If any of you have tributes or memories you would like to share, please send them to me. I will bundle them and ask Karen Castle to upload them to the DVCRA website: https://uf4cdretired.org
I am forwarding this to you about the passing of Bill Hutchings. He was a wonderful man, generous, caring, always concerned about his students, helping them succeed against many challenges. I am so sorry to have missed his graveside service.
Stay well and safe.
Nancy Zink
From Marta Gillen, Sr. Executive Assistant, President’s Office DVC
We are sad to report the passing of former instructor William “Bill” Aaron Hutchings earlier this month. Bill was hired in 1969 and taught mathematics courses for 35 years. In addition to teaching, he served on the Faculty Senate Coordinating Council and the district’s Affirmative Action Committee, and as department chair for math and computer science. He retired in 2002 and later returned to teach in the Emeritus Program.
Family members have shared that a graveside service will be on June 6 at 2:00 pm at Oakmont Memorial Park in Lafayette, California. In addition, they have shared that in lieu of flowers, individuals may donate to the Dr. William Aaron Hutchings Memorial Scholarship Fund by making checks out to the DVC Foundation specifying in the memo section this fund name.
From Rob Peters
RE: Bill Hutchings passing
I will miss Bill and the warm, open-minded yet very focused energy that he afforded me, particularly in my early years as a Counselor. We served for some time on the Student Services Committee in the early ’90’s – -with him as Chairperson. That was an earlier era when we needed to make some definitive rules re: so-called “cheating” policies; the role (or existence) of an ombudsperson on campus; developing various campus “free-speech” guidelines such as demonstrating and leafleting, distributing and posting issues surrounding it. The issues were often charged, complex and debated considerably with diverse opinions — not, perhaps, unlike today’s similar issues nationwide Bill was always disciplined and able to listen to and encourage the complexities and the voices, and then work toward collaborative consensus. In that, he served me well as a sharp, dignified role-model who showed me how to get beyond my own ready-to-serve up, heat-infused opinions and conjectures. For that impact, I am most grateful, and it served me well in so many other areas professionally.
Just as valuable, was his sharing of the fun, the stimulation and challenge that he and his wife regularly had by attending the “Wild Bill Harlan” (and accompanying theater faculty member) in summer classes up in Ashland, at the annual Shakespeare Festival. My wife and I listened to and “read” the enthusiasm with which Bill narrated his summer experiences. Along with Art Dull and many others, we took him up on the suggestion one year — and have never regretted it since, especially every summer we make it up to Ashland Oregon.