The Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination mourns the loss of Tedson Meyers, who co-founded the Clarke Foundation in 1983 and served terms as Board Chairman and Executive Director, and since 2016 as Chairman Emeritus.
Tedson brought the full force of his being to teams he joined. His professional biographies, available on his own website, www.tedson.com, list enough triumphs and achievements for many lifetimes. For the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation family, his vision of an organization dedicated to building on the work, thoughts, and legacy of Arthur C. Clarke resulted in the creation of a growing international foundation, the establishment of an Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education, and the launch of the Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination at the University of California San Diego.
Tedson would be the first to acknowledge that he didn’t do it all alone. He had a wonderful and understated capacity to make everyone around him feel special and important. He could coax (and coach) the best performance possible from associates to whom he had invested his trust, without being pushy or dogmatic. Even when he wasn’t in the lead, Tedson was always leading, and always displaying the qualities of a leader.
“Tedson Meyers was a man with a great career and impact in the 20th century,” said Dr. Erik Viirre, Director of the Clarke Center for Human Imagination, “but who will live on with important work in the 21st century and beyond. For us at UC San Diego, Tedson’s initiation and drive for the formation of the Clarke Center is a profound legacy. Through the inspiration of Arthur C. Clarke’s personality, life, and fantastic imaginings, the Clarke Foundation and the Clarke Center support the future of humanity. Tedson was a crucial leader in forming these institutions appear. Most fun for us was his personal enthusiasm for all things Clarke, for our Center, and for all people. A generous and joyful person, we will miss him.”
Beyond Clarke, his other passions included bicycling, the Internet, law, international scholarship and collaboration, the Cosmos Club, for which he led the effort to expand membership to women, senior living initiatives, public service, local politics, equal rights, and more.
To carry on his passion for young people and the power of imagination, the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation has established in his memory the Tedson Meyers Youth Imagination Fund. You can donate to the Fund at www.clarkefoundation.org/donate.
