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Deaths
September 18, 2007, Volume 54, No. 4
Mr. Ross, Philanthropist


Arthur Ross, an investment manager and benefactor of the Penn gallery that bears his name, died September 10 in East Hampton, NY. He was 96.

Mr. Ross had a long-standing relationship with the University of Pennsylvania. He studied as an undergraduate in the Wharton School from 1927-30 and then transferred to Columbia University where he received his B.S. in 1931.

With support from Mr. Ross, the Arthur Ross Gallery opened in 1983 (Almanac February 1, 1983). The gallery is located in the historic Anne and Jerome Fisher Fine Arts Building, designed by Frank Furness. It houses objects from the University’s collections and other major public and private collections.

Mr. Ross had a distinguished career in business, philanthropic activities and as a public member on various delegations to the United Nations. During his career, Mr. Ross worked on Wall Street in investment banking. In 1974 he became vice chairman of Central-National Gottesman, Inc. He made contributions to the arts and the environment, including the architecture school at Columbia University and Central Park in New York City.

Mr. Ross is survived by his wife, the former Janet Neff; children, Alfred, Clifford and Beverly Plewak; two grandchildren; and his brother, Chester.


Ms. Ryan, College Sophomore


Anne Rebecca Ryan, C ’10, passed away on September 9 from meningococcal meningitis at age 19. She died at HUP, one day after being hospitalized in critical condition (Almanac September 11).

Ms. Ryan, of Albion, PA, graduated from Mercyhurst Preparatory School in Erie, PA.

She was studying environmental studies and Arabic at Penn. As a freshman, she worked for Penn’s The Walk magazine and fashion society Dzine2Show.

Hundreds of students and other members of the Penn community gathered for a candle-light vigil outside her apartment the night she died.

Ms. Ryan is survived by her parents, Rebecca and Edward; and her brother Jed, her sisters Ainsley, Kate, and Jennifer and her maternal and paternal grandmothers.

Please make donations to the Anne Ryan Mission Fund c/o Mercyhurst Preparatory School, 538 East Grandview Blvd., Erie, PA 16504.

To Report A Death

Almanac appreciates being informed of the deaths of current and former faculty and staff members, students, and other members of the University community.

However, notices of alumni deaths should be directed to the Alumni Records Office at Room 545, Franklin Building, (215) 898-8136 or e-mail record@ben.dev.upenn.edu.

Almanac - September 18, 2007, Volume 54, No. 4