Recently retired Bakersfield College professor, Thomas Hamilton Yale passed away this summer on the early morning of July 27. Yale retired in 2010 after 44 years of teaching microbiology, physiology and anatomy at BC.

Yale’s close friend and colleague Ronald Allsman said Yale’s time at BC made the college a better place.

Allsman, who shared an office with Yale for 10 years, said there are too many memories about Yale to fit into one article.

“I retired six years ago after teaching for 43 years,” Allsman said. “That’s 87 years between us. With two of us in that office, you can say we’ve seen a lot of changes.”

What didn’t seem to change over the years was Yale’s passion for teaching.

“He was very happy with what he was doing. He could have retired a long time ago, but he enjoyed teaching so much he didn’t see any reason to stop, ” said Allsman.

Colleagues described him as very disciplined, always preparing his students for their next step, whether they were a part of a basic biology class or the nursing program.

“One of the people at his service said ‘he was the best person they ever had help with the program’ and I believe that’s true,” said Allsman.

Outside of teaching, Yale had a lot of hobbies, including participating in Civil War reenactments at Fort Tejon in the 1st US Artillery, A Battery.

It was because of this participation that Yale was able to donate the current firing cannon that’s used at the Renegade football games.

Yale was born on Oct. 11, 1938 in Leavenworth, Kan., to Lillian and Wesley Yale. He is survived by his wife, Susan Yale; brother John Yale; son Daniel Yale; and daughter-in-law Deanna Yale.