The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

November 16 service for John D.C. Little, 96

John D.C. Little

John Dutton Conant Little of Lincoln passed away peacefully on September 27, 2024, at age 96. John was an Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Professor of Management Science in the MIT Sloan School. He retired in 2017 after a distinguished career spanning seven decades, making fundamental contributions to operations research and marketing science. Along the way, he touched the lives of hundreds of faculty and staff and thousands of graduate and undergraduate students from all over the world. In operations research, he is best known for Little’s Law, his generalized proof of the widely applicable queuing formula (L = λW), published in 1961.

John was born in Boston and grew up in Andover, Mass. At MIT, he majored in physics and edited MIT’s VooDoo magazine, “MIT’s only intentionally humorous publication.” Working at General Electric after graduation, he met his future wife, Elizabeth Alden; they both entered graduate school at MIT in 1951. Elizabeth received her Ph.D. from MIT in 1954 in physics, and John obtained his Ph.D. from MIT in 1955 in physics and the emerging field of Operations Research where he was the first doctoral student.

After serving two years in the U.S. Army, John taught at Case Institute of Technology and then rejoined MIT in the Sloan School in 1962 as an associate professor of operations research and Management. In 1967, he co-founded Management Decision Systems, Inc. (MDS), a marketing models software company with clients such as Nabisco, Coca-Cola, and Ocean Spray.

John has been director of the MIT Operations Research Center and, within the Sloan School, head of the management science area and the behavioral and policy sciences area. He was a past president of both the Operations Research Society of America (ORSA) and the Institute of Management Sciences (TIMS) and, following their merger, became the first president of the succeeding society, INFORMS. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1989.

John traveled for work all over the world and jogged or biked everyday no matter where he was, rain or shine. He enjoyed gathering his own seafood, especially with family, be it fishing, clamming, musseling, hunting for whelks, or jigging for squid. In the mid-1970s, he received his “master squid chef certificate” from the National Marine Fisheries Service. He famously invited Sloan students and faculty from overseas to his Thanksgiving dinners, which included a walk at the Old North Bridge in Concord beforehand and a square dance in Lincoln after. He kept working, and kept up with new technology, new discoveries, and new applications, including being able to summon an Uber for the trip to his office, into his early 90s.

John, predeceased by his wife Elizabeth and his two sisters, Margaret and Francis, leaves four children (Jack, Sarah, Thomas, and Ruel), eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

The family is deeply grateful for the group of aides who provided continuous, expert, and loving care for John in the last stages of his life’s journey.

A memorial service in celebration of John’s life will be held on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 at 1 p.m. in First Parish, 4 Bedford Road, Lincoln.  A private graveside service for family will be held at Lincoln Cemetery. 

John was a great supporter of women in science both in his professional community and within his own family. He encouraged, supported, advised, and helped facilitate their careers at every stage. He also was a great supporter of the arts, having long-running subscriptions to the Boston Symphony and the American Repertory Theater. He always bought tickets for four so that he and Elizabeth could invite friends, colleagues, and/or family to every show he attended. After Elizabeth passed away, he continued to buy his four tickets and fill his usual seats with a wide variety of enthusiastic guests.

The family invites you to share a favorite memory with us on John’s tribute wall, post a photo, a video, whatever you may feel moved to write or share, or simply “light a candle.” Cards and letters may be sent to the Little Family, c/o Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford St., Concord, MA 01742.

For those who wish to make a donation in memory of John and would like a suggested organization, we offer the Science Club for Girls and the American Repertory Theater. Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary.

News acorns

Deb Talan

Deb Talan performs at deCordova

Deb Talan, an American singer-songwriter best known for being part of the folk-pop duo the Weepies, will appear in the next deCordova Performance Series event on Friday, Oct. 11 from 7–8:30 p.m. Click here for more information and tickets ($28–$35).

Session on immigration stories on Friday


Explore migration through the art of storytelling in “A Suitcase Story” on Friday, Oct. 11 at 12:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The International Institute of New England will provide information on their immigrant and refugee work and discuss how you can help support and welcome new Americans. Sponsored by the Council in Aging & Human Services.

Coming up at the library

“Going to Extremes” with travel author Peter Mandel
Thursday, Oct. 24 from 7–8 p.m. (Zoom)
Click here for more information and registration.

The Great Green Ghoulie Gratitude Show 
Saturday, Oct. 26 from 11–11:45 a.m., Tarbell Room
An interactive musical celebration. Learn more.

Dungeons & Dragons: character creation 
Saturday, Oct. 26 from 2–3 p.m., Tarbell Room
For grades 6 and up. Click here for more information and registration.

“Tales of the Night” at Drumlin Farm

On Thursday and Friday, Oct. 24 and 25 from 6:30–9 p.m., prowl the farm with curious creatures of the night on candlelit paths, visit with nocturnal wildlife in our creepy-crawly mansion, spot your favorite pumpkin in our jack-o-lantern display, and step into a story on our Nursery Rhyme Trail. Visit our spooky snack shack for witches’ brew and take a haunted hayride through Boyce field. Tickets are $18–$21. Click to purchase for October 24 or October 25.

With HCA-compliant rezoning, town now qualifies for new state grants

A podium at an October 1 ceremony recognizing the 33 cities and towns that are now eligible for HCA-related state grants.

Lincoln is one of 33 towns that are now eligible for a new state grant program by virtue of having its rezoning approved by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.

The rezoning measure to allow more multifamily housing was required to comply with the Housing Choice Act. It was mired in controversy last winter in Lincoln but ultimately passed in March. More than 70 cities and towns have passed HCA zoning, with many more expected at Town Meetings this fall.

Earlier this year, the Healey-Driscoll Administration created the $15 million MBTA Communities Catalyst Fund, a capital grant program that recognizes that promoting housing growth in communities requires additional resources and makes available funding to support activities related to housing creation, infrastructure projects associated with housing, and acquisition of property to promote housing.

Funding for the Catalyst program is available for fiscal 2025, fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2027.  Awards will typically fund projects with grant requests between $250,000 and $1 million, according to the EOHLC. Conversely, the state has said that cities and towns that don’t approve HCA-friendly doing by their given deadline will become ineligible for several existing grant programs.

The Catalyst program allows towns to partner with private companies in enabling multifamily housing projects, Tim Higgins noted at the October 7 Select Board meeting. Upgrading the South Lincoln wastewater treatment plant, among other Lincoln-specific ideas, would seem to qualify.

“That gets my wheels spinning,” Select Board member Jim Hutchinson said.

Addenda

  • Lincoln firefighters free a deer trapped in the mud at Farrar Pond (click image to enlarge).

    After the October 7 story headline “Lincoln firefighters rescue deer trapped in mud” was published, the Lincoln Squirrel received a reply to our email asking about the fate of the deer. Danielle Burney, Deputy Communications Director in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, reported that “Massachusetts Environmental Police officers observed the buck as it swam across a small cove at Farrar’s Pond, then made its way onto the opposite shoreline and disappeared into tall grass.” Apparently the animal had not completely lost its taste for water. The original story has been updated.

  • More on the October 7 “News acorns” item about The Food Project needing volunteer help: Volunteers will be engaging in light farm chores, mostly harvesting at this time of year, of many different crops. They may also join farmer Asher Lyon in washing and packing the harvest. Wear sturdy shoes and best to dress in layers. Best times are weekdays, from 8 a.m.–noon and 1–4:30 p.m. The farm prefers a two-hour minimum per session. Feel free to come with a friend or neighbor. Lyon will guide volunteers in getting volunteers up to speed. For more questions or to set a time, email him at alyon@thefoodproject.org.

News acorns

Join the Bike Bus to school on Wednesday

Wednesday, Oct. 9 is the school year’s first Walk, Bike, Roll to School Day. Families of Lincoln School students are encouraged to leave the car at home and walk, bike, roll, or take the bus to school. Volunteers will be leading Bike Buses from two spots in town to accompany children to school:

  • Page Road/Trapelo roadside path, departing at 7:30 a.m.
  • Police station parking lot, departing at 7:40 a.m.  

Organizers are looking for additional helpers to act as crossing guards at key intersections in town. If you’d like to help, sign up here.

Food Project seeks volunteer help

The Food Project is looking for help during the next several weeks at Baker Bridge Farm due to an early departure by a trusted farm assistant. If you are available for a few hours on one or more days to volunteer at Baker Bridge Farm on weekdays until midafternoon in the coming weeks, email Farm Manager Asher Lyon at alyon@thefoodproject.org.

Art by Rux Darie on display at library

A painting by Rux Darie.

The Lincoln Public Library will hold an artist’s reception on Saturday, Oct. 12 from 2:30–4:30 p.m. in the art gallery to mark this month’s exhibition, “On the Move” by Rux Darie. The exhibition features figurative paintings of dancers as well as abstract works by Darie, a Romanian-Dutch artist who lives and works in Lincoln. The show runs through October 26.

Covid booster shot clinic for seniors

The town will offer Covid booster vaccinations to seniors age 60+ on Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. in the First Parish Church auditorium, across from Bemis Hall. Wear short sleeves and bring your insurance card. To sign up and/or arrange a ride, call 781-259-8811.

Lincoln firefighters rescue deer trapped in mud

Lincoln firefighters are trained to rescue people from all sorts of hazardous situations, not just fire — but last week, they used their skills with another species.

Someone walking on the conservation trails around Farrar Pond on October 2 called police to report that a deer was stuck in the mud near the pond on the south side. The caller tried to free the animal, but the deep mud up to the deer’s belly and the cold water were too much, said Lincoln Fire Chief Brian Young.

After arriving at a trail head near Hemlock Circle, firefighters Mike Gassiraro and Christopher Doeg walked about half a mile to the pond, where they donned water rescue suits, went into the water, and pulled the deer out of the water gently to dry land. “The deer was tired and cold but appeared not to be injured, so they left it to rest,” Young said. “We aren’t always able to rescue animals, but given the location and condition of this deer, we were able to safely bring it to shore.” 

As firefighters were leaving, Mass. Environmental Police officers arrived to assess the deer’s condition. Officers “observed the buck as it swam across a small cove at Farrar’s Pond, then made its way onto the opposite shoreline and disappeared into tall grass,”  according to a spokesperson for the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Apparently the animal had not completely lost its taste for water.

Firefighters Mike Gassiraro and Christopher Doeg bring the deer to dry land at Farrar Pond.

 

 

Five towns partner to exchange gift cards for guns

As part of a public health initiative to provide residents with a safe and secure way of removing unwanted firearms from their homes, the towns of Bedford, Carlisle, Concord, Lincoln, and Weston are partnering to host two “Safer Homes, Safer Communities – Gift Cards for Guns” events in October. Residents of the partnering towns will have the opportunity to safely and securely dispose of unwanted firearms on two dates:

  • Saturday, Oct. 5 from 9 a.m.–noon at the Bedford Department of Public Works (DPW), 314 Great Road, Bedford.
  • Saturday, Oct. 26 from 9 a.m.–noon at the Weston Department of Public Works (DPW), 190 Boston Post Road Bypass, Weston.

The police departments and Middlesex Sheriff’s Office ask that the following steps be taken by anyone interested in disposing their firearms at the events:

  • In accordance with state law, those planning to turn in firearms at the October 5 event should notify the Bedford Police Department at BedfordPolice@police.bedfordma.gov or call 781-275-1212 in advance. Those planning to turn in firearms at the October 26 event should call the Weston Police Department at 781-786-6200 in advance. Individuals turning in firearms at either event will not be asked for identification.
  • Please bring firearms unloaded with the safety engaged in a bag, box, or case.
  • Leave the unloaded firearm inside the trunk of your vehicle upon arrival at the event you choose to attend.

In exchange for their guns, participants will receive gift cards while supplies last:

  • One to three firearms: $100 Visa gift card
  • Four or five firearms: $200 Visa gift card
  • Six or more firearms or any semiautomatic firearm: $300 Visa gift cards

BB guns/Airsoft guns and ammunition do not qualify for gift cards but can be turned in for disposal. The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office will work with the Massachusetts State Police will safely destroy all guns collected at the events.

“We are proud to support our partners in Bedford, Carlisle, Concord, Lincoln and Weston with this critical public health and public safety effort,” said Middlesex Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian. “By providing residents the opportunity to safely and securely dispose of unwanted firearms, we are reducing the chance of accidental discharge, self-harm, and theft. This makes our homes and our communities safer.”

Service on Oct. 13 at St. Anne’s for Beverly Reed

Beverly Decker Reed

It is with great sadness that the family of Beverly Decker Reed of Lincoln announce her passing after a battle with cancer on September 19, 2024. She passed peacefully, holding the hands of her daughters and friends and surrounded by love.

Bev was a beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt, and friend. She had a ready smile and a great deal of love that she shared with so many of us. We loved her dearly while she was with us and miss her dearly now that she is not.

Bev was drawn to the challenge of finding ways to share opportunity and resources with people of all ages and from all over the world since she first set up a lemonade stand to collect donations for the city of Worcester after a tornado devastated the city in the 1950s. In a 40-year career she held senior positions at leading nonprofits in education, environment, health, and international development.

Bev’s work served her community and the world. She served as a first-grade and nursery school teacher, did admissions work at Williams College, and served in senior resource development roles at Williams College, the Massachusetts Audubon Society, Brigham and Woman’s Hospital, and Pathfinder International.

Volunteer work has been a touchstone for Bev over the years. She proudly served on the Williamstown School Committee, was a deacon and lay leader in her church, a founder and board member of A Better Chance chapter in Williamstown, a volunteer for the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, a member of the board of directors of the Women’s Fund of New Hampshire, a board member of Women’s Trust, and co-chair of her 50th reunion at Wheaton College.

Bev was a graduate of Wheaton College, received a Certificate of Management and Leadership from the Harvard University Extension School, and was certified in Reiki. Until a week of her death she enjoyed Zoom calls with college and high school friends.

She is survived by her loving husband Will Reed; her children and their spouses Becca Fasciano, Jennifer and Richard Wu, and Jeff and Nadine Stevens; her stepsons and their spouses Will and Eliza and Mark and Stephanie Reed. She is also survived by her two brothers and their spouses, Bruce Decker and Bob and Laurel Decker. Finally, she is survived by her cousins, friends, ten nieces and nephews, and her 14 grandchildren. As we mourn her departure, let us also celebrate her life and the countless moments of joy and laughter she shared with us all.

A service of remembrance will be held on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. at St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church in Lincoln. At Bev’s wishes, the service will be followed by a reception and agape feast at the church where friends and relatives will eat together and celebrate her life.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dana Farber, Pathfinder International and the Alzheimer’s Association. Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. To share a memory or to offer a condolence in Bev’s online guestbook, click here.

Correction

The item about the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mic Acoustic) event in the October 1 edition of “News acorns” listed the wrong location. It will be in Bemis Hall, not the library.

News acorns

Town Meeting Study Committee recruiting members

The Select Board and Town Moderator invite applications for the new Town Meeting Study Committee (TMSC), which will examine Lincoln’s current Town Meeting procedures, identify what’s working well and what isn’t, and develop possible strategies for improvement.

The board approved the committee’s charge on September 30 after gathering initial feedback and ideas at two public forums earlier last month. Anyone interested in joining should complete a volunteer application form and email it to TMSC@lincolntown.org by the end of the day on Monday, Oct. 14. Interviews will be conducted, and appointments made, during the Select Board’s meeting on October 21. The TMSC will begin meeting shortly thereafter once or twice a month. A final report and recommendations are expected in fall 2025.

Air Force OK’s Hanscom’s natural resources management plan

The Department of the Air Force has released a draft Environmental Assessment and a Finding of No Significant Impact for the Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP) for Hanscom Air Force Base. See Legal Notices for details and links.

Concert in Bemis Hall on Saturday

Lincoln members of the Concord Music Club with sponsor their second annual free public concert on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. Musicians on classical guitar, violin and piano will perform music by Beethoven, Bach, and Olga Amelkina-Vera. For more information, email stevensjb@pathfindermail.com.

Info session on joining Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts of Eastern Mass. will host a free “Try Girl Scouts” event for girls and parents on Monday, Oct. 7 from 5–6 p.m. at the Lincoln Public Library. Click here for more information, and click here to RSVP.

Diaper drive starts on Sunday

This year’s Metro Boston Diaper Drive, organized by Lincoln moms Kerstin Sinkevicius and Kim Jalet, will run from Sunday, Oct. 6 through Saturday, Oct. 19. All diapers will be donated to the Somerville WIC office, which serves Lincoln as well as Somerville, Cambridge, Arlington, Watertown, Belmont, Bedford, and Lexington. “Most people don’t realize that WIC and SNAP benefits don’t cover diapers, and the cost of diapers has gone up more than 20 percent since 2018,” Jalet noted.

In Lincoln, collection boxes for diapers (even opened packages) will be at the library and Magic Garden. Donors may also visit the drive’s website at mbdiapers.org for links to Amazon and Target registries to purchase diapers and have them sent directly to the WIC office. For more information, contact Jalet at jaletkl@gmail.com or 860-705-0926.

Kevin So featured at next LOMA event

Kevin So

Musician Kevin So will be the headliner at the next Lincoln Open Mic Night on Thursday, Oct. 17 from 7–10 p.m. in Bemis Hall. LOMA is a monthly open mike night event with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups playing acoustic-style. Performers should email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com before noon of the open-mike day or (space permitting) sign up at the event.

“Justice and Mercy: An Interfaith Conversation” at St. Anne’s

Several interfaith experts will discuss on how their religious tradition understands God’s mercy and God’s justice at St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Church. Specific questions to be addressed include whether God is merciful, just, or both, and who receives God’s justice and mercy. Speakers will be:

  • Mohamed Lazzouni (Islamic views) — Saturday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m. 
  • Ligita Ryliskyte (Christian views) — Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. 
  • Nicholas Ribush (Buddhist views) — Saturday, Nov. 9 at 6:30 p.m.
  • Ruth Langer (Jewish views) — Thursday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m.

Submit materials for Lincoln Arts & Crafts Show

Calling all artists, photographers, potters, jewelers, woodworkers, and crafters of all materials: join us for the 2024 Lincoln Arts (and Crafts) Show on Friday to Sunday, Nov. 15-17 at the Pierce House (artists’ reception on November 15 from 5–7 p.m.). As always, the show is for all ages, all creative arts, and all abilities, and student entries are free. Click here to submit work and register by Friday, Nov. 8.

Purple lights support domestic violence victims

Why are those buildings purple? Each October, the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable partners with First Parish in Wayland and the Lauren Dunne Astley Memorial Fund to mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month by illuminating public religious, and other significant buildings with purple lights. The Roundtable invites community members to shine purple lights in their neighborhoods by adding purple lights to indoor lamps, porches, or outside house lights. Ace Hardware in Wayland and Aubuchon Hardware in Sudbury stock purple light bulbs. Anyone interested in volunteering with the group may email domesticviolenceroundtable@gmail.com.