The NIU community lost two former professors over Winter Break.

T. Daniel Griffiths, 57, a former biology professor, died Dec. 21 due to complications from a heart attack.

“Griffiths was very committed to NIU and education; he was a university citizen,” said Ivan Legg, executive vice president and provost.

“He was a good colleague and great mentor for students,” said Richard Becker, chair of the biology department. “Griffiths was vigorous and a healthy person. His loss was a surprise.”

Griffiths came to NIU from the University of Rochester in New York and helped to establish NIU’s biology Ph.D. program.

Griffiths was granted almost $1 million in federal funds from the National Institute of Health for his research, which focused on how DNA mutates into cancer. He has worked for Marquette University since 2003.

“He fought for research, he was an incredibly kind person,” said Dr. Madeline Wake, provost of Marquette University. “It was a great loss for Marquette.”

Kevin McKeough, 67, a political science professor, died Dec. 28 of complications from lung cancer. McKeough also contributed to NIU’s growth in many positive ways.

“Kevin was full of life and energy, he loved to talk and he had a wonderful sense of humor,” said Daniel Kempton, chair of the political science department. “Kevin always got students laughing even when they didn’t agree with him. He had a story to illustrate every point and many of those stories came from many years of involvement with political science.”

“I don’t think I could have been successful in all of my political campaigns without Dr. McKeough,” said Mary Lou Kearns, who served as Kane County coroner for 23 years. “He believed strongly in everything that had to do with American politics.”

McKeough earned his Ph.D. from the University of Kansas in 1964. He began his career at NIU in 1969. He taught a variety of courses including Introduction to American Politics.

After his retirement, the NIU political science department established the McKeough Award, which gives $100 annually to a student.