Published in The Arizona Republic Aug. 11, 2007
Daniel Stanton Strouse, Professor of Law and Faculty Fellow at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, died at his home in Tempe on Tuesday, August 7, after a five-month battle against lung cancer. He was 57. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Gonzales, and two daughters, Isabel and Emma. A graduate of Harvard College, Professor Strouse held a Master's degree from the Harvard School of Public Health, Health Policy & Management, and a JD from the University of Wisconsin. He was Editor-in-Chief of the Wisconsin Law Review, and after graduation he clerked for Justice Nathan S. Heffernan of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He joined the faculty at the College of Law in 1990, and served as Director of the Center for the Study of Law, Science, & Technology from 1990-2001. He taught health care law, bioethics, and legislation. The books he wrote or co-authored include, most recently, Public Health Law (LexisNexis, 2007) and Public Health Law: A Judicial Reference Guide for Arizona Courts. With fellow ASU law professor Charles Calleros, Strouse formed a rhythm-and-blues band several years ago, now called Repeat Offenders. The group of musician/attorneys, which started just for fun, proved extremely popular, and in recent years performed at weddings, private parties, and the Rhythm Room in Phoenix. In 2006 Repeat Offenders issued a CD called Back in the Joint. Strouse played baritone sax and rhythm guitar. He once told The Arizona Republic that playing music offered a "terrific release" from the intellectual rigors of teaching law. Beyond all his professional achievements, what mattered most about Daniel Strouse were his extraordinary qualities as a human being: his soulful compassion, his deep love for his family, his high integrity, quick sense of humor, true modesty, readiness to listen and talk through anything from legal questions to other people's troubles to the best spot for catching fish, his rare gift for lasting friendship, his capacity for fun, his gentle strength. There will be a memorial service honoring Dan Strouse at 11 a.m. on Oct. 20 in the Great Hall at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law.