Lawrence Gene Lavengood, 82, of Evanston, a retired professor of the Kellogg School of Management, died from congestive heart failure last Wednesday, July 12, at Midwest Palliative and Hospice Care Center in Skokie.
Lavengood was born June 30, 1924 in Tulsa, Okla. In 1941 he studied at Tulane University. He transferred to the University of Chicago, where he earned master’s degree in 1947. He earned a doctorate in U.S. History from the university 1953. While at the University of Chicago he met his wife, Gloria. They were married for 44 years before her death in 1991. They had four children and lived in Evanston.
Lavengood taught history for a year at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, before starting at Northwestern, where he taught business history and ethics in Kellogg.
After 36 years of teaching, Lavengood earned a faculty position in Kellogg’s Policy and Environment Department. Lavengood also taught classes on management’s social and ethical dimensions. He was involved in the Leadership Education and Development initiative at Kellogg. An award in his honor, the “Lavengood Outstanding Professor of the Year Award” is awarded annually to an exemplary Kellogg professor.
Lavengood retired in 1994, though he did return occasionally to teach a class. He also traveled to Israel as a visiting professor and edited papers for Kellogg. Later years were spent absorbing “a life well lived.”
“Gene was a man of tremendous talents, beloved for his gifts as a teacher and a scholar, as well as for his graciousness and great humor,” said Dipak Jan, dean of Kellogg. “His legacy extends beyond the impact he had on the lives of his colleagues and students.”
He is survived by his children Jessica Lettow, Abigail Dumas, Timothy Lavengood and Rachel Lavengood; his grandchildren Christopher Lettow, Jeffrey Lettow, Sally Lavengood and Maggie Lavengood; and his great-granddaughter, Reese Lettow.
Internment is private. A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 22, at Alice S. Millar Chapel, 1870 Sheridan Rd., Evanston.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Evanston Community Foundation, 1007 Church St., Suite 108.
Reach Emmet Sullivan at [email protected].
