Trumbull, Conn. – William Keefe Glavin, 92, passed peacefully after a long and full life in the early hours of November 4, 2021 in Trumbull, CT.
Born in Fall River, MA to Madeline Keefe Glavin and Morgan John Glavin Sr. Bill was a longtime resident of Southborough and New Bedford, MA. He was predeceased by his mother, father, brother Morgan, and sister-in-law Rosemary.
Bill grew up primarily in Fall River and graduated from Msgr. Coyle High School in 1947. He was then admitted to Brown University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Classics in 1951, graduating with honors.
After serving a short stint in the US Navy, Bill got a tip from a friend that there was a teaching job open at a college prep boarding school in Southborough, MA called St. Mark’s School. Though he had been admitted to Harvard Law School, Bill decided to defer for a year and took a job teaching Greek and Classics at the school. What he thought would be a year became a lifetime devoted to teaching and his storied career at St. Mark’s lasted for 41 years. He became a legend as the prototypical tough-but-great teacher, dorm “father” and coach of both baseball and hockey.
Bill took his first international trip to Paris in 1958 and that began a long love affair with world travel. On that trip, he rode a motor scooter over the Alps and into Italy – a harrowing but triumphant journey that provided story-telling opportunities for years afterwards.
Bill spent his summers from the late 1950s to the late 1960s in Chicago, initially getting a master’s degree in Classics from the University of Chicago and then his Ph.D. During these summers he became a regular at Wrigley Field and a fan of the Chicago Cubs.
After retiring from St. Mark’s in 1996, Bill expanded his worldwide travels, returning to favorite destinations including Istanbul, Rome, Sicily, Athens, and more. During his travels, Bill began collecting a wide range of Greek and Latin books, eventually reaching a total of over 3000 making his New Bedford apartment a memorable place to visit with filled bookshelves dominating every room.
Bill was a great storyteller who often invoked memories of his favorite students and fellow teachers, his mother Madeline, Aunt Genevieve, brother Morgan and life as a boy growing up in Fall River.
He is survived by his two nephews, Bill and Jim, and their children Meghann, Wil, Oliver, and Kyle who will always remember his stories.
The family would like to thank Bill’s lifelong friend, Jim Marshall and his wife Laila, as well as Ted Lorenzen and his wife Barbara for the companionship and support they offered to Bill, especially in his later years.
A Mass of Christian Burial to celebrate Bill’s life will be held at 10:00 am on Monday, November 8, 2021 at Holy Name Roman Catholic Church, 709 Hanover St. Fall River, MA followed by internment at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Fall River. If you wish to greet the family, there will be a viewing preceding the Mass from 8:30-9:30 am at Hathaway Funeral Home, 1813 Robeson St. Fall River.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider making a gift to your favorite charity in memory of Bill or to St. Mark’s School, 25 Marlboro Rd. Southborough, MA 01772.
For Memorial Register please visit, www.hathawayfunerals.com.
