 |
||||||
|
PAGE ONE |
||||||
 |
Professor Jack Mrowka passed away sometime during the night of July 5th or early in the morning of July 6th of 2002 due to a heart attack. He was 58. Jack's death took place while he was attending the ESRI User Conference in San Diego. He had been looking forward to attending the conference for some time. Jack apparently checked in to his hotel on the 5th and passed away during the night. We all remember Jack as an addicted slide taker, an enthusiastic teacher, an unfailingly helpful advisor, and an energetic supporter of geography all its forms. His passing leaves a huge gap in our lives. This page is constructed with the help of Jack's friends, colleagues and students, who share their remembrances and photos of Jack with us. If you would like to contribute to this page, please send written remarks or photos to geography@csus.edu. |
|||||
| Contributors: Page One |
Page Two |
|||||
|
[The link bar feature is not available in this web] |
||||||
|
Elisabeth and I were shocked and dismayed to hear
of Jack Mrowka's untimely passing. We knew him for over 30 years, from his
first academic position at Chicago, when he was still writing on his
dissertation. In fact we first heard the sad news by phone from Dave
Helgren, who was a student at Chicago in the early 70s, and Dave was
clearly shaken. The idea of sliding away by yourself in a motel room is as
unnerving as the sudden death of someone so vital.
We had kept in touch periodically during those unhappy middle years of Jack in Oregon and later in CA--experiences that would have broken a lesser man. But Jack always tried to put the best face on everything, and soldiered on, buoyed by his religious faith. Fortunately we crossed paths again when he participated on our week-long CLAG fieldtrip in northern Mexico during January 2000. He displayed a phenomenally sharp field eye in geomorphology, and a mastery of processual analysis and interpretation. He bounded up the slopes or crawled down the gullies and sinkholes with an infectious enthusiasm. At the last dinner we sat together and he told me that he had joined the trip to be with me, closing a circle as it were. In June of 2000 he again participated in the Spanish CLAG fieldtrip that Elisabeth and I had organized, focusing on "our" village (Ain) in the sierra north of Valencia. He was the only participant who climbed up to the castle, that I had excavated in 1985. Afterwards, although exhausted, he was his jolly self at the meal prepared for the group by the good vecinos of Ain -- telling self-deprecating jokes about how he couldn't imbibe. It was the last time we saw him. We are all poorer in his passing. He was a fine scientist of great acuity, who devoted most of his energy to inspired teaching rather than publication. He travelled widely and saw much of the world, all the way down to Tierra del Fuego, imparting his enthusiasm for geography to his students, on whom I am confident that he left his mark. We never had the opportunity to meet his wife Kathy, who evidently nurtured his most productive years, at Sacramento State. She supported him, as he explained, in a way that gave him a new lease on a life worth living. She was his secure harbor, and both Elisabeth and I are grateful for this. Jack was a friend, a kind and good man, a very special person. He was a role model.
Karl Butzer I was most distressed to receive news of Jack Mrowka's untimely death.I know your department will miss him, but so too will the discipline of geography and his many friends scattered across the world. During my term as AAG VP, President and Past President, I came to know Jack very well. He was a person with well articulated ideals, a person of conviction, and a person of great sensitivity.
I will always bear in mind an image of Jack Mrowka - an image of a quiet, self-effacing but quite determined guy, who epitomized how a business acquaintance can quickly turn into a strong tie of friendship and respect. I join many others in commiserating the loss of Jack Mrowka. Not only you and I but also the discipline of geography, will sadly miss his presence.
Reginald Golledge There are many adjectives that would describe Jack based on my experiences with him as a student. Some have to do with his physical actions and others portrait his nature and personality. The bottom line really is that he cared deeply about his students and was one of the most enthusiastic instructors I have ever known.
Physically, a word to describe Jack would be that
he was fast. He walked fast and talked fast, perhaps due Besides being physically speedy, Jack was immensely enthusiastic about his students and his subject matter as well as about the Geography Department at CSUS. He always welcomed student queries and took great pains to answer each and every one as accurately as possible. He had extensive knowledge within the discipline of geography and if he didn’t know the answer he would gladly look it up for you. From all accounts his letters of recommendation that he wrote for students were exemplary, perhaps he was able to see more potential in his students than they even felt they had themselves. In the end, there are many adjectives to describe Jack; but most importantly he cared deeply about his family, geography, the department and his students. While he isn’t here on this earth with us anymore, he lives on in each of us through all that he taught us about geography and all that he gave us from himself.
Barbara Feist Professor Mrowka had a profound impact on my educational endeavors and attitudes about the field of Geography. Thankfully, I was able to participate in one of his classes and benefit from his enthusiastic style of teaching. I am determined to continue my studies in Geography at CSUS, but I, as well as all who have had the pleasure of knowing him, will miss his presence. Eric T. Bond
There
were many little things about Jack that were endearing. He was so very
busy and energetic, always on the move. On every field trip where there
was hiking, we had trouble keeping up with him. He would rush into class
late, hair
His mind was equally quick. I was amazed when he filled out my geography advisor sheet because he knew by heart every class that would be offered for 2 years and which classes would conflict. He made time for students even when he had none, always making us feel welcome. He was so full of information and always more than willing to share (sometimes making my head swim). He set the informal atmosphere in the department making it warm and inviting.
I miss him very much.
Marill Jacobson
Jack
was more than a mentor and instructor, he was a good friend.
I mourn his passing. Whenever I see a river I always think of him. I think
even the rivers will miss him. Dr. Jack Mrowka was at the same time an extremely humble and humbling man, one that I was proud to have known.
I remember Jack
as one of the most passionate educators I've ever had the privilege to
learn from. He was a rare and welcome find in the world of academia, and
his dedication to his students and the advancement of his field exemplify
the qualities to which every teacher should aspire. As one of those
exceptional individuals whose life was simultaneously consumed with
teaching as well as
Phillip R. Serna Over the last thirty years, I have been privileged to have known a small constellation of professors: Homer Ashman, Frank Finenga, John Goins, Jack Mrowka; who possessed intellectual passion without affectation and had the rare ability to relate seemingly dissimilar fields of study into a transcendent whole. Doctor Jack Mrowka was a consummate professor. His teaching was immeasurably valuable, his advice in academic matters was always freely given, his enthusiasm was infectious and his energy seemed limitless. The passion for the intellectual pursuit will remain with all of the students that Dr. Mrowka taught. While these gifts remain, the person and the friend will be forever missed. Jim McManus I thought he was a great teacher who loved his subject and was so enthusiastic about it that he enjoyed passing his knowledge and love about it to any who were interested. As my first contact with the department other than you, Prof. Mrowka was a great welcomer to the department and gave me a wonderful indication of the caring family atmosphere of the entire department from staff to students. No matter what was involved Prof. Mrowka always put his students first, even if he had never met them before. He was a mentor to me and I am sure to others, one, who really made an impact and will always be remembered fondly. Take care.
Sheri Rush
Jack
so generously donated his time to come out on a Saturday to help me with a
project for my Ecology class. He lugged all the equipment down to the
river - quite a feat considering how much he brought. We began by taking
flow readings in the slow side of an island - fortunately that side was
shallow. Dr. J waded right in - jeans and all - it didn't matter to him
about getting his clothes wet. Then we switched to the swifter, deeper
portion of the river. I went out ahead as I was wearing a swimsuit
underneath my shorts and did not mind getting wet at all. Dr. J kept
wading out farther and farther and I kept warning him that his cell phone
and wallet were going
I took the field course from Dr. J and have never seen ANY instructor in my four years at CSUS who was so enthusiastic about his work. He had an insatiable curiosity and his enthusiasm was infectious. In his Central and South American courses he always stated his motive up front that his goal was to get his students to travel down there. Dr. J made a deep impression on me and he will never be forgotten. He was a breath of fresh air and an inspiration amidst academia. Cindy
Atchison
I
first met Professor Jack Mrowka one hot summer day two years ago. I'd
come to CSUS for new student orientation, collected an armload of
"important" paperwork, taken the campus tour, and began to feel acutely
out of place. My background was entirely blue collar and I felt ill
prepared for the unfamiliar social structure and challenging financial
requirements of university life. I knew I was a good student after
working my way through community college, but it seemed like maybe I was
just too far out of my element . . . That's when I first saw Jack Mrowka.
He
Professor Mrowka taught classes the same way as he lectured to us that first day - with a passion to share what he knew. He struck a balance between respecting the knowledge we walked in with and enthusiastically encouraging us to expand our horizons. He was a man constantly in motion, the definition of a multi-tasker, but never (and I mean never) too busy to advise or aid any student that approached him with a problem. He was the heart and soul of the department, and I do not envy his colleagues their task of trying to continue the program without him. However, I know Professor Mrowka would expect them to do just that. He'd counsel them to look the situation over, figure out what needed doing, and then "go for it". He taught that lesson right along with his lectures on landforms, fluvial processes, and erosion. Never give up, find your goal, and go for it. He shared his drive for knowledge and his love for geography with all of his students, but he also taught us a great deal about having confidence in our own potential. I'll always be grateful for what he taught me and feel privileged to have known a man like Jack Mrowka, a gifted teacher and a true geographer. Unsigned |
||||||
|
||||||
When performing my AAG duties, I
always knew I could count on Jack's objective assessment of discussions,
for the clearly had the well-being of geography at heart. On a personal
basis, he was always the first to offer assistance to guide me around an
obstacle cluttered room. He often sat near me at the Council table and
whispered summaries of what others were displaying on slides, in tables,
or on computer screens. 
to the large quantities of Pepsi he drank each day. He had a quick sense
of humor and could laugh at himself as easily as at any funny story. Jack
would also drive fast, several times on field trips he drove us around on
curvy mountain roads, pointing out the window with his left hand and
talking on the radio with his right, leaving the piloting of the van to
his knee or perhaps to chance. You never felt slighted if you did not
travel in the van he drove, he was always right there with all of us via
the radio. When he wasn’t talking on the radio or pointing out the window,
he was telling us stories about himself, other teaching assignments he had
had and about his family of whom he was immensely proud.
flying
with his arms full of slides and just jump right into the lecture without
missing a beat. He always wore those funny animal ties even when
conducting field tests in the river (I have pictures of it).
learning, Jack was a wealth of knowledge, especially in the field of river
studies. But unlike other professors, Jack never announced his scholarly
prowess from a lofty intellectual plane that might otherwise alienate his
students. Instead, Jack embraced a teaching method steeped more in
personalized attention that groomed students to be equally passionate
about the subject matter he taught. In doing so, Jack equipped his
students to explore material not for the sake of achieving a grade, but to
genuinely expand their knowledge and curiosity. As one of his former
students, I am forever grateful that Jack Mrowka shared his passion.
to
get wet, but he kept assuring me, "No, everything was fine". He was so
enthusiastic about helping me with this project that I guess it didn't
matter to him. In the end when we went back up on shore, sure enough -
his cell phone and wallet had gotten wet. Oh boy, now he was going to be
in trouble with Laura! When he did get back to the office and the phone
had dried out but was no longer working, Laura gave him a mild scolding.
I told her I tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen.
came rushing into the room carrying boxes full of paperwork and, yes,
slides. (He always seemed to be carrying slides). He was sporting a wide
smile, a funny haircut, faded blue jeans, and a tie that matched no other
part of his outfit. I immediately recognized him as a geographer. In the
roughly twenty minutes that followed, he managed to reassure and inspire
that little roomful of proto-geographers (myself included) and left us
feeling excited about the journey ahead.