Robert Aubrey Tuggle (Memorial Note)
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Robert Aubrey Tuggle (Memorial Note) Robert Tuggle died January 24, 2016 from a stroke. He was the long time archivist of the Metropolitan Opera since 1983. He authored “The Golden Age of Opera” published in 1983. At his death he was working on a biography of Kirsten Flagstad, the Norwegian – born Wagnerian soprano. Born in Martinsville, VA, he graduated from the Martinsville High School. He majored in music at Princeton and was a member of Campus Club and active in the Theatre Intime. His senior thesis was on “Musical Characterization in Verdi.” After graduation, he served in the U.S. Army. The class is honored by his service to our country and extends condolences to his partner Paul Jeromack. Robert A. Tuggle (Obituary) Robert Tuggle, who as the longtime archivist of the Metropolitan Opera helped create a digital database that includes details from every performance since the Met opened with Gounod’s “Faust” on Oct. 22, 1883, died on Sunday in Manhattan. He was 83. The cause was complications of a stroke, his partner, Paul Jeromack, said. Mr. Tuggle was the opera’s director of archives for more than 34 years and the author of “The Golden Age of Opera,” published in 1983, with photographs by Herman Mishkin. At his death, he was working on a biography of Kirsten Flagstad, the Norwegian-born Wagnerian soprano. Mr. Tuggle was named archivist in 1981 after being director of education for the Metropolitan Opera Guild, a membership organization that supports the Met. Robert Aubrey Tuggle was born in Martinsville, Va., on April 17, 1932. His father, Howard Irvine Tuggle, was a Coca-Cola bottling company executive. His mother was the former Margaret Roper. In addition to Mr. Jeromack, with whom he collected decorative arts from the Aesthetic movement, he is survived by his sister, Betsy Tuggle Jones. After graduating in 1954 from Princeton University, where he studied musicology and wrote a thesis on Verdi, Mr. Tuggle served in the Army. Overseen by Mr. Tuggle, the Met’s database was unveiled in 2005, replacing record books and rows of index cards in a windowless subbasement office of the opera house adjoining a storeroom that houses rare documents and costumes. Mr. Tuggle persuaded the Met to make this encyclopedic database available free of charge. Opera buffs or serious researchers can discover how many sopranos made their Met debuts singing Wagner’s Sieglinde or how many times Birgit Nilsson performed with Franco Corelli. They would learn that as of today, “La Bohème” holds the repertory record, with 1,274 performances, and that the most prolific performer was the tenor Charles Anthony, with 2,928 appearances. He gave his farewell performance as Emperor Altoum in “Turandot” in 2010. Most historic documents remain available only to researchers at the archive. The archive includes a 1953 letter from Rudolf Bing, then the Met’s general manager, urging the company’s agent in Italy to keep pressuring Renata Tebaldi to commit to a Met debut. “You might tactfully remind Madame Tebaldi that we have now, on and off, tried to arrange an engagement since 1949,” an exasperated Mr. Bing wrote. “I know that Madame Tebaldi is extremely young,” he added, “but even Italian sopranos don’t get younger with the passing years!” Morton D. Williams (Memorial Note) Morton Williams of Garrison, NY died January 16, 2016 from cancer. He was born in White Plains, NY and graduated from the Hackney School. His college major was History. He rowed in the 150 pound crew and was a member of Cloister Inn. He served as a U. S. Naval aviator on active duty until 1959 and retired from the reserves in 1988 as a Captain. Mort earned an MBA from The Dearden School of Business at the University of Virginia. His subsequent career was in market research in New York City. He was an active member of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Garrison, NY. and a member of the Garrison Fish and Game Club. He became an active supporter of the Army crew team at West Point. In retirement, he enjoyed working at the Antipodean Books, Maps and Prints. He was predeceased by his wife of 47 years, Adele and is survived by his second wife Grazia, seven children, Adele, David, Partheria, Sara, Jane, Carol and Nicole and nine grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and his brothers David and Richard. The Class extends condolences to them and is honored by his service to our country. Wayne M. Rogers (Memorial Note) Wayne Rogers died on December 31, 2015 from complications of pneumonia. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, he matriculated from the Webb School. His Princeton major was History. A member of Tiger Inn, he was on the Undergraduate School Committee of the Orange Key and participated in Triangle Shows. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He had planned to go to law school but while his ship was in Brooklyn, he was seduced by acting when attending a friend’s theater rehearsal in 1955. Wayne studied acting and dance and began doing stage roles. His first television appearance was in 1959 on the soap opera “Search for Tomorrow.” Over the next decade he appeared on dozens of series, including “Gunsmoke,” “The Millionaire” and “The F.B.I.” before winning his star-making role on “M*A*S*H*.” At 42, Wayne moved on with his acting career, landing a series lead a year later as a private investigator in “City of Angels.” He later built a successful career as an investor and money manager, appearing regularly as a panelist on the Fox News show “Cash In.” In 1988-9, he appeared as an expert witness before the House Judiciary Committee, advocating the continuation the Glass-Steagall banking laws. His last film appearance was in “Nobody Knows Anything!” Although never appearing on a Broadway stage, he produced a half dozen plays there in the 1980s. Wayne married Mitzi McWhorter in 1960. They had two children and divorced in 1983. He is survived by his second wife Amy, son Bill, daughter Laura and four grandchildren. The class extends condolences to them and is honored by his remarkable career and his service to our country. Wayne Rogers (Obituary) Wayne Rogers, who starred as the beloved Trapper John McIntyre on "M.A.S.H." died Thursday, December 31, 2015 from complications of pneumonia, the Associated Press and Entertainment Weekly report. He was 82. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Rogers graduated from Princeton in 1954 with a degree in history. He turned to acting after serving in the Navy, co-starring in “Stagecoach West” from 1960-61. But he's best known for his iconic turn as army surgeon Trapper John on "M.A.S.H.," one of the most popular TV series in history. His character’s wisecracks and hijinks with his on-air partner-in-crime, Alan Alda’s Hawkeye Pierce, landed him deep in the affections of the show’s fans, despite the fact that Rogers only appeared in the first three of the show’s 11 seasons. Rogers remained a television fixture into the early 1990s, appearing in numerous shows, such as his recurring role on "Murder, She Wrote." He also turned an interest in finance he developed during his MASH years into a lucrative later career as a money manager and investor. In August 2006, Rogers was elected to the Board of Directors of Vishay Intertechnology, Inc and served as the head of Wayne Rogers & Co, a stock trading and investment company. He also appeared regularly as a panel member on the Fox News stock investment program, “Cashin' In.” According to the Associated Press, Rogers is survived by his wife Amy, two children, Bill and Laura, and four grandchildren Richard Case Smith (Memorial Note) Richard Smith died November 20, 2015 after a brief illness with acute leukemia. Born in Honolulu he attended Punahou High School. At Princeton his major was Economics. He was a member of Colonial Club, played varsity baseball and was in the NROTC. After graduation, He spent 3 years aboard two Navy destroyers in the Pacific. Dick subsequently had a 37-year career in commercial banking for the Security Pacific National Bank in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. In 1988, he joined the Santa Barbara Bank and Trust until his retirement in 1994. During his long career, he served on the boards of many civic organizations. Dick and his wife of 60 years, Larimore (Larie) traveled extensively and were regular attendees at all of our class reunions, mini reunions and special activities. The class is honored by his service to our country and extends condolences to his wife, sons Rick and Doug, daughter Judy and four grandchildren. Richard Case Smith (Obituary) Richard Case Smith, born August 3, 1932, died November 30, 2015 after a brief illness. He was born in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, the oldest son of Dudley Wall Smith and Elizabeth McClean Case. After graduating from Punahou School, he attended Princeton University on an NROTC scholarship. He was a proud alumnus of both schools. While serving three years in the Navy, Dick met and married Marion Larimore "Larie" Elliott of Sherman Oaks, CA. They settled in Manhattan Beach and Dick worked for Security Pacific National Bank in Los Angeles and, after a transfer in 1972, in Santa Barbara. In 1987 he started working for Santa Barbara Bank and Trust until his retirement in 1994. Dick loved his family, baseball, golf and traveling with his wife. He was active in numerous community organizations serving on the boards of The Cancer Foundation, The Boys and Girls Club, the Montecito YMCA, the Chamber of Commerce, Casa Dorinda Foundation and Birnam Wood Golf Club.