Gus Dalis was born in Los Angeles on November 11, 1931. Upon graduation from the University of California–Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1954, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army where he served at the Nevada atomic proving grounds and at the Swedish Red Cross Hospital as medical liaison officer in Korea. Gus earned his MS and doctorate from UCLA. He was a high school health and physiology teacher and health coordinator at San Gabriel High School, California. Gus served as a Health Education and teaching strategies consultant, co-director of the Teaching Strategies Center, and director of the Center for Health Education, Los Angeles County Office of Education. He provided consultation and staff development to teachers, principals, and school district support staff among the 90 county school districts. Gus worked extensively in developing and improving Health Education curricula and instruction. He was past president of the American Association for Health Education (AAHE) and served the association in various capacities, including the development of the first edition of the National Health Education Standards and on the Executive Editorial Advisory Board of the
American Journal of Health Education. Gus was a recipient of the AAHE Scholar Award and a Fellow of the American School Health Association and AAHE. He was a member of the Curriculum Development Writing Team of the landmark School Health Education Study. Gus co-authored five professional preparation textbooks in Health Education and teaching and contributed over 30 educational articles to publications and journals. He served as an adjunct professor of Health Education for CSUN and CSULB and as an adjunct professor in teaching strategies at both UCLA and the University of Southern California. He provided teacher in-service for the Department of Defense Schools in Germany, the ARAMCO American Schools in Saudi Arabia, and various states in the United States. Gus received the 2009 American Cancer Society California Division Lifetime Achievement Award (
Los Angeles Times, November 11, 2018).
We were fortunate not only to know Gus Dalis as our friend but to work very closely with him over a number of years when he was president of the AAHE. Gus had a tremendous dedication to the field of education and specifically to Health Education, whether in a school, community, or academic setting. Having a wealth of experience as a member of the Center for Health Education of the Los Angeles County Office of Education, the Writing Team of the landmark School Health Education Team, and experience in higher education, Gus served as a mentor par excellence to many, especially to the next generation of Health Educators. He was particularly committed to his volunteer efforts with the American Cancer Society at all levels, national, state, and local. Gus believed in the broader view of comprehensive school Health Education and his thoughts and ideas as a member of the American Cancer Society’s Youth Education Committee became a significant part of the American Cancer Society’s Approach to Youth Education, a national framework for Health Education and other professionals. Gus not only was always supportive but was unselfish in terms of giving of himself in terms of time, energy, and encouragement as an exemplar educator and person. If you had any questions or doubts or were seeking guidance about anything, Gus was there with sage advice and support. Nor were Gus’s contributions confined to his work. He was a devoted husband and father who also served his community and church. Yes, Gus is no longer with us on Earth but, if you were fortunate to know him, you know that he will always be there in spirit. His legacy will live on as one of the leaders in the field of Health Education.
