Gerald Studebaker's Obituary
Gerald Arthur Studebaker, age 86, died in Memphis Tennessee on September 2, 2018. “Jerry” was born July 22, 1932 in Freeport, Illinois. He graduated from Freeport High School and then attended Illinois State Normal University where he received his Bachelors degree in Education of the Deaf in 1955. He then attended graduate school at Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY where he received his Masters Degree in 1956 and his Ph.D. in 1960, both in Audiology.After two years with the Veterans Administration in Washington, DC, he embarked on an academic career which was to span more than 40 years. It started at the University of Oklahoma where he was appointed Assistant Professor in 1962. In 1972 he was appointed Professor at Memphis State University (MSU). He moved to the City University of New York in 1976 and the returned to MSU in 1979 where he continued his career as researcher and graduate school teacher until his retirement in 2005. During his 43-year academic career Dr Studebaker taught a variety of courses mainly concerning the foundations of audiology, psychoacoustics and hearing research methods.His research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for more than 25 years. He was awarded a seven-year Jacob K. Javits Neuroscience Investigator award by the NIH in 1984. He received two Distinguished Research awards and at least ten other awards recognizing his research from The University of Memphis. He received a Research Career award from the American Academy of Audiology in 1997. He was elected Fellow by the American Speech Language and Hearing Association in 1969, by the Acoustical Society of America in 1990, and by the American Academy of Audiology in 1990. He was author or coauthor of more than 200 published and unpublished scientific and professional papers and book chapters.Dr. Studebaker is survived by five children from two previous marriages, Mark David Studebaker of Safety Harbor, FL, Steven James “Jim” Studebaker of Palm Bay, FL, Karen Furst Studebaker Fletcher of Pleasanton, CA, Susan Lee Studebaker Sheffmaker of Kendall Park, NJ and Kathleen “Katie” Masterton Studebaker of Portsmouth, NH; and his sister Judith Lynn Hardy of Tucson, AZ. He is also survived by six grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Sally B. Studebaker of Memphis, TN in 2011; his father, Lawrence Schuman Studebaker, who died at the family home in Freeport, IL in 1990; and his mother Fern Elizabeth Clark Studebaker, a long-time resident of Freeport, who died in Tucson, AZ in 2007.Visitation will be held on Friday October 19, 2018 from 5pm to 7pm at Memorial Park Funeral Home. Graveside services will be held on Saturday, October 20, 2018 at 11am in Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery is located at 5668 Poplar Avenue in Memphis Tennessee 38119.Arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave., Memphis, TN 38119 (901) 767-8930. “Celebrating Life… Behind the Stone Wall”.
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