Students plan candlelight vigil Monday to honor Frohnmayer

A student-organized candlelight vigil to remember former UO president Dave Frohnmayer will be held Monday, March 16, at 5 p.m. on the steps of Johnson Hall.

Students Helena Schlegel, the student representative to the UO Board of Trustees, and Keven Frazier are leading the vigil and will be among the speakers. Also speaking will be board Trustee Ginevra Ralph and other student body and university officials.

“This vigil represents an opportunity for students and community members to express their gratitude for Frohnmayer's decades of public service and monumental impact on the University of Oregon campus,” Frazier said.

Frohnmayer, the UO’s president emeritus, died Tuesday from prostate cancer at age 74. He was president of the university for 15 years, was dean and professor of the School of Law and served as an elected state representative and attorney general of Oregon.

Frazier said he was lucky to have known Frohnmayer and met with him on occasion to talk about law school and other topics.

"After each conversation with him, I left feeling inspired, confident and, most significantly, honored to have had a chance to learn from such a devoted public servant,” he said. “Going forward, I hope we all strive to mirror Dave's unparalleled record of service to his community. Oregon lost a great leader, legislator and educator with the passing of Dave Frohnmayer. We should all do our best to honor him by placing the needs of others in front of our own.”

The vigil is one of several opportunities to remember Frohnmayer. A public celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 21, at Matthew Knight Arena, and a memorial and tribute book is available in the Johnson Hall lobby for people who wish to jot down a favorite memory or leave a card or note for the family.