Remembering Bob and Dickie, Inspiring the Next Generation
John and Jan Lacher met at CU-Boulder when both were students in 1960. “She sat down in the chemistry lab next to my Bunsen burner,” John says with a twinkle in his eye.
A CU romance was something of a family tradition for John. His parents, Bob and Dorothy “Dickie” Lacher, met as students on the same campus almost three decades before. Bob went on to become a CU-Boulder chemistry professor from 1945 to 1973.
In the mid-1980s, when Bob’s health began to decline, John and Jan explored ways to honor his long career at CU. When a friend of theirs made a generous gift to support scholarships at the University of Tennessee, “we thought, if that rascal can do it, so can we,” John says.
Since that time, the Lachers have established three endowed Bob and Dickie Lacher Scholarships, supporting six sophomore chemistry majors. John and Jan keep in touch with the recipients, who have gone on to pursue their medical and master’s degrees at Johns Hopkins, Oxford, Columbia, and the University of Colorado Denver’s Anschutz Medical Campus.
“People think these donations are a great sacrifice, but really they’re a gift from the students to us. They’re not just scholars, but also good citizens and great human beings,” says John.
“My dad’s favorite part of being a professor was getting to know the students and supporting their careers. As Jan and I get to experience that excitement, we can see what he loved so much about being a part of this university. We’re honored to continue that connection.”
Click here to make a gift to support the Chemistry Department at CU-Boulder.
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