Francis Barton Carothers

Beloved Father, Friend, and Teacher,

Professor Emeritus of English, Loyola Marymount University.

Born 1919 in St. Louis, MO, died April 15, 2008 at his home in Manhattan Beach. Graduated from Lowell High School in San Francisco (1935), earned his B.A. from San Francisco State College (1938), and his M.A. at the University of Oregon (1940), where he met the incomparable Vivian Byers, whom he married in Los Angeles in 1945, after his return from World War II military service. He received his doctorate in English from USC (1954). In February 1947 he joined the faculty of Loyola University (now Loyola Marymount), where he served as professor, chairman of the Department of English, and acting dean of the College of Liberal Arts. He retired from active teaching in May 1987, but continued to serve as faculty advisor for student publications until May 1995, to complete almost fifty years of service to the University. During those years he served as faculty advisor for numerous student organizations, including Alpha Delta Gamma fraternity; and six times received the Outstanding Faculty Member award. At age 55 he developed an interest in backpacking and spent 2 weeks every summer hiking high Sierra trails for the next 20 years. At age 68 he hiked the 220 mile John Muir Trail with his son, Frank. After retiring from teaching, he volunteered at AIDS Project Los Angeles and the Los Angeles AIDS Walk until failing health curtailed his activity. He lost his son Joseph in 1992, and his beloved Vivian in March of 2000. His grandson Obediah Kolath died in Iraq in 2005. He is survived by sons Francis III and Gregory (Mary Pat), and daughters Anna Ganahl (Pat), Mary Kolath, Catherine Ellis (David), and Elizabeth Rackover (Barry), eleven grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, three nieces and a nephew and their families, dear friend André Soares, Gabriella Vallecillo and her family, who have provided loving care for the past 12 years, and a host of much loved friends and former students.

Funeral Mass at American Martyrs Church, Manhattan Beach, Monday, April 21 at 10:00 a.m. He will be interred beside Vivian and a short distance from Joseph at All Souls Cemetery, Long Beach, Tues. April 22. In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to the Denise Scott Memorial Scholarship Fund at Loyola Marymount University. Attn: Erin Hanson, LMU, 1 LMU Drive, University Hall, Suite 2800, Los Angeles, CA 90045.