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Herbert L. Harris '27 of Cambridge, a psychiatrist who specialized in the emotional problems of adolescents, died on October 9, 1998, in Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge of complications from a fall. He was 93.
Dr. Harris was born in Springfield. He graduated from Massachusetts Agricultural College and Tufts University Medical School.
After serving in the Naval Reserve aboard the USS Rescue during World War II, he was affiliated with the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Boston and Childrenís Hospital Medical Center.
He was the author or co-author of four books including "Emotional Problems of Adolescents," which he wrote with Dr. James R. Gallagher.
He leaves a son, Geoffrey, of Cambridge.
...
(Boston Globe, 10/17/98)
Raymond Mann '30 dies; was Barden executive. Danbury - Former Barden Corp. executive Raymond Mann died of cancer Tuesday at the age of 90.
Mann, who retired from Barden in 1973 after a 30-year career, had a high political profile in Danbury during the 1960s. He was the last president of the Alderman Board and the first president of the Common Council formed when the town and city consolidated in 1965.
"Ray had the respect and love of everybody who ever knew him," said J. Robert Tomlinson, former president of Barden.
As Barden vice-president and personnel director, Mann was a proponent of hiring disabled people. In 1960, the Governor Abraham Ribcoff appointed Mann the area chairman of the Governor's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped.
During his tenure as personnel director, Mann aided the Federal Correctional Facility in Danbury by having a training program for prisoners at Barden to help rehabilitate and assimilate them back into society. Barden is a ball-bearing manufacturer.
"He was a wonderful, kind, considerate man; he wanted everybody to have a chance," said his daughter Barbara Bigham of Newtown.
Mann was selected "Boss of the Year" in 1962 by the local chapter of the National Secretaries Association.
In addition to being a past president [of] the Danbury Chamber of Commerce, he was a former member of the Connecticut State Board of Arbitration and Mediation and former trustee of the Union Saving Bank.
Born August 6, 1908, in West Bridgewater, Mass., he graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1930 and moved to Danbury in 1935. Until retiring and moving to Florida, he lived on Fairview Ave.
"He only moved across the street when he got married," said Bigham.
Mann was predeceased by his wife, Louise. He is survived by a son, Charles, of Southbury, and another daughter, Jean Long of Manchester. He was a member for 60 years of the First Congregational Church of Danbury.
"I lived in the shadow of a man who everyone knew and everyone loved," said his son Charles Mann.
(The News-Times, 12/16/99)
Arthur Gold '35 of Boca Raton, Florida, a periodontist who practiced in Springfield for many years, died Thursday [October 8, 1998] in Massachusetts General Hospital. He was 84.
Dr. Gold was born in New York and raised in Springfield. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts and Harvard School of Dentistry.
After serving in the Navy Dental Corps in the South Pacific during World War II, he maintained a private practice in Springfield.
The former president of the Massachusetts Periodontal Society, he taught at Tufts University Medical School and was a lecturer at Harvard University.
He was the former president and secretary of Temple Sinai in Springfield, a trustee of the Jewish Nursing Home and a corporator of Baystate Medical Center.
He leaves his wife, Catherine (Dower); two
daughters, Carolyn gold of Cambridge and Judith gold Enteen of
Mevaserrat Zion, Israel; a sister Lillian Gold Abrams of New
York City; three grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.
. . .
(Boston Globe, 10/10/98)
Ralph H. Granger '35, 87, of 15 Riverwoods Drive, Exeter, New Hampshire, died at home on September 26, 1998. Death was due to natural causes. He lived in Durham and Lee, N.H., for 49 years before moving to Exeter three years ago.
Mr. Granger was Professor Emeritus from the University of New Hampshire, where he taught for thirty years and was Assistant Director of the Thompson School of Applied Science at the time of his retirement in 1976. Prior to moving to Durham, Mr. Granger taught and developed a vocational agriculture program at Brattleboro, Vermont, High School. He also taught at Whitesboro, New York, High School and the University of Vermont.
During his 34 years of residency in Lee, Mr. Granger was leader of the Lee Hill 4-H Club, which grew to be the largest 4-H Club in the state during his tenure. He was a volunteer fireman, forest fire warden, a member of the Strafed County Regional Planning Commission, and was Lee's first building inspector. He was a Mason for more than 50 years and was a member of Rising Star Lodge, No. 47, F&AM, of Newmarket, New Hampshire, at the time of his death. He was a member of the American Bell Association.
Mr. Granger was born in Southampton on June 30, 1911, a son of the late Charles C. and Helen M. (Edgar) Granger. He was predeceased by his brother, Charles E. Granger.
After graduating from Westfield High School, Mr. Granger did post-graduate work at Mount Herman School prior to enrolling at the University of Massachusetts, where he earned a B.S. and M.S. in Agricultural Science.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Doris A. (Hartwell) Granger, three children and their spouses, Dr. Clark a. and Rosemarie R. Granger of Woolwich, Maine; Dr. Ralph H. Jr. and Judith C. Granger of Farmington, Maine; and Carolyn G. and Stanley J. Whitlock of Merrimack, New Hampshire; five grandchildren, Kimberly Granger Gethicker and her husband, Shawn, of Bath, Maine; Gregory R. Granger of Woolwich, Maine; Justin H. Granger of Farmington, Maine; David M. Whitlock and Jennifer L. Whitlock, both of Merrimack, New Hampshire.
Glen F. Shaw '35, 87, of Concord, New Hampshire, formerly of Hampshire County, died November 11, 1998 in the Havenwood-Heritage Heights Health Care Center in Concord after a long illness.
Born September 17, 1911, in Los Angles, California, he was the son of the late Harold E. and Elizabeth M. (Stewart) Shaw.
His early years were spent in the Northampton-Williamsburg area, and he later lived in Pelham. He moved to Concord six years ago.
He was a graduate of Hitchcock Academy in Brimfield, and a 1935 graduate of Massachusetts State College.
Mr. Shaw and his wife owned and operated Shaw's Turkey Farm in Pelham from 1943 until their retirement in 1984.
He had been past president of the Massachusetts Turkey Growers' Association, having been a breeder and operating his own hatchery, commercial farm and processing plant. He had also been vice president of the Farm Bureau, and was a lifetime member of the Amherst Rotary Club.
He had been a member of the Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee, serving for 12 years.
He leaves his wife of 62 years, Dorothy (Whiting)
Shaw; two sons, Stewart W. Shaw of Randolph, New Hampshire, and
Steven B. Shaw of Eustis, Florida; a daughter, Eudora Shaw Esq.
of Andover, New Hampshire; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
. . .
Walter M. Bryant '36, 86, of 226 Elan Gardens, Clarks
Summit, Pennsylvania, formerly of Cheshire, died October 9, 1998,
at CMC Hospice unit, Scranton. He was the husband of 60 years
of Theresa Dodge Bryant. He was a son of the late Clarence E.
and Florence Wood Bryant, born in Boston, September 22, 1912.
Mr. Bryant was a 1934 graduate of Dartmouth College and graduated
from Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts.
He was a self-employed farmer from 1937 to 1949 and then worked
in soil conservation and farm management. He retired as public
relations manager for Yankee Milk Co-op in Newington. Besides
his wife, survivors include daughters, Anne B. Casey of Manasquan,
N.J., Emily Rancier of Dalton and Carol Bryant of Waterbury;
sons Stephen P. Bryant of Missoula, Montana, and Walter D. Bryant
of Corvallis, Ore.; a sister, Annette Emerson of Wellesley, Mass;
12 grandchildren; and a great-grand-daughter. He was predeceased
by a sister, Jane Hurlbert.
...
(New Haven Register, 10/17/98)
Paul Driscoll '36,
84, of Hollowbrook Road, Windsor, died Wednesday (October 14,
1998) at Hartford Hospital. Born in Hatfield, MA, son of the
late William and Mabel (Proulx) Driscoll, he lived in the Philadelphia
area many years ago after the death of his wife, Helen (Smith)
Driscoll. He graduated from Northampton High School and University
of Massachusetts in 1936 and attended Northwestern University.
He served in the US Navy during World War II as a destroyer communications
officer in the South Pacific and later as commanding officer
of the Naval Air Station at Shawnee, OK. He was employed by General
Electric Co. in Philadelphia as manager for production control
in missile and space vehicle development with assignments that
took him to South Africa and Spain. After retirement, he founded
Driscoll Machinery in Philadelphia with his son, Paul. He leaves
his son, Paul J. Drsicoll Jr. and his wife, Patricia of Wayne,
PA; a daughter, Diana Schoner and her husband, William of Windsor;
a brother, James P. Driscoll of Walpole, MA; two sisters, Anne
M. Driscoll and Mary Kayser both of Northampton, MA; three sisters-in-law,
Alice Driscoll of Holyoke, Ann Driscoll of Florence, MA, and
Joan Driscoll of Wellesley, MA; six grandchildren, Paul, Craig
and his wife Kelly, and Douglas Schoner, Graham, Benjamin, and
Katie Driscoll; two great-grandchildren, Brady and Abbey Schoner;
his aunt, Marie Proulx of Hatfield, MA; and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by brothers, Williams Jr., Robert, Richard
and a sister, Eileen.
. . .
Edwin H. Hartley '36, 83, of 140 Montague City Road, Turners Falls, a longtime area water-well expert and civic leader, died Saturday at Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield.
He was the owner and operator of E.H. Hartley Wells & Pumps Co. in Turners Falls from 1938 until his death. The holder of Massachusetts License No. 1, he was a certified water-well driller and pump installer.
He was accredited by the National Ground Water Association, which he helped to found in 1948.
Born in Westfield, he was a 1932 graduate of Westfield High School, and the Stockbridge School of Agriculture (now the University of Massachusetts Amherst) in 1936 with a bachelor of arts degree in animal husbandry.
A founder of the New England Water Well Association, he was a past president and an officer-at-large for 13 years. He was a founder and past president of the Massachusetts Water Well Association, and an original director of the Northeast Ground Water Association, formed in 1962.
He served on the town's Conservation Commission from 1966 to 1998, was chairman from 1966 to 1981, and a member-at-large from 1981 to his death. He was a past director of the Department of Environmental Protection, appointed by former Gov. William Weld.
He was a champion of the preservation of the Montague Plains as a watershed. He was a past member of the Farm Bureau, the former Turners Falls Rotary Club, and the Western Massachusetts 4-H Association.
He was a past committeeman of boy Scout Troop 6 of Turners Falls, and an active member of the Mechanics Masonic Lodge. He was a 32nd-degree Mason and a 50-year member. He also was an active member of the Melha Shrine Temple of Springfield.
His wife of 50 years, the former Ruth R. Rau,
died in 1993. He leaves two sons, Stephen M. of Roseville, MN;
and Frederick A. of King George, Virginia; a brother, George
S. of the Wyben section of Westfield; a sister, Louise M. Haire
of Southwick; seven grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
. . .
(Springfield Union-News, 10/2/98)
Richard B. Knowlton '37 of Malden died on Saturday, October 3, 1998 at the
Integrated Health Services in Medford. He was 84 years old.
Mr. Knowlton was a corporal in the United States Army during
World War II. He was a 1937 graduate of the University of Massachusetts
and worked as an accountant for the former New England Electric
of Malden & Westboro. He retired in 1976.
He is survived by his sister Ruth Murray of Reading, his nephews
David Case of Norwell, Robert K. Murray of Longmeadow, Steven
Murray of Melrose and his niece Jean Potter. Mr. Knowlton's sister
Frances Case predeceased him.
. . .
(Medford Daily Mercury, 10/6/98)
Albert H. Farnsworth '38, former executive editor of Holiday magazine and speechwriter for Kurt Waldheim, former secretary general of the United Nations, has died. He was 82.
He died at home last Thursday [1/14/99].
Farnsworth, who was born in Boston n 1916, grew up in Worcester, and graduated from Worcester Classical High School and Worcester Academy. He earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and his master's at Clark University in Worcester.
During World War II, he served in the Navy aboard the USS Wasp as a photographic interpreter, achieving the rank of lieutenant commander. He married Betty Phillips at the war's end in 1945.
Farnsworth worked as the executive editor of Holiday from 19449 to 1964, when he and three other top editors resigned to protest the appointment of a new editor.
Their resignation was supported by an ad in The New York Times signed by such literary luminaries and Holiday contributors as Cleveland Amory, Arthur C. Clarke, Jules Feiffer, William Golding, Arthur Miller, and John Steinbeck.
Farnsworth went on the edit Vista, the magazine of the United Nations Association, from 1964 to 1976.
In 1976, he became Waldheim's speechwriter, serving in that post until 1982. He also worked as an editor at Little-Brown Publishing Co. in Boston.
Waldheim, who served as Austria's president after stepping down as secretary general, later was disgraced when U.S. investigators revealed he had served as an intelligence officer in the Nazi German army.
Waldeim was banned from entering the United State in 1987 after the Office of Special Investigations disclosed he had helped transport prisoners to slave labor and concentration camps, and also helped deport Jews from parts of Greece and Yugoslavia.
Farnsworth and his wife retired to New London in 1983. Farnsworth had summered on Little Squam Lake in Holderness since he was 12, and he later served as a director of the Squam Lakes Association. He was an avid skier.
He is survived by his wife, Betty; a daughter,
Nancy Fleming of Winchester; two sisters, two grandsons, four
nieces and three nephews.
. . .
(AP New London, New Hampshire, 1/19/99)
Maynard F. Marsh '38, 82, of Gorham, concluded a successful and rewarding life Saturday, November 7, 1998.
Maynard was born in Gorham, the son of Linwood and Fannie (Huff) Marsh. He graduated from Gorham High School and the Massachusetts State College (University of Massachusetts, Amherst) in 1938, majoring in Wildlife Management. He worked one year with the U.S. Forest Service and two years with the Game Division of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Game before becoming a District Warden in 1943 in the Sebago Lake area.
Maynard became a Warden Supervisor in 1953 for Division A comprised of York, Cumberland, oxford and Androscoggin counties. He became Deputy chief Warden in 1960, Chief Warden in 1961 and Deputy Commissioner of the Department in 1970. In 1971 he became the first warden to progress through the ranks to the position of Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife under Gov. Kenneth Curtis. He went on to serve under Governors Longley and Brennan as Commissioner until his retirement in 1979, having served 36 years with Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Maynard met Gov. Percival Baxter and struck up a friendship that lasted until the governor's death. He often visited Gov. Baxter at his home on Mackworth Island and at Harrington Lake. Maynard emulated Gov. Baxter and was a committed conservationist and always sought a balanced approach between conservation and utilization of Maine forest resources.
Maynard was a member of several professional organizations. He was president of the Maine Law Enforcement Association and of the Northeast Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Association. He was a member of the International and Northeast Associations of Game, Fish and Conservation Commissioners.
Maynard served for 12 years on the Maine Indian Tribal State Commission following the Land Claim Settlement and was recognized as a friend to Maine tribes. He served on the Baxter Park Authority, was chairman of the Atlantic Salmon Commission and was appointed to the Board of Environmental Protection.
Maynard was the recipient of the prestigious Maine Legendary Game Warden Award in 1993. This award is given to a retired warden whose career emulated the statutory charge of the Maine Warden Service and its proud tradition.
The 600-acre Killick Pond Wildlife Management Area in southern Maine was dedicated to Maynard F. Marsh in 1990.
Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Frances
Knight Marsh of Gorham; two sons, John F. Marsh of West Gardiner
and Eben B. Marsh of Portland; a daughter, Mary F. Marsh of Gorham;
six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren' a brother, Hartley
E. Marsh of Gorham.
. . .
Arnold M. Fischer '38 died September 13, 1998. He leaves wife Priscilla.
(Kennebeck Journal Sunday, 11/8/98)
Leo J. Santucci '40,
81, of 30 Lawrence St., an educator, coach, and the town's former
superintendent of schools, died on Monday [September 1998] at
home after a long illness. He returned here to become superintendent
in 1962, and retired in 1974. During many years of service to
the town, he was instrumental in the building of Pathfinder Regional
Technical School, and served on many boards and committees.
He taught previously at Chestnut Street Junior High School in
Springfield, and coached in the city schools.
He was a mathematics teacher and coach at Palmer High School until 1957. During his tenure as coach, his teams won many championships in football and baseball.
He started his career as a teacher and coach at South Hadley High School in 1942.
Born here [Palmer], he was a lifelong resident.
He was a World War II Army veteran, and served in the infantry with the Eastern Defense Command. He was commissioned a second lieutenant, and served in the Transportation Corps.
He remained active in the Army Reserve, and retired with the rank of major after 22 years' service.
He was a communicant of St. Thomas's Church, and a member of the parish council and the finance and administration committees.
He belonged to the Knights of Columbus, the American Legion, and the Retired Officers Association.
He also belonged to the Massachusetts and New England Associations of School Superintendents, the American Association of School Administrators, the Connecticut Valley Superintendents Association, the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the National Education Association, and Phi Delta Kappa.
He leaves his wife of 57 years, the former Gloria M. Ryan; a son, Dr. Leo J. Jr. of Willimantic, Conn.; a daughter, Marbeth Santucci of Marshfield; a brother, Joseph of Worcester, four grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
Another son, Mark, died in 1995.
Kathleen C. Voorheees '40 died July 1997.
(Hello Holyoke, 10/21/98)
William H. Lennon '41, 81, of South Hadley, died Thrusday, October 16, 1998, at Holyoke Hospital.
He was a registered mechanical engineer and land surveyor.
He also taught in Wilbraham, at Holyoke Community College, and at Technical High School in Springfield, where he helped coach the football team.
He established the Colonial School of Tool Design and was its director for four years.
In 1951, he became president of Professional Industries in Agawam, which he co-owned until selling it in 1999 [sic].
Born in Cambridge, he lived here [Holyoke] since 1956 and was a graduate of Medford High School, the University of Masschusetts, and Yale School of Forestry.
He earned his master's degree in education from Springfield College in 1954.
He was a member of the First Congregational Church for 42 years and served on the Historical Commission in South Hadley.
He leaves his wife of 55 years, the former
Esther DePalma; two daughters, Sally J. Santucci of Delray Beach,
Fla. and Linda R. Bradley of South Hadley; and three grandchildren.
. . .
(Westport News, 9/18/98)
John Edward Fitzgerald, MD PhD, '42, 79, of So. Hadley, Mass. died Sept. 11, 1998, at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass. He lived in Westport from 1961 through 1968, and during that time he was active in town affairs such as the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Democratic Town Committee.
In 1966 he ran for Congress, winning the primary in the district and receiving national attention as the frist "peace" candidate to win an election for national office. He was an independent scientific consultant and also taught at the University of Bridgeport.
Born in Springfield, he graduated from Springfield Technical High School in 1937. After receiving his BS from UMass Amherst in 1942, he was a technical sergeant in the Army, then attended Columbia University Medical School in New York City. He received his MD from Columbia in 1950, then went on to earn his PhD in Biophysics from Mass. Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass. in 1955.
Dr. Fitzgerald was a teacher and professor of various science and medical related subjects at several colleges and universities in Virginia, Connecticut, and Masschusetts. He was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Cancer Society, (Fellow), the Federation of American Scientists, and several others. At the age of 54, he started (and nearly completed) his medical internship at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Hartford. He was also an excellent public speaker and a prolific writer, filling volumes with poems, short stories, and commentaries on philosophical issues, politics, and science.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Marie
Anton Fitzgerald; three daughters, Molly Fitzgerald-Hayes of
So. Hadley, Julie Fitzgerald of Blandford, and Wendy Fitzgerald
of Jacksonville, Fla.; one brother, George F. Fitzgerald of Chicopee;
two sisters, Mary Kerin of E. Longmeadow and Elizabeth Derusha
of Springfield; and three grandchildren.
. . .
(Belmont Citizen-Herlad, Waltham, 10/29/98)
Evelyn (Gagnon) Davis '43, 76, of Bedford, died Thursday, Oct 22, 1998.
Born and raised in North Attleboro, she graduated from the University of Massachusetts and married Donald W. Davis, a colleague at American Cyanamid in Stamford, Conn. Together, they moved to Lake Katonah, NY where they raised their family and lived for 46 years. After her husband's death in 1992, Mrs. Davis moved to Carleton-Willard Village.
She is survived by her son, Mark W. and his
wife Nancy of Belmont; her daughter, Jocelyn D. Rankin and her
husband, Bruce of Yardley, Pa; her sister, Jeannette Goodrum
of Oregon; four grandchildren; a niece and nephew.
. . .
(Greenfield Recorder, 10/6/98)
Bernard W. Conway '43, 76, of 20 Lambert Terrace died Saturday (10/3/98) at home. He was the brother of Pauline Kuzmeski and Delia Wasilauski, both of Sunderland.
He was born in Northampton, Oct 8, 1921, the sonof Raymond and Pauline (Skinder) Vitkauskas. He attended Northampton schools and graduated in 1939 from Northampton High School and in 1943 from Massachusetts State College with a degree in chemistry.
Conway was employed by Dexter Corp. of Windsor Locks, Conn., for 32 years, retiring as a senior research associate. He was awarded a number of US patents for his work. Previously, he was employed for four years with American Writing Paper Co. of Holyoke.
He served as a first lieutenant with the 104th Armored Cavalry in the European Theater during WWII. He was a member of the Reserve Officers Training Corps.
He was a member of the Holyoke Canoe Club, Chicopee Lodge of Elks and various square and round dance clubs.
His wife, the former June E. Spring, died in 1973.
Besides his sisters, he leavs two sons, Glenn of South Hadley and Bruce of Springfield; a daughter, June B. Greener of Golden Valley, Ariz.; a brother, Ernest Vitkauskas of Northampton; two grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
His companion was Emily Stefanik of Chicopee.
. . .
(Hello Holyoke, 9/30/98)
Glenn B. Dearden '44, 76, formerly of Holyoke and South Hadley, died in Albuquerque, NM, on September 2, 1998. He was employed for several years at the Dearden Iron Works in Chicopee. He was also self-employed and worked in various areas of western Massachusetts as a registered professional engineer.
Born in Springfield, he was educated at the Massachusetts State College and the University of Michigan.
He leaves his wife of 52 years, Marjorie Dearden
of Albuquerque; five children; a sister, Jean Papineau of Holyoke;
and three grandchildren.
. . .
(Springfield Union-News, 10/6/98)
Katherine M. Dwyer '47, 81, of Blue Hills Road, a longtime local educator, died Monday at the Elaine Health and Rehabilitation Center in Hadley.
She was a teacher at Hopkins Academy and at Northampton High School, where she taught English and history. She also was a 20-year guidance counselor until she retired.
She was born in Hadley and was a graduate of Hopkins Academy. She received a bachelor's degree from Elms College and her master's degree from the University of Massachusetts.
She was a communicant of St. Brigid's Church and a volunteer for the Hospice of Hampshire County, where she worked at the Hospice Store in Northampton. She did volunteer work with the Amherst Survival Center.
She belonged to the Hadley Historical Society, Historical Deerfield and the National Education Assocation.
She leaves a brother, John W. of Easthampton.
. . .
Tracy B. Wilson '62 died September 6, 1998 at Maine General Medical Center in Augusta, from an injury to the brain resulting from a fall from his horse.
Tracy was born in Springfied on May 20, 1940, the son of Douglas Wilsn and Mimi Tracy Wilson. He attended Springfield schools and graduate from the University of Massachusetts in 1962. He received his master's degree in political science in 1967 from the University of Kansas.
An Air Force officer stationed in Kansas, Washington, DC, Germany and Great Britain, Tracy spent three tours as an intellegence officer in Vietnam and retired in 1982 with the rank of major. Since returning to Maine, he has lived on the Goose Hill Road, Jefferson, and worked as a quality assurance officer at Brunswick Naval Air Station.
Tracy is survived by his wife of 30 years, Susan Cerridwen; three children, Robin Tracy Cerridwen, 26, Douglas MacCallum Wilson, 24, and Alexandra Elizabeth Wilson, 22, and his grandson, Curran River Dibiase, 2.
...
(Kennebec Journal, September 9, 1998)
(Springfield Union-News, 11/6/98)
Catherine Heyl '76, 43, of 23 Knott Road, died of cancer Wednesday [11/4/98] at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.
She worked in the town clerk's office. She also had worked for the Mohawk Trail Regional School District, rising from finance director's assistant to business manager.
As district manager, she oversaw the computerization of its manual ledger system. Her last position was as town coordinator.
Born and schooled in Nyack, NY, she attended Rosemary Hall School in Greenwich, Conn., where she received a prize for academic achievements. She attended the State University of New York at Purchase.
She moved here in 1973, attended the University of Massachusetts and was graduated with a bachelor of science degree. She was a founder of the Heath Gourmets Club and a charter member of the Ladies Literary Circle.
She leaves her second husband, John J. Nicholson;
a son, Gregory Nichols of Shelbourne Falls; a daughter, Emily
Nichols of Northampton; her parents, Lawrence and Jean (Smith)
Heyl; and two sisters, Margery Heyl of Northampton and Dorothy
Heyl of Eastchester, NY.
. . .
(Newburyport Daily News, 10/27/98)
Bernard Flynn '72: Remembered for hard work, humor, service. Bernie Flynn, who served Amesbury as selectman and legislator, is remembered by friends as a fun-loving, hard-working man who loved politics and was good at it.
Flynn died Saturday [10/24/98] at the age of 53 after several years of declining health. He is survived by his wife, Carol, and their two teenage children.
Flynn was selectman in 1973-74, and he served as state representative from 1973 through 1978. Near the end of his tenure, Flynnn waged a lognshot battle that earned him distinction in Amesbury and the Statehouse.
When it seemed to be a "dead issue," Flynn championed a bill that saved Amesbury Hospital from closing because it lacked a comprehensive emergency room and other facilities, said Henry Fournier, town assessor, former selectman and friend.
It was no mean feat, according to those who remember. When a regional board flip-flopped and withdrew its permissionto expand the hospital, Flynn took up the issue and persuaded legislators to approve the work.
But then-Gov. Michael Dukakis vetoed the bill - locals say he was punishing his political rivals. Flynn rallied Democratic lawmakers to defy their Democratic governor - but not before his colleagues had a little fun at his expense.
Amesbury Mayor Nicholas Costello, a former state senator and representative, remembers hearing the sotry about the climactic vote. Legislators at the time pushed red or green buttons to vote "yea" or "nay" and the tally lit a big board in the House chamber. Flynn thought the veto overrride was sewn up and the hospital was safe, but the big board flashed all red "nays." His expectant face dropped in shock. What went wrong?
Having played the prank and gotten the desired reaction, his supporters canceled their original votes and pressed all green buttons. The bill passed.
The veto override "attests to his abilities as a legislator," Costello said.
If people had gambled on it, the odds would have been 1,000-to-one that he couldn't do it, but he did it." said Albert B. Sears Jr., city councilor, former hospital trustee and friend.
But Flynn's approach to a difficult political matter last spring and summer miffed some people who sought his support. As chairman of the Board of Health, he declined to support a total smoking ban in Amesbury restaurants because he thought it could hurt business. Instead, Flynn preferred a compromise: designating non-smoking areas so restaurants wouldn't alienate smoking customers.
Negotiation and compromise were the tools of his trade as a legislator and lobbyst, Sears said.
"He knew how to make government work, and that's what it's all about," Costello said.
"If you had seen him in his prime, there wasn't a better politician in the state," said Sears, who helped Flynn campaign for the Legislature.
Flynn grew up in Amesbury and attended parochial schools through high school. He first showed signs of a political bent when he ran for statewide office in Catholic Youth Organization.
After high school, he enrolled at Bridgewater State College for [a] short time, then went to work at a manufacturing company. He enlisted in the Air Force, which sent him to Syracuse University to learn Russian. After 18 months of language training, he rode in jets flying over Asian countries, eavesdropping on Soviet radio.
After military service, Flynn enrolledat Northern Essex Community College, then the University of Massachusetts at Amherst wher he majored in political science.
At 28, Flynn became one of the youngest selectman in Amesbury history and ran for state representative. Winning a seat in the Statehouse was "the happiest day of his life," according to his aunt, Dottie Flynn of Amesbury.
Henry Fournier said, "He enjoyed serving the public and working with peole, and when he ran for state representative, I thought he needed a little more seasoning, personally. But he ran and won, and I think he did a good job of representing the people of Amesbury.
During his tenure in the House, Flynn and his wife adopted a nine-week-old Korean baby. When she grew a little older, Flynn often tooker his daughter, Brittany, to the State House. He had erected a playpen in his office. Or sometimes the baby girld rested in a basinette on his desk.
"He usedto say that she met more representatives than any other kid in the world had ever met." Dottie Flynn said.
Several years later, Flynn and his wife a Korean baby boy, when they named O'Jay.
After three terms in the House, Flynn decided against running for re-election in 1978, the year a new law required legislators to report their personal financial interests - he considered it an unnecessary invasion of privacy, Fournier said.
Through his Statehouse contacts, Flynn knew the Massachusetts Hospital Association neededa new lobbyist, and, by parlaying his peformance on the Amesbury Hosptial bill, he landed the job. It sent him to Washington and other cities aroundthe country.
An avid college football and basketball fan, Flynn made April pilgrimages to Red Sox opening-day games with one of his nephews. Flynn, who caddied at Amesbury Country Club growing up, also loved to play golf (his brother was greenskeeper at The International, a famous golf course in Bolton, where Flynn would play once a year.)
Health problems that surfaced five years ago forced him to retire, but Flynn continued to serve as chairman of the Board of Health.
Among health department employees, Flynn was known as a man who always seemed to have comic story at the ready. And when the department was operating without a health agent last summer, Flynn arrived at the office one warm day with frappes for everybody from Hodgie's.
Big cigars became a trademark. Fournier used to tease his friends by calling the stogies "el ropo del stinko." When friends complained about the smell, Flynn would chomp away on unlit cigars.
Though known for political deal-making and compromise, Flynn wasn't a schmoozer. "With Bernie, you always knew where you stood," said Mary Mainville, health department secretary.
"He wouldn't be nice to your face andthen talk about you behind your back," added Joanne McCarthy, public health nurse.
Anne M. (Parenteau) Prokopas '75, 45, of 211 Turnpike Road, died Saturday [12/26/98] in the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester, following a brief illness.
She was born in Turner Falls, July 25, 1953, the daughter of Kathleen R. (McGurgan) and the late Rene S. Parenteau.
She graduated from Turners Falls High School in 1971 and from Greenfield Community College in 1973. She graduated in 1975 from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, where she majore in natural sciences.
Mrs. Prokopas had been a resident of Turner Falls all of her life.
She was a teacher for 21 years with the Athol Middle School. She was a communicant of St. Mary's Church.
Mrs. Prokopas was a member of the Massachusetts State Teachers Association and the National Teachers Association. She enjoyed sewing and teaching sewing. She also enjoyed traveling, baking, cooking, sports events and observing dance competitions and athletic events of her children, and most of all, she enjoyed time spent with her family.
She married Paul K.Prokopas on April 15, 1978.
Besides her husband and her mother of Turner
Falls, she leaves two daughters, Kristin A. and Courtney M.,
both students at Turners Falls High School; a brother, Robert
P. Parenteau of Soth Carolina; and several cousins.
. . .
(Springfield Union-News, 11/5/98)
Fredda L. (Silk) Elgart '76, of 19 Willet Drive, a defense lawyer, died Wednesday at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York City.
She practiced law in Springfield since 1990.
Born in Boston, she was a graduate of Brookline High School. She received a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts, a master's degree from the University of Southern Connecticut, and a law degree from Western New England College.
She was a member of Temple Beth El and a past present of its Sisterhood. She was a member of the Massachusetts and Hampden County Bar Associations. She was predeceased by her husband, Edmund, in 1989.
She leaves two sons, Jonathan A. of Phoenix,
Ariz., and Gordon C. of Longmeadow; her mother, Deborah (Gordon)
Silk of Longmeadow; a brother, Bertram Silk of Fresno, Calif.;
and a sister, Eleanor Silk of New York City.
. . .
Norma Elizabeth Hayes '79, of 166 Woodlawn St., died Wednesday [12/29/98] at Mercy Hospital.
She was a 16-yar registered nurse at the hospital.
Born in Wallace, NC, she lived in this area most of her life. She was a graduate of the High School of Commerce and received a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts.
She was pastor of the Church of the Living God in Framingham. She also worshipped at the Church of the Living God in Springfield during her illness.
She was a former member of the Pstor's Ade Commitee and served as secretary of the church. She was a former Youth Congress President in Springfield, former state president of the Youth Congress f the southern New England Diocese, and former state president of the Evangelist Board of southern New England.
She leaves a son, Kenneth S. of Springfield;
her mother, Janet (Lewis) Hayes of Springfield; a brother Gerald
of Atlanta, Ga.; three sisters, Gwendolyn R. Hayes, Maureen D.
Shaw, and Vivian V. Hayes, all of Springfield, and two grandsons.
. . .
(Barre Times-Argus, 10/15/98)
Ellen Dana Hoffman '84, 47, of Johnstown, Pa., died Oct 13, 1998, at the home of her father Earl Hoffman in Berlin.
She was born Nov 19, 1950, in Pittsfield, Mass, the daughter of Earl F. and Ruth C. (Willis) Hoffman.
She attended elementary schools in Burlington, Billerica, Mass., and Berlin and graduated from Spualding High School in Barre. She received a bachelor's degree from the University of Vermont in 1972. In 1979, she received a master's degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and in 1984 a doctorate in communications.
For a short time before studying for her master's degree, she worked for the Vermont legislative council in Montpelier.
In September 1983, she was appointed assistant professor of humanities and communication at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. Dr. Hoffman was promoted to associate professor in September 1989.
She was a member of the Eastern Communication Association andthe National Communication Association.
Dr. Hoffman served on various divisions and campus-wide committees and the faculty council. She contributed to numerous human rights organizations in the greater Johnstown community.
Since 1986, she served as president of the Johnstown Chapter of the National Organization for Women. She was a founding member and co-chair person of the Southern Advisory council of Planned Parenthood in Johnstown and on the Human Rights Commission.
This spring, she was chosen Johnstown National Organization's Person of the Year.
She enjoyed reading, classical music, her cats, visiting with family and friends, and in earlier years, knitting and sewing.
Survivors include her father; a brother, James
Joffman of Waterbury; two aunts and several cousins.
. . .
(Jamaica Plain/ Roxbury Citizen, 9/17/98)
Michael LaDouceur '80, 39, community activist, was stricken with an apparent heart attack while jogging in North Bartlett, New Hampshire. His funeral mass was held on August 31 at St. Mark Church in Pittsfield, MA.
Mr. LaDouceur was born in Pittsfield on September 12, 1958, the son of Edward and Constance LaDouceur and one of four children which included his twin sister. After graduating from Taconia High School in Pittsfield, he attended UMass Amherst graduating in 1980 and Northeastern University School of Law, graduating in 1983. Mr. LaDouceur lived on Peter Parley Rad in Jamaica Plain.
After completing law school, Mike involved himself in many humanitarian and political causes. He was a founding member of the Hunger and Housing Project at the Paulist Center in downtown Boston. Known to befriend the homeless, he was awarded a coalition for the homeless annual award in 1991. He co-founded the Parkside Neighborhood Association, served as an elected member of the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council and on the board of the Democratic Ward Committee. Mike also worked for the Department of Neighborhood Services as a legislative liaison for three and a half years, representing the department at the State House and City Hall. He was also an aide to former state Rep. Robert Jakubowicz for two and a half years. At the time of his death, Mike was executive director of the Egleston Square Main Street Program.
Last January, Mike ran for state representative seat vacated by former Rep. John McDonough in the 11th Suffolk district. His lively campaign made him widely known in Jamaica Plain and Roslindale and West Roxbury. One of three democratic party candidates, he came in second to Liz Malia in the primary on February 10, receiving 434 votes to Liz Malia receiving 1,180 votes. Miss Malia eventually won the final election in March.
Robert J. Branham '80, 45, professor of rhetoric and director of debate at Bates College, died at his home in Lewiston early Thursday morning [10/29/98] surrounded by his family and close friends. The cause of death was colon cancer, precipitated by a 22-year struggle with Crohn's disease.
A Lewiston resident and recognized scholar, Branham revitalized a historic debate program at Bates over the past two and a half decades and led the team to many national and international honors. A widely published author, he was an expert on the history of debating and in various areas of communication theory and practice.
"All of us who knew Bob were aware of his courage, his love of his family and friends, his commitment to his students andto the College, his intellectual clarity and professional achievements, his grace and gentle kindness, his passion for principle and his decency," said Bates College President Donald W. Harward.
"Bob Branham was an extraordinary scholar, teacher and friend whose dedication to his students was admired by everyone who met him or them," said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, dean of the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. "His death is a loss for Bates, for the field of rhetoric, for his family, and for all of us touched by his generosity, good humor and commitment to the highest ideals of the scholarly life.
The recipient of numerous awards and prizes during his academic career, Branham was honored last November with the American Forensic Association (AFA) Daniel Rohrer Award for his publication, "Stanton's Elm: An illustrated History of Debating at Bates College," published in 1996 to commemorate the centennial celebration of the Bates College intercollegiate debate program.
Two years earlier, Branham received the same AFA research award for his 1994 article, "Debate and Dissent in Late Tokugawa and Meiji Japan," which appeared in the journal Argumentation and Advocacy.
In June, Branham received a Roger C. Schmutz Faculty Research Grant from Bates to present a paper at the International Conference on Argumentation in Amsterdam on the uses of national symbols by American anti-slavery activists. At the time of his death, Branham was completing a book, "Sweet Freedom's Song: 'America' and American National Identities," which was under review.
"Beyond his masterful teaching and sustained scholarship, Robert Branham was a powerful presence in the common life of Bates College," said Carl B. Straub, the Clark A. Griffith Professor of Environmental Studies, professor of religion at Bates and former dean of the faculty. "His clear voice of reason in service to the highest ideals of liberal education made his years among us a season of institutional hope and of collegial good cheer."
The author of a number of scholarly articles, Branham's most recent work before he died, "Lift Every Voice: African-American Oratory, 1787-1900," is an anthology of more than 150 speeches - many never published before - from historical African-American orators. The project was a collaborative effort of Branham and the late Philip Foner, a professor at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. The University of Alabama Press published a 925-page book, which features such historical African-American figures as Frederick-Douglas, Booker T.Washington and WEB Du Bois, as well as background information about the era and context of each speech. Library Journal called the book "essential reading of every American."
Branham was at work on a second volume of "Life Every Voice," covering the period 1901 to 1953, where he died.
Branham taught a course on documentary videomaking and collaborated with students to produce such efforts as "Roughing the Uppers: The Great Shoe Strike of 1937," which won the New England Historical Association's Annual Media Award in 1993, and "The Phantom Punch," about the heavyweight title fight between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston in 1965. Both events took place in Lewiston. Along with "Ella Knowles: A Dangerous Woman," the three documentaries were broadcast on Maine Public Television.
Branham-coached debators regularly distinguished themselves and their college in national and international competition. "Bob coached his debators not simply to compete effectively, but to be principled advocates, taking positions we could commit to and defend," said attorney Paul E. Rosenthal, a 1985 Bates graduate who twice earned trips to the National Debate Tournament and who later served as Branham's assistant. "Bob brought his own great integrity to bear in argument, and taught us to do the same."
Born in Bremerton, Washington, and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Branham entered Dartmouth College in 1970 and graduated cum laude three years later. He was a member of the Dartmouth varsity debate team and served as president of the Dartmouth Forensic Union. He earned his master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1974 at just 21 years of age, Branham was appointed an instructor in the theater and speech department at Bates (now theater and rhetoric) and director of the debate program. Branham received his doctoral degree at the University of Massachusetts. He rose through the academic ranks at Bates, becoming a full professor in 1989.
He is survived by his wife, F. Celeste Branham
of Lewiston, with whom he would have celebrated their 26th wedding
anniversary on Dec 16; a son, Noah, at home; his mother, Gloria
Branham of Farmingdale; and his mother-in-law, Priscilla R. Saucier
of Lewiston. He was predeceased by his father, Ralph Lamar Branham,
in July 1971.
. . .
(Quincy Patriot Leader, 11/7/98)
Joseph B. Loughlin '83, 38, of Taipei, formerly of Brockton and Tampa, Fla., an English teacher, died Oct 18 in an accident in Taipei.
Mr. Loughlin was an English teacher at the English Language School of Taiwan and Taiwan University. He and his wife, Jesie (Chou) Loughlin, developed a home-based school for English instruction to primary-age children.
He and his wife traveled extensively throughout Asia. Their travels included a hiking expedition to the base camp of Mount Everest.
Born and educated in Brockton, he graduated fom Massasoit Community College and received a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Besides his wife, Mr. Loughlin is survived
by his father, Bernard J. Loughlin of Brandon, Fla.; four sisters,
Sheila Prendevilles of Hanson, Christine Loughlin of Brandon,
Marjorie Lowell of Milford, NH, and Paula Olsen of Schererville,
Ind.; and several nieces, relatives, and friends. He was the
son of the late Lois (O'Neil) Loughlin.
. . .
(Pittsfield Berkshire Eagle, 10/10/98)
Peter Michael Maruk '83, 45, of 84 Danforth Ave. and formerly of Austin, Texas, died yesterday [10/9/98] at Berkshire Medical Center of kidney disease.
Born in Pittsfield on April 20, 1953, son of Peter and Marion Jasik Maruk, he attended schools in Pittsfield and was a graduate of Pittsfield High School. He received his mechanical engineering degree at the University of Massachusetts.
He was employed by General Electric, Plainville, Conn., in the circuit breaers department, the GE Ordinance Pittsfield guidance system, and the GE Plastics world headquarters in Pittsfield as a principal design engineer. He served as vice president of Starbase Technologies in Pittsfield and was last employed as project engineer at DTM Corp. in Austin.
He enjoyed model trains and planes.
Besides his parents of Pittsburgh, he leaves
a sister, Miss Kathryn Ann Maruk of Princeton, NJ.
. . .
(Springfield Union-News, 11/2/98 & Manchester Union-Leader, 11/2/98)
Gregg P. Mekal '84, 36, of 109 Carriage road, died Sunday [11/1/98] at the home of his parents after a long battle against cancer. He worked as a systems engineer with Teradyne Connection Systems of Nashua, NH, in 1984. A native of Chicopee, he graduated from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst with a degree in mechanical engineering. He leaves his parents, Joan and Edmund Mekal of Chicopee, and two brothers, Jeffrey of Mount Laurel, NJ, and Christopher of Boston; his dear friend, Nori ann Vincitorio of South Boston; two nieces and a number of devoted friends and co-workers.
(Worcester Telegram & Gazette, 8/5/98)
Karen A. (Neggers) Simonson '85, 33, of 37 Church ST, Cherry Valley, died Friday [7/31/98] in St. Leonard, New Brunswick, as the result of an automobile accident.
She leaves her husband of nine years, Eric J. Simonson; a son, Jesse J. Simonson; and a daughter, Jasmine C. Simonson, both at home; her parents, Anthony "Tony" and Carol A. (Jolly) Neggers of Spencer; and a sister, Kimberly Duquette of New Braintree. She was born in Worcester and was raised in Paxton. She graduated from Wachusett High School and University of Massachusetts at Amherst with an associate's degree in Animal Science.
Mrs. Simonson worked at Henry Lee Willis Community
Center and was a caregiver for mentally handicapped adults in
Spencer for several years. She loved animals and did dog gromming
on weekends.
. . .
(Fall River Herald News, 10/31/98)
Cheryl Lee (Norris) Le Comte '87, of Burlington, died at home Thursday [10/29/98]. She was the wife of William LeComte.
Born in Boston, daughter of Arthur and Betty (Lee) Norris of S. Weymouth, she grew up in S. Weymouth and lived in Burlington since 1990.
A graduate of South Weymouth High, Class of 1983, she received a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Massachusetts in 1987.
Mrs. LeComte worked for the State Street Bank as an accountant in the Mutual Funds Department for five years and Money of New England in Waltham the last two years.
She was a great outdoors person, an ardent water skier and loved boating and camping.
Surviving in addition to her husband and parents ar a son, Kyle W. LeComte of Burlington; two brothers, Brian A. Norris of Holden, Maine, and Gregg A. Norris of Beverly; and several nieces and nephews. She was the daughter-in-law of Louis and Jean (Briere) LeComte of Somerset.
(Greenfield Recorder, 8/25/98)
Debra L. (McGrath) Whitney '88, 66, of Old Farm Road, died Sunday [8/23/98] in Cooley Dickenson Hospital, Northampton, after a long illness.
She was born in Springfield, Sept 30, 1931, the daughter of Joseph and Muriel (Weidenmiller) McGrath. She had lived in Belchertown since 1986, having lived previously in Springfield and Northfield.
She was a graduate of the University Without Walls at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
She was the administrative secretary in the library office of Hampshire College since 1982. She previously worked at Northfield Mount Hermon School from 1974 to 1982 in the Student Activities office.
She founded a mystery reading group in 1984 that met in Northampton for many years. She was an active member of th Dorothy-L, Feline-L and Terrier-L e-mail lists on the Internet. She was also involved in many animal-rescue activities.
She is survived by six daughters, Lisbeth
Whitney of Camdn, Maine, Kathryn Levesqu of Fayetteville, Ga.,
Joannah L. Whitney of Belchertown, Mary Whitney of Littleton,
Nancy Whitny of Leighton Buzzard, UK; and Susannah Whitney of
Harrogate, UK; and three grandchildren.
. . .
John J. Boursy '88G, 75, of Lunenburg, formerly of Northampton, died Jan 18 in St. Vincent's Hospital in Worcester due to complications of heart disease.
Born Aug 3, 1923, in Milwaukee, Wis., he was the son of the late Alfred and Marie (Baumstark) Boursy.
He had lived in Northampton for several years before moving to Lunenburg 34 years ago.
He graduated in 1941 from St. John's High School in Shrewsbury, and received a bachelor's degree in 1947 from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, and a master's degree from Clark University in Worcester. He also received a certificate of advanced graduate study from the University of Massachusetts.
He was a US Army veteran of World War II.
Mr. Boursy had held managemen positions in a series of W.T. Grant stores throughout New England. He then had served as director of the Northampton Chamber of Commerce for several years before joining, and eventually buying, the Dana J. Loud insurance agency in Northampton.
In 1964, he became assistant to the president of Fitchburg State College, and was promoted successively to director of fiscal affairs, dean of administration and vice president for adminstration. He was the college's chief nonacademic officer during a period of vigorous growth and rapid change. After nearly two decades in administration, he joined the faculty of the business departmen, and taught until his retirement in 1993.
He leaves his wife of 50 yars, Eleanor (Smith) Boursy of Lunenburg; four sons, John J. Boursy, Jr. of Ferney-Voltaire, France, Stephen Boursy of Somerville, Andrew Boursy of Marlborough, Conn., and Richard Boursey of New Haven, Conn.; a sister, Marie-Louise Bishop of Corvallis, Mont.; two grandchildren, four nieces, and two nephews.
He was a member of St. Boniface Church in Lunenburg, where he served as a Eucharistic minister.
In Lunenburg, he served on the library trustees
and zoning appeals boards.
. . .
(North Adams Transcript, 9/5/98)
Esther M. Tauber '89, 76, of 94 Southworth St., Williamstown, died Thursday, Sept 3, at the North Adams Regional Hospital.
Born in Winchester, Mass., on March 13, 1922, the daughter of Eva and Frank Moss. She attended Melrose public schools, the University of Wisconsin, Boston University and earned her BA in Human Services in 1989 from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
A lifelong supporter of women's rights, Mrs. Tauber occupied a number of positions in the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, most notably as its field representative for Region 1. She was a member of the board of directors of th Nrthern Berkshire Mental Health Association, and chairman of its public relations committee. Mrs. Tauber was also a representative for the Western Mass Council on Aging and chairman of the Williamstown Council on Agin.
Prompted by the illness of her youngest sister, Helen Duke, Mrs. Tauber organized a Western mass Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. In the course of her social service volunteer activities, she devoted more than 10 years to Help Line and several years to Hospice of Northern Berkshire. She also acted as Social Director of the Salvation Army and was the coordinator of a discussion group at the downtown Elder Care Center of North Adams.
She leaves her husband of 54 years, Kurt P.
Tauber; a daughter, Gwen M. Tauber; a granddaughter Caitlin T.
Tauber of Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and a brother, Donald F.
Moss, of Ridgefield, Conn.
. . .
(Hello Holyoke, 10/7/98)
Karen A. (Beaudry) Mercier '91, of South Hadley, died Friday, October 2, 1998, at home.
She was a registered dietitian at Franklin Medical center in Grenfield and retired last year.
Born in Holyoke, she attended Sacred Heart schools, and was graduated from Holyoke Catholic High School and Holyoke Community College.
She also graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1991, and received a master of dietary science degree from Texas Women's University in 1992.
She was a communicant of St. Patrick's Church.
She leaves her husband, Robert of South Hadley;
five sons, Joseph Ferro III of Brighton, Christopher Ferro, Steven
and Mark Mercier of South Hadley, and Mitchell Mercier of Granby;
a sister, Tina Rockey of Conway, SC; two brothers, James P. of
Chicopee and Gerald of St. Paul, Minn.; and three grandchildren.
. . .
Nell K. Grover '97,
23, of 908 Frank Smith Road, died November 25, 1998. Born in
Minneapolis, MN, he lived in Ponca City, OK and then Boca Raton,
Fl before moving to Longmeadow, MA 12 years ago. He was a 1993
graduate of Longmeadow High School, and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate
of UMass Amherst where he received his bachelor's in biochemistry
and molecular biology. While at UMass Amherst he was the Secretary
of th South Asian Club and many other honor socities. He also
played intramural basketball, football, and was an avid Nintendo
and pool player. He was a cartoonist for the Daily Collegian.
He was a second year student at the University of Massachusetts
Medical School in Worcester. He was the founder of the Indian
Youth Club and an active participant in the Indian Association
of Greater Springfield in which he helped many cuases: the March
of Dimes, Open Pantry, Clothes Drive for the Needy, and toy drives
at Christmas. Beloved son of Subhash and Neena (Katyal) Grover.
Brother of Meera Grover. Boyfriend of Mymrata Advani. Maternal
grandson of Rama Katyal and the late Sham Katyal. Paternal grandson
of the late Jagdish and Satya Grover. Godson of Radhe and Usha
Bhagat. Nephew of several aunts and uncles, among them Geta Taneja.
He leaves several cousins, among them Mona Batlaw and Abhinav
Taneja.
. . .
(Northampton Daily Hampshire Gazette, 4/14/98)
Roberto V. Ravina '98, 37 of Easthampton, died April 10 at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.
He was born Jan 29, 1961, in the Philippines, and came to the United States in 1985, settling in this area. He became a US citizen in 1988.
He was a graduate of the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., and in 1998 received a master's degree in engineering management from the University of Massachusetts.
He had served as a pilot in the Philippine air force.
Mr. Ravina had worked as a field engineer for Massachusetts Electric Co. in Northampton.
He was a communicant of Notre Dame Church in Easthampton.
He was a member of the board of directors of the Dig Safe program, and was involved with the Easthampton Baracuda Swim Team.
He was also a member of th Association of Graduates of the Air Force Academy.
He leaves his wife, Pamela (Patterson) Ravina;
a son, Robert A. Ravina, and two daughters, Precious Alexandra
V. Ravina, and Francesca Marie V. Ravina, all at home; his parents,
Ernesto P. and Maria Clara (Valera) Ravina of the Philippines;
a brother, Ernesto Ravina Jr. of the Philippines; two sisters,
Anna Marie V. da Silva of Portugal, and Maria Theresa V. Ravina
of the Philippines; and several nieces and nephews.
. . .
(Hampshire Gazette, 10/13/98)
Robert Lundy Bancroft, 84, of Mount Pleasant, professor emeritus of Spanis at the University of Massachusetts, died Oct 7 in Mercy Hospital in Springfield.
Born Dec 1, 1913, in Portland, Ore., he was the son of the late Harold and Jessica (Lundy) Bancroft.
He was a graduate of Sandpoint High School in Sandpoint, Idaho. He attended Whitman College in Washington, and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Washington. He also studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, and at Columbia University, which awarded him a doctorate.
He was a US Army veteran of WWII, serving in Europe.
In the 1950s, he joined the Society of Friends in Granville, Ohio, and made a lifelong commitment to pacifism and humanitarianism.
He was a member of the Mount Toby Friends Meeting in Leverett.
Professor Bancroft taught Spanish language and literature at Columbia University, and at Denison University in Granville, Ohio, and served as director of th Peruvian-North American Cultural Institute in Lima, Peru, before moving to Amherst in 1964 and joining the University of Massachusetts faculty.
He taught Spanish, dramatic literature and Latin American studies at UMass and when he retired in 1984, the Bancroft Prize in Latin American studies was established in his honor.
After retiring, he played the violinin the Valley Light Opera Orchestra and in various chamber music groups.
He was a member of the board of directors of Friends of Amherst Stray Animals, now the Friends of the Dakin Animal Shelter, and enjoyed bareboat chartering, especially in the Caribbean.
He leaves his wife of 50 years, Page (Batchelor)
Bancroft; two daughters, Margery Bancroft of Berkeley, Calif.;
two sons, Timothy Bancroft of Cambridge, and Lundy Bancroft of
Canton; six grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. A
brother, Harold Bancroft, died earlier.
. . .
(Springfield Union, 10/14/98)
Jonathan Barrett, 34, a visiting assistant professor of Philosophy, died Oct. 18.
He had taught on campus since the fall semester of 1996. During the current semester, he was teaching a course in Existential Philosophy, as well as a graduate seminar in Consciousness.
He was a British citizen who received his bachelor's degree from Oxford University, his master's from the University of Warwick, and his doctorate from the University of Southern California.
He leaves his life partner, Claire Campbell of Amherst; and his parents, John and Annette Barrett of London.
(UMass Campus Chronicle)
Bradford D. Crossmon, 84, of 234 Heatherstone Road, Amherst, a former professor of agricultural economics at the University of Massachusetts, died Dec. 22 at his sonís home in Amherst.
Born in New Milford, Conn., he moved here in 1947. He was a professor of agricultural economics at UMass for 30 years and retired in 1978.
He received a bachelorís degree from the University of Connecticut and a doctorate in public administration from Harvard University.
He was a member of the First Congregational Church and served as a deacon and treasurer. He was a lifetime member of the UConn Alumni Association Council.
His first wife of 50 years, the former Marion
Bullock, died in 1990. His second wife, the former Jane Lunsford,
died in 1995. He leaves a son, Edward W. of Amherst; three daughters,
Elizabeth Morse of Scottsdale, Ariz., Barbara B. Bassett of Sandwich
and Marilyn S. Cole of Manakin-Sabot, Va; a sister, Mabel E.
Crossmon of New Milford, Conn.; four grandchildrení and
three great-grandchildren.
...
(Springfield Union News, 12/29/98)
William H. Lachman, 86, of Amherst, a retired Plant and Soil Sciences professor, died June 24 at The Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton.
He taught at the University for 40 years, retiring in 1976 as Professor Emeritus. He was also elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society for his work on campus. He specialized in the hybrid process of day lilies and hosta. The gardens at his Amherst home were a popular attraction for visitors.
He was born and schooled in Pennsylvania, and received bachelorís and masterís degrees in horticulture from Penn State University. He also did graduate work at Cornell. He was known as an avid photographer, and had many photographs published.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, the
former Eleanor A. West í37; two daughters, Eleanor Conroy
of Florida and Elizabeth Zoe Lachman of Germany; four grandchildren,
three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
...
(UMass Campus Chronicle)
Barrie Barstow Greenbie, 78, of South Amherst, died Sunday at home. Established as a playwright, poet, author and artist and a teacher and scholar, he taught landscape architecture, regional planning and urban design at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for 19 years.
At age 19, he was the youngest artist commissioned by the federal Works Projects Administration to produce a post office mural in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, in 1940. In the 1950s, he taught drama at Skidmore College. He designed the East 74th Street Theater in New York, later renamed the Phoenix, for producer Day Tuttle. Critics gave rave reviews for the theater itself when it opened in 1959.
The Ford Foundation then awarded him a grant
to design a theater for dance, one of eight awards given to architects
and stage designers. The scale models he produced in the 1960s
are now in the Performing Arts Center at the State University
of New York at New Paltz. He acquired five patents on structural
systems and founded a company to produce a ìself-erectingî
building design originally to substitute for summer tent theaters.
In addition to various essays, plays, and poems, he produced
three scholarly publications: ìDesigns for Diversity,î
ìSpaces: Dimensions of the Human Landscape,î and
ìSpace and Spirit in Modern Japan.î His most recent
book, partially autobiographical, is ìThe Hole in the
Heartland: An American Mystery.î A manuscript about the
Connecticut River, which also features aerial photographs, is
ready for publication.
Born in New York City, he was educated at Taft Preparatory School. He attended the Corcoran School of Art in the late 1930s and the Art Students League in 1940, both in New York City. He earned his bachelorís degree in drama from the University of Miami, Florida, in 1953, and received his Ph.D. in urban affairs and regional planning from the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1972.
He was a World War II Army veteran, serving in the field artillery in the Pacific theater. He was a correspondent with the 6th Army in occupied Japan.
He leaves his wife, Vlasta J. (Koran) Greenbie;
three daughters, Ingrid Scott of Maine, Marnie Greenbie of Arizona;
and Andrea Harris of California; a sister, Alison Birch of Connecticut;
two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
...
Walter M. Banfield, 95, of Shutesbury, a retired Plant
Pathology professor, died July 9 at The Cooley Dickinson Hospital
in Northampton.
He taught at the University for 26 years, retiring in 1972. He was involved in the efforts hich led to discovering the origin of the Dutch Elm Disease in the United States.
He was born in New Jersey, graduated from Rutgers University and received his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin.
His wife, Hertha (Lang) Banfield, died in
1983. He is survived by a daughter, Cynthia Banfield-Wier; a
brother, Henry Banfield; and two grandchildren.
...
Paul R. Allen '00, 50, of 61 Central St. in the Turners Falls section, died Wednesday [November 4, 1998] following an automobile accident on Route 63, in Leverett.
He worked in the office of information technologies at the University of Massachusetts for two years. He previously managed the Northfield-Mount Herman School dining hall and spent five years in the food services department of Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield.
Born in Boston, he was a 1967 graduate of Greenfield High School and a 1988 graduate of Greenfield Community College, where he received an associate degree. He also obtained a bachelorís degree in philosophy from UMass.
He leaves his wife, Susan (Bezio) Allen; a son, Matthew Rowan at home; his parents, Ernest and Ruth (Powers) Allen; and two sisters, Jane R. Bean of Greenfield and Mary L. Husted of Marco Island, Fla.