November 2, 2023, in Bend, Oregon.

Marilyn earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Reed and wrote her thesis on the reaction of carbon monoxide gas with sodium phenyl; Prof. Arthur F. Scott [chemistry 1923–26 and 1937–79] was her advisor. In German class with Prof. Kaspar Locher [1950-88], she met her future husband, Darrell Brownawell ’54. Marilyn later earned her master’s and became a research chemist and a teacher, working for a time at Exxon USA, where Darrell also worked.

After graduating from Reed, Darrell was stationed in Germany with the army and Marilyn joined him. “We took one of Professor Arragon’s textbooks with us and used it as we traveled for a month in Greece, seeing all the sites he’d talked about in class,” wrote Darrell in The Gray Alumni Challenge.

December 12, 2023

Edward was born in Flushing, Queens, New York. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics at Reed and wrote his thesis, “Coordination Problems in Federal, State and Local Finance,” with advising from Prof. Arthur Leigh [economics 1945-1988].

Edward had a successful career as a certified public accountant. He enjoyed traveling with his wife and cruising on the family boat. He was known for his effortless wit and kindness. Edward is survived by his wife, Gita, and his daughter, Winnie.

Feb. 8, 2024, in Portland, from Parkinson’s disease.

Dan was born in Portland, where he attended Grant High School, set a new state record for the 440-yard dash, and met the love of his life, Yvonne Nielsen.

Dan earned an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Reed. His thesis, “Vapor Pressures of Silver Amalgams,” was written under Prof. Arthur F. Scott [chemistry 1923–26 and 1937–79]. Dan subsequently received his master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Portland, a teaching assistantship in physical chemistry at the University of Texas, and a PhD in fuel chemistry at Pennsylvania State University.

November 4, 2023, Portland, Oregon

June was born in Oakland, California, to Erik and Ellen Ekstrom, immigrants from Sweden and Denmark. She had an idyllic life, growing up in Oakland with her sister Helen.

At Reed, June wrote for the Quest. She met Eleanor Roosevelt at a tea when Mrs. Roosevelt came to visit her granddaughter at Reed. June also met Forrest Bennett ’49 at Reed, whom she married in 1949. They had 10 children and lived in Portland, where Forrest had a medical practice. They later divorced and June bought her dream home in Milwaukie. She worked many years at Aurora Aviation as office manager, a job she loved. She often traveled to Mexico. In 1969, she entered a poetry contest and won a brand-new Ford Mustang.

November 30, 2023, in Bellingham, Washington.

Constance was born in Denver, Colorado, into a pioneer mining family. She met her husband, Rox, while attending Reed, just before the United States entered the Second World War; they courted by mail while Rox was training to be a Navy pilot.

After the war, Constance raised five children while Rox earned a PhD in economics. She filled the role of hostess and faculty wife, supporting Rox as dean of business, first in Logan, Utah, at Utah State University, and then in Bellingham, Washington, at Western Washington State University.

October 1, 2023 in California, of complications from leukemia.

Michael Mills, innovator, mentor, and leading global figure in law firm technology, died at 77, with his life partner, Karen MacNeil, at his side.

His career spanned legal technology, litigation, and local television. Since 2011, he was the cofounder and president of Neota, a no-code platform for intelligent automation.

January 19, 2024, in San Francisco, of cancer.

A satirist who saw humor as “the revenge of the powerless,” Joan was one of the most prolific artists to emerge from the San Francisco Mime Troupe. During her 32 years as the group’s resident playwright, she unleashed plays targeting racism, misogyny, and political extremism, driven by her enduring philosophy: if you can’t slay the dragon, make him look silly.

Born Joan Allan in Berkeley in 1939, Joan was the daughter of William Allan, an agricultural economist, and Seema Rynin, a psychiatric social worker. Even before her birth, progressive values shaped Joan’s life: her family’s Berkeley Hills social circle included members of the Industrial Workers of the World, and her parents first met while visiting the former Soviet Union.

March 7, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee, of brain cancer.

Alex Morgan, born December 1, 1998, lived authentically and truthfully, basking in their vast interests: cephalopods, Earl Grey, blueberry milkshakes, the band the Mountain Goats, Studio Ghibli movies, “repurposed” black clothing, and Life of Pi. On the flip side, they stuck by their convictions about what they hated, too: inequality, lemons, Amazon, arrogance, and the fact that George R.R. Martin still hasn’t finished writing the sixth book in the Song of Ice and Fire series.

In high school, Alex was a quiz bowl champion, cofounder of a social justice group, and Senior of the Year. Their touchstones throughout their life were language and books. Alex was known for frequently devouring a book a day, typically science fiction and fantasy. They wrote both short- and long-form fiction, and bonded with others about their love of ideas, often exchanging book recommendations.

April 3, 2024, in Portland, Oregon.

An insightful critic and a dedicated poet, Carolyn discovered her love for the written word during childhood. Born August 28, 1980, in Los Angeles, she had memorized poems by E.E. Cummings and T.S. Eliot by the time she was a teenager, and would recite them as she and her sister walked home from the school bus stop.

At Reed, Carolyn wrote her thesis, “The Cultural Storm: Modernism and Mass Culture in Nathanael West’s Miss Lonelyhearts and The Day of the Locust,” under Prof. Lois Leveen [English and humanities 2000–03]. She also earned a master of arts at Portland State University and a master of social work in animal-assisted therapy at the Smith College School for Social Work.

On February 28, 2024, in Phoenix, Arizona, of cancer.

Tracy was born October 14, 1957, in Missoula, Montana. He graduated from Reed with a degree in classics in 1986, having written his thesis, “Studies in Pindaric Interpretation,” under Prof. Richard Tron [classics 1961–2003]. A long-distance runner with a vast collection of medals and trophies, Tracy was known for his work ethic and always going the extra mile. When he passed away, he had recently retired from the Vanguard Group, an investment management company, after a long and successful career in financial services. Family, friends, and colleagues remember him as caring, friendly, and the kind of person to make others feel special. He was predeceased by his father, Gerald DeWayne Johnson, and his stepfather, Walter P. “Bud” Myrdal. Tracy is survived by his mother, Norma Jean Myrdal.