Deceased March 8, 2017
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In Memory
The great class of 1956 lost one of its proudest members when Nort Reusswig passed on unexpectedly but peacefully on March 8, 2017. Born in New York City to E. Norton Reusswig (Amherst ’20) and Sarah Parshall Reusswig, he was raised in Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J. He attended Ridgewood High School.
At Amherst he was a member of Psi Upsilon and traveled Europe playing drums with the Delta Five Dixieland Band. He met the love of his life, Nancy Louise Lane (Mount Holyoke ’56) who, with their three children—Peter ’82, Cindy and David—and their seven grandchildren, survives him today. Nancy and Nort celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in November.
His family and friends bid him farewell in April, and his daughter Cindy said it best at his memorial service:
“As a father, you were loving, joyful, kind, compassionate, forgiving, patient and positive. As a husband, you were thoughtful, gentlemanly, faithful and supportive. As a citizen, you were hardworking, responsible, respected, non-materialistic and patriotic. As a friend, you were humble, generous, fun, witty and spontaneous. As a person, you were gentle and good.
“You rarely complained despite the crosses you bore in life. Instead you gave thanks.
“No act of kindness however big, was ever too inconvenient for you to give. Even more so, no act of kindness, however small that you received, was ever taken for granted or went unappreciated.
“You set examples through your actions and many parables.
“You loved your jokes.
“You loved your old fashions.
“You loved your music, your drums, the Banjo Band, the Friendship Singers.
“You loved … and your love was unconditional.”
Nort loved Amherst and the lifelong friends he met there, and attended virtually every reunion since his graduation, entertaining his classmates at many of those reunions.
We will miss him dearly.
Peter Reusswig ’82