Evergreen “founding mother” Carolyn Dobbs died February 3, leaving an academic, personal and public service legacy that extended well beyond the college. She was 71.

Carolyn joined the faculty in 1971. Over the span of her career she helped establish the Organic Farm, team-taught with dozens of colleagues, inspired hundreds of students and held a number of administrative leadership roles. Her primary teaching passions were natural resource management and children's literature. Putting theory into practice, Carolyn chaired Thurston County's first Shorelines Management Program Planning Committee and served on wide range of boards and commissions related to education, agriculture, forest practices, national parks and wildlife preservation.

“For decades, Carolyn hiked, climbed, skied and volunteered in Washington's national parks,” her obituary recounted. “Our national parks and wilderness areas—and the wildlife they protect—were Carolyn's church. Mt Rainier was her cathedral. During the last week of her life her immediate family and many friends shared stories and memories of friendship, adventures and Carolyn’s contributions to the world as an educator, community activist and public servant. Even while living her last three years with GBM brain cancer, Carolyn's determination, positive attitude and ‘all-in’ tenacity enabled her to live a quality of life hundreds of friends and colleagues admired.”

Washington’s National Park Fund created the annual Carolyn Dobbs Environmental Science Grant, to support science research. The Fund may provide scholarships for students working with field scientists in Washington’s national parks, among other things. Donors to the Fund can direct their gifts to support the award in Carolyn’s honor.