Claremont resident Richard Gould Pawley died of pneumonia and congestive heart failure on August 12, 2011 at Kaiser Fontana Hospital. Mr. Pawley had a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease before his death at age 77.
Born on June 10, 1934 in Denver, Colorado to Harriet Lansing Peeke Pawley and Myron Gould Pawley, Mr. Pawley grew up in Golden, Colorado and Alexandria, Virginia. After graduating from George Washington High School in Alexandria, he received his bachelor’s degree from Park University in Parkville, Missouri. This was followed by completion of a master’s degree in English from the University of California, Los Angeles and a master’s degree in mathematics from California State University, Fullerton. Mr. Pawley also spent 2 years in the US Army at Fort Lewis in Washington as a courts and boards recorder.
For 5 years, Mr. Pawley taught mathematics at San Jacinto High School where he was named teacher of the year. In 1963, he moved to Claremont and taught math, English and interdisciplinary studies at Claremont High School from 1963 to 1989. At both high schools, he also coached tennis. At the college level, Mr. Pawley taught math at Fullerton College and his alma mater, Cal State Fullerton.
In addition to teaching, Mr. Pawley also received multiple National Science Foundation grants. In retirement, he volunteered as a tutor for C.L.A.S.P. (Claremont After-School Programs).
Mr. Pawley never entered a library he didn’t love. He spent long hours at the Duke Humphries Library at Oxford, England, the British Museum in London and Honnold/Mudd Library of the Claremont Colleges. A writer as well as a reader, he published Secret City: The Emotional Life of Victorian Poet James Thomson and Limber Rick on a G-Rated Kick: Limericks About Creatures, Famous Persons and Ordinary Folks.
An avid climber and hiker, Mr. Pawley trekked a significant portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. Locally, he regularly visited Johnson’s Pasture and Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont. In addition, he was a passionate tennis player who, in more recent years, played with the “Claremont Geezers.”
He loved to travel with his wife, Doris Pawley, and visited most of Europe, China, Thailand, New Zealand, Morocco, Costa Rica, Peru, the Caribbean and various parts of Mexico. He also traveled throughout all 50 of the United States, enjoying many national parks and baseball stadiums.
Mr. Pawley enjoyed a wide spectrum of music and had talent as a classical guitarist. He made the Claremont Folk Music Center a regular destination. He also loved films and the Claremont Film discussion groups.
Mr. Pawley is survived by his wife of 57 years, Doris Pawley of Claremont; his sons and daughters-in-law, Christopher and Kelly Pawley of Norco and Jeffrey and Lise Pawley of Orcutt; his daughter and son-in-law, Pamela and Jerry Cottrill of Blackwell, Oklahoma; his sister, Anne Pawley Tabb of Dallas, Texas; and his 10 grandchildren. His children attended Claremont High School - Chris (Class of 1977), Jeff (1979), and Pam (1982).
A graveside service will be held today, Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. at Oak Park Cemetery, 410 Sycamore Ave., Claremont.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Los Angeles Office Headquarters, 5900 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1100, Los Angeles, CA 90036, or www.alz.org; to Claremont After-School Programs (C.L.A.S.P.), 1111 N. Mountain Ave.,
Claremont, CA 91711, or www.clasp4kids.org; or to Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, 1500 N. College Ave., Claremont, CA 91711, or www.rsabg.org.
Jean Martha Bayne (Collinsworth) (1966)
I highly respected Rick as first my teacher and later my colleague. Class offenders in the early days would sing a song--that kept us on our toes! Rick could explain complex math AND share his enthusiasm for poets. Gentle and caring, he had a wonderful family. Jean Bayne Collinsworth, '66, retired CHS Eng. teacher
Margarita "Margie" Artidiello (Cullen) (1973)
I was so very sorry to hear of the passing of Mr. Pawley. He was a wonderful teacher!!! May the Lord keep him in the Palm of His hands.
Margarita Artidiello Cullen / CHS 1973