WILLIAM H. GUSTAFSON ’66

WILLIAM H. GUSTAFSON, 62, William Howard Gustafson of Lubbock, Texas, a mathematician with an international reputation, died July 16, 2007 of cardiovascular disease in Lubbock. He was 62. He leaves two sisters, Judith Ann Gustafson Currier of North Falmouth, Massachusetts, and Nancy Gustafson Radoff of Old Saybrook, Connecticut. He also leaves a niece, Torie Kristina Radoff of Old Saybrook, Connecticut.Dr. Gustafson was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He was the son of the late Priscilla W. Gustafson and the late Howard I. Gustafson of Middletown, Connecticut. Dr. Gustafson attended public schools in Middletown, Connecticut and began his collegiate education at Wesleyan University in Middletown, earning a bachelor of arts degree in 1966. He earned a masters degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1967 and a doctoral degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1970. He was a teaching fellow at the University of Illinois from 1966-1970. Dr. Gustafson was an assistant professor at Indiana University from 1970-1976, and a visiting assistant professor at Brandeis University from 1972-1973. He then joined the faculty of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Texas Tech University as an assistant professor in 1976. In 1980 he was promoted to associate professor and, in 1986, Dr. Gustafson was promoted to the rank of professor. He remained on the faculty until his retirement in 2003. Dr. Gustafson’s expertise was in ring theory and algebra, and he was knowledgeable about most of modern mathematics, according to his late colleague, Dr. Paul R. Halmos. Dr. Gustafson was one of many modern mathematicians who appeared in a collection of photographs compiled from Dr. Halmos’ private collection of snapshots and published in I Have a Photographic Memory, (American Mathematical Society, Providence, Rhode Island, 1987). He was invited by Dr. Halmos to contribute a chapter entitled, “On Products of Involutions” in Paul Halmos: Celebrating 50 Years of Mathematics, (Springer-Verlag, New York, in 1991). In addition, Dr. Gustafson was the author or co-author of over 40 published papers and he presented numerous invited addresses and colloquia throughout the country and in Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and Canada. He organized the department’s colloquium series for many years. In 1977, Dr. Gustafson was among the recipients of the Lester R. Ford Award, given annually by the Mathematical Association of America at the Summer Meeting of the association. The Lester R. Ford Awards were established in 1964 to recognize authors of articles of expository excellence published in The American Mathematical Monthly or Mathematics Magazine. Up to five of these awards are given annually. William P. Ziemer, William H. Wheeler, S.H. Moolgavkar, Paul R. Halmos, John H. Ewing and Dr. Gustafson were honored for “American mathematics from 1940 to the day before yesterday,” (American Mathematical Monthly 83 [1976], 503-516). In addition to his interest in mathematics, Dr. Gustafson enjoyed music, classical, jazz, and blues, and he played guitar from a young age. Dr. Gustafson became interested in amateur radio while visiting his brother-in-law, Richard E. Currier, an amateur radio operator (AA1FB). He studied for his license, eventually achieving the “Extra” license level. He had become interested in radio as a child when he and his father engaged in “SWL” (short wave listening). He often participated in field day with his father (KA1PPN), also an amateur radio operator, in Connecticut. He was a member of the Lubbock Amateur Radio Club for almost 20 years. He was considered to be one of the best CW (Morse code) operators in West Texas. Dr. Gustafson also served as a VE (volunteer examiner) certified to administer the test for new radio amateur operators. For many years, Dr. Gustafson traveled regularly all over the Southwest to amateur radio gatherings, swap-fests, and to meet and visit with his many radio friends. His key is now silent, KG5OV. Services will be held at a future date in North Falmouth, Massachusetts. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Dr. Gustafson’s name may be made to the Lubbock Amateur Radio Club (3801-68th Street, Lubbock, TX 79413) to support its emergency mobile communications van or to the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, (Box 41042, Lubbock, TX 79409-1042) at Texas Tech University.