Deceased September 26, 1998
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In Memory
Jon Padgett died on Sept. 26, 1998, after a lengthy illness. This news came as a shock to his Amherst friends who had slipped out of touch with him over the years. Jon’s friend James Gelin ’82 was able to spend time with him and his family during his last days and spoke at Jon’s memorial service in Atlanta about his years at Amherst.
Jon entered Amherst in the Fall of 1980 with a different background from that of most of his classmates. He was older, less sheltered than many of us, irreverent, and slyly cynical ... yet he was one of the least judgmental people I knew. He was interested in people, and he appreciated them. He was a quiet observer, thoughtful and considerate of his friends. With two of his Pratt freshman roommates, Doug Abernathy ’84 and Tim Edwards ’84, Jon joined AD and lived there his sophomore year. We remember Jon for his mellifluous southern drawl, his appreciative smile, his kind and gentle heart, his late nights watching movies on cable, his understated humor, his love of (and broad tastes in) music, his dreams of castles ... Jon left Amherst after that year. Jon, we missed you then and we miss you now.
Betsy Hauser Abernathy ’83