Oscar Horst

I was one of those "countless students" who travelled with Dr. Horst to Guatemala. It was 1968, and an experience that changed my life. Thank you, "Don Oscar." You were wonderful!

Oscar will live on in a lot of us for a long time. He shared not only his vast knowledge of Latin America with my cohort andme, but his contagious enthusiasm. For me, he introduced me to Guatemala in a 1984-85 field trip, steering my career path towards anthropology. I am a professor at U-Kansas due in no small part to Oscar's inspiration, and I am trying, however inadequately, to pass on his legacy to my students.

I met Oscar quite a while ago in the Dominican Republic at a geographer's conference. He was a very nice and learned man.May he rest in peace.

I reach out and touch a picture of Oscar and I. We're crouching in front of a temescal in southern Mexico, drinking pulque from a couple of dirty glasses borrowed from a nearby tienda. That was my mentor. While on the phone with him not long ago I mentioned our forey into the Motagua Valley of Guatemala. I thought he might recall the death threats we received were we to remain long in the mano blanco's village where we found ourselves. Instead, after a long pause Oscar reminded me of the...

I was lucky enough to go to Guatemala with Oscar & Rainer Erhart December 1984-January 1985, with a program through Western Michigan University. I travel with the group as photographer and upon our return we put together an amazing show with photos, movie, music and museum display. It was an amazing experience, working and traveling with Oscar. He was always energetic, optimistic, profession, knowledgeable and fun to be around. He was the nicest person and will be greatly missed.

I was lucky enough to go to Guatemala with Oscar & Rainer Erhart December 1984-January 1985, with a program through Western Michigan University. I traveled with the group as photographer and upon our return we put together an amazing show with photos, movie, music and museum display.

It was an amazing experience, working and traveling with Oscar. He was always energetic, optimistic, profession, knowledgeable and fun to be around. He was the nicest person and will be greatly...

I was a student of Oscar’s in the late 1970’s. The first class I took from him was a summer class. I was very close to dropping out of school because of the lack of interest I had in formal education. He changed my mind about education. He made the hard work fun. I’ll never forget his lecture on the products of Mexico. Or his dare to “eat the worm”. I could not wait to take other classes from him. He taught me to be a more independent thinker and how to learn. I changed my major and minors to...

First met Oscar during OTS in Central America 1970. A gentle man, scholar, and with good field eyes. One of the nicest geographers. And he simply loved black Christs. Best to his wife and family.