Harvard's oldest living alumni

Harvard’s oldest living graduates

Lillian (Sher) Sugarman  and Robert F. Rothschild

Lillian (Sher) Sugarman and Robert F. Rothschild | Photographs by Jim Harrison

The oldest graduates of Harvard and Radcliffe present on Commencement day were Lillian (Sher) Sugarman ’37, 98, of Swampscott, Massachusetts, who was accompanied by her grandson, Peter S. Cahn ’96, RI ’09, and Robert F. Rothschild ’39, 95, of New York City, celebrating his seventy-fifth class reunion, who came with his wife, Margaret Rothschild ’65. Both were recognized during the afternoon ceremony by HAA president Catherine Gellert ’93. According to the active University alumni records, the other oldest alumni include: Edith M. Van Saun ’29, 107, of Sykesville, Maryland; Bertha O. Fineberg ’31, 105, of Gloucester, Massachusetts; Mary Anglemyer ’31, 104, of Medford, New Jersey; Erhart R. Muller ’32, 104, of Harvard, Massachusetts; Louise J. Wells ’32, 104, of Harwich, Massachusetts; Helena W. Phillips ’33, 102, of West Palm Beach; Clarence M. Agress ’33, 102, of Santa Barbara; Mary Grossman MacEwan ’33, 102, of Tucson; Anne Sharples Frantz ’33, 102, of Peterborough, New Hampshire; and William Peters Blanc ’34, 101, of Sag Harbor, New York. 

Related topics

You might also like

How J. Max Bond Jr. Honored Black History Through Architecture

A new book explores the Harvard-trained architect’s vision and impact, from Ground Zero to the Smithsonian.

Meet the Harvard Alumni Association’s New President

David Battat promotes alumni engagement.

How Facebook Escaped Harvard

In 2004, a frenzy spread across Harvard Yard in days. Four billion users later, we are only just catching up.

Most popular

Harvard Weathers a Year of Turmoil

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

Three Harvard Alumni and a Former Postdoc Named MacArthur Fellows

A labor economist, an organic chemist, a physicist, and a memory researcher were honored with 2026 “genius” grants.

Lafayette’s Unexpected Gift to George Washington: Pheasants

The two birds will be on display at Harvard this summer.

Explore More From Current Issue

A man in a suit speaks at a podium.

David Battat promotes alumni engagement.

Three young women posed side by side against red background.

The 2026-2027 Ledecky and Summer Undergraduate Fellows

A smiling elderly man in glasses sits comfortably in a striped armchair.

Plus, veteran higher education leader Thomas Ehrlich reflects on university curricula for his 70th reunion