Professor Jolyon Pitt Girard died quietly at his New Jersey home on September 24 at the age of 85. He is survived by his son, Geoffrey, daughter-in-law Mary Girard, and grandsons Erich and Douglas Girard; his daughter, Tracy, and son-in-law, Mark Brotnitsky; and his brother, Eugene. He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Marilyn.
Dr. Girard was born in September 1942 in Hazleton, PA, the second son of Eugene and Gertrude Girard. His father worked as an executive for the American Red Cross and the family moved regularly, including Washington DC; Rye, NY; Greenwich Conn; and Stuttgart Germany. Jolyon earned a BA in History at Washington & Lee University in 1965 and then served in the U.S. Army as a commissioned officer, spending many years in Germany. He earned his Master’s Degree (1970) and Ph.D. (1973) from the University of Maryland.
In 1973, Dr. Girard began teaching history at Cabrini College in Radnor, PA. where he taught for the next 48 years. A generation of Cabrini students knew him as “Doc” as he chaired the History and Political Science Department for 18 years, founded the men’s athletic program in 1974, and coached men’s basketball until 1980. Dr. Girard retired from full-time teaching in 2008, but continued lecturing part-time at Cabrini until 2018. He won a Lindback Award in 1983 for teaching excellence. Cabrini named him an Honorary Alumnus (1994), Professor Emeritus (2008) and endowed a Jolyon P. Girard Distinguished Scholar in Residence program (2009) in his honor. He was also a charter member of the school’s Sports Hall of Fame.
As an historian, Dr. Girard also taught at Saint Joseph’s University and lectured at numerous colleges – from the United States Naval Academy to Harvard. He published six books and numerous scholarly articles in U.S. diplomatic and military history as well as general American history. He always appreciated being in the classroom with students most of all.
Jolyon also enjoyed years of sailing with his wife, family, and friends on the Chesapeake Bay and in the Caribbean. The Girard’s vacationed throughout the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. He played golf regularly at famous courses from Pine Valley to Merion, and Pebble Beach. He most favored, however, many of the local public courses in south Jersey. His morning pilgrimage to Chick’s Deli for coffee and conversation and friends at the Cherry Hill Mall were daily highlights. A longtime resident of Cherry Hill, Dr. Girard will be laid to rest at Locustwood Memorial Park. A Celebration of Life will be held later in the fall to remember a life well lived.
