Arran Mcnabb ’06

Colleague

My relationship with Iris stemmed from her long-lasting, ever-present connection to the alumni of HMC. Her dedication to staying connected to her students long after their graduation was so endearing and the alumni have loved her back with all their hearts. Iris was such a strong, thoughtful, particular partner for newsletters and events, but was equally thankful for everything we did together. She loved this place and the people, and I am so grateful she chose to work with me and trusted me to help her for the last 12 years.

I didn’t know Iris personally when I was a student at Mudd. And have obviously learned of what an amazing life she lived. But the joy of Iris was her smile, her willingness to connect and listen, and her inability to leave a Bates Reception at a reasonable hour. What a beautiful character to have crossed paths with. All my love.

Russell Hamilton ’94

Barnstormers Club Co-Founder

I came to Harvey Mudd in the early 1990s, just as the Bates program ended. My dad was a recreational pilot so I had started flying lessons when I was 15, before Mudd. Iris wanted to continue to do something aviation related for Mudd students, so my classmate Matt Summers and I co-founded the Barnstormers Club at Mudd with Iris’s support.

Even though it wasn’t the Bates program, we still had plenty of exposure to the Southern California aviation community thanks to Iris’s lifetime of connections. We saw the underwater astronaut training tanks, went to Edwards Air Force Base to see the Space Shuttle land, and got to see the Stealth Bomber among other trips. It was such a special part of my Mudd experience.

I passed my flight exam and became a pilot the summer before my senior year in my dad’s Cessna 152. Now I fly a Cirrus SR22 out of the SF Bay Area (San Carlos), and have flown my classmates down to our Mudd reunions. I’m going to try to fly down for her memorial in May, to thank her for everything she did for us.

Drake Keller ’94

Barnstormer

Mrs. Critchell is inextricably entwined with my memories of Harvey Mudd, beginning with my first days of ground school as a Barnstormer. I remember thinking this woman hasn’t forgotten a single thing she’s ever learned!

She is featured in some of my strongest flying memories. My first take-off in the left seat of 42G, with Mrs. C saying “Don’t be afraid of it!” while jamming my hand through the throttle… A tense landing at Brackett field when we weren’t 100% confident in the landing gear: “You know how to open that window if you need to?”… Her encouraging chuckle when the back seat of a 182 finally got the better of my stomach: “We’ve all been there.”

After graduation, I kept up with the “From the Tower” newsletters and (eventually) emails. At alumni weekend, I looked forward most to the Bates reception. At every one, I learned something new and wonderful about her life. She had a strength of spirit that simply can’t be overstated. I regret that my own daughters never got the chance to meet her.

Her impact on those she met, and the inspiration of those who met her, will live on for generations!

Qimin Yang

I remember my first year teaching in Harvey Mudd, and advising an FAA sponsored Engineering project. That was 2002. The team was asked to design a light bar system for the novel airport landing lights. Iris volunteered her time to fly the team above the Ontario airport for testing. That was such a treat for the team, and they really enjoyed flying with Iris, and they successfully took great picture of the light bar within the Ontario airport field on the air. Iris is instrumental setting up the coordination with the airport that allowed the team to deploy the system for the testing. Looking back, I know that was such a great experience. Will miss you Iris!

Greg Goodknight ’77

Student, Aero I & II

I met Mrs. C at the Bates Open House for freshmen in 1972; I didn’t know if my myopia would preclude being in the program but I’d dreamt of flying for years and had to find out and was pleasantly suprised it didn’t bar me from the program or from flying ever since. Thank you, Mrs. C, for the gift of flight. And Mr. C and of course, Shirley Froyd, who all successfully kept me from killing myself or bending Cessna 42G.

After my wife Teri Cahill (Math ’78) passed away in 2000, after a time I had a chance to rekindle a relationship with a woman (from Pomona College) I had dated as an undergrad and I shared with her some of Mrs. C’s accomplishments… she rejected the story as implausible… no one could do all those things. Be all those people. At those levels.

Mrs. C could.

She will be missed. She is missed.