Alexander “Sandy” Stuart Moffett ’37 of Tampa, Fla., died September 28, 2006. After graduation from Davidson, he worked for four years at Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in Greensboro and Charlotte before being called up by the Army as a first lieutenant in the reserves and being sent to MacDill Field. In Tampa he met and fell in love with Barbara Anderson, and they were married on June 6, 1942. In preparation for wartime deployment, they were stationed at a number of Air Force bases in the western U.S. until Sandy was sent with the 96th Bomb Group to England, 1943–45. He was discharged with the rank of colonel, with citations of honor. In 1946, Sandy and Barbara returned to Tampa where he became employee of Tampa Coal Company. He became CEO of the company in 1955, a post he kept until the company was sold in 1986. He was active in the Hyde Park Presbyterian Church, serving as deacon, elder (the youngest elected to this post), teacher, and Stephen Minister. He was also elected to positions on presbytery, synod and national councils of the Presbyterian Church. In addition, he was a dedicated member of the Tampa Rotary Club and served as its president in 1954-55. Sandy also served on boards of the United Fund, boys clubs of Tampa, and Tampa Philharmonic, Hospice of Hillsborough, the Southwest Florida Blood Bank and on the Board of Visitors of Davidson College. He participated in leadership of Boy Scout Troop 23. With all of this he still gave full support to the myriad activities of his growing family and was a Meals on Wheels volunteer for ten years after retirement. Sandy was a sportsman who enjoyed camaraderie with friends on the tennis court and golf course. Survivors include two daughters, Lindley M. Small and husband Warren of Atlanta, Ga, and Anne G. Moffett and husband Gordon Wright of Eugene, Ore.; three grandsons, Alex, Stuart and Taylor Small; a sister, Mary Louise Hutcheson ’38 of Roanoke, Va., and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Sandy was preceded in death by his beloved wife of forty-nine years, Barbara Anderson Moffett; his son, A. S. Moffett, Jr.; and his twin brother, J. Polk G, Moffett ’37.
The Rev. Roger P. Melton ’37
The Rev. Roger P. Melton ’37 of Fort Gaines, Ga., died March 15, 2006. He was a retired Presbyterian minister and had served churches in South Carolina, West Virginia, and Arkansas. After retirement, he served the Fort Gaines and Cuba churches. He was an Army chaplain during World War II, serving in the South Pacific. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Alice Caldwell Melton and a daughter, Margaret Barnes. Survivors include his second wife, Waver Jones Melton, 245 Mt. Calvary Church Rd., Fort Gaines, Ga. 39851; two sons, Robert P. Melton, Jr. and Lawrence Melton; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and four stepchildren.
William Harrison Higgins, Jr. ’37
Dr. William Harrison Higgins, Jr. ’37 died March 10, 2006. He graduated from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy on a destroyer in the Pacific during World War II. He practiced medicine from 1948 to 1986, was an assistant professor of medicine at the Medical College of Virginia, and served as president and chairman of the Richmond Academy of Medicine and as president of the Richmond Heart Association. His civic activities included serving on the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for twenty-two years, and as its president from 1972 to 1977; the Board of Governors of the Greater Richmond Community Foundation, and as its president from 1978 to 1985; Planned Parenthood; and the Citizens Advisory Committee on furnishing the Governor’s Mansion. He was a lifelong member of Second Presbyterian Church, and served on its Board of Deacons and Elders. Survivors include his wife, Emily Peyton Higgins, 8 Ellensview Cir., Richmond, Va. 23226, and their three children, W. Harrison Higgins III ’71, Elizabeth A. Higgins, and Emily Higgins Kilvert. He is also survived by seven grandchildren (W. Harrison Higgins IV ’01) , three great-grandchildren; and his brother, Laurance Herrick Higgins. He was preceded by his grandson, Philip Wagener Higgins.
Arthur Tyler Port ’37
Arthur Tyler Port ’37, a Defense Department official who served NATO as the assistant secretary general for defense support from 1967 until shortly before retiring in 1974, died January 3, 2006. While assigned to NATO, he was chairman of several committees, including one that appropriated funds for airfields, communications and pipelines. He was also involved with the NATO Conference of National Armaments Directors to standardize the weapons systems procured by the member nations for NATO’s defense. After retiring, he did consulting work on NATO affairs for the Stanford Research Institute and Logistics Management Institute. He was a 1940 graduate of Yale University Law School. He served in the Army Air Forces in Europe during World War II and later, as a civilian, was a special consultant to Army Secretary Frank Pace Jr. He also was a consultant on psychological warfare and special operations, which played a role in the creation of the Army’s Special Forces at Fort Bragg, N.C. Among his later assignments was director of the office of security policy at the Defense Department and deputy assistant secretary of the Army for installations and logistics. His honors included two Defense Department distinguished civilian service awards. Surviving are his wife of fifty-five years, Aline Gooding Port, 20540 Falcons Landing Cir., Apt 4408, Sterling, Va. 20165; two children, Cynthia Hosmer of Napa, Calif., and Christopher Port of Manassas; a brother, Richard B. Port ’47 of Winston-Salem, N.C.; and three grandchildren.
Thomas Franklin Thompson ’37
Thomas Franklin Thompson ’37 died December 29, 2005, in New Orleans, La. In World War II he served as a captain in the infantry in the European Theatre. He was associated for many years with Thompson and Street Construction Co., Atlanta, Ga., and remained as a consultant until his retirement. Surviving are his wife, Lee; daughters, Betty Ann Thompson Comer, 404 Hidden Springs Rd., Tullahoma, Tenn.; 37388; and Nancy Thompson Small of Mauriceville, Tex.; son, Fred Thompson of Uncasville, Conn.; seven grandsons; and nieces and nephews