In Memoriam
Remembering Michael Wachter
ichael L. Wachter, William B. Mary and Mary Barb Johnson Professor of Law and Economics, Emeritus, passed away on September 3.
Wachter was a prodigious, award-winning scholar, an influential teacher who nurtured numerous high-profile careers, and a visionary builder of the University of Pennsylvania’s Carey Law School’s renowned Institute for Law & Economics (ILE), He was emblematic of the movement to infuse a cross-disciplinary approach into legal education and other fields of study.
During his remarkable 50-year career at Penn, Wachter taught at the Law School, the School of Arts and Sciences (Professor of Economics), and the Wharton School (Professor of Management) and served as the University’s Deputy Provost.
“Michael Wachter’s contributions to Penn and to the Law School cannot be overstated,” said Ted Ruger, Dean of the Law School and Bernard G . Segal Professor of Law. “He reshaped how we think about issues surrounding corporate law with his singular vision and inspired and launched generations of students into fulfilling careers through his dedicated teaching and mentorship. We mourn his loss but celebrate a consequential life.”
Ed Rock L’83 served alongside Wachter as Co-Director of the ILE.
“He was the consummate University citizen,” said Rock, now Martin Lipton Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Institute for Corporate Governance & Finance at NYU School of Law. “He was always about making Penn a better place. It was never about building his reputation.”
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Wachter joined the Penn faculty in 1970, after earning a master’s degree and a PhD in economics from Harvard. Ultimately, he spent 36 years at the Law School.
of ILE. “When you think business law at Penn, you think Michael Wachter.”
Wachter elevated the Institute from the moment he took over in 1984.
Michael A. Fitts, former Dean of the Law School and current President of Tulane University, said Wachter possessed “an innate ability to understand and create intellectual synergy. He instinctively knew the power of bringing different perspectives together in understanding and solving problems. ILE drew faculty from across the University to engage with prominent practitioners from the bar and judiciary. This unique leadership of ILE fostered incredible insights into the inner workings of corporate law, solidifying its status as the preeminent corporate law center in the United States.”
Before his retirement in 2020, Wachter established himself as one of the premier scholars in the field of Labor Law and Economics and then later in Corporate Law and Corporate Finance.
“As much as he launched the ILE into prominence,” said Fitts, “Michael also consistently gave me very thoughtful advice as a young academic, and later as Dean. He was my institutional mentor—and friend.”
A productive scholar, Wachter edited a number of books and authored and co-authored well over 100 papers, earning multiple citations on best-of-the-year lists.
Wachter taught Corporate Law and Corporate Finance at the Law School.
In honor of Wachter’s surpassing achievements, the Law School established the Michael L. Wachter Distinguished Fellowship in Law and Policy in
July 2020, naming The Honorable Leo E. Strine, Jr. L’88 to the position.
Strine, former Delaware Supreme Court Chief Justice and Chancellor on the Delaware Court of Chancery, taught an advanced seminar on Corporate Law with Wachter for a generation and has been an active participant in the ILE as a member of the board of advisors.
“The Penn community lost a quiet giant,” said Strine, a longtime Adjunct Professor at the Law School and now also Of Counsel at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen, and Katz. “From his foundational role shaping the nationally influential Institute for Law & Economics, to his incredible management advice to Penn presidents and deans, to his innovative and thought-provoking scholarship, Michael was a role model for us all. But, most of all, it was his constant focus on doing what was best for the students and being there for them – that is the example we all should emulate.”
Wachter is remembered as the beloved husband of Susan Wachter, devoted father of Jessica Wachter and Jonathan Wachter, and cherished grandfather of eight. Susan and Jessica are tenured members of the Wharton School faculty.
The family suggests that contributions in Michael’s memory be made to the Michael Wachter Endowed Business Law Fund at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School or to the charity of your choice.
The Honorable Randy J. Holland L’72, Longest Serving Justice on Delaware Supreme Court
he Honorable Randy J. Holland L’72, Delaware’s longest serving and youngest appointed Justice in state history, died March 15 at the age of 75.
During his 30-year tenure on the bench, Justice Holland, who was reappointed by three different governors, wrote more than 700 opinions and thousands of case dispositive orders. A renowned state constitutional law expert, Justice Holland wrote landmark corporate law decisions and advocated on behalf of families.
“He took a very particular and passionate interest in the family court domain,” said the Honorable Leo Strine, Jr. L’88, Michael L.Wachter Distinguished Fellow in Law and Policy at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and Delaware Supreme Court Chief Justice from 2014 to 2019. Justice Strine had known Justice Holland since joining the Delaware Bar in 1988. “This was an area where Randy put his sweat and time behind his words, not just for one year, but virtually his entire judicial service.”
In 2018, the Combined Campaign for Justice created the Randy J.Holland Family Law Endowment, which funds a full-time fellowship for serving low-income clients in family law matters.
Justice Holland grew up in Milford, Delaware and graduated from Swarthmore College before attending the Law School, where he received the Loughlin Award for legal ethics. He also earned a Master of Laws in Judicial Process from the University of Virginia Law School. Justice Holland began his career as a partner at Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell.
As a Delaware Supreme Court Justice, he was instrumental in several corporate decisions in a state known as the corporate capital of the world. Notable decisions included a 1995 ruling in Unitrin Inc. v. American General Corp. related to defensive measures by boards in hostile takeovers, fiduciary duty clarifications in Stone v. Ritter in 2006, and a 2014 confirmation of a business judgment rule in regard to mergers in Kahn v. M&F Worldwide Corp.
He was quite active in judicial pro bono work as well, Justice Strine said, and he genuinely cared about justice in the lives of everyday Delawareans.
Justice Holland was also a key influence in the creation of the Delaware Bar’s robust Inns of Court, which he saw as a way to foster community within the Bar. “It’s a place to help acculturate younger lawyers, and he helped grow that movement,” Justice Strine said. “He understood that getting to know each other on a human basis really has value in making the system work.”
Justice Holland authored or co-authored 10 books, including two on the Delaware Constitution, two histories of the Delaware Supreme Court, and one on 20th century history of the Delaware Bar. It has become tradition for newly minted Delaware lawyers to receive one of his books. From 1991 through 2016, he taught courses on state constitutional and appellate law at the Widener University Delaware Law School.
In 2019, he helped Governor John Carney with an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding a constitutional provision about political balance among state court judges. Late last year, state lawmakers sought his counsel in understanding a constitutional provision about petitioning to remove an elected official from office. Just this spring, Justice Holland helped Justice Strine with an amicus project by signing on and also securing other signatures.
“He gave an awful lot to his community and colleagues,” Justice Strine said. “He was a good man.”
Justice Holland is survived by his wife of more than 50 years, Ilona, son Ethan, and two granddaughters.
1950s
After graduating from Penn with both undergraduate and law degrees, Mr. Henss received his Master’s degree in tax law at Temple University. He began his legal career at the U.S. District Attorney’s office in Philadelphia, where he met his late wife, Patricia. For 25 years, he was counsel for The Henderson Group in Media.
Mr. Henss was a longstanding member of the Philadelphia Bar Association and a member of the Union League of Philadelphia.
His first love was his wife, children, and grandchildren. He loved traveling with them and vacationing on Kiawah Island in South Carolina. He also enjoyed the opera and was a connoisseur of fine wines. Another favorite pastime was discussing politics.
Mr. Henss was preceded in death by his wife Patricia and brother Rudolph. He is survived by children N. Charles Jr., Stephen, Richard, Patricia, and Suzanne; and two grandchildren.
Mr. Healey graduated from Camden Catholic High School and St. Joseph’s College before attending the Law School at the University of Pennsylvania. He practiced law in Camden County, New Jersey for 25 years and retired as a senior partner from the firm of Healey Mueller and Tyler so he could commit more time to his business interests.
In the 1950s, Mr. Healey and his brother, Bill Healey, went into real estate and developed Bass River Marina. They bought a wooden-boat building company, Peterson-Viking, that had been in financial distress. They changed the name to Viking Yachts and moved the business next to their marina. Mr. Healey served as the company’s lawyer, bookkeeper and chief executive, while his brother oversaw shipbuilding.
Mr. Healey led the fight against a federal luxury tax on yachts in the 1990s. The 10 percent luxury tax was passed in 1991 but caused Viking’s business to suffer immensely and cost 3,200 people in the boat-building industry their jobs. Mr. Healey led both a grassroots and national campaign against the tax, and to garner national attention, set a boat in Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island on fire. The tax was repealed in 1993.
Mr. Healey had many philanthropic interests, which included building schools in impoverished areas of Mexico, and providing housing, medical assistance, education, food and clean water to the people of war-torn Sierra Leone through the Healey International Relief Foundation.
A devout Catholic and product of Catholic school education, he brought his business skills to the challenges facing Catholic schools in the U.S. and formed the Healey Education Foundation and the Catholic Partnership Schools in Camden.
Additionally, with his wife Ellen, Mr. Healey founded the Gleneayre Equestrian Program for at-risk youth. The program uses the powerful connection between horses and people to support learning, growth, and healing.
Mr. Healey was preceded in death by his first wife, Louise; and brothers Patrick and Edward. He is survived by his wife, Ellen; children Lizanne, Christine, Caroline, Toland, Robert, Alexis and Leigh; sixteen grandchildren; and his brother, Bill.
Dominic Toscani L’56, a lawyer and entrepreneur who cared about serving others, died Dec. 6. He was 93.
Mr. Toscani, a Philadelphia native, attended Girard College in his youth and received a scholarship to Bowdoin College, where he played quarterback for the school’s football team. He served two years in the Army during the Korean War and then attended the Law School at the University of Pennsylvania. He practiced law for 12 years before pursuing a career as an entrepreneur.
In 1964, Mr. Toscani became the CEO of Paris Business Forms, a company that prints business forms and still operates today.
Villanova football was a big part of Mr. Toscani’s life, and he became friends with the team coach in 1975. When the football program was dropped in 1980, Mr. Toscani was instrumental in working with former players, coaches, and staff to bring the program back.
A devout Catholic, he also established the Caritas Foundation as a private family nonprofit institution. Donations went to small Catholic colleges and to countries such as Nigeria and Peru to bring water to remote villages and to Nicaragua for housing construction.
Mr. Toscani was remembered by his family for his contagious laugh, immense energy, spirit of gratitude, and the many life lessons he imparted, particularly on the importance of love and family.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Lisa. Mr. Toscani is survived by his wife of 65 years, Nancy; children Dom, Patrice, Gerry, Nancy, Sandi, Mark, Regina, MaryBeth, and Matthew; 17 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Judge Wertheim was born in Philadelphia, and by high school, had skipped three grades. He earned a full scholarship to boarding school in Mt. Hermon, Massachusetts. He received his undergraduate degree from Wharton and his JD from the Law School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was editor-in-chief of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review.
He worked as a private attorney in Philadelphia from 1957 to 1959, when he became an Assistant Public Defender in the city. He graduated from the Hague Academy of International Law in 1962 and joined the Peace Corps, where he served as Deputy General Counsel. From 1966 to 1968, he served as Peace Corps Director in Northeast Brazil.
Following his stint at the Peace Corps, Judge Wertheim returned to private practice in Washington, D.C., from 1969 to 1979. In addition to maritime law, he counseled government officials on issues including economic regulations and housing and urban development. In a notable case, he represented former Assistant U.S. Attorney General Robert Mardian in a successful appeal of a 1975 Watergate coverup conspiracy conviction.
In 1979, President Carter nominated him to the Merit Systems Protection Board, which oversees the operations of the federal civil service. In 1981, he won a public service citation from the Hispanic Organization of Professionals and Executives. That same year, President Reagan named him to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, where he remained for almost 40 years. He retired in 1992 and served as a senior judge until 2019.
Judge Wertheim was a voracious reader and loved history and biographies, along with his Westies and walking and talking with his daughter. His family remembered him as a supportive husband and father and as a gentle, contemplative soul.
Judge Wertheim was preceded in death by his son, Carter. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; daughter Tiana; stepdaughter Audrey; four grandchildren; and his beloved dog, Ramsey.
1960s
Mr. Hauff graduated from Allentown High School in 1953 and from Dickinson College in 1957. Following his graduation from the Law School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1960, he was admitted to the Lehigh County Bar, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, and the Eastern District Federal Court in 1961.
Mr. Hauff had practiced private law in the City of Allentown since 1961. From 1961 to 1966, he served as Second Lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. He was also the former Solicitor to the Allentown-Lehigh County Board of Realtors; the former Instructor in Real Estate Law at Penn State University Continuing Education, Allentown Campus; the former Director and President of the Lehigh County Humane Society; Director and Trustee for the Blind Association (now Center for Vision Loss); former head of the professional division of the United Way; the former Director and Past President of the Allentown Sertoma Club; and a former Director of Lehigh County Bar Association.
Mr. Hauff was preceded in death by a brother, Thomas. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Harriett “Bonnie” Hauff; daughters Anne, Lisa, and Sara; and six grandchildren.
Ms. Martz was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania and attended boarding school in New England and high school in Arizona. She fell in love with the western lifestyle and worked several summers at a pack station in the Sierra Mountains.
After graduating from Stanford University, Ms. Martz taught school in Hollister, Calif., where she lived until until enrolling at the Law School at the University of Pennsylvania. After receiving her law degree in 1961, she returned to her native Pottsville, where she was one of the first women to practice law in Schuylkill County. She also served as Assistant Attorney General in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and following that role, served as counselor and officer at J.H. Zerbey Newspapers Inc.
Some of her many accomplishments and positions include crossing the Arctic Circle in 1959; serving on the boards of United Cerebral Palsy and the Union Bank; serving on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the Orphan’s Court; and running a popular bed and breakfast at her Patchwork Farm in Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania. She is listed in Who’s Who of American Women and was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Ms. Martz loved animals, particularly horses. She owned and bred horses throughout her life, and she showed Appaloosa and Saddlebred horses. She also welcomed strays of all kinds, including cats, dogs, goats, horses, chickens, and a pig.
Ms. Martz was remembered by family as an innovative thinker, and a mentor and benefactor to all of the neighborhood children, along with anyone else she knew who needed a friend.
She was preceded in death by her siblings Uzal and Elisabeth; and stepson Billy. Ms. Martz is survived by her sister-in-law, Jun; nephews Cameron and Eric; stepson Geoffrey; many extended relatives, and her beloved pets.
Francis Deegan L’64, a Long Island, New York lawyer who loved adventure, died April 18. He was 83.
Mr. Deegan met and fell in love with Nancy, his “best friend and true love,” at the University of Pennsylvania. The two raised four children together and reveled in their many travel adventures. They were avid sailors on Chado, their Whitby 42 sailboat, and sailed as far as Nova Scotia and the Florida Keys. By land cruiser, they explored Newfoundland, Labrador, and Alaska, and they also traveled cross-country several times in their RV, DreamCatcher.
Mr. Deegan was the former Mayor and Trustee of Sea Cliff, New York; past Exalted Ruler of the Glen Cove, New York BPOE; past president of the Glen Cove Lions Club; and a successful lawyer in Glen Cove as a founding partner of Crowe & Deegan.
He was remembered as a well-respected mentor who was honest and faithful. Mr. Deegan loved a good joke, music, and his family and friends. He was a fine-food connoisseur, a talented cook and an avid reader. His family recalled that he teared up at parades and was always ready for a party.
Mr. Deegan is survived by Nancy; children Dan, Kathleen, Mary, and Molly; and 10 grandchildren.
Neil Evans L’64, a highly respected lawyer in Cleveland and lover of art, music and Civil War history, died on December 26, 2021. He was 85. Upon graduation from the Law School, Mr. Evans practiced law in the Litigation department at Hahn, Loeser and Parks LLP for his entire career. He was a Senior Partner when he retired. Prior to law school, Evans served as a naval officer and remained in the U.S. Navy Reserves until 1968, attaining the rank of First Lieutenant. He was on the boards of The Ohio Chamber Orchestra and The Ohio Historical Society and was an active member in the Civil War Round Table and The Rowfant Club. After his retirement, Evans spent many years as President of the Cuyahoga County Soldiers and Sailors Monument Association, for which he contributed hours of service to the refurbishment and renovation of the beloved monument in Cleveland’s public square. He is survived by children Elizabeth, Henry, and Margaret and grandchildren Jeffrey, Suzie, David, Katie, Trey, Audrey Anna, Maria Irene, and Luke. He inspired two of his children, Elizabeth and Henry, to become attorneys as well.
Michael Sand C’63, L’66, PAR’94, PAR’97, who, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., aspired to be “a Drum Major for Justice” by devoting more than 55 years to justice-focused work, died May 15. He was 79.
Mr. Sand attended Upper Darby High School, received both his undergraduate and law degrees from Penn, and earned an M.P.A. degree from Penn State University. He dedicated his professional life to applying the values of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., pioneering the consumer rights, anti-poverty and community action movements that arose from the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. In 1966, he became a program planner for the Philadelphia Anti-Poverty Action Commission. He then served as Assistant Director of the Montgomery County Community Action Agency and Deputy Director of the Pennsylvania Department of Justice, Bureau of Consumer Protection.
He was the first Administrator of the Law Bureau of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and the first Executive Director of the Community Action Association of Pennsylvania. In 1982, Mr. Sand founded Sand Associates, a nationwide management consulting firm that provided training and consulting to nonprofit agencies. He led more than 1,000 workshops for nonprofits on topics including grant writing, fundraising, strategic planning, board development, effective supervision, personnel management, and establishing a volunteer program. Mr. Sand also wrote three books on managing and fundraising for nonprofits.
Upon retiring, Mr. Sand committed himself passionately to campaigns for economic and social justice. With great optimism and humor, he assumed the role of logistical coordinator by planning and facilitating effective meetings and promoting efficient and effective communication.
His community roles included President of Beth El Temple, President of the Board of the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition and the American Society for Public Administration-Central PA Chapter, and Chair of the Governor’s Civic Commemoration of the Holocaust.
In recent years, Mr. Sand was a member of the Community Responders Network, the Central Pennsylvania Diversity Forum, the InterReligious Forum, the Progressive Jewish Voice, and the Minority Bar Committee and the Charitable Organizations Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He was also a board member of the Martin Luther King Leadership Development Institute and the National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education.
Mr. Sand was also a man who cherished time with his family and never missed special family events, with a particular fondness for Thanksgiving and Jewish holidays. He was a friend to many and maintained childhood friendships.
Mr. Sand is survived by his wife of 54 years, Diane; sons Jay and Marc; and four grandchildren.
The Honorable James Kindler L’69, a longtime member of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and a judge on the Criminal Division of the Supreme Court in the Bronx, died Dec. 16. He was 77.
Judge Kindler was born in Webster, Massachusetts., and graduated from Harvard College. Following graduation from the Law School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1969, he worked for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for 37 years. He was serving as Chief Assistant to District Attorney Robert Morgenthau when Governor David Paterson appointed him to the New York State Court of Claims. He later served as a judge in the Criminal Division of the Supreme Court in the Bronx.
His family remembered him for his humility, decency, and wit, along with his love and loyalty to family and friends.
Judge Kindler is survived by his wife of 55 years, Rosemary; daughters Ingrid and Sara; five grandchildren; and sister Diane.
1970s
Mr. Freeman, an Illinois native, earned his bachelor’s and JD from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s in law from the Law School at the University of Pennsylvania. After graduation, he practiced law in Cleveland, Ohio.
Mr. Freeman joined the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1973, teaching legal ethics, corporate law, and securities law until 2008. During his tenure, law students voted him the Outstanding Faculty Member on four different occasions.
In the 1990s, he took on the tobacco industry to lower investing fees, a move that saved retirees and investors billions. A tall man with a booming voice, Mr. Freeman was known for “brutal candor,” but always with an eye for speaking up for what was right. He was remembered for always helping other lawyers and academics with questions on ethics and the law, and he was a known advisor to many in the legal and business community.
He was also frequently quoted in publications reporting on public corruption. A few weeks before his death, Mr. Freeman was quoted in The New York Times about the scope of the fraud and embezzlement cases surrounding suspended South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh.
Mr. Freeman was also a noted family man, moving to Seattle after retiring so he could be closer to family. His two daughters also followed in his footsteps and became lawyers. Mr. Freeman is survived by his wife of 54 years, Nancy; daughters Gretchen and Nora; and four grandchildren.
1980s
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. Berry’s family moved out west when he was young. He was known for his debating skills and ability to recite famous political speeches on demand. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington before attending the Law School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Berry began his career as a Senior Attorney-Advisor in the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Hearing Appeals, where he received the DOE Special Achievement Award for superior performance and sustained excellence and originality in legal analysis, research, and writing. Four years later, he became a Senior Trial Attorney in the Office of General Counsel at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, where he received several Special Achievement and High Quality Awards as well as Certificates of Appreciation for Outstanding Performance.
In 1991, he graduated from the University of Michigan with an MA in American Politics and Government and earned his PhD there two years later. He took a position as Visiting Lecturer of Political Science at the University of Christchurch, New Zealand. He later returned to the University of Michigan, where he taught introductory and advanced courses on American politics, government, political theory, race and politics, and political communication. He then taught similar courses at James Madison University before accepting a position as Legal Writing Professor at Howard University School of Law, where he taught litigation-related courses, Legal Reasoning, Research and Writing, Appellate Advocacy, and Legal Methods. He was the Faculty Advisor to an award-winning National Moot Court Team, was voted “Law Professor of the Year” in 2003, and several times received the Warren S. Romarin Award for Excellence in Teaching and Service.
In 2006, Mr. Berry became the Legislative Director/Senior Policy Adviser to U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX). He also served as Legislative Counsel to U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) and as Senior Policy Advisor to Representative Laura Richardson (D-CA).
At the time of his passing, Mr. Berry had worked for nine years as the Chief Counsel/Legislative Director to Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee. On behalf of the Congresswomen with whom he worked, he enjoyed developing, drafting, and managing legislation for the Appropriations, Judiciary, Foreign Affairs, Transportation & Infrastructure, Homeland Security, Science, and Rules Committees. He negotiated with senior staff officials in the House leadership and standing committees, frequently represented his member in meetings with executive department officials at the federal and state level, and often met with lobbyists and policy entrepreneurs to garner support for important legislative initiatives. He especially enjoyed writing statements and speeches for committee hearings and markups; before the Rules Committee and on the House floor; in the congressional district, across the nation, and abroad; and for print, electronic, and online media. In his capacity as Legislative Director, Mr. Berry thrived on supervising, mentoring, and training the junior staff of legislative assistants, correspondents, and interns.
Outside of work, Mr. Berry enjoyed traveling, reading, sports, and computers. He especially loved his sons and family, who remembered him as dependable, smart, and the “rock” of the family.
Mr. Berry is survived by his mother, Bonnie; sons Michael and Connor, and their mother, Elva; siblings Jeffrey, Michael, and Bonnie; and several relatives.
Steven Korostoff L’80, who spent much of his legal career in finance, died March 8. He was 66.
Mr. Korostoff was born in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from Sheepshead Bay High School in 1973. He attended the State University of New York at Stony Brook for his undergraduate degree and met his wife Stephanie while he was a student there. He graduated from the Law School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1980.
Mr. Korostoff began his legal career at the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. He went on to the Securities and Exchange Commission before transferring to the New York Stock Exchange/FINRA, where he remained until retiring in 2015.
Mr. Korostoff was preceded in death by a sister, Susan. He is survived by his wife Stephanie; children Melissa, Matthew, Jenny, and Sarah; and three grandchildren.
Sanford Pfeffer C’75, L’87, who served Philadelphia’s elderly citizens for three decades, has died. He was 68.
Mr. Pfeffer was a native of Englewood, New Jersey who eventually became a proud and active resident of Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. He was also proud of his Penn education, earning dual degrees at the University.
Mr. Pfeffer passionately served as an attorney, and eventually, General Counsel, for the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging for more than 30 years. The private nonprofit employs about 780 people who perform vital work for the city’s elderly residents.
He made many lifelong friends at the Lombard Swim Club, where in addition to swimming he organized “Coffee and Conversation” and served as a board member for 15 years, including time as President. He also had many respected teammates and competitors in the 8- and 9-ball APA Pool League, and he captained the Local Heroes at Ten Stone, a Philadelphia neighborhood bar. He loved sailing the Chesapeake; taking scenic walks; dogs; architecture; and his “beloved dear,” Debra Lawrence.
His family remembered him for his intellect, curiosity, authenticity, knack for storytelling, and lion-hearted spirit.
Mr. Pfeffer is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth; and brother Gerald.
2000s
2010s
Alyssa Eve Anzalone-Newman L’16 lost her courageous two-and-a-half-year battle with breast cancer on June 6.
After graduating from Washington University in St. Louis with College Honors, she moved to Manhattan to work for Sanctuary for Families, assisting domestic violence victims.
To further her passion for advocating for others, she attended the Law School at the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated as a Dean’s Scholar and earned a Certificate in Management from The Wharton School. At the Law School, she was selected as an Equal Justice Foundation Summer Fellow.
She loved the energy and pace of city life and returned to Manhattan to launch her legal career as an Associate with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. At Orrick, she received the NYS Bar Association’s Empire State Counsel’s recognition of 50+ hours of pro bono legal services provide to low-income individuals in 2017 and the Legal Aid Society’s 2018 Pro Bono Publico Award for her outstanding volunteer service.
Ms. Anzalone-Newman then became a Litigation Fellow and Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the NYS Attorney General. And, in 2019, she joined Columbia University as a Title IX Investigator, coming full circle to her previous work helping victims at Sanctuary for Families.
Ms. Anzalone-Newman always went the ‘extra mile’ to help others. In high school, she volunteered for four years at St. Barnabas Medical Center and founded and headed an American Cancer Society Relay for Life fundraising initiative, which recruited 150+ volunteers. In college, she continued her passion for fighting cancer and served on the leadership team for a 2,000-volunteer Relay for Life. She was a dedicated Program Leader for Natural Ties, which provides socialization opportunities for disabled adults in St. Louis. And she volunteered as a Legal Services Intern for the Rachel Coalition, which assists domestic violence victims in Essex County, New Jersey.
She had a passion for life, exploring New York and trying new restaurants with friends and family. She loved to read, watch reality TV, cook, and bicycle in Hudson River Park. In addition, she loved to relax at the Jersey shore, ski, and travel — exploring much of the United States and remarkably touring nearly 20 countries on five continents, including some recent trips with dear friends.
After her diagnosis, Ms. Anzalone-Newman traveled with her sister Erica to Illinois to get her puppy Ruby, who instantly became the center of her life. She cherished her work relationships and loved her family and friends. She will be deeply missed and leaves behind her sister Erica, brother-in-law Rob, niece Ada, parents Carole and Douglas, a grandmother, aunts and uncles, cousins, and Ruby.
Donations may be made in her name to Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation, https://tnbcfoundation.org/; Metavivor, www.metavivor.org/; or Planned Parenthood, www.plannedparenthood.org/.