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remarks at memorial service |
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This page contains remarks on Professor Jack Mrowka made during the
August 10th Memorial Service held at
St. John Vianney Church, |
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Jack and I were friends for eighteen years. We first met when he was hired as a part-time lecturer to teach geomorphology at UC Davis in 1984. I had heard about Jack sixteen years earlier when I was a graduate student in geography at UC Riverside and he was a graduate student in geography at UCLA. At that time, Jack was considered one of UCLA's best geography students, if not the best. In 1971, Jack accepted a tenure-track position as a geomorphologist in the Department of Geography at the University of Chicago, then the number one-ranked geography department in the country. After finishing his dissertation in 1974, Jack left Chicago to join the Department of Geography at the University of Oregon. After an eight-year stint at Oregon, personal reasons brought Jack back to California where he became the proverbial "freeway flier," living out of his truck and teaching courses at Santa Rosa JC, Napa Valley College, CSUS, and UC Davis. In 1984 Jack's life took a positive turn when he married Kathy. In 1986 he obtained a permanent position at CSUS where he remained until his death. Jack had two passions in life: his family and geography. I seldom had a conversation with Jack when he didn't talk about Kathy and the kids ——Anna, Greg, Andrew, Molly, and Jeff. He was proud of them and their numerous accomplishments. Jack and I became good friends almost from the first time we met, and Jack and Kathy went out of their way to include me as a member of their extended family. Jack, Kathy, Greg, Anna and I frequently had dinner together and Jack and Kathy invited me to their house every Thanksgiving and Easter holiday during the past sixteen years. During that time I got to know all of Jack's children, as well as Kathy's parents, and her siblings. These gatherings were great times. Jack and I spoke on the telephone almost every week, usually about geography, our departments, and our research interests. I have never known anyone who enjoyed teaching more than Jack. Although Jack was primarily a geomorphologist, he was well versed in all aspects of geography, a rarity among today's highly specialized geographers. He taught twenty-seven different courses during his academic career, offering classes in geomorphology, climatology, meteorology, hydrology, quantitative methods, geology, and geographic information systems, as well as regional courses on Latin America and California. Jack was a workaholic and he labored long hours to promote geography at CSUS and nationally. Since becoming Chair of the Geography Department in 1996, Jack spent countless hours on hiring and other administrative concerns. He was extremely active in university, professional and public service, giving invited lectures, serving on numerous university committees, and attending professional meetings. He served as a regional councilor for the Association of American Geographers, was on the editorial board of the Yearbook of the Association of Pacific Coast Geographers, and was an active member in the Conference of Latin Americanist Geographers. All in all, he maintained seventeen professional memberships. Jack and I particularly shared interests in the geography of Latin America, both of us having been heavily influenced by the first generation of Carl Sauer's students who were our mentors at UCLA and UC Riverside when we were graduate students at those institutions. In the summer of 1993 Jack and I traveled together to Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay. Although Jack had research to do in Uruguay, we spent most of the trip in southern Chile and Tierra del Fuego. I had heard several stories concerning Jack's eccentricities while traveling — such as driving twenty or more hours straight; taking hundreds of slides, mostly from moving vehicles; and collecting volumes of soil and rock samples from odd locations such as construction sites, etc. I found all of these accusations true. During our trip, I never saw Jack drink water, not even bottled water— he just drank Pepsi Cola. He even brushed his teeth with it! He wasn't very adventuresome when it came to food. If he couldn't find a McDonald's or some other American fast-food franchise, he would eat Twinkies, JoJos, cashews, candy and other such stuff from a care package he always carried with him on trips. Jack was a teetotaler, but in Santiago, at my insistence, he had his first Pisco Sour, and thereafter he would request a Pisco Sour each time we got together for dinner. He would never drink more than one. As I already noted, Jack loved to collect soil and rock samples for some type of analysis that to this day remains unclear to me. Towards the end of our trip he had collected 200 pounds of soil and rock samples. As you can imagine, we had a heck of a time getting them out of Uruguay and into the United States. As far as I know, he never analyzed these samples. He simply deposited them in his storage shed along with the thousands of pounds of soil and rock samples he had collected on other trips. Whatever his peculiarities as a traveler, Jack had many outstanding traits and was as good a friend as one could hope to have. He was remarkably honest; I never heard him lie or even fib. He was perpetually supportive. I've never known anyone more supportive than Jack. He always tried to see the positive side in difficult situations, and, although I'd seen him upset, he didn't dwell on the negative and he didn't hold grudges. He was very religious, but unless you were a close friend, you would probably never know that. He relied on his faith to get him through the tough times in his life. He was generous and always ready to help friends, colleagues, and students. He did countless favors for me. He had a sly, impish sense of humor and was able to laugh at himself. I don't ever remember having a conversation with Jack when he didn't laugh or find humor in some situation. Above all, Jack was devoted to Kathy and the children. Sometimes his commitment to teaching and the department got in the way of his time with the family, but his family was the joy of his life. Jack was a great friend and I'll miss him more than I can say. Sometimes in the evenings, even though it has been nearly six weeks since he passed away, I've found myself inadvertently picking up the phone to call Jack. I still haven't adjusted to the fact that he is now with me only in spirit. I am blessed to have known Jack and to have had him as friend.
Conrad Bahre Jack and I were colleagues in the Geography Department at CSU Sacramento for nearly 20 years. Kathy has asked me to speak about Jack's teaching and devotion to his students. One of the last things we know Jack did at the ESRI Conference in San Diego was to donate one of his event tickets to a student helper. And the last thing we know he said upon being thanked by a colleague for his generosity was, "Students are very important." Students and teaching were at the heart of Jack's professional life. With his boundless energy he awakened in his students interests in geography they never knew they had. It was clear to all that he loved teaching and the topics and places he taught about. Students witnessed each day his infectious enthusiasm for geography - as he put it, "one of my life-long passions." He showed them the processes of landforms and rivers, and he made vivid for them the peoples of the Americas. He swept into class (yes, often a little late) with arms full of pictures and music and rocks and flags to enliven the lectures. Who else could ever come close to showing 300 slides in the last 15 minutes of class? Many students left his lectures excited about the topics and places he described and wanting not only to hear more but also to go right out and see for themselves. The physical geography field classes probably gave his students some of their fondest memories. In their own words . . . "He drove fast 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." "He walked so fast on hikes "we had trouble keeping up with him". "He waded without hesitation into streams in his faded jeans wearing "those funny animal ties". Jack guided and helped and encouraged his students - - ever patient in answering questions in and out of class; gladly spending hours to listen to and counsel a student; loving to meet new majors and boost their enthusiasm for geography. Several, I am sure, would join one student in Geography 1 in saying, "He has inspired me to go into the field of geography." He eagerly participated in the orientation of freshmen and transfer students, providing a much-appreciated, anxiety-dissolving welcome. As one geography major has phrased it "In . . . roughly twenty minutes . . . he managed to reassure and inspire that little roomful of proto-geographers . . . and left us feeling excited about the journey ahead." In the words of another, "He made the department warm and inviting." He was a mentor to many, helping them to find internships and subsequent employment and encouraging graduate study. One of his greatest delights was going to Commencement. He was no doubt also like a father to some. Or I should really say older brother. Jack was so young at heart--a big kid wading as gleefully into the stream of life as into a local river to feel its flow. And in the words of a recent graduate: "Jack was more than a mentor and instructor, he was a good friend." He gave of himself with great generosity of spirit and little thought for his own comfort and convenience. helping students with field projects on a weekend; supervising independent studies in the summer to ease students' scheduling problems stepping in to teach extra classes when colleagues fell ill; chairing University and College committees with insight and good humor; welcoming and encouraging the Department's many part-time instructors; and often to be found working on the Department's business in his office until 7:00 in the evening. Jack's cheerfulness and "can do" attitude were wonderful gifts to the morale of students and faculty alike. Whatever came along, his response was: "No problem. We can do that." His optimism boosted the confidence of his students to try the next thing. Probably the last geography major to talk with Jack before he left for San Diego remembers his words to her after listening to her goal: "Go for it," he said. "It will work out." He always went for it, throwing himself wholeheartedly into whatever he did. God bless you, Jack. We miss you deeply.
Marsha Dillon I first met Jack when we were both teaching part-time at UC Davis in the early 1980s. Like many part-timers, we were two ships passing in the night. However, I did hear a story about Jack that I dismissed as apocryphal at the time, but found believable after I got to know him better. A student had seen Jack driving while simultaneously holding slides up to the light as he reviewed them in preparation for class. In 1996 the CSUS Geography Department, with Jack as Chair, hired me as a part-time instructor. Jack was welcoming and supportive. He treated part-time and full-time faculty as equals. He was obligated to visit my classroom and observe my teaching about 20 times. He took notes and submitted his reports as required, but beyond that, he almost always engaged me in conversation about something I had said. He did this whether or not I had been talking about a subject in one of his own areas of expertise. I remain grateful for his wonderful collegiality. Jack was an inspiring teacher, positively glowing with energy, enthusiasm, and knowledge. In addition to instructing students, he was a role model for them. He attended lectures, workshops, and professional meetings by the dozen. He traveled widely. He acquired the latest technology. In short, Jack walked the talk of life-long learning. As a fellow geographer, I admire and am touched by Jack’s love for the patterns, forms, and places of the Earth. I am grateful for his service to our discipline--on this campus and on the regional and national stages--and for the passion with which he gave it. As a fellow educator, I respect his awesome ability to spark in students a love of learning. As a fellow human being, I am inspired by his egalitarianism, optimism, generosity, and hard work. Thank you, Jack, for these gifts. May we honor your memory by living them and passing them on to others.
Robin Datel |
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