Feb 20, 2014 09:12 AM EST By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

Pullman police officials found the body of 51-year-old Washington State University, WSU, history professor floating in a pond at Sunnyside Park, Wednesday morning.

Chris Tennant, Pullman Police Commander, said that the family of Dr.Scott Stratton was reported missing Tuesday night after his dog, Mojo, returned home from a walk without him at 8:00 p.m.

The Whitman County coroner has ruled the death as an accident. Police officials denied any foul play and said that an autopsy will be conducted to determine the actual cause of his death. The victim is reported to have a history of medical problems.

Raymond Sun, chairman of the WSU history department, remembered Stratton as a practical and a positive person in the department. He would use music and film clips in class to better student engagement.

"The History Department is much diminished by his passing, "said Sun, Krem reports. "He loved history; he obviously loved to teach. He was always willing to help the student organizations in the department. He loved the Cougars," Spokesman-Review reports.

Stratton earned his bachelor's degree in history from WSU in 1987; two graduate degrees at the university in 1994 and 2000 and Ph.D. from Arizona State University 2007 in Early and Modern U. S. and Public History.

The WSU graduate was in his fifth year teaching at his alma mater.

Scott teaches upper division courses on the American CIvil War, American Popular Culture, the senior-level 469 seminar on the 1960's counterculture era and courses related to the John F. Kennedy Assassination.

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