David Lewis, Joseph A. Pfister, Shirley H. Lawrence, Evelyn G. North, Dennis H. May, Jose L. Ramirez, Charles B. Hanan, Joseph M. Stavola.
David Lewis
Philosophy professor
David Lewis, the Class of 1943 University Professor of Philosophy at Princeton University who was a leading figure in his field, died Sunday from complications due to diabetes. He was 60.
Born in Oberlin, Ohio, he came to Princeton as an associate professor in 1970.
Dr. Lewis received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Swarthmore College in 1962 and his doctorate from Harvard University in 1967. He taught at the University of California-Los Angeles for four years before coming to Princeton.
"He is widely regarded as one of the outstanding philosophers of his time," said Mark Johnston, chairman of Princeton’s philosophy department. "For more than 30 years, David has made seminal contributions in philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, metaphysics and epistemology. He is the greatest systematic metaphysician since Gottfried Leibniz," who lived in the 17th century.
Dr. Johnston, who worked with Dr. Lewis as a graduate student at Princeton, described him as "sweet and stern," but said "the gentle part came out more often. He was always unfailingly generous with his time and with positive philosophical suggestions, and ruthless with his criticism."
He was a mentor to scores of students, many of whom have gone on to be significant figures in the field, Dr. Johnston said.
Dr. Lewis’ work was notable for its breadth, ranging over almost every area of philosophy.
"Whether it was logic, philosophy of science, metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, political philosophy, he did it all," said Paul Benacerraf, the James McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Philosophy. "The breadth of what he covered was astounding, and the originality of his ideas and the care with which he presented them were equally astonishing."
Dr. Lewis was also known for his fascination with trains and his love for Australia. "He was a railroad buff; he had elaborate model trains," Dr. Benacerraf said. When Dr. Lewis spent time in England, he would often hop on a train in the morning and spend the entire day riding various train lines, reading and writing during the rides. Dr. Lewis frequently traveled to Australia, a country he and his wife fell in love with for its informality and beauty. They spent many summers there, and Dr. Lewis was named an honorary fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities in 1994.
Dr. Lewis wrote widely on various topics in philosophy. His first book, "Convention: A Philosophical Study," published in 1969 when he was 28, brought him the Matchette Prize in Philosophy, a national award for the best book by a scholar in philosophy under 40 years of age. He also wrote "Counterfactuals" (1973) and "On the Plurality of Worlds" (1986). The latter argued for the startling thesis that the actual world is just one among an infinity of worlds, each equally real.
In the last few years, Cambridge University Press published three collections of his writings. He received honorary degrees from the University of Cambridge, the University of York and the University of Melbourne.
In 1991 he won a Behrman Award from Princeton for distinguished achievement in the humanities.
He is survived by his wife, Stephanie; brother, Donald; and sister Ellen.
A memorial reception was held Thursday. A formal memorial service will be held in January.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Joseph A. Pfister
Worked at Medical Center
MONTGOMERY Joseph A. Pfister died Wednesday at home. He was 89.
Born in Raritan, he was a Rocky Hill area resident most of his life.
Mr. Pfister was employed with General Cable and later at The Medical Center at Princeton as a stationary engineer before retiring.
He was an avid athlete and a former member of the Princeton Elks Lodge BPOE No. 12129.
He is survived by his wife, Mary A. Pfister of Montgomery; sons and daughters-in-law Donald and Carol of Hopewell and Robert and Jean of Green Brook; grandchildren Donald Jr. of Hopewell, Karen of Highland Falls, N.Y., Shari Muho of Green Brook, Robert Jr. of Bedminster, Michael of Montgomery and Thomas of Green Brook; and two great-grandchildren.
The funeral will be 11 a.m. Saturday at The Kimble Funeral Home, 1 Hamilton Ave., Princeton.
Visiting hours are 10 a.m. until time of service.
Burial will be in Rocky Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to The American Cancer Society, 3076 Princeton Pike, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.
Shirley H. Lawrence
Daughter lives in Princeton
PLAINSBORO Shirley Helen Lawrence, a resident of The Plaza Regency at the Windrows Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for the last three years, died Oct. 8. She was 82.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Mrs. Lawrence spent most of her life in Manhasset, N.Y., moving to Saratoga Springs, N.Y. soon after the death of her husband in 1982. She later moved to Princeton before entering Windrows.
She attended Pembroke College in Providence, R.I. and the Packer Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y. She worked as an administrative assistant before her marriage in 1943.
She was a longtime American Red Cross volunteer on Long Island and Saratoga Springs and was a former parishioner of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Manhasset.
Wife of the late Dr. Richard G. Lawrence, mother of the late Deborah Cohen, she is survived by sons Peter T. Lawrence of Douglaston, N.Y., Gregory W. Lawrence of Ithaca, N.Y. and Richard M. Lawrence of Burlington, Ky.; daughters Karen A. Lawrence-Gohmert of Petersburg, Alaska, Dr. Denise Lawrence Kilgore of Princeton, Dr. Theresa A. Lawrence and Sandra M. Lawrence of Burlington, Vt., and Dr. Sheila M. Lawrence of Boston; and 11 grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Saturday at St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Church in Montgomery with interment at the Calverton National Cemetery in Calverton, N.Y. Services were private.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Red Cross.
Arrangements were by The Mather-Hodge Funeral Home in Princeton.
Evelyn G. North
Longtime Princeton resident
HIGHTSTOWN Evelyn G. North of Meadow Lakes died Sunday. She was 92.
She and her late husband were instrumental in the formation of the Karnasa Park residential development and lived on Random Road in Princeton more than 50 years.
Born and raised in Newington, Conn., she graduated from Smith College in 1931 and received a master’s degree in biology from Brown University.
She was a volunteer at the Princeton Hospital Aid Shop and the Princeton Adult School, serving as treasurer of both organizations.
The Norths devoted many years to counseling Princeton University students from other countries through the Graduate School Foreign Student Association’s Host Family Program.
Daughter of the late Ben Goodale and Annie McCormick, wife of the late Dwight O. North, she is survived by sons Karl S. North of Marathon, N.Y. and Philip D. North of Evergreen, Colo., and four grandchildren.
A memorial service will be 4 p.m. Monday at Meadow Lakes.
Private burial will be at All Saints Church Cemetery, Princeton Township.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Dennis H. May
Raised in Princeton
URBANA, Ill. Dennis Howard May died Oct. 8 at home. He was 54.
Born in Princeton, he attended Nassau Street School, Witherspoon School and graduated in 1965 from Princeton High School.
He was a clinical counselor at the Student Counseling Center at the University of Illinois.
He attended Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, where he was inducted into the Beta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi fraternity and graduated from Trenton State College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. While at Trenton State, he started a chapter of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He received his doctorate in psychology and clinical psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
While studying at the University of Illinois, he initiated a graduate recruitment program for minority psychology students. He worked with teen-age mothers and created the Child and Adolescent Program, later adopted by the Champaign County Mental Health Center.
He was an administrator for the Children’s Unit at the Waco, Texas Center of Youth before being invited in 1988 to join the Student Counseling Center at the University of Illinois.
He served as chairman of Network Advising in Student Services and was founder and co-chair of the annual Midwestern Conference on Diversity Issues and the Role of Counseling Centers.
Son of the late Oscar Joseph May, he is survived by his mother, Louise Holland May; wife Linda Minor May; sons and daughters-in-law Darren and Christina of Nixa, Mo., Darric and Diane of Atlanta, and W.D. and Sharon of Philo, Ill.; son James of Austin, Texas; sister and brother-in-law Patricia and Curtis Kienhofer of West Milford; aunts Alice Satterfield of Princeton and Henrietta Hill of Trenton; uncles Wallace Holland of Lawrence and Leon Holland of Rahway; cousins Shirley Satterfield of Princeton and Yuki Moore Laurente of Trenton; five grandchildren; nephew Oscar Kienhofer; and other relatives and friends.
Burial was at Roselawn Cemetery, Champaign, Ill.
Memorial donations may be made to Carle Hospice in Champaign-Urbana, Ill. or the American Cancer Society.
Jose L. Ramirez
Production manager
PLAINSBORO Jose Lopez Ramirez died Wednesday at Monmouth Medical Center. He was 41.
Born in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, he lived in Plainsboro 10 years.
He was a production manager six years with Control Environmental Service in Edison and had been comptroller for Krystal Hotel in Puerto Vallarta.
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy M. Lewis Lopez, and sons Michael J. and David R. Lopez of Plainsboro. He is also survived by his parents, Miguel and Juaquina Lopez Robles; daughter Fabiola N. Lopez Palomares; son Cristhyian Lopez Palomares; sisters Celina, Maria, Carolina and Antonia; and brothers Augustine, Francisco, Alfredo and Miguel, all of Mexico.
The funeral will be 9:30 a.m. Monday at Glackin/Saul Funeral Home, 136 Morrison Ave., Hightstown.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10:30 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, 251 Franklin St., Hightstown.
Burial will be in Mexico.
Calling hours are 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to Queenship of Mary Church Religious Education, P.O. Box 759, Plainsboro, NJ 08536.
Charles B. Hanan
Former Princeton resident
STUART, Fla. Charles Burton Hanan died Sunday. He was 86.
A former Princeton resident, Mr. Hanan moved to Stuart in 1978.
He was a self-employed farmer before retiring.
A member of the Williams College varsity tennis team, he continued his passion for the game throughout his life. He was president of the Davis Cup Championships in Paris in 1937 and won many club championships including tournaments at the Yacht and Country Club of Stuart.
His family summered on Nantucket Island, Mass. and he served on the board of the Nantucket Yacht Club for 12 years.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Helena C. Addison; son C. Addison Hanan and daughter Renee Hanan, both of Lighthouse Point, Fla.; daughter and son-in-law Sheila and John Lathrop of Millwood, Va.; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 13, Nantucket, MA 02554.
Arrangements are by Young Prill Funeral Homes in Stuart, Fla.
Joseph M. Stavola
Headed Trap Rock Industries
MIDDLETOWN Joseph M. Stavola died Oct. 1. He was 58.
A lifelong Middletown resident, he was the president and chief executive officer of Trap Rock Industries Inc., headquartered in Montgomery, which he owned jointly with his brother, William H. Stavola. The company is one of the largest producers of crushed stone and hot mix asphalt in the Northeast.
He also shared ownership with his brothers and sister in Dixie Lime & Stone, one of Florida’s largest limestone operations.
Mr. Stavola operated M.J. Stavola Farms, which was a major thoroughbred-breeding, cattle-producing entity and shared ownership of the Driftwood Cabana Club.
He was a member of the National Rifle Association, and recipient of the Garden State Deer Classic. He was also a member of the New Jersey Federation of Sportsmen’s Club, the New Jersey Muzzle Loading Association, the United Bowhunters of New Jersey and the Pope and Young Club.
Mr. Stavola was a member of the North Shrewsbury Ice Boat and Yacht Club and the American Power Boat Association, where he was the world champion in the Jersey Speed Class. He and brother William shared ownership of a NASCAR Winston Cup race team, which won the Daytona 500 in 1988.
Also surviving are his wife, Carol; sons Michael J., Anthony R., Robert J., William F., Jesse D. and Joseph M. Jr.; daughter Sharone M.; sisters Lorraine Conway and Cynthia Cappetta; three grandchildren; and nine nephews and nieces.
The funeral was Oct. 5.
Memorial contributions may be made to Mary Stavola Children’s Pavilion, Monmouth Medical Center, 300 Second Ave., Long Branch, NJ 07740.
Arrangements were by John E. Day Funeral Home in Red Bank.

