April 2, 2014
We are very sorry to report that Emeritus Professor Lary Gibson has passed away after a struggle with pneumonia and heart problems. After earning his PhD in English from the University of Oregon, Lary taught at Fordham University from 1967-1969 and then joined our department in 1969. He was a creative writer who wrote poetry, novels, short stories and film and television scripts. In addition to teaching creative writing courses, he also taught contemporary literature, particularly 20th century British Literature. Lary was promoted to Associate Professor in 1975 and to Professor in 1980. He joined the Faculty Early Retirement program and was granted emeritus status in 2001. In particular, Lary was noted for his generous support of student achievement, shepherding many, many students through independent studies. He was also instrumental in the development of the department's literary magazine program.