Obituaries

Walter Lloyd SouthamElectrical Engineer

Walter Lloyd Southam, 94, a retired electrical engineer who had worked for the Navy more than 32 years, died March 25 at Virginia Hospital Center of complications from gastric surgery. He lived in Arlington.

Mr. Southam was born in Dover, N.H., and graduated from the University of Idaho in 1943.

While serving aboard a Navy minesweeper in World War II, he redesigned a generator to mask the magnetic field of the minesweepers in the water, causing mines to detonate harmlessly.

After his discharge from the Navy in 1946, Mr. Southam worked at the Naval Ordinance Laboratory for three years before taking a position as an electrical engineer with the old Bureau of Ships.

He was recognized for effectively modifying existing equipment on ships, rather than going to the time and expense of designing new parts. He received special achievement awards in 1966 and 1970 and retired in 1974.

In retirement, he read French literature, maintained his interest in science and worked on electrical projects.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Jean Southam of Arlington; three children, W. Lloyd Southam Jr. of Hagerstown, Nancy Helsel of Laytonsville and Douglas Southam of Seal Beach, Calif.; and five grandchildren.

-- Matt Schudel

Jack AmsterBusiness Owner

Jack Amster, 90, a co-owner and operator of Cathedral Market on Connecticut Avenue in the District from 1956 until the early 1970s, died of cardiac arrest April 17 at Suburban Hospital. He was a Bethesda resident.

Also in the 1970s, Mr. Amster did managerial work for Royal Formal Wear. In retirement, he studied sculpting at Montgomery College and did volunteer work at the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington in Rockville.