In Memoriam
Remembering members of the Williston Northampton community

George A. Goodridge ’49

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George A.Goodridge, of 115 Elm St., Hatfield, passed away peacefully Friday, Jan. 22, 2016, at Genesis Elaine Center at Hadley.

He was born Jan. 19, 1928, in Topsfield, the son of Col. George L. Goodridge and Charlotte Mae (Hutchinson) Goodridge. A graduate of Topsfield High School he attended Norwich University and served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in World War II. George graduated in 1952, from the University of Massachusetts with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

He was devoted to his family and always ready to help anyone in need. He loved sailing ever since learning as a child on the Cape. He became an avid reader and skilled woodworker during his later years.

George worked for Johns Manville Sales Corp. in the pipe division representing products related to water supply, waste water systems and drainage. He was a member of New England Water Works Association, American Water Works Association, New England and American Waste Water Associations as well as several state and local public works associations. He retired from Johns Manville as district sales manager for Southeast Florida and Bahamas.

He had been a member of UCC, The Washington Masonic #61 Lodge of Manchester, New Hampshire, the Barrington Yacht Club, Rhode Island, and the Boca West Country Club. He was also a member of the former South Deerfield Rotary Club. When living in Whately in the 1970’s he served on the town planning board.

He leaves his wife Joan (Rich) Goodridge; a son George L. Goodridge, II (Class of 1970) of Whately; a daughter Pamela Franklin of Etna, New Hampshire; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a sister Margaret Matthews of Stuart, Florida.

Posted in: 1940s

Kay Allenberg Cohen ’53

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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.

Posted in: 1950s

Robert L. Secundy ’56

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Robert Lewis Secundy passed away September 6, 2016. He was born on June 20, 1938 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the son of Lillian May Jorgensen Secundy Lynch and Benjamin Secundy. He attended Williston Academy in Easthampton Massachusetts. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, Magna Cum Laude with a degree in electrical engineering, 1959 and received an MBA from The Wharton School in 1961. He was in the national honorary business fraternity Beta Gamma Sigma. In 1967 he moved to Reston, a planned community in Northern Virginia, to raise his two children. In the late 1960s he was one of the founders of the Reston Black Focus, an organization created to promote black culture, lifestyle and participation in Reston. Robert was on the first line for the newly established Reston chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Zeta Upsilon Lambda in 1977. He also served on the Fairfax County Civil Service Commission. Robert began his professional career as a financial analyst for Sun Oil Company. He then served as comptroller Metrotec, Inc. Metrotec was a publication development firm that catered to federal government agencies and was owned by his friend of many years, Jack Nelson. Robert set up the accounting and financial systems of the firm and maintained the records required for federal contract reporting. He also shepherded the firm through each of its arduous biennial federal audits. He was beloved by all the staff for his sense of humor and camaraderie. Later he started his own company, Humanics in Atlanta Georgia, which provided services for Head Start programs for disadvantage children. After that he started his own computer training company. During this time he meet his wife of 29 years Cynthia Barnes. In 1988, Robert joined the American Press Institute (API) as Associate Director for Finance and Administration. He was the first minority member on their executive staff. After 17 years of service, he retired from API in 2005. Robert will forever be remembered for his unequaled dedication and generosity to his family and the way he supported and encouraged loved ones to pursue their dreams. We will cherish the memories of his leadership in the black community, his technical savvy, his playful wit, and passion for tennis. He is survived by his wife Cynthia Barnes, his daughter, Susan Secundy, his son Joel Secundy, his brothers Gerald (m. Donna Boone), Benjamin, Jr. (m. Angela Hayes), and his five grandchildren: Bianca, Lauren, Robert, Lillian, and Oliver and a host of other relatives and friends.

Posted in: 1950s

Brian L. Cowell ’75

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Beloved father, brother, boyfriend, uncle, nephew, and friend, Brian L. Cowell of Windsor Locks passed away at Hartford Hospital at the too-young age of 59 on September 6, 2016, surrounded by many who love him. Ever since he was born on April 25, 1957 in Conway, SC, Brian, as one of his favorite aunts put it, was “a big guy with a big heart and a great smile.” He was also funny and very smart. An avid reader, history buff and sports fan, Brian was the one you wanted on your trivia team, especially for questions on the Red Sox, Giants, Patriots, Bruins, college basketball or Notre Dame football. Growing up, he was a natural athlete and always one of the first to be picked for the annual whiffle ball game at the Cowell picnic. Brian graduated from Williston Northampton School and Westfield State College. He was a hard worker and spent most of his career at United Technologies Aerospace Systems (Hamilton Sundstrand), where he served as Operations Manager, retiring in March. Brian leaves behind many heartbroken loved ones: his children, Courtney Cowell of Palmer, MA and John “Jack” E. Cowell II of Agawam, MA; his girlfriend, Ann Magleora, and her children, TJ and Raelynn Voislow of Windsor Locks; his siblings Deb Brown of Amherst, MA, Jackie Cowell of Henniker, NH, Jenny Bourgeois of Wilbraham, MA, and Tom Cross of Plano, TX; and too-many-to-name in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, Margaret “Gay” (Campbell) Cross, John “Jack” E. Cowell, and Raymond R. Cross.

Posted in: 1970s

Madeline Ricker Swain ’50

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swain Madeline Barbara Ricker Swain, also known as “Dutch” peacefully passed away Friday, September 9, 2016 in Charlton, MA at the age of 84. Her husband of 56 years, Jonathan FolgerSwain, “Bing,” predeceased her. She is survived by two daughters; Jennifer of Los Altos, CA and Suzanne of Winchester, MA, three grandchildren, Mark, Lexie and Juliana all of Winchester, MA, and ten nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by two brothers, Earl William and and John Marshall. Born April 12, 1932 the daughter of Earl Malcolm Ricker and Edla Marie Lindholm Ricker, Dutch was raised in Walpole and summered in Nantucket, where she would meet her husband, Bing. She was a graduate of Northampton School for Girls and received a B.A. degree from Wheaton College. She resided in Sudbury, MA for 44 years with her husband, where they raised their two daughters. Dutch was a wonderfully loving and caring full time mother, wife and volunteer member serving many schools, organizations, local food pantries and her church, Sudbury United Methodist Church. She enjoyed tennis, baking brownies, Red Sox games, reading, cooking up her top secret clam chowder recipe, spending time with a circle of her close friends who called themselves The Fat Farm and the island of Nantucket.

Posted in: 1950s

Mary Lee Sands Jabri ’55

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jabriMary Lee Sands Jabri, 80, of Springfield, MA, died on August 20, 2016 at the Mercy Medical Center in Springfield. Born in Westerly, RI on May 30, 1936, she was the daughter of the late Dr.Harold Collender Sands and Elizabeth (Haynes) Sands Colbath and step daughter of the late Elbridge Percy Colbath of Coventry, CT. She was also the widow of Marwan Anwar Jabri of New York and East Longmeadow, MA. Mr. Jabri had been a Business Editor for the Springfield Republican. Growing up in Northampton, MA, she graduated, in 1955, from the Northampton School for Girls. She attended Rollins College in Winter Park, FL and graduated from the Katherine Gibbs School in Boston, MA in 1958.She spent the next ten years in New York City working in several engineering and stock brokerage firms and became active in the Oratorio Society of New York. Upon settling in Longmeadow in 1970, and eventually East Longmeadow, she became a Worthy Matron, from 1974-75, of the Carona Chapter of East Longmeadow, Order of the Eastern Star. From 1973-76, she was Regent of the Mercy Warren Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution in Springfield. A charter member and Past President of the Lady Arbella Chapter of the Pioneer Valley, Colonial Dames XVII Century, she later became a member of the Sir Richard Saltonstall Chapter of Great Barrington and Edmund Rice Chapter of Dedham, becoming State President, from 1997-99, of the Mass. State Society. She was active in the Alumnae Association of the Williston Northampton School of Easthampton, MA; and gave of her time to the Boys and Girls Club and Shriners Hospital for Children, both of Springfield and the Holyoke Soldiers Home. She was also a longtime supporter of the Springfield Library and Museums Association. She leaves her son, Charles Enver Jabri of Springfield. She is predeceased by members of the Jabri family of Aleppo, Syria, the Elchelebi family of Melbourne, Australia, a cousin Walter Pinto and his wife Pamela of Cobalt, CT, cousins of the Cafazzo family in Maine, Enfield, CT and Coventry, CT and dear family friends, Joseph and Sylvia Dennis of Enfield CT.

Posted in: 1950s

Claude Miquelle ’42

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MiqeulleEarly in the morning of August fifth Claude Miquelle passed away at Tobey Hospital in Wareham, MA. On July fourth Claude had just celebrated his ninety first birthday surrounded by family and friends at home in Rochester, MA. Claude succumbed to the complications from having lived a long rich life.

Claude was born on July 4, 1925 to mother Renee Longy and father Georges Miquelle in Boston, MA. Both parents were successful professional classical musicians. When he was about eighteen months old Claude went to live with his maternal grandparents in Mareuil-Colbert in northern France. It was there on a country road just outside of town that Claude, when walking with his grandfather, witnessed his grandfather’s fatal heart attack. In 1930 at the age of five Claude returned to the states to live with his mother and entered school not knowing a word of English. Claude was enrolled in Williston Academy for fifth grade and graduated high school from that private boarding school in 1942.

In 1943 the winds of war took Claude into the Navy where he completed ROTC at Tufts and went on to officer training school. In 1945 Claude skippered a one hundred and forty five foot converted Tuna Clipper, now a supply ship, across the Pacific.

Discharged in 1946 Claude quickly married, had three children, built a new home for his new family, and embarked on what would become a long and outstanding career as a residential architect. Beginning his career with Royal Barry Wills Claude quickly parlayed his experience into his own design firm where he could delve into the work he loved above all else, creative design. His career was marked by many award winning projects, his sense of design one step ahead and sophisticated by his spatial genius.

Claude married Sarah Brown in 1989 and they lived happily together in their lovely home in Rochester that they designed and built together. In that home, surrounded by the beauty of his own design, Claude spent his last days.

Claude is survived by his wife Sarah Miquelle, daughter Debra Prudden and husband Peter Prudden (’66) of Andover MA., son Dale Miquelle (’72) and wife Marina Miquelle of Tierney Russia, son Dana Miquelle (’69) of Bozeman, MT, step-daughter Sandy Panek and husband Jeff Panek of Wickford, RI, step-son Chris Brown of Goshen, NY, twelve grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Posted in: 1940s

Sterling J. Wiedemann ’10

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Sterling Wiedemann ObituarySterling Joseph Wiedemann was born on April 22, 1991 in Dallas Texas. He died on July 27, 2016 in Dallas.

Sterling was the third born son of Harden and Cynthia Wiedemann and the youngest brother of Hardy and Neth Wiedemann and the grandson of Frederic and Dr. Flo Wiedemann and Jean Robinson Gulley. He was the nephew of adoring aunts, uncles and cousins to many

Sterling (known as Sterl) attended Meadowbrook pre-school, Highland Park Presbyterian Day School grades K-4 , Parish Episcopal 5-8, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts 9,10, 12 grades and his junior year at boarding school Williston Northampton in Massachusetts. Sterl attended Texas Tech University for his Freshman Year and transferred to the University of San Francisco where he was a second semester Senior at the time of his death.

Sterling, at 25 years old, gave new dimensions to the word eclectic. His interests and passions were far ranging and multitudinous. They spanned the latest Japanese electronica music to neuropharmacology and everything in between. He was a champion of social justice and believed strongly reforming the criminal justice and prison systems. Sterling was a lover, too. He felt deeply and while struggling with depression and addiction, he was capable of being truly joyful over the smallest things – a day in the park, a Miyazawa movie, voraciously reading and learning about a new interest, spending time with family and friends. Since he was a very small boy Sterling was cut from a different bolt of cloth and it showed through in some delightful and unexpected ways. He loved words and was an exceptional writer. He avidly listened to and composed music producing pieces on the piano like “ice caves.” He had an impressive list of aliases including “King Lalula.”

Everyone agreed from an early age on he was wise way beyond his years and if you were lucky, you would catch him in a moment where he would open a window and let you see. It was staggering. People attributed it to his being smart or highly intelligent, but really, it was a deep love and ancient wisdom.

Posted in: Uncategorized

Daniel T. Griffin III, ’62

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griffin On July 31, 2016, Daniel Thomas Griffin III died peacefully and of natural causes. He was born on October 26, 1943, the son of Daniel T. and Eileen Griffin of Holyoke. He was raised on Morgan Street and went to St. Jerome School. At Williston Academy in Easthampton, MA, he played football, hockey and lacrosse. After graduating, he attended Boston University and played hockey and then transferred to American International College. After college, he joined the U.S. Army and served two tours of duty in Vietnam, attaining the rank of Sergeant. He worked in the family business, Central Package Store on Dwight St. in Holyoke and then at Commercial Distributing in Westfield, MA. He married Margaret Ballard and lived in South Hadley. For many years, he owned and operated Pink Swan Antiques on Cherry St. in Holyoke. After recovering from a serious illness in 2004, he moved to Cape Cod; and then in 2010 to Jay, OK to be close to his daughter and grandchildren. He was predeceased by his sister, Mary Maginnis. He is survived by his daughter, Lee Griffin of Aston, OK; grandchildren Ellen, Ethan, and Elise; his former wife Margaret; his brother Robert, and his nephew and niece, Frank and Eileen Maginnis.

Posted in: 1960s

Edward Spence Wilcox ’62

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Spence Wilcox, 70Edward Spence Wilcox of Griggstown died on September 15, 2015 at University Medical Center of Princeton after a four-year battle with prostate cancer. Born in Passaic in 1944, Spence was raised in Rutherford and spent summers in Sparta, NJ. A graduate of Newark Academy ’63 and Middlebury College ’67 (English), he took classes at Boston Architectural Center in 1973 while heading a contracting business in Boston and Cambridge. In the 1980s he studied computer science and became a technical writer, first at Bell Labs, then at UNIX System Labs and HP. In retirement he was a relentless gardener & nurseryman, a passionate music lover (Bill Evans, James Booker, Alfred Brendel, Aretha, Townes Van Zandt, Eva Cassidy, Altan, Youssou N’Dour, Buena Vista Social Club), a grinning contradancer, a world-class hunter-gatherer (craigslist), a thoughtful poker player, and an enthusiastic member of the Princeton Country Dancers governing committee. He is survived by his wife, Kathy Wilcox; son, Matthew Wilcox Tenny (Manon Tenny) of Milton, VT; daughter, Emma Wilcox (Evonne Davis) of Newark; brother, Donald Wilcox of Denville; and grandsons, Addison and Damion Tenny, of Milton, VT.

Posted in: 1960s

Remembering members of the Williston Northampton community