WE REMEMBER
Remembrances of alumni, faculty, and staff
60s
Thomas Lutgen ’68
June 2025
70s
William Carson ’76
June 2025
Anthony Urena ’76
June 2025
80s
Erin Snyder ’80
July 2025
90s
Geoffrey Cohen, M.A. ’92, Ph.D. ’97
June 2025
00s
Mark Riddle, M.A. ’00, Ph.D. ’05
May 2025
Theodore Vasquez ’09
March 2025
Thomas Brown
1942–2025
An influential voice in the modern understanding of ADHD, Brown taught as part of the clinical faculty of Yale Medical School for 20 years before relocating to California. He was appointed a clinical professor in UCR’s Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience in February 2022. He has published 30 articles in professional journals as well as eight books, including the acclaimed titles “Smart but Stuck” and “A New Understanding of ADHD.” Brown died August 18 and is survived by his sister, two children, and three grandchildren.
Arturo Gómez-Pompa
1934-2025
A leading figure in the field of tropical forest conservation, Gómez-Pompa served as an advisor to the U.S. and Mexican governments, dedicating his life to studying the Mexican rainforest. He joined UCR in 1986 as a professor of botany and director of UC Mexus. Gómez-Pompa established the El Edén Ecological Reserve in the Yucatán Peninsula and sat on the boards of several leading conservation groups. An endowment was established in his honor upon his retirement from UCR in 2005. Gómez-Pompa died Sept. 17 and is survived by his wife, Norma; three sons; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Theodore Hullar
1935-2025
A biochemist specializing in environmental sciences, Hullar served as UCR chancellor from 1985 to 1987. During his tenure, he began plans to increase enrollment; oversaw the development of business administration and economics programs and graduate programs in environmental toxicology, biomedical sciences, and genetics; and took the first step toward establishing UCR’s engineering college. Hullar also worked with the City of Riverside to move the California Museum of Photography from its cramped campus space to downtown Riverside. Hullar died Sept. 28 and is survived by his wife, Joan; two sons; and one grandson.
Fred Strickler
1943-2025
Strickler co-founded UCR’s Program in Dance in 1972, which evolved into the Department of Dance. He taught choreography, modern dance, and tap technique at UCR for 40 years. During his career, he choreographed more than 130 dances and performed over 500 times in local, national, and international venues. He was featured in several documentaries, most notably the 1989 PBS program “Tap Dancing in America.” He retired from UCR in 2007 as a distinguished professor emeritus. Strickler died May 31 and is survived by two sisters and several nieces and nephews.
John “Jack” Stroud
1940-2025
A judge with a long career in California, Stroud was among the first group of students to attend UCR, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1961. He began his law career in the Sacramento County District Attorney’s office and became a municipal judge in Sacramento in 1970, serving on the court for 31 years until his retirement. He joined the UCR Alumni Association Board of Directors in 1994, serving as president from 2002 to 2004. Stroud died April 7 and is survived by three sisters, two children, and eight grandchildren.