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It is difficult to believe that Dr. Frank Glaser in no longer with us. It seems like only yesterday that Frank and I were conducting our mathematics seminars, "Rango numerico", and "Teoria de operadores" in the Spanish language at Cal Poly.
Dr. Glaser was a serious scholar who had written several articles for the Cal Poly journal: "Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies", and as well he was the author of several mathematics and history books in different languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Spanish and English. By the way these books were a lot of fun to read because in addition to their scholarly content, they were illustrated by a certain visual artwork which was drawn in a fascinating and inimitable style.
His depth of knowledge was truly astounding and his discussions were always lively. After listening to him, you always came away with some new piece of information. He was a talented accordion player and as well a TV star and personality who appeared on the Wally George program. He enjoyed charming his audience with his accordion playing and singing of Italian and Spanish songs in their original language.
He was an expert in projective geometry, vector and tensor analysis, and as well he made contributions in the area of means of several functions relative to a weight-function. His lively lectures were accompanied by extensive supplements and notes. In walking the hallways of the Cal Poly math department, I realize that there will never be another professor like Frank Glaser and that things will never be the same without him.
Charles Amelin (Sat 5/16/2009 12:20 AM).
****** Sevgili Babcigim,
I'm so sorry to hear about Frank's passing. I loved the note you wrote to be read at his memorial, Baba. I did not know those stories and I am so glad to learn them. It evoked in my head the image i remember so fondly of him - his wonderful twinkle in his eyes, his long curly hair and headband - i loved that when i was little! I remember as a child I thought he was so wonderful and had a playfulness and curiosity that made me like him so much. I remember being so comfortable with him as a kid. I wish i had had a chance to see him in more recent times.
Gecmis olsun on the passing of your and our friend, Babacigim.
cok cok optum
kizin Aysan (Thu 5/14/2009 12:59 AM).
Frank Glaser De Lugo
It was August 1971 when I met Frank. I came to Cal Poly first time, for the interview for my hiring. Frank, Chuck Amelin, Alan Radnitz , and Hsyn Fan, were teaching the Summer Quarter, with their department chair, another super human being named Sidney Birnbaum. They took us (my wife, our toddler son and me) to lunch at the dormitory cafeteria. Upon learning my Turkish background, on the way to lunch, Frank started to talk Turkish to us. It was Ottoman Turkish, in some strong European accent. I was happily amazed. It has been 38 years but my amazement never stopped about this great man and colleague.
It was 1994 when I was on sabbatical leave in Konya Turkey, where I was searching Turkish and Arabic math books written 11th-13th centuries. While I was in Konya, as soon as I was able to obtain Xerox copies of several books, including the "Canon Masudicus" of Al –Biruni , I mailed them to myself at my Math department address. Frank noticed the arriving packages. He got so curious that he sent me a letter, hand written with his impeccable penmanship, in Turkish, essentially saying: "Hasan, if you don't let me look at these books right away, I will die. Please, may I open the packages and keep the books for you until you come back." By the time I came back, Frank had already hard bounded the Xerox copy of one book, and started to translate it.
We have worked on those books, translations to English and interpretations. The last time I talked to Frank, we promised to each other to spend more time on it, after our full retirements.
Yes, Frank was the ultimate scholar, who was always learning new things, researching whatever he got his hands on.
Frank's parents were immigrants from Austria, via many years in Guatemala, where he had his early formative years. While he was in college in Los Angeles, his parents had a bakery shop, where several of their neighbors were from Lebanon. That was the time he started to learn the first of many self-taught languages. He learned Arabic first, in addition to his home languages of German and Spanish. Next, he learned Ottoman Turkish, completely from books and dictionaries. Since I have known him, he learned Farsi, Russian, French, and Chinese.
Frank and his hand written notes! Every time Frank made a mark or scribbled a letter on a piece of paper, it was so perfect that his students and colleagues knew it was a piece of art.
Frank, All those notebooks you have left! What a treasure for us: your family, your colleagues, and your students.
Frank Glaser De Lugo was a professors' professor. He always generously shared his knowledge with everyone.
I will miss you Frank.
Your friend Hasan A Celik (Sat 5/02/2009 10:02 PM).
Colleagues & Friends,
It was a privelege to know Frank Glaser. In my opinion he was a human treasure. Cal Poly has lost one of its most precious treasures. I will miss him.
Former student & friend,
Bill Edwards (Wed 4/29/2009 4:03 PM).
I met Glaser back when bldg. 8 was brand new. I've seen him go from a single "homely" professor going to math dept. parties at my house by himself to a "put together" professor who found love and started coming to the parties with a blonde and a young daughter.
Both of those Glasers were great teachers and mathematicians. I have fond memoires of him and the changes that have taken place in his life. Although we were only colleagues who shared an office next to each other for 25(plus) years and hung out at math parties, hearing of his death and thinking back on him has really made me realize how much his life has made an impact on mine. Seeing him "start over" has always given me hope that I would too, and I did.
I would like to remind you younger colleagues that even though we only "work together", we all have to same passion for helping students and that we all have an impact, no matter how small, on each others' lives.
I now step off my soap box.
And tip my hat to a Great Colleague, Prof. Frank Glaser.
James (Jim) McKinney (Wed 4/29/2009 2:17 PM).
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
It is with great sadness and a very heavy heart that I must inform you that our dear colleague and friend Frank Glaser passed away on the weekend.
At this point we have no details regarding arrangements and will forward to you information as we have it.
I am sure we all have fond memories of Frank. As his former student, I know I do.
May he rest.
Yours,
Randy Swift (Mon 4/27/2009 9:54 AM).
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