Lewis Weathers

Lewis Weathers, a Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology at UC Riverside, passed away on March 6, 2015, due to complications from prostate cancer.

Lewis was a native of Utah. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Botany at Utah State University and earned his doctorate in plant pathology from the University of Wisconsin.

Lewis was one of UC Riverside’s early faculty members. He joined the University of California Citrus Experiment Station in 1953 as a junior plant pathologist. In 1967, he became a full professor of plant pathology.  He served the Department of Plant Pathology as Chair from 1972 to 1976.

As a scientist, he pursued research into the ecology of viruses and worked with associates in the discovery of viroids, a new kind of pathogen. He received a great deal of academic recognition in the field of virology and was rewarded with fellowships from the Guggenheim, Rockefeller, Fullbright and NASA Foundations that allowed him to travel to virus research centers around the world. Many students from around the world studied and trained in his laboratories.

Lewis held several administrative positions at UC Riverside. In addition to his service as Chair of the Department of Plant Pathology, he was Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences from 1976 to 1986.

Retirement in 1988 provided him with the opportunity to consult for the United States Government on agricultural matters in many parts of the world and to serve the government of Thailand as an advisor to their National Research Council.

Lewis was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Pauline Weathers. He is survived by his daughters, Laraine Hair and Paula Preston; his sons Glen and Joel Weathers; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

From the Riverside Press Enterprise, with editing by Dallas Rabenstein.