Listings of deaths of alumnae and members of our community appear in the Alumnae Bulletin each quarter. If a death is reported to the College between dates of publication, we will endeavor to share the news as soon as we are notified via postings to the College web site.  

Dr. Ernest Duff, Charles A. Dana Professor of Politics, Emeritus, died Friday, April 17, 2009. Dr. Duff taught at the College from 1964 until his retirement in 1997. 

He was a Lieutenant in the United States Navy and served during the Korean War, followed by employment as a Foreign Service Officer for the State Department in Havana, Cuba from 1957-1960 and in Washington from 1960-1962 , then in Bogotá , Columbia from 1962-1963. He then came to teach at Randolph-Macon Woman's College in 1964. In 1979-1980, he was a visiting Fulbright professor at the University of Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico. Dr. Duff has served as political analyst for WSET-Channel 13 (ABC-affiliate) in Lynchburg since 1987. He was a Helen Wessell Fellow at University of Virginia in 1963-64, and a NEH Fellow at Brown University in 1990. He was a member of the Latin American Studies Association, Southern Political Science Association, Southeastern Association of Latin American Studies and the Virginia Political Science Association. He enjoyed playing tennis and gardening.

A funeral service was held on Monday, April 20, 2009, at Peakland Baptist Church and he was buried in Monticello Memorial Garden, Charlottesville, Virginia.

Dr. Margaret H. Pertzoff, professor of History, Emerita, died on Sunday, March 8, 2009, after a long period of declining health. Margaret began teaching European and Russian History at Randolph-Macon Woman's College in 1967, and continued until her retirement in 1998, commuting weekly from Charlottesville to Lynchburg. She was honored with the Gillie A. Larew Award for distinguished teaching in 1972, and held two of the College's endowed chairs. From 1987 until 1993, Margaret was the Theodore H. Jack Professor of History. In 1993, she was named as the Mary Frances Williams Professor of Humanities, Emerita. She was the 1995-1996 recipient of the Katherine Graves Davidson ’35 Award for bringing distinction to the college. Students describe Margaret as inspirational. Her courses in European and Russian are known equally for their popularity and rigor and challenge. Margaret amassed an impressive record of contributions to all aspects of our College. She served on and chaired every major committee.

Margaret played an unforgiving tennis game, and was an avid fan of the international tournaments. Margaret loved her gardens at Wintergreen Farm in Charlottesville, and was proud of her culinary skills. 

The memorial service for Margaret Pertzoff, Mary Francis Williams Professor of Humanities (History), Emerita will be held Saturday, June 13, at 4:00 P.M. at Wintergreen Farm near Charlottesville, Virginia.