Ellen J. Tabachnick ’71

Ellen Judith Tabachnick, 68, of San Francisco, CA, passed away from cancer on March 24, 2021 in Boston, MA. Ellen was the daughter of the late Dr. Henry and Betty (Greenberg) Tabachnick of Portland, Maine. She grew up in a large Portland house, where the family lived upstairs from her father’s practice. Her father was generous and outgoing, a congenial man. Portland notables were always in and out of the house. It was an active, lively household. In her early years Ellen attended Portland Hebrew Day School and later enrolled in Waynflete College Preparatory School, Portland and Northampton School For Girls in Northampton, Massachusetts. She completed an advanced three-year Bachelor of Arts degree at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.

Ellen’s greatest passion was the pursuit of justice. She developed an early concern for the oppressed. While in her teens Ellen volunteered at a local prison community with the goal of advancing conditions for the inmates. Later, in order to actualize her quest for an equitable society, Ellen earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Cal Western Law School, San Diego.

Ellen practiced law at Contra Costa Legal Services Foundation, in California. However, she was not your average attorney. A cross between Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Bella Abzug, Ellen was a force to be reckoned with, a woman who seized life by both lapels. She began her practice as a Reginald Heber Smith Fellow, educating low-income community groups about their legal rights and responsibilities while carrying a full caseload challenging termination of government benefits. She believed holeheartedly in civil liberties, justice and a level playing field. Ellen’s imaginative legal insights, her indefatigable passion, and pure chutzpah enabled her to win most of her cases.

In particular, Ellen championed the Hmong’s community right to communicate with government agencies in their own language. A dedicated, fierce and creative advocate, she succeeded in assisting many families retain their benefits. Ellen spent her final years as a pro bono advocate for undocumented persons, including minors threatened with deportation.

She loved music. Forever the life of the party, Ellen would pick up her guitar and play folk tunes for the children or sit at the piano, her father’s Stetson firmly atop her head, and bang out the score from “Fiddler on the Roof”. She was bighearted, generous. She never forgot a birthday, and enjoyed giving presents even when there was nothing in particular to celebrate. Giving was in her heart and one could not refuse. She was Auntie Ellen, Aunty-Godmother Ellen, Auntie Chicklet, Ms. Civil Liberties, Ellie. She was our own Auntie Mame, a woman brimming with life, a justice warrior who lived unequivocally by the concept in Judaism of tikkun olam, ‘repair the world’.

In addition to her parents, Ellen was preceded in death by her brother, Robert Tabachnick, and her nephew, Henry Tabachnick. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Aileen Tabachnick, and her nephews Jacob, Abraham, and Elijah Tabachnick. Ellen is buried at Beth El Memorial Park, Portland, Maine alongside her father, mother, and nephew.

Donations in Ellen’s memory can be sent to:
The Campaign for Justice https://caforjustice.org/

George L. Pezzini ’54

George L. Pezzini passed away peacefully in Camarillo, CA on May 15, 2021. He was born July 2, 1931 in Pittsfield, MA. Attended Williston Academy and University of Massachusetts.

George enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in June 1949, assigned to Head Quarters 85th Maintenance Group where he received the Occupation Medal (Germany). He was honorably discharged in November 1952.

George is a past member of the IBEW, Junior Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club member and Hillcrest Hospital Board of Directors. He was a St. Mark’s Catholic Church parishioner and Knights of Columbus member until moving to Anaheim California in 1977, where he and his family joined St. Justin Martyr Catholic Church and then St. Mary Magdalen church in Camarillo, CA. He was also a mentor with Casa Pacifica Child Advocacy Group in Camarillo.

One of George’s proudest professional accomplishments was his leadership in the electrical design and contracting of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

George is predeceased by his parents George L. Pezzini, Sr., and Jane Cavallaro Pezzini, and son Stephen Pezzini.

George is survived by wife Claire Guiltinan Pezzini of 65 years, sons Peter (Margit) of Rosamond, CA, John (Debbie) of Heath, TX, Michael (MaryJo) of Wasilla, AK, daughter-in-law Pierangela Davisson of Woodinville, WA, daughters Catherine Nelson of Wimberley, TX and Anne Parker (Kevin) of Park City, UT. Nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Services will be held in Camarillo, CA at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, June 18, 2021, followed by a reception at Spanish Hills Country Club.

Emily Webster Williams ’56

Emily Webster Williams died peacefully at home in Essex, CT on May 8th, 2021. She was born in New York City on January 4th, 1939 – daughter of Emily Johnston deForest and Dr. Leslie Tillotson Webster. Emily was the proud mother of Amy, David, Matthew and Andrew Snyder, who were raised in Glastonbury. A graduate of the Smith College School for Social Work and an exceptional therapist, she was a champion of acceptance and empowerment for her family, her clients, and the LGBTQ community. She spearheaded the effort at First Congregational Church of Essex to become an open and affirming congregation, a designation they officially adopted in 2010. She retired from private practice in Old Saybrook in 2014. Emily moved to Essex Meadows – Essex, CT – in 2014. There she met and married Robert Butler, and enjoyed her last years in his loving company. She is survived by her husband, Bob; her brother, John Webster of New London; as well as her children: Amy Colo, David Snyder and Andrew Snyder ’84. Andrew resides in Old Lyme. Her six grandchildren, and her many nieces and nephews will also miss her dearly. Summers in the Adirondacks will not be the same without her. A Memorial Service will be held at the First Congregational Church of Essex on Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 3:00pm. Contributions can be made in her memory to Adirondack Trail Improvement Society PO Box 565 Keene Valley, NY 12943 (518) 576-9157 atis@atistrail.org.

Glynis A. Douglass ’76

A sweet and kind light has gone out. It is with deep sadness that at 2:20p on Monday, April 19, 2021, we released Glynis Ann Douglass back to the ethereal universe. She was a constant caring presence to those of us who were blessed by her love. Quietly and subtly, she would leave notes and thoughtful little gifts of food and soul nourishment to ease our daily journeys. Glynis was a gifted artist with a keen intellect and spot-on moral compass. She saw and reflected our flaws and frailties in the kindest of lights. Her judgements were true, but carefully tempered for only the slightest sting. She had a razor-sharp wit, but she lived by moderation and never hit harder than necessary to reveal an alternative perspective.
Glynis was born in Manhattan on January 9, 1959, to Sharon Luley Douglass and Malcolm Welsh Douglass. On May 4, 1961, Glynis lost her only (then) four-year-old brother, Angus Fitzgerald Douglass, to the sea. Arianna and I (Jillian) were born thereafter, but the loss of Angus left a void for her, that was only filled 28 years later on September 21, 1987, with the birth of Jared Maurice Sacks, the true Light of Glynis’s Love. Glynis was a gentle, but fiercely protective, and completely devoted mother.
As a child Glynis had an extraordinary will. At the tender age of 5, she challenged my father to a race that lasted at least a mile, before my father called out to her that she had won. For the rest of his life, my father would confide in Glynis and trust her to be strong, independent and capable. She carried this lesson of mutual respect forth in everything she did.
Glynis was a sharp and curious student. She attended Williston Northampton School from 1974 to 1976, where she studied visual and performance arts. She quickly learned and applied vast amounts of information and feeling into well-organized and well-founded original works. She became a talented printer, painter and lithographer. She went on to receive a BA in Art History from UMass Amherst, graduating early in 1979. She became an Assistant Editor for Boston Arts Magazine and continued her art studies at Massachusetts College of Art. She was awarded a Guggenheim scholarship and pursued a Masters’ degree abroad, in Italy.
Glynis exhibited her greatest creativity and passion in her boundless generosity and constant capacity to share “random acts of kindness”. She enjoyed cooking and planning meals and gatherings, but her highest joy was serving & tasting delicious foods. She loved volunteering with Food4Kids at Church of the Holy Spirit in Orleans. Those of us in her care and under her protective wings (including her close friends, and especially my mother during her final years of life) were, and will always be, truly blessed.
In her final days at Tufts Medical Center, with deepest gratitude to all the doctors and staff, Glynis chose Hospice over life-extending treatments. In honor of Glynis’s gracious spirit, please give as generously as you can to Hospice, the Tibetan Nun Project, or the humanitarian charity of your choice.

P. Douglas Watkins ’70

Paul Douglas Watkins, 70, of Marmora, NJ was taken from his loved ones unexpectedly on 4/21/2021. Doug was a loving and supportive husband to his soulmate and late wife, Suzanne, of 45 years. Doug was born in Coatesville, PA, grew up in Centerport, NY and graduated from The Williston Northampton School in MA. Doug was a proud Bucknell University alum as well as having many degrees from many other universities. He is dedicated to, and survived by, his two children Doug and Christine. His true meaning in life, however, was to be a grandfather. He was survived by four grandchildren: Breanna, Leah, Patrick and Carley, who he loved with his entire heart. He is survived by his sister, Lynn and preceded by his parents Paul and Nancy. Doug worked as a paramedic, firefighter, lifeguard, engineer, and just recently started as a substitute teacher. He believed in saving many lives before his own, a true hero. Doug had a big heart with a love language that consisted of giving everything he could to those he loved. He loved his days tanning on the OCNJ beach, taking his boat out, lifeguarding on Surf Road, and spending his time on many different tropical islands where he truly belonged. Living by the shore was his true calling, and it is where he met his very special loved one, Roisin Keough. His love for the beach and the ocean will comfort his loved ones, where we know he will be spending the rest of his eternity. His legacy will live on with all of his family and friends, whom he loved dearly. A memorial will be scheduled for a later date. Donations in his name can be made to the American Cancer Association, which are truly appreciated.

Rex Aubrey ’53

February 4, 1935 – April 20, 2021
Detroit, Michigan

Rex was born in Parkes, Australia in February 1935. During his childhood he excelled as a multisport athlete winning 3 first & 1 second place medals in the Eastern Track & Field championships, 2 first places in the Swimming championships as well as 2 Gold medals in the Australian National High School Swimming Championships. He also won 22 New South Wales State Championship medals as well as numerous other awards. Rex moved to the United States at the age of 16 and attended Williston Academy prep school in Easthampton, MA and then Yale University as a Political Science major. While at Yale Rex became a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and a member of the Book and Snake Society. Here Rex continued his excellence in swimming setting multiple AAU & NCAA records earning a spot on the 1952 Olympic team participating in 2 events and taking 6th place in the 100-yard freestyle. In 1954 he participated in the British Commonwealth Games where he won a Gold and a Bronze medal and in 1956 set a world record in the 100-yard freestyle. Rex was admitted into the Parkes Roll of Excellence and also had a street named after him, Rex Aubrey Place. He was recently admitted to the Williston Academy Athletic Hall of Fame. While working at the DAC he won multiple National titles as a Squash player, hobbies included tennis, scuba diving, and golf where he had 3 holes in one! Rex is survived by his wife, 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Due to the current situation with Covid the family has decided not to hold any type of memorial.