William F. Kahl ’45

William F. Kahl ’45, of Slingerlands, N.Y.; Dec. 4. While obtaining his master’s degree, he taught at Boston University. After earning his PhD he then moved to Simmons College, where he served as provost for almost a decade. He left Simmons to join Russell Sage College in Troy, N.Y., and served as president from 1976 until his retirement in 1988. He was a historian and strong advocate for women’s education. At both Simmons and Sage he focused on modernizing the curriculum for women’s education, opening the way for women to have careers beyond the prescribed roles of that era. He was active in the community, serving on multiple boards, including the Hudson River Valley Association, Albany Symphony Orchestra, State Bank of Albany, Tenement Museum in New York City, Albany Institute of History and Art, Wildwood School, and Albany Academy for Girls. He was an avid reader and enjoyed walking in nature and visiting museums and historical sites. He and his wife traveled extensively in Europe, Turkey, and China and spent the summers enjoying the arts by listening to classical music at Tanglewood, watching the ballet at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, or attending an opera at Glimmerglass. He is survived by his wife, Mary, and two children.