In Memoriam
Remembering members of the Williston Northampton community

Ruth Prentice Currier Gates ’35

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GatesRuth Prentice Currier Gates, age 93, of Johnstown, N.Y., passed away Thursday, December 1, 2011, at Nathan Littauer Nursing Home in Gloversville.

She was the wife, of 51 years, of Forrest Palmer Gates, who died in 1991.

Ruth was born on October 12, 1918, to Richard Dudley and Adele Ames Currier in Montclair, New Jersey, and graduated from Colby Junior College, New London, New Hampshire.

She served as secretary and president of the Board of Managers of the Willing Helpers Home For Women of Johnstown, New York. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Johnstown, the Aldine Society and the Burroughs Nature Study Club of Johnstown.

She was predeceased by her oldest son, Richard Palmer Gates, who was a casualty of the Vietnam War in 1969. Survivors include: her sons, William Currier Gates and his wife, Beth, of Johnstown; John Dudley Gates and his wife, Patricia, of Mayfield; six grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. The family wants to thank the staff of Nathan Littauer Nursing Home and Pineview Commons for their professional and loving care for Ruth during her years there.

Posted in: 1930s

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

Donald Carr ’60

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D CarrDonald F. Carr, 71, of Mutter Street, passed away Thursday, March 20, 2014, at his home.

Born in Holyoke, he was the son of the late Donald and Wanda (Swazlowski) Carr.

Don graduated in 1960 from Williston Academy and received his bachelors of science degree from Middlebury College in Vermont.

He retired as an accountant for Wallace Tax in Northampton. Don was a Vietnam War veteran serving with the United States Army, a shareholder with the Pulaski Club in Easthampton, and a I.R.S. enrolled agent.

He leaves his wife Karen Carr; his son Nicholas Carr and his wife Elodia Villasenor of San Francisco, Calif.; his step-daughter Sara Harvey and her husband David of Springfield; his brother Jonathan Carr and his wife Mel of Decatur, Ga.; and his grandchildren Henry, Itzia and Maya.

Posted in: 1960s, Class of 1960

Brian A. Crockett, Faculty

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0068-_3A_1287Brian A. Crockett, affectionately known as “Bubblez,” was born on January 20, 1992 in Paterson, NJ to Brenda (Williams) Crockett (deceased) and Franklin D. Crockett, Jr. He was a lifelong, active member of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Passaic NJ. His love of the Lord prepared him for life.

Brian graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Rutherford, NJ and Colgate University in Hamilton, NY. Most recently he joined the staff at Williston Northampton School in Massachusetts, teaching history and global studies and of course, coaching football, wrestling and track.

Brian was predeceased by his mother, Brenda; his grandmother, Annie M. Williams and his grandfather, Franklin D. Crockett, Sr. Brian loved unconditionally with great emotion and assurance and his memories will be forever in our hearts. He is greatly missed by his father, Frank D. Crockett, Jr. (Passaic, NJ); grandmother, Julia Crockett (Passaic, NJ); grandfather, Roger Williams (Castalia, NC) his God-appointed mommy, Francine Wise and Uncle Joseph Wise (Passaic, NJ); two sisters, Kelsea Crockett (Brooklyn, NY) and Latoya Bradshaw (Paterson, NJ); four great-aunts – Lois Smith (Passaic, NJ), Rosalee Neal (Bellevue, NE), Dorothy Crockett (Rutherford, NJ) and Gwendolyn Robinson (Clifton, NJ); two great-uncles – Talmadge Crockett (Hackensack, NJ) and Alonzo Moore (Passaic, NJ); six aunts – Lucy Williams (Castalia, NC), Lillie Hill (Durham, NC) Polly Adu (Union, NJ), Sherry Burton (Wendell, NC), Cornelia Bordeaux (Columbus, GA), Mazell Williams (Brooklyn, NY); five uncles – John Williams (Clifton, NJ), Mack Williams (Fort Worth, TX),Henry Williams (Vacaville, CA), Melvin Williams (Abilene, TX), Herman Williams (Alexandria, VA); two nephews – Jas’mir Taylor and DeShawn Stewart (Paterson, NJ); Godparents – Lillian McKay (Paterson, NJ), Joyce Alston (Louisburg, NC) and Arthur Miller (Clifton, NJ); cousin/brother, Branden Alston (Passaic, NJ); best friend/brother, Justyn Cruz (Orlando, FL) and a host of aunties, uncles, cousins, friends and the Mt. Zion Baptist Church family.

His favorite scripture is found in Psalms 31: 1-5.

Posted in: Faculty and Staff

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

William F. Levine ’53

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LevineWilliam F. Levine, a Nassau trial lawyer involved in at least two cases of national importance and a former president of the Nassau Bar Association, died Monday at his home in Sea Cliff. He was 78.

“The legal community has lost a giant,” said Nassau County Administrative Judge Thomas Adams. “His extraordinary knowledge of the law and gentle demeanor maintained a sense of dignity and respect for the court and those he represented.”

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Posted in: 1950s, Class of 1953

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

Michelle Goldfrank-Cariot ’78

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Goldfrank Michelle B. Goldfrank died December 26, 2013 at her Cornwall-on-Hudson home in the company of friends and family after battling lung cancer. Michelle is survived by James Cariot, her husband for 25 years, sons Ben (34) and Adam(24) and daughter Sarah (19). A loving spouse, mother and aunt to many nieces and nephews she built a warm and welcoming home for all who entered.

Michelle was active for many years with the Cornwall-on-Hudson School’s Kids Club and Drama Programs. She was also a familiar sight in town while working on a ladder at her painting business. We would like to thank friends and family for the love and support she received while battling her illness and the outpouring of friendship from the Cornwall community she was proud to call home for twenty years. Her fearless personality and calming guidance will be missed by all.

Posted in: 1970s

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

Remembering members of the Williston Northampton community