It’s been said before, but what truly makes Avon Old Farms School such a special place is the people that make up the community. Art Mehos H’24 was a primary example of how strong of an impact one individual can have on the lives of our students. To the hundreds of boys Art taught, coached, or just shared a moment with over his decades on the Farm, his passing on July 9 from complications of Parkinson's disease is a devastating loss. The values he instilled and memories he helped make, however, will never be forgotten. 

Born on April 5, 1962, in New York City and raised in Darien, Connecticut, Mehos graduated from The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey before earning both his bachelor's and master's degrees from Boston University. His time at Avon Old Farms began soon after in 1989. He started off as a history teacher and varsity basketball coach and carried out other traditional duties such as dorm parent and advisor until 1997, when he decided to pursue a master’s degree in history. He attended classes at Boston University in the morning and could coach varsity football and substitute teach at St. Mark’s School in the afternoons. In 2001, he transitioned to coaching and teaching at Pomfret School until he reconnected with then headmaster, Ken LaRocque, at a hockey game, who mentioned Avon had an open history teaching position he would love for Mehos to fill. A true Man of Avon at heart, Mehos couldn’t resist returning.

One of his long-time colleagues and friends, Kevin Driscoll ’72, P’08, reiterates the type of impact Mehos had on students. “During his decades-long tenure at the School, he distinguished himself as a history teacher, three-season coach, dormitory head, beloved advisor, and role model to hundreds of young men,” Driscoll says. “Whenever alumni returned to campus, many made it a point to seek out Mr. Mehos, or simply ‘Coach.’ Art cherished these visits and welcomed returning students with a hug, a warm reminder that the relationships he formed at Avon extended far beyond graduation.”

For some students, it was his classroom instruction or on-field coaching that made an impact. For some, it was his Friday morning Dunkin’ runs, which often seemed to come just when the boys needed a break from the daily grind. For others, it was late-night conversations often about professional wrestling or the New York Jets that transformed Mehos from just another high school teacher to a lifelong friend.

Hundreds of these former students packed into the Lawrence Funeral Home in Darien on July 15 to celebrate Mehos's life. He was laid to rest the following day at Spring Grove Cemetery in Darien. Rob Dowling ’91, P’23 was once a student of Mehos who went on to become a long-time colleague and friend. He delivered the eulogy at the services, and he shared a similar sentiment. “A truly great life is measured by the positive impact it has on others. Today, we gather not just to mourn a profound loss, but also to celebrate Art Mehos and honor the positive mark he left on so many. For decades, Art was an essential anchor of what we now at Avon Old Farms call the "brotherhood." Long before that term became a staple in the school’s marketing materials, Art lived it every single day. It was woven into the fabric of how he treated his community and everyone in it.” 

He continued, “As admired as he was by the adults on campus, Art’s true magic was reserved for the students. He dedicated his life to them, serving as a central, steady presence in their world. He was our most popular teacher, an exceptional coach, and a leader in our residential life program. He knew every student and campus. Art was always there for them —whether it was offering extra academic help, giving a ride into town, or hosting a group to watch a big game and just hang out. He was the person students ran to for honest advice and genuine companionship.”

Dowling wasn’t the only one to express his gratitude to know Mehos. When the School first announced his passing back in July, hundreds of friends, former colleagues, students and their parents shared comments about the impact that Mehos had on them. A few of them can be seen below:

Mehos is survived by his mother Rita, his sister Meg, his brothers Harris and Stephen, his cherished nieces and nephews, and, of course, his beloved canine companion, Abby. Mehos is memorialized in another way as well. His legacy will continue to persist in the Brotherhood he helped cultivate here at Avon Old Farms.