Obituaries
Please alert us to the recent death of any other Rhodes Scholar by emailing communications@rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk.
We were saddened to learn of the passing of Heather Outred, who attended St Anne's College at Oxford University as a Rhodes Visiting Fellow in 1973.
We were saddened to learn of the passing of Tim Woods.
Born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal, in 1943, Timothy was the son of schoolmaster AP Woods. He received his early education at Michaelhouse in Balgowan before earning a Bachelor of Arts in 1965 and a Master of Arts in 1968 from Rhodes University. He continued his studies at Oxford, completing a Doctor of Philosophy in Modern History in 1971.
During his time at Oxford, Timothy distinguished himself in sport as captain of the squash team and played hockey for the university, reflecting his well-rounded character and leadership. His professional life was dedicated to education: beginning as Assistant Master at Felsted School in Essex, rising to Head of History, and later serving as Headmaster at Gresham’s School, Holt, Norfolk, before taking on the Head of History role at Trent College, Derbyshire.
Timothy will be remembered for his deep commitment to scholarship, his leadership in education, and the positive influence he had on countless students and colleagues.
We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Charles Baillie.
Charles was born in 1937 in Port Shepstone, Natal. Charles attended Rondebosch Boys High School followed by Rhodes University, where he completed a BA in 1957 and a BSc in 1960. He arrived at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar in 1962 and joined Trinity College, where he read mathematics.
Charles’ professional journey began at SANLAM in Cape Town as an actuarial student from 1965 to 1968, before moving through roles in marketing (1969-73) and pension management (1973-74). He subsequently joined Old Mutual Life Assurance Society as a pensions actuary (1974-76) and property manager (1977-79), later becoming a partner at Allan Gray Investment Counsel until 1992. He was a Fellow of the Faculty of Actuaries in Scotland (1969) and served as Treasurer of the Actuarial Society of South Africa (1978), in addition to being on the Board of Governors for the Rhodes University Foundation (1988).
We were saddened to learn of the passing of Bruce Marcus at the age of 89.
Bruce’s life was marked by an enduring curiosity, intellectual rigor, and a zest for adventure that shaped him from his early days in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He excelled in both academics and athletics at Oberlin College, where he majored in mathematics and physics, played varsity football, co-captained the lacrosse team, and took leading roles in drama.
Bruce was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford in 1958. His years at Trinity College, Oxford, were filled with scholarship, rowing, and lifelong friendships, and he embraced philosophy, politics, and economics with the same enthusiasm that characterized all his endeavors.
Returning to the United States with his Oxford degree, Bruce built a distinguished professional career, first as an executive at Kaiser Aluminum and later as a senior vice president at Bank of America, where he played an instrumental role in the formation and naming of Visa International. His business acumen extended to pioneering work in international trade during China’s economic opening. Yet, it was Bruce’s unwavering kindness, humility, and generosity that earned him the lasting admiration of friends, colleagues and family.
Throughout his life, Bruce’s greatest joy was found in the company of those he loved. He revelled in adventures, travel, and time spent with family and friends across California and beyond, always gracious and quick to smile, even in the face of illness. Bruce is survived by his devoted family, who will remember him for his gentle strength and endless encouragement. We join them in celebrating his remarkable legacy and the warmth he brought to so many lives.
We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Ralph Simmons, an eminent scientist and cherished member of our community.
Born in Kansas in 1928, Ralph’s early life was marked by a boundless curiosity and academic promise. He completed a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics at the University of Kansas before being selected as a Rhodes Scholar to study physics at Oxford University, later earning his doctorate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Ralph's academic journey blossomed into an extraordinary career at the University of Illinois, where he became a distinguished leader in condensed matter and low-temperature physics. Serving as department head, he guided thirty-three doctoral students, recruited new faculty, and earned widespread recognition, including the Distinguished Alumni Award, the Humboldt Senior Scientist Award, and election as a Fellow of both the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Beyond his professional achievements, Ralph was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, remembered for his love of family, his passion for travel and classical music, and his remarkable ability to teach and inspire those around him. His legacy endures in the many lives he touched, both inside and outside the lecture hall.
Read full obituary here.
We were saddened to learn that Graham Neame passed away recently at the age of 93.
Born in Port Elizabeth, Cape Province to wool merchant EE Neame, Graham was educated at St Andrew’s College (1944-47), and went on to receive his BA from Rhodes University in 1950. He arrived at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar in 1951, joining Jesus College to study Modern History.
Graham joined University of Fort Hare as a lecturer in 1955, moving on to Natal University in 1957 and Rhodes University in 1963, eventually joining University of the Witwatersrand in 1985.
We were saddened to hear of the death of Gordon Hartford.
Born in Glasgow, UK, he moved to South Africa at the age of nine and was educated at Grey High School, Port Elizabeth, 1947-50. He then went to Rhodes University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts with Honours in 1954, later arriving at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar in 1955. Here, Gordon studied Jurisprudence and earned his Master of Arts in 1960, joining Lincoln's Inn as a law student in 1957 and the Bar Association in South Africa in 1958, working as an Advocate in Cape Town until 1966. He served as Hon Sec of the Cape Bar Council in 1965-66, delegate to the Gen Council Bar of SA in 1966, and also Dep Legal Adviser to the City of Cape Town in 1966.
Gordon was a true gentleman, sharp and full of wit. He was well-read in classic literature and loved poetry, and as his career unfolded, he was an Advocate of the High Court, as well as an English Professor. He served as President of the English Association of SA in 1961-62, as well as Editor of English Studies in Africa. He joined the University of Witwatersrand as a Senior Lecturer of English in 1967, promoted to Professor in 1973 and later, Professor Emeritus in 1993. Gordon joined the Bar Association in Johannesburg in 1995, and the Eastern Cape Society of Advocates in the same year.
Gordon embodied a real passion for reading, and possessed a certain brilliance with words. His sense of humour and passion for life will be deeply missed by those who knew him.
We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Brian McHale in Seattle, Washington.
Brian was one of the world's most influential scholars of post-modern literature and culture as well as one of its leading narrative theorists. When he spoke or wrote, students and scholars around the world listened. His work was taught in classrooms on six continents, and it was cited by scholars working on authors across the span of literary history.
Born to Robert and Dorothy McHale and raised in Pittsburgh, Brian graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School in 1970. He received his BA from Brown University (1974), where he also captained the men's track and field team. Brian was a Rhodes Scholar, earning his DPhil in English Language and Literature from Oxford University (1977). From 1977 to 1993, he taught in the Department of Poetics and Comparative Literature at Tel Aviv University, achieving the rank of Professor in 1983. In 1993, he became the Eberly Family Professor in the Department of English at West Virginia University. In 2002, he moved to the Ohio State University, where he served as Arts and Humanities Distinguished Professor of English until his retirement in 2022. Brian served as President of the International Society for the Study of Narrative (ISSN) and of the Association for the Study of the Arts of the Present (ASAP). In 2025, ISSN awarded him the Wayne C. Booth Lifetime Achievement Award.
McHale was the author of four books and more than one hundred articles as well as the co-editor of five additional volumes. He did extensive editorial work at the journal Poetics Today, serving as Associate Editor and then co-editor during the period 1979-2003 and then as Editor-in-chef from 2015-2019. He lectured across the United States and around the globe, and he did visiting stints at the University of Pittsburgh, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Tampere University in Finland, and the University of Canterbury and the University of Otago in New Zealand.
Brian was a beloved teacher and mentor because he was smart, witty, curious, generous, and rigorous. He was accessible and helpful, especially to his PhD students, many of whom kept in touch throughout their careers. Everyone who conversed with Brian felt that their time was well-spent, and descriptions of his style and personality invariably call him cool.
Read full obituary here.
John Owen Stone AO was a legendary leader of the Commonwealth Treasury, serving as secretary from 1979 to 1984 following his role as an intellectual driving force as deputy secretary from 1971 to 1978.
He was born in 1929, the elder of two sons of a farmer and a primary school teacher. His childhood was spent in the Western Australian wheat belt. On moving to Perth at age 12, John attended Perth Modern School, where contemporaries included Bob Hawke, Rolf Harris and Maxwell Newton.
He graduated with first-class honours from the University of Western Australia in 1950, majoring in mathematical physics, and served as president of the students’ association. While there he met Billy Snedden, who two decades later would be Prime Minister William McMahon’s treasurer, and with whom Stone would work as treasury deputy secretary.
In 1951, John was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship. He initially enrolled for a physics degree at Oxford, but switched to economics, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. He joined Australia’s Treasury, initially in its London office, in 1954. The same year he married Nancy Hardwick, a biochemical researcher, and they would have five children.
In the 1970s and much of the 1980s, Australia was mired in rigid industrial frameworks, high tariffs, and bureaucratic overreach that threatened to choke growth and innovation. John’s push for deregulation, sound fiscal policy, and labour market reform helped steer Australia away from economic stagnation.
As a distinguished economist, public servant, and later a Senator, he brought rigour and clarity to debates on economic policy. His tenure as Secretary to the Treasury from 1979 to 1984 was marked by a steadfast commitment to fiscal discipline and market-driven solutions, earning him respect as one of Australia’s great conservative minds.
Stone was the only former head of the treasury to enter politics. He served as a National Party Senator for Queensland from 1987 to 1990, having been part of the Joh for Canberra campaign which had as its organising principle the anointing of Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen as prime minister. He was the Senate running mate to Sir Joh’s wife Flo Bjelke-Petersen.
Stone joined the Senate in 1987 as part of the Joh for Canberra campaign. In 1990, he resigned from the Senate to contest a seat in the House of Representatives, but failed to win. He reneged by nominating to return to his Senate seat before withdrawing, bringing his meteoric political career to an end.
He co-founded the HR Nicholls Society, which pressed for the deregulation of industrial relations laws, and the Samuel Griffith Society which concerned itself with states’ rights. His legacy challenges us to continue advocating for policies that empower individuals, reduce regulatory burdens, and foster a vibrant, competitive economy.
He died aged 96 and is survived by five children.
Read full obituary here.