Alan L. Heyneman, a man who served the University of Rochester for 25 years, died Tuesday, March 15 at home of cancer. The day before his death, he had observed his 70th birthday.

Mr. Heyneman joined the University in 1964 as director of personnel. In that post, he named and inaugurated Currents, the campus newspaper that carries institutional news and lists job openings, and improved the way employees were reviewed for performance. In 1973, he was promoted to associate treasurer for administration and oversaw many of the University's support services, including student housing and food service, data processing, purchase and supply, and security. In 1983, he was named associate vice president for administration, a position with broad oversight for many University services.

Many colleagues knew Mr. Heyneman best as a manager of the University's commencements -- a role to which his own devotion to learning and tradition suited him perfectly. "Alan loved ceremony and ritual," said Ruth Freeman, associate provost and University dean. "He put enormous effort into seeing that the University's commencements were dignified, beautiful to watch, and gave participants a sense of the true importance of the occasion." Mr. Heyneman also organized graduation ceremonies in Rotterdam for the Simon School's Executive M.B.A. program taught at Erasmus University. "He was a master in overcoming the hurdles inherent in blending the European and American traditions and the ceremony he created remains one of the highlights of our program," said Ronald Hansen, associate dean for academic affairs at the University's William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration.

Said Donald K. Hess, the vice president for administration with whom Mr. Heyneman served for many years, "I wish I had words that would encapsulate all of Alan's many gifts. He had a remarkable expanse of intellect and he was very exact in his expression. He always thought clearly and precisely himself, and required that from others, too."

Born on March 14, 1924 in San Francisco, Mr. Heyneman graduated from Tamalpais High School, attended Pomona College, and received his bachelor's degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1948. He married Martha Tarpey just after graduation. He had served in the U.S. Army in Europe and North Africa for three years. He also graduated from Berkeley's School of Librarianship in 1949.

He worked in various administrative positions at the Library of Congress from 1949 to 1955, and then served as the chief personnel officer for the New York Public Library from 1955 to 1964.

After retirement, Mr. Heyneman worked as a volunteer for the Rochester Museum and Science Center and the Friends of the University of Rochester Libraries.

Mr. Heyneman is survived by his wife, Martha, of Brighton, NY; daughters Margaret Kearney of Sudbury, Mass., and Janet Heyneman of Rochester; sons David of Brighton and John of Henrietta, NY; and three grandchildren. Several brothers and sisters also survive: Donald of San Francisco; John of Fishtail, MT; Stephen of Potomac, MD; Laurence Wormser of Redlands, CA; Nancy Friedlander of Geyserville, CA; and Elizabeth Simmons of San Diego, CA.

There will be no funeral. The family plans an open house from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 2, in their home on 20 Mayflower Drive in Brighton.

Those wishing to make memorial gifts are asked to send them to the Cancer Center at Strong Memorial Hospital, to the Friends of the University of Rochester Libraries, or to the Rochester Museum and Science Center.

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