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Vivian Dorsel Obituary
She was born November 25, 1942, in Pittsfield, MA, the daughter of Donald Packard and Eda Casucci Packard. She graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1961, and her first job was at Berkshire Life Insurance Company. She later returned to academic pursuits, obtaining an AA from Berkshire Community College, a BA with high honors from Williams College, an MS in psychology from UMass Amherst, and an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts.
She was managing editor of The Berkshire Review from 1997-2004. She founded Ledgetop Publishing and was editor of upstreet, a literary journal with national scope, from 2005 until her passing.
She divided her time between her longtime home in Richmond, MA, and Charlotte, NC. She has taught writing workshops in many venues, including at Taconic High School in Pittsfield, where she was a consultant to the student literary magazine, The Double Edged Sword, for seven years. She was also a writing tutor at Word Street in Pittsfield, MA, and a math tutor for Heart Math Tutoring in Charlotte, NC. In 2017, she was given a Purple with Purpose Award by the Williams College Berkshire Regional Alumni Association. She had a great passion for the literary community and helping writers of all ages.
She leaves her son Michael Andrew Dorsel (Margot) of Charlotte, NC, and grandsons Evan M. and Andrew T. Dorsel. Vivian also leaves seven siblings: Sandra Packard Bushey (Edward) of Lanesborough, MA; Tenia Bannick of Athens, OH; Jerome Packard (Carol) of Champaign, IL; Daniel Packard (Catherine) of Lanesborough, MA; Paul Packard of North Providence, RI; Mario Packard; and Perry Packard. She is survived by one niece, six nephews, and many cousins.
She was predeceased in 2009 by her husband of 42 years, A. Clifford "Tip" Dorsel. His surviving daughters are: Wendy Dorsel Fisher of Andover, VT; Heidi Dorsel Daley of Canaan, VT; Sydney Dorsel Goff of St. Petersburg, FL; and Mary Dorsel Christian Olsen of Milford, PA.
Cremation will be private and at the convenience of the family. Memorial donations may be made to: Vermont College of Fine Arts upstreet Scholarship Fund or Heart Math Tutoring in Charlotte, NC.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Vivian Dorsel
Sponsored by The Berkshire Eagle.
Rosalind Burns
September 25, 2022
Dear family of Vivian,
I was a friend and colleague of Vivian at UMass-Amherst, under the guidance of our advisor, John Donahoe. After hearing from her last year, when she seemed to be recovering from pneumonia, an enduring silence has finally brought me to do some research. I am devastated to know she has passed away. Every year, since I moved to Spain, she has sent me a copy of Upstreet with a personal handwritten note. She owns several of my paintings. She was with me at my home in Washington while I was living there, before 9/11, before everything. I miss her. She has been a support and an inspiration. I am so sorry.
Donna M. Winslow
February 12, 2022
Sincerest Condolences
to the Packard Family
From the Winslow´s
in Pittsfield, MA
PATRICIA CHOQUETTE trish
January 1, 2022
vivian was such a delight to be around. OFTEN I CALLED HER FOR ADVICE SHE WAS A KIND MENTOR AND FRIEND . HER SON AND GRAND KIDS WILL MISS HER VERY MUCH AS I WILL
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Meredith
December 29, 2021
Vivian was a strong supporter of Taconic´s literary magazine during the entire time I was an advisor to The Double-Edged Sword. She was generous with her time and her expertise as a writer and an editor. The kids and I were always grateful for her help.
She often told me how much she loved her children and grandchildren. And as a fellow alumna of Williams College I also know how much she valued her Williams education. She will be missed in the Berkshire community.
Kate Merrigan
December 28, 2021
I´m so sad to learn this news. I got to know Vivian when we were both involved with Word Street. She and I became friends and she soon found herself friends with my father as well, who was a great admirer of her industriousness and literary achievements. We enjoyed many evenings at the WordPlay reading series at Papyri Books. I got to see Vivian last year at his funeral, for which I am now so glad, as it had been a number of years since we had connected. Vivian was a good and steadfast friend and a major contributor to the literary community in the Berkshires (and beyond). I will miss her.
Bonnie Kriss
December 28, 2021
Jerry, Carol, Dan, Kathy,
So sorry for the loss of your sister. Sounds like she was a remarkable woman. May fond memories bring comfort to you at this time.
Bonnie (Campbell) Kriss
Elena and Ed Powell formally of Richmond
December 28, 2021
So sad to hear this. Your mother and father set us on the journey of modernism in architecture.
Should you put her house on the market, can you inform us?
413-441-4385
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