Memorial Service for the Late Pitt Professor Keiko McDonald To Be Held Oct. 1 at Heinz Chapel

PITTSBURGH- A memorial service for the late Keiko I. McDonald, author and University of Pittsburgh professor of Japanese literature and cinema, will be held at 3 p.m. Oct. 1 in Heinz Chapel, Fifth and Bellefield avenues, Oakland.

McDonald, an avid angler, passed away Sept. 14 as a result of injuries suffered from a fall while fishing.

"The University of Pittsburgh and the greater intellectual community have lost an invaluable professor, scholar, colleague, and friend," said Hiroshi Nara, chair and professor of Pitt's Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures. "We are deeply saddened by this tragedy. We have received a number of messages expressing condolences from all over the world, underscoring the stature of Keiko as a scholar, teacher, and friend."

A member of the Pitt faculty since 1975, McDonald was the recipient of several Fulbright scholarships and the Tina and David Bellet Arts and Sciences Teaching Excellence Award, which recognizes outstanding and innovative undergraduate teaching in Pitt's School of Arts and Sciences.

McDonald was the author, coauthor, or editor of nine books, including the award winning "Reading a Japanese Film: Cinema in Context" (University of Hawaii, 2006).

She received her doctorate from the University of Oregon, her master's degree from the State University of California at Sacramento, and her bachelor's degree from Osaka University of Foreign Studies, Japan.

A memorial fund in McDonald's name has been established. Contributions can be sent to Matt Smith, Office of Institutional Advancement, 316B Craig Hall, 200 S. Craig St., Pittsburgh, PA 15260. Checks should be made payable to the University of Pittsburgh Keiko I. McDonald Memorial Fund.

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9/22/08/tmw