Herb Steeper

1932 - 2016

EASTHAMPTON - Herb Steeper, 83, died peacefully Monday, July 11, 2016, at home in the Easthampton Lathrop Community after a long illness.

He was born Aug. 22, 1932, in Seattle, Washington, the son of Clifford and Joyce (Walker) Steeper. Herb graduated from Stanford University in 1954 and served in the U.S. Army in Heidelberg, Germany, from 1955 to 1957. He earned a master's degree from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton and a doctorate from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts. His academic field was political science.

He taught at Smith College, the University of Massachusetts and Greenfield Community College (GCC) from which he retired as a Professor Emeritus in 2001. He was a fine teacher and a remarkable transfer counselor, changing the course of many lives, in his 26 years at GCC. During that time period, nearly 200 women graduates went on to study at Smith College and 40 at Mt. Holyoke College.

Herb enjoyed gardening and had a large vegetable patch each summer. He loved his Whately colonial home and the restoration projects in which he "puttered". He was an expert needle-worker: needlepoint, crewel embroidery and counted cross-stitch. In 2011 he had a one-man show at the Lathrop Community Art Gallery in Easthampton.

Herb is survived by Nancy, his wife of 51 years; his daughter Annie Morita and her husband Dan; his son David; a sister Carol Steuart and her husband Leonard; a niece Holly (Steuart) Richardson; and nephew Skip Steuart.

At Herb's request, there will be no funeral service. Burial will be private. The Czelusniak Funeral Home of Northampton has been entrusted with all arrangements.

Herb's family extends deep appreciation to Dr. Henry Simkin, the Lathrop Support Services staff and the VNA Hospice Service of the Cooley Dickinson Hospital for their compassionate, loving care of Herb and generous support for Nancy.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Herb's memory may be made to the Easthampton Lathrop Community, 100 Bassett Brook Drive, Easthampton, MA 01027.

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