In Memoriam: Dottie Smith and Charles Henry Foster

We mourn the recent loss of two longtime associates of the Harvard Forest: Dorothy ('Dottie') Smith and Charles ('Henry') Foster.

Dottie Smith worked as Administrative Assistant at the Forest for 35 years until her retirement in 2003. Upon her retirement, Professor Barry Tomlinson, with whom she had worked closely, remembered her as an "ace secretary" and noted in a short poem, "If all the words you have typed for me were laid end to end / They would stretch from here to Mars."  Dottie passed away on Jan. 10, 2013. Memorial services will be held in the Fiske-Murphy & Mack Funeral Home in Orange on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 11 a.m.  The family suggests that memorial contributions be made in her memory to the NEADS (National Education for Assistance Dogs Services - also known as Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans).

Henry Foster had an illustrious career in environmental policy, serving seven Massachusetts governors in such posts as water resources specialist, commissioner of natural resources, and, in 1971, as Massachusetts’ first cabinet-level secretary of environmental affairs. He also served as Dean of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and president of The Nature Conservancy. He was twice a Harvard Bullard Fellow. His 20-year association with the Harvard Forest laid the foundation for many conservation innovations, including the Wildlands and Woodlands effort. David Foster, director of the Forest, notes, “Henry Foster was an extraordinary man and friend. He was focused on regional issues and policy solutions to major environmental problems confronting humanity, and he shared his expertise willingly to students and colleagues and inspired and amazed us all with his experience, energy, and insights.” Henry died on October 4, 2012. Read his full obituary.