Dr. William Sydney Felton Jr.

He was born in Salem, MA, on January 20, 1927, the son of William S. and Zosia (Szczechowicz) Felton. He grew up in Salem and after graduating from the Lenox School, attended Williams College and then earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Marietta College in Marietta, OH as well as a PhD from the University of Colorado/Boulder. He worked for AT & T before his career as an educator brought him to the University of Maryland / College Park in College Park, MD where he met his future wife. He married Michelle Pache in a ceremony at the Washington Cathedral in Washington, DC, on June 8, 1959. They were married for almost 40 years before her death in December of 2000.

Felton then taught at the University of Florida / Tallahassee in Tallahassee, FL and Rollins College in Winter Park, FL. before moving to Keene where he was Professor of Sociology at Keene State College for 34 years before his retirement in 1998.

A dedicated and committed educator, he wrote numerous editorials reinforcing the importance of education that were published in the Keene Sentinel. He served on the Monadnock School Board for over two decades. He was a member of the American Sociological Association, the National Education Association and the Association of American Educators.

Felton was an avid tennis player and a long time member of the Keene Racquet Club. He was an animal lover and was especially fond of cats. He enjoyed gardening and working in the outdoors. He loved British comedies, Bossa Nova music, the Beach Boys and the ocean.

He is survived by his children: Sherrie Noel Felton and her husband Moshe Tal, of Thousand Oaks, CA, Roxanne Leigh Rubell of Swanzey and W. Scott Felton and his wife Charity of Sherman Oaks, CA; two sisters: Elizabeth Felton of New York, New York and Mariana Lyon of Beverly, MA; as well as a niece, Alexis Lyon and a nephew, Derrick Lyon.

Funeral Services for Mr. Felton will be held on Monday, February 23, 2015 at 11:00 AM at the Fletcher Funeral Home. Calling hours will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at the Funeral Home. Burial will take place later in the spring at the family lot in the Mountain View Cemetery in Swanzey.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made, in William S. Felton, Jr.’s name, to the Monadnock Humane Society (www.monadnockhumanesociety.org), 101 West Swanzey Road, Swanzey, NH 03446, or to the Monadnock Kitty Rescue & Adoption (www.kittyrescueandadoption.org ), PO Box 468, Jaffrey, NH 03452.

Fletcher Funeral Home & Cremation Services (www.fletcherfuneralhome.com ), 33 Marlboro St, Keene has been entrusted with the arrangements.