Obituaries

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death September 8, 1998 of Senior Scientist and Honorary Member of the Corporation Holger W. Jannasch at his home in Woods Hole following a long battle with cancer. He was 71.

With great sorrow, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at MIT, and the United States Geological Survey Woods Hole Field Center announce the deaths of Dr. Rafael “Rafi” Katzman, a recent graduate of the MIT/WHOI Joint Program, and his wife, Niva. They were killed in an automobile accident on August 26, 1998, in Jackson County, Minnesota. Rafi was 34 years old, Niva was 31 years old.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death August 13, 1998 of Honorary Member Alexander T. Daignault at his home in North Andover, MA, following a long illness. He was 82.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death April 12, 1998 of Scientist Emeritus Kenneth O. Emery in Milton, MA, following a brief illness. He was 83.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death March 31, 1998 of Mary C. Landsteiner at her home in Falmouth following a long battle with cancer. She was 41.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of Honorary Trustee and Member and former employee Dr. Athelstan Frederick Spilhaus during the night of March 29-30, 1998 at his home in Middleburg, Virginia. He was 86. Called by many a Renaissance Man, Dr. Spilhaus is well-known for inventing the bathythermograph (or BT), a temperature measuring device which played a major role in defense against German submarines during World War II, and as the “father” of the Sea Grant College program.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of Walter Addison Smith, Honorary WHOI Trustee and Corporation Member and longtime supporter and friend of the Institution, on March 24, 1998. Walter Smith was honored by WHOI in October of 1997 when he was given the Cecil H. Green Award to honor “an individual who has made outstanding contributions to oceanographic research at WHOI.”

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of George Edward “Eddie” Pierce March 12, 1998 at home in Falmouth. He was 72.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of Captain Robert “Munnsie” Guy Munns February 15, 1998 at his home in East Falmouth. He was 75.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death October 29, 1997 of retiree Nancy (Heydt) Green. Nancy died of a heart attack at home in Falmouth, MA, at age 71.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announce with great sorrow the death October 19, 1997 of long-time employee and retiree Samuel F. Pierce.  Sam died at home in Pocasset after a…

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of Charles John Peters Jr. on September 21, 1997 after a brief illness. He was 54.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death by drowning September 12, 1997 of Member of the Corporation Thomas N. O??A???A?Neil in Falmouth. A resident of Concord, MA, and Woods Hole, he was 49.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death September 2, 1997 of Scientist Emeritus Mary Sears, one of the first staff members of the Institution and a guiding force in its development. She passed away at her home in Woods Hole at age 92 after a brief illness.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the unexpected death May 29, 1997 of Martin C. Woodward at his home in East Falmouth. He was 58.