Anne Lyon Klopman ’44, P ’80—alumna, parent and dedicated Bennington supporter—died on May 10. She was 97. 

It took a little getting used to the first year student from Englewood, New Jersey, but Anne Lyon soon gained momentum and by her second year, she was taking full advantage of all that Bennington had to offer.  While she focused in the social sciences, taking courses with the famed psychologist Erich Fromm and others in the department, her interest in design, architecture and the natural world was fueled by the frequent visits and lectures of Buckminster Fuller P ’51. Both would play their part influencing her life.

After graduating from Bennington, Anne took to making a home. She married William A. (Bill) Klopman in 1945, raising their six children and numerous pets. With Anne’s eye and penchant for design, the Klopman’s home was enviable and something she was quite proud to share. As a visitor from the College recalled, it was “extravagantly wonderful and incredibly tasteful.” It was a home made to host and with a host who welcomed visitors and made them feel at home. One of her children’s friends remembered that “she always offered me a Coke and a good conversation when I visited.”