Category: Trustees

Joyce A. Hughes ’61 passed away November 13th, 2025. Hughes served as a trustee of Carleton College from 1969 to 1994. In 2001, she was elected Trustee Emerita and was awarded by the college an Honorary Doctor of Laws for her body of work.

Hughes served on the faculty of Northwestern Law School, teaching and mentoring students for over 40 years. Devoted to family, faith, and the daily reading of the New York Times, her sudden humor, probing conversations, stubborn resolve, selfless pragmatism and unconditional love are already missed. Celebration of Joyce’s singular life will be announced in Spring.

For more information on Hughes’ life, we invite you to explore her obituary.

Michael Hayden Armacost ’58 passed away on March 8th at the age of 87. Armacost served Carleton as a Trustee from 1994 to 2010, as chair from 2004 to 2008, and became a Trustee Emeritus in 2011. He also served as an Annual Fund class agent and as a member of his class’s 50th Reunion Committee. Armacost received an honorary degree from Carleton in 1989 and was Stassen Lecturer & Headley Visitor-in-Residence here at Carleton during the fall of 2010. In addition to his leadership at Carleton, he served as the Ambassador to the Philippines and Japan and the President of the Brookings Institution.

Geri M. Joseph died peacefully, with her family by her side, at 100 years of age on October 16, 2023. Joseph served as a Carleton trustee beginning in 1977, received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Carleton in 1998, and was a Carleton parent (’79). In addition to her leadership at Carleton, Joseph played a major role in Democratic Party politics, working closely on the mayoral campaign of Hubert Humphrey and the presidential campaign of Adlai Stevenson. She served as US Ambassador to the Netherlands from 1978-1981 and was the recipient of countless awards and honors. We invite you to read her full obituary.

Fay Vincent, former Carleton Trustee (1988 to 1994) and Honorary Degree (2001) recipient passed away February 1st at the age of 86. Vincent was a generous supporter of Carleton and served in many distinguished professional roles, including as the 8th Commissioner of Major League Baseball, Chairman of Columbia Pictures, and Vice Chairman of Coca Cola. Obituaries and remembrances can be found at ESPN, the New York Times, MLB.com, and the Wall Street Journal, among others.

Arthur West Kaemmer, MD ’65 of St. Paul, MN passed away on January 31, 2024 at the age of 80. He was a longtime supporter of Carleton and served as Trustee. After Carleton, Dr. Kaemmer attended Marquette Medical School (now Wisconsin College of Medicine) and became a pediatrician. He served as Chairman Emeritus of the National Medical Fellowships and as Board Chair of the HRK Foundation for 25 years.

Rev. Earl A. Neil ’57 passed away March 11, 2024. He was a Carleton trustee for many years (starting in 1971) and the second-ever African American student to graduate from Carleton. Rev. Neil marched with Dr. King from Selma to Montgomery, was a prominent supporter of the Black Panther Party, and worked in South Africa with Desmond Tutu to end apartheid.

Tucky McCarthy Elliott ’58, former trustee and Carleton employee, died Saturday, August 19, 2017 in Kalamazoo. MI. Incredibly kind, thoughtful, and wise, Tucky set high standards and worked energetically and collaboratively to achieve her objectives. This was to Carleton’s great benefit as she touched so many areas of the College and won the hearts of so many staff, faculty, and alumni.

Chuck Donnell, age 85 and class of 1954, died on July 14th after a valiant battle with cancer. Chuck was a Carleton Trustee from 1981–1985 and worked in various capacities in the Development Office between 1990 and 2010, creating Carleton’s very successful 50th Reunion Program. He loved to build and renew connections between people and the college and was deeply committed to keeping it affordable for many.

Margaret Ann (Ranny) Riecker ’54, trustee from 1987-2010 and former chair of the board from 1999-2004, died peacefully at MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland on Monday, April 7. She was 80 years old. She was born Nov. 9, 1933, in Ann Arbor, the daughter of the late Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley. A zoology major at Carleton, she graduated in 1954 and participated as a student in music and drama events. She served as president of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation and president and chair of the Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley Foundations.