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Remembrances
Remembering Janet and Roscoe
In December of 2021, Gordon College was shocked and heartbroken by the loss of two beloved community members: Dean of the School of Education Dr. Janet (Spoerer) Arndt ’68 and College Electrician Russell “Roscoe” Duttweiler.
Dr. Janet Arndt
May 23, 1947–December 13, 2021
Arndt served the College for more than 25 years in teaching and administrative roles. A 1968 Gordon alumna, she returned to her alma mater in 2001 as the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) licensure officer after a long career in public education and New Hampshire state politics. In 2008, she became the director of graduate programs in education even as she continued assisting teacher candidates and alumni in obtaining state teaching licensure in Massachusetts and elsewhere. Arndt developed and implemented the Master of Arts in Leadership degree program, which launched in 2016. She was instrumental in the establishment of the School of Education in 2019, being named dean upon its inception. That same year, she joined the President’s Cabinet as the faculty representative.
Arndt is remembered as a talented, passionate educator whose dedication to the field and her students was evident in her work. Inspired by their own studies under Dr. Winifred Currie ’45, Arndt and her sister, Dr. Priscilla (Spoerer) Nelson ’74, had worked side-by-side at Gordon for the past two decades. Together they garnered national recognition for the College’s education program, specifically for its strong commitment to evidence-based reading instruction and its academic selectivity.
Prior to her career at Gordon, Arndt was a public-school teacher, early childhood specialist, guidance counselor and principal. A resident of Windham, New Hampshire, Arndt was a policymaker as a state representative in New Hampshire for 10 years. She was a member and past president of the International Christian Community for Teacher Education.
Arndt earned her bachelor’s in psychology from Gordon, Ed.M. from Boston University and Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her areas of research were family/school partnerships, transitions, special education, mentoring, and the use of Universal Design for Learning in teacher preparation.
In addition to Nelson, Arndt left behind her husband, Ken, who passed shortly after her; children Elissa ’00 (Matthew) Rader, Emily ’03 (Flavio) DeCastro, Ethan ’05 (Joice) and Erica ’08; and nine grandchildren.
—Psalm 34:18
Roscoe Duttweiler
August 9, 1962–December 9, 2021
A beloved member of the Gordon community, Duttweiler worked as an electrician for the Physical Plant team since 2012. Going far beyond the scope of his day job, Duttweiler also advised local and global mission trips for the past nine years and was involved with the College’s Athletics, Chapel and La Vida programs.
Duttweiler was widely known by colleagues, students, alumni, friends and family as a godly man and a faithful servant of Christ. He viewed working at Gordon as an opportunity to serve Christ and share the Word of God. Duttweiler often opened his home to students over holidays and breaks and was known for sending encouraging texts on Fridays. He exuded joy, cheerfulness, patience, generosity and a playful sense of humor. Many will remember his favorite expression: “God is good all the time. And all the time, God is good.”
An avid Buffalo Bills fan, Duttweiler was originally from Buffalo, New York. He came from a long line of Houghton College graduates and earned his bachelor’s in Bible there in 1986. As a student, he played varsity baseball, ran indoor track and coordinated intramurals.
For the past three decades, Duttweiler resided in Lowell, Massachusetts. A multi-instrument musician, he was a longtime member of Countryside Bible Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts, where he most recently served as worship leader and elder. He previously served as a youth leader and was passionate about having a positive impact on young adults.
Duttweiler was husband to Babette; father to Victoria “Tori” (Eric), Ashlee (Tesfa), Naomi (Daniel) and Reuben; and grandfather to Joey and Charis. For many students who served with him on mission trips, Duttweiler became, as they described, a “second father.”
A teacher of teachers: Janet’s legacy
“Janet and I both attended Gordon in the sixties and were colleagues for many years in the public schools and at Gordon. She was someone who always encouraged me to do what I did not think was possible. Teach college? I can hear her say, ‘Of course you can. It is the same as teaching your preschoolers.’ Along with the words came actions to make it all happen. Her words of encouragement and her friendship will be sorely missed.” —Geraldine “Gerri” White ’67 M’00
“Janet has been a friend and colleague for over 50 years, and for me her most outstanding attribute at Gordon College was her devotion to the education and growth of graduate students. She personally invested time and encouragement with every graduate student that crossed her threshold. She was their advisor, supervising observer and ardent cheerleader. They knew she had their back.” —Dr. Donna J. Robinson ’70
“Janet knew that she was called by God to expand his Kingdom through training up strong teachers that were filled with love and integrity. All who were under her mentorship can attribute our academics, pedagogy and desire for integrity to the example Janet set as coach and mentor. I will miss our talks, her leadership, her wisdom. I strongly desire to continue to carry on her legacy of championing others in the field of education. Thank you, Janet, for your lasting influence of completing the good works he laid out for you.” —Sara Doughty ’04 M’11
“To know that Dr. Arndt believed in me was one of the most inspiring feelings in the world. It was an honor to serve as her Presidential Fellow this year and learn from her example of utmost devotion to the Lord. Dr. Arndt opened my eyes to the importance of education in every career, and I pray that I will be a better doctor one day because of her advice, love and encouragement. Her passion to share the gospel was evident in every aspect of her life and exemplified through the many new initiatives that she brought to Gordon.” —Miranda Pomphrett ’22
Electrician, musician, mentor: Roscoe’s legacy
“Never has there been a man with so much joy and always a smile on his face. While at Gordon I could always count on Roscoe for an energetic hello and uplifting smile. I continued to get and respond to his high-five texts till a few [months] ago, which always helped me to see the littlest joys in life. Roscoe was a man who gave away joy in abundance to everyone around him. I praise the Lord for his life and ministry.” —Nicaragua mission trip student participant
“Running into him around campus was such a joy, and Roscoe always had time to ask how I was doing no matter what he was working on. Whether he was fixing fire alarms in the dorms, testing electricity up on the turf, or fixing lightbulbs in Gillies, Roscoe always seemed to show up when I needed encouragement. I know I am not alone, and many people have this similar story. Seeing his authentic love for this community was so tangible and his heart for the Lord so real. He offered hospitality when I didn’t know where I would live for a short time, and he even came to see my art show, wanting a personal tour so he could hear all about the meaning behind my work and ask deeper questions.” —Gordon alumna and employee
“Roscoe was an integral part of the spiritual formation of countless students at Gordon. This was true on our servicelearning trips, as he was able to step into the role of spiritual leader with more wisdom and experience than we as student leaders could offer. Roscoe had the unique ability of being able to address a stressful situation calmly, effectively and with a smile. I always felt supported and uplifted in my partnership with him. Roscoe was a joy to sing with, a wise soul to ask questions of, and someone I could always have a laugh with.” —Nicaragua mission trip student leader
“When I think of Roscoe, the words ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!’ immediately flood to mind. Roscoe was a team player and always there—ready, willing and able to serve both the Lord and co-workers at Gordon College any way he could. It was an honor to serve with such a great, godly man. Roscoe served with the love of Christ and modeled that in everything he did. He was a man of integrity, wisdom and kindness, and I will miss him and his ‘Can do!’ attitude.” —Physical Plant coworker
