IN MEMORIAM

Dr. Terry R. Varosi

Terry R. Varosi, a visiting assistant professor of accounting and George Mason alumna, died Sunday, December 19, 1999, at the Hospice of Northern Virginia. She had brain cancer.

At George Mason, Varosi earned her B.S. in 1975, an M.B.A. in 1987, and an M.S. in 1995. She also received a Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1995.

"We will especially miss her endless enthusiasm, as well as her sincere interest in all of her students," says David Harr, associate dean.

Katherine X. Moore, B.S. '94, echoed Harr's sentiments. "She honestly wanted all her students to do well," she says. "She was funny, very nice, and very caring," Moore says.

Moore had Varosi for a professor and remained friends with her after graduation. "She kept in touch with a lot of her students," Moore said.

Varosi, a certified public accountant, was the faculty advisor for the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), a student group that promotes career opportunities in accounting. Well liked by many students, Varosi was named Outstanding Faculty Member by the Accounting and IMA Club on four occasions; she also received the 1992 Phi Mu Fraternity Outstanding Faculty Member award.

Dr. Howard Bloch

Howard Bloch, a George Mason economics professor for 30 years, died Tuesday, January 25, from a brain tumor, at the age of 63. Bloch came to George Mason in 1969--the first year the economics degree was offered through what was then the Social Sciences Department.

"His droll sense of humor kept his classes and his colleagues intrigued," says Phil Wiest, Economics.

At George Mason, Bloch served as the Economics Department's director of undergraduate studies and was also the advisor to the Economics Club. "Howard Bloch was a dedicated teacher and a strong supporter of student extracurricular academic affairs," says Walter Williams, chair of the Economics Department.

Bloch, who was born in Germany, received his undergraduate degree from Duke University and his Ph.D. from Princeton. He was an avid, long-term supporter of the Duke and George Mason basketball teams.

Carol Hlavinka, executive secretary for Economics, remembers Bloch as a part of the Economics Department's family. "He was a caring man who enjoyed life," she says, adding, "Howard Bloch enjoyed teaching. He always found time for students who came to him for help and advice. He will be missed and we will treasure his memory always."

John Brabner-Smith

John Brabner-Smith, founding dean of the International School of Law that became George Mason University's School of Law, recently passed away at his home in Vero Beach, Fla. He was 99.

Born in Little Falls, Minnesota, in 1900, Brabner-Smith earned degrees at Yale University, Yale Law School, and Northwestern Law School. He moved to Washington, D.C., shortly after graduating from Northwestern to become special assistant to the attorney general of the United States. In this capacity, he was involved with the historic Lindbergh kidnapping case and the successful prosecution of gangster Al Capone.

After World War II, Brabner-Smith continued his government service, specializing in constitutional law and drafting constitutions for the Native American Tribes and the Republic of the Philippines. In 1972, he became the founding dean of the International School of Law, which later became the George Mason University School of Law. He also taught jurisprudence and wrote many articles on constitutional law.

At the law school's Founder's Day celebration, held last May, Brabner-Smith was recognized for his contributions to George Mason. He was represented at the ceremony by his wife, Daniela.