John S. Garth; Expert on Marine Crustaceans, Butterflies

John S. Garth, 84, USC biology professor and internationally recognized expert on marine crustaceans and butterflies. A native of Los Angeles, Garth earned his first degree from USC in music, as a classical pianist. He became interested in biology when invited to accompany a cello-playing naturalist named Allan Hancock on a 1931 cruise aboard the USC research vessel Velero III to the Galapagos Islands. Garth returned to USC for a master’s degree in biology and doctorate in zoology and soon became a teacher and research associate at USC’s Allan Hancock Foundation. He was curator of the foundation from 1967 until his retirement in 1975. Garth remained active in teaching, research and writing during his retirement, publishing his award-winning book “California Butterflies” in 1986. On Oct. 18 in Long Beach of a heart attack.