William Buttolph Lafer ’61

BILL LAFER succumbed to brain cancer Mar. 25, 1993, in Roseville, Mich., after a fouryear struggle and a brief recovery following surgery in Jan. 1990.

Born in Grosse Pointe, Bill attended University School there before attending Princeton. After sophomore year, when he roomed with Dave Arterburn and George Brakelcy, he left Princeton to complete his education at Western Michigan Univ. Bill then embarked on a career in merchandising, first with the J. L. Hudson Company, then as an independent storeowner, and finally with Jacobson's. An active volunteer, Bill served on many boards in the Grosse Pointe area and received a community service award from the Junior League of Detroit.

We did not see much of Bill over the years since graduation, but he stayed in touch through his lifelong friend Mason Ferry and through his occasional notes to the Class secretary, the most recent of which reflected his cheerful optimism and determination to beat his illness.

Bill is survived by his daughter, Jennifer; his mother, Mrs. James A. Lafer; and two brothers, James Jr. and John. The Class joins them in mourning his passing.

The Class of 1961