Gary Allen Lorden

1941 - 2023

June 10, 1941 - October 25, 2023 Gary A. Lorden, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, former Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs at Caltech, died on Wednesday after a 10-month battle with a rare form of cancer. For many years Gary proudly served as the Chair of the Board of Governors of the Caltech Athenaeum where he was also a member of its wine committee. A graduate of Fairfax High School, Gary received his undergraduate degree from Caltech and his Ph.D. from Cornell University.
Gary was a true renaissance man. He was an excellent pianist, a connoisseur of fine food and wines, and a world traveler. He had a wicked sense of humor, loved a good debate, and could always be counted on to come up with a witty pun. Gary delighted in applying mathematical concepts to popular issues. He served as the mathematics consultant for the television series Numb3rs and co-authored the book, "The Numbers Behind NUMB3RS: Solving Crime with Mathematics." He was interviewed by the media on topics as varied as the probability of winning the lottery and the likelihood of two brothers playing in the Super Bowl. At the time of his death, Gary was working on a book about gambling. However, even he could not beat the odds.
Gary was predeceased by his wife Louise and is survived by his loving daughters Lisa Myers and Diana Burnstine, son-in-law Michael and grandsons, Adam and Zachary. He also leaves his devoted partner, Robin Kay-Wicker and scores of dear friends and admirers. He will be deeply missed.
Services will be held at Mt. Sinai Memorial Park in the Simi Valley on Thursday, November 2 at 2:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.