This was a true celebration of LIFE as Monk would have demanded

 

On Sunday September 12 a celebration of Monk Williams' life was held at the Dartmouth Skiway, organized by Bill Rich '68, Buzz Land '67, Ed and Claudia Damon '69.

 

In attendance were Rusty Martin '68, Bill Cantlin '69, Don Johnson, Claudia Damon, wife of Ed Damon and very close friends of Monk, Ed Damon '69, closest friend of Monk, Bill Rich '68, Gus Williams, no relation, ski competitor of Monk's from Middlebury, John Morton, Middlebury grad, competitor, former Dartmouth and US Ski Team coach, and Buzz Land '67 very close friend of Monk.

Excerpt from Monk's Obituary

The entire obituary is posted on the Class of 1968 website

 

Stephen C. “Monk” Williams

 

Stephen C. “Monk” Williams, 74, died on April 8, 2021 at The Courville, a long-term care facility in Manchester, NH. He had battled multiple sclerosis (MS) for 44 years drawing on an indomitable spirit, great courage and a playful sense of humor, and the help, gladly given, of many caring people. He was the subject of an inspirational biography, The Monk, by Brett Garamella published in 2006. It might just as well have been titled, Always with a Smile. Born on July 2, 1946, Steve was brought up in the small country town of Boonville, NY. His father Perry was a lawyer and a developer of Snow Ridge, a ski area in the Tug Hill region known for its heavy winter snowfalls. His mother was Ruth Kelley, a homemaker also involved in managing the ski area. Steve and his older brother Dick learned to ski at an early age and took full advantage of living near the Adirondacks. Steve became an Eagle Scout at a young age.

 

Steve attended Deerfield Academy and Dartmouth College, graduating in 1968 as an economics major. An excellent student, he was admitted into the Omicron Delta Epsilon economics honor society and named a Rufus Choate Scholar. He was a member of Psi Upsilon fraternity. He cemented his passion for skiing as a member of the Dartmouth Ski Team. Steve trained under legendary coach Al Merrill whom he admired for his pursuit of excellence, integrity and positive outlook. Although hampered by several sports-related injuries, Steve excelled at long distance cross country ski races, where he could happily hammer away in the “pain cave” experienced by endurance athletes willing to push their bodies to the limit. Other people would regard those feelings as suffering.

 

Steve attended Yale Law School for two years before being lured back to Hanover, NH by Dean of the College Carroll Brewster to be Assistant Dean. Cross country ski racing was in his heart, however, and he continued to train and race with the goal of earning a start at the 1972 Winter Olympics as a member of the US Ski Team. In the winter of 1971, he placed second in the US National Championship 30 kilometer event and raced in Europe with the US Ski Team. When a knee injury kept him from performing his best, his bid to race in the Olympics fell short.

 

 

Photo Album and Slide Show