April 27, 1975. It was in the lounge of the A side, late afternoon, people were gathering for dinner. She stood there in a light brown trench coat, belted at the waist, grasping a brown leather briefcase in her right hand. She was visibly trembling. She asked me to find Ray Buso who was around the corner in the kitchen. We stood with her in the lounge and Jane told us that Burns was dead, hit by a car on North Eagleville as he did his daily run around campus. We talked briefly about the best way to tell the community, and she broke down, tears falling down her cheeks in grief. She said, in characteristic Jane fashion, “Who is going to write the book?”
I remember that Ray asked for the attention of the group at dinner and broke the news. A very quiet dinner. I remember thinking that it was the first time that somebody told me about somebody that I knew, had died. The community eventually planted a tree outside the School of Education. Ted Malone was put on the case to choose the type of tree. It was a Star Magnolia which blooms early in the spring. There was, of course an argument with the UCONN administration about making a memorial on campus, but eventually a stone was added near the tree with his name, the years he was on earth, and an a quote.
I remember that Ray asked for the attention of the group at dinner and broke the news. A very quiet dinner. I remember thinking that it was the first time that somebody told me about somebody that I knew, had died. The community eventually planted a tree outside the School of Education. Ted Malone was put on the case to choose the type of tree. It was a Star Magnolia which blooms early in the spring. There was, of course an argument with the UCONN administration about making a memorial on campus, but eventually a stone was added near the tree with his name, the years he was on earth, and an a quote.
In one of the renovations around the Ed building the tree and the and the stone were lost. I remember at one of the reunions a discussion about where it went and nobody knew. Jane, I think said that she had made an effort to locate the stone which she had been told was moved to storage during the renovation work. It was never found.
Steve Sokoloski
Steve Sokoloski
We bought another tree and created another memorial rock. The quote on the rock has a couple of errors because my memory failed. However the rock is in a safe place where theyre not planning any construction.
ReplyDeletePS...I wrote the book and lots more.
ReplyDeleteThank you for remembering my father. However, it was a Monday, April 28th, and he died of a heart attack. A bus driver found him slumped over. The last time I visited UConn in 2002, no one could find the tree or stone for me, as you mentioned above. Thanks also to Jane Fried for the write up a few years ago. Best wishes to all who participated in Dad's IDC.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry my memory failed on the cause of your father's death. Please accept my apologies. I relied on a couple of different Internet citations for the date of his death, which included references to both the 27th and 28th. Glad to be corrected. He was such a nice man.
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