Bill Loy, Geographer and Friend, 1936 - 2003

A celebration of life ceremony will be held starting at 1:00 pm, Saturday, December 6^th at the First United Methodist Church in Eugene, for William G. "Bill" Loy.  Bill died November 15^th of complications from cancer. He was 67.

Bill was born October 13^th, 1936, in Dawson, New Mexico, the second son of Hubert and Charlotte Loy. He married Esther Korpi in August 1962. She died in April 1983. He married Maude Caldwell on January 4^th, 1986.

Bill completed high school in Duluth, Minnesota. He completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, master’s degree at the University of Chicago and PhD at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

He taught for 30 years in the Geography Department at the University of Oregon from 1967 to 1997; he also served as department chair. He taught cartography and the physical geography of Oregon, among other topics.  Bill served as Director and Cartographer of the first edition of the Atlas of Oregon in 1976. He followed up 25 years later as Editor of the second edition of the Atlas. Both books won numerous awards, including the Globe Book Award from the Association of American Geographers (2001) and the Best Book and Atlas Award from the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (2002), and have served as the model for many other state atlases.

Bill was awarded two Fulbright grants allowing him to study and teach in Ireland and Austria.  He received many other professional awards, including the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Oregon (2002), Oregon Scientist of the Year (1997) from the Oregon Academy of Science, Distinguished Service Award from the Association of Pacific Coast Geographers (1991), and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Minnesota, Duluth (1990).

He was an active member of many professional and community organizations.  His professional affiliations included the American Association of Geographers, the Association of Pacific Coast Geographers (President in 1987-88), the Lane County Geographical Society, the Oregon Geographic Names Board.  He was an active community member, dedicating his time and energy to the Eugene Round Table (President), First United Methodist Church, First Congregational Church, and the University of Oregon Friendship Foundation for International Students.  He donated over 100 units of blood to the blood bank.

Bill was a second generation Eagle Scout and also served as Scoutmaster for many years in Eugene. He was an avid photographer, woodworker, and reader. He traveled extensively his entire life.

Bill was on active duty in the United States Navy for three years, and a reservist for an additional 17 years, reaching the rank of Commander.  His primary role as a Naval Officer was serving aboard the USS Tanner mapping the floor of the Persian Gulf in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

In addition to his wife, Maude, Bill is survived by his mother, Charlotte Loy, brother, Merrill Loy, son, David Loy, daughter Ellen Loy Schroer and son-in-law Frank Schroer, step-daughter, Debbi Caldwell Vanlandingham and step-son-in-law Stanley Vanlandingham, and four grandchildren. He is also survived by his first mother-in-law, Alice Korpi, and brother-in-law, John Korpi, and extended family, June and Warner Kirlin.

Memorial contributions may be made to University of Oregon Foundation (PO Box 3346, Eugene, OR 97403-3346) for the Geography Department in the name of Bill Loy, or to the First United Methodist Church (1376 Olive Street, Eugene, OR 97401).