Connections
A Newsletter for the Viterbo University Community
Vol. 14 No. 17 January 8, 2001
Saying Good-bye to a Friend: Dr. Linda Malick (1938-2000)
The Viterbo community lost a beloved friend and mentor on Thursday, Dec. 28, with the sudden death of Dr. Linda Ellen Malick, biology professor.
Dr. Malick, who died of an apparent heart attack, was born Nov. 29, 1938, the youngest child of James and Alfaretta Malick. She was preceded in death by her
parents and only sibling Patricia Ann Malick.
Funeral services for Dr. Malick were held Saturday, Jan. 6. Fr. Tom O’Neill, Viterbo campus ministry, officiated. Memorials will be used for the Dr. Linda E.
Malick Scholarship Fund at Viterbo.
Joe Kawatski, a longtime member of the biology faculty who is now retired, will teach Dr. Malick’s spring semester Molecular Biology and Genetics courses.
The following portion of her obituary is reprinted from the Jan. 3 issue of the La Crosse Tribune.
“[Dr. Malick] attended UW-Madison, graduating with a B.S. in natural science and education in 1961. Her M.A.F. degree was awarded in 1965 and her Ph.D.
in biology in 1971, both from Brown University. She taught at John Muir Jr. High School in Wausau; Wayne State College, Wayne, Neb.; Brown University,
Providence, R.I.; and the University of Nebraska School of Medicine, Omaha. She did cancer research at the Epply Cancer Research Institute, Omaha. In 1980, she
accepted a teaching position at Viterbo University in the biology department. At Viterbo, she served on many committees and, in 1988, was the recipient of the Fr.
J. Thomas Finucan Award as well as a YWCA Outstanding Women Award.
Dr. Malick belonged to many professional associations in education and biology. She was an establishing member and past board member for the Hixon Forest
Nature Center. She was a teacher for the Elderhostel program at Viterbo, a designer and consultant for the Boy Scout Nature Center and served as a tutor and
member of the board of directors of the Hmong Literacy Center in La Crosse. She organized a tree-planting project which paired college students with local
first-graders to plant seedlings to reforest vacant land.
As a member of the Citizen’s Ambassador Program, she traveled to Russia to discuss education of science; to China to study the damming of the Yangtse River;
and to India to study the environment and population concerns...She had a passion for teaching, a love of traveling, and was a steward of the environment. She was
an avid reader of mysteries, enjoyed working in her garden and making porcelain dolls. She touched so many lives, and will be truly missed by her friends.”
Remembering Linda by the Viterbo Biology Department
Linda was a great storyteller. She loved to relate stories of the earlier, leaner years at Viterbo. For example, when she talked about department chair duties she
often talked of the times she received a block of cheese for serving as department chair.
She also spoke of her “Scottish gene” and how that was responsible for her habit of saving everything. If we couldn’t find something, we’d ask Linda and she
would point us to a closet or other obscure space, like areas under stairwells. If what we needed wasn’t there, she’d say “Let me check my garage.” Linda’s was a
two-car garage that hardly had room for her truck. We called it the Viterbo Biology Storage Annex. It even housed the canoes until a canoe rack was purchased.
Linda had a generous spirit. She bought a lot of items for the department with personal funds (like bedding for the animal room). She also donated her time and
talents to improve the department. She loved to tell the story of how she and now-retired biology professor Joe Kawatski “renovated” the labs. She brought in her
sewing machine and made the window shades, Joe climbed the ladder and hung them up. She also painted labs and hallways, and cleaned and waxed lab floors if
no one was available to do so.
She seemed to really enjoy Christmas, faithfully giving Barnes and Noble gift certificates to children of biology staff members and sponsoring student Christmas
parties.
Linda cared very much for the students and the department. She was fiercely loyal to us and to the students. She did what she thought was in their best interest,
and sometimes stepped on toes along the way. She said it was our department and as we began to make changes, she told us that she would offer her opinion, but
only if asked. We did not think she would leave so soon and so abruptly.
We will profoundly miss her advice and guidance and her stories. We may even miss that “Scottish gene,” especially when we need some little doodad, the
location of which only Linda would know.
Campus Ministry by Fr. Tom O'Neill
A Happy and Blessed New Year to all faculty, staff, and students from your campus ministers. We look forward to a new millennium with you.
San Damiano Chapel: Mass schedules resume today with daily Masses at noon and Sunday Masses at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
We will celebrate a Memorial Mass for Dr. Linda Malick on Wednesday, Jan. 17 at noon in San Damiano Chapel. All are invited and welcome to attend.
Next Monday, Jan. 15, is the national observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We will mark the occasion with a Service of Remembrance on Monday at 6 p.m.
in the San Damiano Chapel. The student planners welcome all to attend.
We remember those who have died: Dr. Linda Malick, Viterbo biology professor; Sr. Beverly Budelier, FSPA, ’93 (business administration) and ’94 (ministry);
Sr. Catherine Parsche, FSPA, retired staff; and, the stepsister of Dusty Walker. May they rest in peace.
With Deep Appreciation
Shortly before Christmas, we were informed as a university community that a member of the Viterbo family was in need of financial support. And, indeed,
Viterbo personnel responded generously to what is now a beautiful Christmas story.
I have received a note of deep appreciation from the benefactors of your support. On their behalf, I convey to all of you a sincere thank you. They are most
grateful for your generosity.
Bill Medland
Viterbo University President
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