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Joachim Bruhn
Joachim Bruhn, professor emeritus of German and humanities at U-M-Dearborn, died Feb. 25, 2006 in Plymouth, Mich. He was 80.
Smock taught and held senior administrative positions at U-M-Dearborn for 27 years and retired in 1990. He joined U-M-Dearborn as an assistant professor of sociology and director of the Center for Urban Studies in 1963.
He helped develop the sociology curriculum and taught a variety of courses in human ecology and demography, American social classes, principles of sociology, comparative religions, and personality and society. He was promoted to associate professor in 1965, and professor in 1968.
Smock's research focused on demography, human ecology and urban sociology, and his publications included a monthly newsletter, "Metro Motown," as well as a textbook on human ecology.
"He was able to integrate his ongoing research interests in the area of urban studies and created a dynamic classroom environment in which students had opportunities to study the process of urbanization as that process was actually occurring," the regents noted in their memorandum naming Smock professor emeritus.
Smock was preceded in death by a daughter, Sarbeth, in 1997.
A memorial service will be held in June in Plymouth. The family is gathering thoughts, memories and stories at www.smockfiles.com/rbs. Memorial contributions may be sent to the Public Interest Research Group in Michigan at 103 E. Liberty, Suite 202, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104; or to the Greater Michigan chapter of the Alzheimer's Association at 20300 Civic Center, Suite 100, Southfield, MI, 48076.
Dr. Ian Higgins
Dr. Ian Thomas Twistington Higgins, professor emeritus of epidemiology, and environmental and industrial health, born in Edinborough, Scotland, and educated in England at Gresham's College and the London Hospital. He was elected to fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians, American Epidemiology Society, American College of Epidemiology and the Epidemiology Council of the American Heart Association.
Higgins devoted much of his career to improving the health and well being of miners, industrial workers, schoolchildren and the elderly. His research included studies of chronic respiratory disease, coronary heart disease in coal-mining communities in West Virginia, the effects of taconite dust exposure on the health of employees of a Minnesota mining company, and the effects of pollution on the pulmonary function of schoolchildren.
Before emigrating to the United States in 1963 Higgins held appointments in internal medicine, pediatrics and diseases of the chest in hospitals in the United Kingdom. In 1953 he joined the scientific staff of the Medical Research Council Pneumoconiosis Research Unit in Wales, and was assistant director of the Epidemiologic Research Unit. In 1963 he was appointed professor of chronic disease epidemiology in the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh, where he initiated a short course in epidemiological methods for chronic disease for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Higgins joined the School of Public Health in 1967 and for a time he directed the Adult Health and Aging Program. He was instrumental in expanding the curriculum to include courses in cancer, and environmental and occupational epidemiology. Colleagues recall the wealth of material and depth of experience he brought to his teaching and the humor with which he "salted" his lectures. He served on committees of the National Academy of Sciences, National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association and the American Lung Association. Higgins retired from the University in 1985.
Following his retirement, Higgins served as director of epidemiology at the American Health Foundation in New York and engaged in private consulting practice from his home in Bethesda, Md.
Higgins is survived by his wife, Dr. Millicent Higgins, professor emeritus of epidemiology and internal medicine; sons, John and Paul; brothers and sisters; a granddaughter and daughters-in-law. A reception in his memory will be from 4-6 p.m. April 15 at 252 Indian River Place in Ann Arbor.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Epidemiology Research (Higashi) Fund or the Arboretum-Matthaei Botanical Gardens.
Rodger Keller
Rodger Keller, a horticulturist retired from Matthaei Botanical Gardens, was murdered in his home in Key West, Fla. Authorities believe the killing took place March 20, 2006 and have charged an Alabama man with the crime.
Keller, 63, remained active in the field of horticulture in Key West where he was a member of the Garden Club and Orchid Society. As a senior horticultural assistant at Matthaei, Keller worked for more than two decades wowing staff and volunteers with his knowledge.
"He was like a walking plant encyclopedia," says Connie Bailie, a horticulturist at the gardens. "He was very knowledgeable about growing plants as well as plant biology."
Known not only for his vast knowledge of plants but also for his willingness to share it with others, Keller extended that generosity into his private life. He often shared his home with others who needed a place to stay.
"He was much loved by volunteers and visitors to the Botanical Gardens because he was willing to take the time to talk with people about the plants he so dearly loved," says Adrienne O'Brien, a collections specialist at the gardens who worked with Keller for 18 years. "He made the listener feel special because he took the time to completely answer a question."
After his retirement, Keller moved to Key West, where he claimed the climate was better for his health. There he worked part-time for the Monroe County Association for Retarded Persons, which maintained a plant shop. Keller also was working on a paper about what to plant in hurricane-prone areas.
There was no information available at press time regarding burial or memorials.
Edward Weber
Edward C. Weber, senior associate librarian emeritus and head of the Labadie Collection for 40 years, died April 11, 2006. He was 83.
Weber came to the University to attend library school in 1952, working half-time in the library while taking classes. He stayed for the remainder of his career, first as a reference librarian in the Social Science Library, then as head of the Labadie Collection in the Special Collections Library from 1960 until his retirement in 2000.
Established in 1911 the Labadie Collection includes materials on civil liberties, anarchism, socialism, sexual freedom, labor history and underground presses. It is recognized throughout the world as one of the leading collections of social protest and radical literature. Weber served as the collection's ambassador, interpreter, architect, organizer and advertiser, working successfully with donors, dealers and researchers.
Weber had an avid interest in radical social issues. During his tenure the size of the Labadie Collection increased six-fold, and he inaugurated important holdings in civil rights, campus unrest and anti-war movements. He collected much of this material at the time it was first produced by gathering fliers on the Diag and putting the Labadie Collection on mailing lists of groups working for social change.
After earning his undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester magna cum laude, he added a master's degree in American literature from Columbia University.
Weber was pleased his vision of classes devoted to social movements of the 1960s has become a staple of the curriculum, with many undergraduate students utilizing the primary material he collected. He also added material in 19th-century French and German socialism and gay liberation from the 1950s to the present.
In addition to his work with the Labadie Collection, for many years Weber was responsible for building collections in Latin American studies, theatre and minority literature at the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library. He was a mainstay of the Cinema Guild for 37 years, serving a long term as manager, and was an active supporter of the University Musical Society.
People wishing to remember Weber may contribute to the Edward Weber Fund at the University Library, which will be used to support the Labadie Collection.
Weber's body has been donated to the Medical School for research. Plans for a memorial service were not available at Record press time.
