In Memoriam: Spring 2023
Dr. Bernadette “Bernie” MacPherson ’53, MSSP ’61, who taught Speech Communication at Emerson for 25 years, passed away on January 15. She was 94.
She earned a BA in Drama and English from Emerson in 1953, while also teaching dance at Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Boston, and performed in many amateur drama productions. She returned to the College to pursue an MS in Speech and joined the faculty in 1960. She later earned PhD from Boston College in 1977.
MacPherson was deeply committed to the community and in the 1970s, realizing the lack of resources available to women who had been subjected to domestic violence, co-founded and later was elected president of Quincy, MA-based DOVE (Domestic Violence Ended), which continues to provide advocacy and support services. She also became involved in small claims mediation in the Quincy District Court during the 1980s, later receiving the Jason Feldman Outstanding Citizen Award for her service.
In 1988, Emerson honored her with a Distinguished Alumni Award for her professional contributions.
She is survived by three nephews and two nieces.
Charlotte Lindgren Winslow, H ’67, professor emerita, died on November 26 at the age of 98.
An inspiring literature teacher and champion of the liberal arts, Lindgren Winslow taught at Emerson for nearly 30 years, joining the College during the 1960–61 academic year as a faculty member in what was then the English Department. Five years later, she was named chair of the department, a position she held until 1980. Lindgren Winslow was deeply involved in the life of the College, as well as its students, serving as head of Faculty Assembly and on the Library Building Committee, among other committees; as advisor to the Kappa
Gamma Chi sorority; and as a teacher in the Emerson Summer School Abroad.
Her commitment to Emerson students will live on for years to come through the Charlotte H. Lindgren Scholarship Fund, an endowed fund that she established in 2018.
She was the author of several books, including a biography of the novelist Gerald Warner Brace and several books on poet William Barnes, and published many articles and reviews in academic journals. In her later years, she served as an Overseer of Lasell College, where her husband served as Trustee.
She held bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from Boston University. In 1967, Emerson awarded her an honorary master of arts degree.
Predeceased by her husband, Donald Winslow, in 2010, she leaves her brother, David Treadwell Lindgren, and his wife, Dora, of Washington, DC; her daughter-in-law, Eileen Winslow; six nephews; five great-nephews; three great-nieces; and two step-grandchildren.
1950
Perry Massey of Hudson, NY, died on February 4, 2023, at the age of 95. Massey graduated with a BA.
Mitzi Szerlip of Pompton Plains, NJ, died on January 1, 2023, at the age of 94.
1951
Sarah Smyth of Quispamsis, New Brunswick, Canada, died on January 3, 2023, at the age of 94. Smyth graduated with a BA, as well as an MA in 1952.
1952
Doranne Smith of Jenkintown, PA, died on November 16, 2022. Smith graduated with a BA, as well as an MA in Speech Communication Studies in 1956.
1953
Debra Kalodner of Elkins Park, PA, died on February 20, 2023, at the age of 90. Kalodner graduated with a BA.
Fred Strassmann of Naples, FL, died on March 11, 2023, at the age of 93. Strassmann graduated with a BA.
1955
Robert Corey of Brockton, MA, died on January 22, 2023, at the age of 89. Corey graduated with a BA.
1957
Susan Finman of Sarasota, FL, died on September 20, 2022, at the age of 87. Finman graduated with a BA.
1958
Anne Desmarais of Baltimore, MD, died on October 23, 2022, at the age of 86.
1960
Joan Pelon of Meredith, NH, died on November 12, 2022, at the age of 84. Pelon graduated with a BA
Carl Schmider of Chippewa Falls, WI, died on December 31, 2022, at the age of 90. Schmider graduated with a BA, as well as an MA in 1963.
1961
Victoria Fitzgibbon of Springfield, IL, died on November 22, 2022, at the age of 85.
1962
Joseph Karas of Deming, NM, died on November 9, 2022, at the age of 79.
1967
Alfred Accardi of Arlington, MA, died on January 13, 2023, at the age of 80. Accardi graduated with a BSSp in Theatre Education: Acting.
Marcia Mann of Pittsburgh, PA, died on December 5, 2022, at the age of 78.
1971
Joy Biller-Pirog of Burlington, MA, died on January 9, 2023, at the age of 73.
Michael Connor of Walhalla, SC, died on December 22, 2022, at the age of 74. Connor graduated with a BSSp in Speech Communication Studies.
Dawne Nolan of Woodbridge, CT, died on January 13, 2023, at the age of 73. Nolan graduated with a BA.
1973
Richard Hallman of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, died on February 19, 2023, at the age of 72. Hallman
graduated with a BSSp.
1976
Patricia Bowen of Brooklyn, NY, died on July 16, 2022, at the age of 68.
1977
Linda Dest of Branford, CT, died on November 6, 2022, at the age of 67.
Catherine Schuler of Silver Spring, MD, died on November 7, 2022, at the age of 70. Schuler graduated with an MA.
1978
Eric Boulanger of Cincinnati, OH, died on February 3, 2023, at the age of 66. Boulanger graduated with a BA.
1979
William Garrett of Los Angeles, CA, died on December 9, 2022, at the age of 73. Garrett graduated with a BFA in Mass Communication: Film.
Edward Jones of Liverpool, NY, died on November 6, 2022, at the age of 66. Jones graduated with a BS.
1985
Yvonne Bland of Nashville, TN, died on January 22, 2023, at the age of 61. Bland graduated with
an MA in Communication Studies.
1988
Todd Pierce of Northport, NY, died on February 24, 2023, at the age of 57. Pierce graduated with a BS in Mass Communication: Television.
1992
Henry Valati of Blackstone, MA, died on November 5, 2022, at the age of 65.
1996
Darren Perkell of New York, NY, died on January 19, 2023, at the age of 49. Perkell graduated with a
BS in Film.
1997
Emily Russin of Seattle, WA, died on January 24, 2023, at the age of 53. Russin graduated with
an MFA in Creative Writing.
2002
Eric Frishman of Andover, MA, died on March 5, 2023, at the age of 41. He graduated with a
BFA in Theatrical Design and Production.
2009
Alexander Modzeleski of Los Angeles, CA, died on October 1, 2022, at the age of 35. Modzeleski graduated
with a BA in Film.
2023
Holly Mello of Tiverton, RI, died on January 31, 2023, at the age of 35. Mello will graduate posthumously
with an MFA in Media Art.
2025
Brooks Walker of East Orange, NJ, died on February 3, 2023, at the age of 19. He was a Media Arts Production
major.
Faculty, Staff & Friends
Brandon Arakelian ’92 of North Andover, MA (former staff), died on March 13, 2023, at the age of 52.
Arakelian graduated with a BSSp in Speech Communication, Politics, and Law.
Chijoke Okeke of South Hamilton, MA (former faculty), died on February 8, 2023, at the age of 32.
Dick Pleasants ’70 of Burlington, MA (former faculty), died on November 8, 2022, at the age of 75.
Edward Villard of Quincy, MA (former staff), died on February 26, 2023, at the age of 68.
Myra Weiser ’58 of New York, NY (former Trustee), died on November 16, 2022, at the age of 84. Weiser
graduated with a BSSp.
Expression magazine was notified of the passing of these community members between October 1, 2022, and March 15, 2023.
