At Lawrence's Reunion Convocation on June 21, 2003, Basil Georgiadis, '78, offered these remarks in memory of John Alfieri, professor emeritus of Spanish and Italian, who died on March 8, 2003.
I remember Professor Alfieri in his tweed jacket and shock of white hair and the get-togethers with him and his lovely wife, Graciela, another fine Spanish professor, when they hosted us over sherry at their home.
His subjects were Spanish and Italian language and literature. To his students he was an intellectual who conveyed European formality, but with dry wit and a touch of New York attitude. He inspired us with his passion for Spain, integrating Hemingway's novels and Michener's Iberia into our reading lists of Spanish literature. Perhaps his favorite class was the Spanish epic Don Quijote by Cervantes, whose characters followed their dreams and ideals in the face of life's challenges in a changing world.
Some of us had a chance to see that world. In 1977 he and Graciela escorted a group of students to Madrid and Granada to teach us Spanish and Moorish history, culture, architecture, and language. They organized classes with local Spanish scholars, took us around Madrid, and introduced us to the Alhambra castle in Andalucia for an unforgettable experience.
All was not sweetness with Professor Alfieri, however. Several of my contemporaries have commented that, while small in stature, he could intimidate — especially the freshmen and sophomores — with his piercing dark eyes, castigating us when we were late or failed to do an assignment. Colds and hangovers were no excuse for missing a class. For example, one day a student banged on my door in Colman Hall explaining that there was a professor downstairs who wanted to see my roommate, a voice major who was taking Italian. The opera star was resting, so I offered to face the Inquisitor. Downstairs, dressed in his tweed jacket, he demanded to know why the roommate wasn't coming to class. He paused and said, "Really now, this is no joke. Does he want to learn Italian or not?" After that encounter, I realized how much he cared for his students. Anyone who's been to a large state university for graduate school can appreciate this.
He influenced my life by showing me that, through the study and application of liberal arts, one can navigate through almost any situation. He built my confidence to learn languages and understand other cultures, which has helped me as an Air Force officer in Panama and Italy and most recently in Kosovo as a peacekeeper. Other students of his have gone on to work in such diverse roles as State Department Foreign Service officers, university professors, high school Spanish teachers in Milwaukee and Mosinee, legal aid and corporate attorneys, and with Save the Children, to name a few.
John Alfieri taught, entertained, cajoled, and inspired. His family, former students, and the Lawrence community will miss him. — Basil Georgiadis, '78, Major, United States Air Force