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Peter Elbow Obituary
Seattle, WA - PETER ELBOW, Emeritus Professor of English at UMass Amherst and author of Writing Without Teachers, died unexpectedly on February 6, 2025 at age 89 in Seattle.
He is survived by his wife Cami, children Abby and Ben, and grandchildren Izzy and Hettie.
Complete obituary online at www.funerals.coop.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Peter Elbow
David Clampitt
August 11, 2025
Peter was a friend for many years, a kind, reflective, compassionate wanderer and seeker. A lover of music, he never stopped trying to actively engage with it with his viola. He continued his mediations on writing long after retiring from academia. In recent years he shared the latest developments in his "Believing Game," with insights into sociology and politics as well as writing.
Marcy Helen Nicholas
March 29, 2025
I did not know Peter Elbow personally, though I did attend a writing workshop he led for teachers of writing at Bard College in the 1980s. The purpose of that weekend was to give writing teachers time to write. So Peter Elbow. Beyond that, Peter was so influential in the way I taught writing and for my own writing process. I was just thinking about him this morning and that's when I learned he had died. What a gift he was to so many of us, grinding it out in the composition classroom, as I did for decades. This must be a difficult time for you. May you find moments of peace in the midst of this discontent.
Judith Entes
March 6, 2025
I am so sorry to hear about Peter's passing. I loved listening to him at professional conferences and reading his writings. I was thrilled that he wrote, "Illiteracy at Oxford and Harvard: Reflections on the Inability to Write," for the book, “Teaching College English and English Education: Reflective Stories,” published by NCTE. In his list of "Scholarly Articles," he wrote the title of the book was “Reflective Stories.” As a co-editor of the book, I wanted the title to be “Reflective Stories”; however, it did become the subtitle of the book. His piece was reflective and should be required reading for English teachers.
Hanna Lyons (nee Arlene Fingeret)
March 2, 2025
Rarely can you say that someone changed your life in an incredibly positive way, but that is what I can say about Peter Elbow. I am so grateful to have known Peter, to have studied with him, to have worked with him and to have called him a friend. He was a rare human being, and we were all the richer to have had him in our lives.
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Dix McComas
February 20, 2025
I knew and studied with Peter as a grad student at UMass in the early 90s. Quite simply, he changed my life. Only dimly aware of his work when I arrived in Amherst, he turned out to be the teacher I most needed. I needed a new way to write, to teach writing, a new and more humane way to approach my work. I ended up teaching lit and writing for 40 years. And his work, his presence, and his astonishingly sensitive ear as he listened to writers-all this guided me.
Justine S Dymond
February 19, 2025
I am very sorry to hear this sad news and my heart goes out to Prof. Elbow's family. He continues to be a major influence in my teaching and writing life. He will be remembered continuously and fondly.
Denise Barberet
February 19, 2025
Many years ago, when I was an instructor in the UMass Writing Program, I had the great good fortune to have Peter assigned as the mentor to our group. Not only was he a very nice person, he also gave us many thought-provoking ideas about teaching and writing every week. His books on writing are absolute gems.
John F Edwards
February 19, 2025
So sad to read this, Peter and Cami were wonderful neighbors on Pokeberry Ridge. Always a ready smile and pleasant comment.
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