William "Bill" Speth

In the geography class he was teaching at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in about 1970, i told him of my interest in graduate school, thinking I wanted history of the American West. Professor Speth suggested geography and his University of Oregon. And that's what I did, PhD '75. We stayed in contact; and in addition to mentor, he remained a goof friend. An unforgetably brilliant mind and deliberate speaker, he imparted wisdom for those patient enough to hear him out.

I met Bill in the late 1950's where we worked as student gardeners in the UCB Botanical Gardens. We struck up a friendship lasting 60+ years. He was a brilliant scholar, supporting the deeper understandings of Franz Boas and Carl O. Sauer against the then more superficial treatments by American anthropologists. We had many summer adventures hiking, canoeing, camping, and exploring wilderness areas of the PNW. I consider him a treasured mentor, leading me to become a lifelong advocate for...