6 The RAPS Sheet February 2022 NORMAN L. WYERS, longtime faculty at the PSU School of Social Work, died December 14, 2021. Professor Wyers was a much-loved colleague and teacher who retired in 1996 as professor emeritus. He is remembered by his many students as someone who helped them find their passion for social work and increased their understanding of poverty and the needs of underrepresented people. Professor Wyers was born in Newport Beach, California, in 1932, the first child of Clifford “Dutch” and Virginia “Jino” Wyers. He graduated from Oregon State College in 1955 with a degree in education. After teaching high school biology and chemistry in Eagle Point, Oregon, he spent two years in the Army, much of it stationed in Germany. He then pursued a Master of Social Work at the University of Washington, completed the degree in 1964, and practiced as a social worker in the King County Public Welfare Department and the Jackson County Intermediate Education District. In 1970, Professor Wyers and his wife, Dianne, and their two children moved to New York, where he received a D.S.W. from Columbia University. He was recruited to PSU in 1974 to oversee the undergraduate program in social work. He went on to teach more than 30 different courses at undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels, primarily In memoriam: Norman L. Wyers, 1932-2021 focused on social work as a profession, social work history, social policy, community organization, and working with groups. During his 21 years at PSU, Professor Wyers served as assistant dean, director of the MSW Program, coordinator of the Undergraduate Social Work Program, and the first director of the Statewide Master’s Program, one of the first distance learning options at PSU. His service to the PSU community included Faculty Senate, Committee on Committees, Educational Policies Committee, Faculty Development Committee, and the PSU Committee on AIDS. Professor Wyers taught some of the first courses at PSU focused on persons with HIV/AIDS and was a pioneer in developing courses about social work with persons with HIV/AIDS and their families. In 1990, Professor Wyers was named Social Worker of the Year by the Oregon Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. In 1996, he received the George Hoffmann Award for Faculty Excellence. He is survived by his son, Peter; his daughter, Abby; his son-in-law, David Sage; and two cherished grandsons, Forest and Jasper Sage. Donations can be made to the Social Work Student Emergency Fund at https://giving.psuf.org/sswemergency. —Nancy Koroloff Professor Emerita, School of Social Work In memoriam: D. Richard Lycan, 1933-2021 D. RICHARD LYCAN, a professor of geography and urban studies and planning whose Portland State career began in 1970, died December 20 at his Portland home. He was 88 years old. Professor Lycan was born December 17, 1933, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Isabelle Hart Lycan and Glenn Lycan. He received a bachelor’s degree in geography and geology from the University of Idaho in 1956, where he participated in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps. He served seven years in the Navy as a watch officer and division officer on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-10) and the battleship U.S.S. Wisconsin (BB-64). He transferred to Naval Intelligence and retired from the Naval Reserve as a captain. In 1961 Professor Lycan received an M.S. in geography from George Washington University and in 1964 a Ph.D. from the University of Washington. He taught at the University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C., for six years before joining Portland State. His career at PSU included service as chair of the Department of Geography for 10 years. He was an early user and contributor to geographic information systems (GIS), one of the co-creators of the Atlas of Oregon Lakes, and worked on numerous projects analyzing population trends for local, state, and federal governments. Upon retirement he was promoted to professor emeritus. In his retirement Professor Lycan continued to attend and present at professional meetings and conferences. Reading, canoeing, rafting, fishing, and driving the countryside were among his leisure-time activities. Professor Lycan is survived by his wife of 65 years, Elaine, of Portland; his son, Paul Lycan (Patty), of San Diego; and daughter, Anne Marie Lycan, of Boston. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Paula Lycan, Queens, New York; Molly Lycan, Portland; and Jesse Lycan, Brunswick, Maine. A celebration of life is expected to be held this summer. Remembrances may be made to the Portland State University Institute on Aging in Professor Lycan’s name: https://www.pdx.edu/institute-on-aging. An online guest books is available at www.oregonlive.com/obits.
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