In Memorium

IN MEMORIAM

FAYE MOSKOWITZ

First, longtime, and beloved Director of the Middle School, English professor at The George Washington University, and the namesake of “Faye’s Place,” Faye Moskowitz passed away on February 21, 2022. As Burke’s co-founder Dick Roth wrote, “Faye was a super-bright, lovely woman [and] Burke was enriched by her presence.” Siobhan Roth ‘88 P’26 ‘28 added, “She was deeply loved by everyone at Burke.”

According to the Washington Post (April 14, 2022), “She was 35 when she enrolled at GWU, where she graduated and received a doctorate. She pursued a teaching career that did not end until three years ago when she retired from GWU at 88. She started her teaching career at Edmund Burke, then went to GWU, where for 12 years she was head of the English department. She also was chief of the creative writing program.”

In the words of Elise Forier Edie (Eisenberg) ‘81:

“Faye was my everything – and also my 7th and 8th grade English teacher. It is hard to express what she meant to me (and all of us in Middle School at Burke), but her office was a haven. The door was always open. Whether Faye was in or not, I used to go there during my free periods and sit in the big chair by the bookcase, read poetry and short stories, and feel loved and safe. Salinger, Updike, O’Connor, Hughes. Roethke, Frost, Cummings, Angelou. Music, laughter, wisdom, solace. You could get it all at Faye’s Place. She encouraged my writing and always pushed me to do better.

“Years later, I dedicated my first published play to her. It was the least I could do. I can’t imagine writing anything without her influence. Faye was that rare and wonderful teacher who changes lives. Many of us, her students, went on to become teachers themselves, including me. I think it is our best tribute to Faye, that we wanted to be the same kind of role model she was – honest, wry, loving, magical, wise, and fun.”

14 \\ 1968 Edmund Burke School Magazine Marcus Lakeefe Gaskins passed away in February 2022. According to his classmates, “as a member of the Class of 2010, he contributed to the life of Burke in many ways – being in the leadership program, playing basketball, and more. His presence was always larger than life. He had a positively infectious laugh and a smile that could light up any room. He was a fabulous friend and loved with his whole heart. He will be dearly missed by his classmates, family, teachers, and more.”

Sean Grogan ‘75 and his therapy dog, Jethro, welcomed students and adults back to campus following the shooting on April 22. Both his thoughtfulness and Jethro’s cuddles were greatly appreciated. Sean is among the few high school graduates to have spent two years at the old Wyoming Avenue campus and two years here on Upton Street.

Rebecca Payack ‘97 writes, “I only attended for the last third of my junior year and entire senior year. Despite the short amount of time there, I made life-long friends, incredible memories and learned so very much from the incredibly caring and empathetic teachers and staff.”

Betsy Wright ‘98 and ‘80s hard rock band Bat Fangs played venues around the Mid-Atlantic this past spring, including the Black Cat here in DC.

Annie Flanagan ‘04 is a photographer rooted in the documentary tradition; their work was recently featured in “The Inner Pandemic,” the New York Times’ coverage of the nationwide mental health crisis amid Covid.

CLASS NOTES