Dr. Frank Durand aged 90, beloved father and grandfather, and Professor Emeritus of Spanish Literature at Brown University. He died August 3rd at Steere House, where he spent his last year. He leaves his sons, David (m. Elli) and John (m. Kate), and three grandchildren, Laura, Despina and Aubrey. His funeral will be held at St Martin’s Episcopal Church in Providence on November 12th at 11 AM.
Frank was born in Brooklyn, NY, the youngest of 4 siblings, and the first not born in Puerto Rico. In 1953 he received his Bachelor’s degree from New York University (then known as Washington Square College). He earned his Master of Arts degree from Northwestern University in 1954, where he met Laura, his wife of 66 years. He entered the Army in 1954 and married Laura in 1955 (on a weekend pass, at her parents’ home in Ohio). They spent the following year in Tokyo as he finished his service. On their return they both went to University of Michigan for doctoral study. He received his Ph.D. in 1962, on Clari?n’s La Regenta.
He came to Brown University in 1960 as an Instructor in Spanish. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1962, and Full professor in 1972. He was a gifted teacher, originally specializing in the 19th Century, and modern South-American fiction. He taught memorable seminars on Don Quijote, carrying on a tradition from his teacher Enrique Anderson-Imbert. He was also a talented administrator, serving as Chair of the Department of Hispanic Studies twice. He was appointed Associate Dean of the Faculty in 1978 and Associate Provost in September 1980. Even in retirement, he was elected Water Commissioner in Hilton Head Island.
He had a quiet sense of humor, and a fierce devotion to Laura and his family, planning and managing the family finances so that they could spend summers in New Hampshire, and later Adamsville, RI, and so that the whole family could travel to Europe. During one sabbatical year, the family spent 9 months in Europe; 4 months in Madrid and traveling in Spain, but also including many other places, including Antwerp, Paris, Geneva, Venice, the town of Abondance in the Swiss Alps, and Nerja on the Costa Del Sol. In addition to other (shorter) family trips, and Sabbatical years in Paris and Lyon, Frank and Laura travelled around the world once, starting in New Zealand, and ending in Greece, for David’s wedding, via India, Thailand, and Israel among other places. They loved to share their love for the culture and literature of the countries they studied, and frequently guided Alumni trips as part of the Brown Travelers program. More information at https://frankdurand.com/
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Hope Hospice or Steere House.
Posted online on October 17, 2022
Published in Providence Journal
Dr. Frank Durand aged 90, beloved father and grandfather, and Professor Emeritus of Spanish Literature at Brown University. He died August 3rd at Steere House, where he spent his last year. He leaves his sons, David (m. Elli) and John (m. Kate), and three grandchildren, Laura, Despina and Aubrey. His funeral will be held at St Martin’s Episcopal Church in Providence on November 12th at 11 AM.
Frank was born in Brooklyn, NY, the youngest of 4 siblings, and the first not born in Puerto Rico. In 1953 he received his Bachelor’s degree from New York University (then known as Washington Square College). He earned his Master of Arts degree from Northwestern University in 1954, where he met Laura, his wife of 66 years. He entered the Army in 1954 and married Laura in 1955 (on a weekend pass, at her parents’ home in Ohio). They spent the following year in Tokyo as he finished his service. On their return they both went to University of Michigan for doctoral study. He received his Ph.D. in 1962, on Clari?n’s La Regenta.
He came to Brown University in 1960 as an Instructor in Spanish. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1962, and Full professor in 1972. He was a gifted teacher, originally specializing in the 19th Century, and modern South-American fiction. He taught memorable seminars on Don Quijote, carrying on a tradition from his teacher Enrique Anderson-Imbert. He was also a talented administrator, serving as Chair of the Department of Hispanic Studies twice. He was appointed Associate Dean of the Faculty in 1978 and Associate Provost in September 1980. Even in retirement, he was elected Water Commissioner in Hilton Head Island.
He had a quiet sense of humor, and a fierce devotion to Laura and his family, planning and managing the family finances so that they could spend summers in New Hampshire, and later Adamsville, RI, and so that the whole family could travel to Europe. During one sabbatical year, the family spent 9 months in Europe; 4 months in Madrid and traveling in Spain, but also including many other places, including Antwerp, Paris, Geneva, Venice, the town of Abondance in the Swiss Alps, and Nerja on the Costa Del Sol. In addition to other (shorter) family trips, and Sabbatical years in Paris and Lyon, Frank and Laura travelled around the world once, starting in New Zealand, and ending in Greece, for David’s wedding, via India, Thailand, and Israel among other places. They loved to share their love for the culture and literature of the countries they studied, and frequently guided Alumni trips as part of the Brown Travelers program. More information at https://frankdurand.com/
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Hope Hospice or Steere House.
Posted online on October 17, 2022
Published in Providence Journal