In Memoriam: Dr. Barry Paul Michrina,1947-2012

In Memoriam Dr. Barry Paul Michrina May 28, 1947-April 17, 2012 Dr. Barry Paul Michrina, former editor of the Anthropology of Consciousness (from 1995-1997) and professor of anthropology at Colorado Mesa University, passed away in his sleep in the early hours of Tuesday morning, April 17, 2012 in Grand Junction, Colorado. After earning a Ph.D. in the natural sciences in agronomy from Pennsylvania State University, Michrina shifted gears in his academic training and earned a doctorate in cultural anthropology from Binghamton University. Michrina joined the faculty of Colorado Mesa University (formerly Mesa State College) in 1990, where he taught a number of courses, such as Religion and Culture, Native North Americans, Ethnopsychology, and Ethnographic Methods. Originally from Cambria County in Pennsylvania, Michrina’s ethnography, Pennsylvania Mining Families: The Search for Dignity in the Coalfields Anthropology of Consciousness, Vol. 23, Issue 2, pp. 111–112, ISSN 1053-4202, © 2012 by the American Anthropological Association. All rights reserved DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-3537.2012.01068.x 111 112 anthropology of consciousness 23.2 (University Press of Kentucky, 1993), covered fieldwork that, for him, was close to home. His work documented the oral histories of the surviving members of the coal strike of 1927. Michrina’s own experiences growing up in Pennsylvania, his familiarity with working-class communities, and what he described as the search for “dignity” were overarching themes that informed how he shaped courses and taught for two decades. His conscious practice of the hermeneutic method and his emphases of personal reflection, critical thinking, and reflexivity were the underlying principles in each of his courses. These theoretical principles were the topic of his next book, Person to Person: Fieldwork, Dialogue, and the Hermeneutic Method (State University of New York Press, 1996). Dr. Michrina had deep roots in local community activities and a keen interest in the welfare and success of his students. He spent several years with local members of the Southern Ute Community, documenting the life experiences and perspectives of a Southern Ute elder. Michrina was also Colorado Mesa University’s faculty advisor for the Native American Student Council. He annually donated to a scholarship fund and over the years tutored a number of students who struggled in other subjects. His general concern and interest in the welfare of his students made him both a beloved professor and community member in Grand Junction, Colorado. Barry is survived by his mother, Anna Mae, and five sisters. Nicole Torres