Strachan Donnelley

DONNELLEY--Strachan, a passionate conservationist, philosopher, fly-fisherman, husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend, and lover of all things natural, died peacefully on Saturday, July 12th, 2008 at his home in Manhattan, NY from gastric cancer. Strachan, son of the late Gaylord Donnelley, former president and chairman of the Chicago-based printing company R.R. Donnelley & Sons, and Dorothy Donnelley, was 66 years old. Up until the time of his death, Strachan continued to serve as Founder and President of the Center for Humans and Nature, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to explore and promote moral and civic responsibilities to human communities and to natural ecosystems and landscapes. Strachan received his B.A. in English Literature from Yale University in 1964, studied philosophy at University College Oxford University from 1964-1967, and received his M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy in 1972 and 1977, respectively, from the New School for Social Research. Prior to founding the Center in 2002, Strachan worked at the Hastings Center, the noted nonprofit bioethics research institute in Garrison, NY (1986-2002), and served as its President from 1996-1999. At the time of his death, Strachan was a trustee on the following boards of directors: the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation (chairman emeritus), the American Museum of Natural History, The Land Institute, The University of Chicago, the New School for Social Research, the National Humanities Center (trustee emeritus), Sarah Lawrence College (honorary trustee), The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (life trustee). He was also active on the Advisory Committees of the following boards: the Yale Institute of Biospheric Studies, the American Fisheries Foundation, the Coldwater Conservation Fund (Trout Unlimited), Human Rights Watch, World Wildlife Fund, Christ College (Valparaiso University), the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and the Aldo Leopold Foundation. In the months preceding his death, Strachan worked closely with cherished colleagues on Living Waters, Magic Mountains: Explorations of a Flyfishing Philosopher, an anthology of his professional essays to be published posthumously. Strachan's lively spirit and wildness will continue to thrive in his six Donnelley women: his wife of 40 years, Vivian, and his five daughters, Inanna, Naomi, Aidan, Ceara and Tegan, and in the life and laughter of his five (almost six) grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Laura and brother Elliott. Strachan will live on in the winds and waters of his favorite places the family home in Mill River, Massachusetts, The Coleman Lake Club in Northern Wisconsin, Ashepoo Plantation in Green Pond, South Carolina, and Windblown Hill, his childhood family farm, in Libertyville, Illinois, where a private family funeral will be held on Thursday, July 17th, 2008. Strachan will be celebrated among family, friends, and colleagues at a public memorial service on Saturday, July 19th at 10 am at Fullerton Hall, the Art Institute of Chicago and at a second memorial service in Manhattan in the fall. Strachan's family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Center for Humans and Nature http:/ /www.humansandnature.org/ or to The Land Institute http:// www.landinstitute.org/