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RPCV Dr. Peter Williams, 63, of Pittsfield was killed in a motorcycle crash in New Hampshire during an annual trip with his brother
RPCV Dr. Peter Williams, 63, of Pittsfield was killed in a motorcycle crash in New Hampshire during an annual trip with his brother
Pittsfield man killed in motorcycle crash
PITTSFIELD - Pittsfield residents and members of Maine's educational communities are mourning the loss of Dr. Peter Williams, 63, of Pittsfield.Williams was killed Saturday afternoon in a motorcycle crash in New Hampshire during an annual trip with his brother.
Williams' motorcycle, which was headed east on the Kancamagus Highway near a scenic turnout, crossed the centerline on a sharp curve and collided with a van. One passenger in the van suffered minor injuries.
The accident happened in the White Mountain National Forest near the Hancock overlook.
Williams was a mathematics and statistics professor at the University of Maine at Farmington, having retired this past spring. He and his wife, Rosalie Williams, formerly a teacher and administrator at Maine Central Institute for 25 years, had recently returned from a five-month cross-country excursion during which they toured the entire country together in a travel camper.
The Williamses had served in the Peace Corps in West Africa in the 1960s. The couple also spent four months in 1999 teaching at the Beijing Polytechnical University in China.
Williams was a member of the MCI board of trustees from 1995 to 2003 and had often filled in academically when MCI's math staff was short.
"He certainly taught me a lot," said MCI trustee President Michael Hodgins on Sunday. "He was a valued leader at MCI, a great statesman and a real gentleman. He was so level-headed and a great thinker." Hodgins said Williams left the board of trustees more than a year ago but that he was often turned to for advice. "He was a top-flight professional," said Hodgins.
In 1998, Williams visited South Africa as a Fulbright specialist, researching approaches to training South African elementary teachers in math and science.
Carolyn Smith at MCI said Sunday, "Peter was a magnificent man. He was very jovial, very intelligent."
Debra Billings, a Pittsfield councilor and also a member of the MCI community, described Williams as "a wonder of a man."
He had also served his community in the past as a member of the town's Personnel Appeals Board.
This Month's Issue: August 2004 Teresa Heinz Kerry celebrates the Peace Corps Volunteer as one of the best faces America has ever projected in a speech to the Democratic Convention. The National Review disagreed and said that Heinz's celebration of the PCV was "truly offensive." What's your opinion and who can come up with the funniest caption for our Current Events Funny? Exclusive: Director Vasquez speaks out in an op-ed published exclusively on the web by Peace Corps Online saying the Dayton Daily News' portrayal of Peace Corps "doesn't jibe with facts." In other news, the NPCA makes the case for improving governance and explains the challenges facing the organization, RPCV Bob Shaconis says Peace Corps has been a "sacred cow", RPCV Shaun McNally picks up support for his Aug 10 primary and has a plan to win in Connecticut, and the movie "Open Water" based on the negligent deaths of two RPCVs in Australia opens August 6. Op-ed's by RPCVs: Cops of the World is not a good goal and Peace Corps must emphasize community development. |