Obituaries

Warren H. Reich ’58 died in his home in Swampscott, Mass., on Nov. 22, 2022. Warren graduated from Norwich University in 1962, after which he served in the US Military for six years. Following his honorable discharge, he had a long and distinguished career with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. He is survived by six immediate cousins, extended family and innumerable friends and colleagues. The family would welcome contact by any surviving classmates with memories and photos of Warren to be directed to Brian Daley at BCDaley@Yahoo.com.

Former LA faculty member James P. Holmes died in Laconia, N.H., on March 14. He was 83. He has been described as “the perfect teacher,” one who went above and beyond expectations. Unfailingly supportive, sharp as a tack, intuitive about student personalities, an early adopter of computer science, as well as a cross-country coach who ran the course daily, Jim was 100 percent dedicated to his students. In the long history of Lawrence Academy, there may well be equals to Jim, but few teachers throughout LA history have provided more individual extra help, during and after school hours, than Mr. Holmes.

Arriving at Lawrence in the fall of 1967, Mr. Holmes taught at LA for 14 years: algebra, trigonometry, calculus, computer science as well as some related advanced courses, until 1981.

He then moved on to teach for nine years at St. Paul’s School in Concord, N.H., followed by four years at the White Mountain School in Littleton, N.H. From that point on, he lived in Jefferson, N.H., in the foothills of Mt. Washington, working a few odd jobs, including one at a restaurant.

On June 11, 2022, Jim ventured back to LA for Reunion 2022, where he was awarded the annual Alumni Faculty Appreciation Award. For Jim, the day was a near perfect confluence of Coviddelayed 50th reunion classes from 1970, ’71 and ’72, which allowed Jim to see many more of his former students than a typical reunion could have provided. At age 82, Jim thoroughly enjoyed chatting with his students and amazed many by recalling particular details and memories he had of each of them. It was as heartwarming an experience as one could have hoped for Jim and his former students. Students fortunate enough to have been taught by Jim Holmes can look back upon him forever with appreciation — and a smile.(Our thanks to Andy Black ’70 for this tribute. — Ed.)