Eileen Gwynneth (Gwen) Southgate passed away peacefully in her home on November 26, 2024, at the age of 95. Gwen lived in Amherst for the past six years, and previously in the Princeton, NJ, area for more than 50 years.
Gwen was born in London, England, in 1929. She earned a B.Sc. in Physics from University of London and an M.Ed. from Rutgers University. From 1950 to 1955, Gwen worked at Mullard Research Laboratories in the UK, where she met her husband, David. They were married in 1952.
Gwen came to the U.S. with her family in 1959 and lived in the Chicago area for seven years before settling in Princeton, NJ, in 1966. She taught science at Highland Park High School for over 20 years, until her retirement in 1992.
After retirement, Gwen spent many summers at the family cottage in Maine, enjoying reading, sailing, hiking, and local summer arts. She loved the use of words, and spent time playing Scrabble, creating cryptic crossword puzzles, and writing her memoir, Coin Street Chronicles. She also enjoyed gardening at their home in New Jersey and the wildflowers of Maine.
Gwen was active in many local and national organizations in the Princeton area. She was a founding member of the Princeton Evergreen Forum, a lifelong learning community; an active member of the League of Women Voters; and served on the board for the conservation organization Friends of Princeton Open Space. Gwen also recorded science textbooks for the national Recordings for the Blind, in honor of her mother who lost her vision with age.
Gwen was born into life with little means, other than her mother’s warm heart and a will to learn and succeed in life with educated discipline. As a child she survived the WWII London bombings and was evacuated to safe harbors with families away from the city of London air raids. She was reunited safely with her family after the war.
Gwen Southgate is predeceased by her husband of 66 years, David, and her brother Derek. She leaves behind her sister, Maureen, as well as her four children Diana, her husband Govind, Tim, his wife Deb, Jennie, her husband James, and Jill. She also leaves behind her 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, and in keeping with Gwen and David’s lifelong interests and concerns, the family suggests a donation to the Union of Concerned Scientists.