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BASSETT Dr. T. Robert Bassett, 100, July 14, 2008. Born in Philadelphia on March 19, 1908, Dr. Bassett celebrated his 100th birthday in good health with dozens of relatives, friends and neighbors. Dr. Bassett was a former head of the Friends Boys School in Ramallah, Palestine (1951-52, 1961-65, 1966-67). He and his family loved the school and loved the people of Ramallah and Palestine. While in Ramallah, Dr. Bassett led the Friends Meeting. After leaving Ramallah, Dr. and Mrs. Bassett lived in New Jersey, where he was chair of the Education Department at Bloomfield College. When he retired in 1975, Dr. Bassett wrote an inspiring text for teachers, “Education for the Individual: It’s the Side Effects of Education that Count.” He is survived by his children, Richard, Ruth (Munzer) Afifi, Martha (Tom) DuHamel and Kathy (Dr. German) Gonzalo; 12 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother, Ralph; his son, Edwin; and his wife of 67 years, Irene Piper Bassett.

BOLLING Frances Morgan Bolling, 93, July 23, 2008, West Richmond Friends, Indiana. Frances died in her sleep at the home of her son Dan while under the care of Hospice. For 10 years she had lived with Alzheimer’s disease in the homes of her children and their families. Frances’ disease moderated, but never obscured the kindness, grace and playfulness known by all who loved her. Her birth in a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, hospital on August 22, 1914, was supervised by one of the first female surgeons in America, her aunt Dr. Mary Griscom. Frances was the daughter of Arthur E. and Lucy Morgan and was schooled from an early age in the principles of Quaker non-violence, fairness and compassion toward others. As a young woman Frances studied at Antioch College, where her father was president, and at Columbia University. During college she started classes for isolated school-age children in a remote pocket of western North Carolina and taught every subject in grades one through six. At the beginning of the New Deal in 1933 Frances and her parents moved to Norris, Tennessee, when Frances’ father was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as the first chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). During her father’s tenure with the TVA, Frances met and fell in love with Landrum Bolling. Frances and Landrum were married in July of 1936, beginning a life marked by much travel, job changes and the arrival of six children, the first of whom died before he was one. They came to Earlham College in the fall of 1948 where Landrum served for 15 years as president. Frances was hostess to such distinguished visitors as the President of India, the British ambassador to the United Nations, labor leader Walter Reuther and many others. Over the years, Frances became ever more interested in religion and spiritual development, reading widely in the field. In the 1960s she became attracted to the practice of meditation, studying with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at programs conducted in Colorado and in Spain. At age 57 she became one of the first teachers of Transcendental Meditation in the Midwest, lecturing and teaching in Indiana. One of her regular service commitments for a number of years was carrying on poetry reading sessions for mentally ill patients at the East Haven Hospital in Richmond. Another was working on the collecting, sorting and dispatching of shipments of used clothing for the poor, here and abroad, for the American Friends Service Committee. For over 60 years she was a very active member of West Richmond Friends Meeting. Landrum and Frances, although divorced in 1979, always remained friends and mutually supportive. Frances is survived by her former husband, Landrum; sons, Brian, Dan and David (Mandy); daughters, Rebecca (Ron) Pollack and Sarah (Don) Chell; and seven grandchildren.

BREWER Betty Irene Hussey Brewer, 75, September 2, 2008, Hopewell Friends, North Carolina. Mrs. Brewer was born on August 24, 1933, the daughter of the late E.A. and Rosa Maness Hussey. She was a member of Hopewell Friends Meeting, where she was a member of the Senior Sunday school class. Mrs. Brewer liked to make and collect dolls and she enjoyed shopping for pottery with her sisters. She was preceded in death by her sister, Maxine Holden. Survivors include her husband, A.F. Brewer, Jr.; sons, Larry F. (Bertie) Brewer and A. Roger (Karen) Brewer; sisters, Maylene H. (Edsel) Ritter, Libbie H. (Paul) Moscato, Dottie H. (Pete) Davis, Molcy H. (John) Solberg and Lorene H. (Nicky) Slack; brother, Paul (Mae) Hussey; brother-in-law, Bob Holden; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Funeral services were conducted September 4 at Ridge Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Daniel Thames officiating. Memorials may be made to Hopewell Friends Meeting.

BROWN Helen Jeanette Brown, 91, July 18, 2008, Wabash Friends, Indiana. Helen was born on April 7, 1917, to the late Michael Irvin Crist and Anna (Palmer) Crist. She is also preceded in death by a sister, Martha Betty; and two brothers, Raymond and Wayne. On February 6, 1937, Helen married Carl William Brown, who preceded her in death in 1984. She married Fred Hunter on October 30, 1985, who preceded her in death in 2000. Helen was employed at Sears in the accounting department. After retirement, she resided in Florida for 25 years before her illness necessitated her move to Salisbury, North Carolina, to be near family. Survivors include Carl (Linda) W. Brown Jr. and Larry (Janis) D. Brown; five grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Services were held July 22 at the McDonald Funeral Home with David Phillips officiating. Memorials can be made to Wabash Friends Church.

CARTER Rheba D. (Johnson) Carter, 85, July 23, 2008, Russiaville Friends, Indiana. Rheba was born July 17, 1923, to Basil R. and Helen D. (Hill) Johnson. She married Merle C. Carter on December 8, 1944, and he died October 28, 1979. The couple served faithfully at Russiaville Friends Meeting and in Western Yearly Meeting. Most notably, Rheba used her bookkeeping and secretarial skills as the meeting treasurer, yearly meeting statistician and Western’s USFW recording secretary. Rheba graduated from Burlington High School in 1941 and attended the Kokomo Business College. She is survived by her three children, Stephen K. (Carmen) Carter, Phillip D. (Nancy) Carter and Julia M. (Dennis) Hoffman; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; three sisters; and a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Mary Frances (Carter) and Lewis M. Taylor. Services were held July 27 at Russiaville Friends Church with her pastor, Jamie Lyon, officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to Russiaville Friends Church or Quaker Haven Camp.

CASTLE David Castle, 84, August 17, 2008. David was born on March 21, 1924, and graduated from high school in Ridgefarm, Illinois. He served in the weather division of the U.S. Air Force from 1943-46. He graduated from the College of Wooster in 1949 and Yale Divinity School in 1953. He was a recorded Friends pastor and served meetings in Richmond and Valley Mills, Indiana. While at Valley Mills, he earned a Ph.D. in adult education from Indiana University. At William Penn College he taught Psychology and developed a human relations major and lab. In 1979, he moved to Quakerdale Home, New Providence, Iowa, where he pioneered a new family therapy program. Since 1999, he and his wife, Ellie, have been resident volunteers at Koinonia partners, an intentional Christian community. David was a birthright Friend, son of George and Ruth Castle, who were national presidents of Quaker Men and USFW. He was associated with the Earlham School of Religion in its early days and later taught classes there, was a Friend-in-Residence and served on the Board of Directors. He conducted numerous workshops throughout the U.S. for Friends Meetings and organizations. He was well-known for his skill in group dynamics and pastoral counseling. He served on the Board of AFSC in Dayton, Ohio, and Atlanta, Georgia. He is the author of five books and numerous articles. The family plans to publish the book he was in the process of writing when he died after a short bout with lung cancer. David is survived by his wife of 58 years, Ellie; their three children, Shari, Dick and Gretchen; two sons-in-law, Dana Pless and Ken Miller; four granddaughters; as well as four sisters.

COLLIER Gerald Alden Collier, 86, September 18, 2008. Gerald was born September 27, 1921, to the late Orville and Ruby (Burkett) Collier. Gerald was a minister for 45 years, pastoring several Friends churches in Indiana. He was also an accountant for the Chrysler Corporation. He was a member of the Faith United Methodist Church of Greenfield. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Jeanne (Wright) Collier; sons, Allen (Teresa) Collier and Phillip (Melinda) Collier; daughters, Rebecca (Mike) Hopper and Tamara (Gary) Litten; eight grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Chester, Forrest and Gail Collier; one sister, Gladys Stickler; and one grandson, Kevin Hopper. Funeral services were held September 22 at the Shirley United Methodist Church with the Revs. Dr. Phil B. Collier and Allen Collier officiating. Memorial contributions can be made to Faith United Methodist of Greenfield.

FOLGER Dalton E. Folger, 96, August 10, 2008, First Friends Indianapolis, Indiana. Dalton was born June 24, 1912, the son of Earl and Nadia (Johnson) Folger. He was a volunteer at Quaker Haven and Community Hospital. He had been employed by Banker’s Dispatch as a manager for 25 years, production-control at Guide Lamp for 23 years and a counselor at Quaker Haven’s camp for 10 years. Survivors include two sons, Lealden (Deirdre) and Ronald (Doris); nine grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; an aunt, Juanita; and his family at First Friends Church. He was preceded in death by his wife of over 60 years, Carol; his parents; brother, Robert; and sister, Ruth Wagner. Services were held August 15 at Guilkey Funeral Home with Pastor Jack Holliday officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to Quaker Haven Camp.

HAYNES Betsy Davis Haynes, 37, August 30, 2008, Cedar Square Friends, North Carolina. Born May 22, 1971, Betsy was a birthright Quaker of Cedar Square Friends Meeting, where she served as a Children’s Church leader. She was a 1989 graduate of Randleman High School and was employed by the U.S. Postal Service for 12 years. She enjoyed the fun and fellowship of the Red Barn Riders. Betsy is survived by her children, Stetson and McLaine Haynes; the children’s father, Steven Haynes; parents, Keith and Amelia Davis; sisters, Cynthia (Keith) Strider and Gayle (Marshall) Robertson; brother, Philip (Sonja) Davis; and one grandparent, McLain Farlow. A memorial service to celebrate Betsy’s life was held September 2 at Cedar Square Friends Meeting, with the Rev. Eric Woods officiating. Betsy will be remembered by her energetic view of life and joy of giving. Therefore, the family request memorials to Cedar Square Friends Meeting, c/o Diane Welborn.

HEMRIC Fred William Hemric, 77, August 24, 2008, Marlboro Friends, North Carolina. Fred was born July 15, 1931, the son of Glenn and Clyde Victoria Hayes Hemric. Fred was an army veteran of the Korean War, retired principal of the Randolph County School system, a Quaker minister serving Liberty, Randleman and Science Hill Friends Meetings and a member of Marlboro Friends Meeting. He is survived by his wife, Sarah Eller Hemric; daughters, Leatha Fields- Carey and Melissa Fields; sister, Louise Parks; brother, Alan Hemric; and one grandson. A memorial service was held August 26 at the Pugh Funeral Home chapel in Asheboro. The family asks that memorials be made to Tabernacle Elementary School Media Center.

HILFINGER Shirley Hilfinger was born on January 21, 1930, in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. She received a bachelor’s degree in social administration from Ohio State University and a Master of Arts in religious education from Northwestern University. She continued her education with courses in children’s literature and social work in Minnesota and in Arizona. Shirley joined Phoenix Monthly Meeting where she worked as clerk and on several committees, including First Day School, Ministry and Oversight and Library. In her home life, Shirley and her husband Jack worked with young Friends. Anna and Mark were blessings in their lives. When Jack died in 1978, she became a part of the Phoenix Human Resources Program where she received many tributes for her service as a social worker. She contributed much to the raising of her grandson Matthew. Shirley enjoyed the opera and the symphony. Her sensitivity to the needs of others brought her many friends.

JONES Marjorie Martin Jones, 98, July 13, 2008, Plainfield Friends, Indiana. Marjorie was born in November 26, 1911, the daughter of Walter and Eurie York Martin. She graduated from Plainfield High School in 1928. She was a homemaker for many years. Marjorie was an active member of Plainfield’s Naomi Rebekah Lodge #155 since 1981. She was a clerk at L.S. Ayres for a number of years, had managed a Laundromat and worked in restaurants. She also helped match senior citizens to appropriate jobs and did homecare for sick and elderly persons. She was preceded in death by her husband, Verlie Jones; daughter, Carla Morris; and a grandson, Dennis Morris. She is survived by sons, Thomas Joyce, Ronald (Jeanie) O’Dell, David (Ginny) Jones, Stephen (Dianne) Jones and Larry Jones; daughters, Linda (Don) Boeing, Mary Harmon and Donna (Roger) Hopkins; son-in-law, Charles Morris; and sister-in-law, Marjorie Martin; as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services were held at the Hall-Baker Funeral Home in Plainfield.

LEONARD Russell Forbes Leonard, 87, June 30, 2008, Plainfield Friends, Indiana. Born February 14, 1921, he was a son of Forbes and Mayme (Rouse) Leonard. He married Norma Ella Taylor on December 23, 1944, who died in 1996. Mr. Leonard took an accounting position in 1941 with Allison Division of General Motors Corp., where he worked until his retirement in 1980. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard and was stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, during WWII. He was a member of the American Association of Accountants and formerly served as treasurer at Plainfield Friends Meeting. Survivors include his wife, Grace (Verdugo) Leonard; daughters and sons-in-law, Diane Elaine and Gary Simmons, Eileen Renee Leonard and Michele Denise and Franklin Goforth; a son, Gregory Taylor Leonard; and several grandchildren. Services were at the Hampton-Gentry Funeral Home in Plainfield.

MCKINNEY Flora Sellens McKinny, August 13, 2008. Flora was born into a rural Quaker community in Russell County, Kansas, where her family settled in 1874, and began her education there in a one-room school. She graduated from the Friends Academy at Haviland, Kansas, attended the college there (now called Barclay College) and later attended the Hartford Seminary in Connecticut. Since around 2000, Flora and her husband Howard have been residents of Medford Leas, a Friends retirement community in New Jersey. Howard and Flora lived in Oak Park, Illinois, for about eight years. During this time, Flora was clerk of the Metropolitan Chicago General Meeting (1977-78), MCGM representative to the Church Federation of Chicago, clerk-coordinator for Illinois Yearly Meeting (1979-80), Plummer Lecturer at Illinois Yearly Meeting (1981), clerk of the Executive Committee of the Chicago Regional Office, acting director of the CRO for six months and on the AFSC Corporation. While residents of Pittsburgh Flora served as clerk of Lake Erie Yearly Meeting (1968-71). From Flora’s author bio in her 1981 Plummer Lecture: “Howard’s work has taken them to nine states. During these years they had the opportunity of belonging to all the branches of Friends, eight yearly meetings, two Associations of Friends, two worship groups and an independent Friends meeting.” They attended four triennial conferences of the Friends World Committee for Consultation, in Sweden, Switzerland, Kenya and Mexico. They held a joint appointment as FWCC field staff for the High Plains area between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains. There was a memorial service at Medford Leas and at the Haddonfield Friends Meeting. Anyone who wishes to make a memorial donation in her name can do so for the Ramallah Friends Schools (FUM).

NICHOLSON John E. Nicholson, 85, February 23, 2008. John was born in Philadelphia, graduated from Westtown in 1941, received his bachelor’s degree from Earlham College in 1948 and his master’s from Haverford in 1950. He was a conscientious objector during WWII, worked in the American Friends Service Committee clothing room and took two cattle boat trips to Poland, organized by what is now Heifer International. He was on the faculty at Friends Academy, Germantown Friends School and for 21 years he was head of the middle school at Westtown. He was on the Pendle Hill Board, was involved with various Philadelphia Yearly Meeting committees and taught Bible in the Quaker Studies program. He spent many summers working as assistant to the director at Flying Moose Lodge, a boys’ camp in Maine. He met his wife, Bertha May Pearson, at Earlham College. They were married in 1948 and had four sons, Allen, who died in infancy, John T., James and David. Daughters-in-law are Dot Kennedy, Janet MacColl-Nicholson and Linda Nicholson. He is also survived by 14 grandchildren; a brother, Christopher (Helen); a sister-in-law, Jean; and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service was held March 15 at Crosslands Retirement Community. Memorial contributions can be sent to Kendal at Longwood and Crosslands Reserve Funds or Westtown Schools’ Fund for Quakerism.

PIKE Margie Reynolds Pike, 77, September 18, 2008, Glenwood Friends, North Carolina. Margie was born on February 11, 1931. She participated in Glenwood Fellowship Group and Seniors Resources of Guilford. She was preceded in death by parents, Solon Addison and Alma Barker Reynolds; brothers, Ray Reynolds, Joe Reynolds, Paul Reynolds and J.C. Reynolds. Surviving is her husband of 56 years, Russell Pike; daughter, Donna (Howard) Pike Dalche; son, Charles Pike; sister, Lucille Reynolds Hylton; and brother, Floyd (Susie) Reynolds. Funeral services were held September 22 at Glenwood Friends Meeting with Pastor Tim Grant and the Revs. Robert Kidd and Karl Luff officiating. Memorials may be made to Glenwood Friends Meeting, c/o Care Committee, or Hospice of Greensboro.

SWEET Robert “Bob” Lee Sweet, 76, July 15, 2008, Wabash Friends, Indiana. Bob was born January 20, 1932, to Jesse David and Oma Ellen (Hott) Sweet. Bob married Janet Stouffer at the Wabash Friends Church on September 23, 1955; she survives. Bob was a car salesman for Dorais Chevrolet, retiring after more than 50 years, was a firefighter for the Wabash Fire Department five years and was manager at the Wabash Country Club for many years. He was a member of the Wabash Elks Lodge, Somerset Masonic Lodge and the Wabash American Legion Post 15. Bob served in the U.S. Air Force four years. In addition to his wife, he is survived by five children, Rose (Jim) Wenrich, Doug (Sunali) Sweet, Lori (Gary) Miller, Mike (Alice) Sweet and Lisa (Matt) Kinsey; and eight grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two grandchildren, Lane and Matthew Miller; and three sisters, M. Jean Maple, Betty Carr and Grace Flauding. Funeral services were held at Wabash Friends Church on July 18 with David Phillips officiating. Military honors were provided by American Legion Post 15 honor guard. Jerry Stoner presented the flag. Memorials can be made to Wabash Friends Church Building Fund.

TRAVAINI Shy Mott Travaini was born on June 2, 1929, in Zelienople, Pennsylvania. She was proud of her Cree heritage and was a descendant of Lucretia Mott. Her family moved to Arizona in 1946 where, as a very young woman, she met and married Dario Travaini. They had three children, Cassandra, Dario Mark and Christina. Shy was a founding member of the Golden Gate Settlement Guild. She was a volunteer with Hospice of the Valley where she served as Area Leader and helped design the pediatric program. She also volunteered with Parents Anonymous and was a special friend to a child under the care of Child Protective Services. Shy taught special education. She became friends with a White Mountain Apache family and acted as an extended family member to older children attending Phoenix Indian School. She and Dario were faithful attendees of the opera, theater and symphony. Shy attended Phoenix Friends Meeting for 30 years. Many times, in her words, she “felt the strong power of the gathered meeting,” and developed “a deep love for the members and attendees.”

WYRICK Benjamin K. Wyrick, 98, April 5, 2008, Russiaville Friends, Indiana. Ben was born December 7, 1909, to Cecil and Pearl (Halliday) Wyrick. On September 7, 1929, he married Olive E. (Ogle) Wyrick, who preceded him in death September 4, 1996. Ben was a farmer all of his life and also worked in the ASCS office for 15 years. He graduated from Forest High School in 1927. Survivors are a daughter and son-in-law, Peggy and Conrad Robertson; five grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. Services were held April 8 with LuAnn Young and Jamie Lyon officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to Russiaville Friends Church or the donor’s choice.