Cypress College is Remembering Retired Professor Les Doak
We learned this week that retired Professor Les Doak passed away on September 2, 2025, at the age of 84. He joined Cypress College in 1990 as an adjunct faculty member in the Geography Department and became full-time in 1998.
Doak was instrumental in developing the college’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Program, one of the first certificate programs of its kind at the community college level in the U.S.
In 1999, he secured a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant that significantly advanced GIS education at Cypress College. He also served faculty as a United Faculty vice president and negotiator from 2009 to 2012. Doak retired in 2016 after a long and impactful career.
“He will be remembered as a dedicated educator, a strong advocate for students and faculty, and a valued colleague who left a lasting mark on the Social Sciences Division,” said Randy Martinez, interim dean for Social Sciences. “I remember Les as a warm colleague who expressed integrity and dignity. He is missed.”
