James I. Armstrong ’41 *49

Jim, president emeritus of Middlebury College and a classicist, died Dec. 16, 2013, at his home in Hanover, N.H.

Jim attended Miss Fine’s School, Princeton Country Day School, and Taft before Princeton, where he majored in classics. He graduated with highest honors and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He held the Class of 1894 Scholarship all four years and was a member of Cloister Inn.

During World War II, Jim served in the Army, mostly in the Pacific theater. He separated as a captain in 1946. In 1951, he was recalled to duty and served for a year during the Korean Conflict.

In 1947, Jim began teaching in Princeton’s classics department, earning his Ph.D. in 1949. He was made associate professor in 1960. He served as assistant and then associate dean of the Graduate School from 1958 to 1962.

In 1963, Jim was appointed president of Middlebury College, where he served until 1975. He was president of the Dana Foundation from 1975 to 1981 and was a director of Merrill Lynch.

In 1991, Jim moved to Kendal in Hanover, where he served as director. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Carol Aymar Armstrong; son James Jr.; and daughter Elizabeth. He was predeceased by his daughter Cary Tall Rothe.