ROBERT REICH
Robert Reich, founder and director emeritus of the LSU Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture died July 31 at the age of 97.
Reich taught in the College of Agriculture at the University before working with the American Society of Landscape Architects in the 1950s and 1960s to establish a University landscape architecture program.
Reich retired in 1983 and remained a professor emeritus, teaching enrichment seminars. The school was named in his honor in 2007.
Reich’s family requested that all donations on his behalf be made to the LSU Foundation/Helen Reich Memorial Scholarship, which funds scholarships for University landscape architecture students.
“He had undeniable success at gathering around him a dedicated and caring faculty that treated students with respect,” said Van Cox, director of the School of Landscape Architecture. “He had a nurturing attitude toward them all.”
 
VANCE BOURJAILY
Vance Bourjaily, LSU Boyd professor emeritus, died Aug. 31 at the age of 87 in Greenbrae, Calif.
Bourjaily served as the first director of the University’s Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing in the 1980s.
 
JOSEPH SMILES GOTHAM
Joseph Smiles Gotham, computer science graduate student, drowned at age 24 while on a Mississippi River canoe trip Sept. 5.
Sameer Bhavanibhatla, engineering graduate student, was with Gotham and others in Tylertown, Miss. He said two canoes flipped, and the group realized when they got to shore that Gotham wasn’t with them.
Shivaji Kugya, a graduate student at Southern University, said Gotham had removed his life jacket about 5 minutes before the accident.
Bhavanibhatla said Kugya and a lifeguard pulled Gotham out of the water and performed CPR.
Bhavanibhatla said the Telugu Association of North America
covered the $8,000 cost expected to transport Gotham’s body to India. Donations were collected to reimburse the cost of transportation.
 
JORGE ARAVENA
Jorge Aravena, chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, died Sept. 17 at 65 years old, according to Tammy Abshire, associate director of development and communications in the department.
Aravena became a professor in 1984 and became department chair in June 2010 after serving as interim chair for two years.
Services for Aravena were held Sept. 20, and students and faculty gathered Sept. 21 to share memories.
Aravena’s family requested donations be made to the LSU Foundation for the Jorge L. Aravena Memorial Scholarship.
“His death leaves a large void in our hearts and in the engineering profession,” said College of Engineering Dean Richard Koubek.
 
ROGER GROOTERS
Roger Grooters, former executive director of the Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes, died at age 66 in a bicycle accident Oct. 6.
He was riding on the shoulder of State Road 20 in Bay County, Fla., when he was struck by a truck.
Grooters was on the final leg of a cross country charity ride to raise money for victims of the Gulf Coast oil spill. He began his journey Sept. 11 in Oceanside, Calif., and was set to finish Oct. 9 in Jacksonville, Fla.
Grooters’ family asked that donations be made online to assist oil spill victims and continue his efforts.
 
THOMAS CLARK JR.
Former Dean of the E.J. Ourso College of Business and professor emeritus Thomas Clark Jr. died at age 69 on Oct. 9.
Clark served as dean of the college from 1996 to 2002.
“[Clark] made tremendous progress for the Business College,” said Helmut Schneider, chair of the Department of Information Systems and Decision Sciences.
At the time of his death, he was serving as president of consulting firm Strategy Associates, a director of Endeavor International and a director of Dynegy Inc.
He was buried with military honors Oct. 15.
 
MICHAEL CRESPO
College of Art and Design professor Michael Crespo died Nov. 14 at age 63 after a battle with cancer.
Crespo had been a faculty member since 1971. He served as director of the school from 1990 to 1996 and interim director from 2002 to 2003.
He received the Distinguished Faculty Award in 1993 and an endowed Alumni Professorship in 2000.
Services were held Nov. 20.
 
VICTORIA ARCHANGEL
Victoria Archangel, E.J. Ourso College of Business adviser, died in a car accident Nov. 15.
According to Timothy Rodrigue, assistant director of alumni and external relations in the Business College, Archangel was making her daily commute from her home in Lafayette to the University when she rear-ended a pickup truck and lost control of her SUV. She crossed over the median and her vehicle was struck by a truck.
Funeral services were held for Archangel in Monroe, and students and faculty attended a memorial service in Archangel’s honor Nov. 29.
Business College Dean Eli Jones spoke about Archangel at the memorial.
“I’ll be honest,” Jones said. “I keep hearing her laugh in my head.”
Donations are being collected by the Student Government Business College Council to create a scholarship fund in Archangel’s name.
She was 32.
 
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Contact Rachel Warren at [email protected]