Costan W. Berard ’55

Costan Berard, our valedictorian, was taken from us suddenly in his sleep Jan. 5, 2013, a couple of weeks after his 80th birthday. In 1984 he was the recipient of the Class of 1955 Award for research in cancer for his work in finding a cure for Hodgkin’s disease.

Born Dec. 12, 1932, in Cranford, N.J., Cos came from the Pingry School to Princeton, where he served as Elm Club’s president. After graduating from Harvard Medical School and completing a residency at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, Cos had a medical career with so many contributions it is impossible to list them all here. At the National Cancer Institute he worked with colleagues who revolutionized the treatment of malignant lymphoma and Hodgkin’s disease. In addition he recognized that modern immunology would alter the classification of immune-system malignancies.

His ability to recognize and recruit the best and brightest was one of his strongest skills, and helped him to secure, with his vision and leadership, the future of the National Cancer Institute and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Read more on our website (www.princeton1955.org).

Cos had been retired for several years. Predeceased by his wife, Susan, he is survived by two daughters, Alison Rector and Leslie Morrison, and his granddaughter, Tait Morrison.