Obituary
Sociologist Christopher Jencks Remembered As a Fearless Skeptic, Exceptional Mentor
Jencks, who moved from Northwestern University to Harvard Kennedy School in 1996, died at his home on Saturday, Feb. 8 from complications of Alzheimer's disease. He was 88.
Historian Stephan Thernstrom Remembered as Humble Pioneer, Leading Opponent of Affirmative Action
Stephan Thernstrom, a social historian and strong opponent of affirmative action who taught at Harvard for over thirty years, died Jan. 23 in Arlington, Virginia.
Harvard Junior Lakota Tolloak Remembered as an Energetic Mentor, Supportive Friend
Tolloak, a junior in Pforzheimer House concentrating in Integrative Biology on the premedical track, died on Jan. 17 after a brief illness. He was 21.
Robert Wolff ’53-’54, Social Studies’ Last Founding Father, Remembered as a Public-Spirited Philosopher
Robert P. Wolff ’53-’54, a political philosopher and activist who was the last surviving co-founder of Harvard’s Social Studies concentration, died in January at 91.
Nobel Laureate Martin Karplus ’51 Remembered as Attentive Mentor, ‘Pioneering’ Chemist
Martin Karplus ’51 developed ground-breaking computer models to study chemical reactions and molecular dynamics, mentored hundreds of scientists, and won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry. But his love for the sciences began with another discipline — biology.
Ryan Murdock ’25 Remembered as Dedicated Advocate and Caring Friend
Ryan H. Murdock ’25, a senior in Dunster House remembered for his sense of humor and passion for environmental justice, died on Oct. 18 after a brief illness. He was 21.
Richard A. Cash, Developer of Oral Rehydration Therapy, Dies at 83
Richard A. Cash died on Oct. 22 at his Cambridge home after an eight-month battle with brain cancer. He was 83.
Nicholas Daniloff ’56, Reporter Imprisoned in Soviet Union, Dies at 89
On May 15, 1992, the last leader of the Soviet Union was onstage at the Harvard Institute of Politics’ JFK Jr. Forum for a discussion when he took a question from a tall, self-assured man in square glasses.
Harvard Senior Ryan Murdock ’25 Dies After Brief Illness
Dunster House senior Ryan H. Murdock ’25 died on Friday after a brief illness, the College announced Sunday.
John Corcoran ’84, Cyclist Killed in Crash, Remembered for Devotion to Family
John Corcoran died on Sept. 23 after he was struck by an oncoming SUV while riding his bike on Memorial Drive. Family and friends remembered him as a devoted husband, father, and friend.
Longtime Harvard Social Studies Director Anya Bassett Remembered As ‘Greatest Mentor’
Anya E. B. Bassett, Harvard’s longtime director of undergraduate studies for Social Studies, died suddenly on Aug. 13. She was 56.
Roy Mottahedeh ’60, Pioneering Middle East Scholar Who Sought to Bridge U.S.-Iran Divide, Dies at 84
Roy W. P. Mottahedeh ’60, a longtime professor at Harvard who served as the founding director of the University’s Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Islamic Studies Program, died late last month at the age of 84.
Susan Wojcicki ’90, Former YouTube CEO and Silicon Valley Pioneer, Dies at 56
Susan D. Wojcicki ’90, a Silicon Valley pioneer who played an instrumental role in the rise of Google and later served as the chief executive officer of YouTube, died on Friday after living with lung cancer for two years.
‘The Rudder of the Organization’: Longtime PBHA Staff Member Lee Smith Remembered for Warmth and Intellect
Lee H. Smith, a longtime staff member at the Phillips Brooks House Association in Harvard Yard, died on June 19 in Burlington, Mass. She was 89.
‘Ask the Big, Hard Questions’: HLS Professor Christopher Edley Jr. Dies at 71
Christopher F. Edley Jr., a former Harvard Law School professor who advised U.S. Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton on affirmative action, died earlier last month. He was 71.
CNN Commentator, Harvard IOP Board Member Alice Stewart Remembered for ‘Extraordinary Commitment’ to Students
In the summer of 2023, Alice Stewart — a Republican political adviser and CNN commentator who served on the Institute of Politics Senior Advisory Committee — invited Abigail L. Carr ’25 to go on a walk near Stewart’s home in Alexandria, Virginia.
Alice Stewart, CNN Political Commentator and Harvard Institute of Politics Board Member, Dies at 58
Alice Stewart, a Republican political adviser and CNN commentator who was best known at Harvard for her dedication to undergraduate students as a member of the Institute of Politics Senior Advisory Committee, died early Saturday morning. She was 58.
‘Deep Commitment’: Former Interim IOP Director William Delahunt Remembered For Mentorship, Public Service
Longtime U.S. Representative William D. “Bill” Delahunt (D-Mass.) — a member of the Harvard Institute of Politics’ Senior Advisory Committee and the interim director of the IOP from 2016 to 2018 — died at his home in Quincy, Massachusetts, on Saturday. He was 82.
Former Public Health Dean Howard Hiatt Remembered as ‘Distinguished’ and ‘Selfless’
Howard H. Hiatt ’46 — prominent physician and former longtime dean of the Harvard School of Public Health — died at his home in Cambridge on March 2. He was 98.
Rachael Solem, Longtime Irving House Proprietor, Remembered for Her Impact on Local Businesses
Rachael Solem, a founding member of the Cambridge Local First business organization, was remembered by Cambridge residents and leaders for her commitment to the city’s small businesses and nonprofits.
Disability Rights Activist Brooke Ellison Remembered as a Friend and Leader
Ellison, a disability rights activist and one of the first quadriplegic persons to attend Harvard, died on Feb. 4 in Stony Brook University Hospital in New York. She was 45. Ellison’s family announced her death and honored her “extraordinary life” in a Feb. 4 Facebook post.
Harvard Law School’s Charles Fried Remembered as ‘Ebullient’ Professor Who ‘Loved Teaching’
A lifelong scholar of law and a longtime HLS professor who served as a U.S. solicitor general under U.S. President Ronald Reagan, Charles Fried died on Jan. 23 in Cambridge, Mass. He was 88.
Bernie Steinberg, Former Harvard Hillel Director, Remembered As ‘Tremendous’ Teacher, Listener
Late last year, Bernie Steinberg had been watching a crisis at Harvard unfold from his home in Chicago. As outrage over then-President Claudine Gay’s leadership and accusations of antisemitism on campus sparked national headlines, Steinberg — the director of Harvard Hillel from 1993 to 2010 — decided to take action.
Charles Fried, Former U.S. Solicitor General and Longtime Harvard Law School Professor, Dies at 88
Charles A. Fried, a longtime Harvard Law School professor and renowned conservative legal scholar who served as a U.S. solicitor general under President Ronald Reagan, died on Tuesday, according to a post on X from his son-in-law.
Mary Quinlan, Longtime HUDS Worker, Remembered as the ‘Very Heart’ of Cabot House
Mary A. Quinlan, a Harvard University Dining Services employee for nearly two decades, found a group of adoring students and colleagues at Cabot House. Quinlan died on Dec. 24 at age 78.