In Memoriam: Dorothy Rossow Fleck
Staff Emeritus Dorothy Rossow Fleck, the founder of the Kellogg Honors College, died peacefully Sept. 22.
She was 88.
Fleck worked at Cal Poly Pomona for more than two decades before retiring in 2003. With her ability to read and write Braille, she first took a job in the Disabled Student Services office.
In the same year she retired, Fleck established Kellogg Honors College, a program for a community of scholars that promotes inclusive academic excellence and offers participants access to honors courses, civic engagement opportunities and special events.
“She regarded the establishment of the KHC as one of her greatest accomplishments, said Kellogg Honors College director Claudia Garcia-Des Lauriers. “We are grateful for her incredible vision and work to not only establish the program in 2003, but also for onboarding the first three directors. We continue to honor her vision of inclusive academic excellence and express our deepest condolences to her family and friends.”
Fleck, a Pasadena resident, was an ardent supporter of the university and loved to volunteer to decorate CPP’s student-built floats, according to her family.
The Michigan native and former elementary school teacher was a devoted sports fan, cheering on her beloved University of Michigan Wolverines, the Detroit Tigers and the Detroit Lions.
Fleck also was big on family.
“Dorothy was a devoted and generous mother and grandmother,” her family wrote in her obituary. “Throughout the years, she loved to host family holiday dinners in her home Easter, Thanksgiving and especially Christmas when she loved to have one big meal early enough to allow sufficient time for a second holiday dinner.”
She is survived by her husband, Raymond A. Fleck, former president of Marygrove College in Detroit; son Andrew J. Fleck (Barbara Zimbalist) of McAllen, Texas; son Casey T. Fleck, (Grace Huang), of Pasadena, California; grandchildren Holden, Aidan, and Julian; and her little sister, Gretchen Rossow Seurynck of Dearborn Heights, Michigan, as well as many nieces and nephews in her home state.
Visit Cabot and Sons to read the full obituary and get information on planned services.