Dr. Jean Crockett of Finance, Former Senate
Chair
Dr. Jean Andrus Crockett, a distinguished economist who was emeritus professor of finance and a former chair of the Faculty Senate, died Saturday at the age of 79 after a diagnosis of brain cancer two months ago.
A woman of "firsts"--first female department chair in the Wharton School, first woman to head the Faculty Senate, and first woman chair of the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Dr. Crockett was a scholar who combined national and regional public service with her teaching and research.
She held a B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago and an additional M.A. in mathematics from the University of Colorado, and in the year before her Ph.D. was awarded she was a staff member of Chicago's Cowles Commisson, a prestigious statistical research group that contributed to the development of econometrics. After teaching mathematics at the University of Arizona and economics at the University of Illinois, Dr. Crockett joined the Wharton School as assistant professor of finance in 1954. She was promoted to associate professor in 1959, became full professor in 1965, and was chair of the Department of Finance from 1977-1983.
She also held a series of public service positions throughout her career beginning with two stints as an economist with the U.S. Department of Commerce's Office of Business Economics in the early 'fifties. In 1977, when the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia added women to its membership for the first time, Jean Crockett was one of the two selected. She was to become chair of the Bank's board in 1982, and to serve on the system's Consumer Advisory Council from 1983-88. She was also a director of the Pennwalt Corporation, 1976 to 1989, and a director of the National Bureau of Economic Research from 1983 to 1997.
A scholar of consumption and saving, investment, financial interest rates, markets and the economics of health care, Dr. Crockett held secondary appointments as professor of public management here, 1977-83, and as professor of nursing from 1984 until her retirement in 1990. She not only published widely in the major journals, but also applied her analytical scholarship to economic and structural issues within the University. Her term as Senate chair, 1972-73, coincided with the year of a sweeping study of the University by the University Development Commission, on which she served ex officio. She continued to be active in Senate affairs throughout her career, among other things heading the Almanac Advisory Board .
In April 1989, as her retirement approached, the Association of Women Faculty and Administrators presented her with its Distinguished Faculty Award for her pioneering all-University leadership and for dedication to furthering the careers of junior colleagues and graduate students.
As her longtime colleague Dr. Morris Mendelson recalls, "Jean was one of the most remarkable women I have known. She was a brilliant economist and had a big heart. She left her mark on economics, the country, the University and her community."
In retirement she continued a lifelong interest in the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women, the Women's Democratic Coalition and the YWCA of Chester, where she was a trustee.
Dr. Crockett is survived by her husband of 45 years, Robert O. Crockett, Jr.; three children, Jennifer, Elizabeth, and Robert; and three grandchildren. The family suggest memorial gifts to the YWCA of Chester (Box 82, Chester PA 19016) or to the League of Women Voters.
Memorial Service for Dr. Crockett
Members of the University are invited to attend the service Saturday, October 10, at 2 p.m. at Swarthmore's Bond Memorial Hall, which was the gathering place of a community discussion group on economics in which Dr. Crockett participated for many years.
Dr. Rin of Semitic Studies
Dr. Svi Rin, professor emeritus of Semitic Studies, died on September 26, at home at the age of 84. He was a faculty member in the Oriental Studies Department (now Asian and Middle Eastern Studies) from 1960 to 1982.
Among his published books are two editions of Acts of the Gods: The Ugaritic Epic Poetry (1968 and 1996) which he co-authored with his wife, Shifra Rin; Biblical Aramaic (1972); and Third Column of Acts of the Gods (1979 and 1992). He also published a collection of short stories and poetry.
Dr. Rin received his Ph.D. in Semitic Studies from Brandeis University in 1958 and was on the faculty there from 1958 to 1960.
He is survived by his wife, who is a retired librarian of Van Pelt Library, and by their children: Ruth A. Rin, CW 1966, Hebrew bibliographer and cataloger at Van Pelt Library; Dr. Hadas Rin, who took her M.A. here in 1970; Dr. N. Adam Rin, a 1976 Ph.D. recipient; daughter-in-law Judith B. Rin, who received a Penn M.A. in 1973; four grandchildren; and his brother, Prof. Uzzi Ornan.
Charles S. Wolf, Trustee
Charles S. Wolf, an Emeritus Trustee and Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Overseers of the School of Veterinary Medicine, died September 1 at the age of 77.
Mr. Wolf, W '42, WG '43, served in the U.S. Army during World War II and, after a stint as salesman with Superior Paper Products, co-founded the York Container Company. Developing the firm into a major economic asset of the Commonwealth, he served as its chairman of the board and chief executive officer while filling numerous roles in his alma mater, his town of York, PA, and the world of manufacturing.
Governor Tom Ridge said, in a letter addressed to the University of Pennsylvania family,
Charles Wolf was a great man and will be dearly missed. As a member of the University's board of trustees he will forever live in the memories of the people he touched through his service to the school....
On behalf of all Pennsylvanians, I extend my regards to family, friends, colleagues and all those who knew this distinguished Pennsylvanian.
Mr. Wolf was a Penn trustee for thirty years, beginning in 1968. He served on numerous trustees committees over the years, including Alumni Affairs, External Affairs, Student Life, Budget and Finance, the Insurance Subcommittee, Government Relations, the Ad Hoc Committee on Resource Evaluation, and Health Affairs. He also was the general chairman of the regional drives for Penn's Program for the Eighties.
He was also director of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce, director and past president of Pennsylvania for Effective Government, president of Forge Hill Farms and director and former member of the Executive Committee of Chemetron Corporation in Chicago. He also served as the past president of the Rotary Club of York and the district governor of District 739 Rotary Internation-al, general chairman of the fund drive of the United Fund of York County.While heading many professional associations, including the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association, he was also a past director and president of the Northeastern School District of York County and of the York Symphony Orchestra, a trustee of the York YMCA, and a member of the advisory board of the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.
Mr. Wolf was a 1978 recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from York College of Pennsylvania, where he served as chairman of the Trustees. He was also awarded a Distinguished Alumni Medal by the Wharton School in 1968 and an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree at Penn in 1991.
Mr. Wolf is survived by his wife, Phyllis; a son, Charles S. Wolf Jr.; two daughters, Susan H. Wolf and Coni L. Wolf; two grandchildren; and a sister, Frances J. McCabe.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Charles S. and Phyllis H. Wolf
Dean's Scholarship at the School of Veterinary Medicine, 3800 Spruce Street/6044.
Memorial for Dr. Ketterer
A memorial service for Dr. Fred Ketterer, associate professor of electrical engineering, will be held on Wednesday, October 28, from 5 until 6:30 p.m. in Alumni Hall at the Faculty Club. All members of the University community are invited to attend. Dr. Ketterer died on August 3 at the age of 65 (Almanac September 8, 1998).
Almanac, Vol. 45, No. 6, October 6, 1998