H. Lansing Vail Jr. ’46

Lans died June 1, 2003, in Shaker Heights, Ohio. A lifelong native of greater Cleveland, he graduated from Deerfield Academy in 1942 and entered Princeton in the engineering department.

With Army service as a sergeant in the 8th Armored and 35th Infantry divisions, Lans saw action in the Ardennes and Rhineland, earning a Bronze Star. After graduating in 1947, he worked for the NY Central System, wrote three books on the railroad, and was a founder, president and trustee of the NY Central Historical Society.

Married for of 57 years to Katherine Cummer, he enjoyed game shooting, fly fishing, and water skiing with his children, especially at Indian River, Mich. His wife; daughters Delia and Marianne; son Robert; three grandchildren; and brother Thomas '48, survive. The class expresses condolences to all.

The Class of 1946