MYSTIC: Emil Pocock passed away peacefully at Avalon Health Center on January 10.
Emil was born in New York City to Sylvia Domingo and Walter Pocock and was raised in Baltimore, Maryland. After graduating from high school, he attended Western Reserve University and then graduated with a BA in American Studies from the University of Maryland. After getting an MA in American Studies from NYU, he worked in New York for the Times editing the Book Review Index. He also edited the Great Soviet Encyclopedia for Macmillan and served as managing editor for the Information Please almanac.
In the mid-1970’s, he made the decision to return to graduate school at Indiana University to pursue his interest in History and American Studies. He completed his dissertation on the founding of Dayton, Ohio in 1984. While at Indiana, he met his future wife, Ann Higginbotham. After a two-year stint teaching at the University of Georgia, he accepted a position as an assistant professor at Eastern Connecticut State University teaching early US history. He spent the next 30 years sharing his love of American history and culture with students. While at Eastern, he served as president of the University Senate. He was active in the American Association of University Professor as an officer and contract negotiator. He also reinstated the American Studies program. He retired as a Professor Emeritus from Eastern in July 2014.
Throughout his life, Emil pursued his love of amateur radio. He got his license when he was 12 and later his amateur extra license. His call W3EP was well known especially during contests. He loved spending time outside with his wife Ann in various parts of the world running strings of contacts. His “shack” in the basement of their house in Lebanon, CT became his refuge. He wrote and gave presentations on various radio topics, especially concerning the propagation of radio waves. For many years he wrote a column entitled “The World above 50 Megahertz” for CQ, the Journal of the American Radio Relay League.
Emil expressed his curiosity and insightfulness in both his teaching and other interests. He showed a wry sense of humor. He was resolutely honest in his dealings with others and had little patience for those less honorable. He loved to travel but also enjoyed staying at home tending an orchard and planting trees.
Emil is survived by his wife of more than 37 years, Ann and two nieces Rebecca Pocock and Juniper Downs and their families. A celebration of life will be scheduled for a time to be announced. Donations may be made to the Covenant Soup Kitchen in Willimantic in lieu of flowers.