Roger M. Eastlake ’63

Roger proudly dedicated much of his life to Germantown (Pa.) Academy, where he was a student and a revered faculty member. He served the school as English teacher, coach, admissions director, director of college guidance, and president of the alumni board. Diagnosed with cancer four years ago, he died in hospice care March 4, 2015, with his wife and two children at his bedside.

“Roger’s instinct to feel genuinely happy for the success of others is the trait of his I admired most,” Germantown’s head of school, Jim Connor, wrote. “A close second, now, is the astonishing power of Roger’s life force. Reveling in companionship, thrilling at optimistic stories, Roger never wanted to miss a moment or a thing.”

At Princeton, Roger majored in English, writing his thesis on Joseph Conrad. He worked for Express Reunions Agency, joined Tower, played a lot of handball, and roomed with Bob Allen and Jeff Benjamin. In 1966 his Germantown headmaster, who had ensured that his star student attended Princeton, recruited him from another school to teach.

“What’ve I learned?” Roger wrote in our 40th reunion book. “Family is everything. Optimism trumps pessimism. Think young, even when the body rebels...” The class sends warm wishes to Roger’s wife, Cynthia; daughter Emily; son Peter; and five grandchildren.