Francis Sidney Chisdes ’52


Francis Sidney Chisdes ’52 passed away from kidney failure in his home in Fern Park, Florida, on February 14. He was born in Butte, Montana, and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He prepared for Dartmouth at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn. At Dartmouth he majored in classics and enjoyed professors Royal Nemiah and John Stearns. While at Dartmouth he was a founding director of the Dartmouth Film Society. He received an M.A. in classics from Columbia University in 1953 and then spent two years in the U.S. Army, the last one in Korea. He was then awarded a summer internship at the American Academy in Rome, furthering his classical education. His career was in high school education, concentrated on teaching Latin and English at several communities in New Jersey. He reconnected with his Jewish roots at age 40 and spent the remainder of his life deeply involved in his religion, being instrumental in the founding and support of several congregations in New Jersey and Florida, In 1958 he married Carol Lauer, who survives him along with children Jonathan, Judith and Sarah; son-in-law Michael; granddaughter Talia; and brother David ’58.