Obituaries

Oxford Rugby and Boxing blue, and also played rugby for Wales. Later worked in commercial development and web marketing.

Spent his professional life as a Professor of chemistry, exploring and perfecting the delivery of scientific education to college students in a career that spanned the globe. Born in Seattle, he spent his early years on Bainbridge Island and graduated from Bainbridge High School in 1939 before attending Stanford University as an undergraduate. Professor Haight worked on the Manhattan Project during the war as part of his PhD research. His avowed interest in chemistry originated in order to avoid becoming a teacher, which he ironically dedicated his life to after discovering a knack for tutoring his fellow college students. His teaching and research assignments took him to Hawaii, Kansas, Maryland, Swarthmore, College Station, Cophenhagen, San Diego, Canberra, Australia, and Kaula Lumpur.

Earned a BA from UC Berkeley and after his Rhodes Scholarship Professor Richards returned there for his graduate studies, earning a PhD in 1955. He was a professor of organic chemistry and biochemistry at Caltech whose research was focused on gaining a molecular understanding of the mechanisms of protein function. Professor Richards used altered proteins obtained from the deliberate mutation of DNA—a process called site-directed mutagenesis—in combination with recombinant and cloning techniques, to study the mechanisms by which proteins act as catalysts to perform the chemical reactions necessary to life.

Professor in the Slavic Languages Department at the University of Washington for over 35 years, with a focus on medieval Russian literature and folklore whilst also teaching 19th century Russian literature and Russian language. He served as the department Chair twice and as Director of the University's Honors Program. He was also active in the Rhodes Scholar selection process. In 2001, he was named a Supernumerary Fellow of Queen's College, Oxford in recognition of his contributions to scholarship. He was prolific in retirement, devoting his academic pursuits to translation and commentary on the Russian folktale. His acclaimed seven-volume The Complete Russian Folktale was finished in 2006, followed by his translation of several notable works including the Long, Long Tales From The Russian North.

Read for an MSt in European Literature and his DPhil whilst at Oxford and subsequently worked as a Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Cape Town, and as the convenor for postgraduate studies in the Department. His research interests centered on the novel form – his doctorate work was concerned with George Eliot, Joseph Conrad and Olive Schreiner – and the historical development of novelistic fiction in South Africa. He tragically lost his long battle with cancer. An obituary written by Jacobus Cilliers (Diocesan College, Rondebosch & Balliol 2008) can be read here.

President of the Australian Academy of Science 1978-82, Dr Evans was a highly distinguished plant scientist whose research has focused on the physiology of flowering. After completing a DPhil at Oxford, he worked at the California Institute of Technology before becoming a research scientist at the CSIRO Division of Plant Industry. During his time there he was the biologist in charge of the establishment of CERES, the controlled environment research facility known as the phytotron. He was Chief of the Division from 1971 to 1978. Elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 1971, he served as its president from 1978 to 1982. He was the author of numerous published papers and reviews, mainly in the field of plant physiology, and wrote several books, several of which became standard textbooks.

Mr Dunn grew up El Paso, Texas and attended Princeton University. While at Oxford, he was elected Chairman of the Junior Members Council of the University. This Council included the Junior Council Presidents of each of the 30 colleges at Oxford. David was the first American student at Oxford student at Oxford to be elected to this position.Following graduation from Oxford, Mr Dunn entered the United States Army, he was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. David was honorably discharged from the Army at the rank of Captain on June 15, 1965.He then returned to Princeton University, where he studied at the Woodrow Wilson School for two years, and he was awarded a Masters Degree. In 1967, Mr Dunn began working at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. and during his distinguished World Bank career he contributed significantly to the Bank’s developmental efforts in a large number of countries in Asia and Africa, including India, Bangladesh, South Korea, Kenya, and Somalia. He served in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s as Chief of the Bangladesh Division within The World Bank.

Mr Frohnmayer was an Oregon Republican who served three terms as attorney general in the 1980s and spent 15 years as president of the University of Oregon. He served in the state legislature before he was elected attorney general in 1980 and ran for governor in 1990 but lost in a three-way race to Democrat Barbara Roberts. During his time as president of the University of Oregon he fought to restore dwindling state funding, enlisted the university in efforts to battle climate change, supported American Indian students building a longhouse on campus and adopted the “O” logo made famous by the football team for the entire university.

After his Rhodes Scholarship, Professor Whitehead pursued a long and successful career in academia. He focused on zoology, biochemistry and veterinary medicine and spent time in research foundations in Africa. Professor Whitehead served as Director of the Oxford Group Ltd (diagnostic equipment) and also published books and articles.