6 In memoriam: Lisa Catherine Vuksich, 1954 - 2011 isa Vuksich, former Executive Assistant to the Dean of the Graduate School of Social Work, died Dec. 30, 2011 of renal failure after a valiant year-long struggle with giant cell myocarditis. She retired in 2009 after a 30-plus year career at Portland State. Born April 23, 1954 in Vancouver, WN, Lisa lived her entire life in the Portland metropolitan area. At PSU she majored in English and French and completed double master’s degrees in those disciplines in 1976. At that point she launched a long career at PSU, during which she held administrative appointments in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures (now World Literatures) and English as a Second Language before moving to the Graduate School of Social Work in the early 1990s, where she remained until her retirement. Colleagues highly appreciated her extraordinarily competent service that made a significant contribution to the growth and development of this institution’s first graduate school. Over the years Lisa became well known across the campus as her administrative duties brought her into continuous contact with other instructional and administrative units. In 1976 Lisa married John Miletich, also a foreign language student, and they traveled extensively in France and in the former Yugoslavia. They both spoke fluent Serbo-Croatian, which with Lisa’s mastery of French enhanced their excursion experiences. During her lifetime, whenever circumstances permitted, Lisa traveled globally, but the Mediterranean region always especially attracted her. Their child, Rudy Miletich, and his grandparents, Rudolf and Berislava Miletich, survive her along with her mother, Jean Vuksich; brothers Duncan (Tracey) and Malcom (Debbie), and sisters Tara Vuksich (Ray Kelsey), Keri Weave, and Ginny Lisa Vuksich Mowery. After Lisa and John divorced, she married Chris Hertel and from that union stepchildren Andy and Sarah Hertel also survive her. Lisa avidly maintained a familiarity with literature ranging from William Shakespeare to Edgar Allen Poe, both of whose works she could recite at length from memory. As a gifted vocalist, music also figured prominently in her life. Her son, Rudy, reminds us, "She was the best at everything she did, and gladly gave everything she had." For her dedicated service to this institution during its formative years, we owe her a heavy debt of gratitude. We shall miss her as a PSU community member, and we extend our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to her family. Remembrances may be made to the Providence Heart Transplant Program, 1111 NE 99th, Suite 201, Portland OR 97220. --Emeritus Professor of History Victor C. Dahl L
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