Lifelong Mentorship

I was saddened to learn of Professor Will Howarth’s death (On the Campus, July/August issue) from his wife, Anne Matthews *81. Will was my junior paper and senior thesis adviser and a lifelong mentor and North Star. He shepherded me through my thesis about the nonfiction works of John McPhee ’53 and insisted on more clarity in my writing. He took an interest in my post-graduate education, family life, and career. The references that he wrote on my behalf (which he recently shared with me) testify that he was an acute observer. In fact, he knew me better than I knew myself at 20 and 21. I will miss our visits and count myself as unusually fortunate to have had the opportunity to have been taught by a great educator and human being.