G. Roger Edwards [1914-2009]
The School sadly reports that G. Roger Edwards died June 9, 2009 in Haverford, PA. Born in Southington CT, he was the son of the late George and Alice (Heathcote) Edwards. He was a graduate of Lewis High School, Southington. Roger received his BA from Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, and continued his education by earning an M.A. from the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, in 1937 and then his Ph.D. in Classical Archaeology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1939.  He served in the U.S. Army from 1941 to 1945. Edwards was the sole student at the American School in 1946-1947, since it was discouraged to have students at the School during the war. Because the regular teaching program was limited, he worked on the School excavations. His School trip as a first-year student was conducted by Rodney Young via motorcycle (called Violet), touring Delphi, Naupaktos, Patras, Tripolis, and Corinth. His second year at the School, 1947-48, Edwards participated in the regular program and was a Special Fellow at the Corinth Excavations. As the Fulbright Fellow during 1949-1950, he worked at Corinth and the Athenian Agora Excavations. He returned to the School in 1955-1956 as a Research Fellow of the School (American Philosophical Society grant) and in the fall of 1958-1959 to research Hellenistic pottery at the Agora. Edwards was assigned the publication of Hellenistic pottery from the Athenian Agora Excavations, later passing his notes and photographs to Susan Rotroff to complete the project. Professor Edwards’ professional career began as an assistant curator at the Bowdoin College Museum of Fine Arts. From 1950 to 1980, Roger was an esteemed member of the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, beginning as Assistant Professor of Classical Archaeology, then serving as Assistant Curator of the University Museum, Associate Professor of Classical Archaeology and Associate Curator, and finally, until 1980, as Professor of Classical Archaeology and Curator of the University Museum. Thereafter, he continued his affiliation with the University of Pennsylvania as a Professor and Curator Emeritus. His principal field work and research, between 1946 and 1967, brought him to: Corinth; Athens (Athenian Agora); Gordion, Turkey (Excavations of the University Museum); Kourion, Cyprus; and Torre Mordillo, Italy. His numerous articles appeared in scholarly journals, including two in Hesperia: Panathenaics of Hellenistic and Roman Times (Volume 26, issue 4, 1957) and Koroni: The Hellenistic Pottery (Volume 32, issue 1, 1963). He published Small Objects from the Pnyx II, Hesperia (Supplement 10) with Talcott, Philippaki, and Grace in 1956. His book, Corinthian Hellenistic Pottery (Corinth VII, part 3) was published in 1975. A memorial service was celebrated on Saturday, June 20 in Wethersfield, CT. To send condolences or to share a memory, please visit http://www.legacy.com/HartfordCourant/DeathNotices.asp