News
Natalie Babbitt, author and wife of former Kirkland President, dies
By Haley Lynch ’17
November 3, 2016
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On Monday, Oct. 31, the College Hill Community lost Natalie Babbitt, the nationally cherished author of the children’s classic Tuck Everlasting and wife of former Kirkland College President Samuel Fisher Babbitt. She will be dearly missed.
Throughout her life, Mrs. Babbitt’s work won many awards throughout a career that spanned four decades, including the inaugural E.B. White Award for achievement in children’s literature in 2013. A New York Times Book Review published in 1977 called her “Indisputably one of our most gifted and ambitious writers for children.” Mrs. Babbitt’s most famous work, Tuck Everlasting, was developed into two films and even a Broadway musical. She was the illustrator for many books of poetry by Valerie Worth, who she met while living on the Hill since that poet was the wife of a Professor of English at both Kirkland and Hamilton after the 1978 merger.
Many current Hamilton faculty who were originally hired at Kirkland College and stayed on after the merger remember her with a great deal of affection as a talented and inspirational artist.
Professor of Art Bruce Muirhead emphasized that he and his wife are “very saddened” to hear the news of Mrs. Babbitt’s death. “She impressed us right away,” he explained over email, “with her wonderful presence. She was very dedicated to Kirkland College.”
Others echoed this sentiment. Professor of Comparative Literature Peter Rabinowitz agrees, and added: “Natalie absolutely did not fill the role of president’s wife the way that role is usually played. She was an independent person, beloved on campus as a strong, independent woman.” His wife and fellow Comparative Literature Professor Nancy Rabinowitz remembers, “She was always very much her own person, was warm and informal, and gave generously of her time to student writers.” One such student writer, Maggie Stern K’76, was able to comment as well. She wrote:
“Natalie was one of a kind. I saw her every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. for 3.5 years, independently… She called me ‘dearie’… and had a tremendous influence on me for 40 years! She was genuine, earnest and was an amazing writer and person! As well as a terrific editor.” According to Stern, Mrs. Babbitt “hated the word ‘got’” in writing; subsequently, Stern herself reports that she “still tr[ies] never to use it” to this day.
Professor (Peter) Rabinowitz continued: “She was always herself; whoever you talked to about her always saw the same person. She was extremely—not self-confident, but—self-assured. She knew who she was and she was happy with who she was and she was who she was and just didn’t let any of the crap of the world bend her.”
Mrs. Babbitt fostered a strong community on the Hill with her warmth and energy. Professor Muirhead referred to her as not only a “gifted and talented artist and writer,” but also an entertainer who had “a lot of flair.” In fact, Mrs. Babbitt and her husband used to host the whole Kirkland College faculty in their house every Christmas season. “We have fond memories of those times… There is no way you could forget Natalie Babbitt,” concluded Professor Muirhead.
Mrs. Babbit’s former student ended on a poignant note: “I secretly believed that she had drunk from the magic well. But I guess she didn’t. The world is off kilter without Natalie.”