Obituaries

James E. McPherson, director of the Office of Student Services at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations for 19 years, died April 24 at the Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira, N.Y. He was 64.

McPherson earned a bachelor's degree, with a major in psychology and philosophy, from Boston University in 1959 and graduate degrees from the Andover Newton Theological School in 1964 and the Princeton Theological Seminary in 1969. He was a Danforth Intern with Cornell United Religious Work, 1962-64, and was the chaplain at Keuka College, 1969-77, as well as a lecturer in religion at Keuka, 1969-72, and director of career counseling there, 1972-77.

He returned to Cornell in 1978 as the associate director of the Office of Resident Instruction at the ILR School. In 1983 he became the assistant dean of the ILR School and director of the school's Office of Student Services. He also was director of teaching at the ILR School and taught courses and workshops in career development at Cornell and, before that, at Keuka College. In 1998, he was presented with a Schering-Plough Award for Exemplary Teaching by students and colleagues at the ILR School.

Colleagues recalled his talent for helping young people find a sense of direction in their lives, his superb listening skills and ability to ask the right questions. "It is difficult to imagine a loss here that would have a greater effect on the ILR community," said Robert S. Smith, acting dean of the ILR School. "Jim knew the names of almost all our undergraduates and the stories of most. He was an adviser and mentor to the young and not-so-young, and his calming presence was valued by students, staff and faculty. His loss is grieved, not only at ILR, but by those throughout the university who knew Jim."

McPherson is survived by his wife, Carolyn; a son, Scott, of Franklin, Tenn.; a daughter, Andrea Keily, of Ithaca; a brother, Peter McPherson, of Limington, Maine; a grandson and two step-grandsons. A memorial service was held at the ILR School April 28. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be given to the James E. McPherson Scholarship Fund, ILR School (attention: Dean's Office), Ives Hall, Ithaca, N.Y. 14853.

A memorial service for Neal Stamp, 83, who died March 15 in Ithaca, will be held Saturday, May 11, at 10 a.m. in Sage Chapel.

Stamp, who was born in Watkins Glen, N.Y., joined the Cornell Counsel's office in 1947 and served as secretary of both the corporation and the board of trustees from 1959 to 1962, when he was appointed university counsel. He served as senior counsel to the university from 1979 until his retirement in 1984. He also helped found the National Association of College and University Attorneys and served on its executive board and as its president.

Stamp graduated from Cornell in 1940 and received a law degree from the university in 1942. He served as director of the Cornell Research Foundation and the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory. He also was on the founding board of the Cornell Association of Professors Emeritus and was a sponsor of Cornell Plantations.

Stamp was active in the Ithaca community, having served on the board of trustees of Tompkins County Hospital and as board president; as director and chairman of the First National Bank of Ithaca; and on the board of Challenge Industries. He also served on the Tompkins County Foundation and the board of the Senior Citizens Center.

He is survived by his wife, Maja Stamp, of Ithaca, and a niece and nephew. Contributions in his memory may be made to Cornell Plantations.