Tributes, Remarks, and More

Agnes Box Tribute

In 1995, the Oregon Institute of Technology was geographically challenged when it came to accessing worldwide telecommunication pathways--the first challenge was attracting original fiber development into the rural and remote Klamath Basin; the second challenge was attracting service providers to the East side of the Cascades. Martha Anne understood the need for 'telecommunications' while always stating, "Agnes, every time I hear the word telecommunications, I get ready to be confused by technical terms and acronyms (Martha Anne once gave a speech that was all 'acronyms'. It encouraged us to always use Englishwhen presenting new information.).

Because an Institute of Technology requires telecommunications services to support the technologies, it was most necessary for Oregon Tech to provide leadership in this area. Further, the Oregon University System, a state agency, was directed to build telecommunication communities of interest via legislation. Over an 11-year period, Martha Anne met with key vendor contacts, she attended economic development meetings, and she sent me to community stakeholder meetings, presenting OIT's message--access for the academic schools, for students in residence and students at a distance, and Internet II collaboration. While Martha Anne understood that the goal was a very difficult business case for major service providers, she was the voice of encouragement backing me up--pushing for access.

It takes a lot of telecom companies to connect a university to the Worldwide Area Network. On November 23, 2005, at 5:00 a.m., Oregon Tech was able to move from a narrowband data connection to a redundant broadband network connection for Internet and Internet II access to the digital world. In one of my last messages to Martha Anne, I reminded her that while Al Gore thinks he invented the Internet, she and I brought the Internet and Internet II connection to OIT! Anecdote: For a President's Roundtable discussion a few years ago, Martha Anne asked me to provide an update on the Qwest Senate Bill 622 fiber ring build for Southern Oregon, which included Klamath Falls. As she introduced me, she used the term 'broadband ' to set up the discussion. One of the roundtable members leaned over to me and said, "Martha Anne sounds just like you." I did not have an opening joke and used this story, and it got a laugh. However, there was a much bigger round of laughter as Martha Anne adlibbed, "Oh no!"

Agnes Box
Information Technology Services

It was my great personal and professional pleasure to work with Martha Anne for 15 years.


Betty Lucht Tribute

Every year in September, the week prior to school starting, the faculty and administration present a workshop to plan what Oregon Tech goals are for the current academic year. During that week, The President of Oregon Tech holds a free breakfast for all classified staff, faculty and administrators. She welcomes all back and then, she announces a faculty member and a department head that is voted on by their peers, to receive the trophy of the year which is accompanied by a modest check from the Foundation.

When I became president of the classified staff union (SEIU 503 Local 090) I was impressed with these awards which singled out a faculty member or department head that went beyond and above to help the students - classes or whatever in promoting a better Oregon Tech. This was done not only for what they did on campus but also what they did in our Klamath Basin community to promote Oregon Tech.

I spoke at our union meeting about giving the classified staff a trophy and recognition at the same breakfast. The members overwhelmingly approved the idea. Dr. Dow always had an open door policy and was very receptive to new and different ideas so I set up a meeting with her and the union ex-board. After explaining that even though some of the classified held the same titles, each job held different responsibilities. Dr. Dow was on board with the idea immediately. She also informed her secretary, Paula, that in addition to the trophy that a check from the Foundation would also be inclusive.

The first year the award went to a public safety officer, Ted Lucht. Other years saw the Maintenance department made up by Raymond Keen, Dale Knapp and Glen Gardner from Facilities Services win. Another winner came from the secretarial staff in Owens Hall by the name of Valjean Newsome... and so it has gone on in the same tradition of excellence. This was such a small example of how Dr. Dow felt about everyone who worked with her, each person held value in their position at Oregon Tech. I was at Oregon Tech when she came on Board, seeing her move from the Provost to President, and the entire mind set changed into one of optimism.

Betty Lucht
Former Office Specialist for Facilities Services


Chancellor Pernsteiner's Eulogy

Oregon University System Chancellor George Pernsteiner's eulogy
Martha Anne Dow private life celebration service
Oct. 6, 2007

Thank you, Valeree. Good afternoon. Thank you, Gary, Julie, Kevin, and Jerilynn for letting us share this time with you.

Thank you all for joining the Dows and one another as we remember the life of a truly remarkable person, Martha Anne Dow.

My name is George Pernsteiner, and I had the privilege of knowing and working with Martha Anne since she came west from Montana about fifteen years ago. She was a trusted colleague, a friend, and an inspiration to me and, I am sure, to everyone else in this room. It is hard to believe and understand that she is not here with us, orchestrating our efforts to achieve even greater things for even more people. Like many of you, I believed that she would be with us always, that her indomitable spirit would prevail again as it always had. This is a hard day for me as I reflect on Martha Anne and her impact on me and on all of us. But I know she would not put up with any maudlin sentiment, bringing us out of our sorrow with her optimism, her energy, and her spirit.

She was a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a friend, an educator, a seeker of truth, and a leader. We have come here today because, together, we want to remember Martha Anne and her life in all of its many facets.

Each of us remembers Martha Anne, carrying within ourselves pictures of her-those blurs of action and energy, recalling the sound of her voice, remembering a word, a gesture, one of the many thank yous she said to us.

Martha Anne, for all her very public persona, was a private person, one who was hard to know at a level deeper than she wanted us to see. Yet all of us could see the compassion, the inner life of someone who loved deeply, felt deeply, cared deeply, but who was always outward directed to the benefit of others rather than herself.

So, we are gathered to remember her as we knew her, drawing from one another a deeper understanding of a truly good and truly remarkable person who has deeply affected our lives and whose memory and spirit will continue to do so.

I am not an ordained minister, but I spent several years studying to be a priest. That background leads me to recognize that my involvement with higher education in Oregon qualifies me as one of the most prayerful people in the Northwest. And it is in that spirit of reflection and prayer that I muse aloud about Martha Anne's life and its lasting impact on me and everyone else in this room.

Martha Anne Eudy was born on January 3, 1939, in Little Rock, Arkansas. She moved with her family to Montana at the age of three but spent time in both states for most of her childhood and youth. Her mother died in giving birth to a stillborn sibling when she was very young.

The loss of Martha Anne's mother and the baby would have a lasting impact on her extended family. She divided her childhood between her father's home in Havre, Montana, and her maternal grandparents' home in Arkansas.

I am told that her grandfather was a minister of the fire and brimstone persuasion. Martha Anne was brought up to fear God and to take two sugars in her iced tea. Very early in her life, Martha Anne learned John 3:16:

"For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

This scripture passage was of great comfort to Martha Anne during her courageous battle during the last several months of her life. She asked often that it be read to her.

Another scripture with meaning for her and to whose tenets she clung throughout her life was the 23rd Psalm:

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil
For you are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

Martha Anne truly found that love followed her all the days of her life. Most people had an instinctive appreciation for her, a respect, a bit of awe and a deep affection. But her life's love was her husband, Gary.

The two met in their youth and were just slightly different. Martha Anne was a bookworm who credited her stepmother with encouraging her to read voraciously and to learn everything about everything-a passion she always held. And, remember, she was prone to take those two sugars in that extremely powerful drink, iced tea. Gary, on the other hand, was--well there was one of those in my family, too--a musician, an accomplished saxophonist who could be found playing in bars before he was, ahem, quite old enough to frequent such establishments. As an Eastern Washington boy, I have spent my share of time in Montana bars, and I have to say that I never did see any iced tea in any of them-with or without sugar.

They were married 47 years ago and their life together took the twists and turns that both try and strengthen the bond of marriage. That strength showed through as person after person told me over the past several months of Gary's loving devotion to and care for Martha Anne during her illness-a time of great difficulty not just for her but for her entire family. As friends and family members are said to have told him, "You've lost one hell of a woman,"-a sentiment with which we all can agree.

The Dows were truly lifemates. Someone described them the other day as opposite sides of the same coin-different but inseparable. Their children, who have displayed remarkable support for their parents during the last several months, learned from the great model that was the supportive, cherished love of Gary and Martha Anne's marriage.

You have heard the words of their children. You have heard them describe that she was a tireless champion of their learning and that they all enjoyed family holidays in the spirit of Chevy Chase. Martha Anne delighted in their company, their achievements, and in the exuberance and spirit of discovery that infect her grandchildren. I wonder where they get those qualities?

Martha Anne's friends will tell you that she was generous, loyal, intelligent, and determined. She would do anything in her power to help someone and expect nothing in return. I know she wanted to make sure that others were recognized for their life's achievements, making sure they were honored and that her own accomplishments were not highlighted. I can remember just last winter, when she obviously could not have been feeling well, that she orchestrated an event to honor the Oregon Tech basketball coach's amazing 800th victory. Martha Anne kept calling me and e-mailing me asking that I write something to honor Danny Miles and emphasizing that this was a surprise and could I just hold off another day or so-because that win was going to come and she wanted to make sure that the outpouring of support came at just the right time and seemed spontaneous and not painstakingly orchestrated as Martha Anne herded us cats and kept us from wandering off message.

Martha Anne Dow had the strength of will that is found only in those who have had to overcome challenges themselves. She fought for the underdog and was known to make decisions based on her heart's response as much or more than the careful calculation that made her such an effective leader.

One of her friends suggested that this passage from Isaiah summed up the source for Martha Anne's determination and gentle strength:

"I took you from the ends of the earth; from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant. I have chosen you and not rejected you.
So do not fear, for I am with you.
Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

It was this strength and her innate sense of compassion that made Martha Anne such an amazing person and such a notable leader. As I reflect on Martha Anne and my all too brief time with her, I remember her with just six words---six words that encapsulate for me one of the people who will have affected me the most in my entire life:

Visionary, courageous, persistent, persuasive, inspirational, humble.

Those words are emblematic of a true leader-and Martha Anne Dow was a true leader, a true pioneer, and a true public servant.

And while we may view the Martha Anne Dow Center for Health Professions in Klamath Falls as a tribute to Martha Anne and her leadership and essential humanity, more lasting tributes may be found closer at hand, in the 3,500 women and men whose lives were changed forever when Martha Anne inspired them and cajoled them into completing their degrees at Oregon Tech during her presidency, and in her children and grandchildren, very real and tangible representations of Martha Anne and her very real attributes of her selfless love and devotion and that of her partner through this life, Gary.

This world lost an amazing champion last Saturday. Our lives are better for having known Martha Anne Dow. I wish she had more time with us.

Let us now reflect and pray for the peace of Martha Anne's soul and that the rest of us will have the strength to carry on in our own work, fulfilling and being her legacy.


Chancellor Pernsteiner's Prayer

Oregon University System Chancellor George Pernsteiner's prayer
Martha Anne Dow private life celebration service
Oct. 6, 2007

Lord, please grant Martha Anne well-deserved peace and rest; peace and rest earned through a lifetime of energetic, selfless service to family, friends, students, and community. May she, indeed, dwell in your house, the House of the Lord, forever.

Give us the strength to face each new day the way Martha Anne faced life-

With grace
With joy in the accomplishments of others
With vision, perseverance, and with buoyant optimism

Most of all, Lord, infuse us with Martha Anne's courage, persistence, humility, and absolute commitment to family, friends, community, and students so that our lives and work can be inspired by hers and, through her inspiration, we can be true servant leaders of our families, of our community, and of humanity. Let us, indeed, be the prayer from the earth back to God.

This we ask in Jesus' name.

Amen


Chris Frazier's Memories

ASOIT President Chris Frazier's memories
Martha Anne Dow life celebration services
Oct. 13, 2007

Every once in a lifetime a leader comes along and leaves a legacy unmatched by any who follow. I had the privilege of working very closely with President Dow on many occasions. Some of my most cherished memories with her are:

  • Having dinner at her house with all of the student body officers. I remember her greeting us all at the door and hanging up our coats. To me that small act of service showed just how humble she really was.
  • Many hours spent together at 7am working on strategic planning. She was always bright eyed, bushy tailed, ready to tackle the task at hand. I know she was neglecting her own health for the sake of the school and although it wasn't a good idea to do so, it proves just how dedicated she was to this campus and the students.
  • No problem seemed too small in her eyes. As student body president, there were many issues I brought to her attention and she never once made me feel inferior or like those issues weren't important.
  • She was always seeking student input. When she first thought of creating the CHP, she came to us as student body officers and asked for our opinions and thoughts. I remember being so impressed that she would spend that much time finding out what we thought. She would often come to our meetings just to be around and participate. I never once felt like she was some ominous being sitting up in her nice corner office of Snell Hall.
  • I loved that she would sometimes eat lunch in the marketplace. She would always say hi to me when passing in the hall. She very easily could have snubbed us students or carried on with her duties but she always seemed to be mindful of what was in our best interest.
  • You could always tell she had a passion and love for what she was doing. She loved teaching and being around students. She also had a sense of humor. One of my favorite OTB skits is "A Day in the Life of Martha Anne Dow." It's refreshing to see a president dedicate so much time to being in a skit and it shows her love for students and sense of humor. There is one particular part in the skit that is my favorite because it's exactly the opposite of how she treated people. The ASOIT president, who at the time was Leif, was talking with her in her office and the skit portrays her thinking to herself "doesn't this kid ever shut up? All he says is ‘I think, I feel blah blah blah.'"
  • I loved taking Christmas pictures with President Dow. Every holiday season, we'd decorate the fireplace and President Dow would come and take a picture with us for the website and Christmas cards. I remember later meeting with her in her office and seeing a copy of that picture framed and on her desk. It was really meaningful to me.
  • I remember last year at the snowflake parade, we ASOIT officers and the fraternity made a float and rode it in the parade. When we got to the end of the street, Martha Anne and Gary were sitting in the car watching the parade and her face lit up as we drove by and you could tell she was so excited to see us. After the parade she sent me an email thanking us for our work in representing the school at the parade.
  • She supported us when we decided to withdraw from OSA. She stood by us and even mentioned it at the OUS board meeting. You could tell that she was proud of us and to be our president. It made us all feel like we were important and known in her eyes.

I attribute my leadership abilities to three people, Joe, Jane and Martha Anne. I learned many lessons on being an effective leader from watching her on various occasions. She was truly a great leader and has left an amazing legend.


Congressman Walden's Remarks

Remarks By Congressman Greg Walden
At the Memorial Service for Martha Anne Dow
Klamath Falls, Oregon, October 13, 2007

A little more than a month ago, I came to Klamath Falls to participate in the celebration of the opening of the Center for Health Professionals. Make that the Martha Anne Dow Center for Health Professionals,

At least that's what the entry on my calendar said. But my real reason for attending was because my friend Martha Anne had asked me to participate and I so very much wanted to see her and to not let her down. It was so nice to say hello to her and to welcome her home again.

Now, just a few short weeks later, we gather to say goodbye. And, that's simply not easy to do, not for me, not for Gary and her family, not for this community she loved so much...not for our state.

Martha Anne's vision for Oregon Tech and this community extended farther than most of us could see...like looking up into one of those clear Klamath Falls nights where the sky goes on forever.

And she had the rare ability to translate her vision of the future for Oregon Tech into meaningful action. In her calm, quiet, no-nonsense way, she took action and made things happen. Never theatrical, never self-serving, never a bad word about others, Martha Anne just kept a positive attitude and made forward progress.

The depth of her ability and integrity were like the waters of Crater Lake, which she loved so much: clear and oh, so deep.

She was a person with great pride...not the boastful kind of self-aggrandizing pride, but the quiet pride in seeing others accomplish their goals, and helping them get there. From the victories of the Hustlin' Owls, the research at the Oregon Renewable Energy Center, or the Intel Fellow who had just graduated and been hired, Martha Anne was so proud. I remember walking around the campus with her as she pointed out the quality of the grounds keeping and talked about plans to make Oregon Tech the first totally geothermally energized campus in America. She was proud of every person who taught and worked at Oregon Tech for who they were and what they did. Rank held no favor. Each individual mattered.

And her pride was not about her...it was always about others. Plain and simple, she was proud of all that she touched because she loved the people with whom she worked and was so proud of what they accomplished.

Each of us will continue to see evidence of the rich legacy of this truly remarkable woman, and we will know that we really cannot say goodbye to her, because so much of her lives on in this community.

Yes, she will be in our thoughts often, but she will live stronger in our hearts. She is in our hearts because she became a part of us.

In an open letter printed late last month in the Herald and News, Martha Anne said, "I've long known the importance of what others have given me. However, I never realized that in turn I was affecting others."

That statement is so Martha Anne. She knew she had a mission in life to help others, but she never paused to realize just how much she affected those around her.

Her ways reminded me of the poem by Will Allen Dromgoole called the Bridge Builder:

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide-
Why build you a bridge at the eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

I am as certain that Martha Anne was a bridge builder as I am that she is in heaven today. Although Heaven is supposed to be a perfect place, you can bet that Martha Anne and god have already had one or two significant conversations on how to make some improvements...and God has agreed with her plan.

We are very grateful that Martha Anne was with us to be such a loving wife, mother and grandmother. We are grateful that she led us to higher accomplishments and taught us in so many good ways. We are thankful that she set high standards and goals, and the benefits of her good work will accrue for generations to come. We can each be thankful that Martha Anne was a part of our world.

So, today, none of us are really saying goodbye to Martha Anne, we are coming together to say "THANK YOU" Martha Anne, for all that you did for us. We miss you. We will do our best to follow you vision and keep your work moving forward. And we will never let you down.


Congressman Walden's Statement on Dow's Death

STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN GREG WALDEN ON THE PASSING OF MARTHA ANNE DOW
September 20, 2007 - HOOD RIVER, Ore. - Congressman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) today released the following statement on the passing of Dr. Martha Anne Dow:

"My deepest sympathies go out to Gary and her family. Martha Anne was a personal friend and a terrific inspiration. Her enthusiasm and vision accomplished great things for Oregon Institute of Technology and for the people of Klamath County. She gave so much of herself to better Oregon Tech and expected nothing in return for herself. Her quiet, effective leadership made a lasting mark on Oregon Tech and more importantly on the academic future of the students who have and will study there."

Congressman Greg Walden represents the Oregon's Second Congressional District, which is comprised of 20 counties in eastern, southern, and central Oregon. He is a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and a member of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.


Danny Miles Tribute

My most fond memories of the many I have about Martha Anne were associated with our trip to China during the summer of 2005. Gary and Martha Anne accompanied our basketball team for a 16-day trip that included five games against the Chinese national university team and one of their top professional teams.

The first night after arrival, we played at one of their leading universities in front of crowd of nearly 6,000. The temperature was in the 90s with no air conditioning. We were also suffering from jet lag, having traveled for more than 12 hours. My wife Judie, Gary, Martha Anne, and Mike Schell our athletic director were all placed in a VIP section high in the middle of the arena. We were making a great comeback late in the game, and I glanced up to see if our four fans were as excited as we were. I guess not, Martha Anne and Judie were sound asleep.

Later, on the same trip, we were told that we needed to wear our LiNing T-shirts the first three days of our trip to advertise for our very generous sponsors. How many women would do that in 90 degree heat and no laundry available? Martha Anne did and, of course, took a lot of grief from the entire group for the next three days.

When we drove along the Yangtze River, there was a 500-foot cliff down to the river, and our bus driver decided to pass several cars going uphill on several corners. We were all screaming on the bus. Thank God President Bush was with us, and the driver quit passing on curves. It seems that somewhere in the translation several of the Chinese at our destinations and on the bus thought Martha Anne was President Bush.

I have many great stories and wonderful memories of two of my favorite people - Gary and Martha Anne Dow. God bless them both.

Danny Miles
Head Men's Basketball Coach


Di Saunders' Poem, Di Saunders' Poetry

Counting on Martha Anne

Martha Anne...
We're still counting on you,
You know.
Counting on that incredible smile to help us through our days
Full of intelligence, kindness and wit
That could coax a salmon from a bear's mouth
Change the mind of the most stubborn legislator
And probably get your grandkids to eat their peas.

And Martha Anne
We're also counting on the wisdom and love
That radiated from your beautiful eyes
To serve as a patch for the hole in our hearts,
a memory bandage that will help us heal
As much as one can heal when a friend and mentor
Like you is no longer down the hall or in the room
Or on the phone to advise, coach, make us feel better
than we did before your melodic voice cheered us on.

And Martha Anne
We're counting on you to give your family and friends the strength
We now need to take us into the next day
To bring you forth when we're sad and the gray days are long.

And we're counting on you because
you've always come through before
You'll always come through still
As your presence is strong enough to bring each of us up
to the potential you recognized
Before we even knew it was there.

Now count on us, Martha Anne,
to make you proud
As we hold tight and nurture your legacies
Now and always
Yes, count on us Martha Anne.

With love and respect,
Di Saunders
October 6, 2007


Emeritus Chancellor Cox's Comments

Joseph W. Cox
Chancellor Emeritus
The Oregon University System
October 13, 2007

When I was growing up, one of the few magazines we had in our home was the Reader's Digest, in which my favorite column was "The Most Unforgettable Character." I don't know if it is even still published but if it is, Martha Anne ought to be a candidate for inclusion.

From the minute we first met, I knew that here was someone quite special and I resolved, I think at that point, that if there were ever an opportunity to appoint her to lead the Oregon Institute of Technology, it ought to happen. I have heard people say that her appointment as President was something of a risk, one that worked out wonderfully. That is nonsense. She and the presidency were made for each other and she was a success from the start.

In this deceptively soft spoken, mild mannered, demure, diminutive package was a fiercely determined dynamo whose love for Oregon Tech was at the core of her being. She saw clearly what the institution might yet become and nothing was going to stop that trajectory. At her investiture, some of you will recall that an individual from the community with a sense of humor brought a small box to the stage and placed it behind the podium while making some comment about her height. Without a moment's hesitation, she mounted the box and delivered her address from that higher elevation.

There was sharp wit and sense of humor and an irascible drive not to be outscored. I will just tell you one of many stories: I was devoted to a particular sweet pickle that she made and when I was laid up after a heart attack in September 01, she flew up to make some calls in Salem and visit with me, intending to bring me a jar of those pickles. Well, of course, it was just weeks after 9-11 and so airport security confiscated the jar of treasured pickles saying they would dispose of them. After protesting mightily, she boarded the plane with the parting shot, "I hope they give you all indigestion."

That wit and candor would serve her well as Oregon Tech weathered the storms of financial ups and downs and throughout it all she never allowed the campus to see anything but a resolute leader who would get them through it all. Her presidential colleagues will tell you that they admired and respected her and thoroughly enjoyed working with her, particularly in working with the Legislature.

However, it is here in this community that her influence and impact has understandably been greatest. She created a new partnership with the city, the county, and the private sector that is enduring and will return benefits for years to come. Oregon Tech is now in the community and region and of it in ways that are too numerous to count.

When Harvard lost its beloved president, Charles William Eliot, there was an immediate rush to erect an appropriate monument. The debate continued for some time until a senior faculty member rose in the meeting and ended the discussion by saying, "President Eliot needs no monument....just look around at the university...that is his monument." The same could be said of President Martha Anne Dow.


Gerda Hyde Tribute

My memories of Martha Anne Dow are many. All are very positive - she made everyone feel good and equal. She knew no stranger and everyone was important to her.

One time stands out in my mind. After the Klamath Tribes gave a sizeable donation to the Center for Health Professions, she wanted to thank them personally. We had lunch at our home with CHP members and some of the Tribal Council. She made every person in the room comfortable and feel good about Oregon Tech. I will always remember the Tribal Council Chairman and the Oregon Tech President sitting together at the table, enjoying the day and finding out that we were all part of a great community.

Martha Anne had a tremendous ability to be able to talk with anyone and make them feel important.

I do miss a very good friend, but I am lucky to have known her and Gary. Good memories are a special thing.

Gerda Hyde
Oregon Tech Foundation Board of Directors Member
Owner, Yamsi Ranch


Jenny Kellstrom Tribute

I have so many memories of Martha Anne, but an incident that happened several years after I began teaching at Oregon Tech really had an impact on me and allowed me to see Martha Anne from a whole different perspective.

At the time, Martha Anne was the Provost, and I was a new instructor in the imaging department. To me, the Provost would be the last person that I would ever want to be summoned by for any kind of encounter.

So, when I received a phone call from the Provost's Office requesting my presences for a meeting, I about died! I replayed every classroom encounter with every student I had ever come in contact with to try to figure out why The Provost would want to see me. After agonizing over this meeting for several days, I went to my Department Chair Al Bello to ask him if he knew what was going on. He assured me that Martha Anne just wanted to visit with me and ask about my progress on my Master's degree. "Oh, my gosh," I thought. My degree was going so slowly, with teaching assignments, family, committee work, etc. I was afraid that I would never get it done. I told Al that I was pretty sure that she was going to fire me for not getting it done in a timely manner. Al laughed and assured me that would not be the case. He really could not ease my fears, so he offered to attend this meeting with me. I gladly accepted his offer.

Several days later we went to Martha Anne's office, where she greeted me warmly and chit chatted about this and that. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the axe to drop! Sure enough, as it turned out she just wanted to chat with me. She asked about my family, how my graduate degree was going, how my teaching was going. She shared her personal stories about getting her master's when her kids were little and taking her kids to Hawaii with her when she got her Ph.D. She knew how difficult was to juggle all of the responsibilities of a working Mom and educator. She told me to "not give up" and that she would help me in any way to achieve my goals. She truly meant it, too! At that moment I knew that she was a wonderful, caring, and generous person who cared very much about the faculty she led.

I will always remember Martha Anne for her generosity and caring nature. She was never too busy to stop and chat when our paths crossed. I will miss seeing her smiling face on campus, and I will especially miss seeing her at all of the basketball games!

Jenny Kellstrom
Associate Professor
Medical Imaging Technology


Joemae Cox Tribute

As I walk across campus, I think of Martha Anne. Especially when I see the fountain running and I remember how it looked from her office window when I worked for her in the Provost's office. Or when I park near Snell Hall and remember seeing her walk from her car to her office with her big briefcase and armful of folders. My memories of her are strong as I view the Dow Center, knowing how important that building was to her, and I'm so glad that she was able to attend the grand opening.

My favorite memory is when Martha Anne handed me my SOU Master in Management diploma during the Oregon Tech 2002 Commencement ceremony. It was such a happy day for me, and I was so pleased that the ceremony took place at Oregon Tech with President Dow presiding. It makes me smile now just thinking about that special moment in time.

Joemae B. Cox
Faculty Support Services Manager
Distance Education Department


Julie Del Carlo's Memories

Martha Anne Dow's daughter Julie's Memories
Life celebration services
Oct. 6 & 13, 2007

As one of Martha Anne's children, I learned to love animals, bugs, fossils, frogs, flowers, books, people and many other creatures. Some of my fondest childhood memories revolve around family field trips to collect big green grasshoppers, Montana wild flowers, tadpoles, and even trilobite fossils. She would put all these specimens into organized collections to decorate her classrooms and laboratories when she taught classes at Northern Montana College. I always felt like I was part of her world at the college. Every Sunday afternoon when we were in grade school mom would load us into her yellow station wagon and we would head to her biology lab to help her set up for her lab class on Monday. My very first job, at the tender age of 9, was washing test tubes for a 5 cents a piece. We kids loved to write on the big classroom chalkboard and spent hours playing school. I wanted to be a teacher just like my mom. Our world revolved around my mom's love of science and the joy she experienced at sharing this love with everyone who had the good fortune to cross her path.

My Mom's family included, not only her husband and 3 children, but, also living creatures of many different species. We never knew what mom was going to bring home from the college. Not only did we live with typical pets, cats a dog or two, but also Chinese rats, little white mice, bunnies, turtles, frogs, fish and at one time even sea horses. Our family loved these creatures even though our friends and especially our friends' parents made comments about our "Dr. Doo Little Life Style." I loved the fact that mom was a Dr. Doo Little. She introduced me to an exciting world in which I thought I might like to become a zoologist or possibly a veterinarian some day.

My mom also loved the teeny tiny creatures. They lived in the refrigerator at our house in test tubes and petri dishes. I remember a particular time when a babysitter pulled a petri dish out of the refrigerator looking somewhat mystified and maybe a little horrified as well. I was happy to explain to her that the little red and green specs in the dish were my mom's teeny tiny bugs that were eating a special jello. They were very important to my mom; so, she had better not try to eat them or throw them away! One of my mom's passions was microbiology. I had the privilege to attend college with her at the University of Hawaii. We were students together; she was working on her PHD in Microbiology and I my Bachelor's in Dental Hygiene. Our time together as a family in Hawaii is at the top of the list for the highlights of my life. I realize now that when she took our family to Hawaii it took an incredible amount of courage. Not every mom and wife just decides one day to go after a Phd in microbiology and packs up her 2 daughters and a friend of one of the daughter's, tells her husband to take care of himself and her son, that he can visit when he is done plowing and planting the spring wheat and her son is out of school for Christmas break. It's a good thing that this husband, my incredibly supportive and loving dad, understood and loved my mom enough to allow her to spread her wings and fly. Nothing was impossible and nothing would stand in Mom's way once she accepted the scholarship from the University of Hawaii's East/West Center. The adventure to Hawaii, after all, was just another one of mom's exciting family field trips. However, this field trip involved a lot more hard work. Mom spent hours in the lab at the UH growing her precious Isignoma shell fish out which she was able to culture and study the hepatitis virus. I observed her tenacity for studying, hard work and dedication. Thinking of mom spending 14 hours a day in her lab made me feel real guilty when I'd cut class and head to the beach to watch surfing contests. She was an incredible role model. Without her good example I could very easily have ended up a beach bum.

My mom was President of Oregon Tech, yet to me she was mom. To my children she was a grandmother that they called Nana. Yes, I am incredibly proud of all of her accomplishments, including the new Health Center. After spending time in Klamath Falls during the dedication of the Health Center and hearing about all the other marvelous things that she has done over the past 15 years not only for Oregon Tech but for the Klamath community as well, I feel truly overwhelmed and a little amazed that I am even related to this woman. I wish that she would have told me about all the amazing things that she has done. Isn't that just like her, though? Always humble and always gracious. If only I could do a fraction of the good that she has done for so many people. It saddens me to know that so many will miss her. I can't imagine, though, that anyone could miss her more than I, because, she was my mom.

All my love to you, Mom
Jutz


Kevin Dow's Memories

Martha Anne Dow's son Kevin's Memories
Life celebration services
Oct. 6 & 13, 2007

I remember mom for her love of science. When we were kids, she would haul us around to Beaver Creek collecting water samples at different spots along the creek. She used to love the workshops in the Bear Paw Mountains doing science things. She had bug collections and fossil collections. She would take us out to dig up fossils in the badlands near Havre and there was always some rocks or fossils in the garage that would lie around for years. I remember her being the leader of my Ranger Rick club. It was an outdoor club that we actually signed up to be a club and got the club magazine. She would take myself and my friends (Matt, Wade Dolan, Jeff Milam, and others) out on adventures. Usually it would be to collect fossils or study different kinds of wild flowers. I remember one time she set up something with someone at the college to watch the mating of Sharp tail grouse out near the Bear Paws. She just loved being in the outdoors doing scientific kinds of things. She really loved being up at the cabin and taking hikes to Essex and up Dickey Creek road. I remember just a couple of years ago she walked up Dickey Creek with Hunter and I to watch Hunter catch a fish with his fly rod.

She was a lot like Grampa Eudy when it came to collecting things and never throwing things away. She never threw out anything she collected at the college, she had every nook and cranny of the house loaded with papers and books. She hadn't looked at any of the stuff for years, but when you asked if you could throw it away, she always said it was something she needed for school.

She always encouraged me to go to school and get my engineering degree. There was never any doubt when we were growing up that we would attend college. She never told me what to study to get my degree, but she always encouraged me to find something and then go after it.

Everything that Mom enjoyed had to do with learning and increasing your knowledge. Whether it was studying wild flowers in the Bear Paws, digging for fossils or learning about the family tree. She loved being outdoors and expanding her knowledge and everyone's knowledge around her. I think that she really enjoyed teaching and helping others learn more and better themselves by expanding their knowledge. I am really going to miss her.

I Love You Mom,
Kev


KOTI Tribute

Right person, right place, right time is an accurate description of Martha Anne's tenure at Oregon Tech. Her enthusiasm for Oregon Tech was irresistible. Martha Anne's greatest asset was her ability to energize support for Oregon Tech.

She won the heart and support of people with the first visit. Her sincerity, easy manner and often-joked-about diminutive size were disarming. Many people walked away from their introductory meeting with Martha Anne after making a commitment to Oregon Tech feeling surprisingly good about it. We at KOTI have been proud partners of Oregon Tech since starting the station on the original "OTI" campus in 1956.

We will miss but not forget Martha Anne Dow. More importantly her contributions to Oregon Tech will continue to benefit students, the Klamath Basin, the State of Oregon and many industries and businesses.

KOTI Ownership and Management: Patsy Smullin, Roger Harris, and Bob Wise


Larry Rapp Tribute

When I reflect on Martha Anne, it is impossible to document all of her accomplishments to better Oregon Tech, and the Klamath community. Also, it is impossible to describe the warmth and friendship she provided to everyone she knew.

I remember the effort she put into convincing me and others at ElectroScientific Industries to locate a facility in Klamath Falls. Without her contribution to that project, it would not have happened. But I soon learned Martha Anne approached all tasks with the same vigor and energy. It could be getting a new sign for the campus, or raising funds for a new building. It didn't matter - efforts large or small - once she was committed to the project she gave it her all. If she had a fault, it was faulting herself when something didn't go right even when she had no control over a situation - such as tuition increases, and the legislature failing to provide money for faculty pay increases.

We can all celebrate the fact she provide Oregon Tech and the Klamath community with a vision for its future and put in place key elements for that vision to succeed.

Larry Rapp
Oregon Tech Alumnus
President's Advisory Council Member


May al-Doori Tribute

I would love to say that I have from Dr. Martha Anne Dow a beautiful, personal card that I treasured so much. In it she expressed her kind words to me. I adored her and will keep remembering her as a symbol of the American academic working women. Throughout her illness, I sent her the following words:

"I love you, not only for what you are, but for what I am when am with you

"I love you, not only for what you have of yourself, but for what you are making of me

"I love you, for putting your hand into my heaped up heart, and passing over all the foolish weak things that you can't help seeing there,

"And for drawing out into the light all the beautiful belongings that no one else has looked quite far enough to find

"I love you, because you have done more than any creed could have done, to make me good, and more than any faith could have done to make me happy

"YOU have done it without a touch, without a word, without a sign

"You have done it by a being yourself

AND PERHAPS THAT IT IS WHAT BEING A FRIEND MEANS AFTER ALL"

I am a Muslim: I believe in this quotation which has been sent as a blessing to Jesus Christ, a Prophet in my Holy Book Qur'aan To Dr. Martha Anne...all the prayers ...MAY GOD Bless Her Amen.

Sincerely,
May al-Doori
Former academic consultant
Oregon Renewable Energy Center