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BORN

1936

DIED

2021

Philip Stadter Obituary

Philip Stadter
November 29, 1936 - February 11, 2021
Pittsboro, North Carolina - Philip Austin Stadter, age 84, died on February 11, 2021. He was born on November 29, 1936 to the late Mary Louise Jones Stadter and John Martin Stadter.
Philip (A.B. Princeton 1958, Ph.D. Harvard 1962) served in the UNC Classics department from 1962 to 2003, ending his career as Eugene H. Falk Professor in the Humanities and Professor of Classics and of Comparative Literature. He served as department chair (1976-86); as Director of the Lilly Teaching Fellow Program, UNC-CH, 1990-1993; and as a member of the Board of Governors, The University of North Carolina Press, 1989- 2003. He served the classics profession as Director of the American Philological Association 1977-80; President, International Plutarch Society, 1991-93, 1999-2001; member of Société internationale de bibliographique classique, 2000-2015; Editor for Roman Studies, Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies, 1969-1978; and Editor, American Journal of Philology, 1996-2000, Honorary Editor, 2000-21. He has been Prof. Emeritus since 2003, and received an honorary doctorate from the Università del Sacro Cuore of Milan, Italy in 2008.
He has been helped in his studies by a number of fellowships: Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, 1958-59; Fulbright Fellowship, 1960-61 (Rome, Italy); Guggenheim Fellowship, 1967-68 (Florence, Italy); NEH Senior Fellow, 1974-75 (Cambridge, Mass.); ACLS Fellowship, 1982-83 (Oxford, England); National Humanities Center Fellow, 1989-90; Faculty Fellow, Institute for the Arts and Humanities, UNC, 1996; Fowler Hamilton Visiting Fellow, Christ Church (Oxford), April-June 2013. He was the author of numerous publications on Plutarch, Arrian, Thucydides, Xenophon, and the ancient Public Library of San Marco in Florence.
He was a longtime parishioner of St. Thomas More Catholic Church (Chapel Hill), where he served on various committees. An active member of the Galloway Ridge community, he was also an avid hiker and traveler.
Philip was a loving and beloved husband, father, grandfather, and uncle. He was very proud of all his grandchildren, whom he cherished, loving each one's unique spirit and gifts. Philip is survived by his wife of 57 years, Lucia Angela Ciapponi Stadter, his three children, Paul Martin Stadter(Natalie), Maria-Francesca Stadter Fox (James), and Mark Austin Stadter (Robbie), and nine grandchildren, Elizabeth, James, Nicholas, Luke, Grace, Laura, Matthew, Daniel, and Timothy, and five nephews and nieces. Philip was preceded in death by his two brothers, John Martin Stadter, Jr., and Richard Perry Stadter, and his sister, Judith Ann Stadter Gamble.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 2:30 PM on Tuesday, February 16, 2021, at St. Thomas More Catholic Church (Chapel Hill). Due to covid-19, the family deeply regrets that in-person attendance is restricted to the immediate family. A livestream broadcast will be available at https://livestream.com/accounts/29266864/events/9531109
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to:
Outreach Ministry, c/o Mary Ellen McGuire, St. Thomas More, 940 Carmichael St. Chapel Hill, NC 27514.
The Stadter family is under the care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service. Online condolences: www.hallwynne.com – select obituaries.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The News & Observer on Feb. 15, 2021.

Memories and Condolences
for Philip Stadter

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Gail Corrado

February 9, 2022

Phillips kindness, wit, intelligence and sense of fun was always present in every encounter we had with him. His love and regard for you, Lucia, was also always evident.

Eternal Affection Arrangement- BASKET INCLUDED

Marisa , Paolo, Barbara

Sent Flowers

Lieve Van Hoof

February 19, 2021

Dear Lucia,
My sincerest condoleances at the passing away of Philip. I shall always remember him as a great scholar and as a very kind and generous person. He hosted me on my very first longer scholarly stay abroad, from which I fondly remember not just the inspiring academic climate, but also the hospitality shown by both of you in your home. And I'm also proud that he was one of the examiners of my PhD, at the occasion of which you both visited Leuven. Philip will live on in his work, but also in our hearts! I wish you and your family much strength in these difficult times, and hope that the many beautiful memories will help to alleviate your pain. With my warmest regards, Lieve Van Hoof

Tolly Boatwright

February 16, 2021

I send deepest condolences to Philip's whole family. We have lost a remarkable human being and a brilliant scholar. Phil was a wonderful colleague to me, even though I was down the road at Duke. He went out of his way to welcome me - as he so generously did everyone he met - and thoughtfully included me in one of his conferences. His gentle nature, real interest in others, and innovative and thorough scholarship were a real inspiration to me and others. I am so sorry for his loss.

Jan Opsomer

February 16, 2021

Dear Lucia, I am very sad about Philip"s passing. I remember his warmth and kindness, his kind hospitality, his good humour. He was a magnificent human being and a great scholar. He was a friend I will dearly miss. I offer my sincere condolences to you and the family.

Frances B. Titchener

February 16, 2021

Dear Lucia and family,
I am so sorry for your loss which I know from experience is a very great one. I am one of only many helped by Philip at the very beginning of my career, through the long middle, and even in the last few years. He was such a kind, genuine, and gifted man. We will all miss him terribly. With love and tears from Fran, proud to call herself his friend

Ewen Bowie

February 16, 2021

Dear Lucia
Like so many others I was very distressed to hear of Philip's death. He was a wonderful man, and a much-loved friend, and I have the happiest memories of times spent with him and with you both, going back all the way to your generous hospitality when I visited UNC around 1984/5, but also on many occasions thereafter. Few great scholars as sharp and energetic as Philip was are also so warm and such good company. He will be terribly missed.

Lucia Athanassaki

February 16, 2021

I remember all these times that I saw Philip in Greece, Athens, Rethymnon and especially in Delphi. Philip was such a benevolent presence. I will never forget that when he was giving his talk on Plutarch and Delphi (in Delphi 2013) I thought to myself, oh my god, this is how Plutarch must have sounded. We will all miss his wisdom and philanthropia, but his work will always remind us of him. I offer my condolences to Lucia and their family.

Amanda Giannini Watlington

February 16, 2021

So sad to hear of Philip's passing. He was a terrific scholar and a wonderful person. He was my dissertation director at UNC and made the academic journey one of pleasant discovery. I will never forget his kindness.

Group of 10 Memorial Trees

Eleanor Rutledge

Planted Trees

Tasos Nikolaidis

February 16, 2021

Dear Lucia,

Please accept my (and Eleni's) most sincere condolences. Among so many memories, I will never forget my first meeting with Philip in Athens (June 1987), your kind hospitality at Chapel Hill in the Fall of 1991 (that in your cabin at the mountains included), and the "fight of the eggs" at Rethymno in the Easter of 2005. Philip was unique in so many respects. I know that words cannot alleviate your pain, but still try to be strong enough to always remember him.
Much love,
Tasos and Eleni

Egidia Occhipinti

February 16, 2021

I met Philip when I was Fellow in Classics at the University of Oxford, in 2013. He was Fowler Hamilton Visiting Fellow at the Christ Church at that time, and a very close friend of my sponsor there. Therefore on several occasions I had chats with him, I attended his seminars, we had a dinner together with his lovely wife, and other scholars, on the occasion of the Meeting of the Classical Association at Reading. I met him last time in Banff for a conference of the Plutarch Society in 2014. I remember him as a gentlemen and a very polite person and scholar.

José-Antonio Fernández-Delgado and Francisca Pordomingo

February 16, 2021

It's really a very sad news. He was an extraordinary plutarchist and a very friendly person. We will remember always his presence and brilliant participation in the International Plutarch Society congresses, always accompanied by his beloved Lucia. Our sincerest condolences to Lucia and the whole family,
José Antonio Fernández-Delgado and Francisca Pordomingo

Eric Dugdale

February 15, 2021

Professor Philip Stadter is the reason I went to UNC and became a professional classicist. I met him while he was doing research at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and he encouraged me to apply to the graduate program at UNC. His enthusiasm and friendliness were heart-warming. He loved seeing alumni and catching up with us.His discussion based pedagogy encouraged discovery. A prolific and pioneering scholar, he wore his scholarship lightly. First and foremost, he was a true Mensch. He will be greatly missed.

Rafael Gallé Cejudo

February 15, 2021

Mi más sincero pésame a su esposa y resto de familia. Hemos perdido un extraordinario filólogo. Descanse en paz.

Group of 10 Memorial Trees

Gail and Michael Corrado

Planted Trees

Alberto, Mª Pilar and Aurelio Pérez Jiménez (Málaga, Spain)

February 15, 2021

Dear Lucia, yesterday we have known through the IPS of Philip's recent death. Although not long ago we heard that he was quite ill, we did not expect (this is never expected) an outcome so quickly. You know the immense affection that we (Alberto, María Pilar and myself) have for him and you, due to your naturalness and kindness and to the generous hospitality with which you welcomed Alberto for a summer. He has had great love for you ever since and Pilar and me we have a great admiration, which is special in the case of Philip, whom I have always had as a model of scientific researching and moral conduct, which are a result of his humanity and personal and professional qualities. As you can imagine, its loss has made a big impact on us and you can be sure that he will always live in our memory. We regret not being able to accompany you personally at this difficult time, but we will do so tomorrow by connecting to his Funeral Mass, if it is not prevented by the technique. Get a very strong embrace of us three, who consider to be more than friends your Spanish family, Alberto, Maria Pilar and Aurelio.

Paolo e Marisa Desideri

February 14, 2021

Carissima Lucia, apprendiamo con grande dispiacere della perdita che colpisce anche noi dolorosamente. Philip ci lascia il ricordo di una grande personalità di studioso e insieme di un amico di straordinaria gentilezza, bontà , socievolezza e anche acutezza e ironia. Immaginiamo quanto mancherà a te e a tutta la vostra grande famiglia. Ti siamo nel cuore e ti mandiamo un grande abbraccio
Paolo e Marisa

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