Bob Dylan’s song “You’re Going to Make Me Lonesome When You Go,” filled the somber hall of Alice Millar Chapel Tuesday morning during a memorial service for artist and Northwestern professor Ed Paschke.

Former student Joseph Pflieger echoed this hollow emotion in his speech at the memorial.

“I keep thinking he’s going to walk (up the chapel aisle),” said Pflieger, a grad student. “It’s not as if I lost a professor, but a friend.”

Family, friends and colleagues remembered Paschke’s passion for painting and teaching during the professor’s memorial service. A former Art Theory and Practice professor, Paschke died in his sleep Nov. 25 at age 65.

“He crushed the notion of those who cannot do, teach,” said Paschke’s son, Marc, in a speech at the memorial. “Painting was a passion he had since kindergarten, but I have learned teaching too was his passion.”

Marc said although he never saw his father in the classroom setting, he still learned a lot from him.

“He showed what it meant to be a dad and a husband,” he said.

After his wife, Nancy, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Paschke encouraged her to try “art therapy” to help her through her illness. With his support she devoted time to art and some of her paintings were on display at Paschke’s memorial. Nancy died seven weeks after her husband.

Paschke’s artwork is displayed all over the world, from University President Henry Bienen’s conference room to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington to the Musee d’Art Moderne Nationale in Paris. His paintings are striking, both in their vibrant colors and subjects matter. His subjects ranged from transvestites to criminals — which memorial speakers described as “strange.”

William Conger, professor of art theory and practice and Paschke’s long-time colleague, said many people look at Paschke’s paintings and feel “guilty affection” for the subjects.

“He was attracted to the weird, the very strange, the bizarre and the criminal,” Conger said. “He not only painted creatures, he rescued them too.”

But Paschke defied the stereotype of a painter, said Judy Ledgerwood, chairwoman of the art theory and practice department. While many may find “artist” synonymous with “egotistical,” Paschke constantly contributed to the city and the university, she said.

Phyllis Weil Ellis, former head of the Block Museum of Art board, recalled that 15 years ago, the former university art gallery hosted the event, “Paint with a Pro.” Paschke stayed all day painting with children and even signed the back of T-shirts made for the event, she said.

Paschke also always made time for his students, speakers stressed.

“(Paschke’s) success is measured by what students have learned,” said Rudolph Weingartner, a former dean of Weinberg. “It’s an understatement to say the college benefited from Paschke accepting the position (of professor).”

Weinberg senior Katie McKeown took intermediate art theory and practice in the spring of 2003. She said Paschke left a lasting impression.

“He cared about each individual student,” she said. “Anything that challenged norms excited him and anything that challenged your personal norms was more exciting to him.”

McKeown said Paschke inspired her to color a hand on one of her paintings a bright shade of blue. She added that she wouldn’t have done something that dramatic with another professor.

“Ed leaves a rich legacy,” Conger said. “His values, his art and his teaching ideals will endure.”

In his honor, NU has created a graduate fellowship, the Ed Paschke Memorial Fund.

Reach Corrie Driebusch at [email protected]<.>