Walter H. Monteith, Jr. '52

After suffering a devastating stroke, Scotty Monteith died February 14, 2006, at Yale-New Haven Hospital, leaving his wife, Jane; daughters, Deborah (Michael) Neubert, Diane (Michael) Marino and Karen (Charles) Flynn; and grandchildren, Kimberly and Michael Neubert and Matthew and Christopher Flynn.

Scotty served in the army during the Korean action, briefly with Addressograph Multigraph, and spent the rest of his business career at Southern New England Telephone (SNET), rising to chairman/CEO.  In addition, he served on boards of Yale-New Haven Hospital, Fleet Bank, Kaman Corp., Connecticut Economic Development Corp., and following up his performances as a masquer, Long Wharf Theater.  He earned honorary degrees from Albertus Magnus College and the University of New Haven.  Perhaps more important and more reflective of Scotty’s community involvement were awards from Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce, United Negro College Fund, Quinnipiac Council Boy Scouts, National Human Relations Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews and several others.

We remember Scotty for his prowess on the track, cheerleading, guitar, piano and singing and a number of performances at Kirby.  His story telling, with sound effects, will not be forgotten by those fortunate enough to have heard the narratives.  We also will not forget the services Scotty did for “the Fairest” while trying to get us to include the College in our retirement plans and our wills.

In the ’52 Pickup, Scotty wrote that on coming to Amherst, he was shocked by “how many incredibly bright people were gathered together in one place and how so many of them excelled at so many things with so little apparent effort.”  We can recall one who excelled that way—it was Walter H. Monteith, Jr.  He also mentioned his “obligatory drive off the first tee on Pro-Am day” of the Canon Greater Hartford Open.  Assuming Scotty drove with the same incredible gusto he used to lead the Class in singing “Wheaties,” then that ball undoubtedly flew all the way from Hartford to Amherst.

—Richard W. Clarke, Jr. ’52