In Memoriam

—Robert Caughlan in his memoir “A Surfer in the White House: and other salty yarns”

Lou Cannon (B.A., ’53) was famed for documenting Ronald Reagan’s career for decades. Along with his career as a journalist, Cannon taught at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and University of Southern California.

After attending SFSU in the early 1950s, Robert Rector launched a 50-year journalism career that included stints at the San Francisco Examiner, Herald Examiner, Valley News, Pasadena Star-News and Los Angeles Times. While with Spot News, he earned three Pulitzer Prizes with the teams covering the 1992 L.A. uprising, 1994 Northridge earthquake and 1997 North Hollywood bank shootout. 

Ruth Parsons Armstrong died at age 90. She started at SFSU in the ’50s but left by 1955 to marry and move to Seattle. Armstrong eventually completed a degree in Elementary Education and used her knowledge in volunteer activities. 

Shelly Fernandez (M.A., ’57; teaching credential, ’57) dedicated her life to advocacy and justice. She co-founded La Casa de las Madres for survivors of domestic violence, launched Our Lady of Guadalupe Health Center to provide free medical services for low-income women and served as president of the San Francisco and National Organization for Women. 

American folk singer Tucker Zimmerman (M.A., ’66) died at the age of 84. After SFSU, he received a Fulbright Scholarship to study composition in Rome. His 60-year career included a collection of compositions, poetry, short stories and records — including the album “Ten Songs by Tucker Zimmerman,” one of David Bowie’s favorites.

Environmentalist Robert Caughlan (B.A., ’67) died at age 82. Caughlan was a political operative and environmental adviser in the Carter administration. An avid surfer, he served as the first president of the Surfrider Foundation, a group of Southern California surfers protecting the coastline and waves.

Emerita faculty Amy Hittner (M.A., ’69) became a school counselor after she graduated from SFSU. She was hired by SFSU in 1977 and appointed as faculty in the Department of Counseling in 1982. She served as department chair (1992 – 1995) and associate dean of the College of Health & Human Services (1995 – 1997). She and her family started scholarships to support single-parent undergrads and graduate students exhibiting extraordinary scholarship.

Award-winning producer, director and editor Allie Light (B.A., ’71; M.A., ’74) won an Oscar for “In the Shadow of the Stars” and a News and Documentary Emmy for “Dialogues with Madwomen.” She also mentored young filmmakers and taught film classes at City College of San Francisco and SFSU. 

Writer and feminist Susan Griffin (M.A., ’72) died at 82. She won a local Emmy for “Voices,” a play about five women, and her book “A Chorus of Stones: The Private Life of War” was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. When Berkeley-based publisher Heyday suggested she write a biography about suffragist Phoebe Apperson Hearst, Griffin turned in a 40,000-word manuscript — book no. 21 — last June, working through Parkinson’s and chronic fatigue syndrome. 

Petyr Kane (B.S., ’79) was well-known in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco as the owner of clothing stores Citizen and BODY. Deeply committed to the community, he was involved in the Castro Merchants Association and the Castro Community Benefit District. 

Midwest native Carla Zezula (teaching credential, ’91) moved west to attend Humboldt State University before coming to SFSU for her teaching credential. She was a science teacher at South Tahoe High School for the past 20 years.

Omar Qawasmi (B.A., ’15) was a teacher’s aide at an elementary school, director of the Van Meter Clubhouse and directed summer camps at Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation.