Andrew Parthum, a South End neighbor, friend, and community activist of over 20 years, died peacefully at home on January 29, 2020, with his partner of 31 years, history professor Bill Leonard, at his side. He succumbed at age 57 after a brave, eight-year battle with brain cancer. A native of Andover, Parthum was born on April 14, 1963.
A proud, former Eagle scout, Parthum graduated from Andover High School and earned a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Clarkson University, which led to a career as a quality assurance engineer.
Parthum's passions included theater, especially musical theater; traveling domestically and abroad with Leonard to destinations such as Provincetown; to European destinations such as Spain, France, Italy and Ireland; and around Latin America to Costa Rica, Argentina, and Machu Picchu in Peru.
Parthum and Leonard particularly enjoyed sharing their travels with people they cared about, renting a house in Tuscany with friends and making memories in Provincetown with friends from the Boston area and from Montreal.
For much of his life, Parthum was also devoted to civic engagement and contributing to his community. Parthum and Leonard moved to the South End in April, 2000, making their home in the then brand-new complex at 1597 Washington Street, and Parthum became deeply involved in the Blackstone/Franklin Squares Neighborhood Association (B/FSNA), participating in and helping organize park clean-ups, the annual Tree and Wreath sale fundraiser, and in 2006, initiating the scholarship fund with a benefit at his home. The scholarship fund, which usually holds its Heart of Gold fundraisers in February and a reception introducing scholarship recipients in May or June, was Parthum's pride and joy.
This writer recalls greeting Parthum at the annual scholarship events and seeing him always beaming, looking as though he had won the lottery when in fact he was awarding money to youth who need and merit it. Trumpeter Matthew Hull, a 2010 B/FSNA scholarship recipient who graduated from Berklee College of Music, recalled Parthum's disarming demeanor helping to calm his nerves when he attended his scholarship interview.
"The interview took place at Flour on Washington St. and was a delightful experience as I remember it. With my high school graduation just a few weeks away and my studies at Berklee College of Music starting that Fall, I was in a very sensitive place and nervous about the interview. I remember Andrew as very kind and warm during this meeting, and he was very interested in what kind of career I wanted to pursue," Hull said via e-mail. Hull performed with his group at subsequent Heart of Gold fundraisers.
The first 25 to 30 minutes of the Tuesday, January 19 B/FSNA Zoom meeting were devoted to remembering Parthum with a slide show and remarks from members, all citing his warmth, his relentlessly positive attitude and hard work for the community. Lisa Jenks, who joined B/FSNA in 2012 and served with Parthum as co-chairperson of the scholarship committee for four years, reminisced fondly about Parthum's gratitude and graciousness in working with other volunteers.
"Andrew's warmth and friendly smile made it easy to get to know him. At nearly every meeting, he said the same phrase, 'When I started out with this idea of raising funds to help south end students, it was just me and a few friends getting together in my apartment BUT NOW BECAUSE OF YOU (the committee), the scholarship program has grown beyond what I ever could imagine.' He always passed along the credit to his peers and reminded the committee and the recipients that small ideas can become very big ideas!"
Jenks said in an email. In recorded remarks played at the virtual meeting, Mayor Martin J. Walsh cited Parthum's activism for LGBTQ rights and his role as founder of B/FSNA's annual book and supply scholarships for South End college students, "which has made a difference in the lives of countless students and their families. He loved our city and our city loved him.
His legacy will live on and continue to inspire us all to leave the world a better place than we found it," Walsh said. In addition to his dedication to B/FSNA, Parthum served on the board of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus.
While his bout with brain cancer lasted eight years, Parthum continued to work and continue his volunteer activities with remarkable energy until the last year or so of his life. He entered hospice care in the fall, briefly entering a hospice facility but eventually coming home under the loving care of his partner. His last restaurant meal was lunch with friends at Orinoco in November, which Leonard recalled as a happy outing.
Parthum is survived by partner Bill Leonard, a professor of history at Emmanuel College; his mother, Marjorie Parthum of Chestnut Hill; siblings, John Parthum (Holly Popowski) of Greenwood Lake, New York and Elizabeth McCarthy (Paul) of Furlong, Pennsylvania; nephews Sean and Colin McCarthy, of whom he was very fond and proud; cousins, and a close-knit family of friends. "He was a wonderful love and an incredible person whom so many people will miss terribly. I know I do," Leonard said.
A memorial service will be announced at a future date after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Anyone wanting to honor Parthum's memory and his work may contribute to the Blackstone/Franklin Square Neighborhood Association Scholarship Fund, B/FSNA Scholarship Committee P.O. Box 180940 Boston, MA 02118, www.blackstonefranklin.org/scholarship or to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Neuro-Oncology Division, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, www.danafarber.org.