John Nove Obituary

John Nove

SOUTH DEERFIELD, MA - John Nove, 77, died peacefully at home on July 1, 2025 after a serious illness. A 16-year resident of South Deerfield, he established the Grey Seal Bindery and served as Chair of the Deerfield Historical Commission.

He leaves behind Elizabeth (Liz) Sorenson of South Deerfield, his dear companion and partner for over 25 years. He also leaves behind a son, Solomon Hugo Black, his wife Caroline, and their two children, Abigail and Seth, all of Washington D.C. He was predeceased by his first son Joshua Bradford Nove, and his parents, Jane and Sam Nove.

Born in 1947 in Hackensack, NJ, he grew up in a neighborhood of Italian immigrants. The first member of his extended family to attend college, John graduated with a degree in Biology from Tufts University. Living in Boston and Ipswich, MA, his 40-year career in the sciences ranged from basic research in biotech laboratories to teaching elementary school science to curriculum development to museum education.

John's love of birding took him to Orkney, Scotland, and a 25-year relationship with the remote island of Papa Westray. In 2005 he purchased the island house "Peatwell" where he and his partner spent time every year.

In 2005, after graduating from the two-year bookbinding program at the North Bennet Street School in Boston, John set up the Grey Seal Bindery and had a long association with the Memorial Libraries in Old Deerfield and the Kinney Center for Interdisciplinary Renaissance Studies at UMass Amherst.

As John wished, no memorial service is planned, but donations can be made to the Josh Nove Fund (for student interns) at the Quebec-Labrador Foundation (qlf.org), 4 South Main St., Ipswich, MA 01938. A celebration of John's life will be held in Deerfield at a future date.