James Champlin Waugh

SCARBOROUGH – James Champlin Waugh, born in Boston to Samuel Belcher Waugh and Dorothy Champlin Waugh, on Oct. 16, 1926, passed serenely and peacefully at his home in Scarborough on April 18, 2022, under the care of his eldest son Nicholas, friend Rodney Booth, and the extraordinary staff of Northern Light Hospice.

He is survived by his sons Nicholas and wife Anne Stickney, Bennett and wife Janette, Sam and wife Alix, Alec and wife Jennifer, Seth and wife Jane; nine grandchildren, five step-granddaughters, one step-grandson; three step-great-grandchildren; and his two dogs, Koko and Lucille

His family moved to Portland when he was 8, where he eventually attended Deering High School until he attended and graduated from the Governor Dummer Academy. He played football, basketball, and baseball there and was inducted into the school’s athletic hall of fame in 2017.

After graduating in 1944 he joined the U.S. Navy and served in the Pacific theater until the end of the Second World War. While his stint was relatively short, it did spark a life-long love of the sea and ships.

After finishing his service he chose Williams College where he played baseball and excelled in the classroom, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in three years. From there he was hired at the Groton School as an English teacher and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. Thus began a most illustrious and impactful career in secondary school teaching and coaching.

He taught at Groton from 1949-1961, spent one year in graduate study at UC Berkeley and then began a long stint at the Lawrenceville School in the fall of 1962. On the coaching side, he continued as a three sport contributor, as an assistant football coach for several seasons, and as the head basketball and baseball coach. His teams eventually won six state basketball championships and four state baseball championships. After he stepped down, the baseball field was named in his honor.

In the classroom he was renowned and extremely popular, known for his signature Socratic style of teaching. One of his more famous students, performer Huey Lewis, remarked that, “…he led me to many things that I discovered for myself.” He was awarded the Distinguished Teacher award by Princeton University and awarded the first ever Masters Award by Lawrenceville for his outstanding teaching. His classroom, room #1 at venerable Memorial Hall, was named in his honor after his retirement from the school in 1988. He had returned to Groton at the headmaster’s request, and for several years alternated terms at his two beloved schools.

He was a published poet of some note, and was commissioned to author a textbook on literature by Ginn and Company. To the end of his life he delighted in recounting reports that crusading moralists in West Virginia had burned his textbook.

In 1935 his mother took him to Braves Field to see Babe Ruth in one of Ruth’s few games with the Boston Braves. The experience resulted in a life-long passion for the Braves, rivaled only by his passion for the Celtics. In another twist of fate, he happened to have been present in Boston Garden when Bill Russell played his first game as a Celtic.

He constantly dabbled in art of different sorts, liked to work outside with his hands, loved listening to jazz and blues, read voraciously, wrote with an economy of words, and had an acerbic and infectious wit. Most importantly he guided, expanded, and inspired countless young minds at both Groton and Lawrenceville. He loved to stay in touch with ex-students and athletes and had an encyclopedic memory of virtually every student he ever taught or coached. He taught and coached through his 76th year, and never lost his ability to baffle hitters in batting practice with his 48 mph curveball. He also played some pretty fair tennis up until the end of that very long career. He is an honorary member of countless classes and did manage to scratch that itch to go to sea when he took a leave of absence in the early ’70s to work as a merchant marine seaman on the Great Lakes, and as a crewman on a commercial fishing boat in the Florida Keys.

He was truly a man for all seasons—a force of nature who will be missed by all who knew him. He lived a very long, full, and generous life. While he will be missed ferociously, we are very grateful for all the time we shared on this earth and all the lessons and love that will live on forever. Rest In Peace, Dad.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at http://www.jonesrichandbarnes.com for the Waugh family.

James Champlin Waugh