The Middlebury Campus

Issue date: 11/18/04 Section: News

The death of geographer Robert Churchill has saddened the community.

Robert R. Churchill, the William R. Kenan, Jr. professor of Geography, passed away Sunday, Nov. 14, succumbing to a two-year fight against cancer. He was 57 years old. Churchill is survived by his wife of 25 years, Kimberly Jones, his daughter Rachel Jones (16) and his son Callahan Churchill (12). A celebration for Churchill's life will be held Monday, Dec. 6 at 4 p.m. at Mead Chapel.

Churchill is considered the "father of modern geography at Middlebury College," having revived the department - despite the College's intention to get rid of the program - after joining the faculty in 1978. Trained as a physical geographer, he learned geographical information systems (GIS) and cartography on his own, and subsequently built up Middlebury's GIS and cartography programs to what they are today, a model for all liberal arts schools. "He was instrumental in making the geography department the way it is," said Professor of Geography Tamar Mayer.

Largely considered to be one of the most challenging and demanding professors on campus, Churchill influenced hundreds of students and was loved by all who knew him. Said Susan Campbell, dean of faculty and associate professor of Psychology, "He demanded an extraordinary amount from students and from himself. But students knew that even when he was critical of their work - which he often was - he could still have affection for them as people."

"One student said, 'I've never worked for someone so hard, got a D and loved the man,'" said Mayer.

"His high expectations prompted all of his students to elevate their work far beyond what they thought possible," said Andrew Howard '05. "Despite the legendary rigor of his GIS and Cartography classes, nearly everybody who took them came to love the subject matter because of Bob's incredible teaching ability and unabashed enthusiasm."

"[GIS] was such a tough class," said Dana Allen '05, "you would sit there and cry and curse and get so frustrated. It's the class you should hate but you love it because of Bob."

"What inspired affection," said Anne Knowles, assistant professor of Geography, "was his rare combination of zeal for geography - particularly maps - an unstinting willingness to help anyone who asked, a ribald sense of humor and a deep gentleness and affection for children, family and friends."

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