In Remembrance: Robert G. Black, Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures

Credit: Photo by Michael SimonBlack was a well-respected professor of modern languages and literatures who taught Spanish and comparative literature and was named Beloit’s Teacher of the Year in 1983. He served as an associate dean of the college and as a seminar leader in Beloit’s first-year program. He also directed the college’s study abroad programs in Quito, Ecuador, and Granada, Spain.

He left Beloit in 1994 to become vice president for academic affairs at Carroll College (now Carroll University) in Waukesha, Wis. He retired from Carroll in 2009.

Despite officially retiring, Black continued teaching and learning throughout his life. He volunteered with local literacy councils and garden clubs, and he enjoyed reading modern Spanish novels. He completed daily crossword puzzles, and his family recalls that he filled them out in ink.

In 2015, he and his wife, Anne, relocated to Roseville, Calif., where he continued to volunteer with the area literacy council and other organizations. Even near the end of his life, he continued helping English language students with individualized lesson plans.

Among his survivors are Anne, his wife of 51 years, a son, and two grandchildren.