The senior members of Harvard and Radcliffe on Commencement day

The senior members of Harvard and Radcliffe on Commencement day

From left: Lillian (Sher) Sugarman and Donald F. Brown
George Barner ’29, the oldest class representative

The senior members of Harvard and Radcliffe present on Commencement day, and recognized in the afternoon ceremony, were Lillian (Sher) Sugarman ’37, 97, of Swampscott, Massachusetts; and 104-year-old Donald F. Brown ’30 of Stow, Massachusetts. The oldest class representative to attend was 104-year-old George Barner ’29 of Kennebunk, Maine. Sugarman said she has always enjoyed the excitement of Commencement, and used to come with her Radcliffe friends. This year, “I came to see Oprah,” she added, “and to enjoy the day with my grandson,” Peter S. Cahn ’96, RI ’09 (whose father is Arthur S. Cahn ’60). “It was a wave of unexpected attention for her; she was really overjoyed,” Cahn reported. “I was going to walk with my class—but it was much more fun to walk with her.”

According to Harvard records, the oldest alumni also include: Edith M. Van Saun ’29, 106, of Sykesville, Maryland; Frances Pass Adelson ’30, 104, of Coral Springs, Florida; Evelyn Sigel Baer ’30, 103, of Montpelier, Vermont; Mary Anglemyer ’31, 103, of Medford, New Jersey; Erhart R. Muller ’32, 103, of Harvard, Massachusetts; Louise J. Wells ’32, 103, of Harwich, Massachusetts; Alice E. Rockett ’32, 101, of Gulfport, Florida; Edward Lane ’33, 101, of Canton, Massachusetts; George F. Bennett ’33, 101, of Hingham, Massachusetts; and Helena W. Phillips ’33, 101, of West Palm Beach.

Related topics

You might also like

Novelist Lev Grossman on Why Fantasy Isn’t About Escapism

The Magicians author discusses his influences, from Harvard to King Arthur to Tolkien.

A Congenial Voice in Japanese-American Relations

Takashi Komatsu spent his life building bridges. 

This TikTok Artist Combines Monsters and Mental Heath

Ava Jinying Salzman’s artwork helps people process difficult feelings.

Most popular

Why Men Are Falling Behind in Education, Employment, and Health

Can new approaches to education address a growing gender gap?

The 1884 Cannibalism-at-Sea Case That Still Has Harvard Talking

The Queen v. Dudley and Stephens changed the course of legal history. Here’s why it’s been fodder for countless classroom debates.

Explore More From Current Issue

Four young people sitting around a table playing a card game, with a chalkboard in the background.

On Weekends, These Harvard Math Professors Teach the Smaller Set

At Cambridge Math Circle, faculty and alumni share puzzles, riddles, and joy.

An axolotl with a pale body and pink frilly gills, looking directly at the viewer.

Regenerative Biology’s Baby Steps

What axolotl salamanders could teach us about limb regrowth

A bald man in a black shirt with two book covers beside him, one titled "The Magicians" and the other "The Bright Sword."

Novelist Lev Grossman on Why Fantasy Isn’t About Escapism

The Magicians author discusses his influences, from Harvard to King Arthur to Tolkien.