Van Rensselaer Halsey Jr. died March 18, 2019 at Westerly Hospital, Westerly, Rhode Island.
Known as “Court” in his youth, Van was born in New York, New York, the son of Van R. Halsey and Ethel Simmons Halsey. As a boy he attended St. Bernard’s School in New York until his family moved full time to Rumson, where they had a vacation home. He then went away to the Adirondack-Florida School but had many fond memories of summers and vacations in Rumson, where most of his father’s family lived. After graduating from the Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, after which he married Jessie I. Parkes of Rumson and enrolled in Rutgers University.
With a Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers, he went on to earn a master’s at the University of Rhode Island where he also worked in the admissions office. Several years later he received a doctorate in American studies from the University of Pennsylvania, after which he went to Amherst College as an instructor in American studies. He soon found, however, that he enjoyed working in the admissions office and became associate dean of admissions for approximately 12 years.
While at Amherst, he and other history educators in 1964 started “The Amherst Project” and published a new kind of high school U.S. history curriculum. Excited next by the new educational philosophy of Hampshire College, Van joined the founders and became the first director of admissions and associate professor of American studies, admitting the first class in 1970. He also became the first president of the New England Association of College Admissions Counselors.
After approximately 13 years at Hampshire and the death of his wife Jessie, he retired early and attended Yale Divinity School, receiving a Master of Arts in religion. While at Yale he married Clay S. Halsey, a fellow student. They moved to Stonington, Connecticut, where he had a summer home, and they had two children.
In his retirement Van had an active lay ministry, serving in several capacities at both St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Mystic, Connecticut and Christ Episcopal Church in Westerly, Rhode Island.
Van enjoyed reading, sailing, cooking and gardening – even becoming a part-time supplier of fresh produce for Two Sisters Deli in Mystic, which his daughters Cindy and Katharine owned. He was a member of the Stonington Historical Society, Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, Mystic Seaport Museum for 52 years, and The Order of Colonial Lords of Manors in America.
He is survived by his wife Clay of 37 years and their children, Ashley and William and their spouses; as well as his four children from his first marriage, Dale Lea, Cynthia Christine, Elizabeth Halsey and Katharine McLaren and their husbands; along with five grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
His sister Elizabeth, brother Stephen, and stepbrothers Michael Sherman, William Riker and Robert Riker, all predeceased him, along with his brother-in-law Creighton Parkes. They are survived by his sisters-in-law, Louise Halsey, Agnes Sherman and Margaret Parkes. He is also survived by his brothers-in-law Douglas and Richard Soutar and spouse, and sister-in-law Nancy Soutar.
The burial will take place at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 30 at Fairview Cemetery in Middletown in the family plot. A memorial service is planned at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 1 at Christ Episcopal Church in Westerly, Rhode Island. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Christ Church, Westerly Hospital or Hope Hospice of Rhode Island.
