Karl Stark Pister

Karl S. Pister, an engineering professor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, and a former UC Santa Cruz chancellor died on Saturday, May 14, at his home in Walnut Creek. He was 96. Pister devoted more than 70 years to the university, to higher education and to expanding educational opportunities for students from kindergarten to graduate school.

He had a remarkable career in higher education, starting as a structural engineering professor and advancing to dean of engineering at UC Berkeley, rising to UCSC chancellor and University of California vice president. He continued work well into his 80s that guided the direction of education and science, particularly in California.

Pister’s wife of 60 years, Rita, passed away in 2011. He is survived by their six children: Karl Francis Pister (Roger Renn) of Concord; Tracy Pearse Mulder of Stockton; Anita Pister-Khus of Walnut Creek; Jacinta Pister (Richard Whitmore) of Lafayette; Claire Brouwer (Kurt) of Waikoloa, Hawaii; and Kristofer Pister (Jennifer) of Orinda; ten grandchildren: Sarena, Brendan (Lexy), Stark, Ann, Nathaniel, Kaiser (Mary Kate), Elijah, Marie, Veronika, and Luke; two great-grandchildren: Maverick and Liliana; his brother, Phil Pister of Bishop; and his dear friend and partner, Germaine LaBerge of Berkeley.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 17, 2022 at 1:00PM in the Pauley Ballroom on the UC Berkeley Campus. For more information, please visit https:// engineering.berkeley.edu/ events/celebrating-the-lifeof-karl-s-pister/