This article originally appeared in the winter 2014 Harker Quarterly.
Pam Gelineau Dec. 20, 1948-Nov. 11, 2014
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing Nov. 11 of Pam Gelineau, longtime employee of The Harker School, after a brave battle with cancer. She passed peacefully with her family at her side.
Mrs. Gelineau served the Harker community for 24 years, first as a beloved kindergarten and grade 2 teacher and, since 1998, as lower school admissions director. She understood the younger students and their families. She had an intuitive grasp of their viewpoint, giving her a strong and wonderful way of interacting with them. Her leader-ship was also critical to the lower school’s transition to the Bucknall campus.
Her many colleagues who cherished her say that she was a great listener and touched us all with her humor, graciousness and wise and caring nature. She will be greatly missed.
Mrs. Gelineau leaves two sons, both Harker alumni: Mark ’90, an English teacher at Harker’s middle school, and David ’97. Mrs. Gelineau’s husband, Dan, is also a Harker alumnus (Palo Alto Military Academy ’65) and former longtime employee of the school. We extend our sincerest condolences to the entire family.
The memorial services, held at Chapel of the Flowers in San Jose on Nov. 20-21, were attended by many Harker employees, past and present, and alumni. Harker will be hosting a memorial in January. If you’d like notification when details are finalized, please email Nicole Hall at nicole.hall@harker.org.
James Near May 25, 1927-Oct. 12, 2014
James “Jim” Near, father of longtime history teacher John Near, passed away Oct. 12 in Maui, Hawaii. He was 87 years old. Jim and his wife, Patricia, established The Harker School’s first endowment, the John Near Excellence in History Education Endowment Fund, in 2009, to honor their son’s teaching career after he passed away in September of that year. Many students and families have since made memorial contributions to this endowment, increasing the scope of the research that students honored as Near Scholars have been able to explore each year with grants from the endowment. Recent research topics have included the impact of the feminist and civil rights movements on the disability rights movement of the 1960s and ’70s, and an in-depth review of news coverage on the Vietnam War and the resulting tension between news media and the federal government.
“Jim Near’s generosity and vision will support our students and their teacher mentors in perpetuity, as they explore their interest in history research at The Harker School,” said Chris Nikoloff, head of school.
The endowment also funds the continued development of the John Near Resource Center in Shah Hall on the Saratoga campus.
Jim is survived by his granddaughter, Casey Near ’06, and daughter-in-law, Pam Dickinson, Harker’s Office of Communication director, as well as his wife, three sons and daughter. Contributions can be made in Jim’s honor to the John Near Excellence in History Education Endowment Fund by emailing Allison Vaughan at allison.vaughan@harker.org.