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| The rhododendrons in full bloom |
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| Our park-like setting, so beautiful |
Today I was sitting on the deck eating my lunch and a terrific racket was going on in the woods. It might have been crows, but something about it made me think of turkeys. Maybe they were mating. It went on for some time.
This morning Ellen and I sang at a memorial service for Mary Lou Treat, someone we knew through the concert choir. Hallowell had been asked to sing Farthest Field, and four of us sang along with one of her daughters. Mary Lou was a remarkable person: a mother of five, a photographer, musician, writer and editor, librarian, with long-standing connections with the Putney School and Northfield-Mt. Hermon Schools. She and her husband, Bob, built a cabin on the tip of Cape Breton, N.S., and summered there for decades with no indoor plumbing or electricity and with five children!
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| Mary Lou Treat as a young mother of five on Cape Breton |
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| As we knew her |
This afternoon, Ellen was at a baby shower for Sarah Bergh, daughter of our friend, Eliza Bergh. This evening, she is having supper with her daughter, Julie, at the Three Stones, a fine, local, Mexican restaurant.
PUTNEY,
VT - Mary Lou Strassburger Treat, age 89, died peacefully at her home
in Putney, Vermont with family by her side on April 1, 2017 after a long
and eventful life. An inveterate and adventuresome traveler, librarian,
lifelong student and citizen of the world, Mary Lou raised five
children with her husband Bob while working, volunteering, and
participating in the arts.
Born August 1, 1927 in Steubenville, Ohio to Dorothy Dix Anglin and Julius Hersch Strassburger, Mary Lou attended public schools in Steubenville, Ohio, graduated from Connecticut College in 1949 with a B.A. in Economics and a M.L.S. from Simmons College in 1974. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/recorder/obituary.aspx?pid=185018658#sthash.dEyrwL80.dpuf
Born August 1, 1927 in Steubenville, Ohio to Dorothy Dix Anglin and Julius Hersch Strassburger, Mary Lou attended public schools in Steubenville, Ohio, graduated from Connecticut College in 1949 with a B.A. in Economics and a M.L.S. from Simmons College in 1974. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/recorder/obituary.aspx?pid=185018658#sthash.dEyrwL80.dpuf
PUTNEY,
VT - Mary Lou Strassburger Treat, age 89, died peacefully at her home
in Putney, Vermont with family by her side on April 1, 2017 after a long
and eventful life. An inveterate and adventuresome traveler, librarian,
lifelong student and citizen of the world, Mary Lou raised five
children with her husband Bob while working, volunteering, and
participating in the arts.
Born August 1, 1927 in Steubenville, Ohio to Dorothy Dix Anglin and Julius Hersch Strassburger, Mary Lou attended public schools in Steubenville, Ohio, graduated from Connecticut College in 1949 with a B.A. in Economics and a M.L.S. from Simmons College in 1974.
After college, Mary Lou set off for New York City and worked as Assistant Editor on the Engineering News Record with the McGraw Hill Book Company for several years. In 1954 she married Robert Treat; together they moved to the Gunnery School where Bob was Director of Admissions and a history teacher. In 1955 they moved to Putney School, where the educational philosophy of the founder, Carmelita Hinton, was to be an influence for the rest of their lives. While at Putney School, Mary Lou enrolled in Ed Shore's Photography class and practiced on her young growing family, "What better subjects since they were so spontaneous and not at all self-conscious," she said. Photography was to be a lifelong passion and one for which she possessed a natural talent.
After nine years at Putney School, they moved to the Barlow School in Amenia, New York where Bob held the position of Headmaster and Mary Lou was Librarian. At Barlow, Mary Lou oversaw the design and construction of an award-winning library, a challenge she would undertake again as Head of Libraries at Northfield Mount Hermon School (NMH) in western Massachusetts, where she oversaw libraries on two campuses and construction of the new Dolben Library. After retiring to Putney after 23 years at NMH, Mary Lou served on the planning committee for the new Public Library opened in 2005.
A member of the Association of Independent School Libraries, Mary Lou served on the National Association of Independent Schools and was a member of an evaluating team accrediting several secondary school libraries. She completed a seminar on Librarianship at the Bodleian Library at Oxford University, and was a consultant to libraries including at the American School of Tangiers and the Schutz School in Cairo.
Mary Lou worked for peace and human rights all her adult life. In 1964 she and Bob traveled to Alabama to participate in the Civil Rights March, an experience they never forgot. In Mary Lou's words, "Helping others and fighting racial inequality was always a big concern. A highlight of my life was being part of the march from Selma to Montgomery during the civil rights era."
Together, Bob and Mary Lou purchased land on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia in 1955 and built a house that became the center of her family's summers. She forged long-term friendships within the local community, deepened her love for the natural world, and furthered her photography. She wrote, "I used our summers on Cape Breton to photograph the last of the local people who were descendants of the original settlers in our area. It was a way of life that was not to survive much longer." Mary Lou and Bob carried out their commitment to conservation and the environment by protecting the land and public access to it through the Nova Scotia Nature Trust so that the land could be enjoyed in perpetuity without development.
Another constant was her love of travel, which led to many adventures. In 1969, Bob and Mary Lou moved with their five children to a small fishing village in southern Spain where they lived for a year. Subsequent sabbaticals were spent in Morocco and Egypt.
In 1993 Mary Lou and Bob retired to their beloved Putney, the place that had first inspired their passion for education and social justice and where they'd felt such a deep connection to the community, forming friendships that have continued since their earliest years there. Upon retirement, Mary Lou and Bob were very involved in the Unitarian Universalist Church of West Brattleboro. Mary Lou served on the Social Action Committee, the Service Committee, and was a member of the Church Choir. She also sang in the Brattleboro Community Chorus for 19 years. A Board member of the Morningside Homeless Shelter for many years, Mary Lou volunteered on the Hotline of the Women's Crisis Center for five years, and was a member of Circles of Support affiliated with the Reparative Justice Center. She worked for the adoption of Civil Unions and marriage equality in Vermont, volunteered with the Putney Historical Society, and was a Board member of The Yellow Barn.
Mary Lou is predeceased by her husband of fifty-four years, Robert Treat. She is survived by her sister, Marjorie Anne Lowe of Sedona, AZ and nieces and nephews; her children, Sharon Treat and partner, Robert Collins, of Hallowell, ME; Roger Treat of Westminster, VT; Carolyn Treat and husband Chip Flanagan of Portland, ME; Rory Treat of Santa Cruz, CA; and Jessica Treat and grandson Kai Haaland of Sheffield, MA.
She will be missed by her dear friends in her community and in many parts of the world. Mary Lou is remembered for her devotion to her family, her generosity, compassion, her formidable will and her adventurous spirit.
The family would like to express their deep gratitude to Mary Lou's devoted friends who helped keep her connected to her community during her final years through visits and rides. A special thank you goes out to all her wonderful caregivers who assisted the family in fulfilling Mary Lou's wish to remain in her home.
"Nevertheless., she persisted!" - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/recorder/obituary.aspx?pid=185018658#sthash.dEyrwL80.dpuf
Born August 1, 1927 in Steubenville, Ohio to Dorothy Dix Anglin and Julius Hersch Strassburger, Mary Lou attended public schools in Steubenville, Ohio, graduated from Connecticut College in 1949 with a B.A. in Economics and a M.L.S. from Simmons College in 1974.
After college, Mary Lou set off for New York City and worked as Assistant Editor on the Engineering News Record with the McGraw Hill Book Company for several years. In 1954 she married Robert Treat; together they moved to the Gunnery School where Bob was Director of Admissions and a history teacher. In 1955 they moved to Putney School, where the educational philosophy of the founder, Carmelita Hinton, was to be an influence for the rest of their lives. While at Putney School, Mary Lou enrolled in Ed Shore's Photography class and practiced on her young growing family, "What better subjects since they were so spontaneous and not at all self-conscious," she said. Photography was to be a lifelong passion and one for which she possessed a natural talent.
After nine years at Putney School, they moved to the Barlow School in Amenia, New York where Bob held the position of Headmaster and Mary Lou was Librarian. At Barlow, Mary Lou oversaw the design and construction of an award-winning library, a challenge she would undertake again as Head of Libraries at Northfield Mount Hermon School (NMH) in western Massachusetts, where she oversaw libraries on two campuses and construction of the new Dolben Library. After retiring to Putney after 23 years at NMH, Mary Lou served on the planning committee for the new Public Library opened in 2005.
A member of the Association of Independent School Libraries, Mary Lou served on the National Association of Independent Schools and was a member of an evaluating team accrediting several secondary school libraries. She completed a seminar on Librarianship at the Bodleian Library at Oxford University, and was a consultant to libraries including at the American School of Tangiers and the Schutz School in Cairo.
Mary Lou worked for peace and human rights all her adult life. In 1964 she and Bob traveled to Alabama to participate in the Civil Rights March, an experience they never forgot. In Mary Lou's words, "Helping others and fighting racial inequality was always a big concern. A highlight of my life was being part of the march from Selma to Montgomery during the civil rights era."
Together, Bob and Mary Lou purchased land on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia in 1955 and built a house that became the center of her family's summers. She forged long-term friendships within the local community, deepened her love for the natural world, and furthered her photography. She wrote, "I used our summers on Cape Breton to photograph the last of the local people who were descendants of the original settlers in our area. It was a way of life that was not to survive much longer." Mary Lou and Bob carried out their commitment to conservation and the environment by protecting the land and public access to it through the Nova Scotia Nature Trust so that the land could be enjoyed in perpetuity without development.
Another constant was her love of travel, which led to many adventures. In 1969, Bob and Mary Lou moved with their five children to a small fishing village in southern Spain where they lived for a year. Subsequent sabbaticals were spent in Morocco and Egypt.
In 1993 Mary Lou and Bob retired to their beloved Putney, the place that had first inspired their passion for education and social justice and where they'd felt such a deep connection to the community, forming friendships that have continued since their earliest years there. Upon retirement, Mary Lou and Bob were very involved in the Unitarian Universalist Church of West Brattleboro. Mary Lou served on the Social Action Committee, the Service Committee, and was a member of the Church Choir. She also sang in the Brattleboro Community Chorus for 19 years. A Board member of the Morningside Homeless Shelter for many years, Mary Lou volunteered on the Hotline of the Women's Crisis Center for five years, and was a member of Circles of Support affiliated with the Reparative Justice Center. She worked for the adoption of Civil Unions and marriage equality in Vermont, volunteered with the Putney Historical Society, and was a Board member of The Yellow Barn.
Mary Lou is predeceased by her husband of fifty-four years, Robert Treat. She is survived by her sister, Marjorie Anne Lowe of Sedona, AZ and nieces and nephews; her children, Sharon Treat and partner, Robert Collins, of Hallowell, ME; Roger Treat of Westminster, VT; Carolyn Treat and husband Chip Flanagan of Portland, ME; Rory Treat of Santa Cruz, CA; and Jessica Treat and grandson Kai Haaland of Sheffield, MA.
She will be missed by her dear friends in her community and in many parts of the world. Mary Lou is remembered for her devotion to her family, her generosity, compassion, her formidable will and her adventurous spirit.
The family would like to express their deep gratitude to Mary Lou's devoted friends who helped keep her connected to her community during her final years through visits and rides. A special thank you goes out to all her wonderful caregivers who assisted the family in fulfilling Mary Lou's wish to remain in her home.
"Nevertheless., she persisted!" - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/recorder/obituary.aspx?pid=185018658#sthash.dEyrwL80.dpuf
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