ASU Obituaries

These obituaries for people associated with ASU have been collected by ASURA volunteers, primarily from the Arizona Republic. They have been edited for use in ASURA publications. The Past obituaries include only a small subset of what has been published previously in Prime Times.

Recent Obituaries

Anthony Alizio, 48, passed away October 13, 2009. Tony attended ASU and worked for the ASU Police Department for a period of time. After this he worked for the US Postal Service as a letter carrier for 22 years. Tony is survived by his wife, Donna, two daughters, a grandson and a host of other family and friends. Services will be 8:00 p.m., Monday, October 19, 2009 at Tempe Mortuary, 405 E. Southern Ave., in Tempe. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. A private family committal service will be held. 

Geraldine Edwina Lukes Axford, 83 passed away on August 14, 2009. Geri was graduated from the Baptist Missionary Training College where she met her late husband, Dr. Roger W. Axford, (Professor Emeritus, ASU). After raising her family, Geri worked at ASU's Danforth Chapel and the Western Conference of the United Methodist Church. Later she was the office manager for Dr. Daniel Bauer. She held many offices including President of the Tempe Public Library Board and volunteered at Banner Desert Medical Center (formerly Desert Samaritan) where she served in various roles, including two terms as President of the auxiliary's board of directors. Preceded in death by her husband, her parents and her brother, Geri is survived by three children and nine grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to N.P.R. KJZZ Geri Axford Fund.

Garth J. Blackham, Ph.D., 82, passed away July 24, 2009. He graduated Utah State University in 1951 with a Masters Degree in Psychology.  He received his doctorate in 1954 from Cornell Univ in NYS and moved to Phoenix. He worked as a school psychologist for 8 years, then began teaching at ASU in 1962, retiring in 1989. He is survived by his wife, Sharon, a daughter and a  sister. He was preceded in death by a daughter, his parents, and two siblings. He was past president of AZPA, past recipient of the outstanding state psychologist award for AZPA and was deeply respected by his students and colleagues. Donations may be made to Maricopa American Cancer Society.L.

Elaine Brown, 92, passed away summer 2009. She was predeceased by her husband of 60 yrs. Walter Charles Brown, survived by three daughters, seven grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, two sisters and a brother. She was raised in a rural area in northwest Missouri where she attended and later taught in a one-room schoolhouse. She was active with the Faculty Wives at the University of Missouri and then later at ASU. Contributions may be made in support of educational projects to P.E.O., 1652 E. La Jolla Drive, Tempe, AZ 85282 or the Friendship Village Foundation.

Patricia Ann Coddington, 68, passed away on August 7, 2009. She was preceded in death by her parents. After 31 years working at ASU, she retired in 2008.  Survivors include a son, two grandchildren, a brother and several relatives in the NY area.

Don Raymond Crabtree, 85, passed away on Wednesday, October 7, 2009. He joined the Army in 1948, enjoyed a distinguished career, retiring as a Major in 1963. His last post was Fort Huachuca, AZ. and upon retiring settled his family in Tucson. He retired again in 1985 from ASU as the Director of Student Housing. He was predeceased by his second wife, Helen, in 2008. He is survived by three sons, a daughter, nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. A Memorial Celebration for Don was held Saturday, October 24, 2009, at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, 7650 N. Paseo del Norte, Tucson. Donations in his honor may be made to American Diabetic Association or an organization of your choice. (Source: Jo Henry, UofA Retirees Association Membership Chair)

Hildegarde Streufert Crane, 84, died July 30, 2009. Hildegarde served as a University Professor for 34 years. She joined the Home Economics Faculty at ASU in 1961. In 1968, she introduced an Interdisciplinary Interior Design and Decorative Arts Program between the Art and Home Economics Departments. She served as Program Chair until 1985. She was the recipient of numerous awards. An endowment fund was established in her name in the College of Design. She retired, Professor Emeritus, in 1987, closing a 40 year teaching career. Hildegarde is survived by a sister, two brothers, three stepchildren, four grandchildren, three great grandchildren and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Frank, five brothers and one sister.

Rev. John F. Crossen, 2/17/1960 - 9/12/2006 - His Father & Mother were too devastated to speak at his Memorial 3 years ago. John was a great child and endeared to many as a young man. He accomplished so much in his short life. A graduate of ASU, Magna Cum Laude at St.Thomas Seminary, and completing a PhD (ABD) in Spanish Language, Literature & Culture at Indiana University. He was a Professor at an Academy outside Washington, D.C. after teaching at ASU, Regis University & Mansfield University (PA). He was published in several disciplines. John traveled to Rumania, Italy, England, Mexico, Germany, Switzerland, Macao, China, and attended school in Japan & Thailand.

Dr. Miguel Flys, 81, passed away Monday, November 9, 2009. He was born in the Ukraine, graduated from high school in Salzburg, Austria, graduated from the University of Madrid in 1951 and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Madrid in 1954. In 1951, he immigrated to the United States. Dr. Flys was a specialist in contemporary Spanish literature and taught for over 50 years. Spanish poetry was his area of expertise. He taught at Catholic University, Washington, DC; Loyola University in Chicago, Bowling Green State University, and finally at ASU where he taught for 25 years before his retirement in 2001. While at ASU, Dr. Flys was Chairman of the Department of Foreign Languages for 8 years and oversaw the study abroad program in Spain for many years. He is survived by his wife, Felisa and their daughter, as well as by his four children from a previous marriage and nine grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in memory of Miguel Flys to St. Joseph's Foundation (Children's Health Center), 350 W. Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ 85013. The family thanks the nursing staff and caregivers of the Health Care Center at the Friendship Village and Hospice of the Valley for their support and kindness. 

Marjorie Ann Franks, 75, passed away October 30, 2009.  She was supervisor of Payroll in the Human Resources Department at ASU. Her husband Sam preceded her in death as did her parents.  She is survived by three siblings, two daughters, five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.  A Memorial Service was held Sunday November 8 at Camelback Christian Church, 6235 East Camelback Road, Scottsdale. Contributions can be made to Kulpahar Kids Home, c/o Ann Huffman, P. O. Box 32574, Phoenix, AZ 85064.

Margaret Gisolo, 94, passed away on October 20, 2009. She was a pioneer in women's sports, and helped establish and served as chairperson of the dance program at ASU. She helped open the door for increased acceptance of women in sports. In 1928, she knocked in the winning run for the ball team she played on. The opposing team protested the loss, saying that the League was reserved for boys only. A three-man commission, including the Major League Baseball Commissioner, eventually ruled in favor of her eligibility. The team went on to capture the Indiana state championship and compete at Chicago's Comiskey Park. Because of her accomplishments and the high profile of the case, thousands of girls across the country wanted to sign up for American Legion baseball, but the rules were changed the next year barring girls from play, a ruling that stood until the 1970s. Margaret then turned her attention to dance in college graduating from Indiana State University. She earned a masters degree at New York University. She also served in the Navy in World War II, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. After the war she taught dance at Indiana State College in Pennsylvania and studied dance at Columbia University for a year before moving to Arizona in 1953. Further study included work with Mary Wigman, Martha Graham, and Jose Limon. She joined the ASU faculty in 1954 and served as Chairperson of the program in dance until 1977. She was a founding and supporting member of the Friends of ASU Dance and the Arizona Dance Arts Alliance. In 1979, Margaret received the ASU Distinguished Teacher Award. After retiring in 1980, she wrote a history of Dance Companies in the State of Arizona. Copies of this unpublished document are housed in the New York City Public Library Dance Collection and the Lincoln Center Library, among others. Indiana State University named her a Distinguished Alumna, she was awarded the ASU Fine Arts Distinguished Achievement Award, and in 1994 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree by ASU. She resumed playing tennis and soon was on the national circuit. She was nationally ranked until 2000, when at age 86 she stopped traveling to national matches.  At the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, she is included in a permanent exhibit celebrating women in baseball. Margaret was preceded in death by her parents and five siblings. She is survived by nieces, nephews and other relatives. A "Celebration of Life" will be held on Sunday, December 13, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. at the Dance Studio Theatre, Physical Education Building East, on the ASU campus. Memorial contributions may be made payable to the ASU Foundation, attention: "Margaret Gisolo Scholarship in Dance." Mail to: Development Office, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Arizona State University, PO Box 872102, Tempe, AZ 85287-2102. Contributions may be made via credit card by calling Christine Austin, (480) 727-7785.

Dr. LeRoy H. Griffith, 86, former professor of Secondary Education, ASU, passed away July 27, 2009. He received B.S. and M.A. degrees from Drake University and a Ph.D. degree in Secondary Education from the State University of Iowa. He also served as a non-public high school visitor for the state of Iowa and as school administrator for several Iowa schools. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Twila, two daughters, four grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Prior to his demise, he indicated that the ASU experience was an important segment of his life. A very special thanks to Hospice of the Valley.

Louis Homer Grossman, Ph.D, 90, passed away on August 21, 2009. He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years Gloria; one son, two daughters, ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Louis was a graduate of the University of Michigan, spent 5 years in the Army during World War II, and then went into business running the family owned Grossman's Department Store in Muskegon, MI. In the early 1960's he made a career change from the business world to academia. Upon completing his graduate work at Michigan State University, Louis moved his family to Tempe in 1966 and became a professor at ASU. He taught marketing and management at ASU as well as short term assignments at U-M, UCLA, Hebrew University (Jerusalem), University of London, Oslo Business School (Norway) and various consulting jobs for private businesses throughout the country. He published many business articles, books, and reviews in business journals. Following retirement in 1989, Louis headed the ASU faculty development program on an interim basis, and the Lincoln Center for Ethics. He served as a volunteer for 13 years as a Small Claims Hearing Officer for the Justice Courts of Scottsdale and Tempe. Donations may be made to the ASU Foundation, 300 E. University Dr, Tempe, AZ 85281-2061; in the memo line write "Louis Grossman Scholarship Fund"; or to Hillel at ASU, 1012 S. Mill Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281.

Jeri Guthrie, 88, passed away July 1, 2009. She had been retired for a number of years after working as an administrative assistant in the Decision Information Systems Dept. of the College of Business. She is survived by two sons; one son preceded her in death. (Source: ASU retiree friend and former co-worker)

Nelson Lionel Haggerson, Jr, 82, passed away August 6, 2009. Nelson is survived by his wife Catherine Naomi Rumsey, five children, 15 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife Kate Haggerson, a son and a daughter. Family and Friends can visit http://www.mem.com/ to pay to tributes to Mr. Haggerson. He had been a faculty member in ASU's Policy Leadership & Curriculum Department in Secondary Education.

Celia Halas, 86, passed away September 14, 2009. She is survived by three children, four grandchildren and her extended family. Celia and Mike Halas, her husband of 62 years, moved to Phoenix in 1949 after their graduation from Marquette University. At age 50 Celia returned to college and earned her PhD in Counseling Psychology from ASU. She taught at ASU and began her private practice. She co-authored I've Done So Well, published by McMillan Press. She promoted the book on the Today Show and on news stations across the US. She later authored Why Can't a Woman Be More like a Man, a book for men about women. In 1977 she was invited with a group of prominent Arizona Professional Women to be a guest of the Chinese government on a tour of their country. This was just as China opened its borders to foreigners. Celia was the first President of Charter 100, and in 1989 she helped create The Malta Center for HIV/AIDS. She taught Assertiveness Training at the Casa de Paz y Bien for over 20 years. Celia and Mike lived in Paradise Valley until Mike's death in 2007. At that time she moved to Colorado to be with her daughter, Therese. Throughout her life Celia loved to write, her final book Love Letters: A Women's Story, is an autobiography.

Roland Clements Hanson, 75, died on August 28, 2009. His wife, Joan Acton Hanson, preceded him in death. Roland is survived by a sister, a brother, four children and four grandchildren. Roland received a B.S. in Engineering Physics at Michigan Technological University and a Ph.D. in Solid State Physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1960. After postdoctoral work at Cornell University, he joined the faculty at ASU in 1966, teaching and conducting research on the behavior of materials. He rose to full professor while helping pioneer the use of diamond anvil cells to create extraordinarily high pressures, and used sophisticated scattering and absorption techniques to measure their effects. He retired in 1999. Donations in memory of Roland Hanson may be made to the ASU Physics Department (http://physics.asu.edu/support).

Ron Johnson, 78, long-time ASU swim coach, died August 7, 2009. Ron is survived by his wife Priscilla Johnson, four children, three grandchildren and a sister. Johnson coached the ASU men's swim team for 18 years (1976-93) and also was on Mona Plummer's women's coaching staff when the Sun Devils won the last two of eight AIAW national titles in the pre-NCAA days. Johnson's ASU men's teams earned six top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships including a school best sixth in 1982 and seventh in 1983 and '84. Johnson was Mexico's Olympic coach at the 1968 Olympics and recruited many international swimmers to ASU. More than 25 of his ASU swimmers competed at the Olympics including 14 medal winners. He founded the Mesa Aquatics Club. Johnson was inducted into the Masters Swimming Hall of Fame in 2007 because of a masters swim career that included more than 50 world records. He survived multiple heart attacks including one during a masters meet in March 2007. Johnson swam for the University of Iowa and on the 1955 U.S. Pan American Games team. He was author of a recent book Romancing the Water.

Richards Juvet, Jr., Ph.D. 78, died on July 20, 2009. He retired after 25 years with ASU as Professor Emeritus (Analytical Chemistry) and also spent 15 years teaching at University of Illinois. Richard received his doctorate from UCLA. In addition to teaching, he conducted research, primarily on gas chromatography, at Cambridge University (England), Ecole Polytechnique (France), University of Vienna and Taiwan University. He was national chairman of the American Chemical Society's Analytical Chemistry Division, a member of the National Academy of Science and national president of Alpha Chi Sigma, the national chemistry fraternity. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn Elthon Juvet, a daughter, three sons and two grandchildren.

Thomas Henry Milldebrandt, 83, passed away August 11, 2009. Tom was a US Navy veteran who served on an LCI in the South Pacific in WWII. He moved to Arizona with his wife, Joanne, in 1954 and joined the Arizona Highway Patrol where in his 32 years of service he rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel. He taught Criminal Justice at the UofA, ASU and in South Africa. Tom is preceded in death by his wife, Joanne, with whom he had two children. He is survived by his wife, Doris Quackenbush, two children, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. The family requests that donations be made to the charity of your choice.

Frank F. Navarrete, 66, passed away on August 1, 2009.  An ASU graduate, Frank served as a Phoenix police officer for 18 years, rising to captain. In 1981, Gov. Bruce Babbitt put Frank in charge of the Arizona Criminal Intelligence Agency, where he oversaw anti-crime operations including establishing an international drug interdiction program. In 1984, Frank began a 19-year career as a telecommunications executive and consultant working for companies like Motorola, Northern Telecom, and LCC Inc. In 2003, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano called on Frank to serve as Arizona's Director of Homeland Security and the Division of Emergency Management. In this position, Frank served as Chairman of the Arizona State Emergency Response Commission, the Arizona Criminal Justice Information System, the Rocky Mountain Intelligence Network, and the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information System. He was also an adjunct professor at ASU - teaching Homeland Security Theory and Application Courses. Frank is survived by his wife Kathleen and their two children; also by a daughter, granddaughter, three siblings and his mother. Contributions may be made to the Ethan and Morgan Navarrete Education Fund care of Wells Fargo Bank Account #2043097258 with a routing number of 503800503.

Ward O'Connell, 77, passed away on August 25, 2009. Ward taught public school in Miami, Florida and Washington and Sunnyvale, California. Later, he became the diving coach at the famed Santa Clara Swim Club while teaching school. He, then, became the water polo and diving coach at Yale University and and diving coach at ASU for 31 years. He was honored with numerous accolades as a diving coach, among them being the USA diving coach for the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada and later in Cali, Columbia. He was also the World University Games Coach in Tokyo, Japan. He was a recipient of the prestigious Fred Cady Diving Award which is given to those who have dedicated a lifetime to the sport of diving. Donations in Ward's memory may be made to: Hospice of the East Valley, 1550 S. Alma School Road, Suite 102, Mesa, Arizona 85210.

Mary Rosary Taliercio, 65, passed away on Oct. 22, 2009.  She graduated from Rosary College of River Forest, Illinois and received a Master's degree in Education Administration & Principalship from ASU. Mary taught 20 years in the district 83 system at Roy school in Northlake, Illinois, and later taught 12 years at ASU West campus. She is survived by her husband Pasquale. a sister, niece, nephew and many other family members and friends. On Mary's birthday, October 30th, her new life will be celebrated at 10 AM at the Franciscan Renewal Center, 5802 E. Lincoln, Scottsdale, Arizona 85253

Donald H. Perry, 78, passed away August 11, 2009. He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife Joanne, a sister-in-law, 12 nieces and nephews plus numerous grand and great nieces and nephews. Don served in the Air Force 1952-1960. Served in Korea 1952-53 with the 36th Fighter Bomber Squadron and continued his service in the Army Reserve. After his service he was with the Maricopa County Sheriff Department, retiring after 20 years in 1980. Don also was with MVD and ASU West Security. Donations may be made to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St., Phx. AZ 85014 or Elks National Foundation, 2750 N. Lakeview Ave., Chicago, IL, 60614 or to a charity of your choice.

Katharine K. Phillips, 92, passed away on November 6, 2009. Katharine graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Smith College. Katharine moved here to the Valley in 1958 with her parents and her four children. She was an active docent with the Phoenix Art Museum and the second president of FOMA (Friends of Mexican Art). She worked at ASU in the Spanish Department as a research assistant for Dr. Lewis Tambs and Dr. David Foster. She is survived by three children, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She will be laid to rest in the Mausoleum at Valley of the Sun in Chandler. The funeral service will be Thursday 11/19/09 at 10:00AM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1050 W Grove Parkway, Tempe, AZ. 

Frederick L. Whitam, 76, died in July 2009. He was Professor Emeritus in Sociology, and was one of the faculty who established the ASU Ph.D. program in 1972.  Fred spent over 30 years teaching and engaging in research at ASU.  Prior to joining the ASU Department of Sociology in 1965, he earned his Ph.D. at Indiana University.  Fred also had served as an Assistant Professor and Sociology Department Chair at Millsaps College in Mississippi, as an Instructor at the State University of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology, and as a Visiting Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin.  His book publications included The Protestant Spanish Community (1960) and the co-authored book with Robin Mathy on Male Homosexuality in Four Societies:  Brazil, Guatemala, the Philippines, and the United States (1986). He was flown to his family in Mississippi where a memorial service was held on September 12th. (Source: Leonard Gordon, Arizona State University)

Past Obituaries

Richard "Rick" Adams, died April 15, 2008. He leaves his wife of 27 years, Jill, an ASU employee, and his daughter Mallory, an ASU graduate student. He is survived by his parents and three siblings.

Dr. Marvin H. Alisky, 86, passed away May 23, 2009. He was a distinguished professor, journalist, commentator, and political scientist. He attended Saint Mary's University before serving in the Navy 1944-45. Afterwards, he completed B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Texas and did postgraduate work at Instituto Tecnológico de Monterey in Mexico. He was a foreign correspondent in Latin America for NBC radio and The Christian Science Monitor, being one of the first journalists to document Argentine dictator Juan Peron's persecution of the Catholic Church. Back in the USA, he did TV broadcasts for the Texas Quality Network, before teaching journalism at Indiana University. In 1959, he and his wife moved to Tempe when he joined the faculty of ASU, where he served until retiring in 1990. He was a professor of journalism and then political science, founding the Department of Mass Communication (now the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communication) and co-founding the Center for Latin American Studies. He authored or co-authored 19 books and more than 300 articles. He was most proud of his 1981 book Latin American Media: Guidance and Censorship. Over the course of his career, he visited every country in Latin America. In 1960, he was a Fulbright professor in Nicaragua, where he became personal friends with the heroic opposition publisher Pedro Joaquín Chamorro and his wife Violeta, later president of Nicaragua. An ardent champion of press freedom, he visited Chamorro when he was imprisoned by the Somoza dictatorship, and then in the 1980s, when Violeta Chamorro's La Prensa newspaper was under siege by the Sandinista regime, he led the outcry in America that helped ease conditions until free elections were held that made Violeta president. With his expertise about Latin America, he frequently appeared on local TV and radio through the end of the 1990s and at various times wrote columns that appeared in the Arizona Republic, Phoenix Gazette and newspapers out of state. He was active in civic work, serving on local organizations such as the Tempe Public Library Board and the Arizona-Mexico Commission and in Washington D.C. with a presidential appointment to the Board of Foreign Scholarships overseeing the Fulbright program. He is survived by Beverly, his wife of 53 years, two sons and two grandsons.

Diana Lynn Bailey, passed away September 6, 2008. She served tirelessly at Grady Gammage Auditorium. She is survived by her husband, Tom Bailey, two siblings, four sons, 11 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren as well as numerous extended family members.

Virgil Baker, 91, died January 13, 2006. He was a professor emeritus of geography and a former chair of ASU's Department of Geography. Baker came to ASU in 1955 and taught in the Department of Geology until 1960, then in Geography for the 1960-61 school year and then again from 1966-1978 when he retired.

Alfred Cavis Barnes, 86, passed away on July 28, 2008. Survived by his wife, Leona Walters Barnes, two children, 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Served in the Air Force during World War II and Korean War.  Highest honors - the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf clusters.  He completed Bachelor's and Master's Degrees at ASU, earning varsity letters in football and baseball. He coached coaches and taught at several high schools, at Phoenix College, and taught part-time at ASU. He left to teach at Northern Iowa University and to complete a Doctorate at Indiana University. Returning to Arizona, he was a researcher and trainer at Aviation Crash Injury Research, then joined the Arizona State Department of Health. He also taught at San Diego State University where he retired in 1980, then joining Air Research as a safety engineer, retiring in 1989. His residence was in California.

Wayne Murlin Baty, 82, passed away on Feb. 23, 2008. Wayne was preceded in death by his mother, father and five siblings. He is survived by his wife, Maxine, and two sons and their families in addition to other kinfolk. Wayne graduated from Southwest Missouri State University and received his Masters Degree from Northwestern University and his PhD from University of Southern California. After teaching at Emporia State (KS) and USC, Wayne accepted a Professorship at ASU, College of Business, from where he retired as Emeritus Professor in 1987.  

Terrill Dean "Terry" Becker, Sr., 62, passed away on January 3, 2006. He worked as a facilities engineer with ASU Foundation.

Diane Snodgrass Bickford, 61, died on February 27, 2006. She is survived by her husband, Bill, who was a professor at ASU and other relatives.

Grant Randall Bingham, Jr., 58, passed away on November 6, 2008. Grant worked for ASU Facilities Maintenance Department for over 20 years. Grant leaves behind his wife of 30 years, three children.

Lloyd H. Blowers, 81, died September 27, 2008. Survivors include his wife, Dixie L. Blowers (ASU staff), three daughters, four sisters, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Lloyd was predeceased by a son, two brothers and his parents. Memorials: the Queen Creek 4-H Club.

Haymon Harrelson Boggs, II, 72, of Glendale, AZ passed away on October 6, 2008. "Hal" was born in Glenville, West Virginia on October 15, 1935 and was an avid hunter and fisherman. A 1959 West Point Academy graduate who earned the nickname "Blaze" for his shooting prowess, he served in the Vietnam War and achieved the rank of Captain. Following his Army service, Blaze went to work for Winchester and shot trap and skeet professionally. His love of knowledge brought him and his family to Tempe, AZ in 1973 where he became a professor of business at Arizona State University. Three years later, the Boggs family moved to Glendale where Hal taught business at the Thunderbird School of Global Management. After leaving the teaching profession, he and his wife, Mary, started their business, Rehabilitation Specialists Group, Inc., of which Hal served as the CFO. While their children attended Glendale High School and went on to college, Hal and Mary became active members in the Glendale Sister Cities program, of which Hal served as treasurer, and they opened their home to a number of high school exchange students from around the world. Hal is survived by Mary, his wife of 43 years, son William Boggs (Elaine), and daughter Cathy Turner (Brian), and 6 grandchildren.

Raymond C. Boles, 82, passed away on March 16, 2008. Not an ASU employee but in his 50 years of barbering in Tempe, he cut the hair of nearly every VIP at ASU, Tempe, and the state of Arizona.

Micheal Boulden, chief of staff for ASU Foundation for the prior two years, passed away February 18, 2007. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Iowa State University. He was the first student to hold the minority student assistantship position with both the ISU Foundation and ISU Alumni Association. At ASU his dedication to higher education and fundraising was evident in his commitment to ASU and the foundation. Boulden is survived by a daughter, his former wife, his mother, sister and brother.

Orley Jay Bradshaw, 82, passed away July 30, 2006. Orley was retired from Information Resources Management of Computing Services at ASU.

Brent Brown passed away on Mary 24, 2008. Click on his name to see a full obituary. 

Grace Hekman Bruinsma, 89, passed away on March 30, 2006.

Shirley Jane Burke, 86, passed away on February 6, 2008. She worked for twelve years as an Administrative Assistant in the Department of Education at ASU. She was preceded in death by her husband William. She is survived by two daughters, six sons, and a sister.

Dora Burton, 85, passed away on March 4, 2007. She was born in Leningrad, Russia and earned her MD in Russia and later her PhD at the University of Washington. She taught Slavic language & literature at ASU for 27 years. Survivors include one daughter, two grandchildren and a sister.

Alexander MacLeod Cameron, 92, passed away on June 8, 2009. He was an honored WWII veteran serving in the 361st Army infantry in Europe 1942-1945. He worked many years in a lumber mill in Seattle, then as a warehouse manager in Phoenix, and in maintenance at ASU. He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Barbara "Bobby" Cameron. He is survived by a son, a daughter, nine grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, and two sisters.

Dr. Charles Ray Campbell, 69, passed away on June 26, 2006. Dr. Campbell received his Bachelors degree in Health Science from other institutions and then did his graduate studies at ASU. He taught courses at Phoenix College, Embry Riddle and ASU until he retired in 1997.

James E. Canright, 88, passed away on April 9, 2008.  He received his undergraduate degree in Botany from Miami University (Ohio), and his Ph.D. in Biology from Harvard University. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard before assuming teaching positions at Harvard University, Indiana University and then ASU. Beginning in 1964, he served as professor and chairman in ASU's Department of Botany Microbiology, then professor of Botany and then became an emeritus professor when he retired in 1985. He was also active in numerous professional socities and held many leadership positions. He is survived by his wife, Peggy, two sons and two daughters.  Dr. Canright was extremely proud of his association with ASU and remained an avid Sun Devil fan to the end.  

Kenneth Lyle Carpenter, 84, passed away on March 4, 2006.  In 1963 he retired from the Army with the rank of Major. In 1983 he retired from ASU in his second career as a research and grants contract administrator.

James Case (66) died Jan. 31, 2006. He taught in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science at ASU from 1969 until he retired in 2001. Upon his retirement, the Department of Speech and Hearing Science established the James Case Speech and Hearing Scholarship.

Senon A. "Baldy" Castillo, 90, passed away on January 31, 2009. After serving in the Navy as Chief Petty Officer from 1942 to 1946 he attended ASU and graduated with a degree in education. He served as head Track and Field Coach at ASU from 1953-1979. He led his student athletes to 10 NCAA titles and coached 34 All-Americans. Twenty-four of his athletes competed in eight Summer Olympics and collected 13 Olympic medals, seven of which were gold. One of his greatest accomplishments was when his team won the Track and Field National Championship in 1977. He was an inductee in the Oklahoma State Field of Track and Field Hall of Honor, Penn Relays and Drake Relays Hall of Fame, national Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Arizona Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame and ASU Hall of Distinction. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Leona, two children, four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and one sister.

William A. ‘Daddy B. Billy' Cavalliere, 93, Professor Emeritus, passed away on July 26, 2006. After receiving a Bachelors in Education and a Masters in Education at ASU, he began teaching at ASU in 1945 in the Technology and Applied Sciences Department. He became a Professor Emeritus in 1978.

Cheryl Elyse Cheatham, 62, away on April 26, 2008. She is survived by her mother and father, 3 children, 12 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and other relatives. Cheryl earned degrees from the University of San Francisco and the University of Minnesota. She retired from ASU after 24 years as Coordinator of Student Services with the Executive MBA Program. Cheryl's husband, Glenn Cheatham,  preceded her in death. She established and maintained an ASU scholarship fund in his memory for the last 13 years.

Donald D. Chudanov, 87, passed away on March 17, 2009. He finished his working years at ASU. Don is survived by his wife Donna, a daughter, son, two grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and two siblings.

Helen E. Clark, 87, passed away on Monday, February 4, 2008. She worked for almost twenty years as an ASU records clerk in the days before computers, and was known for her smile and kindness to frantic students. She was preceded in death by her husband, Hail, and a son. Survivors include one daughter, two sisters, and many nieces and nephews.

John David Clark, 68, died September 14, 2008. He worked as a baker at ASU for over 20 years. Survived by his wife, a daughter, granddaughter, and three siblings.

Sophie Helen Claxton, 83, passed away in June, 2007. She is a former employee of Arizona State University's Medical Center and is survived by two sons, two grandsons and two great-grandchildren. Donations can be made to Hospice Family Care Foundation, 1550 S. Alma School Rd, Ste. 102, Mesa, AZ 85210.

Eva Pauline Conn, 71, passed away June 23, 2006. Pauline was a secretary for the ASU athletic department for many years. Interment was at National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona.  

Douglas Cornell, 65, former assistant dean for business operations in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, passed away May 10, 2007. Cornell retired from ASU July, 2005. He is survived by his wife, Ann; three sons, his mother, his brother and six grandchildren.

Verla H. Corno, 85, wife of Gene (Edward E.) Corno, professor of art (ret.) of Tempe, AZ, died on April 19, 2007. While working as an office manager at the Publicity Office at ASU, Verla met and later married student photographer, Gene Como. Verla is survived by her husband, three children, three grandchildren and five siblings.

Richard Charles Dahl, 85, professor emeritus of the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at ASU and its founding librarian, died April 16, 2007. He majored in philosophy at University of California (Berkeley), then attended the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration for one semester before enlisting and serving in France during WWII. After the war, while on a bicycle tour of England, he met his first wife, Grace, and her three-year-old son, Barry. Together, the couple had a son, Kevin. Richard earned his Bachelor of Library Science from UC Berkeley School of Librarianship (1951), and a J.D. from Catholic University (1958). He served as the law librarian for the University of California, the University of Nebraska, the Office of the Judge Advocate General for the Navy, and Washington State. He also was Civil Division Librarian for the Department of Justice and the U.S. Treasury Department's librarian. In 1966, Richard was recruited by Willard Pedrick, dean of the ASU College of Law, and was one of the school's founding faculty. He amassed the 60,000 volumes needed for accreditation and also taught legal research, ethics and government. After retiring, Richard earned a master's degree in history at ASU. Richard's wife, Grace, died in 1976. After a brief second marriage, Richard married Jeannine Dunwell, a psychiatric nursing professor at ASU. Richard is survived by his wife, Jeannine, two sons, two step­daughters, seven grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

John H. (Jack) Dieterich, b. 1929 - d. 2007. A native of Missouri, Jack was a Project leader for the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Station, located on the Arizona State University Campus. He was instrumental in getting fire effect research implemented in the Southwest.

Richard Lee Ditsworth, 82, and Professor Emeritus of Engineering at Arizona State University, passed away on March 8, 2007. He is survived by three sons, one daughter and eight grandchildren. He completed a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering at Michigan State University and then began teaching at ASU in 1959, retiring in 1991.

Alfred E. Dittert, Jr., 84, passed away June 16, 2006. In 1967 he joined the faculty in the Department of Anthropology at ASU until his retirement in 1987, when he received Emeritus status.

Ann D. Elmore, 88, wife of James W. Elmore (founding Dean of Architecture), passed away on February 22, 2006.

James W. Elmore, 89, passed away on April 19, 2007. He received his B.A. from the University of Nebraska. and a Masters degree in Architecture from Columbia University, after service in WWII and work in New York City, he moved to Phoenix in 1948, where he began to practice architecture and teach at Arizona State College at Tempe. For the next 25 years, Professor Elmore was instrumental in the development of the College of Architecture at ASU, becoming its founding Dean. He also served as a Director on many local boards, including the Heard Museum, the Valley Forward Association, the Central Arizona Historical Society, and the Central Arizona chapter of the American Institute of Architects. A source of great pride for him was seeing the realization of the Rio Salado project, a concept arising from design proposals in the College of Architecture. Town Lake in Tempe is an embodiment of this dream for reclaiming the channel of the Salt River in the Valley. In recent years he sought solutions for transportation and other issues affecting sustainable growth in the Valley. He was a steadfast advocate for solar energy applications. Dean Elmore was predeceased in 2006 by his wife of 59 years, Ann D. Elmore. He is survived by one daughter, one son and two grandchildren. ASURA has recorded a video history of Professor Elmore's career.

Lawrence Farina, 75, passed away on July 24, 2008. After serving in the Navy, he graduated with honors with a BS in Metallurgical Engineering from General Motors Institute. Larry's career began at General Motors where he was proud of designing the tail light on the 57 Bel Air. Then he went into aerospace working on the Gemini Space Program with Aero Jet in Sacramento, onto GE in Cincinnati, and finally 28 years with Garrett Air Research in Phoenix. He also taught a Metallurgical Engineering course at ASU. Larry was a long time Football Referee. He was the first member inducted into the Big Sky Conference Football Officials Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife, Joanne; five sons, eleven grandchildren.

James (Jim) Austin Fausel, 74, husband of Diane, father of Jim Fausel, Jr. and Paul Bernardo, grandfather of Noah Bernardo and brother of Dr. Donald Fausel, died October 18, 2008. Jim attended Niagara University and St. Jerome's College in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. He dedicated his life to community and was honored for his work in substance abuse prevention in Glens Falls, NY where he established and led CYO programs including the AMEN program and hotline and The Karma Center serving Warren County. In 1972, the Mayor of Glens Falls proclaimed James Fausel Day as a testimony to Jim's work. Jim completed 20 years in Arizona Department of Health Services where he was Bureau Chief for the Department of Drugs, Alcohol and Mental Health and later served the Office of Women and Children's Health. Additionally, Jim was President and founder of The Conference Connection and recently expanded and established Global Conference Associates in association with Jim, Jr. and other partners. His proudest association was his position as teacher/educator in ASU's College of Public Programs where he taught Meeting and Conference Management. A scholarship is being established in Jim's memory at ASU College of Public Programs for students entering the Hospitality field.

Sharon Ann Firestone, 70, died on October 27, 2008. She earned a B.A. in Spanish and a Masters of Library Science from the University of Washington. Later, she received a M.A. and a Ph.D. in History at ASU. She was employed as a librarian at the Memorial University of Newfoundland Library in St. John's, Newfoundland, the Detroit Public Library, and the Ross-Blakely Law Library at ASU. Sharon accompanied her husband on anthropological studies of villages in Newfoundland and Devon, England. Her research in Newfoundland became the material of her Ph.D. on the lives of women in the fishing community of Savage Cove, Newfoundland. Sharon is survived by her husband, Melvin M. Firestone, two sons, two grandsons.  

Gregory W. Fitch died on January 27, 2007. He was a Professor of Philosophy at ASU from 1974 to 2007.

Sarah (Sally) Jane Flanagan passed away on June 26, 2006.  Sarah worked for several years in the Dance Department at ASU.

Charles "Chuck" Regis Fowler passed away on May 13, 2008. He was an Army Veteran, and retired from ASU in 1997. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Mary (Rivera), five children, sixteen grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and other kinfolk. He is preceded in death by his parents and three siblings. 

Gesford H. Francis, 77, passed away on May 18, 2006. In addition to several official positions he held in the business community, he was a visionary of the ASU West Campus.

Sharon Harkey Fry, 75, passed away recently. Sharon obtained her Master of Music Education degree at ASU, then ASC, in Tempe. She was a Teaching Assistant, Concertmaster of the orchestra and performed as a soloist. In 1956 she joined the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra. During her career she taught music in Phoenix and Mesa Public schools, Mesa Community College and violin at ASU.

Dr. Philip D. Gaffney, 88, passed away March 18, 2006. In 1957 he joined ASU as Professor of Educational Psychology. Dr. Gaffney received many awards and honors for work in the field of mental retardation, authored nine professional publications, and served on the board of directors for over 30 professional associations and councils.   

Gordon Geisler M.D., 88, died March 15, 2007. He earned his Pharmacy degree then graduated from the University of Manitoba Medical School in 1948, moving to Arizona in 1955 where he set up his medical practice. In semi-retirement, he was ASU's student health physician for five years. His wife, Bernice, predeceased him in death. He is survived by one daughter, two sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Rosalyn Thomasena Marshall Grigsby passed away November 9, 2008. She was the wife of Dr. J. Eugene Grigsby, Jr., who was a faculty member in ASU's School of Art from 1966 until he retired in 1988. Thomasena, affectionately called Tommy, was a long-time educator, activist and pillar in the Phoenix community. She received degrees from Barber Scotia College and Johnson C. Smith University, both in North Carolina. She began her science teaching career in 1940 in Halifax County, NC. She and Eugene married in 1943 while he was serving in the United States Army. In 1946 she and her two small sons moved to Phoenix to join her husband who had been appointed to head the art department at Carver High School. Tommy began work as a librarian with the City of Phoenix. She also enrolled in a Master's degree program at ASU and began writing for several newspapers. After completing her Master of Education degree, she began teaching biology and science in the Phoenix public school system, from which she retired in 1974. She and Eugene traveled extensively throughout the world. She was a member of numerous organizations as well as a member of the New York Academy of Sciences. She is survived by her husband, two sons, four grandchildren, one great grandson and a host of other relatives.

William R. Gruver, 82, passed away on March 10, 2008. He was a noted Phoenix broadcast journalist-commentator at KFYI Radio and Metro Systems Broadcasting as well as a lecturer in communications at ASU, Rio Salado College and many Community Centers around the Valley. He was a graduate of Columbia University and is the author of a respected history of the nation's Democratic Party. He was an advisor and confidante to the late Gov. Edmund G. (Pat) Brown, and later a key staff member for Robert F Kennedy in the senator's brief and tragic presidential campaign of 1968. He was a political "advance man" for three U.S. Presidential Candidates including John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Robert F. (Bobby) Kennedy. During the latter campaign he was standing nearby when Bobby Kennedy was shot by Sirhan Sirhan. Mr. Gruver is survived by his wife, Barbara Anne; 3 daughters and 6 grandchildren. 

LaVaun Bernadine Habegger 84, died on February 4, 2007. She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur, two brothers and one sister. LaVaun retired after 23 years with ASU, where she worked as a secretary in the Psychology Department. LaVaun is survived by two children, five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

Tom Handy, 62, passed away May 1, 2006. He moved to Arizona in 1984 and became an Area Supervisor for Facilities Management at ASU until his medical leave in 2001. 

John David "Chip" Harris died Thursday, July 13, 2006.  Chip was an Adjunct Professor of Law at ASU.

Mark Harris, 84, author of the acclaimed baseball novel "Bang the Drum Slowly," which he adapted for the 1973 movie starring Michael Moriarty and Robert DeNiro, died May 30, 2007. Harris also wrote a dozen other novels and five non-fiction books. He earned a bachelor's and a master's degree in English from the University of Denver, and a doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota. He was a professor of English at ASU from 1980 to 2001. Survived by his wife, Josephine, one daughter and two sons.

Parley Verl Heap, 84, died on December 24, 2008. Verl went to ASU on a basketball scholarship. After serving in the Air Force as a B17 pilot he returned to ASU resuming his education and basketball career. After a short career as a professional basketball player, he spent a short time back at ASU as an assistant coach and then 2 years at Duncan HS before returning to St. Johns where he again took up farming/ranching and coached and taught school for 35 years. Survivors include his wife of 63 years, two daughters, two sons, 18 grand children, and 17 great grandchildren. 

Georgialene Hearn, 76, died April 29, 2008. She taught English composition at ASU for several years. She also spent many years as a professional counselor, helping others with alcoholism, substance abuse, and family issues.

Margaret Ann Heath, 84, passed away on April 29, 2008. She was employed as a supervisor with the State of Arizona Department of Education and later retired from ASU as a data processing supervisor. She was preceded in death by her husband Wilbur, a brother and a son. One brother, two sons, a daughter-in-law and six grandchildren survive her.

Peter Vincent Hegarty, 79, passed away on March 5, 2007. Pete was an insurance agent for 57 years - 34 years in Tempe. Pete is survived by his wife Noretta, a member of ASURA.  

Robert Leo Hennington, 78, husband of Dr. Jo Ann Hennington, died July 22, 2008. Jo Ann Hennington retired as a faculty member and administrator in the School of Business at ASU. There were no services in Arizona, only graveside services were held in mid-August in Hereford, Texas. 

James W. Heywood , 96, died December 20, 2006. In 1958 he retired from the Navy and moved his family to Tempe to attend ASU. In 1960, while still progressing toward his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering, Jim joined the staff of ASU's College of Engineering. Later, after completing a Masters degree in Engineering, he accepted a non-teaching faculty position in the College of Engineering. Jim retired from ASU after 23 years of service. Jim is preceded in death by his first wife, Mary. He is survived by four children, nine grandchildren , eight great-grandchildren, and his second wife, Adelaide.

Rev. Duane Peter Holloran, 70, passed away on May 3, 2008. He graduated from the UofA in 1960. He graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1963 with a Master's of Divinity degree. Returning to Arizona he served as pastor of two Presbyterian churches. Duane then enrolled at ASU and obtained his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 1973. He helped found the Phoenix Interfaith Counseling program in 1973, and for the following 24 years served as Executive Director. Duane served as adjunct professor for San Francisco Seminary, ASU and Phoenix Community College. In 1997 Duane returned to the parish ministry. Duane is survived by Nancy, two sons five grandchildren and other relatives.

Harry Holmes, 82, passed away December 30, 2006. He worked in ASU's Carpenter Shop for 30 years, retiring in 1983. He is survived by his wife, Madge.

Don Hopfer, 52, passed away March 30, 2006. Don was a KAET-TV volunteer and then became a full-time employee in 1977. He spent over 25 years at KAET producing programs, mentoring ASU students and creating "cutting edge" television.

S.M. "Sam" Hunter passed away on April 30, 2008. Sam was an Army WWII Veteran, POW and recipient of two Purple Hearts. Sam was employed for over 36 years in the Audio Visual Services Department at ASU. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Mary Lou, four children and four grandchildren.

Gerald D. "Gary" Huston, 75, died February 19, 2006. In 1962 he became a professor and faculty member of the ASU College of Business until he retired in 1995.

Billy Joe Irvan, 83, passed away January 26, 2009. Bill is survived by his wife Corrine and one son. Corrine, an ASU retiree, was the Office Coordinator of ASU Retirees Association from 1991-2007. Bill attended Murray State College and went on to manage shoe stores in Kentucky, Tennessee, Tempe and Phoenix.  

Elizabeth Louise Jelinek, nee Zeman, 92, passed away Monday, April 27, 2009. Elizabeth is preceded in death by her husband, James, two brothers and two sisters. James and Elizabeth moved to Tempe in 1953 when James joined the faculty at ASU (then Arizona State College) as a professor of education. Elizabeth also began working at the university as the executive secretary for the head librarian at Matthews Library. She worked at the library for 25 years, retiring in 1978. After her husband's death, Elizabeth moved to Arcadia, California in 2007. She is survived by her son and his family.

Nels N. Jensen, Sr., 92, passed away April 18, 2007. He owned the Varsity Inn, a student hangout adjacent to the ASU campus from 1950-1958. The "VI" was a favorite gathering place for veterans attending ASU. After operating an office supply business in Casa Grande, he returned to Tempe in 1960 to become a purchasing agent at ASU. He remained in that position until he retired in 1980. Nels was preceded in death by his wife, Josephine. Survived by a daughter and a son, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Fredrick (Rick) E. Johnson, 66, passed away on January 24, 2007. He worked in the aerospace industry for over 30 years, first at AirResearch (Garrett/Allied Signal) and then Tierney Turbine. He was later employed at ASU in the Development Office and retired in January 2006. He is survived by his wife; one son, one daughter, and four grandchildren.

Joan P. Katzenberger, 67, passed away June 6, 2006. She taught at ASU in the College of Nursing.

James Robert Kearney III, Professor Emeritus, ASU, passed away January 13, 2006. Dr. Kearney taught history for 30 years at ASU.

Gloria Patricia (Pat) Keefer, 60, passed away on November 4, 2008. She worked for Western Union, Air Research and ASU W.P. Carey School of Accountancy. Survivors include her father, and two sons.

Dr. Reinhold R. Kiermayr, 70, passed away on April 30, 2006. After retiring from military service in 1975, he moved to Tempe, Arizona, and received a Doctorate from ASU in 1983.  He was a history professor at Glendale Community College for 19 years and also taught classes at ASU-West. The Dr. Reinhold R. Kiermayr Memorial Scholarship has been established by the family at Glendale Community College.

Hilda Irene Kopf Kiesow, 90, died on November 10, 2008. Hilda was married for 61 years to the late Dr. Milton Kiesow, a long-time professor at ASU. He preceded her in death in February, 2007. Hilda is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, three grand-children, three great-grandchildren.

Dr. Milton A. Kiesow, 86, died on February 23, 2007. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin with graduate work at the University of Nebraska. He was a professor of Education at ASU from 1957 to 1984. He is survived by his wife, Hilda, a daughter, three grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Mary Della Kirby, passed away on October 30, 2008. She graduated from ASU in 1962, and later earned a masters degree from ASU. She taught at several valley schools over the years. In the late 1980's she worked at ASU as part of an Education program that partnered with corporations to change the way Math and Science were taught in local schools.

Dr. Sherwin ("Jay") Klein, 87, passed away on March 12, 2006. After retiring in 1987 from Wright State University, he moved to Sun Lakes, Arizona. ASU asked him to be an adjunct professor, a position he held until age 80.

Fred Kramer, 88, passed away on May 23, 2008. Fred retired from ASU as an electrician after 20 years. He is survived by a sister and several nieces and nephews. Fred was preceded in death by his parents and six siblings.

Donna Landers, 56, passed away on April 20, 2007. At ASU for 25 years, she was a senior lecturer. Survived by her husband Daniel; one daughter and one son, her mother, two siblings and other relatives.

Winifred Emily Thacker Long, 86, passed away on March 26, 2007. Winifred was employed in Planning and Development at ASU. Survived by her husband Ernie, two daughters, one son and four grandchildren.

John W. Lowe, Sr., 90, passed away June 19, 2009. He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Kathryn, one son, two daughters, three grandsons and one great grand-daughter. He was preceded in death by a son, parents and three siblings. John's career included 32 years as a professor at ASU's College of Business.

Rosie Bennett Lyon, 76, wife of Rusty Lyon, died April 23, 2008. She earned her degree in Elementary Education at Arizona State College in Tempe. In addition to other projects Rosie and Rusty funded jointly at ASU, they established The Rosie Lyon Scholars in Education in the College of Education. In 2004, Rosie was an inducted into the College of Education Hall of Fame. In 2006, she received the Alumni Service Award and became a lifetime member of the ASU Alumni Association. She was a member of the executive committee for the ASU Campaign for Leadership from 1995 to 2001 and was a member of the Adopt A Devil Program supporting female athletes. She also supported the ASU women's and men's tennis program. Rosie is survived by her husband, Rusty; two sons, five granddaughters and two sisters. One son preceded her in death.

Elizabeth Mandarino, 80, passed away on May 20, 2009. Following raising her children, Elizabeth loved working at ASU in the residency office. Elizabeth is survived by her husband of 61 years, Salvatore, two sons, three nephews, five grandchildren, three great-granddaughters and many more relatives.

Caroline Lucile Woodruff Martens, 98, died Saturday, February 2, 2008. She is survived by a daughter and a nephew. She graduated in 1931 from Iowa State University with a degree in education. After her husband's (Ted) death in 1967, Caroline moved to Arizona. She worked with Associated Students at ASU for 8 years.

Jean Guettel Mayer, 84, passed away on May 23, 2006. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Albert Mayer, a Professor of Sociology at ASU. Jean received a Master of Counseling from ASU and from 1978-1992 served as the first Director of the Senior Adult Program at Phoenix College.  

Donna McEwen, 78, passed away on June 6, 2008. She had lived in Phoenix for the past 39 years. She was preceded in death (in 2003) by her husband Douglas McEwen, retired professor in ASU's School of Music and conductor of Choral Union. She is survived by three children, six grandchildren and two sisters.

Robbie A. McFee, 59, passed away January 23, 2006. She worked for Sodexho at ASU.

Mary Elaine McGovern, 76, passed away on March 2, 2008. Elaine lived in Arizona for 42 years and was associated with St. Jude Guild, ASU Retirees and the MARC organization, and was a substitute teacher with Mesa Schools through the years. Survivors include two sons, a sister, 5 grandchildren and other kinfolk.  

Roderick L. Mclntire, 88, "Rod," died on April 20, 2006. Rod, an electronics engineer, moved to Arizona in 1963, where he was employed at the electronics laboratory of the College of Engineering, ASU from 1965 until his retirement.

Stephen Henry McKinley passed away on January 22, 2006.  He was an employee of ASU's Facilities Management for over 10 years.

Kenneth G. Medearis died February 15, 2007. Survived by wife, Mary; two sons, one daughter and nine grandchildren. Kenneth earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Civil engineering and Structural Engineering at the University of Illinois. Later he earned his Ph.D. in Structural Engineering from Stanford University specializing in Structural dynamics and vibrations. He was employed for a short time at ASU. He later worked on the NASA Space Program at United Technology and provided consulting in the San Francisco Area, and later established his own consulting engineering firm, 'Kenneth Medearis Associates.'

Verleen Mae Mathis Melton, 73, passed away on January 22, 2006. Verleen worked for ASU for 20 years.

Jacqueline "Jackie" Olds Miller passed away on January 1, 2009. Jackie worked in the Registrar's Office of Arizona State College (now ASU), and later taught in the Tempe Elementary School District. After she and her husband retired, they both became active volunteers at the Desert Botanical Garden. Her husband, Howard, passed away in 1997. Two children and two grandchildren survive them.

Victor Jay Miller, 88, passed away in the spring of 2009. He received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in horticulture from the University of Illinois. His studies were interrupted by WWII. He volunteered for the Rangers and was with the 5th Rangers during the D-Day invasion. In Germany he was taken prisoner, escaped, and was later recaptured. After the war, and graduation, he was chairman of horticulture at the University of Nebraska. He came to ASU in 1958 and taught there until retirement in 1986. He was host of Gardening for Fun, a weekly TV show on KAET, for more than 20 years. He also wrote a column for the Arizona Republic with the same name. He is predeceased by Joyce his wife of 56 years, his second wife Mary, a son, a step-grandson, and two brothers. He is survived by his wife Faye, a sister, a son, a daughter, two grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and a step-great-grandson.

Andrew Robert Mills, 81, passed away December 16, 2006. Andy worked at ASU for 38 years as Garage and Motor Pool supervisor. George Morrell was his very good friend and boss. Andy is survived by his wife, Geneva, two daughers, five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

Icea E. Moore, 83 died April 5, 2006. Icea was employed by ASU where she worked until her retirement.

Vernon "Vern" LeRoy Moore, 75, passed away on March, 18, 2009. He retired from the Air Force after 23 years of service, and continued his career in computers by working at ASU, the State of Arizona Motor Vehicle Division, and finally retiring from First Interstate BanCorp in 1988. Vern is survived by a son, three daughters, four grandchildren, two great-granddaughters, and his first wife.

George Morrell passed away February 9, 2008. A second generation native of Arizona, he was born in Florence, AZ. Click on his name for a full obituary.

Annabelle Morrow, 91, passed away on December 31, 2008. She retired from ASU where she worked as a secretary for the Liberal Arts Department. She is survived by two daughters and three grandchildren.

Marjorie S. Nagel, 87, passed away on February 25, 2009. Marge was preceded in death by her husband Earl T. Nagel and a brother. She is survived by a son, a daughter, four grandchildren, four great-grandchildren. Marge was in the Navy and her husband in the Marine Corps. They were stationed in Washington, D.C. until their honorable discharges in 1945. They moved to Scottsdale in 1958. Marge worked as a library cataloger at the ASU law library and retired in 1984. She sang with the Scottsdale Sweet Adelines and the Fiesta Chorus.

John J. "Jack" Naperala, 82, passed away November 19, 2008. Jack served in the Marines during WWII and worked at ASU in the Bureau of Publications, retiring in 1989. Jack is survived by a daughter. He was preceded in death by his wife Yvonne.

Paula Morris Nemeth, 67, passed away on January 14, 2006. Paula retired from ASU in 2003 after many years of dedicated service at the College of Law. Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower Street, Phoenix, AZ 85014.

Rita K. Nenaber, 86, of Chandler, AZ, died on June 27. Rita was born April 11, 1921 in Cavour, SD. She was raised and educated in the local area and in 1948 married Donald Nenaber. They made their home in South Dakota before moving to the Phoenix area in 1965. She retired from Arizona State University.

Joel Thomas Newcome, 47, passed away November 30, 2008. He was employed by ASU in the Office of the VP for Research & Economic Affairs. He is survived by two sons. 

Roberta Thomas Overman (Mrs. Glenn Overman), 88, wife of the ASU College of Business Dean, Glenn Overman, died Tuesday, April 11, 2006. Roberta was a tireless worker for ASU and the community.

Merle Packer, 85, died April 30, 2007. She served in the Women's Marine Corp, taught school at all levels for 35+ years, earned a Doctor in Education Degree in Colorado, and was a life NEA Member. Packer joined the ASU faculty in 1959. Among her many contributions to ASU, she was the men's and women's badminton coach from 1967 to 1984. She retired as a professor emeritus of physical education and kinesiology.

Thomas P. Papandrew (91) died on April 27, 2006. He worked as a construction estimator at several firms until his retirement in 1977, and then assumed a teaching position at ASU in the construction department for several years.

George E. Paulsen, 86, died on June 1, 2009. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in the Pacific theater in World War II. Following the war, he received the baccalaureate degree in 1949 from Hobart College and the Ph.D. in 1959 from Ohio State University. He was a professor of history at ASU from 1959 until his retirement in 1991. He is survived by two cousins, a nephew and three nieces. He was preceded in death by a sister.

Dr. William G. Payne, 92, died on May 30, 2007. Educated at Baylor Medical School, Dr. Payne opened a private medical practice in Tempe in 1947. He retired in 1988. Dr. Payne served as president of Arizona Blue Shield from 1958 to 1974. A long-time member of the Arizona Medical Association. In addition to practicing medicine, Dr. Payne was known for his support of public education. He served on the Tempe Elementary School Board, was on the Board of Directors of the Arizona School Boards Association and was president in 1968. He also served as president of the Arizona State Board of Regents. In 2000, Dr. Payne received the Hall of Fame Award from the ASU College of Education. He was a past president of the ASU Alumni Association, and the Tempe Rotary Club. Survived by his wife, Adalynlee Valerie. He leaves two sons and three daughters.

Elisabeth Webster Peplow, 89, died on September 23, 2008. Click on her name to see the complete obituary.

Alex P. Perez died April 19, 2007. Survived by two sons, two brothers, a sister and two nephews. While growing up in Tempe, Alex worked at the ASU kitchen. He retired with 30 years at Cudahay Meat Packing Company. During WWII he served at Pearl Harbor as a medic and was honorably discharged in 1946.

Margaret Lorena Perril, 96, passed away on July 29, 2006.  She and her husband Lester moved to Phoenix in 1956 where Dr. Perril was a professor at ASU. She taught elementary school in South Phoenix until they retired in 1975.

A.J. "Jack" Pfister died suddenly on Monday, July 20, 2009, at the age of 75. A fourth-generation Arizonan, Jack was born in Prescott on October 3, 1933. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Patricia, a daughter, a son, and his brother, along with many cousins and extended family. He was a devoted father, a loving brother and dedicated his life to improving education and encouraging community service. Jack graduated from the University of Arizona in 1955, married in 1956, and then graduated from the University of Arizona Law School in 1959. He became a partner with the law firm of Jennings, Strouss & Salmon, where he remained until 1969. He joined SRP in 1970 and became general manager in 1976 until he retired in 1991. While at SRP, Jack advocated participatory management, initiated a special series to keep executives focused on community matters, and maintained high levels of integrity and good customer service. Among many achievements, he worked with Governor Bruce Babbitt to negotiate the state's first groundwater management act. Jack contributed his time generously to charitable, government, and community activities. He served on the transition teams for both incoming Governor Jane Hull and incoming Mayor Phil Gordon. President Jimmy Carter tapped him for a national steering committee to analyze the impacts from the Three Mile Island accident. He also served as a board member and on the staff of the Center for the Future of Arizona. Among many honors he received was the Human Relations Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews in 1992. In commending the award, Dr. Lattie F. Coor, then-president of Arizona State University, stated, "Jack Pfister combines an uncommon ability at problem solving with a boundless commitment to the well-being of this community and this state. By listening carefully to all who are around him, he finds the common core of decency by which a society advances itself and helps us all to make this a better place in which to live."  

Mara Pinckard, 65, died April 28, 2006. In 1982 she began her nearly two decade career as Head of Science Reference at the Noble Science and Engineering Library at ASU. She retired in 1999.

Anne Pittman died November 25, 2008. (See full obituary by clicking on her name.)

William "Bill" Frederick Podlich, 92, ASU professor emeritus, died Jan. 16, 2008. At the age of 20, he graduated from Towson State Teacher's College in Maryland and later obtained a master's degree at Teachers College at Columbia University in New York. After the war, he attained his doctorate from the State University of Iowa and moved his family to Tempe, where he began his 32-year teaching career in the education department at ASU. Podlich was an accomplished scholar who wrote and was awarded one of the first National Science Foundation grants at ASU. He also helped attract new faculty to the university. His leadership experiences at ASU included service as director of student teaching, president of the Faculty Assembly and president of the Faculty Association. After retiring from ASU in August 1981, Podlich devoted much of his time to volunteer work in politics and service in the United Nations Association, both locally and at the state level. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Margaret, three children, seven grandchildren

Kern Poyner, 46, KAET's manager of information technology, died Feb. 2, 2006. He had worked at KAET since 1999, where his responsibilities included technical planning, management, and operations of all computer systems and digital (DTV) station operations. He was a key contributor for the station's digital conversion in 2001, and served on the national Technology Steering Committee.

David S. Price, 82, passed away on March 7, 2008. He was a retired chemistry professor from Glendale College, 1968-88. He formerly taught at Tempe Union High School from 1959-63. He was employed by Dow Jones Chemical company following graduation from Alma College, Alma, Michigan where he earned his bachelor's degree in Chemistry. He received his master's degree in Physics, from ASU, while employed in the laboratory, and taught at ASU in the science dept. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Delpha. He is survived by his wife, Dee, his four children and two grandchildren, as well as other relatives.

Norma Alice Price, author, religious leader, mother and wife, passed from this life on September 30, 2006. In 1943, she married Thornton Walton Price, Jr., who had a long academic career that concluded in a professorship in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Arizona State University. Norma and Thornton had three children: Thornton died in 1991. The Price family were among the founding members of the Tempe Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Judith Joy Radke, 79, passed away on May 4, 2008. She obtained her BA and MA degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and later received her PhD from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She was a Fulbright Scholar in France in 1951-2. She spent her first teaching years in Hays, KS and Winnemuca, NV and ended her career as Professor of French upon retirement from ASU. She is survived by her sister and brother in law. Her parents, and two brothers, preceded her in death. 

Mack Alexander Ralston, 93, died Saturday, July 12, 2008. Dr. Ralston served in the U.S. Navy during WWII. Mack received his BA & MA from Indiana State University and his Doctorate from Indiana University. He taught in Indiana for 20 years. He was a professor at ASU until retirement in 1985. His wife preceded him in death in 2006. Survivors include three children, seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Robert E. (Scotty) Reed, 87 died June 4, 2006. Following a military career, he lived in Tempe for more than 50 years and retired from ASU.

Marie P. Rice, 93, passed away on May 21, 2009. She was predeceased by her husband, Ross, after 55 years of marriage. She is survived by four daughters, nine grandchildren, a sister and two nieces. She attended University of Chicago and graduated from ASU with bachelor's and master's degrees. Marie taught at ASU Payne Training School and in the Tempe Elementary School District. She was past president and active volunteer for the Tempe Historical Society.

Warren Rice, an emeritus professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering who was on the faculty of ASU for more than 30 years, died on June 5, 2009. Rice was at ASU from 1958 until 1990, and was one of the early leaders of engineering research at the University. He was the "father of engineering research ... a major force in improving the quality and quantity of engineering research at ASU," said Harold Nelson, a former ASU engineering student and faculty member. Rice had numerous significant research publications, and won several top teaching awards. He was a consultant to numerous companies, universities and research programs from 1948 to 2000. His expertise included some of the early efforts in environmental engineering. Rice earned his bachelor's and master's degrees and a Ph.D. at Texas A&M University. He is survived by a daughter, a son, two siblings, five grandchildren and partner Geraldine Quisenberry.

Gale Lee Richards, 88, of Tempe, passed away on June 28, 2007.

Don Riggs, former Dean of ASU Libraries, passed away on February 19, 2008. He contributed significantly to the ASU Libraries and positioned them as  part of the academy on the Tempe campus. Don retired on December 31, 2007 due to poor health. Upon his retirement, Nova Southeastern University established the Donald E. Riggs Scholarship Fund.

Maria Ayala Rodarte, 91, died November 22, 2008. Her husband of 56 years, Severiano, passed away in 1987. They had five children, 13 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. After raising her children, she worked at San Marcos, ASU, Williams AFB and Rosarita Mexican Foods.

Dr. Kenneth L. Rowe, 77, died June 15, 2008. Dr. Rowe served with the US Army in Korea from 1952 - 1954. He received his BA in 1956 and his M. A. in 1960, both from the University of Northern Iowa. He completed his Ph. D. in 1969 at Michigan State University. After teaching in high school in Iowa, he moved to Phoenix, AZ where he became a Professor of Marketing at ASU in 1964 for nearly forty years. He served as Chair of the ASU Marketing Department and was honored with Teaching Excellence awards in 1975 and again in 1989. Dr. Rowe served on many university, community and national advisory boards. He was highly involved as an advisor for the national high school marketing and sales educational program, DECA, and was the faculty advisor for the national professional business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi. Kenn was a master teacher and mentor. He guided many students into successful careers and remained engaged with them long after graduation. Dr. Rowe is survived by three brothers. Two brothers preceded him in death.

Dr. Robert B. Rutherford, Jr., 64, passed away on May 4, 2007. He was a distinguished professor at Arizona State University. Rob is survived by his wife, Patricia; three sons, 9 grandchildren, two brothers and 7 nephews and nieces.

Rosemarie Card Sandling passed away March 23, 2007. She graduated from Washington University Barnes Hospital Nursing program in 1949. Mrs. Sandling's nursing career spanned nearly 55 years and included Director of Nurses at Scottsdale Baptist Hospital, Professor of Nursing at Arizona State University, and Director of Emergency Services at St. Luke's Hospital. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward. She is survived by a sister, two nieces, and two nephews.

Edith Schapira, 76 of Phoenix, passed away on October 12, 2008. She lived in Arizona since 1945 coming from Detroit, Michigan. She retired in 1994 after 25 years in the Student Advisement office at the College of Education at Arizona State University. Edith will be remembered as a "great advisor and encourager to students -- a great support for teacher education." Also as a loving wife, mother and grandmother as well as a true friend to many. Her work on education and charity projects will be sorely missed. She is survived by her husband Jerry and her four children Susan Wagner (Chuck), Howard Schapira (Patti), Robin Constance, Jeffrey Schapira (Amy) and her brother Shiel Gayler (Trish) as well as her 7 grandchildren.

Martha Scheier, 82, passed away on December 7, 2006. She was a secretary in ASU's Physical Plant for more than 30 years. She is survived by her husband, Paul and other relatives.

L. William "Bill" Seidman, 88, died May 13. Seidman, former FDIC chairman, popular CNBC commentator and former ASU College of Business dean, is remembered as a leader who made great contributions to the economy and higher education. Seidman served as a top economic adviser to President Gerald Ford and later led the federal response to the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s as chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC). He served as the business school dean at ASU from 1982 to 1985. The school continues to honor Seidman through the economic research work accomplished at its L. William Seidman Research Institute founded in his name in 1992. Two important groups that Seidman created at the school also are flourishing. The Dean's Council of 100 is a national group of prominent business executives who advise the school. The Economic Club of Phoenix has become the preeminent forum for the exchange of ideas about business and the economy. Says Dennis Hoffman, an economics professor and director of the L. William Seidman Research Institute at the W. P. Carey School of Business, "Bill helped us make the first major step toward being the highly ranked W. P. Carey School we are today."

Jack Oliver Shafer, 64, passed away on November 19, 2008. He was a graduate of The University of Nebraska and a Veteran of the Air Force. It was Jack's work as an Administrator at ASU that led to his real passion; cheering for the Sun Devils. He is survived by his wife, Cheryl, two sons, a brother and other relatives.

Robert Charles Shapiro, 81, M.D., Ph.D., Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst, died on January 24, 2006. In addition to many offices he held, he was a founding member of the Arizona State Psychiatric Society. He was an adjunct professor in psychotherapy to the Ph.D. candidates of ASU, and consulted patients for the 12 years that he taught on the ASU campus.  

Connie Stafford Sherman, 57, died on October 3, 2008. She served as Vice President of Administrative Services at Glendale Community College since January 2004. She also served in several administrative positions at other institutions of higher education prior to GCC. These included positions with the University System of New Hampshire, St. Phillip's College and ASU. She came to GCC from her position as Vice Chancellor of Systems Administration for the Community Colleges of Spokane, Washington. Connie was preceded in death by her father, her late husband James Sherman, and an aunt. She is survived by a daughter, her mother, two brothers, two granddaughters and other relatives.

William Shively, 84, died on September 16, 2008. William served in the European Theater in World War II in the U.S. Navy as a minesweeper. He worked as an engineer at ASU for 16 years.  Preceded in death by his wife Esther and three children. He leaves behind four children, nine grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren and his very close companion "Sue" Delster and many extended family members.

Dorothy Inez Patten Shlyk, 78, passed away on May 4, 2009. Dorothy is survived by a son, a daughter, a brother and 10 grandchildren. Her first husband, Nicholas Shlyk, passed away in 1963. She was later married to Henry Gerlach for 19 years. She worked at ASU for 37 years in the office of Student Affairs. She is preceded in death by her husband Nick, her mother, father, and sister.

Hazel Mae Smith, 81, passed away on February 10, 2009. Hazel retired from ASU/Grady Gammage after 24 years of service. She is preceded in death by her husband, Christopher and one daughter. She is survived by a brother, four children, 14 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandson.

Inez Ruth Smith, 96, died April 23, 2008. Her husband, Clyde B. Smith, who died in 1976, was the former Head Football Coach, Head of the Athletic Department and Athletic Director for ASU. Mrs. Smith was an active member in community organizations including ASU Faculty Wives Club and the ASU Emeriti Faculty and Wives Club.  Mrs. Smith was predeceased by one child and is survived by two children, four grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and three great great-grandchildren.  

Donald L. Snider, 75, passed away on March 5, 2007. Dr. Snider was a professor of electrical engineering at Arizona State University and Cal State-Fullerton; worked as an engineer for Hughes Aircraft, McDonnell-Douglas, RCA, Bell Labs, and NASA. Survived by a brother, sister, four children, and six grandchildren.

Bruce Snyder, who coached Arizona State to a Pac-10 football title in 1996 and came within seconds of a national championship, died April 13, 2009, of cancer. Snyder, 69, was 58-45 in nine seasons at ASU (1992-2000) and was national Coach of the Year for his 11-1 team in 1996 that only lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. He coached for five seasons at California before coming to ASU. Snyder's ASU players included quarterback Jake Plummer and the late Pat Tillman. Snyder was diagnosed with melanoma in June. He told The Arizona Republic in the fall: "I've eliminated disliking my doctors that didn't catch it or my fate or circumstances. But I do believe this, though if all of a sudden I'm gone in a year, it's been a damn good life. And I've lived a healthier longer life than most." He is survived by his wife Linda, three daughters, two grandchildren and five siblings.

Lester Moses Snyder, Jr., 79, passed away on Tuesday, April 7, 2009. Les and his deceased wife Audrene are survived by two sons and seven grandchildren. Dr. Snyder was a graduate of Millersville State University (BA), NYU (MA), and University of Michigan (PhD). He moved to Tempe in 1967 where he became an associate professor, and ultimately, associate dean of the College of Education at ASU. Dr. Snyder was an active tennis player and volunteer. He served as president of the United State Tennis Association in 1995-96, and oversaw the construction of the new US Tennis Center in Flushing, NY, the home of the U.S. Open. Les was a founding board member of the Rio Salado Bank, and former chairman and board member of the Tempe Diplomats. Les was also president of Heuristic Systems, an educational consulting firm based in Tempe.

Ignacio C. Soto, 96, died in 2007. He worked as a painter at ASU in the late 60's/early 70's. He was preceded in death by his wife, Carmen, two sons and a daughter-in-law. He is survived by a daughter, seven grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren.

Frederick Allen Staley, 64, died June 14, 2006. Fred came to ASU in 1970 as a professor of Environmental Education at ASU. Fred directed the Faculty of Teacher Education for several years, and was a key member in the design and development of TEAIVIS, an innovative teacher education program for mathematics and science with a middle-school focus. He retired in 2003.

Jean B. Stange, a resident of Mesa, Arizona, passed away on October 2, 2008. Born in Ames, Iowa in 1920, Jean received her Bachelor of Science from Iowa State University and her Masters of Arts from the University of Minnesota. She taught at the University of Tennessee, Michigan State University and the University of Wisconsin before joining the faculty at Arizona State University. After a long and distinguished professional career, Jean retired as an Associate Professor of Decorative Arts from ASU in 1983. She remained active in the community as a member of the Arizona Designer-Craftsmen and as a docent at the Arizona State University Art Museum in Tempe. In addition to her many academic and professional achievements, perhaps Jean's greatest accomplishment was the joy she brought to the world by her tireless devotion to her many, many friends; friends whose lives were brightened by Jean's sincere and unwavering friendship. Always ready to listen and raise the spirit, Jean Stange was a beloved "point of light" in this difficult world. She will be missed.

Lorraine Ann Stepton, 75, passed away April 3, 2008. She was employed with ASU until she retired in 1996. She was preceded in death by three sisters and two brothers. She is survived by her husband of 51 years, John Stepton Jr.; four daughters, two sisters, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. 

Dorothea Anne "Dottie" Stimbert, 71, died January 17, 2007. She worked as a secretary at Arizona State University. Dottie is survived by her husband, Richard; two daughters, two sons, one brother, ten grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Noel J. Stowe, 66, died on December 13, 2008. Stowe came to ASU in 1967 after receiving his B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. Stowe's interest in Arizona history led to contributions far beyond the ASU campus. He was the recipient of many honors and awards, both locally and nationally. Stowe was very active in the Arizona Historical Society and helped establish Friends of Arizona Archives. In 2008, he and a team of researchers received a National Endowment for the Humanities planning grant to design and implement "Becoming Arizona", an on-line e-cyclopedia of Arizona history, culture, politics, economics and other topics as a Centennial project. In 1978, Stowe directed the History Department's graduate studies. During that time he founded the Public History Program, which under his direction achieved national and international recognition. He served as associate dean of the Graduate College and chaired the History Department. He served as president of the National Council on Public History in 1985-86. Stowe was active in the Oral History Association becoming its president in 1992-93. He was a lifetime member of the Organization of American Historians. He is survived by his wife, Gwen. Their son, James, died in 2007.

Roland Spencer Strawn, 77, passed away on December 31, 2008. Dr. Strawn graduated from the University of Illinois in 1953. Ron contributed to the development of radar systems for the military before joining ASU in 1967. He earned his doctoral degree in electrical engineering and taught at ASU for 25 years. He helped create ASU's Master's degree program in electronic technology and won a competitive award from the university in 1990 for excellence in teaching. He is survived by his wife, Joan, four daughters and ten grandchildren.

Nancy Fees Thornhill, 66, passed away on April 9, 2007. She became a teacher after graduating from ASU in 1963 and taught school at both Gilliland and McKemy Junior High Schools in Tempe. She also later taught a college adjustment course at ASU. She married Sam Fees in 1964. He was the father of four children, Samuel, Patricia, David and Brian. They added John to the family in 1967, Nancy's only child from "scratch" as she liked to say. Nancy married Gordon Thornhill in 1980. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents and two stepsons. She is survived by five children, 17 grandchildren.

Clarence H. "Bud" Thorson, 88, passed away on December 9, 2008. He is survived by his former wife, Ruth Jean Stasell, four children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He worked at ASU until his retirement.

Donald Vance, 83, died on April 1, 2007. Don received his degree in journalism from UofA in 1951, then worked for several newspapers. He later earned a masters degree from UCLA and a doctorate in mass communications from Syracuse University. He was a faculty member at Syracuse University, the University of Texas at Austin, Arizona State University and the University of Miami. Don retired from UM in 1991 and returned to Arizona where he became an active AARP volunteer serving as Legislative Consultant in AARP's advocacy efforts. Survived by his wife, Sarah Hudelson, a son and two sisters.

Dr. Norris D. Vestre, 79, passed away April 6, 2007. After military service, he received his PhD in Psychology in 1959 from the University of Minnesota and became a university professor. Norris taught at Minnesota State University, Indiana State University, Washington State University and ASU. At ASU, he became the Clinical Director of Psychology. Over the span of his career, his research was published in hundreds of journals. Norris is survived by his daughter, his ex-wife, a sister, brother.

Carlos Vallejo, 63, an associate professor of curriculum and instruction with ASU's College of Education on the Tempe campus, died Feb. 18. Vallejo joined ASU in 1976 as an assistant professor within the College of Education. The Carlos Vallejo Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established with the ASU Foundation. Donations can be sent to: ASU Foundation, P.O. Box 2260, Tempe, AZ 85280-2260.

Dorolis Maxine McManis Wade, 87, passed away May 31, 2008. Dorolis worked as a secretary for the OS Stapley Company in Mesa and ASU where she retired. She is preceded in death by Murlon, her husband of 52 years. She is survived by 5 children, 7 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.

Dr. J. Bruce Wagner, Jr., 78, passed away April 25, 2006. He taught at several universities before being named a Regents Professor at ASU.

William Ringwalt Warner, 65, died on March 17, 2006. He served as principal double bassist with several symphonies including Phoenix Symphony. He taught double bass at numerous universities including ASU.

Dr. Charles Warren, 83, passed away on March 4, 2006.  After retiring from NAU in 1985, he moved to Tempe, and in 1986 became a part-time instructor at ASU teaching Music History until May 2004.

Thomas B. Watkins, 88, passed away February 5, 2009. He is survived by his wife Mary, a grandson and a great grandson. Prior to retirement, Tom was a Professor at ASU. He was very active in amateur radio, being one of a group of hams that operated the Goldwater Station during the Vietnam War. Tom was also a Navy Veteran of WWII.

Clyde W. Watson, 79, of Scottsdale, AZ, died on July 19, 2007.  In 1945 he entered the Army Air Corp, serving with the Occupation Forces in Japan.  After discharge from the Air Corp, he attended Kansas State University and Bethany College, graduating from the latter with a degree in Fine Arts in 1952.  Subsequently he received a Masters Degree from Kansas State University. Clyde taught Art in public schools in Kansas, followed by tenures at the University of Arizona, The Ohio State University and ASU.  He served as Chairman of the ASU Art Department from 1975-77 and retired as Professor Emeritus in 1989. He considered himself a "survivor" after receiving two kidney transplants, the first in September, 1981 and the second in May, 1997.  He is survived by his wife, Lois, three sons, a daughter and two granddaughters. 

Bruce Frederick Wauters, Chief Petty Officer, US Navy, Retired, died July 5, 2008. He is survived by three sons. Bruce earned his Masters Degree at San Diego State University and later taught at ASU and South Mountain Community College. Bruce will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

Erma Lee Weber, 80, passed away May 30, 2006. She worked for over 20 years at ASU in the Comptrollers office. Lee, a writer, has had some of her stories published in the Arizona Highways magazine.

Tim E. Wheeler, 86, passed away on Friday, April 21, 2006. After retiring from the military, he moved to Arizona in 1955, worked for Mountain Bell Telephone Company for 31 years, primarily at ASU.

Nevada Marie (Landon) Williams, of Tempe, AZ passed away July 20, 2009 at the age of 94. Nevada was born September 20, 1914 and raised in Piqua OH. She moved to Tempe in 1959 with her husband Lester Williams. She worked and retired from ASU, and then spent her time traveling and being a wonderful mother and grandmother to her family. Nevada is survived by three daughters and one son, seven grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, and nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband Lester in 1987, a great great granddaughter, her parents, a sister and two brothers. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her. No services are planned.

Bernadette Yellen, 61, died August 18, 2008. She held a master's degree in political science at the University of Louvaine, was Professor of French at ASU, an active member of the Woman of the Sacred Heart, and most recently a Residency Coordinator at Scottsdale Healthcare. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Ross Yellen, four children, two grandchildren, three siblings and many other kinfolk and friends.

James Paul "Bud" Younger, 84, died July 3, 2008. He was signed to a professional baseball contract upon graduation from high school. In 1948 Bud and wife, Betty, settled in Arizona. In addition to his summers playing professional baseball, Bud coached at Arizona State College, and earned bachelors and masters degrees there. After two years coaching in Casa Grande, he spent 30 years at Tempe High, teaching social studies and physical education. His greatest passion was coaching: varsity baseball and an assistant coach in football and basketball. Bud followed the ASU Sun Devils and Arizona Diamondbacks closely. His wife preceded him in death in 2006. Bud is survived by two children, four grandchildren and their families.

Carol Sue Hall Youssefi, 64, passed away on October 21, 2008. Carol taught French, Spanish, and English at ASU, Phoenix College, Glendale Community College, Rio Salado Community College, Paradise Valley Community College and, for the final 17 years of her career, at Xavier College Preparatory. She is survived by her husband, three children and one grandson.