Tag Archives: Class of 1952

Bruce Brown ’52

Bruce BrownIt is with acute sadness that I tell you my beloved husband Dr. Bruce Scott Brown (class of 1952) died in my arms on October 18, 2015.  He’d had a cancerous kidney removed exactly one year earlier, and I thought we were home free, though probably he knew otherwise.  That accursed disease lurks.  Four months later other smaller cancers showed up on X-ray, and Bruce began chemotherapy.  But in the end, it was pulmonary fibrosis that took his life.  To have the one person you love most in the world die in your arms in his hospital bed is sad beyond the telling.

Bruce and I were married when we were but twenty-one years old.  Our wedding pictures show two young people, madly in love, clutching each other’s hand as we, beaming, emerged from the Church.  We were eighteen when we met.  It was love at first sight.  We loved each other so much for so long.  Well, he was a wonderful guy.

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John “Mike” Beever ’52

BeeverJohn S. “Mike” Beever, 83, passed away on December 5, 2015, due to complications from cancer.

Born on July 15, 1932, to Granville H. and Harriet (Shepherd) Beever, he was raised in Sharon, Massachusetts, attended local schools, and then graduated from Williston Academy. At the University of New Hampshire as an engineering student, he first met his future wife, Sarah Jane Andrew. Mike left school to serve his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Upon returning to the States he married Jane in 1956 and finished his degree in Civil Engineering at UNH.

He was employed after graduation at U.S. Steel in Pittsburgh, but then with a growing family moved to Gorham, Maine, in 1961. He worked for a short time at L.C. Andrew Lumber Company, and then bought the C.E. Carll Insurance Agency, which had been named for Jane’s grandfather. The insurance office grew and was successful under his direction for over 30 years. In 1992 his son Jason Beever joined the company and took over leadership as the fourth generation in the family business when Mike retired in 1994.

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Ingrid Hylbom Hetfield ’52

HylbomIngrid Hetfield, age 81, of Ocean View died Tuesday, October 20, 2015 at home. She was born in Colorado Springs, CO and was the daughter of the late Tor and Elizabeth (Hamlin) Hylbom.

Ingrid was a graduate of Northampton School for Girls and Smith College.

Prior to moving to Ocean View she raised her family in Plainfield, NJ where she was active in Twins Mother’s Club and was a Cub Scout and Girl Scout leader.

She had been employed at Fabric Land in North Plainfield, NJ, Hess Apparel in Ocean City, MD, the Rose Garden in Bethany Beach and Good Earth Market in Ocean View. Since December 1971 Ingrid has been a proud friend of Bill W. She was a Master Gardner who was happiest when working in the garden. She was a world traveler who as a child lived in Sweden and traveled across the United States, Canada, Europe, Brazil and Egypt.

She is survived by a son, Walter L. Hetfield V of Milton; three daughters, Betsy Joyner and husband Greg of Burlington, NC, Kathy Magee and husband Bob of Ocean View and Peggy Horner of Moore, SC; seven grandchildren, Grace and Ingrid Hetfield of Rehoboth Beach, Patrick Magee of Concord, NC, Timothy Magee of Ocean View and Caroline, Katherine and Anna Horner of Moore, SC. Ingrid was preceded in death by her husband Walter L. Hetfield IV, her sister Elizabeth Frazer and brother Martin Hylbom and nephew Paul Hylbom.

James Walles ’52

James WallesJames Alton Walles (Jim), 82, passed away peacefully on September 24, 2015, at the Rockingham County Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Brentwood, New Hampshire.

Jim is predeceased by his parents, Harry Alton and Josephine Walles; his loving wife of 46 years, Betsey Walles and his brother, David Vaughn Walles. Jim is survived by his wife, Carole Walles.

Jim and Carole married in Exeter, N.H. on August 5, 2005. Their romance rekindled when Jim tracked Carole down in 2004. They were just as happy together these last ten years as when they were teenage prom king and queen. Jim was very proud of his children, Jane Walles Hall (Steve) of Fort Mill, South Carolina, Robert Alton Walles (Jennifer) of Wen-ham, Massachusetts and Elizabeth Walles Duda (Aaron) of Tega Cay, South Carolina. He also delighted in his grandchildren, Gretchen and James Hall of Fort Mill, South Carolina, Mackenzie and Zackery Walles of Wenham, Massachusetts and Charles, Harry and Josephine Duda of Tega Cay, S.C. His family admired Jim for his intelligence, morals and love for his family.

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Nicholas Veeder ’52

VeederNicholas Schermerhorn Veeder went to live with his Lord Jesus Christ on Sunday January 18, 2015 as he exited his home for the last time.

Nick was born in Schenectady NY on August 2, 1932 to Raymond Bradt Veeder and Emilie Battin Randall Veeder. He was educated in the Schenectady public schools and at Williston Academy, East Hampton, MA. His Associate Degree in Agriculture was earned at Long Island AG. and Tech, Farmingdale, NY. Further years of study were pursued at the University of Georgia, Athens where he met his wife to be Donna Clark Veeder. They were married in Nashville, TN on August 24 1957. Nick received his Bachelor’s degree in Animal Husbandry and Economics in 1957 and his Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics in 1958 at UGA. Further post graduate work in Special Education was earned at College of St. Rose, Albany, NY.

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Frank Lemanski ’52

Frank S. Lemanski, 82, formerly of Paradise Drive, Easthampton, passed away peacefully Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2104, at Genesis Health Care Center in Westfield.

Frank was born Dec. 2, 1931, in Northampton, son of the late Walter E. and Stella (Boltz) Lemanski. He was educated at the former Sacred Heart of Jesus School, a graduate of Williston Academy both in Easthampton, and had attended Springfield Technical College.

Frank was a U.S. veteran of the Korean War.

He was employed for many years at the Douglas Galleries in Deerfield. Frank was a communicant of the former Sacred Heart of Jesus Church for most of his life, and now a communicant of Our lady of the Valley Parish in Easthampton. He was a member of the American Legion Dalton LaVallee Post 224 and had been a Little League coach in Easthampton for several years.

Frank leaves his caring brother Chester Lemanski of Colorado Springs, Colorado; his loving four nieces and nephew, Stella McVicker, Vera Broyles, Carol Breen, Kathleen Bachand and Walter Lemanski; his adored grandniece and nephew Catherine Breen and her friend Matt Thomas and Donald Breen, his wife Christina and their daughter Ella. Frank was predeceased by his beloved siblings Celia Torrey, Stanley Lemanski and Walter E. Lemanski.

Winslow Spofford ’52

Winslow SpoffordWinslow M. Spofford, 80, passed away on Tuesday, November 4, 2014 at UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester.

He was born May 26, 1934 in Holden and was a life-long resident. He attended Holden High School and graduated from Williston Academy in Easthampton. He earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. While at WPI, he was an enthusiastic member of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. He regularly attended high school and college reunions and greatly enjoyed reconnecting with his friends during these times.

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Elizabeth “Betsy” Baxter King ’52

Baxter KingELIZABETH “BETSY” KING, 78, a former teacher, devoted wife, and loving parent and grand-parent, died Thursday, July 18, 2013, surrounded by her loving daughters, Katharine Ann King, Leslie Bryant King and Sandra Dickson King and her grand-daughter, Jennifer King Marks.

Born in Springfield MA, on Aug. 2, 1934, she attended Northampton School for Girls, graduating in 1952 and then went to Wheelock College earning a degree in Early Childhood Education.

She married her hometown sweet-heart, Bill King on Aug. 18, 1956.

Following Bill’s retirement from IBM, Betsy and Bill became part owners of Five Star Travel in Hopewell Junction NY, taking full advantage of all the perks.

In 1989, they moved to Colorado Springs CO, to enjoy the Western life style. Bill and Betsy returned East to Morris CT in 1994, where they enjoyed horseback riding, hiking in the Litchfield Hills, and canoeing. In 1999, they moved to Heritage Village and continued to enjoy travels to exotic lands and wintering in warm places. Following Bill’s death in 2011, Betsy moved to The Quadrangle in Haverford PA to be closer to family. Despite missing Bill greatly, Betsy continued to expand her horizons, traveling solo, organizing bridge games, exploring Phila., joining the iG, getting her ears pierced and even becoming a model. She loved going to Jennifer’s concerts, visiting family and friends and walking her little dog, Tia.

Betsy touched the lives of everyone she knew and will be missed.

Conrad William Fisher ’52

PALM BEACH, FL – Conrad William Fisher, born on June 07, 1934 in Worcester, MA, a resident of Palm Beach, Florida, died on April 24, 2013. He grew up in Worcester and spent his summers in Gloucester.

The son of Rose Mandell and Julius Fisher, both of Worcester, Conrad is survived by the love of his life, Edith Robbins Fisher, presently of Palm Beach and also born and raised in Worcester, where the couple were married on August 25, 1957.

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