Deceased January 30, 2020

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In Memory

Our great friend Neil Parent died on Jan. 30, 2020. Neil was born in Shrewsbury, Mass. He led a colorful life, both before and after Amherst. Before setting foot on campus in the spring of 1973, he had flunked out of UMass twice and worked as a private detective, a Manhattan art dealer and personal assistant to renowned artist Chuck Close. He’d also married and fathered a son, whose existence he learned of only within the past several years. 

Though he joined our class late, Neil quickly found a circle of friends. He and his wife, Cynthia, were soon Phi Gam regulars, and he followed Bill and Bronc onto the rugby pitch. Neil was a born raconteur; his ready wit and engaging personality, as well as his wide-ranging intellectual curiosity and love of argument, made him a lively companion and a regular at fraternity taps. 

After law school at Boston University, he joined Brown & Wood in New York, served a brief stint as a corporate counsel, then turned to investment banking at Drexel Burnham Lambert. He did well at Drexel, and he and his second wife, Laura, traveled regularly to Europe and indulged their love of sailing with boats in the Hamptons and St. Kitts.

Neil spent most of his working life in Rye, N.Y., where he and Laura raised their daughter Nora. 

Neil’s health deteriorated badly over the past decade; he suffered two strokes and dealt with kidney problems as well. Last May, Neil was told he had six months to live. During the past nine months, he taught us a great deal about life, death and courage. He faced his demise with exceptional grace and equanimity and with the generosity of spirit that marked his entire life. We will miss him terribly.

Dave “Bronco” Werner ’74, Bill Weaver ’74 and Scott Frew ’74