Dr. Lewis Weathers

DR. LEWIS WEATHERS, a UCR plant pathology professor emeritus and one of UCR's early faculty members died on March 6, 2015 due to complications from prostate cancer. He joined the University of California Citrus Experiment Station in 1953 as a junior plant pathologist. In 1967 he became a full professor of plant pathology and department chairman from 1972-76 on a basis of his outstanding record in research and teaching. As a scientist he pursued research into the ecology of viruses and worked with associates in the discovery of viroids, a new kind of pathogen. He received a great deal of academic recognition in the field of virology and was subsequently rewarded with scholarships from the Guggenheim, Rockefeller, Fullbright and NASA Foundations that allowed him to travel to virus research centers throughout the world. Many students around the world have studied and trained in his laboratories. He held administrative positions at the University of California, Riverside. In addition to department chairman, he was Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences from 1976 to 1986. Retirement in 1988 provided him the opportunity to consult for the United States Government on agricultural matters in many parts of the world and serve the government of Thailand as an advisor to their National Research Council. Dr. Weathers, a native of Utah, lived in Riverside since 1953. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees in Botany at Utah State University and earned his doctorate in plant pathology at the University of Wisconsin. He was preceded in death by his wife of sixty-two years, Pauline Weathers. He is survived by his daughters, Laraine Hair of Riverside and Paula Preston of Oak Glen; his sons Glen Weathers of Corona and Joel Weathers of Riverside; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Inurnment will be private of Olivewood Cemetery, Riverside, California and the family suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be given on his behalf to the UCR Botanical Gardens in care of the UC Riverside Foundations, University of California, Riverside, California 92521.