Sad to See Them Go

I found out earlier this week that the BYU-I English department secretary, Jeannne Reinwand, died in a car accident. I didn't know her well but I definitely knew her and was sad to find out what had happened to her. She was a constant presence during my years at Ricks and later when I went through the job application process there.

Yesterday, I heard that one of my former BSU professors, Tom Trusky, was found dead in his home. He had a heart attack several years ago and I assume his passing had something to do with those issues. He was my bookarts teacher at BSU and was just generally a nice guy. We kept in touch for several years after I left Boise State and he was always telling me about his latest mad-scientist project - poems mounted inside old refrigerators, poems printed on Burmashave-style signs posted around campus, Ethiopian prayer scroll books, etc. I'm sad that he's gone.

I'm reprinting the article from the Idaho Statesman below. I'm in it and I swear I told the reporter twice that I work at a community college, not a liberal arts college.



With Tom Trusky, it was always something - writing and teaching poetry, inspiring students through his book arts class, starting a new program, researching overlooked subjects, pulling a prank, or writing arcane e-mails in meter - he was filled with energy and creativity almost constantly.

"A really bright star is gone from this university," said Richard Young, chairman of the Boise State art department. "He was a great raconteur, a curator, researcher and amazing writer. He had a major impact on the arts and culture at the university and the community."

Trusky, 65, died at his North End home of natural causes. The Ada County coroner's office confirmed his death Wednesday morning. Friends saw him at The Flicks on Saturday, but he did not show up for his Monday night class, which was a rare occurrence. His friends and colleagues are shocked at the news.

Trusky could be as difficult as he was generous. He had a great sense of humor and a penchant for sending poetic e-mails, said Michelle Payne, chairwoman of the Boise State English Department.

"They were funny, mostly sarcastic and filled with all kinds of allusions. It wasn't e-mail; it was art," Payne said.

Trusky started teaching at Boise State College in 1970. His accomplishments over the four decades since have helped change the course of the university and raise its national profile.

Trusky founded and edited cold-drill magazine, the university's award winning literary publication, from 1974 to 1995. He co-founded and co-edited Ahsahta Press, a small poetry press, from 1974 to 1996. Now headed by poet Janet Holmes, Ahsahta has recently gained national attention, publishing the work of nationally lauded poets. He was the director of The Idaho Film Collection and had recently stepped down as director of the Idaho Center for the Book. He also directed The Hemingway Western Studies Center.

Trusky did extensive research on Idaho artist James Castle and the forgotten silent screen star Nell Shipman, giving her previously lost films international exposure and reviving interest in her career.

One of his many lasting legacies was initiating the master's program in creative writing in 1998.

"Tom was the moving force behind that," said Bruce Ballenger, who teaches creative nonfiction and occupies the office next to Trusky's.

Mark Brown, who was a master's student at Boise State in 2003, now lives in Illinois, where he teaches at a small liberal arts college. He took Trusky's graduate level book arts class, which bridged the gap between visual and literary arts.

"Every class period was some new adventure with him," Brown said. "He was never done discovering."

Brown remembers learning an odd printing technique that used gelatin as a printing matrix. It had been used in Soviet Russia to print underground materials.

Stephanie Bacon, professor of graphic arts and the new head of the Center for the Book, considered Trusky a mentor and friend.

"He might not have called himself an artist, but he was an artist in everything he did," Bacon said. "He was always coming up with this stuff - such a lively intellect and enthusiasm."

Trusky chose Bacon to succeed him as head of the Center for the Book.

"I thought we would have more time," Bacon said. "He had more to teach me about how he did what he did. There will be some mysteries to discover."

Trusky never shied away from controversy or conflict, said his former student and friend Troy Passey.

"He could be polarizing. He had an acerbic wit and did not suffer fools," he said. "But behind the gruffness was a sentimental sweetheart. He made me laugh."