By Melanie Simpson
Managing Editor
Two emotion-filled weeks of mourning over the loss of Ole Miss' first African-American dean came to a close Friday afternoon as about 350 members of the university community gathered to pay tribute to Louis Westerfield.
Westerfield died suddenly on Aug. 24 of a heart attack at age 47 while at a conference in New Orleans.
William Champion, interim dean of the law school, opened the service by expressing his feelings for Westerfield.
"Born in rural Kemper County, he overcame great odds to become dean of three separate law schools," Champion said. "He was a dedicated educator who was committed to bridging the gaps that often keep us apart. He was my friend and I miss him."
Westerfield became dean of the law school in 1994 and said at the time that becoming the first African-American dean was a challenge both he and Ole Miss were ready for. Chancellor Robert C. Khayat said the inequities in race never damped Westerfield's spirits, but only pushed him farther.
"Race was never an obstacle for him because he knew that this is America and our history is replete with extraordinary examples," Khayat said.
Khayat said Westerfield's life will continue to inspire all young people. "We cannot underscore the significant impact he had on the lives of thousands of young men and women and we will continue to present his accomplishments as a model of achievement."
Throughout his life Westerfield, also the first tenured African-American law professor at Ole Miss, was committed to increasing the number of minorities receiving a legal education. During his short tenure at Ole Miss he was credited with doubling the minority enrollment in the law school.
A former student and beneficiary of his commitment, Vangela Young said he was a genuine leader and a personal role model.
"Dean Louis Westerfield spent his life building a better way for others," she said. "I am proud to have walked in the history of Dean Louis Westerfield."
Westerfield's secretary Shir-ley Fisher said he never lost sight of his past. "He never put himself above anyone else and never forgot how far he had come," she said.
The Kemper County native was the son of a sharecropper and at age 11 moved to the Fisher Housing projects in New Orleans, but his humble background was highlighted by academic and professional achievements.
Westerfield received a master's degree from the Columbia University Law School in New York and a juris doctor degree from Loyola's law school in New Orleans. He began his legal career as an assistant district attorney in New Orleans. He went on to teach law and later became dean at North Carolina Central University and Loyola University's school of law.
He had a long list of achievements, but the most poignant ones were not material, said students who spoke at the memorial. They said his most important accomplishments were his actions with students.
Ole Miss law graduate Gay Polk-Payton, who sang and dedicated "The Wind Beneath My Wings" to Westerfield, said he was her hero.
"My friends couldn't understand why I was so upset that my dean had died," she said. "When they think of a dean they think of a figurehead, but when I think of Dean Westerfield I think of a friend, a father figure and a mentor. He truly is my hero."
Westerfield's 19-year-old daughter, Nikki, ended the service with a challenge: "Many people have asked us how they can help. If you really want to help, don't let my father's dream die, stand up and fight for his dream."
A scholarship fund has been established in Westerfield's memory. Contributions can be sent to The Louis Westerfield Memorial Scholarship, 172 Alumni House, University, MS 38677.