Economics in the Rear-view Mirror is interested not merely in the lives of prominent economists, but also in sampling the lives and careers of the vast majority of trained professional economists. Sometimes the careers have been cut short, as was the case of Radcliffe graduate Rosemary Coward Griffith who died three years after receiving her Radcliffe Ph.D. Many of the details for this post come from documents easily accessible through the genealogical website ancestry.com but also from the website newspapers.com.
_________________________
Born in Texas
Rosemary Coward was born 16 August 1927 in Dallas, TX to parents Allen C. Coward (dentist) and Georgia Coward née Hurt.
_________________________
First Marriage
Married to Jack D. Summerfield June 1, 1947. They were divorced in Marion County, Alabama in April 1957. He later worked as a producer for WGBH (Radio/television) in Boston, MA.
_________________________
Undergraduate degree
Rosemary Summerfield was admitted to Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Texas, Austin. Class of June 1948.
_________________________
Correspondence with John Kenneth Galbraith
In John Kenneth Galbraith’s papers at the John F. Kennedy Library, Box 34, General correspondence “Griffith, Rosemary Coward Summerfield. 19 May 1954 to 26 March 1955.”
_________________________
Marriage to Charles Ray Griffith
From The Santa Fe New Mexican, October 23, 1959:
Reported that the two new residents of Santa Fe were married September 12, 1959 at Appleton Chapel, Harvard University. Charles Griffith was appointed to the staff of the state Health Department, Division of Mental Health. He received his Ph.D. in cultural anthropology at Harvard.
Note: This was his second marriage. His first marriage (September 15, 1948) to Katherine Perry apparently ended in divorce, she married Raymond A. Bowman in 1957.
After Rosemary’s death Charles Ray Griffith Married associate professor of nursing at the University of New Mexico (The Santa Fe New Mexican May 29, 1966). It is worth noting that she is not mentioned in his obituary (Albuquerque Journal, May 2, 1999) whereas his first two wives were.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reported July 2, 1964 that Charles R. Griffith would resign effective August 31 to accept an appointment at the University of New Mexico College of Education as associate professor in education and research anthropologist.
_________________________
Ph.D. CONFERRED IN 1960-61
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Rosemary Coward Griffith, B.A.
Subject: Economics.
Dissertation: “Factors Affecting Continental United States Manufacturing Investment in Puerto Rico.”
Source: Radcliffe College. Report of the President, 1960-61, p. 80.
_________________________
Probably Last Job
From The Albquerque Tribune of May 29, 1953 (page 11). In an article about recent developments at the University of New Mexico.
Contracts have also been approved for Rosemary Griffith as temporary assistant professor of economics.
_________________________
Hospitalized about six weeks before her death
From The Santa Fe New Mexican, March 23, 1964:
Mrs. Rosemary Griffith, 1934 Kiva Rd. admitted to hospital
From The Santa Fe New Mexican, March 23, 1964:
Dismissed from Hospital. Mrs. Rosemary Griffith.
_________________________
Funeral Notice
From The Santa Fe New Mexican, May 14, 1964:
Funeral Service to be held Friday [May 15, 1964]. Cremated remains to Memorial Gardens.