In Memoriam: William “Ritchie” Clendenin

May 1, 2025.Reading time 6 minutes.

Ritchie Clendenin with his mother, June.

Dr. William “Ritchie” Clendenin, United States Marine Band veteran and professor emeritus of trumpet at California State University, Fresno, died on April 3, 2025. He was 82.

In Memoriam: Rich Marshall

November 12, 2024.Reading time 5 minutes.

Richard “Rich” Marshall, award-winning journalist, editor and former general manager of The Collegian, passed away on Sept. 20 after a long illness. He was 76 years old.

In memoriam: Dr. Judy Kuipers

October 30, 2024.Reading time 1 minute.

Former administrator Dr. Judith “Judy” Kuipers passed away on Oct. 15. Born on June 24, 1937, Kuipers was vice president of Academic Affairs for Fresno State from 1984 to 1991.

In Memoriam: Janet Loring

July 16, 2024.Reading time 22 minutes.

Yellow background with "In Memoriam" in script text. A photo of Janet Loring is on the left side of the image.

Dr. Janet Loring, professor emeriti and a revered figure in the theatre and academic community, passed away on July 3, 2024, in Fresno. She was 98.

Professor Emeritus Stanley Poss passes away at 96

January 30, 2024.Reading time 10 minutes.

Dr. Stanley Poss in 2014. Photo credit: John Alden/JA Photography

Dr. Stanley Poss, a Fresno State professor emeritus of English, passed away on Dec. 14, 2023, in Fresno. He was 96.

Professor Emerita Judith Rosenthal passes away at 78

January 22, 2024.Reading time 15 minutes.

Dr. Judith A. Rosenthal, a feminist literary scholar and Fresno State professor emerita of English, passed away from pancreatic cancer on Dec. 25, 2023. She was 78.

In memoriam: Dr. Ernesto Palomino

December 14, 2023.Reading time 14 minutes.

Ernesto "Ernie" Palomino stands in front of his self portrait. Photo courtesy of the La Brocha Art Foundation.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 15, at St. John’s Cathedral in Downtown Fresno. The Mass will be followed by a reception from 1-3 p.m. at the Phebe Conley Art Gallery at Fresno State.

In Memoriam: Dr. Eugene Zumwalt

August 11, 2023.Reading time 19 minutes.

Professor Emeritus Eugene Zumwalt. Photo by George Johnson

Dr. Eugene Zumwalt, a Fresno State professor emeritus of English, passed away on July 27 in Tollhouse, California. He was 99.

In memoriam: Dr. Rolland “Woody” Hurst

May 4, 2023.Reading time 8 minutes.

Hurst, known for his rich bass-baritone voice, was a professor of music at Fresno State from 1968 until his retirement in 1984.

In Memoriam: Dr. Arthur Huff

February 7, 2023.Reading time 17 minutes.

Dr. Arthur E. Huff, professor emeritus of Music, passed on January 12, 2023, in Fresno, California. He was 94 years old.

In Memoriam: Dr. Toni Wein

January 23, 2023.Reading time 14 minutes.

Dr. Toni Wein, a Fresno State professor emerita of English smiles while sitting at her kitchen table.

Dr. Toni Wein, a Fresno State professor emerita of English, passed away on Dec. 17, 2022, after a bout with brain cancer. She was 70.

In Memoriam: Professor Emerita Toni Wein, Ph.D.

December 19, 2022.Reading time 2 minutes.

Dr. Toni Wein is shown on the right wearing red and black. On the left is a yellow background with white text "In Memoriam" in dark green text "Toni Wein, Ph.D., Professor Emerita.

Toni Wein, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, English Department (2002-2018) was born on April 20, 1952, in Detroit, MI and, after a bout with brain cancer, passed away on December 17, 2022, in Portland, OR.

In Memoriam: Dr. Ray McKnight

August 31, 2022.Reading time 17 minutes.

Ray McKnight - Credit: Michelle Garcia/She Breathes Photography

Dr. H. Ray McKnight, a Fresno State professor emeritus of English, passed away on Aug. 5 in Richmond, California. He was 88.

In Memoriam: Steve Adisasmito-Smith

August 12, 2022.Reading time 18 minutes.

Dr. Steve Adisasmito-Smith, a Fresno State associate professor of English, passed away on July 10. He was 57.

In Memoriam: Dr. Jack McDermott

July 1, 2022.Reading time 11 minutes.

Dr. John McDermott, a Fresno State professor emeritus of English, passed away on June 15. He was 89.

Frances Levine, longtime Fresno State supporter, dies at 94

June 23, 2022.Reading time 10 minutes.

Philip Levine with his arm around Fran as they look at each other in a black and white photo.

Frances Levine, whose gift to Fresno State of her U.S. poet laureate husband’s extensive personal book collection sparked the creation of the Philip Levine Reading Room inside the University library, passed away in Fresno on June 13. She was 94.

In memoriam: Dr. Robert O’Neil

December 10, 2021.Reading time 8 minutes.

Dr. Robert O’Neil, a Fresno State professor emeritus of English, passed away Oct. 22. He was 93.

Remembering Professor Emerita June Marian Gill

December 9, 2021.Reading time 5 minutes.

She began working at Fresno State in 1971 and taught French, Spanish and cross-cultural courses. Gill retired from Fresno State in 2004 and was granted emerita status for her years of excellence.

Remembering the life Professor Emeritus Paul Fred Kinzel, Jr.

August 25, 2021.Reading time 5 minutes.

In memoriam - Professor Emeritus Paul Fred Kinzel

Professor Emeritus Paul Fred Kinzel, Jr., a resident of Fresno, passed away on August 7, 2021, at age 98. Paul was born on a farm located near Fowler and Nees, something his children could never quite fathom. Having lost the family farm in the Great Depression, Paul, his mother Florence (Moore) Kinzel, father Paul Fred […]

Remembering Dr. Warren Kessler

April 15, 2021.Reading time 4 minutes.

Dr. Warren Leslie Kessler at the Great Wall of China

Fresno State Philosophy Professor Emeritus and former Department of Philosophy Chair Warren Leslie Kessler passed away on April 2 in Stockton, California, after complications with an infection. He was 78.

Emmy-winning production designer Roy Christopher leaves lasting impact in theatre arts

February 25, 2021.Reading time 6 minutes.

Roy Christopher, a Fresno State alumnus and 10-time Emmy-winning production designer and art director, died of natural causes on Feb. 2 at his home in West Hollywood. He was 85. His credits include decades of work on Oscar, Tony, Emmy and Grammy award broadcasts.

Alumnus, community advocate Zoyer Zyndel dies at 34

January 6, 2021.Reading time 1 minute.

Zoyer Zyndel, a Fresno State alumnus known for his community volunteering and advocacy, particularly with the Central Valley’s LGBTQ communities, died in Fresno on Dec. 26. He was 34.

Professor Emerita Jean Pickering passes away at 87

October 27, 2020.Reading time 10 minutes.

Dr. Jean E. Pickering, a feminist literary scholar and Fresno State professor emerita of English, passed away on Sept. 15. She was 87.

Remembering the life of Dr. Jack Fortner

July 1, 2020.Reading time 7 minutes.

Dr. Jack Fortner, music professor emeritus, composer, and founder of the Orpheus chamber ensemble, died from cancer on Thursday, June 25, in São Paulo, Brazil. He was 84 years old.

Professor Emeritus Charles Shields passes away at 75

February 3, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

Charles Shields was born on July 19, 1944, and passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, January 30, 2020.

Patricia Hennings, founder of the Fresno State Interior Design program, dies at 78

November 14, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

Pat’s service will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 16 at The Well Church Fig Garden Campus (4545 N Palm Ave, Fresno, CA 93704).

Remembering the life of Dr. Frederick Henry Brengelman

October 8, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.

In 1968 Fred founded the Linguistics Department at California State University Fresno. Linguistics was his passion, but prior to founding the Linguistics Department, he also taught in the English Department.

James E. Walton, Fresno State Professor Emeritus, Passes Away at 74

August 23, 2019.Reading time 26 minutes.

Dr. James E. Walton, a professor emeritus of English at Fresno State and the first faculty to serve as coordinator of the university’s Africana Studies Program, passed away in Fresno on August 15, 2019. He was 74.