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Peter H. Sears died in Corvallis, Oregon, on July 20, 2017. He was 80.
Born in New York City May 18, 1937, he was raised in Pelham Manor and Quogue. He was the son of Vernon and Japsy Sears, and grandson of Arthur and Antoinette Lockett, longtime residents of Quogue.
Mr. Sears was a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy, Yale University (1959) and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop (1972). He served as a German linguist in the U.S. Army Intelligence during the Berlin Crisis. Early in his career, he worked in publishing and advertising and went on to teach English and creative writing at private schools, colleges and universities, including Princeton Day School, Sidwell Friends, and Bard College, where he was dean of students.
In 1974 he moved to Oregon to serve as Writer-in-Residence at Reed College and became one of Oregon’s most celebrated poets, educators, and literary activists. He won the 1999 Peregrine Smith Poetry Prize and the Western States Poetry Prize for his book of poems, The Brink. He is the author of eight poetry and chapbook collections, his most recent being “Small Talk” (2014), a volume of new and selected poetry. He was devoted to the education of young writers and published several books for youth, including “Secret Writings” and “Gonna Bake Me a Rainbow Poem” (Scholastic). His work has appeared in numerous literary publications including The Atlantic, Northwest Review, and Antioch Review. As community services coordinator for the Oregon Arts Commission (1986-1996), he assisted writers and local organizations in working with the National Endowment of the Arts and the Western Arts Foundation.
He won the highest literary award in the state—The Stewart H. Holbrook Literary Legacy Award, and founded and managed the Oregon Literary Coalition and co-founded the nonprofit organization, Friends of William Stafford, as well as being co-founder of the poetry journal, Cloudbank.
In 2014 he was appointed poet laureate for the State of Oregon, during which time he traveled throughout the state giving readings and workshops. His focus as Oregon’s poet laureate was a program called “Emerging Voices,” which promoted poets and poetry from traditionally marginalized groups.
He had a gregarious, fun-loving, bigger-than-life spirit. His vibrant presence, intellect, and love of language captured audiences and students alike, survivors said. His extraordinary sense of humor, joyful laugh, warmth, kindness and dedication to his work made him a favorite among students. He believed in openly sharing from his deep reservoir of knowledge, and he insisted that everyone was capable of writing poetry and making art. One student wrote, “He was the only faculty member who really made a point to spend time with all the students. He chose to sit with just the students at meals, and he greeted everyone he saw to ask how they were doing.”
As an accomplished athlete and lover of all sports, especially tennis and basketball, he was known at the Quogue Field Club for his competiveness and joy in playing men’s doubles. He will be remembered for his love of music and the arts, his fun but not always flattering hats, his deep devotion to BLT sandwiches, his sincerity and ability to relate with all kinds of people—young and old—and his longtime loyalty to friends. By all appearances, he was a regular fellow until he shared his astonishing, insightful and often playful poetry.
Mr. Sears is survived by his wife, Anita Helle; a daughter, Rivers Elizabeth Sears; a sister, Missy Baris and husband David; a nephew, Andrew Baris; and a brother, Jay Sears.
A memorial service will be held in October in Portland, Oregon.
on Aug 7, 2017