Sadly, another of our classmates passed away. Larry Newton died early last month after a courageous battle with lung cancer. His wife Nancy and family will be gathering at Brunners on Friday, June 28th from 4-6 for a Happy Hour in his honor and invite his friends to join them. Rest in Peace Larry – you will be missed. (From Kathi Cirringione ’72)
Tony Martin Awards, Inc. would like to honor the legacy of RoseMarie A. Burns 1930-2024 A true legend in our community for her many contributions to our youth and countless organizations. A true Buffalo lover who gave of herself to make our city a better place to live.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Robert Schiller graduated from Amherst Central High School in 1977. He is a full time professor at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts teaching Comedy and Directing.
“A 2 time Emmy Award winning Director, Rob began making films at the age of 11 and as an actor, got his Equity Card at 17. He hasn’t stopped directing in theatre, film & television since.
He attended Ithaca College for Communications and Buffalo State for Theatre Arts. His first network job was as a Production Supervisor for CBS Sports & Entertainment divisions in NYC.
From there he produced the CBS daytime drama “As The World Turns” by day and worked in the theatre, at night.
Hollywood called to direct the NBC daytime drama “Santa Barbara” for 5 years, then General Hospital.
His first sitcom was “Another World”. Since then, he has Directed over 400 sitcom episodes for every major Network & Studio including Executive Producer- Director of “The King of Queens” on CBS for 9 years. Amongst his achievements, 6 pilots he directed went to series, directed the BBC series “Clone” in London, and did one of the first webisode series for Crackle.
His indie film “And They’re Off” received glowing reviews from the LA Times, his short film “Don’t Be A Drip” won Best Short Award at FilmFest 2016, and Rob’s short film “Waiting Around For You To Die…..” Made Official Selection in the 2024 French International Modern Film Festival, and the Award of Excellence at Best Shorts Competition.
Rob taught Directing and Production in Beijing for a year, Directing at Chapman for another year and is happy to now be full time at USC. Currently, he is writing a book on Composition for Film,TV & Theatre, and another entitled “So You Want to Direct?” -A “How To” manual for beginning (and some seasoned) directors.”
If you have news you would like to share with the Amherst Alumni community, please email us at alumni@amherstschools.org.
Deborah Cant Christel, 63, of Winchester, Massachusetts, died peacefully on the morning of February 21, 2023. Born in Buffalo, NY on October 15th, 1959, Deb grew up in Amherst, New York and attended Amherst Central High School. She was a graduate of St. Lawrence University, where she was a resident advisor, a member of the Delta Delta Delta Sorority and The Laurentian Singers. Her love of music was a lifelong joy, and she later sang in choirs in Boston and Winchester. Deb also loved the outdoors, and adored nothing more than to spend the day on the slopes skiing with family and friends. She also enjoyed tennis, golf, photography and a myriad of other activities throughout her life. Her joyful smile and luminous personality touched everyone she met. Her friends were friends for life, and she cherished those lifelong connections. After college, Deb took up residence and started her business career in Boston. There she met her future husband Will, and they were wed in 1988. Professionally, Deb was a successful sales and marketing executive for many years with IBM, after stints with Knoll Furniture, Polaroid and other companies. She was also active in many organizations in the greater Boston area, including The Trinity Church of Boston, The Junior League of Boston, and The Parish of the Epiphany in Winchester. Deb also loved to spend time with family and friends at Fishers Island, NY in the summer, and The Mountain Lake Club, Florida in the winter. She particularly loved the rolling hills, beautiful stone walls, and sparkling waters of Lake Quassapaug in Middlebury Ct. Preceded in death by her father John Cant, Deb’s survivors include her husband William Christel and son Samuel Christel, her mother Connie Reed, her brother Scott Cant and his wife Fran Cant, and an extended loving family. She could fill any room with her joyous laughter, and the world was a better place. Services will take place this spring in Middlebury, Connecticut. Deborah’s family will provide details closer to the date. In lieu of flowers, Deborah’s family suggests donations be made to The McCance Center for Brain Health at Mass. General Hospital or the Middlebury Land Trust.
Age 63, of Snyder, NY. David was the beloved husband of Linda (Beckstein) Brinkman and the son of the late R. Roberts Brinkman and Joan (Schack) Brinkman. He is survived by his wife Linda and daughters Renee Clementi, Christine Lojacono, Sandy (Tim) Conti, Tammie Lyn McNerney, his Brother John (Patricia) Brinkman as well as grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Dave’s faith was central to his life, having been baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1983. His dedication moved him to devote many hours volunteering within his congregation and community. This included participation in construction projects, as a bible instructor, and offering spiritual comfort to friends in need with visits to the hospital and in their homes. He was confident in God’s promises for the future (Revelation 21:4). In his leisure time, Dave enjoyed outdoor activities, especially Allegany State Park and vacations in Florida. He also had a passion for carpentry and crafted several pieces for his home and personal projects. A memorial service will be held on April 13th at 2pm at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, located at 7375 Nash Rd, North Tonawanda, NY 14120. Visitation with the family will begin at 1:15 pm and continue after the services. David’s family has entrusted his care to the Goodlander family, OTTO REDANZ FUNERAL HOME, 2215 MILITARY ROAD, NIAGARA FALLS, NY (716) 297-9007. Share condolences and memories at GOODLANDERCARES.com