BrewsterConnections(PDF) - Brewster Academy

In Appreciation Remembering Alex Rogers ‘89 By Matt Hoopes
Alex Rogers ‘89 relaxing at the 2010 Reunion with Jennifer Riley ‘90, MIchael
Snyder ‘89, and Jon Gibbs ‘90.
now I’m minus a very special one. His classmates shared the following remembrances of Alex:
Alex Rogers ’89 passed away on
December 8 after a second battle with
cancer. I last saw Alex at Reunion 2010,
but I had known him for 26 years and
have wonderful memories of dog sledding
and sailing with him during his Brewster
weekends. In 2010 we had a lot of fun
working on a Hoopla column (spring
2010) we wrote together about his
antique business. Even after the return of
his cancer, his final e-mails were upbeat,
cheerful, strong, and positive. I know as a
teacher I’m not supposed to have favorite
students, but I did, many actually, and
“He would much rather you open and share a nice bottle of wine than to shed tears over him. …I want Alex’s
classmates to think about Alex’s loss. He had so much left to do. I think of the wonderful women he leaves behind, Adel
and his kind mother. I cry for them!” –Michael Snyder ’89
“Alex had a heart of gold. He brought happiness, positive energy, and comfort to every situation at Brewster. … He
loved to share himself and was always there when a friend needed help. Alex’s incredible energy, smile, and warmth
made him truly amazing to be around.” –Brad Appel ’89, former roommate
“I went to Alex’s memorial service at his mother’s home in North Hampton, New Hampshire. Megan Boyle ’89 also
attended. It was a wonderful, informal gathering, his close friends and family all together, remembering and sharing
stories about Alex. We talked about the boy and the man. His partner, Adel, recounted her first meeting with Alex. She
was walking her active Terrier when it began to rain, and she took shelter under the awning of Alex’s antique store in
Portsmouth. Alex opened the door and invited her in out of the rain. Shaking her head, Adel refused, pointing out that
her dog was too hyper for an antique shop. Alex responded, ‘It’s only stuff. Come on in.’ A man without pretension,
but with a true heart and soul. I will miss my good friend Alex, a person I could always rely on to be there.” –Temple
Peterson ’89
In Appreciation Charles “Hank” Spaulding By Martha Trepanier ‘83
David M. Smith, Tom Spaulding ’85 and wife Mary, and Hank and Anne
Spaulding at the Brewster Medal evening in January 2009.
On Thanksgiving Day 2011, the Brewster
family lost a dear friend, Charles “Hank”
Spaulding (P ’85). Spaulding, from
Kennebunk Beach, Maine, was 84.
The Spaulding family enrolled son Tom
as a freshman member of the Class of
1985 and, as many families do, quickly
became engaged with the community
and Brewster’s vision for the future,
helping the school evolve with annual
and capital support. The Spaulding name
is well known to Brewster and represents,
in the words of former Headmaster David
M. Smith, “an example of extraordinary
partnership, in every sense of the word.”
In Memoriam
Class of 1937
Jane (Smith) Piltz
July 2, 2011
Cedar City, Nevada
Class of 1945
Donald W. Tibbetts
September 9, 2011
Woburn, Massachusetts
Class of 1947
Nancy (Flanders) Buell
October 2009
Miami, Florida
Class of 1949
R. Conrad Poelman
July 26, 2011
Moscow, Pennsylvania
Class of 1950
Harold “Skip” Taylor
January 5, 2012
Sun City, Arizona
Class of 1957
Roger A. Leclerc
Summer 2011
Ocala, Florida
Class of 1961
Robert H. Berry
February 5, 2012
Naples, Florida
Class of 1962
Douglas C. Elliott
November 23, 2011
Sebastian, Florida
Class of 1989
F. Alexander Rogers
December 7, 2011
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Class of 2000
William Archibald
January 27, 2012
Morrisville, North Carolina
Friends
Dr. Jeanne H. Kenison
January 13, 2012
Hampton, New Hampshire
Charles “Hank” Spaulding (P’85)
November 24, 2011
Kennebunk Beach, Maine
Hank Spaulding and wife Anne have been quiet but loyal supporters. When
championship jackets were needed when the budget had no funds, they were there.
When additional scholarship aid was needed for a student, they were there; when a student center was needed within the Estabrook complex, again, the Spaulding
family was there. Their generous support continued long after Tom had graduated – funding the Smith Center’s retractable turf – and the family’s support
continues today.
A civil engineer, Hank began his professional career designing and building bridges at Parsons Brinckerhoff. He then moved on to Cabot, Cabot & Forbes (CC&F)
where he developed a 7,000-acre ranch in Laguna Niguel, California, into a residential town with a population of 30,000. At CC&F, he also helped develop some
of Boston’s iconic downtown office towers and suburban industrial parks. In 1967, Hank co-founded Spaulding & Slye Corporation and went on to develop office
properties in Boston, Washington, DC, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Hank was passionate about his work and had a lifelong devotion to contributing his time and energy to the communities and institutions close to him, including
Brewster Academy.
Since its early days, families have partnered with the Academy to provide students with a variety of learning opportunities to develop into and succeed as adults.
At this special 125th year marker, we pause and reflect and gratefully say thank you to the Spauldings for being such extraordinary partners.
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