BLUMEL, Joseph Carlton 1928-2007 Joseph C. Blumel was born to Joseph and Lillian Blumel in Kansas City, Mo., on March 3, 1928. He died in Portland on Monday, April 2, 2007, surrounded by family and friends. His life was filled with accomplishments and great personal happiness. He received his bachelor of science degree in 1950, and a master of arts-economics from the University of Nebraska in 1956. He served honorably in the U.S. Army in Korea in 1951-1953. He earned a Ph.D in economics at the University of Oregon in 1965, and received an LL.D (honorary) from the University of Hokkaido (Japan) in 1976. He belonged to a number of professional associations and was active in his field of economics at many levels. In 1961 Joe married Priscilla Bryant. They were a team and had more than 45 years of a close partnership. He always said that Priscilla worked full time for PSU and was their most talented employee and supporter, but never got a salary. They have two daughters, Christina and Carolyn. Joe loved being a father and took pride in his family and their accomplishments. He always had time for "his girls." In the last years he was blessed with a wonderful son-in-law, Kelly, and a granddaughter, Lilia. Dr. Blumel rose through the ranks and was selected president of Portland State University in 1974 following a national search. In lieu of the usual academic inauguration as president, he chose to sponsor a week long community event - 'Vital Partners: The University and the City' - to facilitate communication and cooperation between the University and the City, envisioning a partnership which could make the University a better place for its students and faculty, and the City a better home for its citizens and institutions. In his 12 years as president, he faced internal tensions and external pressures with sensitivity, patience and dignity, seeking the best interests of the total university community in his decisions. He made difficult decisions, each time on the basis of detailed knowledge of the workings of the University community. During these years, Oregon sharply reduced funding of its public institutions of higher education. Joe used this difficult time to restructure the University, saving threatened programs and creating new schools with doctoral, master and certificate degrees, in spite of financial constraints and turbulent times. He accomplished consistent growth in program development, welcomed and promoted women and minorities into the full scope of academia, instituted cooperation between the University and local and state jurisdictions, and reached out to national and international partnerships. He established ties with China's Zhengzhou University, Daegu University in Korea and maintained a longtime close tie with Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan. He fostered an environment of cooperation and respect in seeking excellence at Portland State as an urban public university where scholarship thrived and teaching was important. Joe was a humanitarian who spent his life as a professional and as a volunteer assisting others in meeting their needs, recognizing their talents and attaining their potential. The spectrum of his interests and beneficiaries of his thoughtfulness included charities, the arts, academia, athletics, government and probably most of all his fellow human beings. A partial listing includes: Oregon Educational Coordinating Commission, member and chair of the Commission on Colleges of the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, chair of the Governor's Council of Economic Advisors, interim president of Lewis & Clark College and member of the board of directors of First Interstate Bank and Kaiser Permanente. He was a member of the University Club, Rotary Club of Portland, Ferdinand Society and was knighted by the Royal Rosarians. He held memberships in Alpha Kappa Psi, Beta Gamma Sigma, and Phi Kappa Phi. His community service included United Way, The Oregon Symphony, Portland Youth Philharmonic, Portland Opera, Portland Art Museum, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland Chamber of Commerce, Oregon Public Broadcasting, Loaves and Fishes, Planned Parenthood, Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship fund, Choral Crossties and was a founding member of OHSU Health Sciences Advisory Board. Joe is survived by his beloved wife, Priscilla; daughters, Carolyn, Christina, and her husband, Kelvin Wong; granddaughter, Lilia; sister, Jacqueline Shipley; and brother, William Blumel. If you wish to say goodbye to Joe, there will be a memorial celebration at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, in Hoffmann Hall at 1833 SW 11th Avenue on the Portland State University campus. Parking is available in the parking structure at 1631 SW 12th Avenue. Donations to honor Joe's memory should be sent to the Portland State University Foundation, PO Box 243, Portland, OR 97207. Published in The Oregonian on 4/22/2007.