Death visits Amherst

Yesterday, I spoke briefly at the funeral for Tom Lindeman. I knew Tom through the Faculty Senate at UMass Amherst. I met him 1997 or 1998, when I attended the Senate for the first time. The Faculty Senate is a highly polarized body where the faculty on sit on one side and the administration on the other. I inadvertently sat on the wrong side, and I think it was Tom who recognized a newcomer and came over to tell me that I might be more comfortable sitting on the other side. At that time, Tom had no official role at the Faculty Senate. He came every month because it was a way to stay in touch with the University community and to learn about the intentions of the administration. Tom took an interest in me and we shared lunch together a time or two to talk about our paths through life. Tom had served in the United Christian Foundation at UMass in the late 60's and early 70's, during the upheaval of the Vietnam War. I like this picture of him from 1974. We all should hope to have looked so cool in our 40's. He told me that parents supported the foundation because they were concerned about their children's moral direction but that the ministry felt compelled to line up with the students in activism against the war, which disillusioned the parents — and jeopardized their funding. He had left the area afterward and returned only after retirement. But he maintained his connection through the Faculty Senate. In 2014, thanks to Dick Bogartz, the Rules Committee (of which I was proud to be a member at the time) nominated Tom to be an honorary member of the Faculty Senate, to recognize his service and give him the right to speak. I believe that Tom was genuinely moved by the recognition and appreciated it very much. Tom did not speak often, but he did occasionally rise to remind the Senate not to get caught up only in the polemics of the moment, but to remember our grounding principles and all of our stakeholders, especially those who might be disenfranchised or unable to participate in our proceedings. He served as our conscience and many of us will feel his loss. As I was leaving, someone came up to me — I think one of the family — to thank me for my remarks and to comment that Tom had told everyone how much being made an honorary senator had meant to him and to thank all of us for our actions.

This is after Thursday, when I attended the calling hours for Larry Kelley, a local blogger and community activist who was killed in a car accident. Larry attended many town meetings and wrote posts about many town events. His coverage was both news and editorial in varying measures but, with the decline in local journalism, often the best coverage available. And always interesting. One of his abiding passions was to have the town make shows of patriotism, through parades and displaying US flags. A controversy that went on for years was Larry wanting the Town to display the flags for the annual remembrance of 9/11. Last year, Alisa persuaded the Select Board to make it happen. After Alisa learned that Larry had passed away, she requested the Town fly the flags in honor of Larry for his wake and funeral. Many, many people appreciated the gesture. And I'm sure Larry would have been tickled, if he could have known.

It's always a bit jarring for me to attend religious services. It's not a habit of thought with which I am familiar. However, I always appreciated the personification of Death in the Terry Pratchett novels.

DON'T THINK OF IT AS DYING, said Death. JUST THINK OF IT AS LEAVING EARLY TO AVOID THE RUSH.

Now there's a sentiment I think I can agree with.