Maine. Outside of work, he was associated with the Immanuel Baptist Church, the Greenough Fund, Boy Scouts, and the Cooperative Extension Foundation. Bob is survived by his wife, Enid, five children, and five grandchildren. William E. Dean, Jr. ['49] (A678), 95, of Fairview Park, OH, entered Chapter Eternal on May 18, 2023. Born in Des Moines, IA, his family moved around the country at times before they settled in the East Cleveland area. In the fall of 1944, Bill enrolled at RPI on full tuition scholarship; he enlisted in the Navy the next year, but it was short-lived. By July 1946, Bill was taking classes at RPI again. When he was a junior, Bill transferred to the University of Michigan where he became affiliated with Sigma Chapter and became president of the fraternity his senior year. After graduating from the Business School in the summer of 1949, his career was spent with various insurance companies in the Midwest including the Insurance Company of North America, the W.F. Ryan Corporation, and Wilson, McBride & Company before starting his own firm Dean & Company in 1974. He loved to golf and enjoyed fishing and photography. His first wife, Shirley Ann (married 1950), died in 1970 and his second wife Gloria (married 1987), died in 2017. Bill is survived by his two children, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Douglas A. Heydon '51 (A699), 93, of Washington, DC, entered Chapter Eternal on April 15, 2022. Born in Brooklyn, NY, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1951. His brother Howard was also a Theta Xi. Brother Heydon's career was centered on the commercial space-launching industry. He served as president of the US subsidiary of Arianespace S.A., the European space consortium, with responsibility for marketing Ariane launch services in the US and contributed to the national debate on space transportation policy. Donald B. Higgins '51 (A703), 95, of Rochester, NY, entered Chapter Eternal on January 19, 2023. He was born in Rochester and graduated from Brighton High School before earning a bachelor's degree in management at RPI. Donald is survived by four children, ten grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Edward M. Thoben, Jr. '49 (A739), 94, of Louisville, KY, entered Chapter Eternal on January 7, 2019. Born and raised in Louisville, he graduated from Male High School in 1942 and attended Rose Polytechnic Institute before being called up as a Volunteer Cadet Trainee in the Air Force in April 1943. He served at several bases in the 1 st Air Force until he was discharged in January 1946, eventually retiring at the rank of Major. After the war, Ed enrolled at RPI and graduated in June 1949 with a bachelor's degree in management engineering. He began working at American Standard holding various positions until his retirement in 1986 as Divion General Manager. Ed later bought and managed the ACME Wholesale Furnace Supply and ACME Walton Tool & Die until he retired a second time in 1987. He enjoyed tennis and golf, and he and his wife, Betty, loved spending time with his grandchildren. Ed is survived by four children, three grandchildren, and one great-grandson. John F. Donovan '51 (A746), 94, of Orchard Park, NY, entered Chapter Eternal on September 23, 2021. Born in Rochester, he graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School and soon after enrolled in the Navy in 1945. After the war, John enrolled at RPI on the GI Bill, graduating in 1951, with a bachelor's degree in management engineering. John was also a recipient of the Tau Beta Pi award while in school. He started working at Kodak in Rochester before going on to attend Georgetown Law School and graduating in two years and second in his class. Hired in 1959, he went on to become a partner at the Buffalo law firm Phillips Lytle LLP before retiring in 1992. John led the firm's labor law division, serving as peacemaker in many disputes between labor and corporate sides. He enjoyed working as a director at the Buffalo Canoe Club and volunteered at many places, including managing his sons' hockey teams. John is survived by his wife, five children, fourteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. John C. Custer '51 (A748), 90, of Pittsboro, NC, entered Chapter Eternal on March 2, 2021. Born in Mineola, NY, John graduated from Garden City High School before going on to attend RPI. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering in 1951 and an MBA from Xavier University later in life. After graduation, John began working in the defense industry for the Mason and Hanger-Silas Mason Company up to his retirement as Chairman of the Board in 1996. He also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Benchmark Electronic until 2001. John and his wife were active in many local organizations in Pittsboro after retirement. He enjoyed golf, puzzles, and spending time with friends. John married his high school sweetheart, Jean, in 1951 and they had two children before she passed away in 2005. He married Dora in 2006 and had a wonderful life together before her passing in 2008. John is survived by two children and four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Wesley A. Armstrong, Jr. ['51] (A767), 95, of Southport, NC, entered Chapter Eternal on June 1, 2022. Wes was born in Buffalo, NY, in 1927, the second of two brothers, and grew up in Bristol, Rhode Island. Wes attended Tabor Academy and served in the US Army Occupation Forces at the end of war. He began his collegiate career at RPI to study management engineering and joined Alpha Chapter like his father, Wesley; his uncle, George; and his brother, Dean; before him, but went on to graduate from Nichols College. Wes worked for Travelers Insurance Company and Sylvania Electric before serving as Director of Risk Management with General Dynamics which built fighter aircraft, tankers, tanks, and satellite launch vehicles. Before retiring, he served as Director of Risk Management for Fairchild Industries. Wes married Barbara in 1951 and they raised five children together before she passed away in 1991. After moving to the Chesapeake Bay area, Wes met and married Loraine. They relocated to Southport and were active in their new church. Wes loved sports, playing football, lacrosse, sailing, swimming, and skiing. He is survived by Loraine, five children, and three grandchildren. James W. Huston, Jr ['53] (A793), 34, of Redding, CA, entered Chapter Eternal on July 1, 1967. Born in Montesano, WA, he graduated from Anchorage High School in Anchorage, AK, before enrolling at RPI in 1949 to study civil engineering. James was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps before going on to become a deputy director of public works for Shasta County in California. He

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