Late March marked the passing of two men intimately connected to the Dartmouth community. Jay O. Emery '60, former Associate Director of Individual and Class Giving in the Dartmouth College Fund Office, died of cancer on March 26 in his Hanover home. A few days later, Desmond E. Canavan, former Assistant Dean for Administration at the Thayer School of Engineering, passed away in Hanover on March 30 at the age of 92.
Born on Orcas Island, Wash., Canavan graduated from the University of Washington in 1935. Following his graduation, Canavan enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps as an aviation pioneer. He served during World War II, fighting in engagements at Pearl Harbor, Midway, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Canavan earned the Air Medal and the Bronze Star for his military service.
Canavan continued his involvement in the Marine Corps after World War II, serving as Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Facility in Edenton, North Carolina, Commanding Officer of the MAG-12 and the K-6 airfield in Korea, as well as Operations Officer at the Marine Corps Air Station in El Toro, California.
Colonel Canavan arrived at Dartmouth in 1958 as a professor of Naval Science, Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve Officer Training corps and as the leader of the College's Navy ROTC. While at Dartmouth, he earned a master's degree in psychology and assumed the position of Assistant Dean for Administration at the Thayer School of Engineering with the completion of his service in the Marine Corps.
Canavan retired from the Thayer School in 1978, and remained involved with the College through his volunteer participation at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center until his death.
Canavan is survived by his wife, Marie O'Keefe Canavan, and three children, as well as several grandchildren. A private memorial service was held on April 3rd at the Hanover Inn for friends and family.
Jay O. Emery's death from cancer on March 26 at the age of 66 compounded the College community's loss. Emery served as the class of 1960 Treasurer in the Dartmouth College Fund Office from 1984 until April 2004, when his deteriorating health caused him to step down.
Raised in Ridgewood, New Jersey, Emery transferred to Dartmouth College from Utah State Agricultural College after his freshman year.
While a student in Hanover, Emery actively participated in the Dartmouth Outing Club, the Air Force ROTC and was a member of the ski team.
Following his graduation from Dartmouth, Emery served in active duty as an intelligence officer prior to becoming a fighter pilot with the Air Force. He flew an F-4 in Vietnam, in addition to serving in four other tours overseas. Emery earned the Meritorious Service Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal with oak leaf clusters. Emery earned a master's degree in business management from Troy State University while in the military and retired as a major in 1982 after 21 years of service.
Emery came to Dartmouth College after his retirement and worked as a development officer in the Dartmouth College Fund Office. As Treasurer of the Class of 1960, he held the longest tenure of any officer in the class's history.
Deputy Director of the Dartmouth College Fund Office, Jay Sassorossi '75, who worked with Emery for over 18 years, recalled Emery as, "a great fundraiser who always had the best in his heart for the College, a great individual and a modest person with great accomplishment."
The Emery family and friends celebrated Mr. Emery's life this past Saturday at the McLane Family Ski lodge at the Dartmouth Skiway. Survivors of Emery include his wife Wendy, his son Eric, his two step-sons and his ex-wife, his mother and two sisters.
