ROYCE FLIPPIN

FLIPPIN--Royce Norwood, Jr. Passed away at age 87 on July 31 at his home in East Brunswick, NJ. Born and raised in Montclair, NJ, Royce gained fame as one of the nation's leading scholar-athletes of the 1950s in high school and college. In three years at sports powerhouse Montclair High School he earned 12 varsity letters in four sports -- football, basketball, baseball and track, where he was state long jump champion -- and was named New Jersey's outstanding high school athlete as a senior. At Princeton University, Royce was an All-Ivy and All-East football standout and student leader. Playing tailback in Coach Charlie Caldwell's single-wing offense, Royce famously came off the bench as team captain his senior year despite a knee injury to score the opening touchdown against Yale in a 13-0 victory, helping secure the Tigers' Ivy League cham-pionship. He went on to receive Princeton's Roper Award as the University's top athlete and the Poe Cup for football excellence and sportsmanship. After college, Royce served in the Marines and worked for Standard Oil before attending Harvard Business School. Following stints at General Foods and Smith, Barney, he joined colleague Tom Delaney to start First Spectrum, the nation's first-ever corporate-responsi- bility mutual fund. In 1973, he became Princeton's athletic director, presiding over six years of Ivy League leading winning percentages. He went on to be athletic director at MIT for 12 years, serving five years on the NCAA Executive Committee and one year as President of the ECAC. He also sat on the boards of Ariel Investments, Lightbridge, and TerraCycle Inc., among others. For all his professional success, Royce's most powerful legacy was the impact he had on countless individuals over the years. He loved lifting up others, and the stories of those he assisted along their life paths are legion. Above all, he was devoted to his family, including his soulmate and wife of 65 years, Louise Ferdon Flippin, who survives him. As do his sons Royce 3rd and Robert and their spouses, Alexis and Patricia; six grandchildren - Brian Nole with his wife, Dana, Robert Flippin Jr., Michael Flippin, Ryan Flippin, Christopher Flippin and Maisie Flippin; great-grand- daughter Haylee Nole; his siblings, Carol Colavita, John Flippin and Doreen Cleerden, and their families; and his Ferdon relatives. His daughter Diane Nole and her husband Art, and his sister Molly Baker predecease him. Royce also remained forever dedicated to Princeton University, including his Class of 1956 classmates, and was an active member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. Royce's energy, charisma, optimism and empathy have left an indelible mark on all who knew him. He will be greatly missed. Donations can be made in Royce's memory to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 90 Leonardine Ave., South River, NJ 08882.