Robert Ceely ’48

Robert Ceely '48Robert Ceely was born in Torrington, Connecticut and grew up in Longmeadow and Williamstown in Massachusetts.

He attended the Pine Cobble School (?—1945), Williston Academy (Class of 1948), Hobart College (1948/49), the New England Conservatory (Class of 1954) where he studied with Francis Cooke. Further studies were with Darius Milhaud and Leon Kirchner at Mills College where he earned the degree of Master of Arts (1961), and with Roger Sessions. Edward Cone and Milton Babbitt at Princeton University (1958/59).

In 1963-64 he worked in the Electronic Music Studio in Milan as guest of The Italian Government. His compositions include solo, chamber, and orchestral music as well as music for tape alone and tape with instruments. His ballet “Beyond the Ghost Spectrum”, with choreography by James Waring commissioned by the Fromm Music Foundation, was performed at Tanglewood in August, 1969, with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting. His opera” Automobile Graveyard”, after a play by Fernando Arrabal, was presented at the New England Conservatory in 1995.

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Christopher Farmer ’73

Chris Farmer '73Christopher Hurley Farmer passed away on April 17, 2010, in Honolulu, Hawaii, at the age of 56. Chris died of a heart attack while hiking with his girlfriend and her family.

Chris was born in Troy, New York and lived in New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts before settling in Olympia.

Chris is survived by his mother Jeanne Farmer of Newburyport, Massachusetts; brothers Malachy Farmer of Charlotte, North Carolina; and Michael Farmer of Amesbury, Massachusetts; sisters Kate Pallotta of Dublin, New Hampshire; Dodie Farmer of Lake George, New York; Debbie Farmer of Newburyport, Massachusetts; and Candy Farmer of New York City; and by his girlfriend Sophie Stimson of Olympia, Washington.

H. Tucker Machette ’51

H. Tucker Machette died at home surrounded by his family on March 7, 2015 at 7:43 pm.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife of 58 years, Terry Wingate Machette; his children Marc and Liz Machette, Piper and James Sleight, Jill Wooldridge and seven grandchildren Morgan, Deven, Sawyer, Wyatt, Penn, Tucker and Gabby.

Tucker was born on June 6, 1932 in White Plains, NY. He attended Williston Academy before graduating from Pleasantville H.S. and went on to play football at Lehigh University where he earned a B.S. in 1959.

He worked as a National Sales Manager at ITT Rayonier until retirement.

Tucker was a man of broad interests and many of his passions live on in his family. An accomplished skier, he was a member of the National Ski Patrol; every summer weekend he could be found on his beloved sailboats. He loved camping in Maine with family, dining out for a fine meal, baking elaborate desserts, EVERY one of his dogs and cats, renovating his 1884 house, UConn Women’s basketball, and telling irreverent stories.

Jahmal Nelson ’89

nelsonJahmal N. Nelson, 41, of Pelham Hill Road, passed away Dec. 26, 2012, of complications due to a long term illness.

Born Oct. 10, 1971, in Garberville, Calif., Jahmal was the son of Donald and Suzanne (Breen) Nelson. He was educated in local schools and lived most of his life in the Amherst area.

Jahmal worked in the maintenance department at the University of Massachusetts for many years. He was also a house painter in the Amherst area. Jahmal enjoyed cooking and the arts.

He will be remembered by many for his smile and hugs.

Besides his parents, Donald and Suzanne of Cambria, Calif., Jahmal is survived by his brothers, Paul Nelson and T.J. Nelson of Cambria, Calif.; his sister, Alanna Nelson of Baltimore, Md. and several cousins.

The family requests that donations in Jahmal’s memory be in the form of any act of kindness to others.

Patrick Archbald, Former Faculty

Patrick W. ArchibaldPatrick Wodrow Archbald passed away Friday, March 6, 2015, at the age of 80.

He was born in Pottsville, PA, on March 17, 1934, to parents Wodrow and Jane (Suender) Archbald. Pat attended local schools and The Gunnery in Connecticut before graduating Cum Laude from Yale University in 1956 with a BS in Civil Engineering. While at Yale, he was a member of the Crew Team. He married Ellen Morrison of Pottsville in that year, and began work as a civil engineer for Bechtel Corporation in California.

After several years, and two relocations, Pat and his growing family moved back east where he began a 30-year career at Williston Academy in Easthampton, MA. While at Williston, Pat taught chemistry and physics, and over the years held positions as head of the science department, varsity lacrosse coach of both the men’s and women’s teams, and supervisor of Williston’s summer school, among other duties. Pat retired in 1991, and moved to Damariscotta, ME. He spent the last three and a half years of his life happily at Loomis House in Holyoke, MA.

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Gus (Pietraskiewicz) Peters ’70

gusGus Peters, 62, of Strong Road, Southampton, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, died suddenly Sunday, March 1, 2015, at the Holyoke Medical Center.

Gus was born June 16, 1952, in Northampton, and was the son of the late Stanley Pietraskiewicz and Frances (Swiatek) Pietraskiewicz. He was educated at the former Sacred Heart of Jesus School and was a graduate of Williston Academy in 1970, continuing his education at Franklin and Marshall College, Greenfield Community College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst receiving his bachelor’s degree in Spanish with a minor in business in 1978.

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Stephen King ’41

KingStephen B. King, age 91, a North Chatham resident since 1989, died Feb. 14, 2015 at Cape Cod Hospital, after a brief illness.

He was the husband of Helen L. King. Mr. King was born in Northampton, MA where he attended Smith College Day School followed by Williston Academy prior to graduation from Deerfield Academy. He went on to MIT from which he graduated in 1947 with a degree in chemistry, after serving in the U.S. Army and attending the Coast Guard Academy. During his stay at MIT, he was a member of Theta Delta Chi Fraternity, the vice president of his senior class, the commodore of the MIT Sailing Association and the president of the Intercollegiate Sailing Association.

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Joan Penfield Begg ’45

PennfieldJoan Farist Penfield Begg, formerly of Trumbull and Falls Village, died peacefully November 13, 2014 at Connecticut Hospice, Branford, CT at the age of 87.

Born in Bridgeport, CT on March 1, 1927 to Joel Farist Penfield and Ethel Logan Penfield., she was a longtime resident of the Nichols section of Trumbull, CT and Falls Village, CT.

She graduated from Northhampton School for Girls, Endicott College and earned a B.S. in Dental Hygiene from the University of Bridgeport. She has been a Member of Trinity Episcopal Church, Nichols, CT for nearly sixty years, a member of Salisbury Arsenal Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Associate member Freelove Baldwin Stow Chapter, Milford, CT, The National Society Colonial Dames XVII, the Winthrop Fleet Chapter, Salisbury, CT, Past President National Society Magna Carta Dames, National Society Daughters of American Colonists, CT Chapter.

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Stephen Clarke ’40

ClarkeStephen Clarke, 93, passed away January 29, 2015 at Bloom at Bluffton after a long illness.

Stephen was born in NYC 08/14/1921 to James Alfred and Anne Clarke.

Steve served in the Navy during WWII in the South Pacific as a plane commander (LtCmdr) flying the wounded from the islands back to the states.

Married in 1946 to Lillian Winifred Cole. They moved to Dalton, Ma in 1947 and had 3 sons Brian, James and David.

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