Trinity Mourns Loss of Professor Butcher

MASON OSGOOD ’17
NEWS EDITOR
Beloved Trinity College professor Marjorie Van Eenam Butcher  passed away at the age of 90 on Apr. 6, 2016.
The college community was informed of her passing by Interim Deans of Faculty, Sonia Cardenas and Melanie Stein in an Apr. 7  email. Buthcer served as a professor of Mathematics, Emeritus for 33 years before retiring in West Hartford. She was hired by Trinity College in 1956,  was the college’s first female faculty member, and was granted a full professorship in 1979, the first woman to do so.
Butcher remained a prominent member of the Trinity community. The  Student Government Association commissioned a portrait of Marjorie in 1991, which now hangs in the Roy Nutt Mathematics, Engineering & Computer Science Center. Trinity also commemorated her 50 years of service with an honorary science degree at the 2009 Commencement.
Marjorie graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1947 at the University of Michigan with an M.A. in Actuarial Mathematics. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Maxine Van Eenam; her nephew, Peter Van Eenam; a niece, Carol Van Eenam; and two grandnieces, Jennifer and Kathryn.
A memorial service will be held at the Trinity College Chapel, on a date yet to be determined. Those looking to send memorial gifts are asked to send them to 300 Summit. St. Hartford, CT 06106.