This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: pritch4398 Surnames: FOLLIS, JOY, PALMER, EDDY, WRIGHT, TRAMMELL, FULLER, NEGRI Classification: obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.missouri.counties.stlouis/9981/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Elaine R. Follis, 64, Old Testament scholar, teacher By GLORIA NEGRI The Boston Globe Published on: 03/21/08 Elaine R. Follis was recognized as an Old Testament scholar and a teacher who enriched the lives of generations of students by bringing biblical figures to life and showing their relevance in today's world. "Daily, she blew me away with some of the most profound lectures I've heard," said Stefanie Palmer, student body president at Principia College in Illinois, where Dr. Follis was professor and an administrator for 30 years. Colleagues said Dr. Follis, a Quincy native, brought that same dedication and energy to the Mary Baker Eddy Library, part of The First Church of Christ Scientist in Boston, when she became library president and executive manager in May. Dr. Follis died March 4 at the Chestnut Hill Benevolent Association, a Christian Science nursing facility in Brookline. A longtime friend, Jane Wright of Quincy, said that as a Christian Scientist Dr. Follis, 64, chose not to have a diagnosis. She had lived in Quincy. "Elaine was very devoted to the library and efforts to make the Mary Baker Eddy Collection of writings more widely known," said Mary Trammell, chairman of the library's board of trustees. Dr. Follis's teaching career focused on Old Testament history and Holocaust studies, and she inspired a great love for the Bible in her students, said Thomas H. Fuller, acting president of Principia, a four-year liberal arts college for Christian Scientists. She started teaching at Principia in 1974, retiring in 2006. In her last five years there, she was Principia's academic dean. "She was a tremendous scholar, widely respected," Fuller said, adding that she spoke ancient Hebrew and ancient Greek. In her grasp, he said, "you could feel Jeremiah, a young man in a comfortable middle class, wrestling with whether to accept the call to become a prophet of the Lord. Elaine could read a story with something very akin to acting." Dr. Follis never married or had children. Friends and colleagues said there was no doubt about her love for young people. Since her return to the Boston area, Dr. Follis continued connecting with youths through podcasts, through the church-affiliated website tmcyouth.com, and in columns in the Christian Science Sentinel. There, she offered solutions to their problems with spiritual wisdom and a sense of humor. In a column in August 2006, "The Way of Love Pays All Our Debts," she wrote: "Debt goes beyond fiscal responsibility. While some debts may be monetary, others have to do with commitment of time, with caring, with exclusivity, with respect. There are some debts that last forever. Primary among them is the debt to God." Elaine Russell Follis was the only child of George Stanley and Celia Russell (Joy) Follis. In one of her columns, she wrote that she had always wanted to be a college professor. She graduated from Quincy High School and Tufts University, and she earned a bachelor's of divinity degree from Tufts' Crane Theological School in 1968. She started teaching at Principia in 1974 and was awarded a doctorate in Old Testament studies from Boston University in 1976. Few of her students forgot her. Wright, who met Dr. Follis as a freshman at Principia in 1974, said, "She was one of the few people that you could take down what she spoke with no ahhs or umms, because she formulated her thoughts so well." She said Dr. Follis was adept at reaching students and expected the best from them. "Elaine believed in everyone's potential, and you could feel it," she said. In return, Fuller said, her students came through for her. After retiring from teaching, Dr. Follis kept in touch with young people through her columns and podcasts. Her topics ranged from Bible history to life lessons. In another column, Dr. Follis offered some 10-second life lessons: "Follow your dreams and fill your life with what you love. God put that love in your heart for a reason. And never mind if people think you are a brain or a geek or whatever. Just be yourself. Let your light shine. There's a place for everybody in God's family." A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. March 29 in the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Quincy. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.