Anscombe, Francis J.
Computing in statistical science through APL. New York:
Springer-Verlag, 1981. 426 p.
QA276.4.A45
xv, 426 p. : ill. ; 26 cm
Springer series in statistics
Summaries in French and German
Bibliography: p. 410-417
Includes index
[7]Statistics -- [8]Data processing
[9]APL (Computer program language)
[10]Statistical computing iis
YaleDailyNews.com - Statistics founder Anscombe dies at 83
_________________________________________________________________
Published Monday, October 29, 2001
Statistics founder Anscombe dies at 83
BY GABRIEL ARANA
Contributing Reporter
Francis John Anscombe, eminent professor and founder of Yale's
Statistics Department, died on Oct. 17. He was 83.
The cause was Alzheimer's disease, according to the Department of
Statistics.
Anscombe graduated with honors in mathematics from Trinity College in
Cambridge, England in 1939 and received a master's degree in 1943. He
began teaching at Cambridge University in 1948 and then came to the
United States to teach at Princeton University in 1956. Prodded by
members of the Yale Economics Department, he founded the Department of
Statistics in 1963.
During World War II Anscombe engineered the deployment of weapons for
the English Ministry of Supply. He worked under the aegis of Duncan
Sandys, Prime Minister Winston Churchill's son-in-law, to develop
anti-aircraft missiles and also helped orchestrate accurate firing
sequences for the Allied D-Day invasion.
Anscombe was also an avid art enthusiast.
In 1951, he purchased a Francis Bacon painting for the Fitzwilliam
Museum. After displaying the work for a couple of months, the museum
returned the work to Anscombe saying it was too modern. When Bacon's
surrealist style became renowned, Anscombe sold the painting to pay
for his children's education.
Although Anscombe published more than 50 articles and a book during
his lifetime, his colleagues say they will remember him most for his
kindness.
He had a passion for problems of social relevance, and said once that
it would behoove new doctorate recipients to work on a project that
had "some definite mission."
According to colleagues, Anscombe did a lot of work "behind the
scenes" for which he did not take credit. He is described as gentle
but straight-forward.
"He had a lot of class," said fellow professor of statistics John
Hartigan. "He would gently push you into the ways he wanted you to
go."
In addition to being an art guru, Anscombe wrote poetry, sang, and
enjoyed playing the recorder. When he attended musical performances,
he always brought a copy of the score so he could follow the piece.
His funeral was held last Thursday at St. John's Episcopal Church.
Copyright ) 2001 Yale Daily News. All rights reserved.
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John Tukey's survivors include: first cousins Clayton Tasker of Jekyll
Island, GA, Wilder A. Tasker of New Bern, NC; nephews Francis
Anscombe, Anthony Anscombe, and Frederick Anscombe, and niece
Elizabeth Anscombe Valeika; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law,
Professor and Mrs. Francis Anscombe of New Haven, CT; four great
nieces and a number of second cousins from the Tukey branch of the
family. His wife of 48 years, Elizabeth Rapp Tukey, died in January
of 1998.