Maurice Schwartz

Maurice Schwartz was born to Bertha and Simon Schwartz in Fort Worth and spent his childhood in the nearby small farming/college town of Commerce. After his father passed away he moved with his mother to New York City to live with relatives. It was there that he later went to Bronx High School of Science. With WWII raging in Europe and the Orient he entered the Navy two months before his class graduated. After training in the U.S., Maury served as a motor mechanic on a Landing Ship Tank (LST) in the Pacific Theater near the end of the war. Upon returning home he followed his family tradition and opened a variety store (5 & 10) in a small town near New York. Having become engaged during the war, Norma Sternberg and Maury were married on January 1, 1950. In the next ten years Norma brought forth five beautiful babies. As the family grew Maury realized that he was not cut out to be an entrepreneur. After selling the business he enrolled as a freshman at Columbia University. Seven years later he left the campus with a BS, MA and PhD, all in geology. With an assistant professorship offered at Western Washington State College (now Western Washington University) Norma and Maury packed up the family and moved to Bellingham. At Western Maury taught earth science education, oceanography and graduate classes in coastal geology. He published extensively, traveled widely, and consulted on coastal matters. At times he was president of Congregation Beth Israel and chair of the Alzheimer Society. Maury retired from the faculty and stepped down as Dean of Graduate School and Bureau for Faculty Research in June, 1993. Maury was preceded in death by Norma and his companion Evelyn Kest. Survivors include Stephanie (David) Sorensen, Phebe (Richard Davis) Schwartz, Philip Schwartz, Howard (Stephanie) Schwartz, Ivan Schwartz, and seven grandchildren and two great-grandsons. A family inurnment gathering will be held at Bayview Cemetery at a later date. Donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society or Whatcom Hospice.