Roland Coryell
- Published: February 3, 2011
Roland Stewart Coryell died peacefully on Dec. 30. He was 78.
Roland was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Dec. 27, 1932, the son of Roland Smith Coryell and Marion Stewart Coryell.
He had a lifelong passion for music from his sister, Dolly, singing in many choruses, and geology, from mineral hunting with his father. He loved animals, nature and a good joke.
He earned his bachelors degree in teaching from Antioch College and taught biology and ecology at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., Oakwood Friends School in N.Y., Yellow Springs High School and Leavitt High School in Maine.
He loved hiking and canoeing and spent several years leading wilderness trips with Darrow Camp in Grand Lake Stream, Maine. On June 13, 1970, Roland married Margot L. Friend and moved to Maine in 1972.
He is survived by his wife, Margot Coryell, sons Roland and Gilman and grandchildren Olga and Lucy. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Audry Hayden and Dorothy Coryell. A memorial gathering will be held in summer on Torsey Pond in Mount Vernon.
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This teacher was one of my few inspirations to go into science teaching. I remember a bearded wild man, running enthusiastically around the biology class excited about the subject, and his classroom littered with endlessly fascinating science stuff. He loved working with all of us with the school forest and producing the annual Xmas tree crop with the wonderful festival. I guess we experienced his greatness just before he moved to Maine. We were very lucky indeed. His spirit lives on in those of us fortunate enough to have been his students.
Roland Coryell was one of the two best teachers I had in my 12 years in the Yellow Springs schools, and was the main reason that I went in to biology as a career. He mentored us on the School Forest Committee, laughed when we tried to learn to drive the old Ford tractor, and made us all feel welcomed in his class. I have always remembered him extremely fondly and and so very sorry to hear of his passing.