in memoriam
Herman and Doris Hassinger at Camp Rockywold.
Herman and Doris Hassinger P’77 ‘78, GP’90 October 25, 2012 Longtime member of the Board of Tr ustees Herman Hassinger and his wife Doris died on October 25, 2012 after being involved in a plane crash en route to a Board of Trustees meeting at the School. They were the parents of two New Hampton School graduates and grandparent of another. A self-employed architect, Hassinger and Doris made their home in Block Island, Rhode Island, and routinely flew in Herman’s plane to the School’s four annual Board of Trustees meetings. “Her man and Dor is were some of the greatest suppor ters of New Hampton School,” said Peter Galletly, Chairman of the New Hampton School Board of Trustees. “Herman was the longest serving trustee on the board and he contributed in so many ways. Herman was the architect for many 86 NEW HAMPTON SCHOOL FALL 2013
of our buildings on campus. He was incredibly generous with his time and thoughtful of the student experience at New Hampton.” Hassinger ser ved the School on the Board of Trustees since 1978. His son John graduated in 1977, and his daughter Elizabeth graduated in 1978.
“He was incredibly generous with his time and thoughtful of the student experience at New Hampton.” – peter galletly ’73 P’09, chairman of nhs board of trustees
New Hampton Head of School Andrew Menke said that Hassinger was a wonderful presence and a consistent voice on the Board of Trustees. “Herman and Doris were wonderful people,” said Menke. “He was instrumental in our adoption of the International Baccalaureate program, and as an outstanding architect, he was
a strong supporter of campus capital improvements. His committed stewardship has helped the school reach unprecedented health. Herman and Doris will be missed greatly, and their legacy will endure forever on this campus.” Board of Trustees Chairman Emeritus Jason Pilalas ’58, who became a dear friend of Hassinger’s, was interviewed by NHPR Radio a day after the Hassingers’ passing, and commented on the legacy Herman’s designs have left on the NHS campus. “ There are some buildings that are well over a hundred years old, and there are some that are one or two years old,” Pilalas remarked, “But they all fit together wonderfully...His hand prints, his foot prints, are just all over this campus.” Hassinger, 83, a retired Coast Guard commander, operated Herman Hassinger Architects of Moorestown, New Jersey. He was known for religious architecture, including work on more than 200 churches. He designed new churches, renovated old ones,