In Memoriam

WEB EXTRA~

Hays Gorey BA’42, a distinguished newsman, died April 5. He was 89.

Gorey was born on June 6, 1921, in Salt Lake City, the son of Andrew W. Gorey and the former Lou Hays. Hays found his niche in journalism at a young age, beginning in fifth grade. He went on to graduate from Bryant Junior High School and East High School, becoming the editor of each school’s newspaper. Gorey started at The Salt Lake Tribune as a copy boy when he was 17. He moved on to the University of Utah, where he edited The Daily Utah Chronicle and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity, the Beehive Honor Society, Skull and Bones, and Owl and Key. After graduation, he swiftly climbed the Tribune ranks to city editor, the executive who supervises coverage of local news, at just 24. Eventually Gorey became impatient for a larger stage and won a one-year Nieman Fellowship to Harvard University in 1949. After returning to Utah, he returned to the Tribune, where he became the news editor in 1957, the year the newspaper won a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the collision of two airliners over the Grand Canyon that claimed 128 lives. About that time, Gorey began stringing for national publications, among them Sports Illustrated and Time. In 1965, he accepted a writing assignment on Time’s national political staff, which took him to the nation’s capital. He covered presidential campaigns in 1968, 1972, and 1984. He was with Robert Kennedy’s in California when the senator was assassinated there in 1968, and he was one of Time’s lead reporters on the Watergate  scandal and the resulting resignation of President Nixon. After other assignments that included bureau chief in Boston and Jerusalem, and as an editor in New York, he retired from Time as national correspondent in 1991. In the course of his reporting career, he also wrote or co-wrote books on Ralph Nader, Maureen “Mo” Dean (wife of Watergate figure John Dean), and Claude Pepper. In 1993, he wrote the text for a photo book commemorating the 25th anniversary of Robert Kennedy’s assassination. Gorey was recognized as a University of Utah Distinguished Alumnus and served as a member of the University’s National Advisory Council.

Hays married Nonie Hammond in 1944. Hays is survived by Nonie and their four children: Hays Jr. (Suzanne), Vienna, Va.; DeAnn (Larry) Barrigar, Salt Lake City; Tom (Annette), Germantown, Maryland; and Susan, Salt Lake City; nine grandchildren (Brooke, Erinn, Nonie, Matt, Shannon, Elisabeth, Kerry, Lara, Daniel); and 10 great-grandchildren (Devinn, Will, Rubie, Donovan, Lucie, Ben, Anthony, Nonie, Owen, and Stella). He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Mary Louise Harlin; and his granddaughter, Rose; all Salt Lake City. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Scholarship Fund for The Daily Utah Chronicle at the University of Utah.

Edited from the notice published in The Salt Lake Tribune from April 7 to April 8, 2011.

 

Anne Riordan BS’56, a pioneer in dance and creative movement for individuals with physical and mental disabilities, died January 22. She was 76.

Anne was born on July 30, 1934, to Juanita Crawford Broberg and Francis Marvin Broberg in Salt Lake City. Anne studied dance with Virginia Tanner, Elizabeth Hayes, Shirley Ririe, Joan Woodbury, Martha Graham, Alwin Nikolais, Lucas Hoving, Murray Louis, and Anna Halprin, and received a bachelor’s degree in modern dance from the University of Utah. While studying dance in New York, she worked as a guide at the United Nations. She returned to Utah intending to dance professionally and teach. However, a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis caused her to reassess her goals, and she began a long and distinguished career instituting dance as a legitimate art form for mentally and physically disabled individuals. Anne completed coursework for a master’s degree in special education in 1968. She taught dance and adaptive physical education in the Granite School District from 1969 through 1971, then began teaching dance at the University of Utah in 1971, retiring as Professor Emerita in 1997. Anne taught seven different courses, one of which was a liberal education vourse titled Dance: A Creative Process. This course was exceedingly popular with a wide range of students from every discipline and sport on campus. In 1975, through the Work Activity Center, she created Sunrise Dance Company, a company for mentally disabled adults, and Sunrise Wheels, a company for wheelchair-bound individuals. During her illustrious career, Anne presented more than 80 performances with Sunrise and presented at 38 national conferences. She conducted 52 dance residencies in which she trained teachers to bring dance and creative movement to special populations. Anne was the subject of six documentary films, and she was featured in four influential publications. She received 15 major awards including the Utah Honors in the Arts Award from the Chamber of Commerce in 1984, the Distinguished Teaching Award from the University of Utah in 1986-1987, Utah Professor of the Year for 1992 awarded by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Presidential Scholar Award in 1993, and the Cathedral of the Madeleine Award for Arts and Humanities in 2006. Anne established dance as a vital and integral part of education for special populations, and the national model for special education is based in part on her many contributions. Upon retirement, Anne followed another of her passions with great zest, humor, and uniqueness, drawing, sculpting, and painting on any surface that caught her fancy.

Anne is survived by her husband of 43 years, Michael Riordan; daughter Stacia (Dave) Sidlow; son Christian (Jennifer) Pocock; and grandchildren Letesha, Samantha, Curtis, Jessica, Finnian, Merritt, and Beckett. She was preceded in death by her brother Marvin and son Merritt. Anne wished to thank her physicians Dr. James E. Pearl, Dr. Susan Mirow, Dr. Ray Thomason, Dr. Don Stromquist, pharmacist Richard Rasmussen and staff of the University Pharmacy, and her dear friend and caretaker Rosario Gill. In lieu of flowers, family suggests donations be made in Anne’s name to the Arthritis Foundation of Utah, the Sjogren’s Foundation, or the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company.

Edited from the notice published in The Salt Lake Tribune from January 25 to January 26, 2011.

Richard B. Wirthlin BS’53 MS’57, an adviser and election strategist to President Ronald Reagan, died at home surrounded by family on March 16, the day after his 80th birthday.

Richard B. Wirthlin was born March 15, 1931, to Joseph L. and Madeline B. Wirthlin in Salt Lake City. Richard married Jeralie Mae Chandler in the Salt Lake Temple on November 23, 1956. Wirthlin taught economics at Brigham Young University and founded Wirthlin Worldwide, a research firm with offices on four continents that provided marketing research, public affairs, and communications strategies. His political work included advising presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and other world leaders. A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Wirthlin served in many church leadership positions, including as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy. Richard married Jeralie Mae Chandler in the Salt Lake Temple on November 23, 1956.

Richard is survived by Jeralie; children Richard (Joni), Mary Ann (Doug), Mark (Allison), Carolyn (Brian), Michael, Jill (Robert), and John (Ellice); 27 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and his brother David and sister Gwen. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Joseph, sister Judy, and daughter Susan.

Edited from a March 17 news article and the notice published in The Salt Lake Tribune from March 17 to March 19, 2011.

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated, so there may be a slight delay before approved comments are posted. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*).