Obituary: Stephen Constantine, senior lecturer in Computer Science and Engineering

Stephen M. Constantine, 58, of Florence, a senior lecturer in the School of Computer Science and the College of Engineering, died suddenly May 4 at his home.

Born in Racine, Wisc., he earned his undergraduate degree in economics at Harvard University, his master’s degree in mathematics at Cornell University, and his doctorate in English at UMass Amherst in 2006.

 

He joined the Computer Science Department in 1997, first with a graduate assistantship while completing his Ph.D. in English and later as a lecturer. He was promoted to senior lecturer in 2009.

 

Over his years on campus, he also taught courses in the English, Mathematics and Statistics, and Exercise Science departments. He served as faculty adviser for the UMass chapter of Engineers Without Borders.

 

Professor Lori Clarke, chair of the School of Computer Science, said, “Steve was a dedicated teacher who encouraged his students to think about how computing was positively and negatively impacting society. Because of his degrees in English and mathematics, he was the perfect instructor for our junior writing program. We are saddened that he will no longer be teaching our students, but proud that he was such a valuable member of our faculty while he was with us.”

For the past 12 seasons, he was also the coach of the Northampton High School boys swim team.

Steve leaves his two daughters, Rebecca Constantine, a graduate student at Stanford University, and Alison Maayana Miskin, of Haifa, Israel; four granddaughters, his mother, two brothers, two sisters and a large extended family. He also is survived by his former wife Ruth Constantine, who welcomes condolences addressed to her daughters at her home at 111 Whittier St., Florence.

A summer memorial service in celebration of his life will be announced at a later time.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Northampton High School Swim Team, c/o Athletics Director Jim Miller, Northampton High School, or Engineers Without Borders, or the School of Computer Science undergraduate scholarship fund.