MOSCOW -- Arthur Richard Gittins, 73, a Moscow resident and retired associate vice president of research at the University of Idaho in Moscow, died of causes related to age Thursday at Moscow Care Center.
He was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, May 26, 1926, to David Richard and Jessie Irene Sharpe Gittins.
In 1948 he entered the University of Alberta entomology program, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1952.
He married Eleanor Hoffman Sept. 9, 1949, in Edmonton.
He held a master's degree in entomology from the UI and a doctorate from Montana State University. Gittins began his career with the UI in 1953 as a research fellow and was appointed instructor and research assistant in 1955.
He became the head of the Department of Entomology in 1968, serving in that capacity until 1978, when he became dean of graduate studies, director of the University Research Office, managing director of the Idaho Research Foundation, director of the University Press, director of the Laboratory Animal Research Facility and director of the Electron Microscopy Center.
He became associate vice president for research in 1984.
During his tenure at the UI, he spent a year with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C., where he served as principal entomologist in developing competitive grants research programs.
In 1987 he took sabbatical leave with a visiting professorship in entomology at the University of Maryland. In 1988 he again served the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a special consultant on behalf of the UI.
Gittins also performed liaison work for the university with congressional offices in Washington, D.C., and as part-time visiting scientist at the Smithsonian Institute.
During his summers, he was involved in teaching and research on the glaciers between Juneau, Alaska, and Atlin, British Columbia, with the International Institute of Glaciology and Arctic Research.
He served on many governance committees at the UI, including faculty advisor to the student government association, and was a senior trustee on several university boards.
After retiring, he served as editor of The Journal of the Idaho Academy of Science and president of the Idaho Academy of Science. He also served on the Glacial Institute's Science Advisory Board and numerous local organizations.
During his years with the UI, he was the recipient of numerous awards, including two national teaching awards. He was the author of more than 25 professional publications and was major professor to 17 graduate students.
He was a member of many professional entomological societies and academic honoraries.
He enjoyed people, spending time with his family, traveling, gardening, woodworking, building sheds, music, poetry, history and sailing.
Survivors include his wife at Moscow; two sons, David Gittins of Clarkston and Richard Gittins of South Korea; and six grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to Sojourners' Alliance or Habitat for Humanity.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the First Presbyterian Church in Moscow.
