obituaries
March 18, 2025
David Bonderman, 1942–2024
David Bonderman’s all-expenses-paid travel fellowships enable UW students to broaden their cultural horizons.
January 21, 2025
John Jaech, 1929–2025
A legend in the world of nuclear materials safety, John Jaech was also a sports fan and watercolor enthusiast.
October 29, 2024
Mike Katell, 1965–2024
Katell left his mark on Seattle's arts community and fought for ethics in artificial intelligence.
September 13, 2024
Ron Simons, 1960–2024
A Broadway actor and producer, Simons staged works by and about people of color.
February 24, 2024
Nancy Bell Evans, 1933-2024
Nancy Bell Evans was an inspiration to UW students as well as one of the University’s biggest supporters.
November 29, 2023
Ann Streissguth, 1932-2023
Ann Streissguth made a name for herself after publishing an article describing what became known as fetal alcohol syndrome.
September 2, 2023
Joy-filled career
Former UW drama professor Aurora Valentinetti’s indelible impact still delights us today.
June 4, 2023
A protector of children
Carol Lace Jenkins dedicated her career to helping parents and guardians.
May 29, 2023
Lifesaving ideas
Dr. Leonard Cobb, a UW professor in the 1960s, devoted his career to lifesaving initiatives like Seattle’s Medic One paramedic program.
May 28, 2023
Joe Jarzynka had no fear
Gig Harbor walk-on Joe Jarzynka dazzled the Husky faithful with his fearless play.
February 25, 2023
Remembering John Pariseau
John Pariseau worked at the UW for more than 50 years and served as director of intramural sports.
November 27, 2022
A Husky who did it all
Rick Redman was a star on both sides of the ball for the UW football team, playing guard and linebacker, and he shined on special teams as a punter.
November 26, 2022
Dorothy Hollingsworth, 1920-2022
“She was a maverick, and she placed the most vulnerable and marginalized populations—primarily women and children—at the center of her work.”
September 2, 2022
Environment’s friend
Philanthropist Harriet Stimson Bullitt’s advocacy for Earth knew no bounds.
May 30, 2022
JoAnn Taricani, 1953-2022
School of Music Director JoAnn Taricani brought joy to her students and colleagues over more than four decades before her sudden death Feb. 1.
March 4, 2022
Mentor to many
Millie L.B. Russell, who passed away in November, helped generations of BIPOC students become medical professionals.
December 4, 2021
Junior Coffey, 1942-2021
Junior Coffey, who passed away recently, overcame traumatic experiences to become a Husky football star and racehorse trainer.
November 19, 2021
Remembering the Spratlens
Thaddeus Spratlen and Lois Price-Spratlen were the UW’s academic power couple—excelling as scholars and opening up opportunities for others.
September 4, 2021
The ‘Renton Redhead’
Kermit Jorgensen was part of a Husky team that notched back-to-back Rose Bowl victories.
August 31, 2021
A distinguished legacy
Thaddeus Spratlen was a trailblazing business educator, a prolific scholar, a mentor and role model for generations of students.
June 10, 2021
A Husky to the core
W. Thomas Porter, ’59, served in the army, earned his MBA from the Foster School of Business, taught at the UW, and loved Husky athletics with all his might.
June 7, 2021
RIP, Dubs I
Dubs I, an Alaskan Malamute who was the Huskies’ cheerful and beloved mascot for a decade, died on April 3. He was 12.
June 3, 2021
Joy Plein, 1925-2021
Joy B. Plein, ’51, ’57, dedicated her long life to researching, teaching and sponsoring pharmaceutical research at the University of Washington.
‘A child’s eye view’
By the time of her death at the age of 104, Beverly Cleary’s books had sold more than 85 million copies.
May 10, 2021
Remembering Bryan Monroe
Brian Monroe, ’87, headed a Pulitzer-prize winning newspaper team and being the first print journalist to interview the country’s first Black president-elect.
March 11, 2021
Charles V. Johnson, 1928-2020
Colleagues remember the remarkable life of Charles V. Johnson, ’57.
December 10, 2020
Voice of the band
Frazer Cook called his time with the Husky Marching Band “an honor, a privilege and a pleasure.” Husky fans everywhere felt the same way about him.
December 7, 2020
Inspirational figure
A titan of the law and a trailblazer on the bench, Judge Joseph Jerome Farris sat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for 41 years.
November 29, 2020
Bill Gates Sr.’s legacy
As a leader in public service and champion of the UW, Bill Gates Sr. leaves a legacy far beyond his legal contributions.
September 16, 2020
Golf legend dies
Edean Anderson Ihlanfeldt started the UW women’s golf team in 1974-75 and coached it for eight years.
September 11, 2020
Beauty by all accounts
To experience the true beauty of the University of Washington’s Seattle campus, look no further than the photographs of Loyd Heath.
June 10, 2020
The Wright eye
Virginia Bloedel Wright, 1929-2020, brought the Broken Obelisk to the UW and funded countless shows at the Henry Art Gallery.
April 2, 2020
Impact personified
Alum and former UW regent Jim Ellis was driven to serve the public good.
March 1, 2019
Blake Nordstrom, 1960-2019
A longtime leader of a family company, he went out of his way to connect with customers, employees and community members.
January 7, 2019
Barbara Bailey, 1943-2018
Two things mattered most to Barbara Bailey: reading and serving the community.
December 1, 2018
John Pettit, 1946-2018; Connie Miller, 1951-2018
John R. Pettit, ’73, was UW’s first risk manager and a longtime senior administrator responsible for police, personnel, publications and purchasing. He was predeceased by his wife Connie J. Miller, ’73, ’79, also a longtime UW senior administrator in student housing.
Don Covey, 1928-2018
Donald J. Covey, ’53, was a dedicated business and community leader who served as president and CEO of UNICO Properties.
Richard Haag, 1923-2018
Richard Haag was the only person to receive two Presidential Awards for Design Excellence from the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Robert Stevick, 1928-2018
Robert Stevick's research into early Irish and English manuscripts advanced the understanding of arts and literature more than a millennium old.
November 30, 2018
Paul Allen's legacy
To the late Paul G. Allen, the University of Washington felt like home.
Herb Bridge, 1925-2018
The UW's first Distinguished Alumni Veteran Award honoree was a success in business after his Navy tour.
Dorothy Simpson, 1924-2018
She teamed with her husband to make her mark at the UW through generosity and service.
June 2, 2018
Mr. Smith’s journey
With core values formed by his Chehalis upbringing, Orin Smith went on to become a business leader who knew how to treat people right.
March 1, 2018
Donald Matthews, 1925-2007
In post-Vietnam America, when political activity on college campuses caused rising tensions, Donald Matthews used his passion for politics to ease conflict and create a lasting legacy. The political science professor died Nov. 3.
March 24, 2017
Memorials: March 2017 Issue
To report an obituary, email columns@uw.edu or write to Columns Magazine.
June 1, 2015
Ivan Doig, 1939-2015
Whenever I wander by Smith Hall, I reflect about the home of the UW’s esteemed History Department, as well as the place where, in 1969, a doctoral student wrote a memoir about losing his mother at age 6 and being raised by his father and grandma in hardscrabble Montana. Of course, I am referring to Ivan Doig’s first book.
Jon Bridgman
In the 1950 film La Ronde, the narrator states: “I adore the past. It’s so much more restful than the present and so much more certain than the future.” History Professor Jon Bridgman said that this scene captured his perspective.
Norman Johnston, 1918-2015
Professor Emeritus Norman Johnston had the buttons on his blazers replaced by those bearing the University of Washington’s crest; such was his love for this University.
March 1, 2015
Gerberding's legacy
Though the longest-serving president in UW history (from 1979 to 1995) is no longer with us—the North Dakota native died Dec. 27 at the age of 85 after suffering a stroke—his imprint on the University is indelible.
Wayne Quinton, 1921-2015
Often referred to as UW’s “father of bioengineering,” Wayne Quinton drew upon his knowledge in electronics, physics and materials to address unmet needs, especially in the field of medicine.
Naomi Pascal, 1926-2014
Naomi Brenner Pascal was a legend, not only at the UW, but also in the world of international academic publishing.
Albert L. Babb, 1925-2014
Albert L. “Les” Babb joined the UW chemical engineering faculty in 1952 and spent more than 40 years at the UW. He led the development of a curriculum in nuclear engineering and chaired the Department of Nuclear Engineering from 1965 to 1982.
March 1, 2014
Sally Skinner Behnke, 1923-2013
Sally Skinner Behnke, who died Dec. 12 at age 90, made a huge difference in the Seattle community—and to the UW.
Debra Friedman, 1955–2014
Debra Friedman loved the University of Washington. She earned two degrees here, served as a UW faculty member and administrator from 1994 to 2005, and in 2011, became chancellor of UW Tacoma—a job she threw herself into.
Jack R. MacDonald, 1915–2013
When Jack R. MacDonald died Sept. 13 at age 98, a $187.6 million charitable trust was provided for three of this favorite causes in Western Washington: the UW School of Law, Seattle Children’s Research Institute and The Salvation Army’s Northwest Division.
September 1, 2013
Brewster Denny, 1924-2013
Brewster C. Denny, who died June 22 at age 88, held several key roles in the federal government before honoring the call from UW President Charles Odegaard to return home to Seattle to create an academic program in public affairs.
June 1, 2013
Bryan Pearce, 1958-2013
The University of Washington community lost one of its most beloved members when Bryan Pearce, longtime University Book Store CEO and UWAA board member, died April 20 at the age of 55 from cancer.
June 1, 2012
Norbert Untersteiner, 1926-2012
Norbert Untersteiner, a UW professor and legendary polar scientist who was considered the founder of modern sea ice physics, died March 14. He was 86.
Thomas James Pressly, 1919-2012
Thomas James Pressly, who taught history at the UW for almost 40 years, died April 3. He was 93.
Jeanne Quint Benoliel, 1919-2012
Jeanne Quint Benoliel, a longtime member of the UW School of Nursing faculty who was named a “living legend” by the American Academy of Nursing, died Jan. 23. She was 92.
March 1, 2012
Gordon Hirabayashi, 1918-2012
For 45 years, Gordon Hirabayashi, ’46, ’49, ’52, who died Jan. 3 at the age of 93, waited for justice after he was imprisoned for challenging the internment of thousands of Japanese Americans after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor at the start of World War II.
December 1, 2011
Albert Rosellini, 1910-2011
Without the help of politician Albert Rosellini, ’32, ’33, who died Oct. 10 at the age of 101, the University of Washington School of Medicine might not exist today.
Scott B. White, 1970-2011
State Sen. Scott White, ’01 who died suddenly Oct. 21 of an undiagnosed heart problem, was a rare individual who never met a person with whom he couldn’t find common ground.
September 1, 2011
Robert C. Canfield, 1922-2011
Robert Canfield, ’51, was a highly popular professor of restorative dentistry who spent 22 years on the faculty of the UW School of Dentistry.
Diane Gamble, 1937-2011
Diane Gamble, ’59, whose passion for business was matched by her devotion to the University of Washington, died June 14. She was 73.
Bill Lewis, 1920-2011
William R. Lewis, ’42, was the longtime editor and co-publisher of the Lynden Tribune and founder of the popular Chow Down to Washington event.
June 1, 2011
Althea D. Stroum, 1922-2011
Althea Diesenhaus Stroum, one of the UW’s most renowned philanthropists, died March 14 in Santa Barbara, Calif.
C. Benjamin Graham Jr., 1931-2011
C. Benjamin Graham Jr., ’58, ’62, was the first student in a wheelchair to graduate from medical school at the University of Washington—and possibly the first in the nation.
Karma Hadjimichalakis, 1944-2011
Karma Hadjimichalakis was a principal lecturer in business economics and finance in the UW’s Foster School of Business and one of the University’s most beloved teachers.
December 1, 2010
Paul S. Miller, 1961-2010
Paul Steven Miller was a University of Washington law professor and a major player in the disability rights movement because of his dwarfism.
Roberto Maestas, 1938-2010
Roberto F. Maestas, ’66, ’71, was the founder and longtime executive director of El Centro de la Raza.
Virginia B. Smith, 1923-2010
Virginia B. Smith, ’44, ’46, ’50, helped shape American higher education.
Jon K. Rider, 1940-2010
Jon K. Rider was a former Marine commander who changed careers and spent six years as executive director of the University of Washington Alumni Association.
September 1, 2010
Don Coryell, 1924-2010
Don Coryell, ’50, ’51, was a Husky defensive back who went on to become one of the greatest offensive coaches in football history.
Whitney Harris, 1912-2010
Whitney R. Harris, ’33, was the last of the prosecutors who brought high-ranking Nazi war criminals to justice at the Nuremberg trials, died April 21 at his home in St. Louis.
Spencer Shaw, 1916-2010
Spencer G. Shaw was a University of Washington professor emeritus of library science who was a nationally recognized storyteller and advocate for children’s reading.
March 1, 2010
Mary Curtis-Verna, 1921-2009
Mary Curtis-Verna, an international opera soprano who spent 20 years as Head of the Voice Department in the University of Washington School of Music, died Dec. 4. She was 88.
Edwin Krebs, 1918-2009
Edwin G. Krebs, a UW scientist who shared the 1992 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for discovering a biological switch in cells, died Dec. 21. He was 91.
September 1, 2009
Gretchen Howison Whiting, 1968-2009
When Gretchen Howison Whiting, ’90, was diagnosed with stage III melanoma in 2004, she began a journey—not just to heal herself but to educate the public about the deadly disease, push for more funding for melanoma research, and continue to live her life to the fullest.
Jim Owens, 1927-2009
One of the most iconic figures in Husky football history, Jim Owens, died June 6 at his home in Bigfork, Mont. He was 82.
Samuel E. Kelly, 1926-2009
Higher education lost a friend and champion of diversity with the July 6 death of Samuel E. Kelly, ’71, from congestive heart failure at his Redmond home.
June 1, 2009
Marquis Cooper, 1982-2009
Former Husky football standout Marquis Cooper and two other passengers aboard his 21-foot fishing boat were presumed dead March 6 after the vessel capsized in rough seas near Clearwater, Fla., five days earlier. He was 26.
December 1, 2008
Edwin O. Guthman, 1919-2008
Before earning the Silver Star, Purple Heart and Pulitzer Prize, Edwin O. Guthman earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington.
Rosie Santizo, 1979-2008
Baseball lost one of its most promising stars Sept. 3 when Rosie Santizo, 29, died in a car accident in Amman, Jordan. Santizo was a UW student finishing up degrees in business administration and Near Eastern studies.
June 1, 2008
Irvine Robbins, 1917-2008
Irvine (Irv) Robbins, '40, introduced America to a host of unusual ice cream flavors as co-founder of Baskin-Robbins.
Hal Riney, 1932-2008
Hal Riney graduated with an art degree and went on to lend his hand to some of the most memorable advertising campaigns of the TV era.
March 1, 2008
Tom Lantos, 1928-2008
Tom Lantos, ’49, ’50, the only Holocaust survivor to serve as a member of Congress, died Feb. 11.
December 1, 2007
Joseph Eschbach, 1933-2007
Joseph Eschbach made a medical breakthrough that would improve the lives of more than a million people suffering from kidney disease.
Joseph Rantz, 1914-2007
Joseph Rantz had a key role in what would come to be known as one of the greatest athletic contests in UW history.
September 1, 2007
John Hogness, 1922-2007
John Rusten Hogness spent a turbulent five years as president of the UW.
June 1, 2007
Ruthanna Boris, 1919-2007
When Ruthanna Boris began her 18-year stint as dance professor at the UW in 1965, she taught ballet on the top floor of the old Armory building, often competing with the erratic noise of ROTC practices.
Herman Brix, 1906-2007
Herman Brix, ’28, also known under the screen name of Bruce Bennett, died Feb. 24 after living an eventful 100 years.
March 1, 2007
‘Fil’ Leanderson, 1931-2006
Matthew Fillip “Fil” Leanderson, '53, had a dedicated work ethic and an innate sense of leadership that carried him to a stellar career as rower and coach for the UW crew team.
Mark McDermott, 1930-2006
Mark McDermott, a UW physics professor for 43 years, passed away Nov. 4 from complications related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
December 1, 2006
Daniel Lev, 1933-2006
A professor of political science at the UW and a renowned scholar of Indonesia, Daniel Lev, who died of lung cancer at the age of 72, was well loved and influential on both sides of the Pacific.
September 1, 2006
Mary Cooper, 1950-2006
Mary Cooper, '75, '04, a librarian since 1991 at Alternative Elementary II (AEII) School in Seattle, and her daughter, Susanna Cooper Stodden, were killed while hiking in the Cascade Mountains July 11.
Pamela Waechter, 1947-2006
Pamela Waechter, '85, a dedicated volunteer within and outside of the Jewish community, died in a shooting at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.
Denice Denton, 1960-2006
Those who knew Denice Dee Denton describe her as a strong leader who was never afraid of a challenge. To many, the news of the death of the former dean of the UW College of Engineering came as a shock.
June 1, 2006
A. Scott Crossfield, 1921-2006
A. Scott Crossfield, '49, '50, was the fastest man alive—the first person to fly at twice the speed of sound and a pioneer in space exploration.