LOUKAS ARVANITIS

ARVANITIS, LOUKAS
(APRIL 25, 1926-SEPTEMBER 28, 2016)
Loukas Arvanitis, a distinguished Professor of Forestry Biometrics, died peacefully, surrounded by his family in Gainesville, Florida. He was born on April 25, 1926 in Eptalofos, a village nestled in the verdant mountains of Mount Parnassos in central Greece and it was from there that he developed a life-long fascination with the beauty of its natural environment. He pursued studies at the Agriculture and Forestry School at the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, obtaining a BSC degree, and then completed corresponding advanced degree work at the University of California, Berkeley, culminating in a PhD in 1966 becoming one of the first PhD graduates in his field. From then on until 1968, he taught at the University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, and collaborated with the Canadian government, before becoming in 1968 an Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin. By 1971, he had returned to Greece accepting a faculty position at the Aristotelian University in the School of Forestry and Natural Environment, where he distinguished himself in Forestry Science. A little over a year later, his administrative skills led to a ministerial appointment as the Director General of Higher Education, and later as the Governor of the Agricultural Bank of Greece. Loukas was also appointed as a Board Member of the U.S. Education Fulbright Foundation and helped to initiate many of the vocational colleges that still exist and function there today in Greece.
In 1976, he returned to the United States being recruited by the University of Florida, where he was appointed as Professor in Forest Biometrics, a position he held until his retirement. By 1984, he had become the acting chair of a newly formed Department of Forestry, and in 1992 was named the Acting Director of the UF Austin Cary Memorial Forest directly appointed by the Provost of the University. Among his many early initiatives and achievements was the modern GIS/GPS remote sensing laboratory that he organized in the late 1990s together with NASA. In 2003, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by Michael V. Martin, vice-President of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (IFAS). In 2003 he retired becoming Professor Emeritus but still maintaining an interest in his research, supervising numerous graduate students, mentoring several junior scholars, and became known for his generosity of spirit as well as his active community life. Loukas was an early supporter of campus and community activities enabling a greater understanding of Greek culture, and was especially active at St. Elizabeth Greek Orthodox Church and the UF Center for Greek Studies.
Loukas is survived by Massina Arvanitis, who was the love of his life, and his two sons; George and Vasilios (Lee); daughters-in law, Dona, Georgia; and grandchildren Lucas and Electra who currently reside in London, England.
Funeral services will be held on October 5, 2016 at 12:00 at St. Elizabeth's Church 5129 NW 53rd Ave, Gainesville. Visitation will take place at Forest Meadows Funeral Home on Tuesday, October 4, 2016 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. The family requests in lieu of flowers, donations be made to either St. Elizabeth's Church or Haven Hospice. Services are under the care of Forest Meadows Funeral Home Gainesville, FL 352-378-2528.