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In Memoriam
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David E. Bell, 81, Bureau of the Budget director under President John F. Kennedy. Born in Jamestown, N.D., in 1919, Bell grew up in San Francisco while his father taught at Stanford. He graduated from Pomona College and earned a master’s degree in economics at Harvard before beginning his career with the Bureau of the Budget and serving in the Marine corps during World War II. Bell taught at Harvard’s Graduate School of Public Administration, but served the federal government in several administrations. He was White House executive assistant under President Harry S. Truman and economic advisor to Pakistan under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Kennedy named Bell budget directory shortly after being elected in 1960. Bell said in a 1962 Los Angeles Town Hall speech that he foresaw a balanced budget within four or five years. Advocating use of the budget to stimulate or rein in the national economy, Bell labored for two years to help people understand the role of the budget in government and did much to revolutionize fiscal planning by federal agencies. He also reduced the size of the printed budget to something that could fit into a pocket. In December 1962, Kennedy persuaded Bell to take on a new challenge as director of the Agency for International Development, administering foreign aid. Bell left government in 1966 to oversee international activities for the Ford Foundation. Bell died on September 6, 2000 in Cambridge, MA, of leukemia. Editor's notes:
Francis Millspaugh “Frank” Wheat, prominent Los Angeles securities lawyer, member of the Securities and Exchange Commission during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration and environmentalist who wrote a well-received 1999 book, California Desert Miracle, chronicling the 27-year fight to preserve the Mojave Desert, has died. He was 79. Wheat died Friday (July 21, 2000) of cancer in Los Angeles, according to his Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher law partner and friend Robert S. Warren. Another Los Angeles lawyer who served in Washington, former Secretary of State Warren Christopher, told The Times in 1987 that Wheat “has a unique dedication to public affairs,” noting, “Wheat does not just lend his name to causes. He puts his shoulder to the wheel and pushes, pushes, pushes.” A Gibson, Dunn colleague once put it more bluntly: “He will run into a brick wall until it falls over.” In addition to serving from 1964 to 1969 on the SEC, Wheat was a founding member and co-chairman of the California Commission on Campaign Financing and an early member of the California Citizens Budget Commission. Long a desert devotee, he helped work for passage of the California Desert Protection Act, which was signed into law by President Clinton in 1994. It preserved much of the Mojave as wilderness and added to the size of Death Valley and Joshua Tree national parks. Wheat detailed the work of leaders in that battle in “California Desert miracle,” complete with chronology, index, maps, photographs, editorial cartoons and T-shirt reproductions. Critics said it could be considered a text-book in political science and lobbying, as well as conservation. The book’s many anecdotes about the tangled political battles between environmentalists and proponents of mining and motorcycle riding included one about a plane flight of five baby desert tortoises (a threatened species) to Capitol Hill despite airline restrictions against “pets.” A $200 fine was paid (later refunded) and the tortoises crawled over the desks of Congress members to influence the razor0-thin vote. Sierra Club President Carl Pope last year said of the book, “Wheat has taken a seemingly simple story and translated it into a ballad of democracy vibrant enough to stir Walt Whitman’s blood.” USC history professor Doyce D. Nunis Jr., who predicted that Wheat’s book would become a classic in desert literature, said: “The narrative sparkles from the outset. It’s a book that not only informs, it entertains.” Wheat, a corporate lawyer with a penchant for dinosaur-emblazoned ties, counted among his wealthy clients defense contractor Textron, Playboy magnate Hugh Hefner and several brokerage firms. But he loved to champion underdogs as well. Describing himself for The Times as a “middle-of-the-road Democrat,” he worked for the ill-fated California handgun control initiative trounced by voters in 1982. And he became a major force in pro bono legal agencies. Wheat was a founding director of the Center for Law in the Public Interest, which in 1987 created a fellowship in his name to train young lawyers in public interest litigation. “I think in a general sense, lawyers should move into any vacuum that seems to be developing,” he told The Times then, “I think that one of the things that sets this country apart is the fact that there is a wonderful legal tradition going all the way back to Alexis de Tocqueville (the 19th century analyst of the emerging U.S.), who said that lawyers in the country would sniff out tyranny on every breeze.” Wheat was a founder and, from 1992 to 1994, president of the Alliance for Children’s Rights to provide free legal services to poor children and those who care for them, even when they didn’t need to go to court. “For every case that requires a legal brief,” he told The Times proudly in 1995, three years after he helped set up the group, “we’ll have a dozen cases where we can give them the advice that will take care of the problem.” Wheat, who served as a president and trustee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, received its Shattuck Price Award in 1985 for dedication to the improvement of the legal profession. In 1989 he was presented the Maynard Toll Award by the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. He was a member of the advisory council of the Financial Accounting Standards Board and of the National Association of Securities Dealers board. He was also on the board of governors of Town Hall of California and a trustee and president of the Neighborhood Church of Pasadena. When none of those pursuits demanded his attention, Wheat turned to environmental circles, where he was a trustee of the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, the California Desert Protective League, the Desert Protective Council, and the Anza Borrego Foundation. As a trustee of the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, Wheat broadened its funding of science and education to include more environmental issues. In addition to his book, Wheat wrote several articles on securities law for legal publications and opinion pieces on the environment of The Times and other publications. Born in Los Angeles, he graduated from Pomona College, where he later served as president of the alumni association and, for three decades, on the Board of Trustees. He earned his law degree with honors from Harvard and served as a lieutenant aboard a Navy destroyer during World War II. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, the former Nancy Loring, of San Marino and Borrego Springs; and three sons, Douglas Loring Wheat, Carl Irving Wheat, and Gordon Warner Wheat. Services were held on July 28, 2000 at the Neighborhood Church, Pasadena, CA. The family has asked that any memorial donations be made to the
Alliance for Children’s Rights,
the
Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund,
or the
Sierra Club’s Desert Committee.
by Don Smith ‘53, #384 It is with a deep feeling of loss that I write The Oak Leaf about the death of John Mills who died at his home in Menlo Park, California, July 12, 2000. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him. He endured a ten-year battle with unrelenting cancer. John was born in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of missionaries. In 1937, the family moved to Asuncion, Paraguay, where his parents established Friendship Mission. The Mills returned to the United States for John’s senior year of high school. He graduated from Pomona with a degree in psychology. Later, he earned his MBA from USC. Following graduation from Pomona in 1953, John enlisted in the U.S. Navy. After his three and a half years of active duty, he returned to Southern California where he met and married Marilyn Sanladerer in 1958. John and Marilyn had two sons, Jeff and Greg, who were born in 1962 and 1967 and graduated from Pomona in 1985 and 1990. The family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where John accepted a position with Standard Oil of California in personnel and human resource management. John retired after 35 years with the company. He spent his retirement years attending sporting events, walking, reading biographies, and helping others through various organizations. He served on the San Mateo County Grand Jury and assisted international families through the Bechtel Center at Stanford University. John embraced life and lived it to the fullest. His sources of happiness were his faith, family, friends as well as helping those in need. He was a humble man and never strived for fame or wealth. Believing he had a full life, John died with no regrets. When I think of John Mills, what comes to mind is “what you see is what you get”—very sincere, down to earth, always smiling, straightforward and with a twinkle in his eye. I had the privilege of knowing him for just over 50 years, first as a classmate and fraternity brother at Pomona, then as a naval officer, maturing husband and father, and always as a solid friend. He was one of the finest people I’ve ever known, a caring Christian, supportive and ethical. He ALWAYS kept his word. He was a very polite gentleman, a model of good sportsmanship and fair play, and very highly respected. John grew up playing South American soccer rather than American football and he was really good with the footwork. And that was only the beginning! He was a very agile, versatile and capable athlete excelling not only in soccer but also in tennis, volleyball, and track and field—not to mention ping-pong where he seemed to have “the fastest hands in the West.” He saved our honor many times in inter-fraternity sports—quiet and unassuming, but VERY GOOD! Suffice it to say we worked and studied a lot but also played hard and had a lot of fun in those college years. If John and I had a chance to do it over, we would each choose the same Pomona experience. John’s father, Ray Mills, ‘27, and uncle, Lee Mills, ‘29, were also Nappies (#67 and #76). John carried his love of athletics throughout his life. While living in Menlo Park, he was an ardent fan of Stanford athletics, particularly following baseball, basketball, tennis, track, football … and tailgating. He attended many events including Rose Bowl 2000. Some years ago John and I began monthly luncheon meetings at Joanie’s, a favorite café of his in South Palo Alto. Soon we were joined by Bruce Prestwich ‘55, our mutual friend and Nappie brother from Saratoga. It was a fun way to keep in touch but Bruce and I always had to answer John’s questions about our families before we could hear anything about his family and how he was doing. His focus was always on others. When my wife and I retired to the Sierras in 1994, Bruce and John kept up the regular meetings while I attended less frequently. Our last luncheon together was just a month before his death. A great counselor, a brave friend, a very loyal Nappie! and the kind of person we should strive to emulate. I will always cherish our friendship and continue to look to his example for my own guidance.
by Chuck Carpenter ‘54 #389 Unfortunately, I have very sad news to report. Ted Anderson died last Thursday evening, March 29 after a brief illness. Adele was traveling in a remote part of southern China and couldn't get back until Wednesday. He had also been our houseguest for four days earlier in the month and was much looking forward to his new responsibilities as Nu Alph secretary, their pending move to Claremont, plans for working part time at the Huntington Gardens and learning to play golf. As fate would have it, the book signing party for his magnum opus The Cactus Family (800 pages 1000 pictures) was to be tomorrow, April 2. The book was published last month to rave reviews and is the new standard reference work on the subject. Alice and I just returned from his memorial service in Phoenix. Adele and their grown children (three by birth and four adopted from Thailand and Vietnam) are doing as well as can be expected. His daughter Adrienne and brother Dale are also members of the fraternity. [The remainder is excerpted from Ted’s memorial program. –Ed.] A world-renowned author and scholar, and much-loved husband, father, and grandfather, Dr. Edward F. “Ted” Anderson was most recently the Senior Research Botanist at the Desert Botanical Garden. Ted was known around the world as the leading authority on cacti, his principal study during a long, fruitful and adventurous career as a botanist. Equally important was his family, who survive him: his seven children, five grandchildren and beloved wife of 45 years, Adele. Ted’s 45-year career included teaching, writing and field research all over the world. After obtaining degrees from Pomona College and the Claremont Graduate School in Claremont, California, he served as Professor of Biology at Whitman College, Walla Walla, Washington, for 30 years. During sabbatical leaves he took positions as a professor and resident scholar at the University of Guayaquil, Ecuador; the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Chiang Mai University in Thailand. He traveled extensively to almost every content, giving lectures and doing academic field work and projects for group such as the World Wildlife Fund. In addition to numerous scholarly articles, this work produced several ground-breaking books, including Peyote: The Divine Cactus and Plants and People of the Golden Triangle and Threatened Cacti of Mexico. His magnum opus, The Cactus Family, a long-awaited, monumental study of the world’s cacti, was published—to enthusiastic critical praise—just prior to his death. Among his many professional honors, in 1998 he was awarded the prestigious Cactus d’Ore by the Principality of Monaco for outstanding research on succulents. He was past president of the International Organization for Succulent Plant Study, a member of the Cactus and Succulent Society of America, and a fellow of the Linnean Society, London. Ted was an Elder of the Presbyterian Church and a long-time member of Rotary International, serving as chapter president and helping to establish and raise funds for numerous Rotary projects around the world. His commitment to service extended into many other areas, most recently helping to support facilities for orphans and students in northern Thailand. A man who enjoyed people immensely, Ted made friends everywhere, from tribal medicine men in the jungles of Asia, to professional colleagues in dozens of universities and botanic gardens, to his local church. He especially enjoyed his large family, and nothing pleased him more than building a tree-house for his grandsons or a doll-house for his granddaughters. Ted is survived by his wife, Adele; his children, Clark, Adrienne Fioretti ‘84 #900, Duc, Erica, Monica, Stephen, and Bruce; his sister the Rev. Elizabeth Moore; and his brother Dr. William Dale Anderson ‘58 #478. Memorial contributions can be made to: Horizon Presbyterian Church, marked for the Margaret’s Orphans’ Fund”, 1401 East Liberty Lane, Phoenix, Arizona, 85048; or the Desert Botanical Garden, for the “Edward F. Anderson Fund”, 1201 North Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, Arizona, 85008. Editor's note:
Ted's The Cactus Family
is available from the publisher,
Timber Press.
by Kelly McDonald '89 #1001 Dear Brothers and Sisters, Until last week, I struggled with how best to write about the loss of my friend Charlotte Andersen. In one afternoon the answer came to me as the Hi-Meadow fire in the mountains southwest of Denver crept to within walking distance of my home and family. With what felt like more adrenaline than blood in my system, I considered what I couldn't live without. I packed two boxes of pictures and files, a change of clothes for my family and the dog leashes. When those things were loaded into the car, I was prepared to collect my family and drive away. Hot and worried, I stood in my garage and surveyed my pathetic collection of things. Should I feel some sort of poverty that I hold so few things dear? But there is much of value to me that travels with me in the form of memories and (hopefully) character. These things make it easier to travel light. And that is the beginning of my thoughts about my remarkable NAP sister Charlotte Andersen who died in the Ladbroke Grove/Paddington Station train wreck outside of London last year. Her resume, as interesting and reflective of her as it was, is not what travels with me. In 1987, friends already, we stood together as we initiated into NAP. Later that night, in the center of Marston Quad, Charlotte and I slammed into each other and with the crushing of her nose, irreversibly changed her face. Our friendship was literally cemented with blood. Charlotte lived with the rare combination of dignity and humor that she displayed that night. After a trying sojourn in the emergency room, Charlotte returned to the Cabin, a plum-toned raccoon whose eyelashes disappeared inside the swelling around her eyes. I was horrified to have only a pea-size bruise on my forehead. Taking in the look on my face and the bruise on my forehead she stopped the ensuing waterfall on tears and apologies with an encompassing and forgiving hug and a chuckle. The next day she organized a tie-dye extravaganza in Harwood Courtyard and blasted Cat Stevens “Hard Headed Woman” on her boom box - for hours. My window faced the courtyard. Charlotte was a beautiful, blonde, blue-eyed Viking. She was an archeologist, a diplomat, a corporate whiz... She was (I believe) the first woman president of the Pomona fraternity council, a manager at the Coop and an all around busy woman. She also found time to be part of the growing-up journeys that many of us began at Pomona. Years later, Charlotte met my husband at a Greek Deli in Vienna, Virginia and she instantly made him her friend. She told him foolish stories that I had forgotten. I was grateful that she shared those stories because I realize it is rare that anyone bothers to remember your stories or share them. And when we parted for the last time after a Saturday morning girlfriend breakfast (at that same Deli), we hugged. With a bit more road behind me, I realized that Charlotte hugged me in a wonderful, full way that few women have the courage to undertake. I felt honored and blessed to be her friend. Charlotte was a woman who was truly herself. She made my life richer through sincere and lasting friendship, and that will always travel with me. That does not fit in a box, or easily on a page, but it is one of my most valuable possessions. Perhaps it is vain, but I hope that something about me travels with her too. by Lauri Freidenburg '90 #1026 I met Charlotte my first day at Pomona. We were in the same sponsor group in Smiley, and she was wonderfully friendly and clearly excited about starting college. I thought Charlotte was great. She didn't fear anything. Where I shrank from crowds and dreaded having to talk with people, she thrived on it. It was great for me to be friends with someone so outgoing and eager to try new things. She just marched right in and tackled all sorts of challenges. And being with her, I felt brave enough to do some of the same things. Being friends with Charlotte was an integral part of my Pomona experience. She introduced me to all kinds of new music, taught me how wonderful Danish cuisine could be, and agonized through chemistry with me. We spent lots of nights talking over life and relationships and other weighty issues; many of these nights were spent at the Coop, indulging in milkshakes and Colby burgers. I think the first real dinner party I ever attended was the Danish dinner Charlotte put together. I was so impressed that she had planned out and cooked from scratch all those Danish dishes. I still have the recipes she wrote out and gave to me for the dishes I had especially liked. Charlotte was great at being friends with people. She constantly made new friends, but she never let go of old friends. I admired how she managed to be so giving of herself and to remain so close to so many people. She always had time to talk, and she always had time to listen to me go on and on about whatever problems I was having. After college, I made my first trip to D.C. to visit Charlotte. We had a great time, and I every time I visit the capital I remember my first trip there with Charlotte as my guide. We stayed in contact over the years after graduation. She got her master's degree in Kentucky and I got mine in Seattle. When she began working for ICI, she was excited about the possibilities for her career. While she spent her first few years in Ohio, I knew she was hoping to get transferred overseas. Charlotte was so clearly a citizen of the world. Ohio just wasn't where I envisioned her. So when she was transferred to London, it made so much more sense than Ohio. I saw her only a few times during the latter part of the 1990s. The last time I saw her was in Connecticut while she was on a business trip from London. I introduced her to my husband, and he loved getting the dirt on me from my time at Pomona. Seeing Charlotte then, I realized how much a part of my life she was. She watched me go from a young, silly freshmen to a slightly more mature graduate to married woman and homeowner! A friend like that is irreplaceable. That is what Charlotte remains to me; an irreplaceable part of my life that is now gone forever. by Nancy Treser-Osgood ‘80 Donations in Charlotte Andersen's memory may be made to:
5 St. Catherine's Precinct Regents Park London NW1 4HH [Their site says 4 St. Catherine's Precinct. –Ed.]
Nancy Treser-Osgood [And, finally, in her own words, from a note she sent your editor on 22 February 1999. –Ed.]
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Charlotte Andersen ‘90 #2002
