Jules P. Seigel

The irascible Jules Paul Seigel 85, of Englewood Florida and Peace Dale, RI died on February 16 in Englewood, Florida. He was born as Jules "Yussi" Siegel on October 10, 1931 in Liberty, NY where he grew up raised by relatives as he was orphaned at a young age and only spoke Yiddish until attending kindergarten. He was the son of Samuel and Lotte (Schutzman) Siegel. He is predeceased by one sibling, Marcella (Marcy) Siegel Schoen. After high school and an early try at college, Jules spent four years in the Air Force as a radio operator with top security clearance monitoring Russian air traffic during the Korean Conflict and was stationed in Germany. After the service, Jules went on to earn a BA degree from SUNY, Cortland and a Doctorate in English literature from the University of Maryland. To all who knew him, Jules will always be remembered for being a caring, brilliant, witty, vociferously-outspoken man, and a selfless father, husband, grandfather and friend. Jules was indeed a man of many talents-an educator, activist, nationally-recognized Schutzhund dog trainer, avid cyclist, competitive tennis player, gourmet cook, master gardener, mechanic, published author, prolific reader, music enthusiast, and someone who would always speak his mind and stand up for what he believed in. He (along with Cathy) had a strong social conscience and actively participated in civil rights demonstrations, anti nuclear demonstrations and actively supported many other causes that he was passionate about including the grape boycott protesting unfair labor practices towards the pickers and housing discrimination against people of color in his own community. During his long career as a professor of literature at the University of Rhode Island, he had a huge influence on countless students. Despite his failing health, he spent his last day exercising his beloved German Shepherd, Choctaw and riding his recumbent tricycle while at his home in Englewood, Florida. He is survived by his devoted and beloved wife and best friend of 58 years, Catharine (Fressie) Seigel and his three children, daughter Julia Anne Malichi Slom and her husband Peter Slom of Charlestown, son Sean Paul Seigel and his wife Roberta, and his daughter Jessica Hilliard Spearman and her husband Joshua of West Kingston as well his grandchildren Samuel Noah Slom, Luke Francis Slom, Sean Paul Seigel, Jr., Rachel Alexandra Seigel, Jared Jules Seigel, and John (Jack) Andrew Spearman. A committal service with military honors will be held at 11 am Friday June 9th in the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Exeter. Relatives and friends may gather at the entrance near the administration building at 10:45 am. A reception will immediately follow at Gregg’s Restaurant, Route 2, North Kingstown. Memorial donations may be made to any social cause of your choosing. Jules' causes were so varied but he was especially passionate about Doctors Without Borders, or the South Kingstown Animal Shelter.