Obituaries

John W. Rowe

A University Regent and former chair of the Board of Trustees, John W. Rowe passed away on September 24, 2022. Rowe, who served as chair from 2006–13 and was a member of the board for 18 years, was a longtime business leader, including serving for 14 years as the chief executive officer and chairman of Exelon, a Chicago-based corporation that he helped build into one of the largest utility holding companies in the United States. At Illinois Tech Rowe was a leader and transformational philanthropist. For his dedication to the university, he received the university’s prestigious Henry Townley Heald Award for his contributions to humanity and the Alumni Association’s Galvin Award, which honors non alumni for their leadership and dedication to Illinois Tech. In 2020 the State Street Village residence hall was renamed Jeanne and John Rowe Village in honor of the Rowe family’s extraordinary generosity.


William “Bill” VanSanten Jr. (CHE ’61)

A highly accomplished patent attorney, William (Bill) VanSanten Jr. (CHE ’61) passed away on June 19, 2022. VanSanten Jr. served as a partner at the law firm known as Wood, Phillips, VanSanten, Clark & Mortimer, and also was a patent examiner for the United States Patent and Trademark Office. VanSanten Jr. was a dedicated member of the Illinois Tech Board of Trustees for 30 years, and also served as a member of and as chair of the Illinois Tech Alumni Association.


William V. Johnson (LAW ’66)

An acclaimed trial attorney, William V. Johnson (LAW ’66) passed away on January 28, 2022. Johnson joined Johnson & Bell in 1975 and became the firm’s president in 1979, helping it grow to more than 90 attorneys and gain a national reputation. A veteran litigator, Johnson tried civil injury cases and defended many commercial liability, professional liability, and trade secret cases around the United States. Johnson was a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, and the American College of Trial Lawyers, and was a past president of the Chicago Society of Trial Lawyers.


James M. Lommel (MET ’53, M.S. MET ’54)

An engineer who received nine patents during a long career at General Electric, James M. Lommel (MET ’53, M.S. MET ’54) passed away on June 25, 2022. Lommel worked at GE for 58 years, beginning in 1957, when he worked as a metallurgist at GE Research Laboratory in Niskayuna, New York. He also worked for GE’s Information Sciences Lab, served as manager of Whitney Information Services, and was a past president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Magnetics Society and past chairman
of the Magnetism and Magnetic Materials Conference and the Intermag conference.


Jotham G. Friedland (Ph.D. PSYC ’72)

The former director of the Institute of Psychological Services at Illinois Tech, Jotham G. Friedland (Ph.D. PSYC ’72) passed away on April 22, 2022. A psychologist, Friedland specialized in career counseling and co-authored a test that measures aptitude and motivation. Friedland also served on Illinois Tech’s Alumni Association Board of Directors and on the former Lewis College of Human Sciences Board of Overseers.


Donald F. “Don” Hausknecht (PHYS ’62)

A former educator at the University of California, Los Angeles, Donald F. “Don” Hausknecht (PHYS ’62) passed away on February 2, 2022. Hausknecht retired as the manager of information sciences and engineering class programs at UCLA Extension. An active alum, Hausknecht served as a member of Illinois Tech’s Class Reunion Committee and as a regional alumni volunteer.


Walter H. Parduhn (BE ’65)

Walter H. Parduhn (BE ’65) passed away on February 18, 2022. A Chicago native, Parduhn co-founded Armil CFS, a company based in South Holland, Illinois, that designs and manufactures high-temperature process equipment, including furnaces, kilns, and incineration equipment.


James D. Thompson (EE ’64)

An engineer in the aerospace industry, James D. Thompson (EE ’64) passed on November 20, 2022. Thompson spent his entire career with Hughes Aircraft Company—which was acquired by General Motors and became part of the reformed subsidiary, Hughes Electronics Corporation—rising to the vice president level before the GM purchase. His work focused on satellites.