Former Stan State President Crowley dies at 88

TURLOCK -- Gerard Crowley, the second president of Stanislaus State College, died Monday. He was 88.

Mr. Crowley served as acting president of Stanislaus State from 1962-63 and retired in 1983 as executive dean -- the last of the founding administrators to leave the university. Two years later, the college became California State University, Stanislaus. He remained in Turlock during his retirement.

Mr. Crowley stepped into the presidential role after the death of founding President J. Burton Vasché, who died of cancer weeks after retiring in 1962.

Mr. Crowley joined Stanislaus State College in 1960 as a charter administrative staff member. He guided the college through its early phases when it was in temporary quarters at the Stanislaus County Fairground. He took the lead in planning the Monte Vista Avenue campus, which opened in 1965. He also coordinated construction of the school's first buildings and oversaw development of additional facilities and buildings as student enrollment grew.

Glenn Hackwell, a retired biology professor, described Mr. Crowley as a "real gentleman and good leader. He was cut out of the old mold, and always concerned about the people around him."

Mr. Crowley served in the Navy for 22 years, including World War II and the Korean War, according to a biography he completed for The Bee. He was involved with Turlock's Rotary, Chamber of Commerce and centennial campaign, and was named Man of the Year by the chamber in 1973. He listed golf, tennis and baseball as athletic interests.

Mr. Crowley was a native of Boston. Before coming to Stanislaus State, he served as a facility planner with the California Department of Education and taught naval science at Stanford University, where he did post-graduate work, according to CSU Stanislaus' 50th anniversary Web site. He earned a bachelor's degree at Loyola College in Baltimore and a master's degree in education at Boston University.

The cause of Mr. Crowley's death was unclear Tuesday afternoon.

He is survived by his wife, Rita Crowley, and four sons, Gerard Crowley Jr., Stephen Crowley, Mark Crowley and Brian Crowley.

A vigil is set for 7 p.m. Thursday at Allen Mortuary, 247 N. Broadway, Turlock. A funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1301 Cooper Ave. Burial will be at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery on a date to be determined.

Bee staff writer Michelle Hatfield can be reached at mhatfield@modbee.com or 578-2339.