Remembering members of the Williston Northampton community

Tag Archives: Williston Academy

I. Charles Feldman ’57

April 27, 2015 jpilgrim 1 Comment

I. Charles Feldman, of Shavertown passed away Saturday, April 18, 2015, surrounded by his loving family.

Charles was born in Wilkes-Barre on March 29, 1938, the son of the late Samuel Feldman and Rebecca Leibman Feldman.

He attended Wyoming Seminary Preparatory School, and graduated from The Williston Academy in Easthampton, Mass., and was a dedicated alumnus to both schools throughout his life. Charles donated to the Annual Fund at Williston for 57 consecutive years! He was also a proud and loyal alumnus of Middlebury College in Vermont, where he took great pleasure in wrestling, debate, the Snow Bowl, and fraternity life as a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon.

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Posted in: 1950s

D. Gordon Halstead ’35

April 17, 2015 jpilgrim 1 Comment

D. Gordon Halstead, of North Branford and formerly of Guilford Connecticut, died Sunday, April 12 at the age of 96 at Yale New Haven Hospital.

He was the devoted husband of Virginia Carpenter Halstead. Ginnie and Gordon were married for over 68 years. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on August 30, 1918 to Vera and Paul Halstead, Gordon grew up in New Canaan, Connecticut. He attended Williston Academy and then graduated from Phillips Exeter in 1936. Gordon was a member of the class of 1940 at Harvard College, where he captained the varsity lacrosse team and was a member of the varsity soccer team. He also was a member of the Pi Eta Club, and starred in many of their theatrical and musical productions.

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Posted in: 1930s

James Gillchrest, Jr ’45

April 17, 2015 jpilgrim Leave a comment

James A. Gillchrest, Jr., 88, died peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family, on Wednesday, April 1, 2015. Born in Thomaston on Nov. 28, 1926, he was the son of James, Sr. and Eva Demuth Gillchrest. He began his education in Thomaston, and later graduated from Williston Academy in Northampton, Mass.

Following high school, Jim enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving during World War II. After being honorably discharged, he attended University of Maine at Orono, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1949. While at UMO, Jim was a member of the Phi Eta Kappa Fraternity.

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Posted in: 1940s, Class of 1945

Robert Ceely ’48

March 23, 2015 jpilgrim Leave a comment

Robert Ceely was born in Torrington, Connecticut and grew up in Longmeadow and Williamstown in Massachusetts.

He attended the Pine Cobble School (?—1945), Williston Academy (Class of 1948), Hobart College (1948/49), the New England Conservatory (Class of 1954) where he studied with Francis Cooke. Further studies were with Darius Milhaud and Leon Kirchner at Mills College where he earned the degree of Master of Arts (1961), and with Roger Sessions. Edward Cone and Milton Babbitt at Princeton University (1958/59).

In 1963-64 he worked in the Electronic Music Studio in Milan as guest of The Italian Government. His compositions include solo, chamber, and orchestral music as well as music for tape alone and tape with instruments. His ballet “Beyond the Ghost Spectrum”, with choreography by James Waring commissioned by the Fromm Music Foundation, was performed at Tanglewood in August, 1969, with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting. His opera” Automobile Graveyard”, after a play by Fernando Arrabal, was presented at the New England Conservatory in 1995.

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Posted in: 1940s, Class of 1948

H. Tucker Machette ’51

March 16, 2015 jpilgrim Leave a comment

H. Tucker Machette died at home surrounded by his family on March 7, 2015 at 7:43 pm.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife of 58 years, Terry Wingate Machette; his children Marc and Liz Machette, Piper and James Sleight, Jill Wooldridge and seven grandchildren Morgan, Deven, Sawyer, Wyatt, Penn, Tucker and Gabby.

Tucker was born on June 6, 1932 in White Plains, NY. He attended Williston Academy before graduating from Pleasantville H.S. and went on to play football at Lehigh University where he earned a B.S. in 1959.

He worked as a National Sales Manager at ITT Rayonier until retirement.

Tucker was a man of broad interests and many of his passions live on in his family. An accomplished skier, he was a member of the National Ski Patrol; every summer weekend he could be found on his beloved sailboats. He loved camping in Maine with family, dining out for a fine meal, baking elaborate desserts, EVERY one of his dogs and cats, renovating his 1884 house, UConn Women’s basketball, and telling irreverent stories.

Posted in: 1950s, Class of 1951

Patrick Archbald, Former Faculty

March 9, 2015 jpilgrim 21 Comments

Patrick Wodrow Archbald passed away Friday, March 6, 2015, at the age of 80.

He was born in Pottsville, PA, on March 17, 1934, to parents Wodrow and Jane (Suender) Archbald. Pat attended local schools and The Gunnery in Connecticut before graduating Cum Laude from Yale University in 1956 with a BS in Civil Engineering. While at Yale, he was a member of the Crew Team. He married Ellen Morrison of Pottsville in that year, and began work as a civil engineer for Bechtel Corporation in California.

After several years, and two relocations, Pat and his growing family moved back east where he began a 30-year career at Williston Academy in Easthampton, MA. While at Williston, Pat taught chemistry and physics, and over the years held positions as head of the science department, varsity lacrosse coach of both the men’s and women’s teams, and supervisor of Williston’s summer school, among other duties. Pat retired in 1991, and moved to Damariscotta, ME. He spent the last three and a half years of his life happily at Loomis House in Holyoke, MA.

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Posted in: Former Faculty

Gus (Pietraskiewicz) Peters ’70

March 5, 2015 jpilgrim Leave a comment

Gus Peters, 62, of Strong Road, Southampton, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, died suddenly Sunday, March 1, 2015, at the Holyoke Medical Center.

Gus was born June 16, 1952, in Northampton, and was the son of the late Stanley Pietraskiewicz and Frances (Swiatek) Pietraskiewicz. He was educated at the former Sacred Heart of Jesus School and was a graduate of Williston Academy in 1970, continuing his education at Franklin and Marshall College, Greenfield Community College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst receiving his bachelor’s degree in Spanish with a minor in business in 1978.

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Posted in: 1970s

Stephen King ’41

March 5, 2015 jpilgrim Leave a comment

Stephen B. King, age 91, a North Chatham resident since 1989, died Feb. 14, 2015 at Cape Cod Hospital, after a brief illness.

He was the husband of Helen L. King. Mr. King was born in Northampton, MA where he attended Smith College Day School followed by Williston Academy prior to graduation from Deerfield Academy. He went on to MIT from which he graduated in 1947 with a degree in chemistry, after serving in the U.S. Army and attending the Coast Guard Academy. During his stay at MIT, he was a member of Theta Delta Chi Fraternity, the vice president of his senior class, the commodore of the MIT Sailing Association and the president of the Intercollegiate Sailing Association.

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Posted in: 1940s, Class of 1941