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‘Bookie,’ One of the Marine’s Lab’s Oldest Friends, Dies at 96

As you drive onto Piver’s Island in Beaufort, N.C., the tallest building you see is a three-story sand-colored research lab, the Bookhout Research Laboratory. It is named in honor of the man who worked to help the Duke Marine Lab grow from a place for summer classes to a full-year, internationally recognized teaching and research facility.

An advocate of the Marine Lab from its beginnings and director of the Lab from 1950 to 1968, Cazlyn Green Bookhout died Aug. 4 at Duke University Medical Center. He was 96.

“Bookie personified the Duke Marine Lab more than anyone else. His obvious enthusiasm for the marine environment and its creatures; his strong connection to each and every student; and his vision for what the Marine Lab could be, both academically and as a comfortable and engaging place for friends and colleagues; these are the things we still strive for,” said Michael K. Orbach, director of the Duke Marine Lab.

“Bookie,” as he was affectionately known throughout the international marine community, received his doctoral degree in 1934 from Duke University and joined the Duke faculty in the Department of Zoology in 1935 teaching invertebrate zoology and related subjects.

He was among the first faculty at the Marine Lab, which opened its doors as a summer facility in 1938. There he taught advanced courses beginning in 1939 through 1968, and again from 1971-1987.

As acting director of the Cooperative Program in Biological Oceanography from 1961-1970, he supervised the launching of the R/V Eastward, which provided for teaching and research opportunities for qualified scientists from universities and colleges throughout the United States. This program led to the development of the National Science Foundation “University National Oceanographic Laboratory System.”

In his research, Bookhout focused on the development and distribution of crustacean larvae in estuarine and oceanic waters and the effects of pollutants on the larval stages. His work, sounding the alert on the effects of pollution on crabs and other crustaceans and done frequently in collaboration with scientists from European and U.S. institutions, resulted in 63 publications in national and international journals.

Richard C. “Doc” Newsham T’42 of West End, N.C. remembers Bookhout as a teacher with a good sense of humor who knew how to present his materials. “He was probably one of the most popular professors in the biology department. I think I learned better under him than anybody.”

Newsham took marine biology under Bookhout at the Marine Lab just before World War II when he recalls there were three buildings on campus and eight students in the class. He later returned to Durham in the 1960s for a celebration honoring Bookhout. He recalls going through the receiving line and when he got to the honoree, Bookie said to him: “I always liked you.”

“That was my Nobel prize. It was probably the highlight of my college career,” said Newsham.

Throughout Bookhout’s career, he was an advocate for the Duke Marine Lab, both publicizing it and helping to raise funds. He remained on the Lab’s Advisory Board into his 90s.

In 1982, he and his wife, the late Elizabeth Circle Bookhout, who was a professor of physical education at Duke, donated funds to establish the Bookhout Scholarship at the Marine Lab. It provides scholarships for junior and senior undergraduates and graduates worldwide to attend any one of the summer sessions in marine sciences.

Those wishing to contribute to the scholarship should make checks payable to Duke University, c/o Belinda Williford, Duke Marine Lab, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, N.C. 28516-9727.

Bookhout was active in the American Society of Zoologists, the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography and the Duke Memorial Methodist Church. He received the Poteat Award from the N.C. Academy of Science in 1950.

He is survived by his children, Glenn Bookhout of Durham, N.C., and Beverly B. and Bill Lovell of Nashville, Tenn., his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

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