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Oct 6, 1913 - Mar 15, 2000
Dudley Kirk, professor emeritus of population studies, dies
Dudley Kirk, the Morrison Professor of Population Studies, Emeritus, died March 14 in San Jose after a brief illness. He was 86.
A graduate of Pomona College, Kirk held master's degrees from Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and Harvard University. He earned his doctorate in sociology from Harvard.
Kirk began his academic career teaching sociology at Princeton University. From 1947 to 1954, he was the chief of the planning staff for the State Department's Office of Intelligence Research in Washington, D.C. He was the first official for policy and research on world population problems, focusing on the Near East, South Asia and Africa, and also served on President Truman's Commission for Immigration and Naturalization.
In 1954 he became the demographic director of the Population Council, a research institute. In 1967 he came to Stanford to teach and do research in demography both in the Food Research Institute and the Sociology Department. In 1975-76 he served as chairman of the Sociology Department.
Kirk said in a 1987 speech that politicians could end the world hunger crisis if they wanted to. "Our generation is the first in the world's history with the ability to resolve the problem. There is plenty of food, but the problem is getting it to the people who need it," he said.
Kirk was the author of three books and more than 50 professional articles, and chaired three professional organizations including the Population Association of America and the American Sociological Study of Social Biology. Although he retired from formal teaching in 1979, he continued to work with graduate students, conduct research and publish into his early 80s.
Kirk, who was known for his cheerful spirit, is survived by his wife of 52 years, Ruth of San Jose, and his children, Margaret of Fresno; John of Angwin, Calif.; and Deborah K. Rihn of Spokane, Wash.; and three grandchildren.
Contributions in his memory may be sent to the William and Dudley Kirk Fund for Sociology at Pomona College, The Renwick House, 333 N. College Way, Claremont, CA 91711-6324.
A memorial service will be held on April 6 at 4 p.m. in Memorial Church. A reception will follow. (Stanford Report)
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