FULLERTON, Calif.—Colleagues and friends of Dr. Harue Marsden, a well-known optometric educator, will celebrate her life and accomplishments at a service this Friday at the Plummer Auditorium on the campus of Marshall B. Ketchum University.

Dr. Marsden passed away on Feb. 2 after a battle with breast cancer. A tribute on the Ketchum website said, “On behalf of the university, I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our colleague and dear friend, Dr. Harue Marsden. Harue's long battle with cancer was just part of the heroic efforts she made on behalf of our entire institution over many years,” said president Kevin Alexander, OD, PhD.

“Dr. Marsden had a strong work ethic and was incredibly resilient until the very end, even attending the university’s annual Circle of Vision luncheon and continuing to see patients at Ketchum Health until the end of January. She will be greatly missed and forever remembered as an alumna and revered member of the faculty at the Southern California College of Optometry.”

Dr. Marsden was a distinctive leader at the Southern California College of Optometry with expertise in cornea and contact lens service. She joined the college in 1989 after completing a residency in family practice and master’s degree at the University of Houston, College of Optometry. She was a professor and associate dean for clinical education at SCCO. She was a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and diplomate in the Cornea and Contact Lens Section. She was also an owner of two private practice offices with Vicki Leung, OD and Eric Leser, OD.

Dr. Marsden had primary clinical responsibilities in the cornea and contact lens service where she also served as chief for many years. She provided international lectures, publications and research in the areas of orthokeratology, contact lens management of the post-surgical cornea and laboratory testing. Dr. Marsden served as president of the California Optometric Association from 2010-11 and was currently serving on the COA’s Legislation and Regulation Committee.

She was best known for her mentorship of students and advocacy for the profession. She also devoted her time to advocating on behalf of optometrists nationwide in both Sacramento and Washington D.C. She volunteered with the American Optometric Association, American Academy of Optometry, California Optometric Association, Orange County Optometric Society, Great Western Council of Optometry and Association of Optometric Contact Lens Educators.

“Harue was a close friend and exceptional colleague. She was like a sister to me,” said senior vice president and chief of staff Julie Schornack, OD, MEd. “Her commitment to the profession, her students and patients was incomparable. She was a bright light at SCCO and in the clinic—her office always buzzing with faculty and students. She was just the kind of person that you wanted to learn from, to be around. We will all truly miss Harue, but her legacy will live on in the thousands of students she has educated and mentored throughout her career.”

Fellow SCCO classmate and Senior Associate Dean for Professional Affairs John Nishimoto, OD, MBA added, “Harue and I had much in common—our Japanese heritage, love of optometry and commitment to the Southern California College of Optometry. I’ve known Harue since our days back as SCCO students. She’s always been there for me and she was simply taken from us too soon.”

Colleagues, students, friends, family and classmates are encouraged to share their memories and photos of Dr. Marsden with the university by emailing alumni@ketchum.edu.

Dr. Harue Marsden is survived by her twin sister Midori, sisters Yuki and Fumi, and brother, Akira.

A service will be held Friday, Feb. 10 at 3:00 p.m. in the Plummer Auditorium at 201 E Chapman Ave, Fullerton, CA 92832. Complimentary parking is available directly across the street at 230 E. Chapman Ave. Following the service, a reception will be held in the Essilor Student Center at the Ketchum University campus located at 2575 Yorba Linda Blvd., Fullerton, CA 92831. Parking for the reception will be made available in the structure located off of Associated Road.

Additional service-related details can be found here.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Dr. Harue J. Marsden Memorial Fund. The fund is dedicated “in celebration of the life and career of Harue Marsden, OD, MS, ’87, professor and associate dean for clinical education. The Dr. Harue J. Marsden Memorial Fund will create scholarships and a lasting tribute for a wonderful colleague, classmate and friend, noted Dr. Alexander.

To make a contribution to the Dr. Harue J. Marsden Memorial Fund, please visit Ketchum University’s website. To make a gift by mail, please make checks out to “MBKU” and indicate “IMO Dr. Marsden” in the memo line. These can be mailed directly to University Advancement, Marshall B. Ketchum University, 2575 Yorba Linda Blvd., Fullerton, CA 92831. All cards can be mailed to the same address, and the University Advancement team will be certain to get them to the family.