Robert Tharsing

1943 - 2015

THARSING Robert died on Dec. 19 at 10:05am with his wife, Ann Tower, and daughter, Lina Tharsing, at his bedside. He was born on Oct. 29, 1943 in Santa Monica, CA. He was preceded in death by his parents, Marion and Miron Tharsing. He studied art at the University of California at Berkeley, earning a B.A. in 1965 and an M.A. in 1967, under Elmer Bischoff and David Hockney, among others. After teaching at Berkeley and at Carnegie-Mellon University, Tharsing joined the faculty of the University of Kentucky in 1971 where he taught art until he retired in 2002. He enjoyed the friendship of many people in Kentucky and Nova Scotia where he summered. He loved music, studied philosophy, art history, politics and literature and traveled widely, always looking at art. Students found Tharsing a generous and thoughtful mentor. His passion to create art was the force that filled his life and literally kept him alive. His legacy of paintings and sculpture will continue to inspire us. Tharsing is survived by his wife, Ann Tower, and daughter, Lina Tower Tharsing, of Lexington; his daughter, Annika Christie, husband, John, grandchildren, Gregory, Mason, and Carolanne, and his son, Behr Tharsing, wife, Valorie, and two grandsons, London and Zane, all of CA.; sisters, Dorothy Tharsing, of Bandon, OR and Lynn Tharsing and husband, David Daniels, of Pacific Palisades, CA. A memorial service will be held Jan. 17 at 5pm at the Lexington Friends Meeting, 649 Price St, followed by a reception at Portofino, 249 E. Main St. Contributions may be made to the UK Arts in HealthCare Gift Account or the UK Art Museum.