December 18, 2005

Fred Pfeil '71, Trinity professor, dies at 56

Fred Pfeil ‘71, writer, teacher, and activist, died last month at the age of 56. Pfeil, who was a professor at Trinity College, began the college’s film studies program, was a published novelist and poet, and a dedicated activist for peace. rememberance of Pfeil this weekend, as well as an obituary a few weeks ago.

From this week’s piece by Anne M. Hamilton, a passage about Pfeil and Amherst:

Pfeil learned to read before entering school, and he excelled in every subject, graduating as valedictorian at his high school. He entered Amherst College in Amherst, Mass., as a National Merit Scholar after reading about the college in Reader’s Digest and graduated in 1971. It was a big change for someone from a small, conservative town. “It was the height of the Vietnam protests,” said his sister, Dawn Keiper. “Amherst really transformed him.”

Read one of Pfeil’s poems from the Minnesota Review.

Brian Meacham '97 | December 18, 2005 09:34 AM | Alumni

Comments

Ellen Peck '81 | January 12, 2006 03:15 PM:

This is my first look at this blog so forgive me for the late response. I did not know Fred had died, as we have ot been in touch for a few years. Fred Pfeil was a great friend and brilliant creative person whom I was lucky to get to know while he was a professor and writer at Trinity College, where I worked in the late 80's. Fred was one of the most "emotionally fluent" (to borrow his phrase) people I have ever known and he was darn funny besides all that, too. I was thinking of him over the holidays and just mentioned him over the weekend, and recalled attending his Quaker wedding ceremony and reception, so this is a shock to me. My thoughts and best prayers - and jokes - are with him - he was an inspiration to me.

Dan Fligsten | February 9, 2006 06:06 PM:

I attended Fred's "Introduction to Film Studies" my freshman year at Trinity, which had such a profound effect on me that I took it upon myself to write my senior thesis on film and philosophy, specifically pertaining to authenticity in Martin Heidegger. I actually had a meeting with Fred to discuss my project; coming into his office, I noticed several books on the CIA. I said matter of factly, "You're researching the CIA" to which he responded with mock-innocence, "No. They're just books. I have a lot of books." Anyway, Fred was a great teacher and touched a lot of people. I like to think that, at heart, he was a philosopher, though surely would never have wanted to label himself with what has become a rather arrogant, overly-academic moniker. Here's to you, Fred and God(s) bless.

Dan

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