Ashland and formerly Holliston-

Harry L. Kreshpane, a historian, teacher, college administrator, Army Veteran, and an expert on theories surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, passed away December 14, 2019.

Mr. Kreshpane for many years was both a college professor and administrator at Dean College in Franklin, MA. After graduating from Northeastern University, he taught history at Medfield High School. A few years later, he took a position as a history professor at Dean College, previously known as Dean Junior College. He was subsequently appointed an Assistant Academic Dean and then as Academic Dean, a position he held for almost twenty years. During his tenure as Academic Dean, the college greatly expanded its academic programs, increased the size of the faculty and enrollments. He was instrumental in starting a continuing education program that increased from approximately 100 students to over 1,500. Mr. Kreshpane left the Dean’s position in 1992 and returned to his first love, teaching. After teaching for a number of years, he retired and was named Professor Emeritus at Dean College.

Mr. Kreshpane is a Veteran, having proudly served in the United States Army during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He left the Army with the rank of Captain.

Mr. Kreshpane was a successful athlete in a number of sports. At both Natick High School and Northeastern University, he played varsity baseball and basketball. After college, he continued to play fast pitch softball. He also worked as a basketball referee.

Besides teaching, Mr. Kreshpane’s great passion was scholarly research into the assassination of President Kennedy. Mr. Kreshpane accumulated what is recognized as one of the most complete collections of books, materials and documents relating to the assassination and the numerous theories of who shot the President. With an almost total recall of each assassination theory, he could readily address the strengths and weaknesses of those theories. Mr. Kreshpane frequently gave presentations at high schools, colleges, and civic organizations. He donated his entire Kennedy assassination collection to the Dean College Library, where it is available to the public.

Mr. Kreshpane is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 49 years, Patricia (Drucker) Kreshpane, his brother, Karl and his wife Beverly; brother-in-law, Donald and Ann Warren; cherished uncle to Timothy Warren and his wife, Galiya, Karl and Jamie Kreshpane, Kim and Robert Hanlon, and Thomas and Maureen Verra; and loving Godfather to Karen Rothwell and Emma Brown. He is predeceased by his siblings, Helen Vera, Loretta Sticka, Dora Stammo and George and Pandi Kreshpane. He was the son of the late Lambi and Angelica Kreshpane.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 18th from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the Chesmore Funeral Home of Holliston, 854 Washington St. www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com A funeral mass will be celebrated on Thursday, December 19th at 10:00 a.m. at the Annunciation Orthodox Church, Natick. Burial will follow at Dell Park Cemetery in Natick. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to support the Harry L. Kreshpane Prize for Excellence in History at Dean College, 99 Main St. Franklin, MA 02038, or to Annunciation Orthodox Church, 37 Washington St, Natick, MA 01760.