Jacob Dunnell, formerly of Holderness, NH, and North Andover MA, died June 19th at Forestview Manor in Meredith, New Hampshire. He was 89 and had recently been in declining health.
Born in Boston MA, Mr. Dunnell grew up in Wayland, MA with his parents, the late William W. Dunnell Jr. and Ellen Frothingham Dunnell. He graduated from the Noble & Greenough School in 1952 before attending Harvard College.
After his sophomore year at Harvard, he enlisted in the United States Navy, serving for 2 years aboard the USS Yellowstone and USS Rooks. Following the Navy, he earned an A.B. in English in 1959. After graduating, he taught English at the Rectory School in Pomfret, CT and subsequently at Fay School in Southborough, MA. In 1965, he accepted a position at the Saint Andrew's School in Boca Raton, FL, where he taught English until 1968 when he joined his brother in the English department at Brooks School in North Andover, MA. He taught there until his retirement in 1994. In addition to his teaching career, during the summers between 1952 to 1966 he was a counselor at Camp Pasquaney in Hebron, NH, where he had spent several summers as a camper during his teenage years.
During his 26 years at Brooks, he earned a Master of Arts Degree from the Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English, was a long-time advisor, Dormitory Master, and coached Men's basketball and baseball. At his 1994 retirement with his brother Bill, the faculty created the "Dunnell Prize" in honor of their combined 57 years of service to the school; the prize is awarded annually to the Sixth Former who best exemplifies the spirit of selfless service to the school community. He was held in high esteem by colleagues, friends, and students alike for his wit and easy-going manner and was a reliable presence on athletic sidelines, sitting on his shooting stick, watching games with his brother and students.
He was predeceased by his brother Bill in 2022 and his sister Ellen Bennett in 2010, and he is survived by numerous nephews, nieces, great-nephews, and great-nieces. His family plans a private interment.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to Brooks School, 1160 Great Pond Road, North Andover, MA, 01845.