William G. Erickson

William G. Erickson

Southampton, MA - William G. Erickson, a life-long educator and resident of Southampton, passed away in February at the age of 83.

After completing his undergraduate degree at Fitchburg State College, Bill began his long career in education as a math and physics teacher, first in central Massachusetts and later at Hopkins Academy in Hadley. As a school principal in Easthampton, he helped design and launch the innovative White Brook Middle School, which featured team teaching and flexible classroom layouts. He completed his doctoral degree in education at UMass, where he also taught graduate-level courses.

Bill later served as an Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Easthampton, as Superintendent of Schools in a regional school district in Vermont, as Superintendent in the Hampshire Regional School District for many years, and as Interim Superintendent of the Northampton Public Schools in 2010. In 2005 he was awarded the Christos Daoulas Award, honoring his dedication to school leadership and significant contributions to the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (M.A.S.S.). After retirement, he remained active in M.A.S.S., helping to organize their annual conference, and he consulted on statewide superintendent searches. He also administered a superintendents' round-table through the Hampshire Educational Collaborative.

Bill was a dedicated member of the Southampton Lions Club for many decades. He cared deeply about the club's mission and devoted an extensive amount of time to assisting with various charitable projects. He won the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, the highest honor given by Lions International, recognizing individuals demonstrating exceptional service. He served as the secretary of the Southampton Lions Club right up until the last few days of his life.

In his free time, Bill enjoyed singing, first in a barbershop quartet and later with jazz groups in the Pioneer Valley. He had learned to read music and to play piano from his mother, who raised him in the Swedish neighborhood of Worcester. A lover of trains and maps, he enjoyed travel, and for many years Bill and his wife Joy made an annual trip to Europe. While Joy skied, Bill spent a week journeying by train through Switzerland, Austria, Germany, or Italy, meeting up with Joy in a European city at trip's end.

Bill met Joy, the love of his life, in high school, and they were married for 60 years. His two children, Kristen and Kurt, became teachers, as did two of his grandchildren, William and Christopher Bass, who continue his legacy of working with middle school students. Also mourning his loss are his son-in-law, Mark Curnin, his daughter-in-law, Erica Frieswick, and two young grandchildren, Avery and Miles.

Bill was above all a humanitarian, and in honoring him, in lieu of flowers, we invite people to donate to a scholarship fund established in his name: Southampton Lions Club, c/o Bank ESB, P.O. Box 274, Southampton, MA 01073, subject line William G. Erickson Scholarship Fund.

A private memorial service for family and friends will be held in the spring.