Volume 30 · Number 2 · Winter 2013
In Memoriam
Richard Matheny
Faculty
Gordon Mork, a historian who taught at UC Davis in the late 1960s, died last April of complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was 73. He was a Purdue University faculty emeritus and an authority on the Oberammergau Passion Play. He received Purdue’s top undergraduate teaching award in 1982–83.
Robert Pearl Sr., a Cooperative Extension specialist during 1955–89, died in August of natural causes. A Davis resident, he was 87. He received a 1999 Award of Distinction from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences for his role “in the technological revolution involving the production, harvesting and processing of tomatoes” and for helping to create the UC Food Packaging Program. He belonged to the Order of Sword and Sandals, the formerly secret society of administrators, faculty and student leaders with a mission of bettering the university.
Administrators
Richard Matheny, who led UC Davis fundraising, alumni relations, government and community relations, and communications during 1989–97, died in September in Seattle after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 72. During his tenure, private support to the university more than doubled to $59 million a year, the campus endowment grew from $63.2 million to $174.4 million, and alumni association membership swelled from 14,000 to 22,060.