The Quad

We again sadly must report the passing of members of the Arts and Science family: Shona Wray, Ed Goebel, Stephen Gosnell and former Associate Dean Mary Merryman.

History Chair Gary Ebersole wrote these words of Shona on May 7, 2012.

“It is with great sadness that I write to report that Shona Kelly Wray, Associate Professor of History, passed away yesterday in Florence, Italy.  Shona suffered a massive aneurism, which led to cardiac arrest and severe brain damage.  She was in a coma on life support until her husband, Randy, her son, Shane, daughter, Alina, and her sister, Maggi, reached her side.  Generous to the very end, Shona had requested that her organs be donated.  Shona was a brilliant scholar-teacher, beloved by her colleagues and students.  A student of medieval and Renaissance Italy, medieval feminist scholarship, medical history, and more, Shona was one of the brightest lights of her generation.  She had received to two most prestigious honors in her field—the Rome Prize and a Harvard I Tatti Fellowship.  Shona was in Florence at the I Tatti Villa during AY 2011-2012 doing research for what promised to be a ground-breaking social history of the family lives of the faculty of the University of Bologna in the medieval ages.  Her social history of the Black Death in Bologna will long remain a model of archival scholarship.”
See:

• http://info.umkc.edu/wgs/2012/05/07/in-memoriam-shona-kelly-wray-1963-2012-beloved-colleague-and-friend/.
   

Ray Coveney (Geosciences) alerted us to the passing of Ed Goebel in early May.  Ed’s career spanned service to the State of Kansas as senior state geologist; as technical director for the Federal Power Commission and as Professor of Geology at UMKC.  He was 88.  For more see:

• www.legacy.com/obituaries/kansascity/obituary.aspx?n=edwin-d-goebel-ed&pid=157516130.
   

We also learned from Ray, in his role as acting Chair of Art and Art History, about the passing of Stephen Gosnell on May 27, 2012 when he wrote: I am sorry to have to tell you that associate professor emeritus Stephen Gosnell passed away in his sleep last night after a brief illness.  He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou Pagano, his children, Anna and Andrew, and five grandchildren.  Steve taught, painted, and made prints at UMKC for more than thirty years, retiring in 2001.  May he rest in peace. See:

• www.legacy.com/obituaries/kansascity/obituary.aspx?n=stephen-james-gosnell&pid=157851416.
    

We have learned   that Mary Merryman, who served as an Associate Dean for the College for many years before retiring almost 20 years ago, passed away on May 27, 2012.  Mary’s primary duties dealt with the undergraduate students of the College.  See:

• www.legacy.com/obituaries/kansascity/obituary.aspx?n=mary-frances-merryman&pid=157851435.

We again have the sad task of reporting the passing of two member of the A&S faculty community. They are: Carol Koehler who was Chair, Department of Communications Studies and Pierre Rener, retired Lecturer in Communications Studies who also served in a staff role in the A&S Dean’s Office a number of years ago.

Koehler’s remembrance can be found at:

. www.legacy.com/obituaries/kansascity/obituary-search.aspx?daterange=180&firstname=carol&lastname=Koehler&countryid=1&stateid=28&affiliateid=1164.
  

Rener’s remembrance can be found at:

. www.legacy.com/obituaries/theoaklandpress/obituary.aspx?n=pierre-james-rener&pid=155225579.

We note with sadness the passing of four A&S faculty or faculty emeriti in recent weeks. Their contributions to the community, the campus and College are worthy of note here as they truly reflect life-time achievements as related by colleagues or found in their published remembrances.

Geraldine Fowle (Art and Art History), who recently retired from UMKC after 44 years of teaching, passed away in October 2011. Her research and teaching focused on the Baroque areas, specifically French 17th-Century painting. Her last research was on the French artist Sebastian Bourdon. She had served as the archivist for the Midwest Art History Society since 1986. Her educational background included a BA in Social Sciences from Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan; an MA in Economics and an MA and PhD in Art History all from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Gary Holcombe (Theatre) started working for UMKC in 2001 and retired in Sept 2010. He worked with both graduate and undergraduate actors. Gary directed several productions at UMKC including Our Town, All in the Timing, La Bête and Five by Tenn. He was also seen in several productions including A Christmas Carol (KC Rep), The Cripple of Inishmaan (KCAT) and Taking Sides (KCAT) just to name a select few.  Gary was a Captain in the U.S. Army and was proud veteran of the Viet Nam War. He was a graduate of Morehead State University with a Masters in Fine Arts from Indiana University and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Maryland. He was a member of Actors Equity Association, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and Screen Actors Guild. Gary’s acting and musical career began in an outdoor theatre in his hometown and extended to opera companies in Washington D.C. and Baltimore, to Broadway and National Tours, and back to Kansas City. For many years, Gary was a leading actor at Kansas City Repertory Theatre (then Missouri Repertory Theatre), Starlight Theatre, American Heartland Theatre, Waldo Astoria/Tiffany’s Attic/The New Theatre Restaurant and the Unicorn Theatre.  He was a founding member of Actors Theatre of Kansas City.

Pat Huyett (English Language and Literature) was one of UMKC’s most esteemed teachers when she passed away on October 9, 2011. After earning her BA from UMKC in Creative Writing and Journalism in 1981, Pat began teaching as a Master’s student in English in 1982. In addition to teaching a range of courses in English literature and composition, Pat coordinated the assessment of writing and served as Assistant Director of Undergraduate Advising in English. Pat published two collections of poetry, El Dorado Rosa: Voices from Midtown and The Dowry of Donna Beach: Song’s for a Woman’s Voice. A pioneer of learner-centered education, she published a series of essays on teaching with portfolios and the workshop method. At her memorial service her friends and students shared stories of her deep love for life, learning, and teaching. Please contact Steve Dilks or Sherry Neuerburg in the English Department to make a donation to the Pat Huyett Scholarship Fund in Writing.

Robin League, (Theatre and Communications Studies) graduated in 1949 from the Goodman Theatre, School of Drama, Art Institute of Chicago with BFA and MFA degrees. During World War II he served as an NCO in the United States Army Air Force. In 1950, he joined the United States Air Force Reserve, and was active in many assignments as public affairs staff officer. Following an aggregate of 35 years of active and reserve service, he retired from the Air Force in 1982 with the rank of Colonel. He worked as a writer, actor, announcer and producer in theatre, radio and television in Chicago and Kansas City; was artistic director of Kansas City’s Resident Theatre in the mid-1950s, returning often as guest director. He was a copy chief and broadcast production director for area advertising agencies. For more than a quarter century he served on the faculty of the University of Kansas City (1950-1952) and the University of Missouri-Kansas City (1967-1992) in the departments of Speech & Theatre, and Communication Studies. In 1955 he began writing stage plays. He served as an officer or on the boards of directors of many non-profit area organizations including the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival. He was vice-president of the local chapter of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and was an active member of Actor’s Equity Association for 52 years.

We report with sadness the passing of C. Neil Bull, Professor Emeritus of Sociology  on Sept. 26, 2010, after a brief illness.  During his years at UMKC, Neil had served as Chair of the Dept. of Sociology and as Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences. He also served as Director of The National Resource Center for Rural Elderly.  He published many books and articles on sociology.  Neil was a lover of gardens, nature and learning.  His memory is treasured by his wife, family and friends.  A memorial service was held at 3pm Friday, Oct. 1, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 6401 Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO.

Again, it is with sadness in our hearts but happiness in our memories that we report the passing of another A&S colleague. Professor Emeritus of Chemistry K. L. Cheng died in Newport Beach, CA, on March 30, 2010. He was 95. Professor Cheng began his career at UMKC in 1966 and retired in 1990. In his lifetime, he had established several scholarships for students in Chemistry. The Department is accepting and attempting to match donations to the K.L. Cheng Undergraduate Scholarships in his memory. Contact: KIlwayk@umkc.edu. For more on Cheng’s career see:
http://cas.umkc.edu/chem/chm_news.asp

We take note with sadness in our hearts but happiness in our memories the passing of George Ehrlich, Professor Emeritus of Art and Art History (1925-2009).

See his remembrance at:

• http://cas.umkc.edu/art/faculty_news_ehrlich.asp

We note with sadness in our hearts but happiness in our memories the passing of James Phillips, (1935-2009), Professor Emeritus of Physics. His obituary can be found at: www.legacy.com/obituaries/kansascity/obituary.aspx?n=james-m-phillips&pid=135830377