In Memoriam: Lois Shelton and Sandy Rogers

In Memoriam: Lois Shelton and Sandy Rogers

By University Relations - Communications
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Lois Shelton, widely regarded for elevating the UA Poetry Center to international prominence, has died at age 83 after a battle with Alzheimer's disease.

She is survived by her husband, UA Regents' Professor Richard Shelton; their son, Brad; daughter-in-law, Carol; and two grandchildren, Milah and Carson. 

Initially trained as an opera singer, Shelton took the helm of the UA Poetry Center in 1970 when it consisted of two cottages on Highland Avenue and Speedway Boulevard. She continued in her role as director until 1990.

One of Shelton's significant accomplishments was growing the Poetry Center's small but intriguing library, by using her knowledge of poetry and consulting with students, faculty and poets. Today, the library is considered one of the most comprehensive and fully accessible poetry libraries in the nation.

Shelton also was known for being a gracious and intelligent hostess to visiting poets, including Nobel Prize winners, Pulitzer Prize awardees and several U.S. Poet Laureates.

Tyler Meier, executive director of the UA Poetry Center, says her legacy is far-reaching and contemporary.

"Before I took the executive director position, what I knew of Lois I knew through the reputation of the Poetry Center as a leading literary and cultural institution, as the place in the country for words west of the Mississippi," Meier says. "I knew of the history of poets coming to Tucson, and I knew of Tucson's reputation as a best place for writers. So what I knew of Lois was through the abundant legacy of her work, of the culture she fostered, and of the reputation she helped build."

Her ability to do this while being mindful of budget realities is something Meier continues to emulate.

As he describes it: "Lois put in place a legacy of financial stewardship that guides the Poetry Center to this day. Particularly, she deeply developed the idea of the Poetry Center as a public/private partnership, and positioned the center as a place whose mission has always been accountable to a role at the University and a role beyond it."

Those who were influenced by Shelton became "poetry and Lois lifers." This title fits Donna Somma, a current member of the Poetry Center’s Development Council.

"In the summer of 1975, when I was 18 years old, Lois' son, Brad, introduced me to the Poetry Center," Somma recalls. "I had always liked poetry, but had no personal sense of it in my life.  Lois made poetry accessible. She expected me to attend Poetry Center events. In attending all those readings, I discovered not only the power and beauty of words, but that I could also learn from poetry. Not surprisingly, in becoming a lawyer, I chose a career of words. In the early '90s when the Sheltons came to New York City, where I lived, they introduced me to the Academy of American Poets, and poetry became part of my life again. I was actively involved with the academy for many years. When I returned to Tucson and was asked to join the Poetry Center's Development Council, I agreed to join in large part out of a sense of duty and loyalty to Lois."

Adds Somma: "Lois was an original. For those whom she saw as good, she welcomed into her life and accepted without judgment. She had a strong sense of duty to family, friends and community, and she met life's challenges with love and laughter. If I had to choose a single word to define her, it would be 'grace.'"

Donations in Shelton's memory can be made to the UA Poetry Center/UA Foundation, at 1508 E. Helen St., Tucson, AZ 85721, or online.


Sandy Rogers, student services coordinator for the College of Pharmacy, died on June 10 at age 66.

Rogers was a longtime employee of the College of Pharmacy. She began working at the college in 1972 as administrative associate to the dean, and held the position through 1992. In 1992, she assumed the position of student services coordinator.

"Sandy Rogers helped shape the College of Pharmacy into the first-class, student-oriented school it is today," wrote College of Pharmacy dean J. Lyle Bootman in a memorial message. "We will remember her as one of the most loyal and dedicated employees the University of Arizona or College of Pharmacy ever had. It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to a staunch supporter and loyal friend."

Rogers was born in Ohio in 1948 and her parents moved to Tucson shortly after her birth. She attended Sunnyside High School and graduated from the UA in 1970 with a bachelor's degree in business education. She worked as a substitute teacher shortly before joining the College of Pharmacy.

At the UA, her responsibilities included assisting students with career counseling and placement, financial aid, awards and scholarships. She coordinated the college's White Coat program, convocation and various other special events. She worked closely with student organizations, advising them of college and University policies, and was responsible for class scheduling and classroom assignments.

When Rogers assumed the role of student services coordinator in 1992, she was responsible for approximately 220 UA pharmacy students. By 2009, the number of students she assisted each year had grown to nearly 400. Though she retired in 2009, Rogers continued to work at the College of Pharmacy in a part-time capacity until February 2015.

In addition to her regular job duties, Rogers was president of the College of Pharmacy Staff Advisory Council from October 1995 to June 1996, and served on many committees at the Arizona Health Sciences Center and the UA.

Rogers was a member of the Tucson Business and Professional Women's Club and served as the organization's president from 1981-1983. She also was a member of the United Ostomy Associations of America. She received the Tucson Business and Professional Women's Club Woman of the Year award in 1983 and the Arizona Health Sciences Center's Georgia Reynolds Dedicated Services Award in 1998.

At the time of her retirement, a scholarship fund was established in Rogers' name in honor of her years of service to the College of Pharmacy. To contribute to the Sandra K. Rogers Scholarship fund, visit the UA Foundation's Sandy Rogers Endowment page.

Read her full obituary and leave condolences here.

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