Theodore Spaulding Bacon, Jr

Theodore S. Bacon, Jr., 95; Educator, City Planner. Theodore Spaulding Bacon, Jr. died May 16 in Peterborough, NH from a stroke he suffered on May 11. He was 95 years old. Mr. Bacon was born in Springfield, MA on June 13, 1918. He was the son of Dr. Theodore S. Bacon and Mabel Arms Bacon. Mr. Bacon was a graduate of Deerfield Academy, Amherst College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and MIT with a Master's Degree in City Planning. Mr. Bacon served in the Navy during World War II and was honorably discharged after the war with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. It was in the Navy that Mr. Bacon met his future wife, Sarah Hogate, when both were working in New York as Navy cryptographers. Mrs. Bacon was in the WAVES having graduated in the first WAVES class at Smith College. They were married in June, 1943 and each went on to serve in naval port operations and convoy scheduling and management. After DDay, Mr. Bacon arrived in Le Havre while it was still in flames from bombing and German sabotage. The French port was being cleared of German troops, mines, booby traps and obstacles. Mr. Bacon served as Assistant Port Director of the port through the end of the war. Until the liberation of Antwerp, Le Havre was the busiest port on the European continent. Over one million service personnel and their equipment debarked in Le Havre. Mr. Bacon returned to the States in 1946 and became a Dean at Amherst College. He was Assistant Dean of Admissions, Assistant Dean of Students and Dean of Financial Aid. He was also an Associate Professor of Political Science for two years. In 1961, Mr. Bacon left Amherst College to teach City Planning and Urban Development at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he remained until his retirement in 1986. During this period, he also maintained his own city planning and urban development business focusing mostly on developing zoning plans and ordinances for many cities and towns. His business and his interest allowed him to travel to many places in the world. Mr. Bacon was Chairman of the Town of Amherst Planning Board for 18 years and served on the Boards of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and of The Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech. He was an active Trustee of the American University in Cairo, Egypt for 26 years. Mr. Bacon was predeceased by Sarah, his wife of 64 years, and by two sons, Theodore, III and Kenneth. He is survived by his son, Douglas, of Concord, MA, two daughters-in-law, four grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be private. Donations in Mr. Bacon's name may be made to Monadnock Community Hospital, c/o Ms. Laura A. Gingras, VP, 452 Old Street Rd., Peterborough, NH 03458 benefiting the Sarah Hogate Bacon Emergency Pavilion.

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