Lauren Christian, C.F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and director of the Iowa Pork Industry Center, died Monday of cancer. He was 62.

A memorial service will be held today at 3 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union. The funeral was Saturday at the Gilbert Lutheran Church. Christian will be buried in the ISU cemetery.

Christian was born near LaPorte City. He received his bachelor’s degree from ISU in 1958, then went on to earn his master’s degree and doctorate from the University of Wisconsin in 1960 and 1963, respectively.

He then served as assistant professor at the University of Tennessee for two years.

“[Christian] came [back] to ISU in 1965, and his area of specialty was swine genetics and pork quality,” said Dennis Marple, professor and head of the animal science department.

Christian was professor-in-charge of Iowa State’s 100-sow swine teaching herd and co-leader of the 400-sow swine breeding research herd. The Southwest Iowa Research and Demonstration Farm was recently renamed in Christian’s honor.

“He was an outstanding teacher and was recognized with a number of awards at Iowa State for teaching excellence,” Marple said. “He was an excellent adviser. He was also an outstanding researcher, as well as an excellent person and extension to the swine industry.”

Christian played a part in almost every major national testing program involving meat quality since the 1960s.

Tom Baas, assistant professor of animal science, said he worked with Christian at the Iowa Pork Industry Center, where Christian was the director.

“[Christian] had tremendous care for others; he was always much more concerned about everyone else than about himself,” Baas said. He said Christian always put others ahead of himself when it was time to give people credit.

“For his students, he was an inspiration in terms of wanting to do the right thing in the pork industry,” Baas said.

Christian had been battling cancer for about three years. Baas said Christian was not teaching at the time of his death, but he was still active as director of the Iowa Pork Industry Center.

He said Christian gave a presentation at a conference in Des Moines just two weeks ago.

Baas said Christian was highly regarded, which will be reflected by the attendance at the memorial service.

“I would guess there will be [a large gathering],” Baas said. He said because the memorial service was announced before Thanksgiving, professors and students will be planning to attend.

Christian is survived by his wife Nelda of Ames; daughter Chandra Christian of Pittsboro, N.C.; son Russell Christian of Mt. Horeb, Wisc.; parents Francis and Brunetta Christian of LaPorte City; sister Marcena Ver Ploeg of Pittsford, N.Y.; brothers Allen Christian of Ames, Dean Christian of Woodward and Duane Christian of Dysart.

Gifts toward a graduate fellowship endowment may be made to the Lauren L. Christian Memorial, ISU Foundation.