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BORN
1929
DIED
2017
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William Trask Obituary
West Boylston - William F. Trask, aka Tuna, a fixture at Worcester Polytechnic Institute for nearly 60 years, died at his son's home in Northboro on Saturday, March 25 after a brief illness. He was 87.
Born in Rochester, Vermont on August 31, 1929, he was the youngest son of John C. Trask and Nellie Foley Trask.
Trask was a 1952 graduate of Middlebury College and was active in theater, named a member of the Blue Key, and was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity. He served two years in the Marine Corps and was later the Assistant Dean of Men at Middlebury. He then worked for the Addison County Independent as the advertising manager.
In 1958, he joined WPI as its Director of Placement, a job he held for most of the next 34 years. He helped run a number of activities at WPI, including Techniquest, the Goat's Head Pub, and the United Way 24-hour Basketball Marathon. He was a member of and advisor to Skull. The class of 1962 dedicated its yearbook, The Peddlar, to him. In 1990, Trask was named to the Order of Omega in recognition of his outstanding contributions to fraternity life. He was named the Eastern College Personnel Officers' Outstanding College Member of 1992
Despite retiring officially in 1992, he was on campus frequently, a visitor at ATO and other fraternities, mentoring another generation or two of students, playing cards, attending sporting events and student weddings. In 2010, he was the first person to be awarded the WPI Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award. WPI created an online site, "The Tuna Files," covering his life and legacy in 2016: http://wpiarchives.omeka.net/exhibits/show/tunafiles
A resident of West Boylston since 1961, he was a member of the First Congregational Church, appeared in plays in various theater groups in Worcester County and volunteered at the WBHS library. He was frequently found at the Country Kettle or Lou Roc's for breakfast during his retirement.
His survivors include daughter Carrie of Auburn, MA, daughter Laurie [husband James Mann] of Pittsburgh, PA, two sons, Jeff [wife Rachel] of Silver Spring, MD, and Terry [wife Jessica] of Northboro, MA, and grandchildren Leslie Mann, Luke Trask and Emily Trask. He was predeceased by his former wife Ruth Shonyo Trask, brothers John Crawford Trask, Winslow Trask and sister Caroline Trask Wright, and survived by his brother George Trask of Randolph, VT and many nieces and nephews.
The Funeral Service will be held Saturday, April 1 at 11AM in the First Congregational Church, 26 Central St. Interment will be at Rochester Cemetery, Rochester, VT, at the convenience of the family.
Donations can be made to Worcester Polytechnic Institute (https://www.wpi.edu/give/ways-to-give/cash), Middlebury College (https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1637/02-middlebury/wide.aspx?sid=1637&gid=2&pgid=589&cid=1444) or the First Congregation Church, 26 Central Street, West Boylston, MA 01583.
Arrangements are in the care of Fay Brothers Funeral Home, 1 West Boylston Street, West Boylston, MA.
www.faybrothers.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for William Trask
Sponsored by Fay Brothers Funeral Home.
Towner Family
March 26, 2017
Brother Bill,
You and I had a great time in Boothbay Harbour diring the summer of 1981.
Wally T.
Perge'
March 31, 2017
Deepest condolences to the Trask family from the Temsky family
Paulette Lippe-Theodoss
March 30, 2017
I am so saddened to hear of Dean Trask's passing. My very sincere condolences to Terry, Carrie, Jeff and Laurie at the loss of your Dad. I had the great privilege of working for 'Tuna" in the Placement Office/OGCP '75 through '78. It was actually an incredible ADVENTURE for me. He's one of a kind and I'll never forget him and all of the students that visited him in the Placement Office/OGCP at Boynton Hall. Because of his special bond with all of them, I still hold so many very dear memories of the friendships and fun we all shared. Rest in God's care...many rewards are awaiting you for all the good you've done for so many. Your presence will be terribly missed, not just at WPI but everywhere the your 'laceless shoes' journeyed.
Brian Testarmata
March 30, 2017
Dear Terry, my condolences to you and your entire family.
Paul Wilmot
March 30, 2017
Sorry for you and your family Terry.
March 29, 2017
Dear Terry, Jessica, Luke and Emily,
So very sorry to hear about your Dad (father-in-law, grandfather) Please know you are all in our thoughts an prayers. Will miss seeing him in church, I just waved to him not long ago during the greetings! no touching during flu season! Love, Sue Coviello & family
March 29, 2017
When I was 17 and small and quiet he was so friendly and welcoming. So glad I got to see him in person recently and thank him for being there and helping me later.
Peter Stanley '68
Cathy & Bill Battelle
March 28, 2017
Dear Trask Family,
Bill is one of kind, and he will be greatly missed.
Please accept our most heartfelt sympathies for your lossour thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.
God Bless You, Cathy & Bill Battelle
James Bagaglio '70
March 28, 2017
I shared the stage with Bill several times at WPI and also ran the Pub my senior year. Bill was always helpful and could be counted on to lend an ear or provide sound advice. Bill was a unique person in the truest meaning of the word. WPI will be a bit less without him.
My condolences to Bill's family on his passing.
Trask family in 1998 in Pittsburgh (to attend Leslie Mann's high school graduation)
Laurire Trask Mann
March 28, 2017
Phil Cameron '79
March 28, 2017
My condolences to the Trask family and the WPI community on the passing of a great friend and mentor.
Visits to WPI won't be quite the same when I don't hear, "Hey Turkey, where have you been?" or somewhere in the conversation hear, "Once in love with Stella."
Bill, you will be missed, but never forgotten!
Matt Colangelo
March 28, 2017
Prayers and condolences to Terry and the rest of the Trask family. I always enjoyed your father's conversations and admired how he stayed involved in the WPI fraternity community.
- Matt Colangelo and family..
Tim Mackie
March 28, 2017
Dean Trask was a great guy. Let's not forget that he did a great job as Dean of Placement. When I wanted to relocate from Rochester, N.Y. back the the Worcester area he was very instrumental in getting me a position at Norton Co. Even 10 years after I graduated he was there for me. Thanks Bill
John Fitzgerald
March 28, 2017
My condolences to the Trask family and the WPI Community...truly a unique individual we will never forget.
March 28, 2017
what a great man, an inspiration to us all.
Wayne Mogel
March 28, 2017
Bill and his family were frequent visitors to my restaurant County Kettle. He was a true gentleman and will be sorely missed. RIP my friend
Mario Tama
March 28, 2017
Bill, so many of us will miss You ...
My condolences to the Family of a truly fine Man.
Two memories, 50 years apart ...
- ca 1964 ... Seeing Bill at our local hangout ( now gone ) - Friendly's on Highland Street; and engaging in a really nice - of course "friendly" - conversation with the convivial and never-aloof Dean ...
- 2014 .... On the way out of the first evening of our 50th Reunion, on a stairway landing, my wife and I encountered this genial, outgoing older gentleman ... A lithe, almost-elf-like figure casually attired in shorts and sandals, as I recall ... I was astounded when he introduced himself as "Bill Trask," and seemed to actually recall me from 1964 ... I proceeded to hobble out of the building at the side of a much nimbler Bill (by 13 years my senior), chatting as if we had just picked up from our conversation at Friendly's a half-century before. His essential humanity and dedication to WPI just shone through that entire encounter; and the warmth that emanated from Him stays with me still.
Saint Peter has, no doubt, set aside a special place up there for Bill to hang out, and he'll be waiting for (most of us) when we WPI Alumni eventually get there.
Josiah "Josh" Reed '84
March 27, 2017
I'm sad to hear of Dean Trask's passing. I always enjoyed his humor while I attended WPI and my family and I enjoyed his company at every one of our class reunions since. My sympathy to his family.
Farewell "Tuna"
John Fitzgerald
March 27, 2017
Condolences to the Trask family. ..a WPI LEGEND has passed
IYF...BOGUS BOYS...ELBRIDGE STREET
THANKS DEANO
Dick Healing
March 27, 2017
My sincere condolences to the family...and I realize that Bill "Tuna" Trask's family includes thousands of WPI alumni and students - we all grieve...and yes, we all celebrate his wonderful life! I can never forget arriving at WPI in the fall of 1962 - a transfer student from the Coast Guard Academy - an Bill gave me my room assignment....when I walked into the assigned room and announced "Hi, I'm your roommate!"...the replay from the gentleman at the desk was "No, you're not!" Somehow, Bill had the room number wrong -- but the gentleman I met there is still a lifelong friend! Even when he made mistakes, they turned out to be wonderful!! That was Bill Trask to me! Yes, we all will miss him....and we celebrate his very long, productive life, and his dedication to WPI and all of us alumni and students. Rest in Peace!
Robert Ranta
March 27, 2017
Makes me so sad. He was totally committed and performed with passion while I was at WPI. He will be missed.
Dave Grant
March 27, 2017
RIP
March 27, 2017
Such sad news. Dean Trask was one of a kind. They broke the mold and told the mold maker to retire- you'll never make a better man looking out for best interests of graduating WPI students!
Jay Dempsey '82
Gasper Buffa
March 27, 2017
My condolences to the entire family. Dean Trask was a big help to me at WPI and to so many other students. Its tough to see such a contributor and just solid good person pass on.
With a few ATO friends 2010 at WPI
Willie Singleton
March 27, 2017
RIP Dean Trask. You were one the Great People one meets along the way of life. Please say Hi to Harry T. Thank you for your friendship and insight. You will be remembered always!
Christopher Ferrari
March 27, 2017
Fond memories of Mr. Trask. He helped me and many other students while I attended WPI. Sorry to hear about your loss. He was a wonderful dean and please always remember that he helped many other students. My prayers are with you and your family.
Jean Friend
March 27, 2017
RIP Tuna. WPI will never be the same.
A Grateful American
March 27, 2017
Though our grateful nation mourns with you in your loss, we can only feel a small part of the loss you are experiencing.
Your loved one will always be a part of our country's story. As such, their sacrifice on behalf of our nation will always be honored.
In deepest sympathy.
Nick Barone
March 27, 2017
Bill was a good friend and mentor tome at WPI and beyond. He will be missed. He was a regular at Phi Gamma Delta parties and card sessions. My condolences to the Trask family.- Nick Barone, WPI '65
Nancy Hubbard (rotti)
March 27, 2017
So sorry for your loss
Bill Cunningham
March 27, 2017
Google has nothing on Bill Trask's ability to recall every detail at WPI since 1958. We were blessed to have Tuna in our lives.
Laurie Trask Mann
March 26, 2017
When I was a kid, my favorite thing to do on a Saturday was to "go to work" with Dad who often had a few odds and ends to do at the Placement Office. I'd sit and fill out forms in his office, and he'd give me a dollar to buy a hot dog at the Friendly's down on HIghland St. Miss you Dad.
Paul Cleary
March 26, 2017
Truly one of a kind. Bill embodied the spirit of WPI.
Bob Loring
March 26, 2017
Thank you Bill for all you did at WPI. I will always be thankful for how you helped me in the final days before graduation....You will be missed
Bob Loring '67
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