Tag Archives: Class of 1953

Noel J. Belcourt, Jr. ’53

Noel John Belcourt, Jr., 83, of Sarasota, Florida passed away Wednesday morning June 28, 2018.
Born in Hartford, Ct., he was a son of the late Noel J. Belcourt and the late Frances Llewellyn Belcourt. In addition to his parents Noel was preceded in death by his son, David Belcourt.
Noel attended schools in Wethersfield, Ct. and graduated from Williston Academy in 1953. He then attended Boston University and graduated in 1957 and was a graduate of Stonier School of Banking at Rutgers University. Noel served his country in The United States Air Force from 1958 to 1961. He was a past President of the Manchester, Ct. Rotary Club. Noel retired after 32 years in banking with Connecticut Bank and Trust Company. He was a property a manager for several home owners associations. He also served on the board at Bent Tree and served as treasurer at Laurel Lakes. Noel volunteered at Habitat for Humanity for a number of years.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Mary Lee Gowdy Belcourt; three sons, Kenneth Belcourt and his wife, Stephanie, Richard Belcourt and his wife, Joanne and Douglas Belcourt; his brother, Llewellyn N. Belcourt; granddaughter, Angelica Mack and daughter in law, Leibia Willis.

C. Lawrence Reece ’53

 

Christopher Lawrence “Larry” Reece III 81, of Sun City Center, FL, passed away April 28, 2017 in South Bay Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Mary; his two children, Alison and Jennifer; grandchildren, Nicole, Echo, and Delta. Larry and his wife Mary were longtime residents of Longmeadow, MA. Once retired, they moved to Sun City Center where Larry was an active association member.

Robert D. Bates ’53

Robert Duane Bates passed away March 18, 2015.  He was born on April 24, 1934, in the Catskill-mountain town of Walton, New York. Son of Dr. Floyd R. and Mrs. Mildred (nee Churchill) Bates, Bob grew up spending hours outdoors in the mountain air, camping, fishing, and hunting with his parents and beloved dog, Bonnie. Back indoors, Bob thoroughly enjoyed studying music, and, after mastering the piano, he went on to teach himself the guitar, banjo, mandolin, and harmonica; later in life, he liked to say that he also “fiddled around with the fiddle.”

In the late 1960’s, Bob moved to central New York State, where he soon met his future wife, Marilou (nee Matuszak) Bates of Elmira, New York. Bob and Marilou were married in 1970 and welcomed into the world their own children – a son and twin daughters.

After 45 years of marriage, Bob is survived by his wife, Marilou, of Cortland, New York; by his two children: son John Francis Bates, also of Cortland; and daughter Margaret Aileen Koch of Wenatchee, WA; as well as by many loving in-laws, nieces, and nephews. He was predeceased by his devoted parents and by his infant daughter, Kathleen, who went to be with the Lord in 1973.

Bob will further be missed by his oldest grandson, John Francis Smith-Bates of Ithaca, New York, and by his son-in-law Robert James, grandson Joshua Michael, and granddaughter Caitlin Elizabeth Koch, all of Wenatchee, WA.

William S. Michael ’53

William Shaw Michael passed away on April 15, 2018 at age 82. Son of the late Leroy Michael and Katherine Shaw Michael, he was born and raised in Athens, Georgia. Bill, as he preferred to be called, was a graduate of Williston Academy in Easthampton, MA and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and majored in English. He received his law degree from the University of Michigan. He began his fifty-year legal practice in Charlotte, NC at First Union National Bank. Bill then served as corporate counsel at The Ervin Company, and later was a partner in the firms of Williams and Michael, and Weinstein & Sturges. He retired to Pawleys Island in 2011. Bill is survived by his beloved wife of 32 years, Cathy; his three daughters, Helen Michael, Caroline Osborne, Dillon Grenham, and their spouses, Roy Cloud, John Osborne, and David Grenham, all of Washington, DC; stepsons Jeff Phillips and Jonathan Neubauer, and their spouses, Mary and Jeannie, of Charleston, SC; and grandchildren, Meryn, Cole, Lila, Natalie, James, Cate and Ryn. Bill is also survived by his brother Leroy and spouse Joanne Michael of Scottsdale, AZ. Always active, Bill loved Tar Heel basketball, tennis, hiking, politics and socializing with friends. In retirement, he trained Golden Retrievers for Canine Companions for Independence, a nonprofit devoted to helping people with disabilities by providing them with highly trained dogs free of charge. Through that charitable work, he found his treasured dog Lupe, who serendipitously failed to pass a few of the rigorous tests for becoming a service dog. Bill was a member of the ACLU and the vestry of Holy Cross Faith Memorial Church of Pawleys Island. He was a passionate reader, with avid interests in literature, history and theology, and had a great facility for puns.

Malcolm M. Stone, Jr. ’53

Mal M. Stone, Jr, 82, of Hollis, NH and formerly of Peabody, died November 25, 2016 at the Epson Manor Health Care Center following a brief illness. He was the devoted husband of Carol J (Muse) Stone with whom he shared over 13 years of marriage.
Born in Peabody, he was the son of the late Malcolm and Dorothy (Ayer) Stone. He was raised in Peabody and attended high school at Williston Academy in Massachusetts and  Kents Hill School in Maine. He then attended the University of Maine at Orono for two years. He has lived in New Hampshire for the past 8 years.
Mal owned and operated his own trucking company for over 30 years before retiring many years ago. He was a member of the Masons in Exeter, NH and also enjoyed doing woodworking as well.
He is survived by his three sons, Malcolm Stone of Duxbury, Keith Stone of Portland, ME, and Kenneth and his wife Debbie Stone of Newport, his daughter Dorothy-Ann and her husband John Simoneau of Raymond, NH , his brother, Richard and his wife Lorraine Stone of Newport, ME, his grandchildren, Danielle Simoneau and Nathan Rice of Raymond, NH, and Katie Trask and Abigail Stone of Newport, ME, his step children Ryan Shepherd of Nashua, NH, Lisa Pezzella of Peabody, and his step grandchildren, Erin, Kendra, and Cady Shepherd, Madison and Jacob Pezzella.

Natalie Field ’53

Natalie Field, of Jackson, Michigan, died November 8, 2015. She is survived by her sister Harriet (Tat) Field Miller ’55 of Grand Rapids, MI and her Jackson family of friends: Lynne Loftis, Liz Wierzbicki, Judy Horn, Janeen Cargill and her extended family at Rex Terrace. She was born March 18, 1935 in Jackson to Leonard H. and Janet McGee Field. Natalie graduated from Smith College in 1957 with a degree in mathematics. After college she worked for General Electric with a team of engineers designing nuclear submarines, and then returned to Jackson where she was active in the Jackson Junior Welfare League, the Jackson County Republican Party and the Ella Sharp Museum. She loved reading, cats, train travel and everything connected with Elk Lake.

Kay Allenberg Cohen ’53

Kay Allenberg Cohen passed away peacefully on October 14, 2016. Kay was born in Memphis on March 8, 1935. She was the daughter of Selma and Milton Allenberg. Mr. Allenberg founded Allenberg Cotton Company and sadly passed away in April, 1936. Kay was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence Louis Cohen, M.D. in 2012 after 57 years of marriage.

She attended St. Mary’s Episcopal School, East High and graduated from the Williston Northampton School in Massachusetts. She attended the University of Indiana and the University of Memphis.

Kay married the love of her life in 1955. She and Lawrence immediately moved to Tucson, Az. where he was a flight surgeon in the Strategic Air Command. He had served in the Army in WWII.

Upon their return to Memphis, Kay became a Grey Lady at Kennedy Veterans Hospital. She also taught sailing to the Mariner Scout Troop, was a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor for 25 years at three city pools, Handicap, Inc., Merry Acres Day Camp and at summer camps in East Tennessee and Maine. Kay loved and played tennis for many years.

Kay was the first president of the Laurelwood Garden Club. During her lifetime she belonged to the Perennial Garden Club, the Duration Club, the Memphis and Shelby County Medical Auxiliary, the University of Tennessee Faculty Wives Club, the Memphis Symphony League, the Salvation Army, the English Speaking Union, and The Dixon Gardens.

She was a member of Calvary Episcopal Church where she served on the Alter Guild, Opus (old people up to something), the E.C.W., Daughters of the King, the Cursillo Community and was an associate of the Community of St. Mary at Sewanee, Tennessee. She loved her final years living at Trezevant Episcopal Home.

Kay leaves two daughters: Kathryn Austin (Chip) and their two sons, Selby and Webster, and Louise Carruthers (Cage) and their two children Cage Jr. and Mary Lawrence Childs(Matt). Kay’s third child is her precious dog Prince William. She also leaves a number of nieces and nephews and greats.

Kay would like to thank Elizabeth McKenzie for her love and care for the past thirty plus years and more recently her sitters Juanita Sewell, Estella Carter, Beverly Smith Blair, and the great team from Elect Home Care: Laura Johnson, Vearnell Murphy, and Mary Harris.

John Murray ’53

John MurrayJohn Piper Murray, 81, of Fort Collins, Colorado died in hospice care on Friday, April 29, 2016. John was born in Sioux Lookout, Alberta, Canada to Alexander Keith and Mildred Isabella (Wilson) Murray. He moved to New York, then became a United States citizen at the age of 20. He is a graduate of Williston Academy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and The George Washington University.

He is survived by his wife, Dorcas (Morgan) Murray whom he married September 5, 1959 in Fort Collins, daughters, Laura Murray of Colorado Springs and Carol Cochran and her husband, Tim of Fort Collins; grandchildren, Tatum Cochran of Fort Collins, William Laycock of Colorado Springs, Catriona Cochran of Denver, and Shane Laycock of Colorado Springs. He is also survived by his sister, Suzanne Murray of Canmore, Alberta and brother, Peter Murray (Mary Swanson) of Emigrant, Montana as well as several nieces and nephews.

Terry Light ’53

Terry LightTerry Barnum Light, of Vienna, VA, died on Monday, January 28, 2013 at Tall Oaks Assisted Living in Reston, VA.

Beloved husband of 49 years to Emily Pierce Light; loving father of Brig Joyner (Kagan), Thomas Barnum and George Allen (Sandra) Light and cherished grandfather of Kathryn Ann, Emily Jordan, Terry Travis, Mary Caroline, Halley Eliza, Ella Pierce and Tillery Evelynn Light. He is also survived by the greatest caregiver God could have sent, Teresa “Joy” Descalzota and a special daughter Kimberly Rodgers.

Terry was a graduate of Yale University class of 1958, served in the US Marine Corp 1958 to 1974. He left the military with the rank of Major. Terry was a graduate of Marshall Wythe School of Law (William & Mary 1970) and an Attorney from 1970 to 2006. He was an avid trumpet player and member of the Jazz Masters.

Most importantly, Terry will be remembered as a great family man. He reached his goal of leaving his family better then he found it.

Donald Cutting ’53

CuttingDonald W. Cutting, 79, of Honolulu, an architect and a Connecticut National Guard veteran, died in Honolulu.   The family had known for months because he had a terminal illness. He was active up to two days before he died, though certainly progressively less active.

He was born in Massachusetts and graduated from Williston Academy in 1953.  Don loved his Williston experience and the friendships he made. Over the years, he “dragged” his wife to several reunions and some of his Williston friends became her’s as well.

He is survived by wife Merrill W., daughters Sarah Cutting Mills and Colby E. Van Alen, and five grandchildren.