Obituaries
Carl Zollo - Carl Zollo '52 (art and design) died Nov. 6, 2009. A Rochester native, Mr. Zollo became art director for TV Channel 8 after graduating from RIT. A noted metal artist, he created many public works, including the 11-foot, 8,000-pound "Split Cube" that stands at the entrance to the NTID Building at RIT. An active volunteer with the American Red Cross, he worked for many years on the annual Fire and Ice fund raising event. A founding member of Blackfriars, he helped design sets for the local theater group and also served as art director for three motion pictures films. In 1988, Arts For Greater Rochester honored him as Individual of the Year for his life-long contribution to art, calling him Rochester's Treasure. The Sons of Italy honored him in 1990 with the Artist of the Year Award and in 1991 he received the Rochester Chamber of Commerce's Culture and Arts Award. In 1993, Casa Italiana of Nazareth College awarded its annual Recognition Award to Carl for his many contributions promoting the arts in Rochester.Amity J. Leitner Graham ’95 (NTID), ’98 (CAST) - Amity J. Leitner Graham SVP ’91, ’95 (NTID), ’98 (CAST) died Aug. 22, 2009, of a post-operative illness. She was 36. In 2007, she married Bob Graham ’01 (NTID) and moved to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Memorial donations may be made to “Amity Scholarship,” The Independence Foundation, 2220 Hall Road, Elma, N.Y. 14059.
Jodi Lisa Kleper Strada ’97 (CAST) - Jodi Lisa Kleper Strada ’97 (CAST) died Sept. 3, 2009, in Lauderdale by the Sea, Fla. She was 35. Ms. Strada was the daughter of Gwenyth and Michael Kleper, professor emeritus, College of Imaging Arts and Sciences, of Lauderdale by the Sea.
Ms. Strada was also the sister of Scott (Marni) Kleper of San Francisco, Calif.; aunt of Fetch Kleper; granddaughter of Ruth Sykes and the late Max Sykes/Joseph Schreiber, Rozz Kleper and the late Sidney Kleper; great-granddaughter of the late Sarah and Samuel Gray; great niece of Shirley Gray & Lillian Gray; Niece of Bonnie Goldberg, Myles Kleper, Judy Izen & the late Karyn Sykes. "Mommy" to adored dog, Bentley.
Memorial donations may be made to Karyn H. Sykes Memorial Fund for Children, c/o Jewish Family Service of Rochester, 441 East Ave., Rochester, N.Y. 14607.
Jessie Valentine Mazzocchi - Jessie Valentine Mazzocchi ’08 (graphic design), 22, of Lebanon, N.J., died Aug. 13, 2009, at home. A native of New Jersey, she graduated from North Hunterdon High School in 2004. She was owner of Custom Apparel in Lebanon and had also worked as an art teacher. Ms. Mazzocchi was a member of the Great Eastern Balloon Association and was the youngest woman in N.J. to receive her Commercial Balloon Pilot License.
She was a member of the Or Chadsh Reformed Temple of Hunterdon County in Flemington, N.J.
Survivors include her parents, Nick and Sherrie Mazzocchi of Annandale, N.J.; a sister, Sally A. Mazzocchi of Baltimore; Maternal Grandmother, Evelyne A. Hersch of Annandale, NJ. Several Aunts and Uncles with many cousins.
(Information from Courrier News, Bridgewater, N.J.)
Albert James Meaker ’42 (print media) - Albert James Meaker ’42 (print media) died April 9, 2009. A native of Auburn, N.Y., he served in the Army during World War II and moved to Arizona with his wife, Rosamond, and son, Thomas, in 1946.
He operated Meaker The Printer from 1947 until his retirement in 1999.
Mr. Meaker was active in Toastmasters and Craftsman Club, and in 1984, he received Craftsman of the Year Award. He was also active at the downtown YMCA, and was a 32nd degree Mason with El Zaribah.
He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Marilyn, and son, Thomas.
Donald Salter Ross ’40 (photography) - Donald Salter Ross ’40 (photography) died in Halifax, Nova Scotia Aug. 19, 2008, at age 94.
Born in Montreal, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force after graduating from RIT. After training in Saskatchewan and Alberta, he was posted to London, England as Photo Officer where he helped with the massive aerial photography effort required for re-taking Europe.
Back home, he served at Rockcliffe Station, Ottawa. Wing Commander Ross attended Staff College in Farnborough, England, in 1950, going overseas again in 1952 during the Korean Conflict. He was OC of the Photo Establishment at Rockcliffe when he left the RCAF in 1955.
He worked with Canadian Applied Research Ltd. on the Avro Arrow project. After the Arrow’s cancellation he moved to Lexington, Mass., where he worked for Itek Corp., moving again in 1961 to Los Altos, Calif., to work for Philco-Ford, eventually setting up International Imaging Systems in Mountain View.
Mr. Ross developed a method of photo-optical density-slicing for image enhancement and helped pioneer the application of these techniques to provide deeper knowledge of Earth’s resources. He became particularly interested in ocean phenomena but applied multi-spectral techniques to everything from tracing earthquake faults to predicting vineyard production. He wrote numerous scientific papers, made presentations in Turkey and Iran and was an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society. He retired in Ottawa in 1981.
Lt. Mohsin Naqvi (GCCIS) - Lt. Mohsin Naqvi, an alumnus of RIT’s Tiger Battalion Army ROTC program, was killed in Afghanistan Sept. 17, 2008.
Lt. Naqvi, who attended RIT’s B. Thoms Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences from 2003-2005, was one of four U. S. soldiers who were killed in a roadside attack.<p> He joined the Army Reserve a few days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and served during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Upon completing his tour of duty in Iraq, Lt. Naqvi came to RIT to continue his academic studies and become an Army officer. He then resumed active duty and began a tour in Afghanistan.
Alan J. Farkas ’85 (GAP) - Alan J. Farkas ’85 (GAP) died Oct. 3, 2008, at his Rochester home.
After graduating from RIT, Mr. Farkas went on to a successful career showcasing both his commercial photography and his fine art work. He worked as a staff photographer for Eastman Kodak Co. for eight years, shooting images for use in advertising, marketing and film and camera samples. He later opened his own photo studio in Rochester, and taught advertising photography at RIT as an adjunct faculty member.
Philip J. Dykeman ’99 - Marine Capt. Philip J. Dykeman ’99 (criminal justice) was killed June 26, 2008, in Iraq. Capt. Dykeman, 38, died along with his commanding officer and another Marine and 17 Iraqis during a suicide attack in Karmah, about 30 miles west of Baghdad.
Capt. Dykeman was attached to the Camp Pendleton-based 1st Regimental Combat Team, were from the 2nd battalion, 3rd regiment, 3rd Marine Division based at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
A native of Central Square, N.Y., who had also lived in Brockport, N.Y., Capt. Dykeman joined the Marines in 1991. He received numerous medals and commendations, including the Purple Heart. He was stationed in Hawaii from June 2007 until his battalion was deployed to Iraq in February 2008.
Arthur J. Reed Jr. ’49 - Arthur J. Reed Jr. ’49 (GAP) of Sandy Springs, Ga., died Jan. 16, 2008, following complications of a fall. He was 82.
A veteran of World War II, Mr. Reed retired in 1986 as regional sales manager of Kodak’s Professional and Finishing Markets Division in Atlanta, Ga. His 35-year career with the company included assignments in Europe and Asia as well as the United States. His areas of expertise included film, paper, chemicals and machinery and he worked with clients such as NASA, Disney, Eckerd drugstores and professional photo studios.
He was an accomplished photographer and enjoyed many hobbies, including golf, woodworking, and model trains. He was named an honorary life member of the Southeastern Professional Photographers Association and he earned the coveted Photographic Craftsman degree from Professional Photographers of America. Mr. Reed He volunteered with the Atlanta Executive Service Corps, Habitat for Humanity, and Freebytes, refurbishing donated computers for use by nonprofit organizations.
Mr. Reed is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marjorie Lee Reed of Atlanta, son Scott of Duluth, Ga., and daughter Kristen Deininger of Indian Harbour Beach, Fla.
