In Memoriam: Fall/Winter 2022-23

We celebrate the lives of the following alumni and friends, whose deaths were recently shared with us. We are thankful for their friendship.

Judy Bloch

Judy Bloch passed away on September 16, 2022 at age 74 after an ongoing battle with cancer. Judy retired from University School of Milwaukee in August 2018 after 34 years of service in numerous roles throughout the school. In 1984 she launched USM’s Learning Center, tasked with providing assistance to students in need of extra help; it still serves the USM community today under the name Academic Resource Center.

She developed Summer I.D.E.A.S., a program she oversaw from 1992 to 2018. During her tenure as director, the program served more than 11,000 students from the greater Milwaukee area and employed hundreds of teachers. Judy also sat on USM’s curriculum coordination team, chaired the faculty evaluation committee, and was responsible for the yearly new-faculty orientation. 
Judy led USM through four accreditation cycles for ISACS (Independent Schools Association of the Central States), each cycle a seven-year process designed to support a school in fulfilling its mission. Her organizational leadership was integral to guiding USM through these processes, including preparing and creating self-study reports and assisting teams of outside peers through their accreditation visits.

She co-chaired many ISACS accreditation teams throughout the country to help other independent schools improve programming and culture, impart best practices, and ultimately improve educational opportunities for young people. She continued this work in a consulting capacity post retirement.  
Judy was an active community member who tirelessly served on the boards of the Milwaukee Jewish Day School for 20 years, and Congregation Beth Israel (CBI). Judy acted as treasurer of the CBI Sisterhood, was a parent board member for Accompany of Kids (a student performing group based in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin), a troop leader for the Brownies and Girl Scouts, and she held leadership roles in B’nai B’rith Women.

A champion of learning and a master educator, Judy touched the lives of countless children, colleagues, and families. In her supportive and diplomatic way, she always made time to mentor and share her wisdom with anyone who needed guidance or a friendly ear. She is survived by her husband Eric, daughters Rachel (Adam Christian) and Melissa (Jason Meier), and grandsons Bennett ’33 and Beau ’35 Christian, and many other loving relatives and friends.

1930s

Willard Levine MCDS'39, La Quinta, Calif.

1940s

Diane G. Vogel MDS'40, Mequon, Wis.

Robert R. Elsner MUS'41, Milwaukee

Priscilla Allen Lipscomb MDS'41, Mequon, Wis.

Nancy A. Clayton Gridley MUS'42, Sarasota, Fla.

Margaret Schmidt Maas MDS'43, Hartland, Wis.

Barbara Newman Schuff MDS'43, Great Falls, Mont.

Virginia Mueller Hinner MDS'44, Woodstock, Ill.

Signe Gundersen Schroeder MDS'45, La Crosse, Wis.

Ellen Haebler Skove MDS'45, Peterborough, N.H.

Mary J. Peterman Harris MDS'46, Milwaukee

Sheila H. Shea Tanzer MDS'47, Hanover, N.H.

William L. Quasius MUS'48, Winter Haven, Fla.

V. Robbins Tate Jr. MCDS'48, Evanston, Ill.

Richard A. Pereles MUS'49, Port Charlotte, Fla.

Susanne S. Perina Steinmetz MDS'49, Middleton, Wis.

Allen N. Rieselbach MUS'49, Milwaukee

1950s

Donald L. Seidler MUS'50, Ocean Isle Beach, N.C.

Richard Grant MUS'52, Menomonee Falls, Wis.

William H. Dantzler MUS'53, Tucson, Ariz.

Edward J. Schiff MUS'55, Whitefish Bay, Wis.

John Oster MCDS'56, Lake Wales, Fla.

Mary L. Davidson MUS'57, Minneapolis

Robert H. Blommer MUS'59, Wilmington, N.C.

Patricia Berry Garner MUS'59, Colgate, Wis.

Holly D. Troyk McGucken MDS'59, Brookfield, Wis.

1960s

Peter F. Straub MCDS'61, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Thomas G. Krueck MUS'63, Alice, Texas

Peter W. Knapp MCDS'64, Paonia, Colo.

Mary Harrington Tucker MUS'64, Boca Grande, Fla.

James B. Brennan '65, Peace Dale, R.I.

Diane U. Koestner '66, Naples, Fla.

Douglas R. Lane '66, Tucson, Ariz.

Rick Schmidt '66, Milwaukee

Craig T. Robertson '69, West Palm Beach, Fla.

1970s

George H. Uihlein '70, Verona, Wis.

Thomas M. Read '75, Naples, Fla.

Jonathan A. Waters '79, Berkeley, Calif.

1980s

Mark R. Whitaker '80, Milwaukee

1990s

Frederick N. Kotovic '90, Excelsior, Minn.

2010s

Daniel J. Smyczek '10, Milwaukee

Friends

Marilyn John, West Bend, Wis.
Wife of Carl John Jr. '46, former geometry/calculus teacher from 1959 to 1996. Mother of Constance 
John '79, Christine McBride '80, Paula Bartel '80, and Carrie John '82. Grandmother of Carly McBride and Mitchell McBride

Gordon Boucher, Oconomowoc, Wis.
Grandfather of Maria '25, Henry '28, and Nora '28 Sellars

Fanny A. Cracknell
Former head of Lower School from 1983 to 1985, and former head of Upper School from 1985 to 1987. Mother of Liza M. Connelly '85

Rafael Elejalde, River Hills, Wis. 
Grandfather of Sofia '26 and Valentina '29 Elejalde

Thomas Seiler, Manitowoc, Wis. 
Grandfather of Henry '33 and Leo '35 Seiler

Rajni Sharma, Toledo, Ohio
Grandfather of Shaan '22, Deven '27, and Sheel '31 Sharma

Bill Siehr, Mequon, Wis. 
Grandfather of Hugh '33, Walter '34, and Pearl '37 Handler

Kevin Togliatti, Mequon, Wis.
Father of Alec Togliatti '24

Beverly Colton Zilberbrand, Milwaukee
Grandmother of Jonathan '23 and Mia '24 Crawford