Pieter Willem Van Nuis *59

AFTER A courageous struggle with lung cancer, Pieter Willem van Nuis, 56, died on May 24, 1989, at Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati. A native of Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, he emigrated with his family in 1952 to Grand Rapids, Mich., where he graduated from Calvin College in 1955. He then studied four years as a fellow in philosophy at Princeton with Professors Hempel, Vlastos, Oates, and Kaufmann. Pieter then taught philosophy at Wofford College; at Temple Univ., where he met Rosalie Paula Ackerman, whom he married in June 1964; at Southern Illinois, Edwardsville, and at Kentucky. While in Lexington, he changed his thesis topic to Plato and his advisor to Vlastos. As a result of a position offered to his wife, Pieter moved to Cincinnati in January 1971. In 1972, he decided to discontinue any further efforts toward completing his thesis, and began the study of piano tuning and technology--a natural choice, since he was an accomplished pianist and a skillful carpenter. In 1973, he began working part-time for the Univ. of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and started his own business, The Well-Tempered Clavier. From 1978 to 1986, he was with the Baldwin Piano and Organ Co., working exclusively on concert grand pianos.

Pieter leaves behind his widow, a daughter, a brother, two sisters, and an aunt. To them and to his many colleagues and friends, we extend our deepest sympathy at the loss of this versatile and most gifted craftsman and philosopher.