Francis I. "Tuck" Amory Iii

WORCESTER - Professor Tuck Amory of Worcester, MA, died on Sunday Sept 29th, 2019, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Born in Manhattan, NY, and raised in Manchester, MA and Beverly Cove, MA, he was the son of Francis I. Amory Jr., of Beverly, MA, and Edith Anne Beadleston Amory of Easthampton, NY.

Professor Amory graduated from the Hill School in Pottstown, PA, where he was valedictorian of his graduating class and captain of the tennis team. He received his AB and MAT degrees from Harvard University, where he was heavily involved in Phillips Brooks House, an influence that permeated his whole professional career. Later, he received an MS in Social Work from the Boston University School of Social Work.

A quiet warrior for social justice, Professor Amory worked 10 years for the MA Department of Youth Services at the Shirley Industrial School, the Lyman School for Boys, and the Worcester Secure Treatment Unit as a teacher, counselor, and clinical director. He also worked for early community-based treatment programs including the Lowell Police Athletic League, Nuva Inc. in Gloucester, MA, and The Sanctuary in Cambridge, MA.

Later, Professor Amory was engaged in a dual career in higher education and psychotherapy. He taught for two years at Boston State College, and then for 35 years in the Urban Studies Department at Worcester State University. He also co-founded the Master’s Program in non-profit management and coordinated it for over 20 years. In 1985, he received the college’s Distinguished Service Award, followed by the Teaching Excellence award in 2007, and the Extraordinary Dedication to Worcester State University Award in 2008.

Professor Amory also co-founded Psychological Counseling Services with Dr. Edward I. Haupt. For over forty years, he saw thousands of clients for individual, couples and family therapy. He was cited on Talk of The Nation on PBS for innovative clinical approaches to the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorders and other challenging conditions. He was also a long term board member of Family Services of Central Massachusetts, First Night Worcester, Arts Worcester, and the Mary Dolphin Art Gallery at Worcester State University.

He was a four season Boston Sports fan, who loved gardening, crossword puzzles, throwing parties, having heterogeneous friends, teaching, and giving psychotherapy. He was also a long term member of Worcester Bohemians. A voracious reader, his favorite author was Yeats. Tuck leaves us with this quote: “Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends.”

He will be remembered fondly by many students and clients for his caring service and teaching. Many of his students went on to complete graduate degrees at the finest institutions nationally and internationally, including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale Medical School, University of California Berkeley, Stanford, Brown, WPI, and his alma mater Boston University.

He is survived by his wife Amanda M. Amory (nee Guyett), his son Matthew Amory, his daughter Sarah Amory Welch and her husband Andrew, his brother David Sears Amory and his wife Peggi, his sister Hope Amory Bachelder and her husband Robert, grandchildren Hunter and Raine Amory by Matthew, and Lily and Charlotte Welch by Sarah, Amanda’s sister Corinne Norris and her husband Greg, his nieces Lindsey Bachelder Graziano and Caroline Bachelder and nephew Sam Bachelder by Hope and Bob, his nephew Jesse Amory by David and Peggi, and his nephews Mitchell and Nicholas by Corinne and Greg.

A memorial service will be held at Worcester State University in the Sheehan POD Dining Area on Saturday, October 26th at 2:00 pm.

A Celebration of Life will be held later that afternoon at the Sahara Restaurant on Highland Street. In lieu of flowers, donations in Tuck's memory may be made to the Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Art Gallery at Worcester State University. Checks should be made payable to the Worcester State Foundation, Inc. and in the memo field indicate Art Gallery - In Memory of Tuck Amory. Donations may be mailed to the Division of University Advancement, Worcester State University - 486 Chandler Street, Worcester, MA 01602.

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