Theodore Scott Westhusing

West Point, 1983

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Tom Palaima on June 11, 2005:

I have just found out about the tragic loss of my former student in intensive summer Greek and from that time my good friend and I am sure your honored and respected colleague and friend, Col. Ted Westhusing. He extended to me the extreme privilege of inviting me to teach his cadet students in mid-October 2003. I was then able to see his paternal devotion to his students and his unwavering passion for nurturing in them the intelligence, soul and spirit necessary to be able leaders of soldiers in the field. I know Ted brought a deep understanding of ancient Greek culture and philosophical thought to his teaching at West Point. You know Ted's profound sense of duty to his country. I saw this firsthand in his teaching and in his participation in scholarly projects like the Discovery Channel project on Troy and the special conference Achilles in Iraq held at University of Missouri-St. Louis. You are perhaps aware that we wrote a piece together for the London Times Higher Education Supplement: http://www.utexas.edu/research/pasp/publications/editorials/11june04.html Ted was among the kindest men I have known and gently humorous. He never once in my presence criticized others harshly, even when I felt they deserved it, and he always brought me back to calm good sense on political and social issues where we had strong disagreements that might have shattered other friendships but for his belief in open and intelligent discussion among friends. He was a truly learned man, a doer of deeds and a sayer of words. He always excelled. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to honor Ted and his true patriotism or to help Michelle and their beautiful children. Tom Palaima

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