Woman Killed In Christmas Day Baseball Bat Attack Was Popular Bay Area College Instructor, Author

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA – A woman who police say was killed by her adult son on Christmas morning in unincorporated Gilroy was a long-time lecturer at San Jose State University, according to university officials.

Claudia Salewske was a lecturer in the university's department of English and comparative literature from August 2000 to July 2013.

"On behalf of the San Jose State University community, I would like to express our condolences to all who knew and loved Claudia Salewske," SJSU Provost Andy Feinstein said in a statement. "I understand she was a
valued colleague and friend to many at San Jose State."

Her son, 39-year-old Matthew Salewske, was arrested after sheriff's deputies responded at about 11 a.m. Sunday to a report of a domestic disturbance at a home in the 2000 block of Roop Road, sheriff's officials said.

Deputies found Claudia Salewske, 70, with significant head trauma. She was taken to the hospital but died a few hours later. Her son was arrested on suspicion of murder, according to the sheriff's office.

Several former students at San Jose State ranked Salewske as "awesome" to "good" on the web site "Rate My Professors."

"She's a great professor and person. All she wants is for you to do well in her class and so she does expect a lot sometimes," one class member wrote a few years ago. "She's also the only professor I've met so far that remembers all of her students' names (it's always a big class)."

"Hard but a GREAT professor," wrote another. "She is passionate and caring. She really cares about her students. ... Take her ... she is a great lady!"

In addition to her work at SJSU, Salewske was a member of the Gilroy Historical Society, the author of "Pieces of the Past: A Story of Gilroy" and a frequent volunteer at the Garlic Festival, according to her author biography.

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--Bay City News contributed to this report/Morguefile candle image, Amazon.com book cover, suspect photo via SCCSO