John M. Hyde, 93

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. —   On Thursday, March 28, 2024, John Michael Hyde, Brown Professor of History, Emeritus, at Williams College, passed away peacefully in his home at Sweetwood Retirement Community in Williamstown, MA. He was 93 years old.

John was born on June 16, 1930 in Wichita, KS to parents George A. Hyde and Helen McCarthy Hyde. He was the third of five children, which included older brother George, sister Elizabeth and younger brothers, Arthur and Steve.

In June 1948, John graduated from Tower Hill School, a private day school in Wilmington, DE, and entered Williams College that fall. While John’s college career was interrupted by a stint in the U.S. Navy (1951–55), he ultimately returned to Williams, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude in June 1956, with a Bachelor’s degree in History. As an undergraduate, John was a member of the Zeta Psi fraternity and a Junior Advisor.

Following graduation, he completed his Master’s Degree in History at the University of Minnesota (1957), and then received a fellowship to Harvard University. After his first two years at Harvard, he was offered an instructor position in the History Department at Williams and returned to the Berkshires in the fall of 1959, ultimately completing his Doctorate in History in 1963, while simultaneously teaching full-time at Williams.

As a faculty member for 36 years, John also served as the Dean of Freshman (1963–67), Dean of the College (1967–70), and Chair of the History Department (1975–76, 1980–81, 1983–86.) He officially retired in June 1995, remaining in Williamstown, where you could often find him supporting the Ephs from the sidelines, enjoying lunch on Spring Street, or attending Sunday services at St. John’s Episcopal Church, where he was a lifelong member. John also led numerous Williams Alumni Trips throughout the world, and was continually referred to as “Dean Hyde Sir”, with great affection by alumni, young and old.

In 2002, John was awarded the Rogerson’s Cup – Williams’ highest honor for alumni service – which embodies outstanding loyalty, achievement, and service in the name of Williams.

His legacy of teaching at the college continues with the John Hyde Teaching Fellowship, established in 2016, and given to select senior faculty, encouraging versatility in teaching and development of courses that promote broad-based learning.

Along with possessing a deep love for Canadian history, John was an amazing storyteller and Hyde family historian. As an avid traveler with a passion for the railroads, he enjoyed traveling the world by train on multiple occasion. John loved leading family sing-alongs, where he would either play the accordion or piano. And up through his mid-80s, he spent many summers on Lake Temagami in Northern Ontario, at the Hyde family cottage.

John is survived by his sisters-in-law, Alison (Arthur) Hyde and Sally (Steve) Hyde, twelve nieces and nephews, and sixteen grandnieces and grandnephews. He is predeceased by his four siblings.

Friends and family are invited to attend a memorial service on Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 11:00am at Thompson Memorial Chapel on the Williams College campus followed by a reception at the Williams Inn from 1:00 – 3:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly request donations be made to the John Hyde Teaching Fellowship at Williams College, celebrating John’s lifelong dedication to the college and higher education.

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