Howard “Pat” Curtiss

Howard “Pat” Curtiss, an Emeritus Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University, died September 20, 2012 after a stoic struggle with bladder cancer. He is remembered as a pioneering researcher in the field of helicopter dynamics and aerodynamics and as an exceptional teacher and advisor to his students. His lifelong fascination with flight was both infectious and exciting.

Professor Curtiss was highly regarded for his contributions to understanding the complexities of helicopter forces and motions. He was director of the Princeton University Dynamic Model Track for nearly 30 years and a leading theorist. He published pioneering studies on helicopter rotor blade motion, authored influential work on control system design, and was the co-author of a highly regarded textbook, A Modern Course in Aeroelasticity.

Professor Curtiss served as a consultant for many aerospace companies, including Sikorsky, Agusta Helicopters, Kaman Aerospace, and Piasecki Aircraft. In 1985, he was appointed as an honorary professor at the Nanjing Aeronautical Institute. In the following years, he served as visiting research fellow at Glasgow University and the Technical University of Braunschweig. In 2000, Professor Curtiss delivered the American Helicopter Society’s Nikolsky Honorary Lecture, named for his thesis adviser, Alexander Nikolsky.

Most recently, he designed a new helicopter rotor blade that significantly improves the load-carrying ability, cruising speed, and range of Sikorsky S-61 helicopters. The rotor blades are manufactured by Carson Helicopters, and are used on the “Marine One” helicopter fleet used by the President as well as by the British navy.

Professor Curtiss’s technical contributions are only surpassed by the influence he had on his undergraduate and graduate students. He combined an enthusiasm for his field with sparkling wit and patience with those new to a complex and sometimes bewildering topic. Many of his students became professors, researchers, administrators, and leaders in industry and government.

Born March 17, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois (named “Pat” for his birth on St. Patrick’s Day), Professor Curtiss completed a B.A.E. at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1952 and his Ph.D. at Princeton University in 1965. After participating in Naval R.O.T.C. Training, he was commissioned and served as a Line Officer on the U.S.S. Mississippi, from 1952 to 1954.

No description of Pat would be complete without mentioning his lifelong love of sailing – from his first experiences at the Erie Yacht Club, to competing in the 1947 Lightning Junior Championships, to weekend racing at the Jersey Shore, and to adventures with Betty on the Metedeconk River. He advised the Princeton Sailing Team for many years and enjoyed sailing with Sam, his grandson.

Professor Curtiss was also noted for the quality of the apple pies he often baked at Christmas.

Pat is survived by his wife Betty Curtiss of Princeton, N.J., daughter Lisa Curtiss of Brooklyn, N.Y., son Jon Curtiss of Ann Arbor, Mich., stepchildren John Fenton of Atlanta, Ga., Anne Fenton of Falls Church, Va., Agnes Mironov of Stockton, N.J., and grandchildren Cami, Sam, Elizabeth, Marek, Crosby, Kalena, and Kit. Professor Curtiss’s first wife, Betty Ruth Cloke Curtiss, passed away in 1985.

His gentle, friendly spirit will be greatly missed.

His family is thankful for the love and support shown by their friends and communities, and is grateful to the doctors, nurses and staff of the University Medical Center at Princeton, whose care was compassionate and generous.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the R.P.I. School of Engineering (Checks to Gifts Processing Center, P.O. Box 3164, Boston, Mass., 02241-3164—In memory of Howard C. Curtiss, Jr) or to Habitat for Humanity (Checks to Habitat for Humanity of Trenton, In memory of Howard “Pat” Curtiss, Jr., 601 North Clinton Avenue, Trenton, N.J., 08638).

A memorial service will be held in Princeton, N.J. on a date in November to be announced.

———

Rudolf F. Lehnert

Rudolf Frederick Lehnert, 83, passed away on September 18 after a short battle with lymphoma. Born in Munich, Germany, the family lived on Long Island and moved to Princeton in 1937. He graduated from the Lawrenceville School in 1948 and Princeton University in 1952 as an aeronautical engineer. His connection to the University continued with a long-term engagement with the Forrestal Research Center; a highlight of this time was an outreach project in 1965 to help establish the aeronautical engineering department at the Kanpur campus of the Indian Institute of Technology.

Later, Rudy managed the Nassau Delicatessen on Princeton’s Palmer Square, the family business established by his parents Fred and Therese Lehnert. His love of sport fishing then led him to the position of VP of engineering, and later president, of Egg Harbor Yacht Company, and a subsequent role as a consultant to boat owners.

Rudy served on the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad, was a NAUI-certified SCUBA instructor, ham radio operator, a member of the Princeton Lions Club, the Citizen’s Range and Recreation Club of Central N.J., and the National Rifle Association. Rudy was well known for his long-standing connection with Princeton University, which included service as the webmaster and treasurer for the Class of 1952, his enthusiastic support of the University’s sports teams, and his membership in the Princeton Varsity Club.

He is survived by his wife Mildred McCool Lehnert, with whom he recently celebrated 60 years of life together, his son John Lehnert, daughters Cheryl Costello and Laurie Horan, grandson Sean Horan, and granddaughter Katie Horan.

Calling hours were held at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home on Sunday, September 23 from 2 to 5 p.m. and Monday, September 24 from 9 to 11 a.m., with a memorial service to follow. Burial was at the Princeton Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Temple University Hospital Cancer Center 3401 North Broad Street, Philadelphia Pa. 19140 or Rudy F. Lehnert ’52 Memorial Fund P.O. Box 5357 Princeton, N.J. 08540.

———

Marion F. Clohossey

Marion Frances (Daly) Clohossey, of San Jose, California, passed away peacefully with family present on Friday, August 17, 2012, at the age of 86. She was a long-time Princetonian, from her birth in 1926 until early-2010 when she moved to California to be closer to her 4 children. She was born to Joseph and May Daly in Princeton, who lived on Pine Street for almost 50 years. Marion spent her first 20 years living on Pine Street, resided more than 30 years on Jefferson Road, and thereafter for 20 years at Elm Court on Elm Road.

She attended St. Paul’s Grammar School and was a valedictorian of Princeton High School Class of 1943. From 1942-1952, she worked as a secretary at Princeton University’s Astronomy Department for Dr. Lyman Spitzer, Jr. In 1946, she married Edward A. Clohossey, of Rumford, Maine. She also worked for 1 year in Niagara Falls, NY, while her husband attended Niagara University on the GI bill. After her children were grown, she also worked at Educational Testing Service and at Princeton University’s Firestone Library.

Marion enjoyed watching various Princeton University events including crew practices, ice skating on Carnegie Lake both as a child and parent, concerts at the University Chapel (especially the PHS Christmas concerts), the American Legion’s fireworks at Palmer Stadium, walking at Marquand Park, swimming at the YMCA and Community Park pools and in the ocean at Manasquan, many PHS sporting events including basketball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis and cross-country. She loved trees and gardening, especially her dogwoods and azaleas. Marion also enjoyed taking her children to various local museums in Princeton and Trenton. Her proudest accomplishment was having raised her four children.

Marion was predeceased by her husband, Edward A. Clohossey, a WWII U.S. Navy radioman, in 1999, and her brother, John K. Daly, PHS Class of 1942 and D-Day Purple Heart recipient with the U.S. Navy, of Blue Ridge, Georgia, in 2008. She is survived by her 4 children, Susan Brennan and her husband James of San Jose, California; Michael Clohossey and his wife Natalie of Sacramento, California; Daniel Clohossey and his wife Laurel of Menlo Park, California; and Constance Perry of Colorado Springs, Colorado. She was the proud grandmother of 8 grandchildren: Hannah Brennan Infante, Patrick Brennan, Conor Brennan, Marc Mason and Monica Mason Borel, Paloma Clohossey, Kelly Perry and Edward Perry. She was also the great-grandmother of 6. She is also survived by a cousin, Joe Hall, of Princeton Junction, numerous nieces and nephews, brother-in-law Walt Clohosey and his wife Grace, of Middletown, Connecticut, and her sister-in-law, Edwina Clohosey, also of Middletown, CT.

She will be buried at St. Paul’s Cemetery in Princeton beside her parents.

The family would ask that, should remembrances wish to be made, they be made in her name to the Princeton Education Foundation (www.pefnj.org) or to the Princeton Public Library.

———

John C. Yeoman

John Cornelius Yeoman (Jack), 86, passed away on Saturday, September 15, 2012 after an extended illness. He had pulmonary fibrosis for several years and gave up the hard fight in Peachtree Christian Hospice.

Jack was born in Utica, New York on August 25, 1926. He was the son of Ethel Keefer and Earl Walker Yeoman. He was raised in Princeton, New Jersey and graduated from the Pennington Preparatory School. Between Army services in Germany during World War II and Japan during the Korean conflict, Jack graduated from Wake Forest University.

Jack married Elinor Weber Yeoman in 1953 and they spent their honeymoon at Boy Scout Camp Pahaquarra where Jack was the camp director. He was an executive with the Boy Scouts of America, an Eagle Scout and a member of the Order of the Arrow.

In 1954 Jack joined Palmer Square, Inc. in Princeton as a comptroller and soon became secretary/treasurer and general manager, positions he held until Palmer Square, Inc. was sold by Princeton University in 1983.

He was one of the founders in 1959 of the Princeton Chamber of Commerce and was president in 1971. He was awarded the “Man of the Year” award by the Chamber of Commerce in 1982. For fourteen years he was treasurer of the United Way and helped organize the Princeton Merchants Association. In 1975 he was awarded the Gerald B. Lambert award for civic service. Jack was a member of the Princeton Rotary Club and was made president in 1964. He was also treasurer of the Princeton Arts Council. Additionally, Jack served as an elder and deacon at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Princeton. Politics was always a part of his life and in the early 1970’s, Jack was elected to the position of Republican Committeeman and Municipal Chairman for Princeton Township.

Jack moved to Dunwoody, Georgia in May 1983 to retire, but it didn’t last long. In September 1983 he became controller of Meteor Photo in Atlanta, where he was employed until May 1994. Because his residence in Dunwoody did not have a sunny yard, he and his wife bought a home in Alpharetta, where Jack spent many happy hours in his flower garden. He was a member of Windward Association of Retired Men (WARM) for many years. While retired, Jack and Elinor traveled to many countries and had many happy memories of their trips together.

After Hurricane Andrew, Jack traveled with his Church group to Homestead, Fla. and Mexico to re-build homes. During this time, Jack also tutored third graders in reading and arithmetic at APC and Creek Side Elementary School.

Jack was preceded in death by his brother, William Russell Yeoman. Jack is survived by his wife of 59 years, Elinor Weber Yeoman, his son John C. Yeoman, Jr., and his wife Tiffany. Sisters Barbara Y. Antonelli of Jupiter, Fla. and Nancy Y. Field of Indianapolis, Ind. Several nieces and nephews also survive.

A celebration of Jack’s life was held on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at the Alpharetta Church at 11 a.m. Mr. Yeoman’s ashes are to be interred in Princeton Cemetery in the Yeoman Plot at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Shriners Children’s Hospital. SouthCare Cremation and Funeral Society in Alpharetta, Georgia is in charge of arrangements. Please express condolences online at www.southcare.us.

———

Jacob Goldsmith

Jacob Goldsmith, infant son of Tasha and Scott Goldsmith, passed away on Monday, September 17 2012. Jacob is survived by his parents and grandparents: Charlotte Hussey and Dan Bauer; Stephen and Heather Goldsmith; and Sheila Ellman; aunt, Aislinn Bauer; uncle and aunt, Richard and Jessica Goldsmith; and cousins, Anthony and Alyssa Goldsmith. The family thanks the staff at Capital Health Medical Center, and friends Jessika Thomas, Rebecca Crider, Ray Tucholski, Helen and Tim Sharpley, the Rusling Hose Fire Company and HTFD District 3. Donations for the Goldsmith family for funeral expenses in lieu of flowers may be sent to 1314 Genesee Street, Apt.1, Trenton, NJ, 08610. Donations in Jacob’s name to First Candle, 1314 Bedford Avenue, Suite 210, Baltimore MD 21208, first
candle.org are appreciated. Friends and family are invited to gather on Sunday, September 30, 2012 from 12pm to 4pm at Colonial Firehouse, 801 Kuser Road in Hamilton.

———

John F. Hayes

John F. Hayes, 81, died Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at his home in Lawrence Township, NJ.

John was born September 26, 1930 in Boston, Massachusetts to John F. and Marie F. Hayes.

After serving in the U.S. Air Force, in Iceland and Morocco, and working for defense contractors, in post World War II Europe, he moved his family to California and worked for RCA as a project manager on the TIROS project, the world’s first weather satellite.

Mr. Hayes also served as vice president for the Singer Corporation in the newly-opened 1 World Trade Center in New York, after which he formed his own international electronics export business.

He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Sonja Hayes; a daughter, Michaela Van Orden of Flemington, NJ; three grandchildren; a brother, Paul, and a sister, Judy, both of Boston, MA and many nieces and nephews and their families. He is also survived by his beloved Dalmatian and constant companion, Norton.

A memorial gathering will be held on Sunday, September 30, 2012, at the Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Avenue in Princeton, NJ from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. with remembrances beginning at 12:30 p.m.

To extend condolences and sign the guest book, please visit www.TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.

———