Melvin “Mike” Leighton Battles III ’57

Melvin “Mike” Leighton Battles III ’57 passed away at his home in Norwalk, Ohio, on February 4. He had been suffering from prostate cancer and congestive heart failure. He was a lifelong resident of Norwalk. While at Dartmouth Mike majored in sociology, was a member of Alpha Delta Phi and Sphinx and played lacrosse and basketball. Mike was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of the United Methodist Church of Norwalk. He was the second-generation owner of Battles Insurance Co. of Norwalk. He had been a member of the Norwalk Elks Club (trustee and Elk of the Year), American Legion, Kiwanis Club, Eagle Creek Golf Club and Norwalk Jaycees. Mike enjoyed playing golf, fishing in Canada with family and friends, and rooting for Ohio sports teams such as the Cleveland Browns, Norwalk Truckers and Cleveland Indians. Mike is survived by his wife, Kathy; mother Martha Battles; children Andrew, Teri, Wende, Kimberly and Melvin “Chip” IV; eight grandchildren; and sister Deborah. Mike’s Dartmouth classmates thought the world of him. Larrie Calvert: “We all loved him and he loved all of us—impossible to think or speak of Dartmouth ’57 without ‘Rat’ Battles surfacing immediately. It was our good fortune to have him as a classmate.” Adam Block: “Rat was a special guy.” Joel Mitchell: “So long, Rat. What a great experience to be your pal!” Mike Tompkins: “He was a real friend.” Monk Bancroft: “What a great guy!” Howie Howland: “He was one of the good guys. We will miss him.”