Samuel Martin Sperling ’60

Martin died Oct. 14, 2003, after a courageous struggle with a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Throughout his life, he was careful about his health and diet, and enjoyed tennis, running, and hiking. He did his best to fight his illness and participated in a clinical trial in addition to conventional treatments.

While at Princeton, Martin worked at WPRB as an engineer, and sometimes employed his good radio voice as a substitute DJ. Later, he continued his interest in radio by collecting old receivers and radio shows on LPs, tapes, and CDs. In addition, he compiled an extensive collection of jazz music from Django Reinhart to Bill Evans, and everything in between.

After Princeton, Martin earned a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Wisconsin and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, Berkeley. His career combined research and teaching in both fields, plus basic and applied physics research in nuclear medicine and medical imaging as well as consulting for major firms in San Diego.

Martin is survived by his wife, Irene Costa Sperling; his brother and sister-in-law, Gary and Suzanne Sperling; and a niece, Lisa Sperling. His class extends its deepest sympathy to all his family.

The Class of 1960