GREGORY NAJARIAN
Gregory Najarian, 69, of Woburn, a former service staff member at Lincoln Lab, died on May 27. He retired in 1995 after seven years at Lincoln. Survivors include a son, Alan, and a daughter, Kimberly Najarian, both of Brighton.
ADA SHECHTER
Word has been received of the November 9, 1997 death of Ada Shechter, 90, of Roslindale. She began work at MIT in 1962 and retired as a senior clerk in the Development Office in 1972.
ROSS H. SMITH
Word has been received of the May 9 death of Professor Emeritus Ross H. Smith, 83, of Carmel, CA, a former professor anddirector of athletics at MIT.
Dr. Smith came to the Institute as director of athletics in 1961 and four years later was also named professor of athletics, the first such appointment on the MIT faculty. He received the BS from Springfield College (1936) and the MEd from the University of Rochester (1947). Starting in 1947, he spent 24 years as a physical education instructor, coach and assistant director of athletics at Cornell University.
While at MIT, he was president of the New England College Athletic Conference, chair of the NCAA College Division Football Championships, and an NCAA representative to the US Olympic Rowing Committee. He retired in 1981. Survivors include his wife, Edna B.
JOSEPH W. SOUZA
Joseph W. Souza, 72, of Revere, formerly a senior stock clerk at Lincoln Laboatory, died on June 1. He was hired in 1950 and retired in 1994. Survivors include his wife, Marie; a son, Stephen; a daughter, Carol Souza; and two grandchildren.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on September 12, 1998.
