“He was a very quiet person, but in those quiet moments he was always listening to what people had to say. Then when he spoke, you would realize what a thoughtful person he was. He was a lovely, lovely man.”
Those words describe Paul Dunphy of Williamsburg, civic and church leader, journalist, activist and adventurer, who died July 29 at age 69. They were spoken by former Williamsburg Select Board member Jeffrey Ciuffreda, who was succeeded by Dunphy in 2011.
What a wonderful way to be remembered.
Dunphy, who had a long record of public service, died of complications from an illness he had for 20 years. His medical problems didn’t stop him from being a strong presence in his community and his church. Over the years, in addition to his work on the Select Board, Dunphy served on the Planning Board, Trust Fund Commission, School Committee, Hampshire Regional School Committee, Council on Aging Advisory Board, Haydenville Cemetery Association and Haydenville Congregational Church board of trustees.
That is an impressive list that augments his paid jobs: reporter, Chesterfield town administrator and director of constituent services for 1st Franklin District state Rep. Stephen Kulik of Worthington.
Add to that Dunphy’s passionate advocacy for public education. In the 1990s, his concern that the increasing number of charter schools and the emphasis on standardized testing were hurting public schools propelled him to join the Boston-based advocacy group Citizens for Public Schools as a senior policy adviser. He became a leader in the effort to impose a moratorium on new charter schools and standardized testing.
Dunphy traveled widely, reporting for a host of publications, and also backpacked on his own to explore Central America, writing eloquently of his observations and experiences. He spent some summers sailing the coast of Maine with his wife, Martha Phinney, and took great pride in his children, Matthew and Jessica. His was a jam-packed life well lived.
Those of us who worked alongside Dunphy when he was a Daily Hampshire Gazette reporter in the 1970s and 1980s will never forget the kind, funny, positive force that he was.
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Eight years ago Katherine Ormond’s life changed dramatically after suffering a series of strokes.
An avid runner who had a career in credit collections, she suddenly found herself struggling to relearn how to talk clearly, do simple household tasks, control her emotions and maintain her balance.
While she has come a long way, Ormond, 71, still has to tape written reminders to herself around her Northampton apartment, avoid stressful situations and rely on a walker. That means staying close to home — and feeling isolated. To alleviate that, she attends a support group at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton where she has found camaraderie with others who are coping with many of the same difficulties. “We don’t feel that we’re odd,” she told Gazette reporter Andy Castillo.
Strokes, the fifth leading cause of death and disability in the United States, often happen to people like Ormond who appear healthy and strong. Diane Stephan, the nurse manager for Cooley Dickinson’s emergency department who started the support group, says that finding others who can relate to the experience is an important step in recovery. Many are self-conscious and shun going out in public, she says.
Sharing worries and working through solutions can lead to a happier, fuller life. We commend her and Cooley Dickinson for providing that opportunity.
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Congratulations to Fred Ciaglo, a longtime baseball player, coach and fan from Hadley, who is racking up more success in the sport he loves this summer as owner of the Valley Blue Sox, the New England Collegiate Baseball League in Holyoke.
Ciaglo, a teacher at Hopkins Academy, bought the team in May after being affiliated with it for seven years, putting up players in his home and serving as a coach.
Many of the 30 people who work for the Blue Sox are either interns or members of Ciaglo’s family. “I had this opportunity and we as a family decided to take it and run with it,” Ciaglo says.
In his first year as owner, the team finished first in the Northern Division with the best record in the league at 30-12. They will host their first playoff game at 6:35 p.m Monday at Mackenzie Stadium.