Donald Bruyere died on Aug. 4, 2008, at the age of 79. Born in Detroit, Mich., Bruyere earned a BA and MA in geography from Wayne State University in 1951 and 1952, respectively, and a PhD from the University of Michigan in 1958. Before coming to UW Oshkosh in 1964, Bruyere taught at University of Oregon, Modesto Junior College in California, and Wayne State University. After working at UW Oshkosh for 25 years, he retired in June of 1989.

Bruyere was the chair of the Geography Department from 1966 to1969 and from 1978 to 1989. His teaching and research interests included population and urban and economic geography, with regional emphasis on Europe and the former U.S.S.R.

During his career at UW Oshkosh, Don conducted numerous overseas study tours to the U.S.S.R., Europe, China and Japan. He also established the Donald Bruyere Award for Scholarship in Foreign Studies at UW Oshkosh. This annual award can be given to a full-time student who has completed at least one upper-level foreign area course offered by the Geography and Urban Planning Department and gained a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of that area.

After retirement, Don moved to Tucson, Ariz.

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