William Rosen

Author William Rosen, whose works of narrative nonfiction include Justinian’s Flea and The Most Powerful Idea in the World: The Story of Steam, Industry and Invention died at home on April 28, 2016, of gastrointestinal stromal cancer, according to his agent. He was 61.

Born in California, Rosen worked for nearly 25 years as an editor and publisher at MacMillan, Simon & Schuster, and the Free Press, before becoming an author.

With a writing style that used anecdotes to pull together the threads of discovery and innovation, Rosen authored or co-authored books on education, traffic, antibiotics, and climate change.

Bill Gates said of Rosen’s work: “Rosen argues that only with the ability to measure incremental advances — such as whether a lighter part lowers fuel consumption, or one engine produces more power than another — can you achieve sustained innovation. Rosen’s view fits my own view of the power of measurement ….”

Rosen grew up in Los Angeles, attended UCLA, and after a brief stint at John Wiley and Sons moved east for publishing. He edited books authored by George Will, as well as William Bennett, Bernard Lewis, Maya Lin, and Leon Kass. But he found true fulfillment writing books instead of only publishing them.

Rosen lived in Princeton and is survived by his wife Jeanine; two daughters, Quillan and Emma; a son, Alex; and his brother Gary and sister-in-law Holly.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Star of David Memorial Chapel, Princeton.

———

Margaret Denny

Margaret McGuinness Denny died peacefully on April 23, 2016, at her Park Place Nursing Home, after an 8-year struggle with Alzhiemer’s disease. She turned 80 years old in March. Margaret, known as Ticky, was born and raised in Chestnut Hill, Pa.

After graduating from Springside School and the Rhode Island School of Design, she married John H. Denny and resided in Princeton for 55 years. Margaret was a long time member of the Bedens Brook Club in Skillman and the Ausable Club in the Adirondacks.

Her father, Dr. Aims C. McGuinness was the Under Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (1957-1959) in the Eisenhower administration.

Margaret is survived by her husband, John; her brother, Aims C. McGuinness, of Littleton, Colo.; her daughter, Elise Anderson, of Manitou Springs, Colo.; her son, John, Jr. of Princeton; and 6 grandchildren. A small service for family and friends is planned for early July in the Adirondacks. Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home Princeton.

———

James Fitzpatrick

Fighter. Investor. Humanitarian.

Jim Fitzpatrick was a country boy who lived his life in the presence of his God.

The son of a Presbyterian minister and a public school teacher, his childhood days in southern Virginia were spent hunting the woods surrounding the manse in solitude, enjoying the arts in the evenings with his mother, and hopping in the back of the car to join his three brothers, sister, mother, and father on their weekly journey to several country churches throughout Dinwiddie County to hear their father lead Sunday services throughout the day.

At the age of 18, Jim left The College of William & Mary and enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps to help his country defeat Nazi Germany. As a First Lieutenant and after piloting his B-17 Flying Fortress on 18 successful missions, he was shot down over Brunswick, Germany on May 8, 1944. Captured the following day, he became a prisoner of war until he was liberated two weeks before VE day.

During his time in prison camp, he received two blessings he would carry with him for the rest of his life. His interest in economics and investing was sparked, thanks to the many YMCA care packages and books he eagerly received and consumed while in camp. And a young woman from one of his father’s congregations began writing him letters as a prisoner of war — a woman who would soon become Nancye Fitzpatrick, his beloved wife for 66 years and the mother of their four children.

After the war, the GI bill enabled Jim to return and graduate from William & Mary and go on to study his new intellectual passion at Columbia Business School in New York.

Jim’s unique understanding of the human spirit and global economics guided his successful career as an asset manager for the next 60 years. He worked as an analyst and portfolio manager, managing assets for both institutional and private clients at Moody’s Investor Service, Lionel D. Edie, Smith Barney, and Citibank.

In 1972, the YMCA Retirement Fund was struggling to meet its pension obligations. With the history of his prison camp experience and his father serving as a chaplain of the YMCA Armed Services in France during World War I, Jim chose to once again commit his life to the betterment of others and joined the YMCA Retirement Fund, where he took on the responsibility, as Chief Investment Officer, for managing the pension assets of YMCA employees across the country.

Jim commuted to New York from his home in Princeton, New Jersey for 33 years. He was an active Sunday school teacher, Deacon, and Elder of the Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton throughout his adult life. Some evenings on his way home, he would get off the train in New Brunswick, where he taught economics to students at Rutgers University.

In 1988, having retired from the YMCA after 15 years of service, Jim founded and led Princeton Capital Management to continue to serve the private clients whose money he had managed for decades. Jim was actively engaged with the firm, serving clients’ interests until early this year. The partners of the firm will miss his insight and presence.

Jim served as a trustee of the National Presbyterian Foundation, a trustee and trustee emeritus of the Center of Theological Inquiry, on the board of the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University and on the advisory board of ABS Ventures. He advised and supported organizations dedicated to the development of future generations, including the Newgrange School, the Trenton Children’s Chorus, Trinity Counseling Services, the American Boychoir School, the Princeton Family YMCA, and the Jerusalem YMCA.

At the age of 92, Jim died in his home of natural causes on April 29, 2016. He will be dearly missed by his wife Nancye; his four children Karen, Hugh, Allen, and Dudley; his 12 grandchildren; and his 9 great-grandchildren, all of whom have benefitted from his love.

A service of remembrance and celebration will be held Sunday, May 8 at 2 pm at the Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Princeton Family YMCA, 59 Paul Robeson Place, Princeton, NJ, 08540.