obituary

Services will be held tomorrow in remembrance of Robert C. Dunbar, emeritus professor of chemistry, who died Oct. 31. He was 74. Dunbar graduated from Harvard University in 1965 with a bachelor’s in chemistry and obtained his PhD in physical chemistry from Stanford University in 1970. He began…

Services will be held this weekend for an emeritus professor and three-time alumnus who made a major impact on Case Western Reserve University and on the field of engineering. Harry W. Mergler, a member of the university’s faculty for more than 30 years, died last month at the age of 93. As a…

Simon “Si” Ostrach, who ultimately became “a giant in the field,” had no idea what engineering was when he graduated high school. Simon "Si" Ostrach “I came from Eastern European people, and the anticipation was that you’re going to be a physician or a teacher or maybe an attorney,” he said in…

When Paige Myers rose from her wheelchair to accept her diploma last spring, the thousands watching Case Western Reserve’s commencement ceremonies roared in approval. Now, just days after she began graduate study here, the campus community is mourning her passing. Diagnosed in elementary school…

Kathy Koehler while in CWRU's Expanded Functions Dental Auxiliary program Around the Case Western Reserve University Faculty Dental Practice, Kathryn “Kathy” Koehler was known for many things: her passion for the field, her positive attitude and her reliability. But at her funeral service…

Scott Del Rosa was 20 years old when he joined Case Western Reserve’s security unit. Over nearly three decades at the university, he helped keep the campus safe as enrollments grew and his own small team evolved into a 24/7 police department. No matter how much changed, though, Del Rosa himself…

Edward L. Kean, professor emeritus of ophthalmology, passed away May 29. He was 91. Kean started at Case Western Reserve University as a senior instructor, eventually becoming a full professor in the departments of ophthalmology and biochemistry. He also served as director of research. His…

Services for Case Western Reserve grounds crew member Anthony Furlan will be held today (May 31) at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of the Lake Parish (at the corner of E. 200th Street and Lakeshore Boulevard, Euclid). Furlan, who joined the university in 2001, died last Wednesday. He was 51. Before his…

David Boxler, an IT engineer on University Technology's Enterprise Systems team, died this past weekend after a brief illness. He was 58. Boxler became a full-time university employee in 2014, but previously collaborated with [U]Tech for many years as a vendor consultant. “This is huge loss that…

Minnie Ferguson reported for her first day of work at Case Western Reserve University on Oct. 28, 1968. In the nearly five decades since, she became a campus fixture, known for her strong work ethic and feisty but compassionate personality. “Minnie was kindhearted, loved her family and enjoyed…