NORWICH UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
LIVES
A Light Lost Not a day passes that I don’t think about my friend and former Hill roommate Bill Cryer ’68 BY RICHARD HAYDEN ’68
I
’m writing this remembrance on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day appropriate to pay tribute to a special person who changed my outlook on life and that of many others. Bill Cryer and I were assigned to be freshman roommates and began our Norwich education together in the fall of 1964. We both aspired to be engineers. Bill was the first in his family to attend college, and he was determined to live up to the oppor-
tunity that had never been available to his ancestors or parents. The beauty of a Norwich education is that everyone starts the journey from the same spot. From there, you earn your advancement based on your own merit, capabilities, and commitment. Bill’s determination and his family’s commitment rubbed off on me. We both nailed our academics in our freshman and sophomore years, while passing on the readily available social opportunities and most
extracurricular activities. I also learned to concentrate while Bill practiced his trumpet across our shared desk. We enjoyed conquering the challenges of the Norwich life and had many good laughs about it. We both had steady girlfriends but, sadly, given the social attitudes prevailing at the time, we chose not to go on double dates together. Bill was warmly embraced by my folks and was a guest at our home whenever he needed to escape NU. His wonderful parents became NORWICH RECORD | SPRING 2022
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