Inspiration for Our School, Our Students, & Our Future
See page 8.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Karen Mitchell Brandvold ’82; P’16, ’17, president
Phyllis Rothschild P’20, vice president
Kana Norimoto P’26, secretary
David Stone ’76, treasurer
Robert Achtmeyer ’97
Pamela Amusa ’06
Katherine Beede P’16
Melissa Bois P’22
G. Randall Chamberlain ’79
Cyrus Daftary P’25
Chris Davey P’10, ’16
Peter DeFeo
Brit Dewey P’26
Hise Gibson P’24
Courtney Cox Harrison ’83
Kiyohiko Hirose ’94; P’22
Bradford Hobbs ’82
Robin Jones P’25
Jessica Knapp ’99
Greg Lauze ’00
Douglas Long P’15, ’18
Bruce MacNeil ’70; P’04
David Mazza ’01
Michael McLaughlin P’23, ’23, ’25
Catie McMenamin ’97
Peter Myette P’00, ’03
Chuck O’Boyle ’82
Devin O’Reilly P’24
Jason Saghir P’19
Taylor Sele ’02
Edward Steinborn P’23
Richard Tyson Jr. ’87
HONORARY TRUSTEES
Lucy Crocker Abisalih ’76
George Chamberlain III P’79, ’81
Albert Gordon Jr. ’59
EDITORIAL TEAM
Beth Crutcher, director of advancement
Caitlin O’Brien P’26, director of advancement
communications and special projects
Anne O’Connor ’78
Joseph Sheppard P’93, ’94, retired faculty
Editorial Council
Sarah Chadwick, parent program and development manager
Prudence Glover, program manager for alumni advancement
Tonya Kalmes, director of development and annual giving
Ben Rogers ’02, director of alumni advancement
Angela Stefano, editorial consultant
Layout/Design/Production
Dale Cunningham P’13, graphic designer
Photography
Jonathan Gotlib, associate director of communications
Bob Perachio
Adam Richins
A Case and a Mission From Founding to Future
FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL DAN SCHEIBE P’23
Any time is a good time to remember our mission, but as we anticipate the next year or two — amidst construction, disruption, and some necessary self-promotion — it seems especially worth keeping the school’s mission close to heart. Here’s the part I’m repeating in my own mind: recognizing you for who you are and who you want to become.
We are very clear in focusing the “you” on our students in our day-to-day life at Lawrence Academy. However, it is sometimes also important to recognize the Academy itself for “who it is” and “who it is becoming.” To that end, a school’s mission is its reason for being, its purpose, and the energy revealing a future vision.
In promoting “the Case” for our recently revealed Shine Brighter Campaign (see page 8), I have found that “the Case” is not simply a catalog or summation of fundraising goals. It is a case for the mission-based reason for being of the school itself. What I have come to recognize is the profound contribution our foundation makes to our mission.
We were founded to use education to empower humanity to improve society. Simple as that. The seeds of our fully developed, fully elaborated mission are found in the rationale for having an Academy in immediately post-colonial Groton in the first place. Accordingly, the language of our founding is “pro-social” in a surprisingly lyrical, current way.
Phrases like “the happiness of community” and “an enlightened people,” along with the repeated use of the term “for all,” may
be several centuries old in their Lawrence Academy coinage, but they resonate with a school today that creates space for students to shine in their own light and in the light of others.
We can, we will, and we must “Shine Brighter” institutionally so our students will shine brighter individually and collectively. Our own mission to grow and thrive as a school will be (and can only be) fulfilled in the flourishing of our students. The student experience is the proof point and the case.
This journal is filled with the normal, beautiful activities of school life: arts, athletics, academics, stories, memories, efforts, accomplishments, visions. What this moment of growth and promise in the school’s history has taught me is to see founding intentions and future visions in even the most ordinary activities on campus.
It has also taught me to test ambitions against their actual effects on student experience. Yes, we will raise money and build buildings. Those efforts will strengthen our campus and our business model. But if there is not a confident, thriving student ready to engage the world with purpose as our end, we have not fully honored our mission or realized our vision.
With that said, I am not only confident in the direction we are taking, I am inspired. Inspired by our school, inspired by our students, and inspired by our reason for being since 1793.
Dan Scheibe, Larry Atkins ’25, and Veronica Fortune ’26
Kayla Nguyen ’25
Mya Lambert ’26, Chad Billingsley ’26, Dawit Hawgood ’25, Sophie Zimmerman ’25, and Hillary Frederick ’25 (front)
Fall Parent Events
FALL FAMILY WEEKEND
Lawrence Academy opened its campus on Oct. 18 and 19 for Fall Family Weekend, which allowed families and loved ones a chance to experience life at LA and get to know their students’ teachers, advisors, and friends. Campus was buzzing with excitement as families joined their students for classes, meals, advisory conferences, and games.
FALL CLASS DINNERS
Lawrence Academy’s traditional Fall Class Dinners give families the opportunity to meet new friends, reconnect with old ones, receive updates about the school, and learn what to expect from their students during the year. This year, in addition to dinner on the Park House lawn, parents were treated to a special presentation on the Community Commons project.
COMMUNITY HOLIDAY PARTY
On Nov. 21, Lawrence Academy’s Parents’ Association and Alumni Council co-hosted a holiday party for the LA community for the second year at East Meets West at the Exchange in Boston’s Seaport District. Attendees enjoyed a night of socializing and rang in the holiday season with good food, drinks, and LA cheer.
FACULTY AND STAFF APPRECIATION
Parent volunteers went above and beyond to celebrate LA’s faculty and staff on Valentine’s Day. The Media Conference Center was beautifully decorated, and all employees received a floral arrangement made by a parent, a handwritten note from a student, a gift card to a local establishment, and a chance to win amazing raffle items.
Student Spotlight
Behind the scenes in the arts, academics, and athletics at LA
by Caitlin O’Brien P’26
Four Lawrence Academy students recently attended the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Civic Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. The conference brought together high school students from across the country to build knowledge, develop strategies, and hone leadership skills to make a positive impact.
Each attendee of the project-based conference selected a track that affects their home environment: climate change, poverty, civic engagement, or mental health. The LA students chose civic engagement, to focus on campus safety and how the traffic on Route 119 (Main Street) negatively impacts the community. Despite the crosswalks and associated lights on Route 119, irresponsible and distracted drivers often do not stop for pedestrians, so there have been many close calls and dangerous encounters. Several Lawrence Academy dorms and playing fields are across the street, so the problem is particularly concerning for students, faculty, and staff.
When the students returned from the conference, they surveyed their peers and school employees, seeking their feelings about safety along Route 119 and their experiences with crossing the road. They have shared their thoughts and data with the school’s administration and plan to meet with town officials next.
“This trip taught me the importance of helping those in my community and advocating for what is right!”
According to legend, Macbeth is a cursed play. During its first performance (which took place around 1606), the actor playing Lady Macbeth died suddenly, so William Shakespeare himself had to take on the part. Other rumors of disaster include real daggers being used in place of stage props — causing the onstage death of the actor playing King Duncan — and an 1849 riot initiated by a rivalry between actors, which led to at least 20 deaths and more than 100 injuries.
Luckily, Lawrence Academy’s Fall 2024 production of Macbeth — the school’s first Shakespearean production since As You Like It in 2014 — was decidedly uncursed. According to Theatre Director Anthony Giovino, the “problem-free and drama-free production was the opposite of how it could have gone and is a testament to the hard work of LA’s students.” The production’s student actors were excited to take part: Lily Hogan ’26, who played the first witch, says she was “excited about doing Shakespeare because it’s something I haven’t done before.”
“For students like me who are looking to act after LA, it’s good to have a broad set of experiences,” Lily adds. “It was the first time many of us were in a Shakespearean play, and you could really see everyone enjoying themselves while growing as actors.”
Mr. Giovino says he encourages his students to look beyond the stylistic differences between Shakespeare’s plays and more modern works and connect the words to their meaning. Charlie White ’25, who played Macbeth, says he found it “actually a lot easier to remember Shakespeare” than to
“The students were able to identify the ‘balance between metaphors and grounded truth’ but also found ways to make the production funny.”
- Anthony Giovino
remember lines in other productions “because it’s written like a poem or a song. There’s a beat to it, and some of it rhymes.”
Mr. Giovino says the students were able to identify the “balance between metaphors and grounded truth” but also found ways to make the production funny. “The cast found light within the darkness,” he adds, “and without levity, the tension, shock, and intense emotions of the script would be too much.”
The cast also helped ease that darkness by performing a unique interpretation of a traditional post-play dance, which serves as a transition from entertainment to reality. The choreography included references to other dark works, including Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music video and Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. The upbeat song they performed to, Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night,” brought light and celebration back to the stage.
Lily Hogan ’26
Charlie White ’25
SPARTANS MEET WITH THE AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
For five years, Lawrence Academy’s Astronomy Research Team has picked through NASA’s archives, hunting for donut-shaped clouds enshrouding distant black holes. They recently hit the jackpot, and in January, 10 students traveled to Washington, D.C., to present their work to the American Astronomical Society.
With help from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Dr. Varoujan Gorjian, an expert on active galactic nuclei (AGN), the students used a technique called “reverberation mapping.”
Active galaxies contain “supermassive black holes, surrounded by a disc of plasma and gas, and then dust around that,” explains Charlie White ’25, a member of the Astronomy Research Team. “We know what wavelength each part of the
AGN emits: the accretion disc is going to emit optical, whereas the dusty torus is going to emit infrared. We try to cross-correlate the changes in brightness to determine the length of time between the spikes. Because we understand how far and fast light travels, we can determine the size of the AGN.”
The Astronomy Research Team had to bring analytical skills and imagination to a challenging data set that Dr. Gorjian describes as “at the level of first-year graduate students.” Science teacher David Strasburger explains, “Doing authentic science is dramatically different from taking a class. We don’t know the outcome in advance, but worse, we don’t even know what the right tools are.”
“The work provided an opportunity to help students engage with data in a more open-minded and nuanced way,” Mr. Strasburger adds. “This is not a canned project, and I hope it works. But if it doesn’t work, that’s research. For my students, that’s mind-blowing.”
“Doing authentic science is dramatically different from taking a class.”
- David Strasburger
The Astronomy Research Team
A SEASON OF “GREAT, POSITIVE ENERGY” FOR LA CROSS COUNTRY TEAM
by Caitlin O’Brien P’26
Lawrence Academy’s 2024 cross country season was about more than running. According to Head Coach Nate Gartner, “It’s not just about four years in high school, or even running throughout your life. It’s about being a better person. It’s about perseverance and teamwork — qualities you look for and hope kids hang onto long after they graduate.”
Over half of the 2024 season’s team was new to the sport. “The ratio of new and returning runners was good for the team,”
Coach Gartner says. “The older and experienced students had the opportunity to help mentor and support the younger runners, who, in turn, were able to learn from their peers.”
Adds Assistant Coach Pam Bishop, “From newcomers to our seasoned four-year seniors, every runner made consistent progress throughout the season. Their determination, heart, and resilience were evident in everything they did. What stood out most, however, was the unwavering support they showed one another.”
At the DIII New England Cross Country Championships, held at Canterbury School, three LA athletes placed in the Top 20 and received All-NEPSAC honors: Alex Colangelo ’25 (took 11th), Lucas Miller ’26 (took 20th), and Kate Tarr ’27 (took 14th).
Kate was also named All-ISL for the season and broke the Lawrence Academy cross country team record.
“It was my first time running, and I really enjoyed the season. I made a lot of new friends and loved the team culture, even though it’s an individual sport,” Kate says. “Mr. Gartner pushes us every day to do our best, and he always brings great, positive energy!”
With only two seniors graduating, LA’s cross country team is well poised to have another successful season in 2025.
“Being on the cross country team this fall was an unforgettable experience. Even when we faced challenges, such as bad weather or not having enough runners for a complete scoring girls team at most meets, we always pushed each other to give our best on every run. Coach Gartner (and his orange hat) is always there to guide, encourage, and foster a supportive environment.”
- Nicole Fallon ’27
The Cross Country Team
Alex Colangelo ’25 signing his letter of intent to run cross country at Union College
LA LAUNCHES $52.5 MILLION SHINE BRIGHTER CAMPAIGN
Dan Scheibe and the Lawrence Academy Board of Trustees have officially announced a campaign for $52.5 million to advance Lawrence Academy’s mission of transformative education. The fundraising initiative, referred to as the Shine Brighter Campaign, was revealed at a celebration held at Raffles Hotel in Boston on Jan. 23, to a group of 90 members of the LA community.
In comments given at the event, campaign co-chairs Chris Davey P’10, ’16 and Peter DeFeo described the opportunities
presented by the fundraising initiative, the largest in the school’s history. Both shared personal stories about the impact of LA on the lives of their family members. Board of Trustees Chair Karen Brandvold ’83; P’16, ’17 also addressed the gathering, challenging the community to invest in the generations of students to come. Their remarks and more details about the campaign can be found at the Shine Brighter link featured at the top of the school’s website.
L-R: Peter DeFeo, Dan Scheibe ’23, Karen Brandvold ’83; P’16, ’17, and Chris Davey P’10, ’16
To date, alumni, parents, and friends have contributed more than $50 million to Shine Brighter to ensure that LA continues to empower the school and its students to thrive, both now and into future generations. Though crucial planning and execution began prior to 2020, we have entered the critical closing, public phase of this campaign that will build our future.
Contributions will support the core practice of the school’s mission: Recognizing, Inspiring, Supporting, and Empowering the next generation of thinkers, leaders, and doers. The financial objectives are organized to promote each of the primary tenets of the mission.
Recognize: Shine Brighter for Who Our Students Are Goal $8,500,000
• Raise funds for financial aid
• Strengthen campus life initiatives that build a just, inclusive community
• Grow our total restricted and unrestricted endowment to secure our future vision
Inspire: Shine Brighter for Who Our Students Want to Become Goal: $23,500,000
• Build our Community Commons — a gathering place for day students, boarders, faculty, and staff to eat, meet, and be together
• Renovate and modernize the Lawrence House dormitory
• Preserve and enhance our campus as a foundation for learning and inspiration
Support: Shine Brighter for Knowledge and Learning Goal: $16,000,000
• Sustain annual fund growth to fuel excellence in the full student experience
• Grow the endowment to strengthen learning support and advisory programs
• Fund faculty and staff professional development and training
Empower: Shine Brighter for the Greater Good Goal: $4,500,000
• Increase endowment funding for programs including Winterim and community service
• Raise unrestricted funds to increase program excellence in the existing and future life and work of the school
To learn more about Shine Brighter, visit: www.lacademy.edu/shinebrightercampaign or contact Director of Advancement Beth Crutcher at bcrutcher@lacademy.edu.
SUPPORT SHINE BRIGHTER
WITH PLANNED OR BLENDED GIVING
What is a planned gift?
Planned gifts are contributions arranged for in the present, but fulfilled at a future date. Here are a few examples:
• Name Lawrence Academy as a beneficiary of a retirement or life insurance account.
• Create a Lead Trust, which provides LA with regular payments. At the end of the trust period, the remainder goes to your beneficiaries.
• Include LA in your will and provide a remainder percentage or a specific amount to the school.
What is a blended gift?
A blended gift allows for flexibility to fund the commitment with current and future assets — for example, a current gift of appreciated stock and a future gift from your Donor Advised Fund.
What
are the benefits?
• Deferred contributions allow you to give generously without reducing current liquidity.
• Planned gifts frequently provide tax benefits to you or your heirs.
• Many donors find the flexibility of using future assets allows them to leave a substantial gift — a legacy — to an institution they care about deeply.
Why now?
• Your gift will go further! A current donor has pledged 15 percent on every dollar raised up to $2 million.
• The value of your total planned or blended commitment counts toward naming opportunities. From support of the new Community Commons to a Faculty Professional Development Fund or financial aid, we will work with you to identify a meaningful allocation and recognition program.
• We need you. Your giving inspires others — enhancing LA’s culture of philanthropy and helping us Shine Brighter for generations of future students!
For more information, please contact Beth Crutcher at 978-448-1566.
WHY I GIVE
“It all comes down to people. The people who helped shape me during my time at LA had a profound impact on my life. There are too many to list, but specifically Charlie Corey P’17, ’20, Sean Sheehan ’87; P’22, ’24, Chris Margraf P’24, ’27, and many more helped prepare me for college and the world at large. In addition, some of my longest-standing friendships stem from classmates during my time at LA. Those relationships last a lifetime. I lost touch/engagement with the school for many years, and the reason I reengaged with LA is again the people. I felt that the current leadership at LA has a vision for the future that resonated with me. They were not afraid to point out areas where LA can improve but also acknowledge areas of strength that we can lean into. To me, the idea of playing a small part in strengthening and improving LA for future generations is exciting.”
GREG LAUZE ’00 trustee
Spartan Leaders Serve in Many Ways
by Caitlin O’Brien P’26
The Spartan Leader program is the backbone of Lawrence Academy’s student experience. Chosen through a competitive and rigorous selection process, the juniors and seniors who become Spartan Leaders take on visible roles in campus life and are expected to be actively present and engaged throughout the school year.
Spartan Leaders serve as role models by upholding all Lawrence Academy rules and the school’s honor code, fostering mutual respect and cooperation across campus and helping ensure the safety and wellbeing of their peers. Ella Hanson ’26 became a Spartan Leader to be “more active on campus and have a bigger role in the community,” she says. “When I was a freshman, the Spartan Leaders made me feel like LA was my home. I want to do the same for new students.”
Spartan Leaders are engaged in various capacities across campus, including facilitating new student orientation, planning and leading weekend programs, addressing student concerns, and organizing group activities. In addition to providing a service to the community, Spartan Leaders receive special opportunities, including CPR training, leadership development workshops, and involvement in campus decision-making. Hillary Frederick ’25 says she “appreciates the chance to develop leadership qualities in an academic setting.”
Derek Schlupf ’25 most enjoys the relationships that come from being a Spartan Leader. “It all starts with orientation,” he explains. “You get to meet new people and help them get adjusted. And then you can give them support all year long.” Derek also serves as a dorm proctor, so last school year, he lived and worked with ninth graders, many of whom he knew from orientation.
“The ninth graders and I built a bond early on, which allowed us to be great together as dormmates,” he says. “I was able to help them transition to dorm living and served as the voice between the students and the dorm parents. Being a Spartan Leader has helped me talk with all different kinds of people and really engage in important conversations.”
Assistant Dean of Students Kimberly Poulin P’18, ’21, who manages the Spartan Leader program, hopes that the students who participate can rely on the skills they’ve developed long after they leave LA. “I want all of our Spartan Leaders, past, present, and future, to have a better understanding of who they are as leaders and how they can use their leadership to positively impact other areas of life,” she says.
“Being a Spartan Leader has given me a broader understanding of people’s backgrounds and how those experiences can help them or challenge them in their time assimilating to LA.”
– Jacob Misner ’26
Group of Spartan Leaders in MacNeil Lounge
Joey Hodnett ’25, Ava Glab ’25, and Merina Peabody ’25
Eden Jones ’25, Mya Lambert ’26, Kaci Clark ’25, and Bella Levin ’25
Jacob Misner ’26, Mikey Villani ’26, and Jake Fahey ’26
Two LA Graduates Seek the Truth one in the laboratory, one in court
by Joe Sheppard P’93, ’94
A Voice for the Evidence
“I’ve always loved science,” says Rebecca (Webster) Boissaye ’94. “Mr. Wooding’s and Mr. Serach’s classes at Lawrence sealed the deal for me — I knew I wanted to do science!”
A biology major at Northeastern University –– and a lifelong reader of crime novels — Rebecca returned to her native England to earn a master’s degree in forensic science from London South Bank University, where she was able to intern with the fingerprint bureau at the City of London police. She and her then-boyfriend Tony Boissaye, now her husband, spent two years in London, which enabled Rebecca to spend more time with her family while she studied.
When Rebecca’s internship ended, jobs were hard to find, and Tony didn’t want to return to his native France, so they decided to move back to Boston, where the newly minted forensic scientist got a job in the DNA unit of the Massachusetts State Police. After two years there, in 2009, Rebecca joined the crime lab at the Boston Police Department — “I was living in Boston, and it was a better commute and everything,” she says — and has worked her way up to her current role as a criminalist IV in charge of casework within
“I’ve always loved science. Mr. Wooding’s and Mr. Serach’s classes at Lawrence sealed the deal for me — I knew I wanted to do science!”
- Rebecca (Webster) Boissaye ’94
the DNA Unit. Rebecca is also Boston’s CODIS (Combined DNA Index System, the national DNA database) administrator.
“In the DNA unit,” Rebecca explains, “we test all types of biological substances. Because it’s a small lab, I have been trained in all aspects of DNA testing, so I’m pretty much qualified in everything DNA related that we do here. I’m also qualified in processing crime scenes. That’s a really interesting part of the job.
“The work is not quite as glamorous as the TV shows,” Rebecca continues, “but it’s so fascinating! Even though we do the same thing in the lab, every case is unique. Sometimes it’s straightforward; it’s easy to get a profile from blood, for example. Other times, it’s really complicated. I work a lot of cold cases, and sometimes you have to do a lot of troubleshooting to make sure you can even generate a DNA profile.”
The future of forensic DNA is exciting and constantly evolving, and the potential to go back and solve crimes that are 30 or 40 years old and provide closure for families is one of the main reasons why Rebecca loves her job. Her least-favorite part, she says without hesitation, is testifying. “It’s kind of nerve-wracking, but I’ve testified over a hundred times now … so my confidence on the stand has grown immensely since I started … I’ve had very easy testimony, and then I’ve been screamed at in the courtroom by the defense yelling, ‘Mistrial!’ I’ve had the full spectrum of it.”
Rebecca notes, with quiet pride, that the BPD detectives can always reach out to her regarding anything related to DNA. “They consider me an expert, and I’m always here to help,” she says.
The hours are long, and the work is often stressful, but Rebecca knows she is giving back to the world in a way few people can: she is a voice for the evidence. “I do love it,” she says. “I think it’s the most rewarding career, and I feel so fortunate to have gone into it.”
Rebecca (Webster) Boissaye ’94
What does Rebecca do to unwind when she gets home to Tony and their two kids? “I’ll spend the day at work and then go home and watch the murder shows and all that crime-solving stuff! I love watching these shows!” she admits with a broad smile. “My husband says, ‘Don’t you get enough of that at work?’ ‘Clearly not!’ I say.”
Victoria (Stabile) Bouvé ’12
by Joe Sheppard P’93, ’94
The Right to a Good Defense
When Victoria (Stabile) Bouvé ’12 starts talking about her work as a public defender in Philadelphia’s huge court system, her face lights up and the excitement in her voice is palpable. The hours are long and the job is often misunderstood by the public, but she loves it, she’s very good at it, and she plans to stay with it for a long time.
A pre-med student at Northeastern University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus on healthcare management, Victoria had planned to work toward a Ph.D. in psychology. However, when she did one of her required co-ops at Duke University, Dr. Thomas J. Farrer, a professor of neuropsychology, became a mentor and convinced her to go to law school. Victoria remembers him telling her, “There’s a lot you can do with a J.D. You have the skills and the mindset, and you’d be perfect for it, and you’d enjoy it.”
Fairness and Justice for All
The “mindset” to which Dr. Farrer was referring is a combination of empathy and compassion — and the love of a good argument! While working in neuropsychology, Victoria was frustrated by how little could be done for patients, many of whom had dementia or had suffered serious head injuries. “Basically,” she explains, “the job was to give them the best advice on how they could adapt. That wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to do more for them. I wanted to help them.”
Dr. Farrer pointed out to Victoria that her frustration would only continue to grow in the healthcare field, but as an attorney, her natural tendency to advocate would help her thrive. That convinced her — Victoria was accepted into Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law. She wasn’t sure where she would end up from there, but her first internship, in the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office, proved revelatory. Victoria found a role model in the DA, whom she calls “visionary,” adding, “He puts the community first, and he upholds the highest ethical obligations for his prosecutors. I have found him very admirable.”
“I think every person deserves to be advocated for and fought for the way that I would fight for them when their life and liberty are on the line.”
Juris Doctor degree finally in hand, Victoria interviewed for a job as a Philadelphia public defender — “the most grueling interview of my life!” she admits — and has worked in that role ever since. She is an assistant defender, and at this point in her career, she tries only misdemeanor cases, such as simple assault, retail theft, and DUIs. However, her office is going to sponsor her return to law school for an LLM, a master’s degree in trial advocacy, which will provide added training that will further develop the skills Victoria will need to try felony cases and more in the future.
- Victoria (Stabile) Bouvé ’12
But as much as Victoria loved working in the DA’s office, she admits, “Something was just a little bit lacking for me, and I didn’t know what it was … I felt like I was missing a piece of the puzzle.” Her next internship, at the public defender’s office, handed her that missing piece. Under the supervision of an attorney, Victoria, as a law student, was able to represent clients in preliminary hearings and misdemeanor trials. “I loved it,” she says with a big smile. “I literally just did it to check a box on my path to figure out what I felt was missing and explore something I really didn’t have experience with, and I really loved it!”
Why did Victoria become a public defender instead of remaining with the DA or going into private practice? Her omnipresent smile broadens and her tone brightens as she takes a deep breath, then says: “I do this job because I really enjoy it. I don’t think that someone should have to have a lot of money to have a good defense. I think every person deserves to be advocated for and fought for the way that I would fight for them when their life and liberty are on the line … It’s not a question of whether someone’s guilty; it’s a question of whether the state can do what they need to do to prove it — and even if my client is found guilty, I want my client to feel like I did everything I could for them, because every person in that courtroom is looking to prosecute them, to put them behind bars, to point at them, to find them guilty. And I think that every human being deserves to have someone
Law & Order, FBI, and Victoria gave them up when she started her job. “I do not need any more criminal justice in my day-to-day
The people she helps find justice, whatever it may mean to each one, couldn’t be in better hands than those of Victoria
The Fred C. Gray Building, Then and Now
by Joe Sheppard P’93, ’94
As Doug Frank ’68 recounts in his book The History of Lawrence Academy at Groton 1792 – 1992, the Gray Building had an immediate and profound impact on life at Lawrence Academy when it opened in 1949, a year after the laying of its cornerstone. New athletic and dining facilities greatly relieved crowding, and a common room — named for Trustee Malcolm F. MacNeil — provided an inviting and comfortable place for meetings and social events. The trustees even had their own place to gather.
The Gray Building was the first of the four brick edifices that form today’s Quad. The Schoolhouse followed in 1957, replacing the old school building, which had been destroyed by a fire in the spring of 1956. Sheedy Hall, a dormitory on the south side of the Quad, was built in 1962, and Ferguson followed five years later. Sheedy graced the Quad for barely 40 years before being demolished in 2001 to make way for the Ansin Academic Building.
but the plaque bearing the word “Trustees” on the door to the right is gone, replaced by a newer one that says “Men” — a concession not merely to the needs of male visitors but also to the fact that today’s 32-member Board of Trustees might find the space a tad confining!
Our hypothetical 1965 alumnus would be comforted to see that MacNeil Lounge is still there, its imposing fireplace intact, though its comfy chairs and couches are long gone, currently replaced by dining tables. He’d glance into the dining hall and no doubt be surprised to see a cafeteria line on the left. While the round tables look like the ones he remembers from his LA days, he might notice with a twinge of nostalgia that the unique chandeliers that once lit the room (not very well) are gone, replaced by more efficient, if less attractive, lighting.
Our hypothetical 1965 alumnus would be comforted to see that MacNeil Lounge is still there, its imposing fireplace intact, though its comfy chairs and couches are long gone, currently replaced by dining tables.
An alumnus from, say, the Class of 1965 might feel disoriented upon entering the Gray Building today, for like most of the buildings at Lawrence, it has been transformed, remodeled, and repurposed to meet the school’s changing needs. The ladies’ room on the left of the lobby is still there,
If this alumnus then headed to the stairs, to visit the gym where he played basketball for Richmond Baker, he would be left wondering where the wooden plaque over the double doors — and the doors themselves, for that matter — has gone. “Kids these days!” he’d mutter. “Don’t they set the cause above renown anymore? Don’t they love the game beyond the prize?” But he could explore the wonderful arts and music facilities that now occupy the space, then go downstairs, past the squash court off the landing, to the lockers and showers on the
Scenes from basketball games and graduation in the Gray Building gym
right; to the training and wrestling rooms on the left, with Mr. Grant’s office in between; and, finally, to the stock room at the far end of the corridor.
“What’s all this?” he’d ask himself. Art rooms and arts offices — facilities that simply didn’t exist in his day — now occupy the whole lower level. And the squash court has disappeared, its floor built up several feet to become part of the present-day photo lab. It would have still been there if he had returned for his 10th reunion back in 1975, but at that time, if he looked left from the squash court, he would have seen the first girls’ locker rooms, carved out of basement space when the school returned to co-education
in 1971. The girls entered the area from the stairway on the rear of the building.
Suppose our loyal alumnus returns to campus in a couple of years and decides to have another look at the, to him, “new” Gray Building. He will look in vain for the familiar old dining hall — it won’t be there anymore, having been sliced off the back of the building to make way for the magnificent Community Commons that he’s been hearing about for the last few years!
“Beautiful,” he’ll say. “I wish I was 16 again!”
MacNeil Lounge back in the day
Renovations and Improvements at Stone Athletic Center and LA South
Changes in the Stone Athletic Center have resulted in a modern home for the Lawrence Academy Spartans. The lobby sets the tone, with a new, digital Hall of Fame display, interior color and furnishings creating a welcoming, collegiate atmosphere.
by Anne O’Connor ’78
LA Athletic Hall of Fame
A colorful, interactive kiosk occupying one wall is the new Lawrence Academy Athletic Hall of Fame, replacing an array of plaques. The touch screen allows students and visitors to see team photos, information about recent titles and championships, basketball players with more than 1,000 career points, track and field records, and details on LA’s six Olympians. The kiosk is an efficient way to keep and display the school’s athletic records, and updating is easy and will require no additional wall space.
Basketball Courts
Wellness Opportunities
In the first major renovation since the completion of the Stone Athletic Center in 1993, its basketball and volleyball courts will be brought up to current Independent School League standards. A redesign of the existing floor space will extend one court by 10 feet, to 94 feet, and the second court will be outfitted with retractable basketball hoops, allowing varsity and JV games to be played simultaneously when a new curtain is in use. The layout will also allow for additional space in front of the current bleachers.
The same space can also be converted into three practice basketball courts or three volleyball courts. The space is in demand on campus: LA’s basketball program boasts four boys’ teams and two girls’ teams during the winter sports season, three girls’ volleyball teams use the space in the fall, and recreation and pickup games also take place from time to time.
The smaller court, with its batting cage, will continue to be a multi-use space.
All renovations will occur with little impact on students. The courts will be sanded, painted with new graphics, and refinished over the summer.
Changes big and small continue at LA South, which is currently home to Lawrence Academy’s Health Center and a yoga studio. (Robotics and wellness classes also use the building.) By Fall 2025, a new weight and conditioning room will be installed in the same building for team use. In addition to new equipment, new flooring will provide heavy-duty mats for weights, a smaller area of turf for agility, and flooring better suited for yoga. These changes will give the LA community better access to equipment for their own fitness and wellness journeys, as the weight and cardio rooms on the second floor of the Stone Athletic Center will be available for non-team use.
Championship trophies on display
Back to Her Former Glory
by Joe Sheppard P’93, ’94
“We had the opportunity to do something special with the Waters House property,” says OMNI Properties partner John Amaral, speaking of the company’s 2019 purchase of the former Lawrence Academy dorm. “It’s at the gateway to Groton Center. You drive by the beautiful LA campus on Main Street, and you see the town common looking right to Waters House at the end. We wanted to preserve that view. The whole idea was: Let’s bring back the Waters House. Let’s make it special again — bring it back to what it was, say, in the 1800s.”
Back she is, her new gray paint accentuating the lovely dentil molding and elaborate millwork, formerly obscured by an all-white exterior. Inside, the beat-up boy’s dorm rooms have been transformed into six bright and sunny one and two-bedroom apartments, each with its own deck and high-end kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Newly insulated, the building features all-electric heat and custom-made insulated windows that match the originals. The creaky old floors are now handsome hickory; the tin ceilings have been restored and preserved, as have the fireplaces, now fitted with electric logs. Paint covering the mantels was removed, revealing the original faux marble popular in Victorian times. In some places, exposed brickwork and rough-hewn beams add to the character of the apartments.
Miss Waters’ home is nearly filled with new occupants. “People are coming here for a lifestyle,” Mr. Amaral explains. “They can walk to everything in town — the library, the rail trail, The Groton Inn, Forge & Vine, the Bancroft Castle. And it’s half a mile by new sidewalk to the driveway of the Groton Hill Music Center. People love the walkability!” With a smile, he adds, “We wanted to restore the old lady to her former glory.”
Stop and give her a good look the next time you’re in town. You’ll agree — she is, indeed, glorious.
Inking the Stars
Lily Jarnryd ’19
by Anne O’Connor ’78
For almost three years, Lily Jarnryd ’19 has made a career pursuing her passion for tattooing. Her work made news in November 2024 when actors Zendaya and Tom Holland came into Boston Tattoo Company on Newbury Street to get discreet tattoos: a T for her and a Z for him. Zendaya’s mother, Claire Stoermer, also got inked at the same time. Lily was the artist who tattooed all three.
Lily credits her time at Lawrence Academy with giving her confidence in herself and her passions, which helped her pursue what brings her joy. “I was surrounded by insanely talented classmates and teachers that really loved to spend one-on-one time with each of us, encouraging challenge and growth,” she says. It’s important to Lily that art similarly enables others to find both identity and freedom. A tattoo, she says, “is a beautiful and permanent way that will forever remind you of who you are.”
After LA, Lily went to Auburn University in Alabama and found herself in a poor mental space because she wasn’t pursuing something she had deeply loved since childhood. “I knew I had to drop everything and just jump back into it,” she says — so, she did. Now, she says, “Every day I leave work with my stomach hurting from laughter and a full heart from collaborating with strangers and coworkers to create meaningful art.”
A Drive to Draw
Kevin Weaver ’20
by Anne O’Connor ’78
Recent college graduate Kevin Weaver ’20 is ready to start his career. With a BFA in illustration from the University of Hartford, he has the drive and determination to do the work to place his comic, sports, and portraiture art online and in magazines and newspapers. Kevin has good credentials beyond his degree, too: His illustration “Returning to the Worlds of Physical Music” earned third place in the Society of Publication Designers’ 2024 Student Competition.
When Kevin entered Lawrence Academy, art was something he enjoyed — a lot — but the Sudbury resident admits that making it a career “never even crossed my mind.” During his sophomore year, Kevin says his art teacher, Dina Mordeno, “absolutely reignited my love of art.” He took an honors art class as a junior, and other teachers continued to encourage him. Student shows at the end of his junior year and experiences during the fall of his senior year allowed Kevin to transition his mindset toward his art and his future, but after the COVID pandemic began, there were no more shows at LA for the burgeoning artist.
These days, Kevin is busy getting exposure for his work and contacting publications that mesh with his interests. As for more schooling? “I feel I have a lot to do on my own before I go back,” he says. You can see Kevin’s artwork at kevinweaverart.com and on Instagram at @kevinweaverart.
Fighting Poverty
Kris Ansin ’03
by Anne O’Connor ’78
Kris Ansin ’03 is the Kenya country director for TechnoServe, a global nonprofit fighting poverty with business solutions. “I love it, and I’m enjoying life and community in Kenya,” he says.
Leading a team of 200 people, Kris works with international corporations, governments, and funders to support smallholder farmers and small enterprises with access to markets, finance, and training to strengthen livelihoods and opportunities. Among other initiatives, he and his team help coffee farmers adopt regenerative agricultural processes, create job opportunities for Kenya’s youth in the coastal (blue) economy, and work in the informal retail sector to boost business sustainability and increase access to nutritious food in low-income communities.
Before joining TechnoServe, Kris advised NGOs and nonprofits around strategy, operations, and sustainability. He also previously served as the executive director for Mali Health, an organization focused on maternal and child wellbeing in West Africa.
Although he is thousands of miles away, Kris maintains close ties with New England. He married Julie Salerno, from Newton, in 2024, and his half-sister, Libby ’27, attends Lawrence Academy. Kris believes their late grandfather, Ron, a former LA trustee and generous philanthropist who died in 2023, is smiling down at the family’s continued engagement with LA and in trying to make a positive difference in the world.
TOP 3 REASONS TO GIVE TO THE LA FUND
Each year, gifts to the LA Fund play a role in limiting tuition increases and support the rich programming critical to the LA experience.
1. It’s for our students. By contributing to the operating budget, your gift to the LA Fund supports every student every day.
2. It’s for the faculty and staff. Your contribution supports the work of our educators, whose tireless devotion impacts students in the classroom, in the art studios, on the playing fields, and beyond.
3. It’s all because of you. Every LA founder gave what they could so that education would be available for the entire community. For more than 230 years, giving has been a powerful tradition responsible for the continuity and expansion of LA. Band together and pay it forward!
You make the difference. Please support the LA Fund.
Have questions about the LA Fund or want to share a story about why you give? Please call Tonya Kalmes, director of development and annual giving, at 978-448-1577, or email tkalmes@lacademy.edu.
Alumni Gatherings
Hello LA Alumni,
No matter where you are in the world, the Lawrence Academy network is here for you.
Whether you connect on social media, attend or host an event, or volunteer for the school as a class liaison, reunion ambassador, alumni council member, or trustee, it is your involvement that makes a difference.
So far this year, we’ve held alumni events in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Denver, Colo.; Naples, Fla.; San Fransisco, Calif.; Stamford, Conn.; Madrid, Spain; Littleton, Mass.; Boston, Mass.; and here in Groton. Interested in helping to coordinate or host an event?
Email me at brogers@lacademy.edu.
Go Spartans!
Ben Rogers ’02, director of alumni advancement
ANNUAL CUSHING HOCKEY GAME
HAPPY HOUR IN LITTLETON, MASS.
GATHERING IN DENVER, COLO.
FAMILY SKATE AT GRANT RINK
Alumni Class Notes
1959
Theodore Maxant ’59 is still chairperson of Maxant Industries, which manufactures honey processing machinery and ships worldwide. At LA, he played hockey for four years under Mr. Grant and baseball, also for four seasons, under Mr. Baker. He was editor-in-chief of the 1959 yearbook.
Winter residents of Still River, Mass., Theodore and his wife, Tina own a seaside home in St. Maarten and winter there, where it is 85 degrees every day. Theodore plays golf and tennis, and Tina volunteers for the animal welfare society. They take their two chihuahuas with them.
Theodore attends the annual pre-Christmas hockey tournament at Groton School or LA every year.
1961
Randy Whitehead ’61 and Jamie Cogliano ’01 surprisingly met up in Los Angeles, Calif., for a wedding of mutual friends and discovered they were both Lawrence Academy graduates as well as Spartan wrestlers.
1970
Richard Ellis ’70 writes, “After almost fifty years in the music business as artist, writer, label executive, entrepreneur, TV producer, manager, producer, and tour promoter, I have finally, thank God, retired and am living by the water in Marina Del Rey, Calif., with my dog, Buddy.
“That’s all, folks …”
1972
Howard Bronson ’72 reflects, “How terribly strange to be seventy. Simon and Garfunkel got that one right; it seems like just yesterday we were bounding across campus, full of energy, chasing dreams, and now — well, we’re nearly as old as recent presidents. Zip! — time flashed by, and far too many of our classmates have taken their final reunion to the heavens.
“But we’re still here. So what now? Do we simply settle in, play with the grandkids, and gradually nap our way to eternity?
“Newsflash: Seventy is the new forty — only wiser. Life has taught us too much to fade quietly. Sure, we don’t run like we used to, but we can still move. My body may not conquer ski slopes or hiking trails like it once did, but my hands still pound a keyboard, and my mind? Still sharp, still searching, still creating (at least, I think so).
“Last year, I had a couple of serious health scares. They passed, miraculously. And that woke me up. Instead of dwelling on how fast time has sprinted past, I started dissecting it — like a film editor scrutinizing scenes, looking for meaning in the frames of a life well-lived. From that, I conjured up a list of about 60 life lessons: some joyful, some painful, but all valuable.
“And so, I set a bold goal: to write 60 books. Some will be masterpieces; I’ve been lucky before. Some will be “mouseterpieces.” But I will share what I know, so that when that final bolt strikes and I’m just a fading name on a weathered stone marker, maybe some insight I took the time to write will inspire someone years after I’m gone. To me, that is the definition of eternity.
“Each of you has a story to tell. Hard-earned wisdom that this world, desperate for healing, desperate for guidance, needs. So tell it. Write it. Speak it. Pass it on. Don’t just be another photo on campus walls. Stand out! Because in the end, my old cross country running mate Bertie Simms ’72 had it right: ‘You gotta run ‘til you die.’”
1975
Eric “Harry” Reisman ’75 sent this update: “It has been a busy year for me, with the highlight being the publication of my first book, The Boys from the Bronx. It is the true story of my father and his group of boyhood friends that stayed together for a lifetime (over 70 years of friendship). My father saved over 100 letters from the 1940s and 50s that tell their amazing story of brotherly love and how their friendship lasted through WWII, marriage, children, and moving apart. I am very excited about it. You can find the book on Amazon, and you can see my first podcast interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZJBnd8sqy4.
Have a note to share in the Fall 2025 Academy Journal? Forward info and pictures to pglover@lacademy.edu.
Jamie Cogliano ’01 and Randy Whitehead ’61
“The other big news was welcoming in our third grandchild and first grandson in May! I love being Saba (the Hebrew word for grandfather).
“While I do have a monthly contribution, I am looking forward to being on campus to donate my time in the classroom. My hope is to talk about my book to different classes as the book covers many areas: English, history, and group dynamics and leadership. I would encourage anyone that is able to donate your time to LA.
“I’m looking forward to our 50th reunion!”
1979
Jeff Moore ’79 writes: “After a career in corporate property tax consulting, and over 10 years as principal with Ryan LLC, I retired in 2023. Upon my retirement, my wife, Lisa, started a floral design business. We have called Austin, Texas, home since 2005, and we're evaluating where we want to be next. We raised three boys and currently have one grandson. We’ve recently been traveling extensively across the U.S., Canada, and abroad, enjoying many adventures, and spending time with family in Colorado and Massachusetts.”
1982
Fred Williams ’82 writes: “After 37 years at schools, 22 as head, I am retiring in June of 2025. This is bittersweet for sure, as there is no better career than education. I am blessed to have been at four phenomenal schools across that time span (and to have grown up at and attended another phenomenal one — LA), but now life offers new opportunities. My wife, Marcia, and I start our retirement off with a four-month around-the-country camping trip. If anyone is on our route and interested in a round of disc golf, a hike, a paddle, or a beer along the way, let us know.”
1986
Erik Baker ’86 sends this update: “After 36 years in law enforcement, I have retired! I have taken a job with MaineHealth as the director of security for the coastal region.”
1987
Heather (Shaff) Beaver ’87 sent this: “I wanted to send an update on my adventures in racing my road bike, where I’ve been finding a lot of unexpected success and enjoyment.
“After winning my age group (women’s 50-54) in the 2022 Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb, I entered a few Gran Fondos to see what I could do. (‘Gran Fondo’ is an Italian phrase
that translates to ‘big ride’ — it refers to rides, in this case, races, of about 100 miles.)
“I was excited to win my age group in the 2022 Vermont Gran Fondo (VTGF), 100 miles of riding, including racing up four Vermont gaps: Appalachian Gap; Lincoln Gap, Middlebury Gap, and Brandon Gap. To my surprise and delight, my age group win at VTGF qualified me for USA Cycling’s Gran Fondo National Championships!
“I competed twice at Nationals, which were held in Frederick, Md., winning second in my age group in 2023 and fourth in my age group in 2024 (the photos are from 2024). I’ve qualified again for this year (2025) but have decided not to enter, as I want to give my body a bit of a break. I’ll be racing shorter distances closer to home, with ‘Crank the Kanc,’ a hillclimb time trial up the Kangamangus Highway, first on my calendar for May 2025.
“Women are underrepresented in bike racing. If any women out there love biking and want to connect to learn how they can get into it, please feel free reach out to me anytime.”
1994
From Rebecca (Webster) Boissaye ’94: “Valerie (Cheney) Nygren ’95 met up with me and my kids, Austen and Lil, in the UK for a week last summer. We had so much fun seeing the sites in London, Bournemouth, and Edinburgh.”
Rebecca Boissaye ’94 with her family and Val Nygren ’95
A happy Heather (Shaff) Beaver ’87 on her ride
Alumni Class Notes
2000
Abby Myette ’00 writes: “I recently launched the second season of my podcast, Loud Women. This has been a really fun passion project outside my day job. I’ve been able to combine my love of history, reading, and telling stories. My hope for listeners is to spark new ways of thinking about women they already know about and to introduce them to incredible women they have never heard of before. People can listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and follow along on Instagram @LoudWomenPodcast.”
2001
Rob Finnerty ’01, currently host of the morning show Wake-Up America on Newsmax, a conservative cable channel, will host a new primetime program called Finnerty, starting Oct. 8. “Ever since I got here,” says Rob, “Newsmax has kept growing and growing, which is amazing for this industry. This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I am so grateful to Newsmax and its team, led by CEO Chris Ruddy.”
“Rob has demonstrated success in our morning show and connects with our audience in a powerful way, and we believe he will continue that success in primetime,” Ruddy said in a statement.
2004
Matt Kilfoyle ’04 and his wife, Laura, welcomed their first child, Piper Doherty Kilfoyle, on Dec. 13, 2024. Everyone is happy and healthy, and they look forward to Piper’s campus tour in 2037!
2008
From Adèle Borden ’08: “After nearly 10 years in Los Angeles, I will be moving to Salzburg, Austria, to produce documentaries at Red Bull! It will be a big change from life in California, and I’m
grateful to be making the move with my husband, Alfredo, and our dog, Harpswell. If any LA alums find themselves in the area, give us a shout!”
Chris Dickson ’08 writes: “My wife, Emma, and I welcomed our son, Oakley, into the world in September. I also began a new career as a backcountry avalanche forecaster for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, working for the state of Colorado to provide public safety information for backcountry recreationalists. This year, I also celebrate my 10th year living in Telluride, Colo.”
2010
Current LA French teacher
Jessica DeVito Elowe ’10 and Joshua Elowe ’11 were married on Feb. 10, 2024, in a small wedding in Greenville, Maine. Meg Lewis ’10 was the officiant, and the wedding party included Lia Wickerham Bryan ’10, Ben Elowe ’07, and Bryce Stocks ’11. Kara McLaughlin Stocks ’10 gave a reading. ’It’s about damn time!” said Josh’s grandmother.
2011
Kelly McGrath ’11 sent this note: “After years of experience in the interior design industry, I took the leap and went full time with my own firm, Studio McGrath, in 2024! Drawing on my background in art history and studio arts, I specialize in creating refined, approachable spaces tailored to my clients’ lifestyles. Helping clients bring their vision to life and create homes that feel both beautiful and deeply personal is truly a dream come true.
“If you’re looking to refresh your space — or just love design — I’d love to connect! You can find me at www.studiomcgrath.com or follow along on Instagram at @studiomcgrath.”
Laura and Matt Kilfoyle ’04 with Piper
Jess ’10 and Josh Elowe ’11
Kelly McGrath ’11
Abby Myette ’00
Rob Finnerty ’01
Alumni Class Notes
2013
McKayla Blanch ’13 and Brendan Doyle were married this summer on Nantucket.
L-R: Meghan Joumas ’13, Madeline Groves ’13, Jillian Thero ’13, Brendan Doyle (Groom), McKayla Blanch ’13 (now McKayla Doyle), Inez Dolan ’13, Victoria Hanson ’13, Kathryn Davis ’13, and Katherine Melvin ’13.
2015
2016
Erica Christiansen ’16 and John Dolan were married on Oct. 26, 2024.
2020
Bridget Walter ’20 graduated from Colorado College in May 2024, majoring in education and international relations. She spent the 2023 winter/spring semester in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Bridget is now serving in the Peace Corps/Colombia, assigned to an area in the Andes near Colombia’s largest lake, Lake Tota. She will be teaching bilingual education in Cuitiva, as the area’s first Peace Corps volunteer.
Have a note to share in the Fall 2025 Academy Journal? Forward info and pictures to pglover@lacademy.edu.
L-R: Max Runci ’15, Jake Rainer ’16, Will Noel ’15, Nic Mauro ’15, Evan Dahl ’15, Ben Stone ’15, and David Pyne ’15
Ben Stone ’15 got together with classmates in Park City, Utah, for a ski trip this past Jan.
IN MEMORIAM
Ted Madfis ’45 of West Hartford Conn., passed away on Jan. 24, 2024, at the age of 96.
Upon his graduation from LA, Ted joined the U.S. Army Air Force, and served our nation during the final year of World War II. Honorably discharged, he entered Lehigh University, graduating in 1950 with a bachelor's degree in economics. Ted joined his brothers in their father's two meat packing businesses, North East Packing Company and Somerville Packing Company, in Somerville, Mass.
Ted was always active in civic, business, political, and Jewish causes. While his children were attending elementary school, he served as president of the PTA, created the Halloween fun house, and was a Boy Scout leader for his son Michael’s troop. He served as president of the New England Wholesale Meat Dealers Association, and as president of B’nai B’rith Market Lodge. He was an active member of the Massachusetts Citizens for Limited Taxation.
Ted was an avid reader, especially of history and biography. Once his eyesight diminished in his 90s, he began listening to recorded books provided by the Connecticut Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind. Ted had a brilliant and active mind and remained interested in community and national issues. While he had strong opinions, he always enjoyed an intellectual discussion with anyone and always listened with deep consideration.
In addition to Lila, his wife of 72 years, Ted is survived by three children and their families, including several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Yoshinao (Yoshi) Nakada ’54 passed away peacefully in New Jersey at the age of 90 on Dec. 5, 2024, of natural causes.
Yoshi was born in Osaka, Japan, and grew up in Tokyo. At the age of 16, he moved to the United States alone, embarking on a journey after World War II with only $20 in his pocket. He won a scholarship to study at Lawrence, and went on to earn an A.B., an M.S., and a Ph.D. in applied physics from Harvard University.
Yoshi spent most of his career at Bell Labs in New Jersey, where he contributed significantly to the field of engineering. Notably, he helped establish the Bell Labs Tokyo branch in the 1990s.
Though he was a skilled engineer, Yoshi had a deep passion for the humanities. He loved poetry and often shared how Shakespeare and William Blake had profoundly enriched his life. Philosophy was another passion, and his favorite undergraduate course at Harvard was Humanities 4: The Problems of Good and Evil, taught by Professor Phillip Rhinelander. Yoshi also had a great sense of humor and delighted in making people laugh, often through elaborate April Fools’ pranks involving creative costumes.
In a letter to his family, to be opened after his death, Yoshi wrote: “A loving wife, three loving and successful children, eight grandchildren. What more can one ask? My life was happy and full.”
Yoshi is survived by his beloved wife, Anna Nakada, as well as his children, grandchildren and sister, Toyoko Koseki.
Captain Arthur Whittemore ’54, a revered maritime pilot and distinguished leader in Boston's nautical community, passed away peacefully on July 31, 2024, surrounded by loved ones. Arthur dedicated his life to the sea, a passion that began early and continued through his remarkable career.
After graduating from Lawrence, Arthur attended Tufts University before enlisting in the U.S. Navy Submarine Service aboard the USS Blenny (SS-324). After his service, he worked for the W.D. Whittemore Milk Company but found his true calling through an apprenticeship with the Boston Harbor Pilots. He spent 12 years learning the craft aboard the schooners Pilot and Roseway before becoming president of the association, a position he held for many years.
As president of the Boston Pilots, Arthur’s leadership was pivotal in safely guiding vessels through Boston Harbor's challenging waters. His expertise was also crucial in significant legal matters, and his commitment to maritime law and safety was steadfast. His career was marked by numerous awards and accolades, and he was deeply involved with various maritime organizations.
Arthur is survived by a daughter, five grandchildren, and a daughter-in-law. He was predeceased by his wife, Teresa (Rooney); his sisters Judith Roberts and Diane Sweeney; his brother Lewis Whittemore; and his beloved son, Joseph Whittemore.
Jerome (Jerry) Scott ’59, 83, passed away at home in Jamestown, R.I., on Jan. 17, 2025, with family and friends by his side.
At Lawrence, Jerry was an All-New England lacrosse player, later inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. After graduating from Bates College, he enjoyed a long career as an investment advisor for financial institutions, including Drexel Burnham. Upon retirement, he was immersed in the Jamestown community, where he lived full time for 25 years. He served as president of the Taxpayers Association of Jamestown and volunteered on the Jamestown Affordable Housing Committee and the Fire Department Compensation Committee.
Jerry had a rare ability to bring joy to any situation. He was naughty yet kind, fun yet deeply thoughtful, endlessly curious, giving, and, above all, loving. His life was forever enriched by his love of 45 years, Prim Bullock. At their first Christmas together, Jerry had Prim wrap her own present (a red union suit), and their adventure began.
In addition to Prim, Jerry leaves eight children, 13 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents and a sister, Lee.
Robert Charles Anderson ’61, “a monumental figure” in the field of American genealogy, whose “influence … is vast — perhaps incalculable,” died on Feb. 17, 2025, at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., from a heart attack. He was 80.
After graduating from Lawrence, Bob earned an A.B. at Harvard College, and, after military service, master’s degrees from the California Institute of Technology and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1965, “joining the Army Security Agency and spending nearly two years in Monterey, Calif., learning Russian,” he wrote.
During his years at Caltech, where he earned an M.A. in biochemistry, Bob became interested in the ancestry of his father’s mother, Katherine Gay Anderson, who was born in Prince Edward Island in Canada and was a descendant of John Gay, who had migrated from England to Dedham, Mass., by 1634. “This led me to the study of genealogy, which, to my total surprise, is exactly what my mind was intended to do,” he said. During the 1970s and 1980s, he quickly established a reputation as a meticulous, rigorous genealogical researcher and scholar, whose goal, as he told his Harvard classmates, was “the elevation of genealogy as a serious academic discipline.” In 1978, he was elected as a fellow of the American Society of Genealogists, of which he later served as president. He was also a co-editor of American Genealogist and an editorial consultant to the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, as well as the author of many important books on genealogy.
A resident of Jaffrey, N.H., in recent years,, Bob was the oldest of seven children. He is survived by five siblings, including Betsy Anderson Fowler ’74, and Barbara Anderson Brammer ’75, as well as by 11 beloved nieces and nephews. His youngest brother, Bruce J. Anderson ’73, predeceased him.
Basil Chigas ’65 of Acton, Mass., passed away on Aug. 29, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. He was 76. A graduate of both Hobart College and Northeastern University, Basil enjoyed a diverse career path that included working in studio production at WGBH-TV, working with his wife on their peach farm in Lincoln, Mass., selling solar systems, and, finally, enjoying almost 40 years as a financial advisor, nearly 20 of which he proudly worked side by side with his son, Nicholas. Basil was appreciative of the relationships he built with his clients and their families over the years.
While at WGBH, Basil met his future wife, Dia (Wasley), who was a prop girl on a Greek cooking show. Proud of his Greek heritage, he would complain to her about the recipes because he
felt they lacked the Greek ingredients of his family recipes from the mountains of Pyli, Greece. In an attempt to show Dia an authentically Greek meal, Basil invited her to his apartment for a spanakopita (the first and last pita he ever made for her) on their first date. She moved in immediately, and they became engaged two weeks later at a clam shack in Bar Harbor, Maine. They were married on Sept. 6, 1975, in Nantucket.
Of all his accomplishments in life, Basil was most proud of the family he and Dia raised in their 49 years of marriage. His death will leave a hole in the lives of everyone who knew him, and he will be terribly missed by his four children and four grandchildren, as well as by his goldendoodle, Obi.
When thinking about how he wanted to be remembered, Basil stated, “Above all else, he loved his family.”
Thomas Cason IV ’84, a longtime resident of Hudson, N.H., passed away peacefully on Feb. 22, 2025, surrounded by his family. He was 58.
Tom grew up in the Billerica and Pepperell areas, often riding his bike after school to help in the family business, Cason Saw and Tool in Lowell, founded by his father in 1974. Tom joined the family business after graduation from Lawrence, working tirelessly to build and grow it, and acquired full ownership with his wife Laura, in 2004. Tom’s work ethic, determination, and tenacity are fully recognized by the successful businesses Cason’s Equipment and Cason Power Solutions, which he proudly owned and operated with his team of dedicated staff of over 25 employees.
In addition to his loving wife, Tom leaves his parents; four children and their families; a niece; and one sister. He also leaves many beloved aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, in-laws, and countless dear friends and neighbors.
Former LA faculty member Clark “Chuck” Duncan died peacefully at his home in North Andover, Mass., on Dec. 30, 2024. He was 86. During his five years at Lawrence, 1963-1968, he taught Spanish and U.S. History; coached football, hockey, and baseball; and did admissions work. He and his wife, Rennie, were dorm parents in Spaulding Hall, which in those days was for seniors only. After the Duncans left LA, they moved to Milton Academy, where Chuck worked in many capacities before retiring in 1999.
In addition to Rennie, to whom he was married for 63 years, Chuck is survived by three children and their spouses, six grandchildren, one great-grandchild, a sister, a sister-in-law, and numerous nieces and nephews.
