Geography Professor Emeritus William G. ‘Bill’ Loy is seen here editing pages from the second edition Atlas of Oregon in 2001.
As editor and director of the award-winning Atlas of Oregon, University geography Professor Emeritus William G. “Bill” Loy helped bring the geography of Oregon to life for people around the world. As a teacher, professional, friend and family man, he displayed thoughtfulness, optimism and a willingness to always go out of his way to help anyone.
A ceremony in celebration of Loy’s life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at the First United Methodist Church in Eugene. Loy died Nov. 15 at the age of 67 from cancer-related complications.
Loy taught at the University from 1967 to 1997 in the geography department, sharing his love for cartography — the science of making maps — with many students.
He was best known for his work on the Atlas of Oregon and was responsible for the creation of two editions of the highly acclaimed atlas. The first was created in 1976 and was considered a masterpiece by many in the profession. The second edition was published in 2002.
Both books have won numerous awards, including the Globe Book Award from the Association of American Geographers in 2001 and the Best Book and Atlas Award from the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping in 2002.
When working on the atlases, Loy was very concerned about making sure everyone who helped was given credit. As a cartographer, he worked with many researchers across the state, including archaeologists and historians.
“He was very well-known for not only giving credit where credit was due, but he was also very generous,” said Stuart Allan, a cartographer-turned-map-publisher, who worked with Loy on both editions of the atlas. “He was extremely meticulous in crediting what work people did.”
The second edition of the atlas is full of maps created using the latest high-speed computer and cutting-edge graphics technology that Loy helped bring to the University.
Jim Meacham, a former student, helped Loy establish the UO InfoGraphics Lab, one of the first computer labs on campus. Meacham, a research associate and director of the InfoGraphics Lab, said he first met Loy two decades ago as an undergraduate student.
Meacham said Loy was a very thoughtful and caring teacher. He said in the middle of a midterm, Loy would walk around the class with a plastic container of peppermint candy he called “smart pills” and offer them to students.
“Seeing Bill with a smile and some candy would help you relax and focus,” Meacham said.
Loy kept in touch with many of his students after they graduated.
“Bill always made himself available and people really appreciated that,” Meacham said. “He would help you find the answer enthusiastically, and he was very supportive to students and to graduates.”
Other instructors also saw Loy as a great teacher and a loyal friend. Geography Professor Pat McDowell worked with Loy at the University since Loy hired her 20 years ago.
“Bill had the wonderful combination of being an outstanding cartographer in his own right,” McDowell said. “But he was also the kind of person who could step back and mentor and encourage people to do good work in the field.”
McDowell said Loy was very active within the geography department and the Eugene community.
Loy devoted much of his time and energy to the churches he attended and was very involved with the Boy Scouts of America. Additionally, Loy donated more than 100 units of blood during his life, according to a memorial page on the geography department Web site.
“He was just one of those people who (was) just a pillar of the community, and he was also that way in the department,” McDowell said.
Loy loved canoeing and often organized canoe trips and picnics with friends and students. He was also an avid woodworker who built many of the bookshelves and tables that are still used inside Condon Hall, Meacham said.
Loy received many honors and professional awards during his career at the University. In 2002, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the University, one of its highest honors.
In addition to his wife, Maude, Loy is survived by his mother, Charlotte; son, David; daughter, Ellen Loy Schroer; stepdaughter, Debbi Caldwell Vanlandingham; brother, Merrill; and four grandchildren.
“He was a very thoughtful, loving and caring person,” Maude Caldwell said. “He never said an unkind word about anyone.”
Memorial contributions may be made in the name of Bill Loy to the University of Oregon Foundation (P.O. Box 3346, Eugene, OR 97403) for the geography department or to the First United Methodist Church (1376 Olive St., Eugene, OR 97401).
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