David Outcalt
Dr. David Lewis Outcalt, 78, of Pacific Palisades, Ca, passed away on November 7, 2013.
A true Renaissance man; an accomplished musician, gifted mathematician, community leader, loving husband and father and a humble man of God, Dr. Outcalt was born in Los Angeles, Ca on January 30, 1935 to Earl Kenyon Outcalt and Alberta Estes Ferguson Outcalt. Growing up in La Jolla, Ca, as a son to a Naval Officer he also spent time in Vallejo, Ca and Norfolk, Va before graduating as part of La Jolla High School's class of 1952. A prodigy on the violin, he was a member of the San Diego Philharmonic Orchestra while in high school. He attended college at Pomona College where he was a member of the Phi Delta Fraternity and first violin and concertmaster of the school's orchestra while graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics. During the summer before his senior year he met Marcia L. Beach while both were working at Yellowstone National Park and they married on July 1st, 1956. He went on to receive a Master's Degree from Claremont McKenna Graduate School and a Doctorate from the Ohio State University, both in Mathematics. He was a professor of mathematics at Claremont and Scripps College before moving to the University of California, Santa Barbara where he worked for 15 years, including two years as an exchange professor with the University of Hawaii, as a math professor, Chairman of the mathematics department, Dean of Instructional Development, and author of five college calculus and algebra text books while raising four sons.
In 1980 he moved to Alaska as the Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs for the University of Alaska, Anchorage. A year later he was named Chancellor of the University, a post he would hold until departing for a similar position with the University of Wisconsin Green Bay in 1986. While at UAA he became a member of the International Association of University Presidents and received an honorary doctorate from Kyung Hee University in Seoul, Korea for his efforts in developing international student, curriculum, research, and professor exchanges programs. While in Alaska, he also negotiated an exchange agreement between UAA and the Siberian Branch of the Soviet Academy of Medical Sciences. In 1986 he took the helm of the University of Wisconsin Green Bay through 1993 and while leading development of long-range strategic plans for the future of the university, also constructed six new student dorms, a new student union, and oversaw the fundraising and construction of the Weidner Performing Arts center. Active with the National Collegiate Athletic Association he served as chair of the NCAA Peer Review Team and also as President of the Mid-Continent Conference. In 1994 he returned to teaching at UWGB and retired in 1998 as Chancellor Emeritus.
He and his wife, Marcia, retired to Kapaa, Kauai where he enjoyed an active outdoors lifestyle and was President of the local Rotary Club. After 48 years of marriage, his wife passed away, and he returned to California in 2005, residing in Pacific Palisades to be near his sons. In 2011 he married for the second time to Maria Mangold who had been a college sweetheart when he was at Pomona College 56 years earlier before their paths separated.
He remained active as a violinist playing with the Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra, the Topanga Symphony Orchestra and most recently with the Mill Valley Symphony Orchestra as well. Since returning to California he was active with the Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church and heavily involved there with spiritual education and the Stephen Ministries.
He is survived by his wife Maria and four sons Jeffrey (Gail), Kevin (Debbie), Gregory (Kathy), Eric, nine Outcalt grandchildren Kelly, Christopher, Dana, Matthew, Amanda, Andrew, Rebecca, Megan, Alex , and his beloved Hawaiian dog Makalani.
He will be remembered for his intelligence, leadership, active spirit, and constant efforts to help others succeed. He was a teacher at heart.
There will be a calling at Flowers-Snyder Funeral Home at 619 High E. Street in Mount Vernon, Ohio on Monday, November 18, at 9:30 a.m. Friends may contact the funeral home at 740-392-6956 for more details. Following the calling, burial will be in Mound View Cemetery, Mt. Vernon, Ohio at 11:00 a.m. In addition, there will be a memorial service at the Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church later in November with dates to be determined. For more information on the memorial service please contact the church at 310-454-0366.
Memorial contributions can be made to: The Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church at 15821 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades, CA 90272.
(Obituary published in the Green Bay Press-Gazette on November 12, 2013; reprinted with permission from Rhonda Raleigh, executive assistant to the president and publisher, Green Bay Press-Gazette.)