Deceased October 10, 2015
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In Memory
It was a stunningly clear, star-filled night October 10th when John Pistel died, peacefully, at home in Amherst. He’d been diagnosed with cancer originating in the bile duct in July.
John arrived in Amherst from Middletown, Connecticut’s Wilson High School, a class leader and captain of his basketball and track teams. He continued his leadership at the College in Sphinx, the Lord Jeff Society, freshman basketball and glee club and indoor and outdoor track, captaining both teams. He joined the “god-squad” at AD and majored in American Studies. Richard Meeker ’70 roomed with John and recalls John as “truly good and wonderful—without ... insecurities, moments of self-doubt or divided loyalties. ...”
John could leap! By senior year, he held the college record in the high jump, triple jump and long jump. The last, set at 23’ 10”, remains the college record. Sandy Eustis ’69 reports that Coach Lumley always forecast John to sweep the three events and that he “never disappointed” despite chronically painful legs and ankles. His children inherited his competitive spirit and athletic abilities—both Adam and Kate were heavily recruited in Division III for soccer and squash (John taught them the latter), and Kate was All-American in lacrosse at Colby.
John collected his master’s at Fairfield University and carried it into teaching English and head-mastering in Colorado, California and Massachusetts. He returned to Amherst in 1992 to work in development and soon moved up to soliciting principal gifts, work at which he excelled. All along John played squash, mastered the clinical details of his various surgeries, competed in the National Masters Track Meet and kept up relationships with colleagues and past students. John’s strongest attention was paid to his wife and children. As Ron Battocchi ’70 wrote, John “adored his wife, Gaye, and ... was a devoted father [and] faithfully attended their many competitions . ...” In his last years John wrote “his book,” addressed to his children (they have the only two copies), from which Kate read the last chapter at his memorial service. Ron recalls that it “stressed working hard, laughing often and guarding your honor.”
John lived quietly, with dignity and with great love for his wife, children and college. One of the stars of our class has passed into the night.
Bill Hart ’69