January 1, 2009

A Record-Breaker Passes

Farewell to Walter Seward, Harvard's longest-lived alumnus

From The January-February 2009 Issue

Walter Seward, LL.B. ’24, who died on September 14, a month shy of his 112th birthday, was the longest-lived Harvard alumnus known to University records. He practiced law into his nineties; for his final visit to the Law School, in 2004, Dean Elena Kagan declared Walter Seward Day in his honor (see “The Oldest Ever?” January-February 2006, page 79, for further details.)

Published in the January-February 2009 print issue in the Alumni section.

You might also like

A man in a suit waves while smiling, with greenery in the background.

He was Harvard’s quintessential people person.

Soccer player and goalkeeper Matt Freese standing in front of the net

The former economics concentrator brings his talent for crunching numbers to netminding.

A man in a tuxedo gestures while holding an award on a stage.

Graduates John Lithgow, Bill Rauch, and Bess Wohl took home prizes on Sunday night.

Most popular

A blue refrigerator covered with animal pictures, notes, and drawings, surrounded by greenery.

An animal’s journey from grief to love shows how much humans need each other, too.

White House and Harvard University buildings split diagonally with contrasting colors.

Harvard Weathers a Year of Turmoil

The federal government has launched unprecedented actions against the University. Here’s a guide.

Three smiling individuals in business attire, standing outdoors with greenery in the background.

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Explore More From Current Issue

Black and white photo of Joseph Murray in a white lab coat sitting in an office.

Alumni Profiles

Nobel Prize recipient Joseph E. Murray dedicated much of his career to organ transplant surgery.

Five individuals are posed in a monochrome outdoor setting near a cinderblock building, some standing, some seated.

Visual Arts

Photographer and writer Morgan Smith chronicles life beyond the violence in Ciudad Juárez and other Mexican towns.

Katie O’Dair in academic regalia holds a ceremonial staff outdoors at a graduation ceremony.

How Katie O’Dair makes kings, comedians, and parents feel welcome on campus.