William F. Stearns, undated. From a collection of Ed Worthington. Courtesy of Janet Dudones Born:
Died: June 6, 1983 in Boston, Massachusetts
Married: Mary
Children: a son, Monteagle Stearns, a spokesman for the United States Embassy in Greece; and a daughter, Mary Lou
William Stearns was the director of the Saranac Lake Study and Craft Guild.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, June 13, 1983
Wm. Stearns, guild director, death is reported in Boston
SARANAC LAKE - William F. Stearns, director of the Saranac Lake Rehabilitation Guild from 1937 to 1961, died in Boston, Massachusetts June 6.
Mr. Stearns came to Saranac Lake for his health in 1926 and remained four years. He then returned to the village in 1937 to become director of the Saranac Lake Study and Craft Guild.
The rehabilitation guild assisted people with a variety of disabling conditions. Under the direction of Mr. Stearns, it became well known as one of the best of its kind in the United States, and one of the few operated outside a metropolitan area. Mr. Stearns expanded the guild to include the first physical therapy department in the Adirondacks.
He was credited for much of the overall success of the guild. His directorship ran for over 20 years, and ended when the guild was closed in the early 1960's. Modern medical advances had alleviated many of the ills which plagued guild patients, and, thus, the need for the guild declined.
In 1961, Mr. Stearns moved to Boston to become director of the New England Rehabilitation For Work Center established by Morgan Memorial, an agency for rehabilitating the mentally and physically handicapped and the blind.
He continued to live in that area until his death.
Survivors include his wife, Mary, of Boston; a son, Mont eagle [sic: Monteagle], a spokesman for the United States Embassy in Greece; and a daughter, Mary Lou.
