Hugh Nevin '54 P'81

One comment on Hugh Nevin '54 P'81

1. Dad loved his time at Williams. I wouldn’t have attended (’81) had he not introduced me to this beautiful valley and encouraged my conversation with the legendary Fred Copeland. Dad and I had overlapping interests in history, environmental studies and music, but I regret I never took a single philosophy course while he loved them. He spoke so highly of Professor John Miller and later served for several years on the John William Miller Fellowship Fund Committee. Dad also enjoyed classes with Fred Rudolph (as did I!) and historian Charles Keller. He was a member of the Zeta Chapter of the Beta Theta Pi house. His two closest friends, “Mac” Nelson and “Stran” Stranahan (both ’55) sang with Dad there in a sometimes bawdy madrigal trio group known as the “Williams Catch Club.” His younger brother, David G. Nevin ’57 (deceased) also sang with Dad under the expert tutelage of Bob Barrow in the Williams College Choir. I believe Mr. Barrow directed Dad as King Melchior in performances of Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors” at the AMT in December of 1953. After graduation Dad appreciated ongoing connections with several ’54 alums and eventually with my classmates and their families. He was fond of my father-in-law, John Sheahan, professor of Economics (mainly at CDE) and his wife Denise Sheahan and of recently retired campus minister Rick Spalding, a Presbyterian colleague. Dad always cared about the health of the college and pushed its leadership on issues of equity, diversity and sustainability, writing to President Mandel as recently as last year to suggest it was time to question college investments in fossil fuel companies and to applaud recent energy projects on campus. Though Dad never made me feel I was following him to Williams he will always be part of my memories here. My family and I look forward to reading the memories of others.