Obituary: Mark Ashin

Mark Ashin (A.B.'37, Ph.D.'50), Professor Emeritus in English Language & Literature and former Secretary of the Faculties, died Sept. 6 at the Hospitals. He was 80.

"Mark himself wrote clear, uncluttered, elegant English prose, and had the gift of teaching his students to do the same," said Charles O'Connell, retired Vice President and Dean of Students and a longtime colleague of Ashin's. "He had passion for what he wrote about, especially Shakespeare, whom he loved and whom he loved to teach."

Ashin joined the Chicago faculty in 1942, after having taught at Michigan State University from 1938 to 1941. He left the University shortly thereafter to serve in the military during World War II, but resumed his appointment at the University in 1946, and received the Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in 1954. Ashin was Secretary of the Faculties from 1980 to 1992.

He is survived by his wife, Alice, a Hyde Park resident, and a son, Paul, of Arlington, Va.

A memorial fund is being established in his memory to support the teaching of the humanities in the College. Contributions may be made to the Mark Ashin Fund, care of the Office of the Dean of the College, University of Chicago, 1116 E. 59th St., Chicago, IL 60637.