David B. Frohnmayer
An Oregon native who navigated from the state's highest legal office to guiding its flagship university through an era of profound growth and controversy.
1940–2015 (age 75)·American politician and academic·Birthday: July 9·The Silent Generation
Biography
David Frohnmayer’s career was a long conversation with the state of Oregon, conducted from the podium, the courtroom, and the president's office. As Attorney General for a decade, he was a formidable legal mind, arguing cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and steering the state through complex issues. His deep roots—he was the first native-born Oregonian to lead the University of Oregon—informed his 15-year presidency. He presided over a physical and academic transformation of the campus, spearheading ambitious fundraising campaigns that reshaped the university's landscape and capabilities. His tenure was not without friction, facing challenges over tuition hikes, athletic department scandals, and academic freedom. Yet Frohnmayer, a man who moved between law, politics, and education with intellectual grace, left the institution larger and more robust than he found it.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
David was born in 1940, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1940
#1 Movie
Fantasia
Best Picture
Rebecca
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1940Born
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1945Started school
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1953Became a teenager
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1956Could drive
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1958Could vote
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Turned 21
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1970Turned 30
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 40
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 50
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 60
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 70
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2015Died at 75
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- Served as President of the University of Oregon for 15 years, the second-longest tenure in the school's history.
- Led the Oregon Attorney General's office for a decade, from 1981 to 1991.
- Chaired the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in the early 1990s.
- Helped launch the UO's $853 million 'Campaign Oregon' fundraising drive, one of the largest in the university's history.
Did You Know?
He was a Republican candidate for Governor of Oregon in 1990 but lost in the primary.
Frohnmayer was a noted advocate for arts education and served on the Oregon Arts Commission.
He and his wife, Lynn, were parents to three daughters who died from Fanconi anemia, a genetic disease; they became active advocates for medical research.
He was a skilled singer and performed with the Eugene Concert Choir.
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