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Per Hage

Posted on: Wednesday, 28 July 2004, 06:00 CDT

Per Hage was born October 9, 1935; his brilliant mind closed in the morning hours of July 25, 2004 after a valiant fight with a long illness which he endured with characteristic stoicism and grace.

Per joined the faculty of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Utah in 1971 and remained there, with brief interruptions as Visiting Scholar at the University of Copenhagen and Cambridge University (Robinson College). Per was a social anthropologist initially interested in cognition, but whose restless mind soon wandered to the classic topics of social structure and kinship. He pioneered the use of graph theoretical models in anthropology to greatly enhance our knowledge of the human mind, human society and human history, especially in his beloved Polynesia. The three books he wrote (co-authored with Frank Harary), Island Networks, Exchange in Oceania, and Structural Models in Anthropology, have been the cornerstones of a new appreciation of kinship in all of social science. Always generous with his time for students and colleagues alike, he was most often found in his office quietly reading in one of a number of languages in which he was fluent or writing another article or book. He received accolades from the most prestigious scholars from around the world and was treasured by his colleagues as a man of high integrity who demanded high standards of all, but first and foremost of himself. Of the old school, he was a true gentleman and a scholar.

He leaves behind his loving wife, Andrea, who stood by his side throughout and fought as hard as Per to win the precious extra years which he was able to gain over the illness.

Please join the family in celebrating Professor Per Hage's life Friday, July 30th, 11 a.m., at 4078 West Saddle Back Road #13, Park City.

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