Francis Royster Bliss, Professor Emeritus of Classics, died on March 16, 2016, at the age of 96 1/2, a couple of years after the death of his dear wife Franny. He came to UVM in 1966 from Case Western Reserve, where he had been Chair of the Classics Department. Until his retirement from UVM in 1979, he taught all levels of Greek and Latin as well as courses in literature in translation and ancient history. His research ranged widely in the literary and material remains of ancient Mediterranean culture. He published important articles on Homer, late fifth-century Athenian literature, and Latin literature of the Augustan period and early Empire.

Professor Bliss graduated with a B.A. degree from Bowdoin, began graduate work at Yale, and after service in the armed forces in WW II, earned his Ph.D. degree at the University of North Carolina in 1951. He participated loyally in the Classical Association of New England (CANE), which bestowed upon him its Barlow-Beach Distinguished Service Award. At the annual meetings of CANE, his presentations on the pronunciation and recitation of Latin and Greek poetry were legendary. At one meeting he sang from memory an entire ode of Pindar. He was an enthusiastic tenor in the UVM Choral Union, and in the 1977-78 season of the Royall Tyler Theatre, he acted a principal role in a production of Le Malade imaginaire in French, directed by Tom Geno of the Department of Romance Languages.

In retirement at his farm in New Vineyard, Maine, Francis kept active with organic gardening and preparing for the long winters. He is survived by three children: David, Debbie, and Mickey. Plans for a memorial service are still in the making.

Read the Daily Bulldog obituary here.