Category Archives: 1940s

Mary Sessions Morier ’48

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Mary SessionsMary Sessions Morier of East Hartford, formerly of Glastonbury passed away at Middlesex Hospice in Middletown on April 13, 2014 at the age of 84. Mary was born in Bristol, CT on March 20, 1930 to Grace McCall and Paul Beach Sessions. Mary graduated from Northampton School for Girls in 1948. She went on to earn a B.A. in Fine Arts from Connecticut College in 1952.

She married Robert Morier in 1952 and eventually settled in Glastonbury where she raised her family. In 1980, Mary opened her own florist shop, Woodford,s Flowers. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends at the cottage at Grove Beach Point in Westbrook. She loved mystery novels, the daily crossword puzzle and watching her birds at the feeder. An avid sports fan, she supported UConn Women,s basketball, the PGA tour and she adored her Red Sox. She loved to wager the occasional bet or two and enjoyed trips to the casino.

Mary is survived by her six children: Ann Morier of East Hartford; Jim Morier and his wife Shirley of Rockville; Robin Fagan and her husband Paul of Camden, Maine; Peter Morier of Vancouver, Washington; Jenifer Morier and her husband Neal Harley of Guilford, Vermont and David Morier and his wife Meghan of Ionia, New York; and her seven grandchildren: Lily and Sam Lyons, Mary, Ann and Michael Fagan and Tobias and Roland Morier. Mary was predeceased by her brother, James Sessions and her sister, Janet Beach.

Posted in: 1940s, Class of 1948

Richard M. Austin ’47

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Richard AustinRichard M. Austin , 86, of Keene, NH peacefully passed away April 17, 2014 at Maplewood Nursing Home after a period of declining health.

He was born in Worcester, MA April 13, 1928, the son of James and Clara (Marsh) Austin. Mr. Austin spent his childhood years growing up in Dudley, MA, a neighbor to his “love of his life” and future wife, Lucille Bates. He attended Bartlett High School; Webster, MA and subsequently graduated from Williston Academy; East Hampton, MA in 1947 and Clark University; Worcester, MA in 1952 with a degree in business administration. During his high school and college years, he played basketball and football, however his true passion was baseball which he excelled at. Post college, he pitched on several semi-pro teams and was even invited to try out for his beloved Boston Red Sox.

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Natalie Vogel Lawton ’42

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Vogel LawtonNatalie V. (Vogel) Lawton, 90, of State Street, Westerly, passed away on Wednesday morning, April 2, 2014, at the Apple Rehab Watch Hill.

She was pre-deceased by her husband, Arthur Newman Lawton, on January 25, 1995, whom she met while vacationing at Watch Hill. After they married in 1954, she moved to Westerly. She is survived by her son, Allen D. Lawton of Westerly, her sister-in-law, Mary Lawton of Westerly and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Lawton was born in New Bedford, MA, on June 30, 1923, the daughter of the late Ellery and Sarah (Lewis) Vogel. She spent her early years in Northampton and Longmeadow, MA. She was a graduate of the Northampton School for Girls (now known as Williston- Northampton Academy), Lasell Junior College (now known as Lasell College) in Newton, MA, and Tobe’ Coburn School in New York City. She majored in merchandising in college.

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Posted in: 1940s, Class of 1942

Frederick George Fischer, Sr. ’41

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FischerFrederick George Fischer Sr. died Saturday March 22, 1014, at his home in Palm City, Florida. He was born February 19, 1924 in New Haven Connecticut, and had just celebrated his 90th birthday.

Fred graduated from Williston Academy and the University of Pennsylvania, and served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army during World War II, when he was stationed primarily in Cairo, Egypt. He worked as a Certified Public Accountant in New Haven, Connecticut, eventually becoming Partner-in-Charge at Ernst & Ernst, later Ernst & Whinney. After retirement from the firm, he served as Financial Vice President at the University of New Haven, until full retirement, when he relocated to Harbour Ridge in Palm City, Florida.

Fred will be remembered for his long-standing support of the Junior Achievement and United Way as well as other local charities in the Port St. Lucie area. In addition he was an avid golfer and long-time football enthusiast, cheering on and recruiting for teams at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of New Haven. Fred was a fixture at the Grill Room at Harbour Ridge and his boundless sense of humor and generosity will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Ann Fischer; a daughter, Pamela Lally; a son, Frederick Fischer Jr.; as well as four granddaughters and a great-granddaughter.

Posted in: 1940s, Class of 1941

Eleanor Walsh Wertimer ’40

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WertimerEleanor Walsh Wertimer, a resident of Pelham and a longtime resident of Clinton, N.Y., died on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014. She was 91.

Wertimer was born on Jan. 25, 1922 in Buffalo, N.Y.  to John and Geraldine Walsh.

She graduated from the Buffalo Seminary in 1939, Northampton School for Girls in 1940 and Smith College in 1944. She received her law degree from the University of Buffalo in 1946 and was one of the few women admitted to the New York State Bar in 1947. She worked as an associate at a Buffalo law firm.

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Posted in: 1940s, Class of 1940

Thornton Benson Morris ’45

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MorrisThornton Benson “Ted” Morris, 86, died peacefully in his sleep on March 20, 2014, in Pittsboro, NC. The cause of death was Alzheimer’s Disease.

The eldest of three children, Ted was born on February 6, 1928 in Plainfield, NJ to Elizabeth Jenkins Morris and Herbert Leroy Morris. Valedictorian of his Williston Academy class in 1945, he went on to receive a BA in Economics from Princeton University in 1953, having completed his college education in three sessions, scheduled around his service as Chief Petty Officer in the Navy from 1946-48 and 1952.

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Posted in: 1940s, Class of 1945

Margaret DeWitt Dickinson ’47

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DewittMrs. Margaret D. Dickinson, 84, of Heritage Village died with dignity,grace and in peace Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014 at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington, five months after her open heart surgery. She was the wife of the
late Frederick A. Dickinson.

Mrs. Dickinson was born Oct. 23, 1929 in Canandaigua Lake, N.Y., a daughter of the late Richard and Jean (Burnett) DeWitt. She was a graduate of the
Northampton School for Girls in Massachusetts and of Hartford Seminary School.

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Posted in: 1940s

Annette Churchill Hodesh ’40

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ChurchillAnnette Churchill Hodesh died peacefully in her sleep at her son’s home in Ann Arbor on February 27, 2014 at the age of 91.

She was born Annette Churchill to Marie and Nelson Churchill in Northampton, MA, attended the Northampton School for Girls and Smith College then moved with her husband Robert Hodesh and their young family to Ann Arbor in 1948.

Annette wrote spirited profiles of notable Ann Arborites and restaurant reviews for the Ann Arbor Observer in the 1970’s and 1980’s. She was a celebrated raconteur who enjoyed entertaining and cooking for friends at her beloved stone cottage on Devonshire Road. Annette was a proud descendant of her German grandmother and French mother’s culinary heritage and from that perspective became a life student of American cooking. She was interested in recipes of all pedigree from Julia Child to the back of a Bisquick box judging each with an unerring sense of what good American food could be. Her attention to detail compelled her to taste a carrot before adding it to a stew so that an adjustment for it’s sweetness could be made.

Annette was predeceased by her husband Robert in 1997 and is survived by her son Mark, daughter-in-law Margaret Parker and granddaughter Jeanne Hodesh of Brooklyn, NY.

Posted in: 1940s, Class of 1940

Clara Louise Stiles ’48

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Clara Louise Stiles of Middleborough, MA died peacefully on February 3, 2014 in Golden Living @ Oak Hill following a period of declining health. Clara was born on August 11, 1931 in Springfield, daughter of the late William H. and Ruth (Stiles) Mosgraber. Clara attended Hopkins Academy prior to her time at Northampton School for Girls. Following graduation, Clara attended Oberlin College in Ohio and Duke University. Clara was a gifted writer, artist and musician. She is survived by her cousin, Dan Stiles of Falling Waters, West Virginia. Following cremation, the scattering of cremated remains will be in West Virginia.

Posted in: 1940s, Class of 1948