Joseph B. Board

BOARD--Joseph B. Rhodes Scholar, attorney, and retired professor at Union College. Joseph B. Board, the Robert Porter Patterson Professor of Government Emeritus, died on October 12 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 76. Board, who taught in the Political Science department from 1965 to 2003, was known not only for his high level of scholarship but for his warm and interactive teaching style. "Without question, I always learn a great deal from the students I teach," he once said. Indeed, he truly enjoyed his time with students, and he remained close to a number of alumni who regarded him as a mentor. Joe lived in Arlington, VT. Born in Princeton, IN, he received an A.B. in Government, Highest Honors, Phi Beta Kappa, from Indiana University; a B.A. and M.A. from the Honours School of Jurisprudence, Oxford University; a Ph.D. from Indiana University a J.D. from their School of Law; and a Fulbright Fellowship to Sweden, The Scientific Society of Lund University, and Ph.D. Honoris Causa, Umea University (Sweden). Besides Union, he held teaching positions at Indiana University, Elmira College, Cornell College, Albany Law School, the London School of Economics, the University of Umea, the University of Paris, and was a guest lecturer in numerous locations worldwide, including Oxford, London, Nottingham, Costa Rica, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Lund, and the University of California (Berkeley). His committee and consulting work has included chair positions with the United States Selection Committee for NATO Fellowships; The Political Science Committee, Council for the International Exchange of Scholars; as well as membership in the Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee for Iowa and Nebraska, the Indiana Bar, and the NAACP, among others. He was a member of the Vestry of Zion Episcopal Church in Manchester, the Diocesan Council of VT, The Anglers' Club of New York, the Oxford and Cambridge Club, and the Dorset Field Club. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Mary C. Squire, and three children from his first marriage-Ian R. Board (Graziella) of Mission Viejo, CA, daughters Amanda Avery (Jason) and Annika Board (Patrick Cunningham), both of Albany, NY and four grandchildren. Contributions may be made to the Joseph B. Board Scholarship Fund at Union College, a new fund for exceptional students attending Union College. Contributions may be made at any Trustco Bank location, or may be sent to: Joseph B. Board Scholarship Fund, c/o Trustco Bank, New Scotland Avenue office, 301 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, New York 12208. Funeral services will be held at 11am on Friday, October 19th, at Zion Episcopal Church in Manchester, VT.