Thomas Cahill, professor emeritus of physics and atmospheric sciences, died May 1 of complications of cancer. He was 82.
During his five decades in research, Cahill delighted in applying his physics expertise to problems in the public sphere, especially those in environmental science. He fought to save Mono Lake, remove lead from gasoline, protect air quality in national parks and safeguard first responders at the World Trade Center after the 9/11 attacks.
“Tom Cahill brought a generosity that was both personal and intellectual to the UC Davis community,” said Elizabeth Spiller, dean of the College of Letters and Sciences.
In 2016, Cahill and his wife, Virginia Cahill, J.D. ’81, who teaches water law in the UC Davis Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, donated a 196-acre parcel along Putah Creek — the Cahill Riparian Preserve — to the UC Natural Reserve System.
Besides his wife, he is survived by two children: Cathy, a professor of atmospheric chemistry at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks; and Tom, an associate professor of chemistry at Arizona State University.
A memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, May 24, at St. James Catholic Church, 1275 B St., Davis, with a reception to follow in the church’s Memorial Center.
Memorial gifts may be made to the UC Davis Foundation, in support of the Cahill Riparian Preserve, 202 Cousteau Place, Suite 185, Davis 95618; Catholic Relief Services; or charity of choice.
Read the complete obituary on the College of Letters and Science website.
Service information for Hess and Kellogg
●︎ CHARLES E. “CHARLEY” HESS — A memorial gathering will be held at 9:30 a.m. Friday, May 24, in the Good Life Garden at the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science. The dean emeritus of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and recipient of the UC Davis Medal in 2014, he died April 13 of congestive heart failure at the age of 87.
His family also announced that charitable donations in his memory are welcome to any organization, but two of particular significance to him and his family are the Charles and Eva Hess Scholarship in Production Agriculture (checks payable to “UC Regents” can be sent in care of Courtney Franks, Dean’s Office, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, 1 Shields Ave., Davis 95616; and Yolo Hospice, P.O. Box 1014, Davis 95617.
Read the Dateline UC Davis obituary.
●︎ LOUISE KELLOGG — A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, June 2, at the Buehler Alumni Center. The geophysicist, a professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, died April 15 of cancer at the age 59. Read the complete obituary for Louise Kellogg on the College of Letters and Science website.
Media Resources
Dateline Staff, 530-752-6556, dateline@ucdavis.edu