David G. Rahr ’60

Benny died March 9, 2018. He came to Princeton from River Forest High School in Oak Park, Ill. His passion for Benny Goodman’s clarinet and American jazz had already given him his nickname.

At Princeton he ate at Cap and Gown, graduated cum laude in religion, directed the Princeton Summer Camp at Blairstown, and was goalie on the Cap hockey team. He roomed with McCarter, Dick Peterson, and McGlynn.

Following graduation he spent 22 years working for Princeton, first as secretary of the Alumni Council, then as its director. After leaving Princeton in 1982, Benny remained active as an adviser to development and alumni-relations personnel for many years.

Benny served as director of development at Middlebury College from 1982 to 1986. He then helped create the Vermont Community Foundation and led it until his retirement in 2003, when the foundation had assets of nearly $100 million and made annual grants of more than $12 million.

Benny was famously always of good cheer, which we will all miss greatly. His brother Sumner ’57 predeceased him. Our deepest sympathy goes to his wife of 55 years, Susie; their two children; and three grandchildren.