William F. Trask

West Boylston - William F. Trask, aka Tuna, a fixture at Worcester Polytechnic Institute for nearly 60 years, died at his son's home in Northboro on Saturday, March 25 after a brief illness. He was 87.

Born in Rochester, Vermont on August 31, 1929, he was the youngest son of John C. Trask and Nellie Foley Trask.

Trask was a 1952 graduate of Middlebury College and was active in theater, named a member of the Blue Key, and was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity. He served two years in the Marine Corps and was later the Assistant Dean of Men at Middlebury. He then worked for the Addison County Independent as the advertising manager.

In 1958, he joined WPI as its Director of Placement, a job he held for most of the next 34 years. He helped run a number of activities at WPI, including Techniquest, the Goat's Head Pub, and the United Way 24-hour Basketball Marathon. He was a member of and advisor to Skull. The class of 1962 dedicated its yearbook, The Peddlar, to him. In 1990, Trask was named to the Order of Omega in recognition of his outstanding contributions to fraternity life. He was named the Eastern College Personnel Officers' Outstanding College Member of 1992

Despite retiring officially in 1992, he was on campus frequently, a visitor at ATO and other fraternities, mentoring another generation or two of students, playing cards, attending sporting events and student weddings. In 2010, he was the first person to be awarded the WPI Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award. WPI created an online site, "The Tuna Files," covering his life and legacy in 2016: http://wpiarchives.omeka.net/exhibits/show/tunafiles

A resident of West Boylston since 1961, he was a member of the First Congregational Church, appeared in plays in various theater groups in Worcester County and volunteered at the WBHS library. He was frequently found at the Country Kettle or Lou Roc's for breakfast during his retirement.

His survivors include daughter Carrie of Auburn, MA, daughter Laurie %5Bhusband James Mann%5D of Pittsburgh, PA, two sons, Jeff %5Bwife Rachel%5D of Silver Spring, MD, and Terry %5Bwife Jessica%5D of Northboro, MA, and grandchildren Leslie Mann, Luke Trask and Emily Trask. He was predeceased by his former wife Ruth Shonyo Trask, brothers John Crawford Trask, Winslow Trask and sister Caroline Trask Wright, and survived by his brother George Trask of Randolph, VT and many nieces and nephews.

The Funeral Service will be held Saturday, April 1 at 11AM in the First Congregational Church, 26 Central St., West Boylston. Interment will be at Rochester Cemetery, Rochester, VT, at the convenience of the family.

Donations can be made to Worcester Polytechnic Institute (https://www.wpi.edu/give/ways-to-give/cash), Middlebury College (https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1637/02-middlebury/wide.aspx%3Fsid=1637&gid=2&pgid=589&cid=1444) or the First Congregation Church, 26 Central Street, West Boylston, MA 01583.

Arrangements are in the care of Fay Brothers Funeral Home, 1 West Boylston Street, West Boylston, MA.