Hobart and William Smith Colleges

August 19, 2024

Dear Colleagues,

This summer, our community lost two esteemed graduates and former Trustees, Bruce Bensley ’51, P’98, L.H.D. ’01 and Wendy Puriefoy ’71, who leave behind a legacy of outstanding leadership and commitment to Hobart and William Smith. Our campus benefited tremendously from their strong perspectives on the value of a rich liberal arts education. As Trustees and alumni, their engagement with HWS was exemplary. They will both be missed.

After graduating with a B.A. in economics and history, Bruce served in the U.S. Army before beginning a long career in finance. He worked for Manufacturers Hanover, earned a graduate degree from New York University, and later served as a vice president with Goldman Sachs, Kleinwort, Benson, McCowan & Co. and CJ Lawrence.

A devoted member of his community, Bruce served as a trustee of the Fannie E. Rippel Foundation, which supports equitable health and well-being. He served as a trustee and treasurer of the Diocesan Investment Trust for the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, and was recognized for his service with the Episcopal Church’s lifetime achievement award from the Diocese of Newark.

Bruce served as a member of the HWS Board of Trustees from 1979 to 1989 and was named an Honorary Trustee in 1991. A stalwart advocate for HWS since his graduation, he supported scholarships, the performing arts, various building projects, the Statesmen Athletic Association and the Annual Fund.

He is survived by his wife Diane; their children, including Carolyn Bensley ’98; and many other loved ones.

Wendy, who earned her B.A. in history, has the distinction of being the first-ever student trustee elected to sit on the Board of Trustees. As a student, she was a member of the Presidential Committee on Minority Affairs and the Academic Affairs Committee. 

She earned three Master of Arts degrees in African American Studies, American Studies, and American Colonial History from Boston University, and completed her coursework for a Ph.D. at Boston University on a Martin Luther King Scholarship. 

A national expert on school reform and civil society, Wendy was a passionate and effective advocate for education equity for disadvantaged children. She served as the longtime president of the Public Education Network (PEN), the nation’s largest network of community-based school reform organizations, and was deeply involved in school reform since the 1970s when she served as a special monitor of the court-ordered desegregation plan for Boston’s public schools. She served on many national boards and committees and chaired The White House Project, which fostered the entry of women into positions of leadership. In recognition of her impact on public education, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from Amherst College. 

In 1992, Wendy returned to the HWS Board of Trustees, serving for two years. She was a founding member of the Advisory Board of The Fisher Center and received the Alumnae Achievement Award in 2000.

Wendy is survived by her sister and devoted caretaker of several years, Jacquelyn Puriefoy Brinkley, and many other family members and friends. 

Both the Bensley family and Puriefoy family have indicated that they are not holding any immediate services and will keep us updated on future plans. 

As we begin this academic year, we do so with gratitude for the leadership of Bruce and Wendy, who did so much to foster the values of HWS here on campus and in communities across the country.

Best,

Mark D. Gearan
President