Former liberal arts dean Light dead at 80
James F. Light, a former dean of the College of Liberal Arts and professor of English, died of a heart attack April 15 in New Hampshire.
He was 80.
Light was the co-author of the literary text, "The Modern Age," along with its companion teacher's manual. He also wrote "Nathanael West: An Interpretive Study" and "John William deForest," both book-length studies of those American writers.
Before coming to the University, Light was the provost of the City University of New York's Lehman College. Light also served on the faculty at the University of Bridgeport (Conn.) and had taught at the University of Kentucky, Syracuse University, Radford (Va.) College and Indiana State University.
Light held bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Chicago and a doctorate from Syracuse University.
Light was born in Memphis Nov. 5, 1921. He is survived by two sons and a daughter.
- Rod Sievers
May 1, 2002
Light joined the University in 1979 and served as liberal arts dean until 1985, when he chose to return to teaching as a professor in the Department of English in 1985. He officially retired in 1988.
