They met at a dance on campus. Now she honors his memory in Schweitzer Engineering Hall.
David Grant Fallen (B.S. Mechanical Engineering 1971) and Cathy Allan met at a dance on Pullman’s campus. It was 1969. Two years later, they married, packed up, and moved to San Francisco for Dave’s first job out of college.
“Engineering genes run in our family,” says Cathy Fallen Mathews. “I surround myself with engineers—people who can figure things out.”
Cathy’s father, who was also an engineer, purchased Pacific Metallurgical, a company doing heat treatment. After two years in Northern California, Cathy and Dave moved back to the Northwest where he became manager at her dad’s company. Eventually, when her dad retired, Dave took over as president.
Dave passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2001. He was just 53 years old.
Cathy donated to the new engineering building in Dave’s memory, because “it will be good support for the students.”
She added that she wished there had been “a place to sit, grab coffee, do homework, and not be overwhelmed” when she was in college, and believes her husband would be pleased knowing that Schweitzer Engineering Hall will provide those kinds of resources to students today.
In appreciation of her gift in his honor, the Voiland College will designate the David Grant Fallen Student Collaboration Zone in Schweitzer Engineering Hall—a space where today’s students can figure things out together.