MEMORIES OF DR. GEORGE NYE The DuBois Area Historical Society lost one of its earliest leaders and most ardent supporters on June 7, 2007, when word was received of the death of Dr. George Nye. Nye was involved with the Society for most of its 25 plus years of its existence. During the Society's second year, 1983, Nye, who was then the superintendent of the DuBois Area School District, was elected the organization's second president. His term came during a formative time period with no building, no possessions, and at a time when the organization was looking for a direction for what it would become. Historical items began to be acquired. Where would they be kept? Some were stored in members' homes, but Nye had an answer for the larger donations. He offered storage under the swimming pool at the high school, actually then one of the driest spots available and an aid to preservation. Completing his one-year term, Nye turned over leadership to others, but continued to attend meetings and activities. Following his retirement as superintendent of schools, he spent time traveling and was not as active with the Society. That changed with the election of the late E.D. Reitz as Society president. The Society's first permanent building was acquired in 1993 and Reitz brought his friend, George Nye, back into the Society's active ranks in a newly conceived position of curator for the museum. Nye threw himself into the effort with his customary enthusiasm, cataloguing acquisitions on his preferred MacIntosh computer. "He loved the historical society," noted his niece, Jackie Johns. "It was all he would talk about when we were together." Nye was such a tireless worker, he was once asked if he had actually moved a bed into the building and was living there full time. Another time he was discovered emerging from the ladder-only accessible basement in one of the buildings, covered in dirt, and looking much like a coal miner. He was cleaning the area of all kinds of unwanted debris that had been deposited there over the years, a job no one else wanted to tackle. Nye and another single male member took some good-natured ribbing when they were observed carrying unclothed female mannequins through town and into the building. The donated mannequins needed to be moved immediately to their new home. He laughed along with everyone else at these incidents and continued to clean, repair, remodel, and do almost any job needed to develop a museum. The job grew when a second and then a third building were acquired to hold the Society's growing collection. Not one to accept or seek attention, Nye rejected all overtures to be honored by the Society. That forced the Society's board into slipping things by him when possible. During one of his rare absences from a board meeting a motion was passed to name the former Melillo Building, the George Nye Sports and Leisure annex. A second honor was delivered in 1999 when he was named "Man of the Year" by the Society. Unfortunately, the onset of Parkinson's Disease cut short Nye's service to the Society. A third and final honor was bestowed on him when he was voted the title of "Curator Emeritus," the first to receive this designation. But Nye's real impact on the Society came in a quiet way. One of his friends noted that, "I never knew anyone with an such an extensive background in art to be a financial genius." Nye knew finances. His financial backing helped in the acquisition of the Society's buildings. Numerous other Society projects came to fruition with seed money and monetary donations he provided. Mirrors he recently purchased to be placed in the backs of several of the Society's display cases were installed shortly before his death. The DuBois Area Historical Society's buildings are not Nye's only legacy. Many of the buildings currently in use by the DuBois Area School District were built during his time as superintendent and a later term as a school board member; and he was also a backer of DACOTA and the Reitz Theatre. Dr. George Nye's truest legacies were his generosity and work ethic. He led by example. This should not be forgotten by anyone involved with the DuBois Area Historical Society, past, present or future.
--Tom Schott
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