Robert J. French ’57

Robert J. French ’57 passed away on March 3 in Saint George, Maine. He and his wife of 51 years, Shirley, spent much of their married life in Maine. Bob came to Dartmouth in 1953 from Brookline High School in Massachusetts. At Dartmouth he majored in geography and belonged to Sigma Phi Epsilon, the Interfraternity Treasurers Council, Geography Club, Newman Club and the Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps. He earned advanced degrees from Northeastern University and Clark University. Bob taught geography for 27 years at the University of Southern Maine and earned professor emeritus status in 2002. During his tenure he conducted coastal archeological surveys and was co-coordinator of the Maine Geographic Alliance from 1992 to 1995. In 2001 he was guest curator of the exhibit, “Road Maps the American Way” at the Osher Map Library and Smith Cartographic Center in Portland, Maine. In 2011 he published a novel, Road Map to Yesterday. His hobbies were antique auto and bicycle restoration, tending his land, hiking, fishing and exploring Maine with his family. Bob leaves Shirley, two daughters and two granddaughters.