As is stated in his obituary, “Arthur William Pellerin, 57, of Groveland, passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, August 18th after a brief but courageous battle with glioblastoma.”
Mr. Pellerin was my former Honors Algebra II teacher, and we were his last Honors Algebra II class before he retired. When I took his class as a sophomore, he was known for his deadpan, sarcastic humor and slightly less known for his love of Disney World–especially the Tower of Terror–all things Christmas, and Diet Pepsi. At the time of his death, he was living in Florida with his wife and her family, and I like to think he was enjoying his retirement. Mr. Pellerin worked at my high school for thirty years teaching math to hundreds of students, including myself and the BC Calculus teacher at my school, Ms. McNamara. Ms. Mac always knew she wanted to be a teacher, but Mr. Pellerin was the reason she decided to teach math.
Although I have experienced the deaths of loved ones like my childhood dog and my grandparents when I was too young to remember them, none of them have impacted my life every day like Mr. Pellerin.
Since I was very young, math has been my favorite subject because it was always logical and easy to me. When I took the jump, signing up for the infamously difficult Honors Algebra II course at our high school, I didn’t know how rough the waters I would be treading in would be.
Honors Algebra II gave me a run for my money, delivering me my first ever C on a quiz and forcing me to spend two hours a night just to complete my homework. I left almost every class confused and frustrated.
Yet, when I got that first ever C and arrived in Mr. Pellerin’s office, fighting back tears, he told me that, although it wasn’t a grade my parents would put on the refrigerator, there was always a chance for me to bounce back on the upcoming test if I worked hard–and that I did. Never did a 94 feel so sweet.
Mr. Pellerin believed in me and my love for math, and in so many others and their love of math, and because of that, I believe in my love of math even more than I used to, because I know how it feels to fight for it.
Although I believe I am looking back at Mr. Pellerin’s life and my limited experience with him through rose-colored glasses, I would have been blind to his impact on me and our community if I had not put them on in the first place. I didn’t realize my memories I have of him would slip away before I realized I would need to hold on to them tightly.
Mr. Pellerin, I wish you could still hear me because I wish I would’ve said all of this to you when you were still here. Lastly, thank you, and I miss you.
