Anne Reuther Harris, 88, of Rowayton, CT and New York City died at home on February 2, 2017. Born in Buffalo, NY to Bernard Oscar Reuther and Edna Steele Reuther and graduated from Smith College. Active supporter of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, former Co-Chair of the Winter Antiques Show benefiting the East Side House Settlement and former President of the Colony Club. She was predeceased by her husband of 57 years, James Hoban Harris, and is survived by her three sons, Duncan (Beth), Gordon and Andrew (Christine) and grandchildren Jennifer, Amanda, Andrew, Christopher, Katherine and Michael.
Monthly Archives: March 2017
Sheila Walsh Parizeau ’48
Sheila Mary Walsh Parizeau, 87, of Wellesley, MA, passed away on October 26, 2016 surrounded by her loved ones. She was born into the Walsh family as the youngest of six close-knit siblings on July 16, 1929 in Buffalo, NY. Her sister Jerry was her lifelong sidekick. Her brother Eddie often said that she was the best of the bunch and nicknamed her “The Franchise.” If you happen to see Eddie, have him explain what that means to you (and us). Sheila was determined to be a single working woman until a handsome French Canadian named Doug Parizeau showed up in church and changed her mind with his charismatic charm and sense of humor. They married and started a family, raising their five children in Westfield, NJ. When Sheila’s husband Doug died when she was 48 years old, she courageously accepted her newest challenge. Jumping into the real estate business with her best friend Joyce at her side, hard-working Sheila put all five kids through college. Sheila was a competitor all her life. She loved tennis, card games, puzzles and any activity that involved her grandchildren. Anyone who knows Sheila probably knows those 17 grandchildren well, as Sheila was their biggest supporter and talked about them all the time. Sheila was so proud of her family. She leaves behind five children, their five spouses (who she loved like they were her own children) and 17 grandchildren: Ernie Parizeau (wife Kim and children Kate, Doug, Molly and Sam), Sue Frame (husband Michael and children Megan, Andy and Davis), Doug Parizeau (wife Christy and children Izzy, Louis, and Annie), Will Parizeau (wife Lisa and children Oliver, Charlie, and Wylie); and Sally Tyrie (husband Dave and children Baylor, Jack, Devon and Reese).
John H. Spencer, Jr. ’55
On Sunday, February 19, 2017, John Haines Spencer, Jr. passed away. And the world will never be the same. Born September 15, 1936 to John Haines Spencer and Pauline Simmons Spencer, Jack was raised in Adams, Massachusetts. After graduating from Williston Prep School and Amherst College, he received a Masters in Education from Purdue University. While teaching at Williams High School in Stockbridge, he had the good fortune to meet and fall in love with Social Studies teacher Judith Leahey. On February 20, 1965, he had the good sense to marry her and continue a love affair that spanned more than fifty years. Mr. Spencer was an educator for 47 years. He taught Social Studies at Williams High School and Monument Mountain Regional High School and was Principal of Searles Middle School. He encouraged students to be conscious seekers and doers, to be disturbers of the universe. He was chair of the Monument Social Studies department from its inception in 1967. The department created the first Holocaust curriculum for high school students in the country. Jack and Roselle Chartock coedited the anthology that came out of that curriculum. Jack had a love of Stockbridge and its citizens, community activism and participation in government. He served on numerous committees and boards, including the Stockbridge Planning Board (chairman) and Zone of Appeals, The Stockbridge Library (president and member of the Board of Trustees), The Fund for Excellence and School Center, Inc. He was instrumental in writing the zoning bylaws for Stockbridge. Jack is survived by daughters Ann Marie (Scott) Miller, Kathy (Fred) Erickson, sisters Judy Burbank and Cyndie Spencer (Denny Lund), Pat and Buz Hanley, Mike and Sally Leahey, Fred Wigge an exchange student who became part of the family, grandchildren Eric, Kristen and Amanda Miller and Emily Erickson, many close cousins, nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews, the lucky 13 and generations of well-educated students, an astounding number of loving friends and a grateful community. He is predeceased by his parents Haines, Pauline and Louise Spencer, his wonderful wife Judy, and his step-mother Pat Swann.