Walter T. “Walt” Ogier, 83, passed away peacefully at his home in Atascadero on May 5, 2009.

He was a devoted and loving husband and father, dedicated college professor, mentor to scientists now around the world and passionate advocate for local organizations. His presence in all our lives will be missed.

A fourth generation Californian, Walt was born in 1925 in Pasadena. After earning his PhD from Cal Tech and marrying Mayrene Gorton in South Pasadena, he started as assistant professor at the newly formed UC Riverside in 1954. Walt then joined the Pomona College physics faculty in Claremont in 1960, an institution that holds 120 years of family history.

At Pomona, he continued low-temperature research, studying the super-fluid properties of liquid helium. He retired in 1989 after 16 years as department chairman. On retiring, he received letters of commendation from many former students and colleagues who recalled his inspired teaching, exceptional guidance, dedicated mentorship and uncommon wit over three decades of academic leadership, where his motto was “Physics is Phun!”

Walt and Mayrene moved to Atascadero in 1989. They devoted themselves to their common loves of teaching, music, art, home and family. Walt continued research, taught at Cal Poly and was involved with RAMS, ESL tutoring, the Salvation Army, Kiwanis, the Atascadero Art Association, Loaves & Fishes and Meals on Wheels where he and Mayrene delivered meals every Tuesday for 18 years. They were members of the Community UCC Church and then the United Methodist Church.

Walt is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mayrene, and their children Walter C. and wife, Caroline Cooke, of Winchester Mass., Thomas of Santa Barbara and Kathryn and husband, Curtis, Lum of San Jose as well as two grandchildren, with a fourth child, Margaret and husband, Michael, Secrest preceding him in death. He is also survived by a sister, Kathryn Alexander, of Santa Barbara. Another sister, Elizabeth van der Toorren Carter also preceded him in death.

A celebration of his life will be held at the family home on Sunday, May 24 from 3 to 5 p.m. The family requests that memorial gifts be directed to Atascadero Loaves & Fishes at 5411 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422.