MYSTIC CIRCLE OF ∆KE

across North America and employs over 30 people across the country. Tie & Timber Technologies creates rail ties and other lumber products in the Mullins, S.C. area.

BUDDY NOEL ZETA ZETALSU ’50

Lawrence Joseph

“Buddy” Noel III, a third generation farmer who lived his entire life in the Donaldsonville, La., area, died November 21 – hours before his 94th birthday. While farming was his obsession, Buddy’s business interests were broad and varied after an early start as a principal in a John Deere dealership that grew to 17 locations across Louisiana. His service to his community ranged from participation on the local school board for 16 years to presiding over port activities in Baton Rouge, being appointed to the Greater Baton Rouge Port Commission by Governor Dave Treen. He was elected President of that Commission in 1991. Active in the banking community, Buddy also had served as president of the bank, acquired by Hibernia, that later became Capital One.

ROBERT SHAW BRIDGES JR LAMBDAKENYON ’86

Robert “Rob” Bridges Jr., who graduated from Deerfield Academy and Kenyon College, where he earned All-America honors as a diver and member of the national championship swim team, died in December 2022 in Vero Beach, Fla. Rob was a loyal and dedicated Lambda Deke as well as a long term Board Member of the DKE Club of New York City. Rob had a long and successful career in investment management. Rob was a devoted member of Christ Church Greenwich, Conn., serving others, packing, and serving meals to those in need, as well as through his service on the Board of the FPWA in New York City. In his free time, Rob enjoyed golfing, hiking, skiing, vacationing in Maine, and cheering on his sons at swim meets and water polo matches.

GARY FITTS GAMMAVANDERBILT ’55

Travis Gary Fitts, the son of a Deke, was born in Tuscaloosa, Ala. in 1933 and died on May 28, 2022. Although himself a Gamma Deke, most of the other Fitts boys were proud Psi Dekes. The long legacy line includes Gary’s great-grandfather Philip Augustus Fitts, Psi 1857; his father, James Harris Fitts III, Psi 1923; his son, Travis Gary Fitts, Jr., Psi 1981; his second son, Joseph David Fitts, Psi 1982; and his grandson, Travis Garrett Fitts, Psi 2016.

Gary was a true gentleman in every sense, he placed the welfare of others ahead of his own. He believed in giving back to his community and served in leadership posts in many civic organizations. Gary was an avid outdoorsman who loved to fish and hunt. He was a skilled craftsman and a tennis player throughout his life.

Upon graduating he was commissioned as 2nd Lt. USMC and attended flight school in Pensacola, Fla., the start of a 30-year-plus career as a naval aviator. Later, he joined his Father, Jim Fitts Jr., in the family insurance business. Under his leadership, Fitts Agency Inc. flourished and upon Gary’s retirement was one of the largest independent insurance agencies in western Alabama.

KENNETH E. MILLER SIGMA RHOSTANFORD ’54

Dr. Kenneth E. Miller, a proud and loyal Deke at Stanford University who later earned the nickname Dr. Wonderful, passed away on Dec. 14, 2022. Upon graduation from Stanford, Ken joined the Navy and was an aviation cadet in Pensacola, Fla. He served with the VS 21 squadron on the aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea in the western Pacific. Discharged from the Navy in 1958, he started medical school at Hahnemann College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pa. Ken joined San Diego Diagnostic Radiology Group as a pediatric radiologist, practicing at Sharp Memorial Hospital and Children’s Hospital of San Diego. Ken started the first radiology

BETA-NORTH CAROLINA

Fred Maner ’53

DELTA PHI-ALBERTA

Bob Nicholl ’51

GAMMA-VANDERBILT

Lewis Stabler Jr. ’58

KAPPA EPSILONWASHINGTON

Kirk Adams ’58 department at Children’s Hospital in 1985. Ken retired from medicine in 1993.

STEVE COFFIN THETABOWDOIN ’62

Steven E. Coffin, who learned to play the tuba at Mount Desert High School in Northeast Harbor, Maine, went on to be part of the Bowdoin College Marching Band and a devoted brother in Delta Kappa Epsilon, passed away on Dec. 25, 2022. Steve was delighted to attend his 55th college reunion in 2017. He loved his years at Bowdoin and maintained friendships with many of his fraternity brothers until his stroke in November 2021.

At Ellsworth High School, Steve taught English for 31 years and coached cross-country for over 20 years, winning six state championships for both boys and girls. Steve dedicated his time over the years to many local organizations, including Frenchman Bay Conservancy, Hancock Historical Society, Hancock Town Planning Board and the Mount Desert Island Hospital Board.

Kento Yasuhara

DELTA CHICORNELL ’04

Dr. Kento Yasuhara, who was just 40 years old, passed away January 11 after a brief Illness. More than a dozen of his Deke brothers from the late ‘90’s and 2000’s joined a recent Celebration of Life Zoom call and shared fond stories. Just a few months ago Kento participated in an alumni event with the Fall pledges at Delta Chi chapter. Dr. Yasuhara joined the University of New Haven staff in 2013 as an assistant professor in Psychology. He was an accomplished clinical and forensic psychologist and an expert on the intersection of mental health and criminal justice with his research published is a variety of academic journals. Kento was highly regarded by both students and colleagues and respected for his leadership of the university’s curriculum committee.

PSI-ALABAMA

Rufus Partlow Jr. ’51

Louis Finlay Jr. ’54

John Langus ’62

Newt Reynolds ’63

ZETA ZETA-LSU

William Zetzmann III ’77

Eric Folse ’84