Deceased April 24, 2022
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In Memory
The Rev. Ken Sawyer passed away on April 24, 2022, surrounded by the love of his wife, Carol, and their two children, Amy and Becca. A 1970 graduate of Harvard Divinity School, Ken served for 38 years as the minister and, thereafter, as emeritus for an iconic New England church, the First Parish in Wayland, Mass. A frequent visiting lecturer at Harvard Divinity School, he served as president of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Ken also ministered to us at the College, first to his five roommates in Pratt and soon to his 28 English 1–2 classmates. While the rest of us struggled to complete writing three essays a week, his gentle humor, keen insights and spare writing showed us the way, including in one two-pager that helped persuade his girlfriend, Carol, to join him as his partner for life. Ken also offered his unique voice to all as a lead “Bad Guy” D.J. on WAMF. When we six roomies joined Chi Phi, he shared his caring, joy for life and way with word and song for three more years.
At our 25th reunion, he gathered the class of ’66 together in Johnson Chapel to heal the wounds left by the Vietnam War to those who walked out in protest at our graduation and those who didn’t, to those who served in the war and those who didn’t. That Sunday morning, he offered a homily based on the “Senior Song,” and we shared good memories, wry humor and, yes, tears for our classmates who had, by then, fallen too young.
Our Rev. Sawyer’s work, words and care still remind us: “Now we’re bound by ties that cannot sever, All our whole life thro’.”
Brother Sawyer, rest in peace.
Paul Dimond ’66