Steve Green and his wife, Susanne Walker, at 2019's Spirit of Caring Awards where they were honored with the Al Nelson Spirit of Caring Award by the Northern Berkshire United Way.
Steve Green with Shirley Davis and then NBCC Executive Director Adam Hinds at the opening of the UNO Neighborhood Center. At left, with Mary Grant in 2009.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Community supporter and longtime educator Stephen Green has died.
Green reportedly died Tuesday from a medical condition.
The news was shared to the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts community on Thursday by college President Jamie Birge.
"Dr. Green was, and always will be, a legend who embodied MCLA's mission to promote excellence in learning and teaching, public service, and active and responsible citizenship," Birge wrote. "He taught some 3,500 students and advised hundreds more. He was the epitome of a servant leader. He was known to be one of the first on campus in the morning and the light in his office could be seen burning late into the evening, fondly remembered as akin to a lighthouse beacon bringing everyone safely to shore."
In addition to the thousands of students whose lives he touched, including MCLA's former president Mary Grant, his impact was felt far beyond the college campus as he and his wife, Susan Walker, fully embedded themselves into the community after arriving here in 1973.
"I literally don't have words," said Northern Berkshire Community Coalition's Amber Besaw. "I think the loss for our community as a whole feels almost unfillable for the presence that he had and the impact over time, from his days as a professor at MCLA to all the boards and committees and charity work that he's done. It's just tremendous."
Green worked at the college for 36 years as a professor of sociology and later vice president of academic affairs. He retired in 2009.
He was a member of the executive committee of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and had served as its president. He had co-founded and volunteered at the Al Nelson Friendship Center Pantry, served on boards and committees of the Northern Berkshire United Way (for which he and his wife were campaign co-chairs) and president several times, and volunteered with the Northern Berkshire Interfaith Action Initiative and All Saints Church.
He was also a member of the city's Community and Economic Advisory Board and the former Downtown Development and was ever present at local community meetings and events. His NBCC board colleague Benjamin Lamb described him as "a force of nature."
"There's almost too much to be said about Steve," Lamb said. "So many of us in the community looked at him as a role model and you think about the number of people in this community that he trained and educated that are now reverberating his impact and will continue to for another generation.
"But to not have him is a huge punch in the gut. ... We were lucky to have him."
Thomas Bernard, former mayor and current director of the Berkshire United Way, had also worked with Green at MCLA and knew him as a friend's father growing up.
"I'm heartbroken for the family, who are close friends, but for the community because Steve was such a fixture and kind and thoughtful and gentle and really, really believed in the community because he believed in people," Bernard said. "He did it with quiet humility and it wasn't even humility, because it was just, he just did it. He didn't do it for credit because his value set was that we give what we have, especially of our talent and our heart."
Green had received a lengthy list of awards, including New England Sociologist of the Year by the New England Sociological Association in 2006 and MCLA's Athletics Service Award in 2009 for his continued support of the program. This was later renamed the Dr. Steve Green Athletic Service Award and the retired professor also oversaw the Steve Green Community Engagement Fund for students doing service-based learning. Grant had presented him with the President's Medal at the 2009 commencement.
He and Walker were also recognized for their many years of leadership and volunteerism within the community.
Green was presented the Martin Luther King Jr. Peacemaker Award in 2006 and the Francis H. Hayden Award by the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce in 2007 for his contributions to the community. He was United Way's Volunteer of the Year and he and Walker were honored with its Al Nelson Spirit of Caring Award in 2019.
That evening, Green expressed his feelings by reading the last paragraph of the speech he'd given at the 1994 NBUW annual meeting.
"The work that you do, the ideals that you stand for, the concern which you and others share, are a testimony to your commitment to being a piece of the safety net," he read in part. "You care. You care a great deal. You are all owed far more gratitude than you receive. But you're not doing what you're doing for that type of reward. You do it because you know that what you do can make a difference. Making that difference is essential to your health and that of your neighbors."
His colleagues said Green's kindness was what always stood out to them. Besaw said, for her personally, it was the loss of mentor as well as a very dear friend. He was the first phone call after a meeting, she said, and would always tell to keep going, that it would be fine.
"I think most of all, I'm gonna miss the 'be well, my friend,' which is how he ended every conversation that we had."
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North Adams Council Sets School Debt Exclusion Vote
By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
Council President Bryan Sapienza holds up an application to work as a poll worker for the upcoming elections. The form can be found under 'Becoming an election worker' under city clerk on the city website or in the city clerk's office.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council gave final approval on Tuesday for the mayor to borrow $65,362,859 for a new Greylock School to serve Grades prekindergarten through 2.
This final adoption paves the way for two community forums and a debt exclusion vote scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at St. Elizabeth's Parish Center. Passage of the debt exclusion vote will allow the city to raise funds beyond its levy limit for the life of the loan.
City Clerk Tina Marie Leonesio said the city has about 1,400 requests for mail-in ballots for all elections and that in-person early voting will start the Saturday before.
The first forum is Thursday, Aug. 15, at 6 p.m. at Greylock; officials will provide an overview of the project and tours of the school. Zoom participation is available here. Northern Berkshire Community Television will also record the forums for later broadcast.
The second forum is Thursday, Aug. 22, at 6 p.m. at Brayton Elementary School. The Zoom link is the same and those attending in person can also take a tour of the building.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority will pick up about $41,557,218 of the cost, the city about $20 million and the $3 million balance is expected to come from federal energy grants. The 30-year tiered loan for $20 million is expected to have its highest impact in 2029 when it will add $270 to the average tax bill, or about $22.50 a month.
This final adoption paves the way for two community forums and a debt exclusion vote scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at St. Elizabeth's Parish Center.
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