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Robin A. Drews ’35

Robin A. Drews ’35, July 2, 1997, in Portland. He was a retired professor of anthropology. After attending Reed for one year, he transferred to the University of Oregon, earning a BA in anthropology in 1938. He and his wife, Elizabeth, taught school in Peking, China from 1940 to 1941, leaving the country on the last Japanese ship to carry Americans prior to the war. During World War II, he served with the U.S. Navy. He continued his studies after the war at the University of Michigan, where he earned a master’s degree in Far Eastern studies in 1947 and a PhD in 1952. He taught social sciences at Michigan State University until 1965, when he returned to Portland to take a position as professor and chair of the anthropology department. He retired as professor emeritus in 1978. He was a member of many professional organizations, published extensively on anthropological subjects, and traveled to China and Japan frequently. In retirement, he was active in Portland civic affairs, including service on the board of the Friends of Washington Park Zoo. Survivors include his second wife; a daughter, Karen Drews White ’64; and a grandson.

Appeared in Reed magazine: November 1997

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