Horace Mann - Summer 2016 - 63

Memorials Gelder, Sadie Van Gelder, his partner, Ursula Koch-Sotiropoulos, and her son, Andreas, and two grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brother Richard Van Gelder '46. Lewis Straus '51, Advocate for Ending Hunger Horace Mann School regrets the passing of Lewis Straus '51 on May 10, 2015. A graduate of Cornell University where he also earned his Masters', Straus developed food programs and initiatives at the city, state, and federal levels. In 1972, he founded the National Child Nutrition Project. As administrator of the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service during the Carter administration (1977-79) Straus expanded participation in federally-supported programs. As executive director of NYC's Office of Food Programs (1989-94) he helped produce the seminal "Unfinished Business: Report of the Interagency Task Force on Food and Hunger." After leaving government, Straus served on the Board of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger from 1995-2011. He is survived by Elly Weiss, and by Paul and Alex, and brother Donald (Selma). Elliot Bernard Cohen '57, Marketing and Advertising Specialist Horace Mann School notes with sadness the death of Elliot Bernard Cohen '57 on August 17, 2014. Cohen earned a business degree from Syracuse University in 1961. His career focused on sales and marketing, for companies ranging from The Original House of Pies to the furniture industry, and advertising at KHJ-TV/Los Angeles. Cohen eventually became the local sales manager of KSCITV/San Diego before starting his own furniture rep firm in Orange County, Calif. He later became Sales Manager of Chairworld, a division of Hon Industries. With his loving wife Susan he avidly pursued sailing, first on Lake Michigan and then in Los Angeles, before moving to Sun City, TX in 2008 where the couple replaced sailing with golf. Cohen was a friend to many and had a uniquely caring manner that left an imprint on their lives. Among these was classmate Dr. Jack Berg '57 who wrote : "Number 17 was a starting halfback on the football team and a starter for four years. He was a superb athlete and as good with his fists as with his feet. He was one of the most social as well as athletic members of the class. In later years he struggled with chronic spinal disease with great courage. He was a great representative of our class and will be sorely missed." Elliot Cohen is survived by his wife Susan, daughter Rachel (Steve) Luke, two grandsons, a great grandson, and his sister and brother-in-law Amy and Peter Roth. Dr. Edward Zachary Schaye '57, Psychiatrist With sadness we share a note from Ben Schaye '98 upon the death of his father, Dr. Edward Zachary Schaye '57: "It is with a heavy heart that I write to let you know that my father, Zach Schaye, passed away May 6, 2015. He was a tremendous person, one of the smartest, funniest and most patient and loving men I knew. To those of you who have already reached out to express their condolences, thank you. Your warm thoughts have been comforting to me and my family." A 1961 graduate of Princeton University, Dr. Schaye received his medical degree from NYU School of Medicine and was in practice as a psychiatrist in New York for 50 years. Dr. Schaye is survived by his wife Dr. Shirley Schaye, son Benjamin P. Schaye '98 and daughter Verity Schaye 2000, and two grandchildren. Fred Flaxman '58, Public Broadcasting International Founder (Excerpted from a memorial by daughter, Tana Flaxman Jencks) Fred Flaxman '58, a longtime producer and executive in public TV and radio, died of an aortic aneurysm Aug. 29, 2015 at age 75. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1962 with a B.A. with honors in journalism. Studying at the Sorbonne in 1962, he received a certificate in French language, civilization and culture, and then earned his master's degree in political science from Stanford University in 1963. Beginning his career working in public relations for Prentice Hall and for the planned community of Reston, Va., Flaxman entered the world of television and radio, where he made a major impact. He began at WETA-TV in Arlington, Va., as special assistant to the station manager (1968-1970), and was then asked to start WETA-FM, which he ran from 1970-1974. He returned to WETA-TV as director of programming (1974-1977) and then as VP for programming (1977-1978). While at WETA, he won 12 Emmys for TV promotion, writing and producing, as well as programming. In 1978, Flaxman founded Public Broadcasting International (PBI), which produced several major specials for PBS. Following a year stint in Paris working in programming with TF1, Flaxman became VP of programming for KUAT-TV in Tucson, Ariz in 1979. In 1984, he was asked to join WTTW-TV in Chicago as VP for national programming. There he was executive producer of "A Child's Christmas in Wales" (1987), which received nine international awards and remains a perennial favorite. He was also responsible for "Solti at 75: A Celebration, In Search of Love with Leo Buscaglia" and several other PBS specials and series. Flaxman started the annual Illinois Young Performers Competition with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and received an Emmy Award in 1990 as executive producer of "Messenger to Poland." He later worked for Southern Oregon Public Television and WXEL in West Palm Beach, Fla., retiring there in 2005. Flaxman also wrote Sixty Slices of Life ... on Wry: The Private Life of a Public Broadcaster and was editor and publisher of The Timeless Tales of Reginald Bretnor. His articles appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune and other publications, and he was honored by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Flaxman later became the creator, writer, producer, editor and host of "Compact Discoveries" an internationally distributed, award-winning public radio music series. Flaxman was an active and dedicated (first male) member of the Weaverville Garden Club and the Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville. Passionate about music, politics, the arts, travel and his family, his is remembered for his advocacy for justice, and his kindness to all. Fred Flaxman is survived by his wife Annick Story Flaxman, by children Michel Flaxman and Tana Flaxman Jencks, two grandchildren, brother John Flaxman '52, nephew Gary Flaxman '80 and other relatives. He was predeceased by his brother Andrew Flaxman '53. Horace Mann Magazine Summer 2016 63

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