Friday, October 31, 2008


In Memoriam:

Campbell Tatham, 68, died at his home in the Town of Cedarburg, surrounded by family on October 28th, after a courageous battle with brain cancer.

Cam graduated from The Hotchkiss School, Amherst College, NYU and UW Madison. He was a professor at UW-Milwaukee for over 35 years, was a pivotal mentor to many graduate students. He served as Associate Chair of the English Department for 15 years, and as an active UWM advocate in many other capacities, perhaps most visibly affecting the curriculum at the department, college and campus level. He continued to teach, the thing he loved best, as an emeritus even after becoming ill.

Cam was also a noted critic, primarily in post-modern fiction, and was published in numerous journals over a span of many years.

While he was most prominently an academic, Cam's other passions helped define him. He was the best of all listeners, loved his dogs, horses, chickens and loved hiking and riding in the forest. He was knowledgeable about birds and snakes and other wildlife. He was an avid jazz and blues aficionado, deejaying a blues show on WUWM many years ago. He was possessed of a gentle spirit and integrity in everything he did and his sense of humor prevailed. Cam was always interested in and excited about the online world as it materialized, used it extensively in his teaching and thus this obituary seems totally appropriate. He would have loved it.

He is survived by his devoted wife of 28 years, Lynn, their children Benjamin and Jocelynn as well as beloved children Greg (Inna), Anne (John Mathie), Rebecca (Michael Curtes), Holly (Evan Pavlovic), Jessica (Dave LeClair) and 5 grandchildren (Dylan, Jude, Rhone, Olivia, and Alden). He is also survived by his brother Charles Tatham III (Sandy).

The family is holding an open house pot-luck for those who wish to remember him at their country home on Saturday, November 8th starting at noon. Emails to earthtoots@wi.rr.com for details.

We also wish to thank those precious friends and family who have been so supportive and loving throughout this long ordeal.

(Matt Roberson's blog post)