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March 17, 1998

My Campus Colleagues,

It is with a sense of profound personal sadness and loss that I share this news: this afternoon, at approximately 1:30 p.m., UCSC founding Chancellor Dean McHenry passed away. He died in Dominican Hospital of natural causes. Jane McHenry, his wife of 63 years, and two of his four children were at his bedside.

Although I had the privilege to know Chancellor Emeritus McHenry for only a few years, I will always treasure the generous welcome and wise tutelage he offered me. Within only a few weeks of my arrival, he and Jane hosted me at their home, and many times he has offered me the benefit of his insights and historical perspective.

These experiences, though very significant to me personally, are only a small reflection of the enormous influence Dean McHenry has been for this campus and this community--and in the lives of the numerous faculty, staff and students. The impact of his contributions as an architect and founder of UCSC and of his dynamic leadership in forging the very successful multi-segmented system of higher education in California will endure. Certainly, in the days and weeks ahead, many of us will contemplate with fresh appreciation the extent of his achievements as an national leader in education, and most especially, the immensity of his positive influence on the University of California and, of course, on UC Santa Cruz.

We anticipate that there will be a private cremation and family service. A public memorial service likely will be planned in the near future. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be sent to the UC Santa Cruz Foundation, either to the Dean E. McHenry Fund or to the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum. As more details are available, we will share them.

At this moment, however, I invite you all to join me in a few moments of silence, to mourn the passing of a true gentleman, a fine and distinguished human being who was my friend, and a personal friend of many of you as well.

Chancellor M.R.C. Greenwood

To press release with Dean McHenry's biography


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