Deceased April 12, 2013

View alumni profile (log in required)
Read obituary
25th Reunion Book Entry

In Memory

Don Scribner died of cancer on April 12, 2013. The third of 10 children, he graduated from Mountain Lakes (N.J.) High School, where he played football and basketball and was a member of the National Honor Society. At Amherst he majored in math, earned a varsity letter in basketball and was a member of the rugby club and Delta Upsilon.

Upon graduation, while military service awaited him, he spent a few months on the beaches of Hawaii with friends from college. Then he served in Vietnam in the 101st Airborne Division, earning a Bronze Star, an Air Medal and a Combat Infantry Badge.

After his military service, Don earned a master’s degree in teaching at Webster College in Missouri. He married Sandy Webster in 1971 and had three children: Peter, Karen and Brad. As we grew, he was an enthusiastic coach and ever-present spectator at our various athletic events.

Don taught math and coached basketball at Vashon High School for six years, then began work as an actuary for General American Life Insurance (later bought by MetLife). Except for 18 months at Tillinghast, Nelson & Warren, he spent his entire actuarial career at GA/Met Life, retiring as CFO of a product line and a vice president of the company. Determined to retire by the age of 58, he accomplished this goal by retiring one month shy of his 59th birthday.

In family matters, work or even on the golf course, Don was as even-tempered as they come. Honesty, integrity and humility were hallmarks of his character. He spent his retirement enjoying his grandchildren (Jack, Caroline, Taylor, Cami and Barret), traveling, taking piano lessons and playing golf at Persimmon Woods Golf Club, where the flag was flown at half staff in his honor the weekend following his death.

Peter Scribner

25th Reunion

When I reflect on my days at Amherst, my memories are bittersweet. I recall fond memories of many of the non-academic portions of the Amherst Experience - sharing leisure time in the good company of new friends, connected by the common bond of shared experiences, not the least of which was being thrust into a totally new, dynamic environment, away from the comfort and security - the familiarity - of home/family/friends.  New routines were established. Fall games at Pratt Field followed by Saturday night parties. Sundays vegetating in front of multiple football games on TV, or perpetuating the timeless Russell/Chamberlain debate  during a Celtics game. Lively discussions over meals in Valentine. On the academic side, the curriculum was challenging, with courses sometimes inspiring, sometimes less so (to this day I haven't a clue what it was I was supposed to have gotten out of freshman English.)  Classes were opportunities for knowledge, but often represented something to be gotten out of the way, to allow the pursuit of «real" life. Which brings me to my regrets. I feel guilty for not taking advantage of more of the opportunities which presented themselves at Amherst. The range of potential experiences was impressive, to say the least. Viewing the matter with 25 years' perspective, I realize that it would have been difficult to have done more than a small portion of the things that I have thought (over the years) that I should have done while at Amherst. (I should have taken more than an introductory-level course in astronomy, should have attended more lectures on a variety of topics.) Yet I still feel deep down that my contributions to the Alumni Fund are as much in repayment for opportunities squandered as for the ones on which I was fortunate enough to have capitalized.

Don Scribner