Edward Grant Sparrow

1929 - 2015
Edward Grant Sparrow, of West Glover, Vermont, died on April 23, 2015 after a brief illness. He was born in Paris, France on July 28, 1929, the son of Edward Grant Sparrow and Catherine Groth Sparrow. Ten years later his family returned to New York City where he attended Buckley School and later, St. Mark's School in Southborough, Massachusetts. At Harvard University, he earned his baccalaureate and law degrees. Preferring teaching to law, he earned a MA from Columbia University Teacher's College. He married Lydia Huntington in 1953, before joining the Army, which sent him to West Germany as part of the US occupying forces. On returning, he was hired as a Tutor at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland. There for 36 years, he taught their entire curriculum of Great Books, except for two years at St. Mary's College in California where from 1964-1966 he served as Acting Director of the Integrated Liberal Arts Curriculum. He subsequently served as Dean of St. Johns College from 1977 to 1982. He married Margaret Kessberger in March 1995, and retired to country life in northern Vermont.

He converted to Catholicism in 1957 and became an oblate of Mount. Savoir Monastery in Elmira, New York. His passion for religious and philosophical thought was evident in his teaching, writings, discussions with his students, and private conversations.

A colleague, Curtis Wilson, wrote of him, "We hold him in especial esteem for traits and accomplishments that are peculiarly his: his boldness, persistence, and courage in investigating the foundations of the liberal arts: his wisdom and judiciousness in guiding . . . the college polity; the generous hospitality that he and Lydia extended to members of the faculty and their families, and to countless students on innumerable occasions; the loyalty and public spiritedness with which he gave himself to the college .. . We respect him as a man of principle; we admire him for his dashing and aristocratic style and for the great joie de vivre of his waltzing; and we deeply value his friendship."

He also loved literature, poetry, classical music, and old time radio. As his eyesight failed him, he learned to recite many poems but he especially loved to recite, if not sing, the lyrics to any Gilbert and Sullivan opera with verve and style. His favorite work was Gerard Manley Hopkins' "The Wreck of the Deutschland".

He is survived by his wife, Margaret, his former wife of 40 years, Lydia; his sister Helen; his children: Katherine; Sophie; Bartholomew; Helen; Elizabeth; Edward; and Richard; and 12 grandchildren. He was predeceased by his eldest son, Christopher.