Category Archives: Class of 1955

Nancy DerGiragossian Craig ’55

CraigNancy S. (DerGiragossian) Craig of Northampton, and a longtime resident of Amherst, died Monday, Feb. 6, 2017, after a short illness at CareOne of Northampton with her daughter by her side and Frank Sinatra playing in the background.

Born Jan. 27, 1937, in Northampton, she was the daughter of the late Archie and Christine (Bodourian) DerGiragossian.

Nancy was a 1954 graduate of Northampton High School and also attended Northampton School for Girls, Holyoke Junior College and the University of Massachusetts.

She was a 20 year employee of UMass, lastly with the Department of Environmental Health and Safety, retiring in 2007. Before that, she held a variety of administrative positions in and around Northampton, and had also worked in 1960s New York City for the Public Broadcasting System and the Young and Rubicam Advertising Agency.

Nancy was someone who drew people to her because of her empathetic nature and her keen desire to understand the human condition. Everywhere she went, whether it was her favorite Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods or just on Main Street, she kindled interesting conversations and friendships with long-lost and new friends. She was known amongst family and friends for her creativity. A lifelong artist, she painted and sketched cityscapes and landscapes of Northampton and Amherst, memorializing sites such as St. Mary’s Church, Main Street, Northampton, the apple orchards of Atkins Farms, and the waterfall at Paradise Pond. One of her pen and ink drawings of pine trees was used in 1980 by the then Simon’s Rock Early College of Great Barrington, as its official holiday card. Additionally, Nancy wrote a column that reviewed and promoted various local businesses, “Consumer Carousel,” for her family’s 1970s regional magazine, Hampshire County Illustrated. She also used her creativity and people skills to assist her former husband, Paul Craig, in his bid for Mayor of Northampton in 1973.

Aside from her love of art, Nancy was a free spirit who adored the beach. Annual childhood family summer vacations in Narragansett, Rhode Island, began this love, and in later years she was fortunate to spend many holidays in Jamaica. A jazz lover, she combined this with her love of an ocean setting by attending the Newport Jazz Festival when she could. In 2007, she explored the beaches of Sydney, Australia, visiting her daughter, son-in-law and grandsons, and snorkeled at the Great Barrier Reef.

She is survived by her daughter Jennifer Craig Fletcher and son-in-law Thomas Fletcher of Sydney, Australia; four grandsons, William, Benjamin, Thomas and Theodore, also of Sydney; her sister Dawn C. Baker of Northampton; her brother William V. Derian of Deerfield Beach, Florida; her niece Christine D. Baker, M.D., of Northampton; her great-nephew Jay C. Anderson of Northampton; her former husband Paul M. Craig of Northampton; and several adored nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews of Maryland, Virginia and Florida.

 

Michael Reingold ’55

Michael Henry Reingold '55Michael Reingold lived a life that was based in laughter and love. It is no accident that he made his career in advertising, the profession of great story tellers.

A son of Harold and Thelma Reingold of Boston, he learned the business from his father’s agency, The Reingold Company. Married to Glenda (Danziger) and father to Caren (Francis), Robin (Donegan), and Michael II (Chip), Mr. Reingold moved to New York where he worked with the giants of the golden age of 1960’s advertising at Papert Koening Lois and Lois Holland Callaway.

In the 1970’s the family returned to Boston where Mr. Reingold joined the advertising agency Ingalls, and then really hit his stride at HBM Creamer. After years with the firm, Mr. Reingold branched out on his own as the President and Co-Founder of the acclaimed Lawner Reingold Britton and Partners which became part of what today is Arnold, where Mr. Reingold retired as Vice Chairman.

A gifted athlete as a youth, Mr. Reingold had a life- long devotion to baseball, especially the Red Sox, and Golf. Mr. Reingold also had strong interests in the arts and education, serving as President of the Board(s) of Emerson College and the Huntington Theater Company, as well as the Advertising Club of Boston. One of his proudest philanthropic achievements was as the founder of The Scleroderma Research Fund, which raised millions of dollars and endowed the Scleroderma Research Program at Boston University Medical Center.

Of all his successes, Mr. Reingold’s greatest joy was his family, especially his grandchildren: Rebecca, Hannah and Andrew Francis and Connor and Dylan Donegan.

Deborah Saybolt Merker ’55

SayboltDeborah Saybolt Merker, “Debby” of Haverford, PA, age 78, died unexpectedly in an automobile accident in Cleveland, Tennessee on April 10th.

Beloved wife of 53 years of James J. Merker and loving Mother of Lisa and (John) Allen and Jenny and (Bart) Anthony. She is survived by grandchildren, Tyler Conway and Caroline Hayes Allen and is the sister of Peter M. Saybolt and Janet S. Bowers. Debby was the daughter of W.D. and Marion Saybolt of Haverford, PA.

Debby attended Baldwin School and graduated from Williston Northampton School; attended Brown University and was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

Debby was a stewardess for Eastern Airlines in the 60s. She later joined her husband’s firm, Merker Associates, as a partner.

She was an active member of St. Christopher’s Church of Gladwyne and a long time dedicated member of the choir. One of Debby’s great passions was her love for animals, especially her dogs. She also loved art, design and music. She was an avid gardener. Her generosity and kindness were legendary.

Andrew W. Korts III ’55

Korts '55Andrew W. Korts III, 76, died on Sunday, July 6, 2014 at Albany Memorial Hospital after a brief illness.

Born in Rochester, he was the son of the late Andrew W. Korts Jr. and Helen Louise (Paterson) Korts Sauer. He was a graduate of Williston Academy in Easthampton, Mass. and he earned a master’s degree in education from Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio.

He was a U.S. Army veteran. Mr. Korts was an Irish Christian Brother and devoted his entire career to education. He was an accomplished organist and worked with Father Peter Young at Blessed Sacrament Church in Bolton Landing and at Mother Teresa Catholic Community in Albany, handling all of the liturgical music needs at both churches. He also was a secretary for the Peter Young Housing Industries and Treatment Foundation. Mr. Korts was a world traveler.

Survivors include his nephew, Michael Butler of Rensselaer; his “adopted niece” Dawn Dayter of Rensselaer; his cousins from England, Julia and Katie Henderson and his dear friend and colleague, Fr. Peter Young and everyone involved with the PYHIT Foundation.

Carl G. Ericson ’55

Carl Ericson

1937-2013

George Carl George Ericson died of Parkinson’s Disease at The Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital on Feb. 10, 2013. Carl was born in Westfield, Massachusetts on March 15, 1937.

He is survived by his wife, Penny, his four children: Braxton (Heidi Manzar) and Gregory (Nicole O’Bryne) of Fredericton; Juliana of London, England; Brian (Casey Ericson) of Yarmouth, Maine and his five grandchildren: Jacob, Kyle, Alexandra, Zachary, and Harper Ericson. He is also survived by his sister, Lee Krein (Bill Krein) of Quechee, VT and his brother-in-law Stanley King Jr. (Linda Waters) of Oakton, VA, and honorary family member Mary Saunders (George Saunders) of Mount Hope, NB.

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