Memorial Service Tonight For Former Ewu President

Eastern Washington University friends and faculty will gather tonight to remember former president Emerson C. Shuck, who died Monday at age 79.

Shuck took control of EWU then known as Eastern Washington State College - in 1967. He guided the school until 1976, keeping the Cheney campus relatively calm during the protest era.

“He approached students on their own ground and was a good listener,” said retired EWU history professor William Kidd.

“He was a very patient man who refused to be provoked.”

Shuck remained active after leaving the presidency, teaching English until his retirement in 1981.

The memorial service starts at 7 p.m. at EWU’s Pence Union Building. Family members ask that any contributions be made to the EWU Foundation or to the Cheney Care Center.

Shuck helped start several EWU programs during his tenure, including the Department of Dental Hygiene, the Intercollegiate Center for Nursing Education and the Department of Urban Planning.

He also oversaw a number of campus building projects, including the start of construction on Kennedy Library.

Kidd remembers Shuck as a “true scholar and gentleman,” saying he was most enthusiastic when dealing with curriculum issues.

“He was truly interested in academic, intellectual matters,” Kidd said.

Kidd and Shuck co-organized a program at EWU that later became the university’s honors program.

Shuck, after retirement, served on the EWU Foundation and was active in numerous area organizations.

In 1991, school trustees conferred on Shuck the school’s Clarence Martin Founder’s Medal, recognizing his contribution to academic excellence.

He is survived by his wife, Sara L. Shuck; his son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Lynn Shuck; a daughter and son-in-law, Malinda and Hal Sautter; daughters Kathy Demchak and Jane Johnson; sisters Ruthanna Robertson and Marilyn Beattie; nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

, DataTimes