Karl Maurer ’71

Karl Maurer ’71 died peacefully on May 4, 2015. He was born in Philadelphia on September 12, 1948. He pursued his education in classical studies at Dartmouth and then attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated with an M.A. and Ph.D. in classical studies. Later he studied classics at Oriel College at Oxford under a Reynolds fellowship. He taught with distinction during his academic career at the English institute in Mar del Plata in Argentina (1985), where he conducted a seminar on Robert Frost. At the National University of Mar del Plata he taught a graduate seminar on W.H. Auden and from 1988 to 1998 taught classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He then became an assistant and later associate professor of classics at the University of Dallas from 1998 to 2015 and served as chair of the classics department for many years. He taught Latin and Greek to hundreds of students and shared his love of ancient writers Pindar, Thucydides and Virgil. An intimidating and eccentric professor, he was notorious among students for his demanding assignments, constant quizzes, affectionate insults and emails sent at 3 a.m. and beginning “Dear People.” He was also beloved for his ability to illuminate the beauty of his favorite poets and writers. Karl was a prolific writer and published numerous books and articles on Thucydides and other ancient writers. Karl is survived by his wife, Barbara, children Felipe and Caroline and siblings Christopher, David, Holly and Timothy.