5 In memoriam: James F. Maurer, 1928-2010 meritus Professor of Communication James F. Maurer was born June 8, 1928 in Freeport, IL and died July 15, 2010 at his Lake Oswego home. Family members, colleagues and longtime friends gathered at Lake Oswego’s Lakewood Center July 30 to celebrate a remarkable life. A private interment was held later in Libby, MT. During his adolescent years Jim’s family moved west, settling first in North Dakota and finally in Libby, MT. A typical adventurous teenager, Jim took advantage of opportunities to wander along river banks, hike mountain trails, ride horseback, and learn lariat exercises from authentic cowboys. Early on he developed communication skills through barbershop quartet and local theater performances. After high school graduation in 1946, he enrolled at the University of Montana, completing a BA degree in 1951 before being mustered into frontline Korean War military service. Speaking talents enabled him to be reassigned to the Armed Forces Radio network. Upon release from the army, Jim briefly studied in a New York University broadcast program before returning to manage the radio station in his Montana home town. There he met Wana Barton, a high school teacher—also a UM graduate—and in 1955 they married. During 30 years of marriage they reared four children. By 1960 Jim had accumulated wide-ranging occupational experiences: hazardous forest firefighting and vermiculite bagging, real estate sales, AP photography and reporting, soda jerking at his father’s café, and teaching high school English and Spanish classes. He returned to the University of Montana and completed a master’s degree in speech pathology in 1961; he then accepted a University of Iowa fellowship to begin advanced communication studies. In 1962 Jim settled his growing family in White Salmon, WA, working as a speech and hearing consultant. From 1964 to 1968 University of Oregon and Oregon Health Sciences University awards enabled him to pursue doctoral studies. Concurrently he served as clinical instructor in audiology and otolaryngology at the Portland Center for Hearing and Speech until 1966 when he joined the PSU Speech Communications Department, heading its burgeoning audiology program until his retirement in 1991. His active professional career included notable service as a clinical audiologist, departmental professor, and consultant. Research and creative activities led to numerous professional presentations, publications in dozens of journals and books, and generation of substantial grant support. Although Professor Maurer primarily focused on audiology, he was one of few professionals to be certified in both audiology and speech language pathology. He organized national summer institutes for training practitioners to work with patients who had undergone laryngectomies (larynx removal). His creativity led to grant sponsorship for an Auditory Rehabilitation Mobile van, a clinic-on-wheels for older adults, thereby making audiological services available throughout Oregon. He also initiated a program to "recycle" hearing aids for needy seniors, and advocated for legislation to aid hearing-impaired children. Humanitarian concerns prompted inauguration of a much needed hearing testing laboratory in Costa Rica, providing an opportunity to deploy his Spanish language competence. After retirement Jim satisfied relentless intellectual curiosity and released boundless energy through occasional teaching, writing award winning poetry, traveling, fishing in Montana, and golfing. His skillful soft-shoe tap dancing never failed to entertain. Professor Maurer’s enduring PSU legacy is its stunningly successful audiology program that has trained dozens of practitioners. Colleagues and students alike highly regarded his work, which exemplified the finest level of support that the University seeks to provide to the community it serves. Survivors include children and their spouses, Jeff (Cathy), Jason, and Michelle Olson (Curt); his sister, Mary Lansing; four grandchildren; and his former wife, Wana Maurer, all of whom reside in the Portland area. For their loss, our organization extends heartfelt sympathy. Remembrances may be made to the PSU Department of Speech Communication’s “James F. Maurer Speech and Hearing Memorial Fund” or to The Nature Conservancy, 4245 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington VA 22203. --Victor C. Dahl, Emeritus Professor of History, with assistance from Mary Brannan, Emeritus Professor of Speech and Hearing Sciences E
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