Obituaries

  1. May 29, 2026

    Obituary — Sumer Belbez Pek

    Sumer Belbez Pek, physician-scientist, endocrinologist, educator, and academic leader, died in Ann Arbor on May 24, 2026.

  2. May 20, 2026

    Obituary — Judy Rice

    Judy Fielman Rice, beloved teacher, mentor, dancer and advocate for the art of ballet, died unexpectedly at the age of 65.

  3. May 18, 2026

    Obituary — Thomas D. Gelehrter

    Thomas D. Gelehrter leaves an enduring legacy as a physician-scientist, educator, mentor, and leader of the Department of Human Genetics whose influence shaped generations of trainees and faculty at U-M and far beyond.

  4. May 13, 2026

    Obituary — Diane Joy Vasquez

    Diane Joy Vasquez, 71, of Iron River, Michigan, died May 7, 2026. She worked her way up the ladder at the University of Michigan and became human resources director of operations.

  5. April 24, 2026

    Obituary — Donald L. Rucknagel

    Dr. Donald L. Rucknagel, well known in Cincinnati for his leadership roles with the University Hospital’s and Children’s Hospital’s sickle cell disease programs, died peacefully at home Feb. 14 at age 97.

  6. April 3, 2026

    Obituary — Charles Witke

    Charles Witke, professor emeritus of Greek and Latin in LSA, died March 21, 2026.

  7. April 1, 2026

    Obituary — Hermann Friederich Weiss

    Hermann Friederich Weiss, professor emeritus of the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, died peacefully on March 18, 2026, following a short illness.

  8. April 1, 2026

    Obituary — Alfred Lee Nuttall

    Alfred Lee Nuttall (Fred), age 82, died peacefully at home, surrounded by loving family, in Portland, Oregon, on Jan. 2, 2026.

  9. March 10, 2026

    Obituary — Brian Hazlett

    Brian Hazlett died peacefully in Ann Arbor on March 5. During 40 years at U-M, he taught both on the main campus in Ann Arbor and at the U-M Biological Station.

  10. February 25, 2026

    Obituary — Lucinda Ann “Cindy” Pfalzer

    Lucinda Ann “Cindy” Pfalzer, age 67, of Fenton, died Dec. 6, 2025. She joined the UM-Flint faculty as an assistant professor in 1986, and was promoted to associate professor in 1992, and professor in 1998.