The Senior Alumni

Evelyn Richmond ’41 and Theodore R. Barnett ’41
Photographs by Jim Harrison

Evelyn Richmond ’41, of Nashville, Tennessee, and Theodore R. Barnett ’41, of Stowe, Vermont, were the oldest Radcliffe and Harvard alumni present on Commencement Day. For Richmond, 97, it was a distinction she also enjoyed three years ago (see July-August 2015, page 75). She was again accompanied by her son, Clifford Richmond ’75; they have returned for Commencement week in recent years, including for her seventy-fifth reunion in 2016. Barnett, who turns 98 in August, was flanked by his wife, Monique Stirling, and a daughter, Susan Barnett ’82. He’s returned for many reunions while leading a life of various professional and personal pursuits. A retired county prosecutor, he has delved into land development, the Enneagram of Personality, and graphology. After Harvard, he served in World War II, and then joined his family’s wool-imports company, learning Arabic to work with vendors in the Middle East. “I traveled in the places that are now extremely dangerous to be in, Aleppo and parts of Iraq, and some places that just aren’t there anymore,” he says. “I was very lucky to be able to do that.” The two alumni were publicly honored by Harvard Alumni Association president Susan Morris Novick ’85.

Click here for the July-August 2018 issue table of contents

You might also like

Reconstructing the Berlin Wall

David Leo Rice explores the strange, unseen forces shaping our world.

Stand-Up to Simmer Down

In comedy groups, students find ways to be absurd, present, and a little less self-conscious.

Most popular

Harvard Layoffs Continue, with More to Come

In the wake of federal government actions, several Harvard schools and institutes are cutting costs.

Trump Administration Threatens Harvard’s Accreditation, Subpoenas Student Records

The federal government mounts pressure amid negotiations with Harvard.

Are Noncitizens’ Speech Rights Protected?

Harvard faculty testify in a federal lawsuit over free speech and deportations.

Explore More From Current Issue

How AI Could Be Raising Your Energy Bill

Utilities shift AI infrastructure costs onto consumers.

Harvard’s Plant Collection Meets Space Science

Light-based analysis of botanical collections link plants to Earth’s changing climate.

Harvard Commencement 2025

Harvard passes a test of its values, yet challenges loom.