Carroll Kearley

Message from the President
June 20, 2018

Dear LMU Community,

I am saddened to share that Carroll Kearley, emeritus professor of philosophy and Faculty Hall of Fame honoree, passed away on June 16, 2018. He was 87.

Professor Kearley taught at LMU from 1966–95 and was promoted to full professor in 1974. He served two terms as department chair. At his induction into the Hall of Fame, a colleague noted: “He could simplify complex information and make it understandable. He made a lasting impression on his students. He was a quiet, thoughtful man and dedicated to his craft. Dr. Kearley was an effective teacher, not only in the classroom, but also in the halls and in his office.”

In retirement, Professor Kearley published three poetry books, “Deity-Alphabets,” “The Plain Above the River,” and “The Armenian Watchmaker.” He also devoted time to his family and helped care for the homeless and less fortunate.

Professor Kearley was born in 1930 in a farmhouse in Buhl, Idaho. His early education took place in two small towns and in a one-room country school near his parents' farm. He earned a B.A. in English literature from Santa Clara University, an M.A. in English literature from Loyola University in Los Angeles, and his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame.

A memorial Mass will be held this Saturday, June 23, at 11 a.m. in Sacred Heart Chapel on the LMU campus, with Reverend Thomas Rausch, S.J., presiding. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations in his memory to either: the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America or the St. Joseph Center.

Please keep Carroll and his family in your prayers.

Sincerely,

Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D.
President