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William Steiwer Connell ’37

A picture of William Connell

William Steiwer Connell ’37, April 16, 2010, in Portland. Looking back, Bill remarked that 1937 was a special year for three reasons: he earned a BA from Reed in mathematics, he married Elizabeth Labbé a few days after graduation, and, shortly thereafter, the couple drove to Newark, New Jersey, where he began his actuarial career as a trainee with the Prudential Insurance Company. Bill's career included a position as vice president and actuary at Great American Reserve Insurance Company in Dallas, Texas, and he also served on the company's board of directors. He was hired as vice president of C.V. Starr & Company in New York in 1966, and retired from actuarial work three years later. In retirement, Bill and Elizabeth lived in Durham, New Hampshire. With an MS in mathematics, which he earned in 1973 at the University of New Hampshire, Bill taught statistics at Nasson College in Maine. The couple traveled in the U.S. and abroad, and Bill, who enjoyed hiking, served as New Hampshire chairman of the Nature Conservancy. He also enjoyed classical music. Following his wife's death in 1996, he moved to Portland to be closer to family. Survivors include a daughter, two granddaughters, and two great-grandsons. Bill's first cousin was alumna Florence Walls Lehman ’41.

Appeared in Reed magazine: December 2010

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