Seymour M. Rosen ’50

Seymour M. Rosen ’50, of Northampton, Mass.; Nov. 9. At age 18, he enlisted and was trained as a Marine medic. He fought in the battle of Okinawa and received a Presidential Citation, along with a Purple Heart from a bullet wound that remained with him for the rest of his life. He then attended Brown and later received a master’s degree in Russian studies from Columbia University. He was recruited by the U.S. government as a specialist in Russian and Eastern European education during the Cold War. He lectured and wrote numerous books on the subject. Later he pursued a doctorate at  Catholic University. After the death of his wife in 1984, he retired and eventually began ballroom dancing. After attending a creative movement class sponsored by the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, he was invited to join her touring modern dance company. He traveled extensively with the company for seven years and met his second wife. He continued to dance with a local intergenerational dance company in Northampton, the Dance Generators, then took a ten-year break from dancing to write plays. He wrote more than 15, some of which were purchased and produced by companies in New York and elsewhere. He rejoined the Dance Generators and remained with them until the company disbanded in 2014, when he was almost 90 years of age. He also volunteered at the Leeds VA for more than 20 years teaching creative movement to vets through the recreation department. He is survived by his wife, Laura; two daughters; a son; four grandchildren; a great-grandson; a brother; and many nieces and nephews.