“Katherine Loker has carved for herself a very special place in USC history,” said USC President Steven B. Sample. “She and her late husband, Donald, were among USC’s most ardent and faithful supporters, enhancing the lives of so many members of the Trojan Family through their support of higher education, medical care, libraries, museums and USC athletics.”

While at USC, she was a member of the track team, later donating $3.4 million to build the Katherine B. Loker Track and Field Stadium, a 3,000-seat venue. For her support, she received the USC Track and Field Heritage Award.

In 1977, the Lokers were the principal contributors to the establishment of what was later named the Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute. In 1983, the couple personally endowed the Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Chair in Organic Chemistry for USC chemistry professor George A. Olah, who went on to win the 1994 Nobel Prize in chemistry.

The couple also donated $1.5 million to the USC School of Theatre.

Katherine Loker was a founding member of the USC College Board of Councilors and a past chair of the Loker Institute advisory board. She was elected an honorary member of the USC Board of Trustees and also was a Presidential Associate, life member of Town & Gown and member of the San Diego Trojan League.

She received numerous university honors, including the 2007 Presidential Medallion, a USC College Dean’s Medallion, the Asa V. Call Award and an Alumni Merit Award.

Loker served as a trustee and foundation member of the California Science Center, foundation board member of the Nixon Presidential Library, life member of the advisory board of California State University, Dominguez Hills and founding member of the Los Angeles Music Center. She was an active supporter of the Donald P. Loker Cancer Treatment Center at the California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles and served on the Committee on University Resources at Harvard University, receiving the Harvard Medal in 1995.

Loker is survived by her daughters, Deborah Hicks and Katherine Leahy.