IN MEMORIAM: ANDREW TARSHIS

In remembrance of Andrew Tarshis, one of the first-ever recipients of a PhD in geology from UC Santa Cruz, his family has asked that a fund has been set up in his name. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made to this fund that will honor Andrew's memory by helping others to achieve their academic goals in the Earth sciences.

We will be posting memories and photos of Andrew as we receive them. If you have any that you would like to share on this website, please email them to webmaster@es.ucsc.edu.

Obituary
Andrew Lorie Tarshis, 62, of Sacramento, California, died at his home on Nov. 6, 2006. He was born in Boston on Jan. 11, 1944, the son of Elizabeth Kent Gay and Lorie Tarshis.

He grew up in Calais, attended elementary school in Maple Corner and graduated from Vermont Academy in Saxtons River. He received a bachelor's degree from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in geology from the University of California at Santa Cruz.

He was employed by the United States Bureau of Land Management for many years, retiring in the mid-1990s. Andrew struggled his adult life with Type I Diabetes and maintained a fierce independence in spite of the challenges of living with diabetes and its many complications.

Andrew leaves his children, Ira and Bianca Tarshis; his step-daughter, Masha; former wives Nancy Ortiz and Natasha Tarshis; sisters Susan Tarshis of North Montpelier, Janet Ancel and her husband Stephen Reynes of Calais, Olivia Gay of Calais and Tanya Tarshis of Toronto, Canada; his step-mother Inga Tarshis, also of Toronto; aunts Rosamond Sprague of Columbia, S.C. and Edith Kent of Montpelier; nephews Drew Ancel and Aaron Ancel; niece Julie Tarshis Pandya; as well as several cousins.

Andrew had a special place in his heart for all his pets, especially Neal, Ayla, Molly, Trouble and Felix and he asked that they be remembered on his gravestone.

He also loved Vermont, its changeable weather, the succession of the seasons, his connections to people and places. He paid close attention to the world around him and friends can honor his memory by doing the same.

A funeral service was held on Monday, Nov. 13, at the Green Valley Mortuary in Folsom, Calif., at 11 a.m. A memorial service may also be held at a later date in Calais and he will be buried at the Robinson Cemetery in Calais.

Donate Online
Please click the link above and enter "Andrew Tarshis Fund" in the "Additional Comments" box.

Donate by Mail
To make a donation by mail, please print and fill out the Gift Form. Make checks out to UC Regents, and send to:

Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences
UC Santa Cruz
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064

Please write "Andrew Tarshis Fund" on the bottom of your check.

If you need further assistance, you may call Department Manager Judy Van Leuven at 831-459-4478, or e-mail judyvan@es.ucsc.edu.