In Memoriam: Spring/Summer 2023-24

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

Remembering Harvey Sperling

Harvey B. Sperling, former USM headmaster, passed away in February at the age of 82, following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife, Cathie (a former reading specialist in USM’s Lower School), and daughter, Sarah, as well as many other family members.
Sperling served as USM’s sixth headmaster, from 1990 to 2000. In addition to leading USM for a decade, Harvey was a beloved member of the school community and also a passionate advocate for education and philanthropic support. Shortly after his arrival, he helped with the cultivation of a gift from Virginia Henes Young MCDS’31, who donated the former “Woodwinds” property in 1991, which was used for outdoor experiential learning for many years. Later, he helped to oversee the development of the current Peter L. Borisch Fine Arts Center, the creation of the current Middle School gym, and the introduction of school-wide internet service on campus. Read about Harvey Sperling in his own words. Visit www.usm.org/sperling for this USM Today story he wrote upon his retirement.

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Remembering William Wernecke Jr.

William Wernecke Jr., 68, of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, passed away suddenly on Feb. 27, 2024. Born May 10, 1955 to William and Sue Wernecke Sr., he considered himself extremely fortunate to spend most of his life in Cedarburg with small detours in California (Stanford University) and Illinois (Northwestern University).

Wernecke and his wife, Susan Graham Wernecke, were long-time, generous supporters of USM. He was a member of the Board of Trustees from 2000 to 2008, and served as board president from 2001 to 2004. He also served as a member of the Endowment board since 2006, working to ensure proper management and stewardship of the school’s financial resources. Informally he supported his children in myriad ways, from coaching 6th grade girls’ basketball, to sourcing material for kindergarten projects and attending innumerable soccer games, theatre productions, and orchestra concerts.
 
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Susan Graham Wernecke, and their children Ellen ’02, Claire ’04, Max ’09, and Chloe ’09. He will also be remembered forever by his father, William Wernecke Sr.; his brother, Clark, and sister, Trish Juranitch (along with husband and Upper School teacher Bob Juranitch and their children Jackson, Laura [Marlin] ’15 and Raymond ’22); his two grandchildren, Magnus and Minerva, and a world of family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors, all of whom he saw as people he wanted to help.

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Remembering William Merrill Chester Jr. MCDS’42

William Merrill Chester Jr. MCDS’42 died on Dec. 18, 2023 at home in Tunbridge, Vermont. Born in Milwaukee in 1925 to William Merrill Chester and Alice Miller, he was the third of four children. He attended Milwaukee Country Day School where he was an avid hockey player. Chester graduated from Princeton University in 1944 and Harvard Business School in 1949. During his time in Cambridge, Massachusetts he met Priscilla Penfield, who he married on June 10, 1949 in Montreal.

Chester worked for 37 years at the Heil Company, mostly in the international division. He also served as the president of the Wisconsin Humane Society, on the boards of the Milwaukee Zoo and St. Luke’s Hospital, and as president of Planned Parenthood.

He and Priscilla were longtime and generous supporters of USM. In 2002, they established the Chapman-Read faculty fund to support the men and women who work with students as teachers and coaches. They also generously supported the William M. Chester Memorial Scholarship Fund, and the USM Fund, and Chester served on the Milwaukee Downer Seminary board of trustees. Chester was preceded in death by Priscilla, in 2014, and his siblings Marion Chester Read MDS’37, George Chester MCDS’40, and Chapman Chester MCDS’47. He is survived by daughters Helen Chester, Caroline Chester ’69, Penfield Chester ’72, and Sarah McKusick ’75. He also left 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren who all adored him.

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1930s

Sally Schley Manegold MDS’37, Hartland, Wisconsin

Nancy Turck Groth MUS’39, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

1940s

Jane Zwicky Lillie MDS’40, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Peter Friend MCDS’45, Hartland, Wisconsin

David Tolan MCDS’45, Milwaukee

Anita “Nitie” Bradshaw Barker MDS’47, Concord, Massachusetts

Elizabeth Hamilton Coffey MDS’48, Kohler, Wisconsin

1950s

William Fox MCDS’54, Fox Point, Wisconsin

Judith MacNeil Zacher MUS’54, Columbus, Georgia

Charles “Chuck” Kotovic Jr. MUS’56, Hartland, Wisconsin

Suzy Falk Thompson MUS’56, Northfield, Illinois

Maryalice Borman Wahlquist MDS’58,Edina, Minnesota

1960s

Jon Wamser MCDS’63, Mukwonago, Wisconsin

Kathryn “Ciddy” Aring Piper ’69, Lower Waterford, Vermont

David Recht ’69, Norfolk, Massachusetts

1970s

Trinette Pitts ’75, Milwaukee

1980s

Lisa Buestrin ’82, River Hills, Wisconsin

Michael Stout ’84, Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Sara Habeck Kucik ’89, Jackson, Wisconsin

Friends

Robert Brostowicz, Milwaukee
Grandfather of Jessica (Brostowicz) Benjamin ’10 and Adam Brostowicz II ’12

Michael Cocking, Cedarburg, Wisconsin
Grandfather of Michael Polston ’23, Edith Polston ’25, Ainsley Polston ’28, and James Polston ’33

Paul Ellsworth III, Scottsdale, Arizona
Father of Ephraim Ellsworth ’94 and Oliver Ellsworth ’97, and grandfather of Patrice Ellsworth ’34

William “Bill” Ainsworth Hart Jr., Mequon, Wisconsin
Father of Kelly Grebe, father-in-law of Michael Grebe ’85, and grandfather of Tripp Grebe ’19 and Griffin Grebe ’24

Nancy Isaacs Kaliebe, River Hills, Wisconsin
Mother of Kyle Kaliebe ’03 and grandmother of Caroline Kaliebe ’31

Terry Marino, Milwaukee
Mother of Jimmy Fox ’21

Alice Neitzel, Thiensville, Wisconsin
Grandmother of Allison Neitzel ’10 and Lindsay Neitzel ’12

Jose Olivieri, Milwaukee
Husband of former Lower School Spanish Teacher Jeanne Olivieri, and father of Elisa Olivieri ’04, Lucas Olivieri ’04, and Elena Olivieri ’10

Diane Springer, Milwaukee
Mother of Denise Springer ’96

Cherrye Trotman, Milwaukee
Mother of Dr. Enid Trotman-Anyanwu ’77