Eugene Perle

Associate professor of geography and urban planning at Wayne State University Eugene D. Perle, died of cancer at his West Bloomfield home in September. Dr. Perle, began his studies at Dartmouth College where he earned a bachelors degree, and later earned a masters from Syracuse University, and a doctorate from the University of Chicago. Before accepting a position at Wayne State in 1969, Perle taught at Indiana University, Carnegie Mellon, and the University of Pittsburgh. In 1968 he worked as a senior staff scientist at the Ford Motor Company‘s transportation research and planning office in Detroit. He was honored with a senior Fullbright-Hays lectureship in 1973, an appointment he fulfilled at Tel Aviv University. Eugene Perle is known for his projects on urban social ecology in Detroit from 1960 to 1990, the book “The Demand for Transportation: Regional and Commodity Studies in the United States,” and his consulting work for the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and the U.S. Department of Transportation. In 2001, Dr. Perle retired. He is survived by his wife Sylvia, a daughter and son, and two grandchildren.

Eugene Perle (Necrology). 2003 AAG Newsletter 38(10): 19.

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Rabindranath Gunasekara

Rabindranath “Raba” B. Gunasekara, died of a heart attack 3 August 2003, during a visit to his hometown of Colombo, Sri Lanka. A geography doctoral student and campus opportunities development officer at University of California, Davis, he was forty-three.

Raba earned his bachelor’s in international relations and master’s in history from UC-Davis. From 1995 until 2001 he worked as program coordinator at the Center for South Asia Studies at University of California, Berkeley before returning to UC-Davis. At Davis, he was studied geography as a doctoral student under the supervision of Janet Momsen and also worked full-time for the office of Outreach and International Programs. He was travelling in Asia working on his dissertation at the time of his death.

He is survived by his wife Niromi, daughters Natasha and Alexandra, parents Valentine and Ranee, and seven siblings.

Rabindranath Gunasekara (Necrology). 2004. AAG Newsletter 39(2): 17.

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Frank F. Ehrenthal

Frank Ehrenthal, noted urban planner and architect, passed away on August 2, 2003, aged 93.

Ferenc Frederik Ehrenthal was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1910. From a young age he was determined to be an architect and was studied at the University of Florence, Italy, earning a doctorate in architecture in 1935.

After spending four years as an architect in Milan, Ehrenthal emigrated to the United States in 1939, anglicizing his name to Frank. He settled in New York and worked as an architect until joining the naval architecture firm, George Sharp Inc. in 1942. There he helped to design destroyer escort ships and escort aircraft carriers that protected cargo vessels from enemy submarines as the convoys crossed the Atlantic; these proved vital for the war effort.

In 1945 Ehrenthal moved to San Francisco and established an architectural practice, designing an array of buildings over the next 18 years.

His academic career in architecture and urban design began in 1963 when he was invited to join the faculty at Penn State University. He moved to Oklahoma State University in 1965 and then to Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1968, where he stayed until retirement as Emeritus Professor in 1980. There he was instrumental in creating the Graduate Division of Environmental and Urban Systems, elevating the importance of integrated planning in the public domain. He also led the research and design efforts that eventually created the bus stop shelters seen in many cities.

In 1981, he founded Architects, Designers, Planners for Social Responsibility, an organization that promotes disarmament, protection of the environment and responsible planning practices.

Ehrenthal belonged to the Unitarian Church all his life. Throughout his life and career, he was dedicated to Unitarian-Universalist principles and was a member of local congregations wherever he lived. His architecture is found in a number of Unitarian-Universalist churches located throughout the U.S. including The Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, California, and the Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist Society church which was recognized as “one of the most distinctive ecclesiastical buildings in all of Southern California.” It was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 2009.

He wrote a book tracing the origins of Unitarianism among the Hungarian Szekely people and the relationships between Unitarianism and early Christianity in Eastern Europe and Asia. From Mongolia to Transylvania: Szekely Origins and Radical Faith: The Birth of Unitarianism uses source material written in archaic languages and brings to light little known information about Eastern European history within a geographic context. This work of scholarship was published posthumously by his family in 2014.

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Raymond “Tom” Hill

Professor Emeritus Tom Hill died Sunday July 27, 2003. Hill taught geography for 51 years at Concord College. He received his undergraduate degree from Southeast Missouri State Teachers College and his masters degree from George Peabody in Nashville. R.T., as he was known to his friends, initiated the Appalachian Studies program at Concord College and the Biennial Conference on Appalachian Geography. He is survived by his wife Jean and his daughters Mary Grace and Martha and their families. Professor Hill was 81 years old.

Raymond “Tom” Hill (Necrology). 2003. AAG Newsletter 38(9): 16.

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Terence Burke

Terence Burke, longtime professor and administrator at the University of Massachusetts, and associate to the president at the University of Arizona from 1982 until 1998, died 17 June 2003 at the age of 72. He is survived by his wife of 19 years, Philanne “Toppy” Burke, four children, and five grandchildren.

Born in Leicestershire, England, Burke received Smith-Mundt and Fulbright Awards to study historical geography at Clark University in Massachusetts. After earning his doctorate from the University of Birmingham, England, he served as a Flight Lieutenant with the Royal Air Force for four years before coming back to the United States to begin teaching as an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. During his 20-year tenure at Amherst, he received many awards including the Distinguished Teacher Award, and was widely published. He eventually moved on to become associate to Henry Kofler, the Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts system, and in 1982, followed Dr. Koffler to the University of Arizona to act as associate to the president. He retired from this position in 1998.

A memorial service was held 23 June at the First United Methodist Church of Tucson, Arizona. Donations may be made in Dr. Burke’s honor to the American Red Cross or the Community Food Bank of Tucson.

Terence Burke (Necrology). 2003. AAG Newsletter 38 (8): 21

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Bob Aangeenbrug

Bob Aangeenbrug, a long-time leader in the Association of American Geographers, an early pioneer in the use of technology in geography, and a noted geographic scholar, died May 15, 2003, in Lawrence, KS, his beloved “adopted” home.

Bob was born in Sassenheim, The Netherlands, October 9, 1935, and came to the United States as a child. He earned his B.S. from Central Connecticut State College in 1958, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Wisconsin in 1963 and 1965.

Beginning his stellar academic career as a lecturer at Harvard Laboratory for Computer Graphics in the mid 1960s, Bob later became Assistant Professor at Boston University. In 1966, he made the move that helped shape the rest of his academic career, when he became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, University of Kansas.

Kansas was the perfect fit for Bob, and he matured as a scholar of distinction, being promoted to Associate Professor in 1970 and Professor in 1979. Bob had an eclectic and productive career, publishing widely in professional journals, technological outlets and the popular presses in spite of his heavy service commitments. In his early years, he studied population geography, regional issues, and transportation, first locally in Kansas, and then in Latin America, an area that became one of his major research interests. Early in his career, he recognized the potential of information systems and graphic representations to the discipline, and by the mid 1970s he had established his reputation as a scholar in population dynamics and the use of the growing digital media. At the same time, his interests in health care were evolving, again incorporating the innovative use of geographic information systems.

Always an active supporter of the discipline of geography, in 1984 Bob took over as Executive Director of the Association of American Geographers, serving until 1989. Bob’s energy, creativity, and enthusiasm were put to work on improving the infrastructure and the outlook of the Association, making great accomplishments toward that goal in the five years in which he led the Association. He hired capable and loyal staff members, he upgraded the AAG’s financial and membership operations, and he expanded the Association’s collaboration with and links to kindred organizations. Building on the foundations of his predecessors, he took the AAG into the digital world, emphasizing the exciting possibilities of technological advances. His successors faced certain challenges when his directorship at the AAG was over, but none in the realms where Bob had focused his attention and efforts. He was held in high regard by the leaders of other scholarly organizations in Washington, around the country, and all over the world.

From the AAG, Bob took on a new challenge as Chair of the Department of Geography at the University of South Florida, where he built a department of distinction, bringing in new young scholars while continuing to push the development of GIS. He stepped down as chair in 1996, but remained a sounding board and source of knowledge for his successors. Among Bob’s outstanding professional and service contributions, most notable were his commitment to the development and use of information systems, and his dedication to developments in epidemiological and health research. He was active on numerous boards, including the Governor’s (Kansas) Technical Advisory Committee on Information and Communication Systems, which he chaired for several years, and the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association of which he was President. In the health arena, he served as a consultant for the National Center for Health Statistics, and for the United National Center for Human Settlement, and chaired the National Cancer Institute Special Environmental Health Research Group. Indeed, the list goes on and on; Bob was clearly a leader and an active shaper of policy. His many honors included being a Visiting Scholar at the U.S. Bureau of Census as a Fellow of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping.

Among all this, Bob did not neglect his scholarship and teaching. He was an academic traditionalist, insisting on the highest standards from students, staff and faculty. He put in long hours and expected others to do the same. He insisted that students understand the basics of geography before advancing to higher levels, and maintained an unfashionable concern for regional geography. As an applied geographer, he cared deeply about the relevance of the discipline, constantly seeking ways to better society with his research.

Bob retired from the USF in January 2002, and enjoyed his time in the company of his beloved wife, Mimi, and his family. Tragically, his much-deserved retirement was cut short. His geography family will surely miss him.

Graham A. Tobin, University of South Florida

Bob Aangeenbrug (Necrology). 2003. AAG Newsletter 38(7): 1

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Orland Maxfield

Dr. Orland Maxfield, emeritus professor of geography, University of Arkansas, died 14 May 2003. In 1945, he graduated from George Peabody College for Teachers, and he later earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees at the Ohio State University. He joined the faculty at the University of Arkansas in 1946 and retired in 1990. He established the geography department in 1948 and chaired the department for many years. He helped establish many interdisciplinary programs and chaired the Western Civilization unit for many years. His professional interests were varied but he was devoted to the conservation of natural resources. In the early 1970s, he chaired Governor Dale Bumpers’ Committee on Land Use Policy for Arkansas.

Orland belonged to many professional organizations. He was devoted to Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), and he was a 50-year plus member of the Association of American Geographers (AAG) and the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE). In 2002, he received the Distinguished Mentor Award from NCGE. He served as the International Executive Secretary of GTU from 1972 to 1992, President from 1993-94, and Historian and Archivist to the present.

Memorials may be made to Gamma Theta Upsilon (the Educational Fund) by contacting Dr. Virgil Holder, Executive Secretary, Gamma Theta Upsilon, Department of Geography, University of WILa Crosse, La Crosse, WI 54601.

Orland Maxfield (Necrology). 2003. AAG Newsletter 38 (8): 21

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John Mather

Age 79, a worldrenowned climatologist, ever-popular professor, mentor, and long-time chairman of the Department of Geography at the University of Delaware died Friday, 3 January 2003. He was a 40-year resident of Daretown, NJ. Dr. Mather began his career in climatology following his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1951. He was Professor of Climatology at Drexel Institute of Technology in Philadelphia from 1957-1960, and was president of C.W. Thornthwaite Associates/Laboratory of Climatology of Centerton, NJ from 1963- 1972. During this same time he became a professor of geography at the University of Delaware where he built, and for 25 years, chaired the geography department there, providing graduate training to several generations of the United States’ leading climatologists. He personally taught physical geography to more than 12,000 students in his thirty-five years at the university. During his distinguished career, Dr. Mather authored several books on applied climatology and water resources, and was U.S. editor on a joint U.S.- U.S.S.R. book on global change. He was president of the American Association of Geographers in 1991 and recipient of the Association’s Lifetime Achievement award in 1998, and the American Geographical Society’s Charles P. Daly Medal in 1999. He was Delaware’s State Climatologist for many years. Born in Boston, MA on 9 October 1923, son of Brigadier General John Mather and wife Mabelle. Dr. Mather was husband of the late Amy N. Mather of Daretown, and Sandra F. Mather of Avondale, PA, where he resided for the past 5 years. In addition to his wife Sandra, he is survived by his 3 children, Susan Brennan of Orlando, FL, Dr. Thomas Mather of Wakefield, RI, and Dr. Ellen Mihaich of Durham, NC, and 6 grandchildren; and a sister, Anne Jenkins, of Cotuit, MA. Besides teaching, Dr. Mather enjoyed many interests including watching football and spending summers on Cape Cod. He was a member of the Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church in Daretown, where he taught adult Sunday School for over 40 years. A memorial service celebrating the life of Dr. Mather was held at the Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church in Daretown, NJ at 3 pm on Saturday, 11 January 2003. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the John R. Mather Scholarship, Department of Geography, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716 or the Russ and Amy Mather Sunday School Award at the Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church, 312 Daretown Rd., Elmer, NJ 08318.

John “Russ” Mather (Necrology). 2003. AAG Newsletter 38 (2): 20

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E. Willard Miller

E. Willard (Will) Miller, 87, the son of the late Archie H. and Tessie B. Master Miller, Turkey City, Pa, passed away 15 November 15 2002. He married Ruby Skinner (Miller) 27 June 27 1941, who survives.

Will received a B.S. degree from Clarion University of Pennsylvania in 1937; an M.A. from the University of Nebraska in 1939; and a Ph.D. from Ohio State in 1942. He was a long time member of St. John’s United Church of Christ, Boalsburg, where he served on the consistory and financial committees.

E. Willard Miller will be remembered for many things: consummate adventurer, competent administrator, and engaging teacher, but three accomplishments stand out, he helped create the Association of American Geographers out of two rival organizations, he established the nation’s number one department of geography at Penn State, and he founded the Pennsylvania Geographical Society for public school teachers and Teachers Colleges, now Universities.

Will began his teaching career at Case Western University. In 1944, Will and Ruby were recruited as geographers by the Office of Strategic Services in Washington D.C. Will received an award of merit for his services in the war effort. In 1945, Dean Edward Steidle of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, Penn State, recruited Will to be a member of the college, as head of the department of geography. In 1964, he was appointed Assistant Dean for Resident Instruction and in 1972 was named Associate Dean for Resident Instruction, a position he held until his retirement in 1980.

An avid explorer, Will conducted research projects in the Arctic and Alaska, Canada and Siberia, and undertook fieldwork in Central and South America as the U.S. representative to the Pan American Institute for Geography and History. Numerous travel grants and invitations supported his research on the mineral resources of the world.

A consummate scholar, Will wrote countless textbooks, bibliographies, and reference books, professional magazines and book chapters. He collaborated with his wife Ruby on more than 100 reference bibliographies. Key publications include The History of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, A History of the American Society for Professional Geographers, An Economic Atlas of Pennsylvania, A Social and Economic Atlas of Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania: A Keystone to Progress. He also was the book editor for the Pennsylvania Academy of Science. Will received the Roy Hughes Whitbeck Award for the outstanding article in the field of economic geography in the Journal of Geography, 1950. In 2001, he received the George Miller Award of the National Council for Geographic Education as Distinguished Mentor for Graduate Level Education.

Will was an institution builder. At the end of World War II, the professional association of geographers, the Association of American Geographers (AAG), of which Will was a member, was research oriented and exclusive. As secretary and then president of the newly established and more inclusive American Society of Professional Geographers (ASPG), in 1948 Will oversaw the creation of a national organization representing all geographers through the amalgamation of the AAG and the ASPG. Concurrently, Will helped build the Department of Geography at Penn State. Will’s goal was nothing less than the creation of a world-class department. Emphasizing economic geography and research, the program expanded into graduate training with the first M.S. awarded in 1948 and the first Ph.D. awarded in 1949. In 1995, the National Research Council ranked Penn State’s Geography program number one in the nation. In 1952, Will founded the Pennsylvania Geographical Society (PGS), and in 1962 served as president of the society, remaining Permanent Counselor until his death. He served in many other professional capacities including Honorary Chair of the 21st Century Fund, National Council for Geographic Education.

Countless awards attest to his contributions to society. He was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Explorers Club, and received numerous citations for meritorious service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from the Governor, and others. He was the President of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science and received the Distinguished Service Award from the Academy for his contributions. Will and Ruby were awarded the Honorary Alumni award from Penn State, and Will received the Distinguished Alumnus award from Clarion University. Will also received honorary doctorates from Clarion University and the Ohio State University. Professionally, Will received the Honors Award from the AAG, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the PGS, and the Founder’s Award of Penn State’s Department of Geography.

The Millers established fellowships and awards for undergraduate and graduate students at the Clarion, Ohio State, and Pennsylvania State Universities. Will and Ruby also were contributing members of: the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Obelisk Society; the Mount Nittany and Atherton Societies of Penn State; the Galileo Society (American Geographical Society); and the President’s Club at Penn State and Ohio State Universities. They also belonged to the Centre County Historical Society, Boalsburg Village Conservancy, Centre Community Hospital Auxiliary, and the Boalsburg Heritage Museum. Will is survived by his wife of 61 years, Ruby S. Miller and two nieces Jane Hemmings of Chicago and Bernice Krapf of Myrtle Beach. Burial was in the Mausoleum at the Centre County Memorial Cemetery, State College, Pennsylvania, Rev. Allen Heckman officiated and Koch Funeral Home presided. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the E. Willard (Will) Miller Scholarship Fund, Penn State Development Office, One Old Main, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa. 16802.

Originally published in the Centre Daily Times, 25 November 2002.

Willard E Miller (Necrology). 2003. AAG Newsletter 38(1): 16

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Bilal Ahmad

Bilal Ahmad died at home in Iowa City, Iowa, the morning of September 1, 2002, sixteen months after being diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Ahmad earned his graduate degree from the University of Liverpool in England, then taught at the University of Karachi in Pakistan before moving to the University of Iowa.

Bilal Ahmad (Necrology). 2004. AAG Newsletter 39(8): 25.

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