Gail M. Kelly (February 9, 1933 – August 17, 2005) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

anthropologist An anthropologist is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms and ...

known for training generations of anthropologists at Reed College in

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

, Oregon. She was born February 9, 1933, in Deer Park, Washington and after her mother's death was raised by relatives in Portland. She attended Reed as an undergraduate, studying under

Morris Opler Morris Edward Opler (May 3, 1907 – May 13, 1996), American anthropologist and advocate of Japanese American civil rights, was born in Buffalo, New York. He was the brother of Marvin Opler, an anthropologist and social psychiatrist. Morris O ...

and David H. French, graduating in 1955. Her B.A. thesis, ''Themes in Wasco Culture,'' was based on fieldwork on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation under French's supervision. She pursued a Ph.D. in anthropology at the University of Chicago, where she was strongly influenced by Edward Shils and

Fred Eggan Frederick Russell Eggan (September 12, 1906 in Seattle, Washington – May 7, 1991) was an American anthropologist best known for his innovative application of the principles of British social anthropology to the study of Native American tribes. ...

. She completed an M.A. thesis on Northwest Coast Indians under Eggan and then shifted to a focus on Africa and on British social anthropology. She did fieldwork in Ghana and Britain beginning in 1958 and received her Ph.D. in 1959. She taught at Reed from 1960 until her retirement in 2000. Although she did not remain an active fieldworker or continue to publish, she trained approximately 50 students who went on to pursue Ph.D.s in anthropology. Her interests and coursework focused on Émile Durkheim,

Max Weber Maximilian Karl Emil Weber (; ; 21 April 186414 June 1920) was a German sociologist, historian, jurist and political economist, who is regarded as among the most important theorists of the development of modern Western society. His ideas profo ...

, witchcraft, the anthropology of religion, millennialism, Melanesia, and consumption. She died August 17, 2005, in Portland.Stasch, Rupert (2005) Obituary for Gail Kelly. ''Anthropology News,'' vol. 46, no. 7, pp. 30–31

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kelly, Gail M. 1933 births 2005 deaths American women anthropologists Scientists from Portland, Oregon Reed College alumni Reed College faculty University of Chicago alumni 20th-century American women scientists People from Deer Park, Washington 20th-century American anthropologists American women academics 21st-century American women