Deceased November 20, 2007

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In Memory

Bill Smith died Nov. 20, 2007, after a lengthy illness. He was eighty, born April 9, 1927. He was the consummate, taciturn gentleman.

I first met him in the spring of 1948 on the tennis court with the freshmen tennis team. It consisted of several good players, but Bill was considerably better than any of us. We both pledged AD, which enabled me to know this quiet, kind, mature man considerably better. He was older than the rest of us. He had served a year or so in the US Navy and explored the big time tennis circuit with other tennis stars of the day, while attending William and Mary College.

We all remember Bill as one of the best tennis and squash players in New England. In squash, he was New England’s Intercollegiate Champion at least once (I think twice) and, I believe, runner-up once. His tennis record was equally outstanding, losing no more than a match or two a year versus the best players in New England’s major colleges. In 1950, he was the New England champion in both singles and doubles.

In the spring of our sophomore year, Bill offered to help me learn to play squash (after Coach Wilson thoughtfully let me know I would see very little playing time on the basketball team). He was a great teacher. In our junior and senior year, thanks to his ongoing help, I played No. 5 and occasionally No. 4 on the squash team.

I visited him in the fall of 1953 where he was living and working and playing very little (if any) tennis. Thus, I was surprised to learn he had accepted the squash-tennis coaching position at Amherst and was going to start soon. That lasted two years. Thereafter, he obtained his masters in math education from Rollins College. Following that, he taught math at Newport School for Girls at Newport, RI, for three years. I believe his need for mental illness help at this time, or shortly after, took him to a mental health facility in Topeka, KS. Bill spent most of his adult life there, where he dedicated himself to community service in education and mental health. In 2005, Bill received the Outstanding Board Member Award for years of “tireless devotion, support, giving and guidance as a founding member of Breakthrough House, Inc. 1978 – 2005.” Bill also served on the boards of the Kansas Coalition of Mental Health, was the recipient of the “Stuart Frager Award” for community leadership in the cause of mental health, and the Chamber of Commerce “Topper Award” for contribution to the quality of life in Topeka.

I spent our 25th-year Reunion with him. I’m pretty sure it was the only one he attended. He told me of his volunteer work in Topeka. We thoroughly enjoyed the Reunion.

In our last two years at Amherst, he roomed with Bill Hawkins who was his very close friend and best man at his wedding, which included John Keydel, Steve Miller, Brooks Keffer, Jim Balmos ’50, and me as groomsmen.

Bill was one of Amherst’s all-time special athletes and a kind, generous man. I really regret not finding a reason to visit Bill in Topeka these last thirty years or so. He is survived by his kid brother, David; his daughter, Ann Christine Woodruff; and his two grandchildren.

Tom Bloor ’51