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Esse Quam Videri
The Suffield Bell Volume LXXXIII, NO. 2
Established 1835
March 2017
Will Moryto ’16 by Pat Cordes ’18
Photos from the Moryto family
William George Moryto ’16, brother to Matt Moryto ’18, good friend to many past and current students, and a student remembered fondly by his faculty, passed away suddenly on Monday, January 16, 2017. Will Moryto’s unexpected death shook our community. He graduated last May, along with 113 of his fellow seniors in the Suffield Academy Class of 2016, but his influence reached beyond his classmates and touched a myriad of facets in our community. An honors student, a cross-country runner, wrestler, and baseball player for the Tigers, Will was a valued classmate and teammate. He also was a committed four-year member of our Political Action Club, rising to senior leadership last year, and he devoted four years to our jazz ensembles. Will enjoyed umpiring Little League baseball during his summers, as this gave him the opportunity to teach skills and model good sportsmanship to young baseball enthusiasts. Will was also a young patriot and led the effort to refurbish the town’s Main Street American flag display. In his little free time, Will enjoyed playing guitar, video games, and Airsoft, as well as bodysurfing waves at the beach. Family, friends, and the Suffield Academy family gathered on January 23rd at the Second Baptist Church to honor and celebrate Will’s life. Headmaster Cahn spoke of Will’s kindness and strong work ethic, including
an anecdote about how he went the extra mile to help a customer while working at Staples on a cold winter’s day. “We should remember him for the positive moments he played in our lives, and for being the kind of person who not only helped someone find the (reams of) paper but had the graciousness and thoughtfulness to take these to their car. This kindness is timeless and makes our world a better place.” Brett Vianney ’70, who was Will’s advisor over his four years at Suffield Academy, also spoke during the memorial, remembering Will’s gentle spirit. He explained that despite his quiet nature, Will eventually grew into an assertive, bright young man. Mr. Vianney said, “…it was an honor to be one of Will’s teachers and coaches and, even more importantly, his advisor; I will cherish the memory of Will as a kind, warm, and moral young man who had a wonderful and wry sense of humor.” Will, who was born in Beaufort, South Carolina, was the son of William and Maureen Moryto and brother to Matt. A freshman this year at Stevens Institute of Technology, Will was pursuing his passion for naval engineering, and there, too, he had made his mark. Several of his classmates and the Dean of Students made the trip from Hoboken to be present for Will’s memorial. Representing these new friends, Sara Zakrinski remembered with affection her brief but uniquely memorable friendship with Will, and Raouf Laamed recalled Will’s generosity in the way he opened his dorm room to friends, encouraging them to help themselves to his store of snacks and hang out to talk, listen to music, or play video games. Tatianna Francelj, a childhood neighbor and friend, spoke fondly about growing up together and how, even though she had moved away to Utah, their friendship continued to grow stronger over the years. Our community said good-bye to a promising young man last month, one who we will carry in our hearts as we move forward. The Moryto’s are a true Suffield Family, and we are all praying that Mr. and Mrs. Moryto and Matt will find peace and comfort in understanding how widely Will was loved. He made an important impression on the fabric of our school and will be forever missed and remembered.