John Paine

I first met John playing cricket for the Oxford and Cambridge Soc against the British Officers club in the 80's and played squash with him a few times. We also met regularly at O+C events and had dinner with our wives Janet and Pru He was such a nice guy. Pru was my daughter's kindergarten teacher at Park School. She is remembered for saying to her that I had operated on a friend of hers and asked if I did hearts. Jillian said "Mrs Paine I don't know if he does hearts but he does cut legs off!

In 1989, I took a one year position as a teaching fellow in the Noble´s History Department. My boss was John Paine. I was an arrogant know-it-all at 26, young and brash and full of bravado. John was a polished and kind soul, a gentleman who guided me through the minefields of my own making. He defended my at times unique teaching tactics to parents who found me of questionable professionalism, created and co-taught a class with me on the Vietnam War, and supported me unwaveringly in my endeavors as an incipient high school educator. It is now some 35 years later, and I´m still doing the good work. John Paine patiently and lovingly mentored a young man in 1989, an individual new to this wonderful profession. I can say with great surety that without John´s guidance and encouragement, my career would have been short-lived. RIP Mr. Paine. Your positive impact on students and teachers alike continues to this day.

I danced with John at the May ball we held in June at Nobles: the best event ever. Sasha Tipper

So sorry for your loss, Debbie and Katrina. Your Dad made a huge impact on my intellectual life; his enthusiasm for History came through and rubbed off on me. I remember taking his Japanese History class as an upper classman, which as I recall started with a Summer assignment to read Shogun. Great stuff, and was a big part of sending me on the road to my college History major. Now I'm hooked on a History podcast, and it occurs to me that the reason I love it so much may be that the hosts both have the same educated British accent your father had! As my People say: May his memory be a blessing.

I´m so very sorry to learn that Mr. Paine passed away. I´ve now become accustomed to reading obituaries, but reading his and reflecting upon his long, good, warm, and happy life -- now just ended -- made me tear up. As for many, John Paine was my teacher at Nobles who also became a friend. He was brilliant, charming, loyal, funny, and kind, qualities all too rare in the world. His son, Ian, was a friend and I witnessed Mr. Paine´s profound love for and devotion to his family firsthand, as a guest in his home. My most sincere condolences to his family, many friends, teachers, colleagues, and fellow students, especially Katie and Debbie. I will miss Mr. Paine and say a prayer form him. He made the world a better place.

My first year at Nobles was 1964 and I was a boarding student, living in the Frat. John was the Housemaster and lived with us with his family. My earliest memory of him was having him wake us up in the morning by bouncing his infant daughter on us to wake us. Truly wonderful memory of a truly wonderful man

Mr. Paine was my history teacher at Nobles in 1966, my first year at Nobles as a freshman. is approach was no-nonsense, in the best sense of the word. I was new to Nobles that year, and the history class made a lasting impression on me both for content and for learning how to learn. He was also my soccer coach in my last 2 years at Nobles. I will never forget his ramrod straight posture. He was a great teacher and person, and I will never forget him. Even seeing him at reunions years later he remembered me. He was one of those people that you encounter in your life that you know had a profound impact on your growing up process. I'm sure I am among the legions of many hundreds of students who feel the same way.

My deepest condolences on the loss of John Paine. He was a great man in a giant at Nobles. He was a much loved teacher and I was lucky enough to have had one class with him and I still remember one of the critiques he gave to me. After reading a very detailed paper that I had written his only comment was "You cannot see the forest for the trees". This stopped me in my tracks and I immediately knew it was true. His comment has stuck with me and to this day I sometimes find myself trying to see the forest.

He was also responsible for one of the greatest adventures of my life. He would take a small handful of students to travel Europe in the summer in a minivan type vehicle. He must have been very brave as well as dedicated! The year I went his daughter Katie was there as well. This trip was impactful and introduced us to so many things. I have been to class reunions since where we still talk about what a great trip this was. A favorite memory is waking up in a sleeping bag in a mountain pasture with the cows wearing their cowbells nearby. We were so tired Mr. Paine had to wake us up by dribbling water on our heads!

John Paine was a great teacher in and out of the classroom who was impactful in so many ways to his students and his legacy lives on in all of us.

AS the Nobles Varsity Soccer Coach John had a big impact on my life going forward. He was a very inspiring Person and a great person to have known.
Rest in Peace my friend

Deepest condolences to the family. Mr. Paine will be greatly missed.
Rebecca Hayes, Nobles class of `95

Thank you for your service to Canada, Sir. Job well done and it's now time to Rest In Peace. May God Bless You and your family.
~Salute~
VFW Post 1012, Medford, MA