Class Notes

Potsdam, NY – Dr. Robert F. Smith, Professor Emeritus at Skidmore College, died on October 9, 2018 at the age 93. He was born in La Follette, Tennessee, the son of Elbert and Gladys Smith. He graduated from La Follette High School at 15 and attended Maryville College and the University of Tennessee before joining the U.S. Navy in 1943 during World War II at the age of 17. He spent three years as a Navy medical corpsman with 18 months overseas and sea duty that included service aboard the battleship, USS Wisconsin. After the war, he returned to Maryville College, majoring in political science and receiving the B.A. degree in 1948. He then attended graduate school at Tennessee (M.A, 1951) and the University of Chicago (Ph.D., 1955) While doing graduate work, he taught two years at Tennessee, a course at Northwestern University, and a year at Idaho State. After receiving the Ph.D. he taught five years at Southern Methodist University before coming to Skidmore in 1960. He also taught in summer programs at the University of Rhode Island and SUNY at Buffalo and taught and directed a Peace Corps Program at Iowa State University. He retired from Skidmore in 1987. At the University of Chicago, Professor Smith studied with Professors Leo Strauss and Hans Morgenthau. His primary academic interests were political philosophy and international relations. At Skidmore, he was responsible for political philosophy courses but also taught in other political science areas. He enjoyed his teaching, and was fond of, made friends with, and greatly appreciated his students. He loved his subject matter. His philosophical reference was the teachings of the ancient Greeks, and he liked to declare that his hero was Socrates. When asked after retiring if he was glad of spending his life teaching, he replied with his typical sense of humor: "How else could a person get paid to read books?" During his career, Professor Smith received research grants from the Danforth and Ford Foundations and spent a year at Oxford University researching the John Locke papers. He also spent several sabbatical leaves in London and traveling throughout Europe with his wife and children. His writings were versatile. They included editing an anthology on post-war Germany, co-authoring monographs on the Middle East and the teaching of International Relations, several articles on political philosophy and American politics, and numerous book reviews and review articles. Politically active, Professor Smith served four years as the Democrat County Chairman, several terms as the Wilton Town Chairman and Vice Chairman, a member of the Democrat State Committee, County coordinator for several Presidential candidates, and a County Committeeman. Professor Smith loved sports and the outdoors. He played football, baseball, wrestled at Maryville and Tennessee, and helped coach the Skidmore baseball team in its early stages. He was a football and baseball fan and enjoyed watching professional games on television, as well as biking, fishing, hiking, and gardening. He especially enjoyed playing with his family and hiking and camping with them in the Adirondacks. When his two sons were very young, he spent so much time with them that some of his friends declared that they were the only two boys in town who had "two mothers." He often remarked that the trouble with being retired was that a person was too busy to have time to do all the things he wanted to do. In sum, Professor Smith lived an active and happy life. Professor Smith is predeceased by his beloved wife Barbara, nee Eggleston, of sixty-six years, and survived by sons Michael and Kevin, their wives Gina and Lynn, and granddaughter Emily. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins, and many friends. He was buried at the Greenridge Cemetery in Saratoga Springs in a private ceremony attended by family and friends. A memorial service celebrating the lives of Professor Smith, and his wife, Barbara, will be held on May 25, 2019, at Skidmore College's Wilson Chapel. Arrangements are under the direction of the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes of 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Spring (518-584-5373).

Marion Green (Swift) Smith, 95, of Sevierville, passed away on August 3rd, 2021. She had looked forward to being reunited with her husband of 45 years, Claude A Smith Jr., parents, Avery E Swift, mother Nellie Elizabeth St. John (Green) Swift, brothers, Donald and Douglas Swift, nephews Douglas and David Swift, and many other family and friends. She is survived by her daughter Rebecca (Becky) Henry, son-in-law Gary W Henry, grandsons Nathan W Henry (Sonya) and Neil D Henry (Susanne), 5 great-grandchildren, and several nieces, nephews and their families. She graduated Montrose (PA) High School in 1943 and continued her education at Maryville College, earning her Bachelor’s degree in Bible and Religious Education in 1948. Marion went on to receive her Registered Nurse degree at Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing in Chicago. She dedicated many years of her life helping others at Blount Memorial Hospital and other institutions, and taught the 1st grade class at Becky’s school during a teacher shortage. Marion’s family was musically inclined, she being able to play piano, clarinet, and violin. She shared the love of music with her daughter, providing (and driving to) many hours of lessons. Marion was also active in church, formerly serving on the Session of Highland Presbyterian in Maryville, and attending Rocky Springs Presbyterian in the Boyds Creek community. Her love of all creatures was extraordinary, once compelling her to stop traffic on a busy road to assist a turtle in crossing safely. The family will be receiving friends’ condolences and sharing more stories on Saturday, August 7, 2021 at Rawlings Funeral Home in Sevierville Tennessee from 11AM until 1PM. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Rocky Springs Presbyterian Church on Boyd’s Creek Highway, Sevierville, TN or Camp Susque in Trout Run, PA.

Edward Beeler Thompson, age 88, of Knoxville, Tennessee, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on Wednesday, July 29, 2015. He was born on March 11, 1927, in Knoxville and was reared in the Corryton community. His father was a dairy farmer and his parents were active in the community and Washington Presbyterian Church. Beeler graduated from Corryton Elementary School and Gibbs High School and then worked at the Knoxville Post Office to get “real world work experience” and found it easy compared to working on the dairy farm. Beeler attended Maryville College for one semester before volunteering for the U. S. Navy. He came home after the war to continue his education at the University of Tennessee, while also working at the UT Creamery. Beeler later became a dairy farmer himself and had a herd of purebred Holstein. He served on the boards of many farm related organizations. In 1957 Beeler attended Reisch School of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa and became a licensed auctioneer. His auction career began with auctioning dairy cattle and in 1963 he established the Thompson Realty and Auction Service offering full service in auction and real estate. During his forty year career he sold cattle, liquidations of all types, real estate, land development and estates. He possessed an inquiring mind, love of learning and zest for life. Learning occurred everywhere all the time. His business took him all over East Tennessee; he loved the region, the natural world, the cultivated world and its people. Beeler seldom forgot a client. He was a charter member of the Tennessee Auctioneers Association serving as president and was inducted into the Tennessee Auctioneer Association “Hall of Fame.” Beeler’s auctioneer cry came to an end with a stroke in November, 1997, that took away his ability to communicate verbally. In 1970 he married Hazel M. Copeland Beets, who had three children, Sherra, Buddy and Rene. The family joined Eastminster Prebyterian Church and began their life together. They worked as a team and the business grew and remains today. His keen observation, mind and sense of humor remained sharp, but his ability to communicate verbally or in writing was lost to the stroke. However he kept a strong desire to maintain relationships with people and developed an ability to communicate without words, through touch, body language, eyes, drawing pictures and acting. His interest in people, activities and things continued. The “farm boy” loved reading, nature, birds, refinements, art, solitude, country music and growing things, especially anything that had a pretty blossom. He is preceded in death by parents, Walter and Lola Beeler Thompson; sisters, Ella Mae Worman (Harold) and Martha Donahue (H.V.); and first wife, Ruth Russell Thompson; mother of their daughter, Frances. Beeler is survived by wife and business partner of 45 years and marvelous, tireless caregiver for 18 years, Hazel Thompson; children, Frances Thompson and husband, Eric Shafferman, Sherra Beets, Buddy and wife, Ann and Rene Beets Jenkins and husband, Frank; grandchildren, Rachel McGill, Shelly McGill, Lauren Beets, Preston Beets, Grant Jenkins and Chad Jenkins; sister, Katy Gooch and brother-in-law, Bev; many wonderful nieces and nephews, and special family who helped Hazel take care of Beeler. A special thanks are given to Dr. Blake and his excellent staff. Also special thanks to Covenant Hospice for their attentive care and support for the family.

Nancy (Libbie) Elisabeth Baird Wells May 19,1926 – January 7,2016 Resident of San Ramon, CA Nancy (Libbie) Baird Wells, 89, passed away peacefully on January 7, 2016. Libbie was born in Kanggye, Korea to Rev. Richard Hamilton Baird and Golden Stockton Baird, who were second generation Presbyterian missionaries. After experiences of living and serving in Korea that would be shared throughout generations, the Baird family left Korea when Libbie was age 14 and returned to the States. Her remaining school years would be in the States while her parents continued to serve as missionaries overseas. Libbie attended Maryville College in Tennessee where she would meet her future husband, Samuel (Sam) David Wells from Riviera Beach, Florida. After college, she moved to Berkeley, CA where her family had settled and Sam followed the love of his life to Berkeley. They were married in the family home on December 4, 1948 by her father, Rev. Richard Baird. They would eventually settle and raise their four children in Concord and Walnut Creek for over forty years. Libbie enjoyed the mountains and particularly the ocean, and family outings often included looking for driftwood at the beach that would fill up the yard at home. She sang for many years in the choir at Concord Presbyterian Church where she and Sam were active and faithful members. Upon retirement, Libbie and Sam moved to a favorite family camping area over the years, Lake Almanor, and lived outside the quaint town of Chester on Lake Almanor West. They became active in the Elks Lodge and Lake Almanor West social scene. Libbie loved to travel and her last cruise was to Alaska with her daughters. Libbie and Sam moved to Brentwood, CA in 2003, and Sam passed away in 2005. Libbie moved to San Ramon, CA in 2014. She enjoyed her grandchildren and great grandchildren, watching the Food Network channel, and the social activities at Brookdale Assisted Living. She remained feisty to the end as her body weakened due to heart and lung disease. Libbie was preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Golden Baird; her twin sister, Emily Baird; sister Mary Golden Baird; and brother, Dickie Baird; her husband, Sam Wells, and daughter, Donna Wells. Libbie is survived by her sister, Rebecca Baird Bergstresser (Paul Bergstresser); her brother John Baird; her daughter, Nancy Parker (Dan Parker); son Hal Wells (Jaymie Noland); and daughter, Emily Head (Erik Head); seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren and much extended family throughout the U.S. A memorial service will be held for Libbie on Saturday, February 27, 2016, 2:30PM at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church, 9015 South Gale Ranch Rd., San Ramon, CA 94582. Obituary can be found here: http://bit.ly/1XIKhSA