Lorraine D. Lavallee, professor emerita of mathematics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, passed away on January 29. She was 94 years old.
A native of Holyoke, Massachusetts, Dr. Lavallee received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Mount Holyoke College, a liberal arts educational institution for women. In 1955, Dr. Lavallee became the first woman to earn a graduate degree in mathematics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She later earned her Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Michigan.
After completing her education, Dr. Lavallee went on to teach in the department of mathematics and statistics at UMass Amherst for nearly four decades. During her tenure, she served three years as associate department head and 17 years as her department’s chief undergraduate advisor.
As a scholar, Dr. Lavallee published several research papers on point set topology. She was a member of the American Mathematical Society, the Mathematical Association of America, and the Association for Women in Mathematics.