Obituary: Nathaniel N. Wagner (1930-1978).

Nathaniel N. Wagner was born in Brooklyn, New York, on January 31, 1930. He received a BA from Long Island University in 1951 and completed his MA and PhD at Columbia University. From 1956 to 1962, Wagner held various short-term and part-time appointments: Clinical psychologist in the U.S. Army and instructor at the University of Georgia, Pennsylvania State University, Dutchess Community College in New York, and Bard College. His main position during this period was as a clinical psychologist at the Astor Home for Children. In 1962 Wagner came to the University of Washington, where he served as professor of psychology and obstetrics/gynecology and as director of the Clinical Psychology Training Program from 1970 until his death. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sidney Orgel (1926-2003).

Presents an obituary for Sidney Orgel (1926-2003). Bud, as everyone knew him, received his bachelor's degree from New York University in 1948. He completed his master's (1950) and doctoral (1956) degrees in clinical psychology at the University of Connecticut. Bud joined the staff of the Syracuse Veterans Administration Hospital in 1956 and then in 1968 moved to the State University of New York Upstate Medical Center to develop a Division of Clinical Psychology. He remained at Upstate for the rest of his career and in 1993 was appointed professor emeritus. The high esteem in which he was held at Upstate is reflected in his selection as acting chair of the Department of Psychiatry, a position he held from 1981 to 1985 and a rare position for a psychologist. It was at Upstate that Bud's unique talents flourished. His first accomplishment was the development of one of the country's outstanding clinical psychology internships. The training and education of psychologists became a passion for him. Interns adored him, not only because he was an outstanding supervisor, but also because his trainees knew that his goal was providing them with the best possible experience and training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Leon H. Levy (1925–2010).

Leon H. Levy died on August 24, 2010, in Richmond, Virginia, at the age of 84. Leon was an extraordinary scholar, teacher, and visionary. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Antioch College in l950 and a doctorate in psychology from Ohio State University in 1954. He was a faculty member at Indiana University, Bloomington, for 24 years, serving as the director of clinical training from 1969 to 1978. In 1978, Leon became chair of the Psychology Department at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and served in that position until his 1996 retirement. He was the principal figure in creating and launching UMBC’s highly successful doctoral program in Human Services Psychology (HSP) and was graduate program director from its inception in 1984 until his retirement. His striking effectiveness in two concurrent leadership roles continues to amaze his successors. Leon was also an innovator in the professional preparation of psychologists. Leon was the recipient of numerous national Public Health Service grants and published more than 60 scholarly articles. Leon is survived by his wife Sandra M. Levy, a psychologist and priest associate at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia; his children Paul, Judy, and Claire Levy; and his step-sons Brian and Kevin Esterling. We join his family in mourning his passing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Earl Clement Brown (1928-2002).

Obituary [Earl Clement Brown; 1928-2002]. Earl Clement Brown was born on July 23, 1928, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and died in Atlanta, Georgia, on December 22, 2002. He attended the University of Denver from 1948 until 1950 and earned the bachelor of arts (1949) and master of arts (1950) degrees. He earned the doctor of philosophy degree from Purdue University in 1953 after having attended that university from 1950 until 1953. His doctoral dissertation was titled "A Factor Analysis of Projective Electroencephalographic and Metabolic Variables." After holding positions at various Veterans Administration hospitals, Brown was appointed associate professor of psychology at Emory University. He was professor, director of clinical studies (1961-1963), acting department head (1962-1963), and head (1963-1965) of psychology at the University of Alabama. He moved to Georgia State College in 1965 to establish a graduate program; a master of arts program was started in 1965, and a doctor of philosophy program was started in 1967. He served as department head from 1965 until 1971 and remained a professor of psychology until his retirement in 1986. In the Southeastern Psychological Association, Brown served on the Executive Committee (1965-1968) and was president (1969 -1970). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Manfred J. Meier (1929-2006).

Manfred J. Meier, one of the most influential figures in the establishment of clinical neuropsychology as a specialty field, died at age 77 in Mexico on August 27, 2006, after a one-year battle with lung cancer. Manny's college and graduate school studies were completed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned a bachelor's degree (1952), a master's degree (1953), and a doctorate (1956)--all in psychology. During his graduate years, his mentors included Charles Bridgeman and Karl U. Smith, but he was also influenced by Harry Harlow, for whom he served as a research assistant in his primate laboratory. Manny's attendance at a 1952 conference where the speakers included Ward Halstead, Donald Hebb, Roger Sperry, and Hans-Lukas Teuber solidified his interest in the emerging field of neuropsychology. During his 36-year career at the University of Minnesota, Manny published more than 70 professional papers, book chapters, and books. He was promoted to associate professor in 1962 and to professor in 1966. At his retirement in 1993, he was named professor emeritus. A committed educator, Manny served as the director of the APA-accredited Psychology Internship Consortium from 1983 to 1993 and as director of a postdoctoral program in clinical neuropsychology from 1985 to 1993. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Theodore R. Sarbin (1911-2005).

Obituary [Theodore R. Sarbin; 1911-2005]. Theodore R. Sarbin died in his 95th year, fully engaged in his life as a psychologist until the end. Sarbin was born on May 8, 1911, in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University as an undergraduate, earning his bachelor's degree there in 1936. The next year he earned his master's degree from Western Reserve University. He received his doctoral degree in psychology from Ohio State University in 1941. Sarbin began his career as a research-oriented clinical psychologist, practicing first in Illinois and later in Los Angeles. His academic career was established at the University of California, Berkeley, where he served on the faculty from 1949 to 1969. Sarbin left Berkeley to join the faculty of the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1969. He continued there until his retirement in 1976. While gentle and controlled in manner, Sarbin made it his professional life work to challenge orthodox views in psychology. Sarbin described his own professional posture as "oppositional and nonconforming." In the course of his academic career, Sarbin received scores of honors. Included among his more than 250 professional publications are 6 books and another 6 edited volumes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Starke Rosecrans Hathaway (1903–1984).

Presents an obituary for Starke Rosecrans Hathaway. Hathaway obtained both his undergraduate and master's level training with James P. Porter at Ohio University in Athens. He earned his undergraduate degree in psychology in 1927 and his master's degree in 1928. Porter persuaded him to remain in Athens as an instructor in psychology and physiology; by 1929 he held the rank of assistant professor. Hathaway's original interests in engineering persisted; he perfected and marketed a chronoscope, a psychogalvanometer, and electrical stimulation and recording devices for the study of neural processes. It is interesting to recall that one of the first uses to which Hathaway had put his psychogalvanometer was as a lie detector in helping police in Athens to solve a murder case. Hathaway's contributions to clinical psychology were recognized at the national level by the APA's Division of Clinical Psychology, which conferred its Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award in 1959 and elected him as its president in 1963. Elected to Sigma Xi and Phi Beta Kappa, an ABPP diplomate in clinical psychology, he was awarded honorary doctorates by Ohio University in 1966 and by Ohio State University in 1972. His honors were capped in 1977 when the APA conferred its award for Distinguished Contribution for Applications in Psychology. Hathaway retired from the University of Minnesota in 1971. He died at his home in Minneapolis on July 4, 1984. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

John Henry Jackson (1922-2008).

John Henry Jackson was born September 21, 1922, in Macon, Georgia, and died May 14, 2008. He received his bachelor's degree from Milwaukee State Teachers College (1946, now the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), and his master's (1948) and doctoral (1957) degrees in educational psychology from the University of Chicago. John served the Milwaukee Public Schools as a school psychologist from 1962 until his retirement in 1989. He was also a founding member and former officer of the Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology, a member of the Wisconsin Psychological Association and, in 1981-1982, president of the Milwaukee Area Psychological Association. As a licensed psychologist in Wisconsin, he was also a member of the state examining board (1974-1980). John was a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) since 1963 and a fellow since 1982. During his career, he published on topics related to school psychology interventions, the development and importance of school psychology, and minority affairs relevant to schoolchildren and psychologists. John Jackson was among the early and distinguished African American school psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Wolfgang Georg Bringmann (1933–2009).

Wolfgang Georg Bringmann, who was well known for his numerous contributions to the history of psychology, died in Austin, Texas, on June 7, 2009, six days prior to his 76th birthday. Wolfgang was born in Darmstadt, Germany, on June 13, 1933. Wolfgang’s research interests in the history of psychology flowed naturally from his background and fluency with the German language. He worked with many colleagues from both Europe and North America to provide insights into the lives and achievements of some of the most famous early psychologists— especially Wundt, Fechner, and Hall. Wolfgang taught at the university level for 35 years, holding positions in the University of Alabama system, the University of Mississippi, the University of Windsor (Windsor, Ontario, Canada), and finally, the University of South Alabama, from which he retired as professor of psychology in 1997. In addition to his many years of teaching and research activities, Wolfgang also served as a consulting clinical psychologist. During his retirement, he continued to present at professional meetings. To those of us who worked with him, Wolfgang was a generous, supportive, and caring colleague. He will be greatly missed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Harold Basowitz (1921–2000).

Memorializes Harold Basowitz, who was known for his competence in administration, teaching, clinical work, and research. Basowitz held a position as a research clinical psychologist at the Institute for Psychiatric Research and Training at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago where he managed a research project leading to the publication of the book Anxiety and Stress in 1954. At the National Institute of Mental Health Training Branch, he administered grants for graduate training in clinical psychology. Later, at New York University, he served as professor in the clinical psychology program. During the last 15 yrs of his life, he maintained an academic affiliation with Duke University. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quinn McNemar (1900–1986).

Quinn McNemar, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Statistics, and Education at Stanford University, with his primary base in the Department of Psychology, died on July 3, 1986. Born on February 20, 1900, he was 86 at the time of his death. He had retired at the age of 65 after long years of service at Stanford and spent an additional five years as Professor of Psychology and Education at the University of Texas, Austin. He then returned to reside again in Palo Alto until his death. His widow, Olga, who had a PhD in psychology from Columbia University, was long associated with him in his professional work and survived him after their marriage of 55 years. His status as a psychologist was recognized by his election to the presidency of the American Psychological Association to serve in the year 1963-1964. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Zygmunt A. Piotrowski (1904–1985).

Presents an obituary for Zygmunt Piotrowski. Though most widely known for his development of and research with the Rorschach test, devising a system he referred to as perceptanalysis (to emphasize the centrality of the image, as opposed to the secondary associations elicited), his more than 150 publications covered 105 separate topics. Born in Poznan, Poland, Piotrowski studied psychology, the history of philosophy, and symbolic logic. His PhD dissertation was on the perception of time. He did postgraduate study at Teacher's College of Columbia University, worked at the New Jersey Neuropsychiatric Institute, and served as adjunct professor of psychology at Temple University and as a visiting professor in the Department of Mental Health Sciences at the Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital, now Hahnemann University. He taught psychology courses, primarily in the Rorschach and other forms of test-based diagnoses, at many major universities, including New York University, Yeshiva, Fordham, Xavier, Rutgers, Laval in Quebec, and the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. The unifying theme in Piotrowski's research was the demonstration that the manner in which we structure our visual worlds predicts how we feel and live and how we build not only our homes and cathedrals but also our societies as well. Piotrowski passed away in 1985. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Obituary: Richard S. Crutchfield (1912-1977).

Crutchfield was born in Pittsburgh on June 20, 1912. He received his BA in civil engineering from the California Institute of Technology and his PhD in psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. In 1938-1939 he was a research associate at Swarthmore College, where he worked with Wolfgang Kohler. The next year he was an instructor at Mount Holyoke College. From 1940 to 1946 he held research and administrative appointments with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Office of War Information, and the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey in Germany. In several of these posts he contributed to the developing methodology of opinion surveys, and for distinguished service in the last position he was awarded the Medal of Freedom by the U.S. Department of War. In 1946 he returned to Swarthmore, where he later served as Chairman of the Psychology Department. After several visiting appointments at the University of California, Berkeley, he came permanently as professor of psychology in 1953. He was one of the original team of research psychologists at the Institute of Personality Assessment and Research (IPAR) in Berkeley, and in 1970 he succeeded Donald W. MacKinnon as Director. Failing health forced him to resign this position in 1973. Crutchfield passed away on July 19, 1977. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Jacob Robert Kantor (1888–1984).

Presents an obituary for Jacob Robert Kantor (1888–1984). Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on August 8, 1888, Robert attended the University of Chicago where an early interest in chemistry was soon supplanted by devotion to psychological science. He earned the PhD in 1914 and was an instructor at the University of Minnesota from 1915 to 1917. Marriage to Helen Rich on September 2, 1916 provided him with a long-term collaborator and later a daughter, Helene Juliette. His PhD was awarded in 1917 and he served as an instructor at the University of Chicago from 1917 to 1920. In 1920 he became Assistant Professor of Psychology at Indiana University where he was to remain for 39 years; he was promoted to Associate Professor in 1921 and became Professor of Psychology in 1923. A cultured gentleman, Robert was an exceptionally knowledgeable connoisseur of literature, art, and music. One of his last publications, Tragedy and the Event Continuum (1983) examined a sample of literature in light of his naturalistic philosophy and psychology. His artistic preference favored the Impressionists and especially German Expressionism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Irwin A. Hyman (1935-2005).

Presents an obituary for Irwin Abraham Hyman (1935-2005). Hyman served as chief of clinical services for the American Institute for Mental Studies (formerly the Vineland Training School, 1966-1967), then as professor of special education at Newark State College. In 1968 he joined Temple University as an associate professor of school psychology and was a full professor from 1975 until the time of his death. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Obituary: William A. Owens (1914-2005).

Presents an obituary for William A. Owens (1914-2005). Bill received his bachelor's degree in mathematics at Winona State University in 1935. He started his graduate studies at the University of Chicago but switched to the University of Minnesota early on. Under the guidance of Paterson, he received his doctorate in differential psychology in 1940, with minors in statistics and counseling. Bill then took a position in the psychology department at Iowa State University in 1940, but he left to enlist in the U.S. Navy after Pearl Harbor was attacked. When the war ended, Bill returned to Iowa State University, where he rose to full professor and head of the psychology department. After 13 years at Iowa State University, he went to Purdue University and, in 1968, moved to the University of Georgia to start a program in measurement and human differences. He subsequently became director of the Institute for Behavioral Research and split his time between teaching, research, and administration. Bill took the post of acting provost in 1976-1977 and helped reorganize the higher levels of administration at the University of Georgia. During his teaching career, he supervised over 100 theses and dissertations. He retired in 1984 at age 70. Bill consulted extensively, frequently with the firm of Richardson, Bellows, and Henry. He published over 80 articles, books, and chapters, as well as seven tests, during his outstanding research career. Bill's most prominent work was on biodata, much of it supported over an 18-year period by the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Carl Ward Backman (1923-2008).

Carl Ward Backman, a long-time fellow of the American Psychological Association, died at his home in Reno, Nevada, on February 16, 2008. He was 84. After earning a doctorate in sociology, he joined the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) in 1955. There he remained until his death, serving as a professor, department chair, director of social psychology, dean, and emeritus professor. His time at UNR was interrupted only by a two-year stint as program director for sociology and social psychology at the National Science Foundation in Washington, DC. Carl had a great influence on social psychology, the university he served, the department and the PhD program that he helped build, as well as on his colleagues, students, and friends. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Paul A. Kolers (1926–1986).

Presents an obituary for Paul A. Kolers (1926–1986). Paul A. Kolers died of lung cancer in Toronto on January 27, 1986. He was born August 14, 1926, in New York City and obtained his BA degree from Queen's College in 1951, and his PhD degree from New York University in 1957. After holding several teaching and research positions, including posts at Bell Labs, Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he joined the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto in 1970, a position he held until his death. Kolers's intellectual interests were wide ranging, both within psychology and across neighboring disciplines. He was deeply committed to the world of ideas--a commitment that made him a stimulating colleague, but often made him impatient with lines of work he considered misguided. His penetrating critical abilities were expressed in acerbic commentaries on various "information-processing" approaches. His own thinking was independent, but was connected to important historical streams in philosophy and psychology; he was an ingenious experimentalist and a creative theorist. In social situations he was a warm and amusing companion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Obituary: Alan Kent Malyon (1941–1988).

Alan Kent Malyon was born on April 12, 1941, in East Chicago, Illinois and died of lung cancer on December 26, 1988 in Los Angeles. He graduated from San Jose State University in 1964 and completed his PhD in clinical psychology at Texas Technological University in 1974. After working for three years in medical psychology as a senior clinical psychologist at the City of Hope National Medical Center, he began a full-time clinical practice in Los Angeles. From 1977 to 1981, he served as Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Southern California School of Medicine. Since 1981, he was an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he also served as a clinical supervisor in the Psychology Clinic. Malyon was a diplomate in clinical psychology of the American Board of Professional Psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Launor Franklin Carter (1914–1986).

Presents an obituary for Launor Franklin Carter. Carter earned a BS degree and MS degree in experimental psychology from the University of Washington, and a PhD in experimental psychology from Princeton University. He had a long career in military psychology, and worked on the early development of the Army's classification system. Launor joined the psychology faculty of the University of Rochester, as an assistant and later associate professor, with responsibility for undergraduate and graduate instruction in social psychology. Later he joined the Human Resources and Research Organization (HumRRO), where he directed a very productive program of research on the selection and training of junior leaders, on interactions among members of air defense artillery units and infantry squads, and on the characteristics of effective and ineffective infantrymen in the Korean conflict. This was followed by 25 years of service at the System Development Corporation (SDC), where he served as principal psychologist and as leader of research programs on military and civilian problems. Over the years, Launor also served in many military, civilian, and professional activities outside SDC. Launor died in 1986. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)