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San Francisco Chronicle, CA
March 22 2008
Leo Kolligian dies - led push for UC Merced
Patricia Yollin, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Fresno native Leo Kolligian was a farmer's son whose San Joaquin
Valley roots only deepened over the decades.
They fueled his quest to lure the University of California to his
part of the world - a seemingly quixotic goal that was realized with
the opening of the UC Merced campus three years ago.
On Thursday, the man known as the father of the 10th campus in the UC
system died of leukemia in his Fresno home.
Mr. Kolligian was 90 years old.
"I think it was the greatest thrill of his life to walk on campus and
see students at that university," said Lee Kolligian of his father.
"He got cancer 10 years ago. Many times, he didn't think he'd see it
come to fruition."
Mr. Kolligian was born in Fresno in August 1917 to Armenian immigrant
parents. He graduated from Fresno State College and Boalt Hall School
of Law at UC Berkeley.
He practiced law in Fresno for more than 50 years and served on the
UC Board of Regents for 12 years, beginning in 1985. He also became a
real estate developer and was instrumental in the building of the
River Park shopping center in his hometown.
"He always loved Fresno and loved his community and wanted to give
back to it," his son said. "He was a farm boy and it's kind of hard
at times to take people off the farm."
Asked why his father felt so strongly about gaining a UC campus for
the valley, Lee Kolligian said: "Maybe because of seeing his son go
to UCLA and never come back. Maybe he realized it would be important
for families to have an institution like that."
The campaign that gave birth to UC Merced was difficult and
protracted.
"It was pretty much horse trading," Lee Kolligian said.
His father's charm and personality didn't hurt a bit.
"My dad was a very gentle man," Lee Kolligian said. "He was a very
giving man. The one thing that I always noticed when I was with my
dad was that someone was always stopping us and telling us what a
kind man he was."
He was fond of tennis and backgammon, and loved to travel.
Lee Kolligian said his father and his mother, Dottie, made about 50
trips abroad.
One plane they were on crash-landed in India; another caught fire.
The main library on the UC Merced campus is named after Mr. Kolligian
and his wife.
"I am honored, elated and deeply appreciative," he said at the time.
His wife of 57 years died in 2000. Two years later, he married June
Humphers.
Besides his wife, Mr. Kolligian is survived by his son and three
grandchildren, all of Pacific Palisades; and his brother, Robert
Koligian of Fresno, who spells his name differently.
A service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul Armenian
Church, 3767 N. First St., Fresno. Burial will follow at Masis Ararat
Cemetery.
Donations can be made to: St. Agnes Medical Center Foundation, 1111
E. Spruce Ave., Fresno, CA 93720; St. Paul Armenian Church, 3767 N.
First St., Fresno, CA 93726; or UC Merced Foundation, P.O. Box 2039,
Merced, CA 95344.
March 22 2008
Leo Kolligian dies - led push for UC Merced
Patricia Yollin, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Fresno native Leo Kolligian was a farmer's son whose San Joaquin
Valley roots only deepened over the decades.
They fueled his quest to lure the University of California to his
part of the world - a seemingly quixotic goal that was realized with
the opening of the UC Merced campus three years ago.
On Thursday, the man known as the father of the 10th campus in the UC
system died of leukemia in his Fresno home.
Mr. Kolligian was 90 years old.
"I think it was the greatest thrill of his life to walk on campus and
see students at that university," said Lee Kolligian of his father.
"He got cancer 10 years ago. Many times, he didn't think he'd see it
come to fruition."
Mr. Kolligian was born in Fresno in August 1917 to Armenian immigrant
parents. He graduated from Fresno State College and Boalt Hall School
of Law at UC Berkeley.
He practiced law in Fresno for more than 50 years and served on the
UC Board of Regents for 12 years, beginning in 1985. He also became a
real estate developer and was instrumental in the building of the
River Park shopping center in his hometown.
"He always loved Fresno and loved his community and wanted to give
back to it," his son said. "He was a farm boy and it's kind of hard
at times to take people off the farm."
Asked why his father felt so strongly about gaining a UC campus for
the valley, Lee Kolligian said: "Maybe because of seeing his son go
to UCLA and never come back. Maybe he realized it would be important
for families to have an institution like that."
The campaign that gave birth to UC Merced was difficult and
protracted.
"It was pretty much horse trading," Lee Kolligian said.
His father's charm and personality didn't hurt a bit.
"My dad was a very gentle man," Lee Kolligian said. "He was a very
giving man. The one thing that I always noticed when I was with my
dad was that someone was always stopping us and telling us what a
kind man he was."
He was fond of tennis and backgammon, and loved to travel.
Lee Kolligian said his father and his mother, Dottie, made about 50
trips abroad.
One plane they were on crash-landed in India; another caught fire.
The main library on the UC Merced campus is named after Mr. Kolligian
and his wife.
"I am honored, elated and deeply appreciative," he said at the time.
His wife of 57 years died in 2000. Two years later, he married June
Humphers.
Besides his wife, Mr. Kolligian is survived by his son and three
grandchildren, all of Pacific Palisades; and his brother, Robert
Koligian of Fresno, who spells his name differently.
A service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul Armenian
Church, 3767 N. First St., Fresno. Burial will follow at Masis Ararat
Cemetery.
Donations can be made to: St. Agnes Medical Center Foundation, 1111
E. Spruce Ave., Fresno, CA 93720; St. Paul Armenian Church, 3767 N.
First St., Fresno, CA 93726; or UC Merced Foundation, P.O. Box 2039,
Merced, CA 95344.