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February 8, 1999
TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY
From: Chancellor Greenwood
Dear Colleagues:
It is with deep personal sadness that I write to inform you of the death of Gurden Mooser. His decades-long association with the campus included 13 years as the founding head of University Relations.
Gurden died on Friday, February 5, in his Santa Cruz home after a lengthy illness. He was 85. Our hearts go out to his widow, Mary Kate, and other members of Gurden's family.
Rarely have I encountered such a wonderful gentleman. He embodied extraordinary integrity, and as a dedicated friend of UCSC, he worked on our behalf up to the day he died.
The assistant chancellor for University Relations from 1965 to 1978, Gurden helped the campus attract a series of major gifts that established UCSC's college system and provided essential private support to many other emerging academic and administrative programs.
As part of that effort, Gurden formed the UC Santa Cruz Foundation in 1974 and served as the foundation's first executive secretary.
In 1994, Gurden was appointed a trustee of the foundation, and that same year was named cochair of the campaign to raise gifts for the Marine Discovery Center, currently under construction at the Long Marine Laboratory. He continued in that role until his death.
Last year, he was named the foundation's first emeritus trustee in honor of his years of support and commitment to that group.
In addition to supporting the campus's marine sciences activities, Gurden and Mary Kate were benefactors of UCSC's library and arts programs.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Gurden's name be made to the UC Santa Cruz Foundation for the Marine Discovery Center, the Dominican Hospital Foundation, and the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County.
In addition to his wife, Gurden is survived by a daughter, Ashley Mooser; sons Michael Mooser, Erik Hellenthal, Leif Hellenthal, Stephen Mooser, Cort Hellenthal, and Gard Hellenthal; three daughters-in-law; and nine grandchildren.
A private service is planned for Wednesday.
While UC Santa Cruz has lost a visionary founder and loyal friend, the results of Gurden's dedicated effort will serve generations of Californians. Please join me in a moment of silence to remember this extraordinary man.
M.R.C. Greenwood
Chancellor