In Memoriam: Frank Wesley, 1918 – 2016 rank Wesley, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, was born Franz Wolfsohn in Breslau, Germany, in 1918 and grew up on his father’s farm. At 20 years of age, he was imprisoned in Buchenwald, a victim of Nazi anti-Semitism. In Buchenwald, prisoners were worked literally to death. Wesley was forced to carry rocks, an exhausting labor that was made worse by a starvation diet. He was released after serving a three-year sentence with orders to leave Germany in three days. He was, however, so underweight as a result of his suffering that he was denied an American visa. He escaped to Belgium and eventually made it to the United States. He came to Portland to work in the shipyards. He became a citizen and, in 1944, joined the US Army, serving in the 21st Division in Europe. He was actually assigned to help liberate the same Buchenwald in which he had been prisoner. In his office at Portland State, he kept a photo of himself with his close Army companions thumb-tacked immediately above his typewriter. Professor Wesley earned his bachelor’s degree at Reed College and advanced degrees at Washington State. He joined the Department of Psychology at Portland State University. His Monday evening class in the psychology of learning was a standing Monday night draw for many years, attended widely by formally enrolled students and typically by a few informal auditors as well. He was the first faculty member of the PSU department to be named a fellow of the American Psychological Association. He was an active scholar, publishing several scholarly books covering everything from child-rearing psychology to the history of anti-Semitism. His most recent work, Naked Psychology: Stories Behind the Mind Game, was more personal, as it describes his education and teaching career. A celebration of Frank’s life was held Wednesday, June 15 (his birthday), at a block party in the 1300 block of SE 37th Avenue in the Hawthorne district of southeast Portland. Professor Wesley is survived by his former wife, Mary Rose of Portland, his children, Claire Wesley (Fran Murphy), Walter Wesley and Elaine Wolf Lopez, six grandchildren and new great-granddaughter. In his honor, donations may be made to his favorite radio station, KMHD or Oregon Public Broadcasting. RAPS extends sincere condolences to members of Professor Wesley’s family. --John R. Cooper, Professor Emeritus of English 5 F
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