Professor of Anthropology Emeritus A. Peter Woolfson died peacefully on February 29, 2016 at the Starr Farm Nursing Home in the presence of his wife and son. Peter was well-known for his keen intellect and his kind and caring nature, and he will be remembered and missed by all who knew him.
Peter was born on March 14, 1936 in Toronto, Canada to the late Solomon Jacob Woolfson and Kathlyn Natalie Langer Woolfson. As a young man, Peter's interest in the power of language brought him to the University of Toronto to receive both a B.A. and an M.A. in English (in 1958 and 1961, respectively). Influenced by Marshall McLuhan, he became fascinated with how language itself can shape cultures and people, and in 1967, he received his Ph.D. in anthropology with a concentration in linguistic anthropology from the State University of New York in Buffalo.
Following teaching at Wayne State University, he came to the University of Vermont In 1970, where he helped spearhead the establishment of a separate Department of Anthropology. He served as Acting Chair, Interim Chair, and for five years as Chair of the Department. He was granted tenure in 1974 and was promoted to Professor in 1997 after many years of teaching, service, and scholarship.
Alumnus Justin Gregg, class of ’98, recalls a distinct memory of Professor Woolfson. “Although he was a reserved fellow, he was clearly passionate about his study subject,” Gregg says. “I can quite clearly picture sitting around a big wooden table up in what felt like the belfry of Williams Hall listening to Professor Woolfson animatedly imitate Mohawk speech patterns. It was like dinner theatre!” Professor of Anthropology Emeritus William Haviland remembers that Peter was “a source of strength as we sought to establish a department of Anthroplogy at UVM. He was also a source of enjoyment; I especially remember our back-and-forth exchange of puns. In this, his linguistic abilities were unmatched!”
It was important to Peter to use his knowledge and skills to improve the lives of others, particularly those who might not otherwise be heard. In addition to teaching every Anthropology major during his 32 years at UVM, he used his scholarship to advocate for the civil rights of ethnic and cultural minorities, such as Native Americans and Franco-Americans. He also made significant contributions to medical anthropology by studying doctor-patient interactions in geriatric wards, specifically so he could develop valuable recommendations to improve the care and dignity of the elderly. After he retired from the University in 2002, he continued his commitment to giving a voice to the voiceless by participating actively as a Guardian ad Litem in Vermont probate courts as well as nursing home ombudsman programs.
He is survived by his wife, Vicki Torsch Woolfson, and his second son, Alex MacDonald Woolfson, as well as two step-daughters, Sarah and Stephanie, and three granddaughters, Talia, Shayla, and Lumen. There will be a graveside service at Ahavath Gerim Cemetery, 200 Patchen Rd., S. Burlington on Thursday, March 3 at 1:30 P.M. On Friday, March 4 there will be an open-house memorial from 2 P.M. to 4 P.M. at 1203 Brand Farm Drive, South Burlington.