Richard Drummond Bokum II ’40

On New Year's Day, 1997, Dick Bokum, son of Norris H. '06, died of heart failure. He had been living in Santa Barbara, Calif., at the time. Earlier his home had been in Miami Beach, Fla. His college roommate Hugh Petersen had kept in close touch with Dick up to the time of his death.

Dick attended Hun School. At Princeton he amassed an outstanding athletic record by starting every varsity football game for three years. In senior year he was awarded the LeRoy Miles Memorial Trophy and named an All-Eastern Football Player. He competed as a top heavyweight wrestler, played rugby, and joined Tiger Inn. His other roommates were Mac Wright and Jack Landis. His degree was in geology. From 1941-45 Dick served with the Army Air Corps as a flight instructor and B-29 pilot.

Shortly thereafter Dick entered uranium mining and discovered the largest U.S. uranium deposit at Ambrosia Lake, N.Mex. He was considered one of the foremost experts in uranium mining and manufacturing. In the course of his career he was president of United Nuclear Corp. as well as Bokum Resources Corp. We recall Dick fondly as a physically rugged, robust, and bluff individual who stood out among classmates.

He leaves Margaret, his devoted wife of 55 years, six loving children, and four grandchildren. To them all the class extends its sympathy and shares with them warm memories of Dick.

The Class of 1940