The Passing of an Optometric Legend: Dr. Harue J. Marsden

Letter from COA###

Dear fellow COA members and colleagues:

It is with deep sorrow that we notify you of the passing of Dr. Harue J. Marsden. Harue passed away yesterday, February 2, having valiantly fought cancer for a number of years.

COA is experiencing opposite ends of the emotional spectrum at the passing of Harue - grief and celebration. Grief over the untimely loss of Harue and her ardent advocacy for students of optometry, COA and all of organized optometry, and the optometric profession. Celebration that our wonderful profession is stronger and better having had in its midst the focused passion and love of Harue, a true legend for all time.

Harue contributed to the growth and betterment of our profession in countless ways. Serving as 2010-11 COA president, 2001-02 COA Orange County Optometric Society president, as well as on numerous COA and AOA committees, she was a gifted and influential leader whose prescient foresight, dynamic will and unbending optimism drove organized optometry to levels not before achieved.

Since 1989, Harue served as an extraordinarily popular professor at Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University, having risen to associate dean for clinical education and director of externship. Undoubtedly, many of you reading this message are a better doctor of optometry having been mentored or befriended by Harue. She probably had no greater passion than the next generation of optometry, her students, imparting her vast knowledge, infinite wisdom and relentless advocacy of the extensive ophthalmic skills doctors of optometry bring to patients.

Harue was simply a joy to be around. Who can forget her infectious laugh? It filled any room, any canyon.

A tribute to Harue will be presented at the February 10-11, 2017, COA House of Delegates meeting.

Please click on the following link to read a release from Marshall B. Ketchum University honoring Harue and service plans:
http://www.ketchum.edu/index.php/view-news-details/4742.

Harue was a rare individual who truly impacted for the better our lives as doctors of optometry and the profession of optometry.

Stevin Minie, OD, President
Sage Hider, OD, President-Elect