Remembering David Good
The Department of History is sad to share the news that our colleague, Professor Emeritus David Good, passed away in April of this year. He was a faculty member at the University of Minnesota from 1990 until his retirement in 2007. During that time, he had a significant impact on the institution first as the director of the Center for Austrian Studies (1990-1996) and then chair of the Department of History (2000-2003).
David was a leading scholar of the economic history of the Habsburg Empire. He received a B.A. from Wesleyan University (1965), an M.B.A from the University of Chicago (1967) and a Ph.D. in Economic History from the University of Pennsylvania (1972). He was on the faculty at Temple University from 1974 until 1989 before coming to the University of Minnesota. His research was funded by the Fulbright-Hays Program, the American Philosophical Society, and the German Marshall Fund. He published the monograph The Economic Rise of the Habsburg Empire, 1750-1914 as well as editing or co-editing five volumes and publishing numerous book chapters and articles in journals such as Journal of Economic History and East Central Europe. In 1995 he was awarded the Austrian Medal for Arts and Sciences, First Class.
Professor Gary Cohen, who followed David as the Director of the Center for Austrian Studies, recalls, “Although typically modest and unassuming, he had great accomplishments in all aspects of his work as an historian. His research revised fundamentally our understanding of the economic development of the Habsburg Monarchy during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, proving that there was much more dynamism than had often been assumed.” During his term as Director, Gary notes that David “reinvigorated its work; broadened the selection of topics for the lectures, conferences, and publications; found a new publisher for the book series; and reorganized the editing of the Austrian History Yearbook.” Professor Howard Louthan, who just finished a term as Director, was grateful for David’s unwavering support to both him and the center.
After completing his term as Center Director, he co-chaired with M.J. Maynes an open field “megasearch” that brought four new faculty into the department in 1999. M.J. highlighted “his talent for both juggling huge amounts of data (as I recall there were over a thousand applicants) AND negotiating diplomatically across all of the various agendas the search touched upon.” Professor Barbara Welke was a new faculty member herself at the time of the search and recalls attending department wide dinners for all the candidates, most if not all hosted by David and Rosemary at their home: “I remember the amazing food (“History department chili”!), the din of a room bursting with conversation and laughter, David and Rosemary’s warmth and hospitality.”
Many colleagues also remember David as an exceptional department chair. “He never flagged in his willingness to take on demanding work that made the department better for all of us,” Barbara notes. “He was a creative problem-solver and a good listener, generous and genuine in celebrating the achievements of others.” Current chair Sarah Chambers served as associate chair during his term and considers him to be a key mentor and role model. “David always listened to all opinions and ideas and worked to build consensus,” she recalls. “And he recognized with empathy that many of us junior colleagues were navigating new terrain. I was newly tenured, and he did not mind my bringing my newborn to meetings.” Professor David Chang similarly recalled how David “welcomed me into the history department, and always found a way to be supportive in my very uncertain early years at the U.”
M.J., who was serving as Director of Graduate Studies, points to David’s leadership in “the massive task of rethinking and reorganizing graduate student support. (We were one of the first departments to make four- and five-year offers of support to incoming students rather than year-by-year funding.) It was David, the economist, who put his skills to work to assess and redirect all available resources in the service of future cohorts of grad students.”
In addition to his professionalism and organizational skills as an academic leader, he was a teacher who, as Gary Cohen notes, “mentored his students with care, patience, and understanding.” One of his advisees, Nicole Phelps (PhD ‘2008 and currently Professor of History at the University of Vermont) remembers his support and influence: “David saw people's strengths and showed confidence in them, helping them use their particular strengths toward the betterment of the community. His graduate students — and how fortunate I have been to count myself among them! — learned at least as much about how to be effective, positive members of an academic community as they did about Habsburg history.” Barbara Welke considers herself doubly fortunate for being able to co-advise Nicole with David: “What a joy that was: learning from the two of them about Austrian history, learning from David the delicate balance of questioning and supporting in Ph.D. advising; and David and I together marveling over Nicole’s skills as a teacher. He modeled what a life of learning and giving can be.”
All his colleagues echo similar praise for both his leadership and compassion. Sara Evans remembered him as “a wonderful and wise colleague,” and Kirsten Fischer recalled David as “a compassionate and thoughtful person who demonstrated integrity and creativity in advocating for students, staff, and faculty.” As Gary Cohen sums up, David did everything “with the utmost tact, sensitivity, and integrity.” When David completed his term as chair and started a phased retirement, he sent personalized thank you letters to all the faculty in the department, an unusual gesture that reflects his characteristic thoughtfulness. Rosemary shared that compassion and through The Rosemary and David Good Family Foundation they both generously supported the arts, culture, and education.
You may read more in David’s Star Tribune obituary. Memorials may be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis or The Center for Austrian Studies at the University of Minnesota.
