Memoriam

In Remembrance: Stuart Gerber 

Stuart Alan Gerber, 87, died at home on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. He leaves Beverly Levett Gerber, his devoted wife, colleague, and best friend for over 52 years. Stu, Ed. D., was a Professor Emeritus of Special Education at Southern Connecticut State University, where he established and coordinated the Special Education Department's 6th year Professional Diploma in Educational Collaboration and Consultation. The program was designed to address collaborative relationships among teachers, paraprofessionals, clinical specialists, administrators and parents. It provided training in team building, communication skills, negotiation, conflict management, and problem-solving methods. A special education professor and licensed psychologist for over 40 years, he organized and coordinated a statewide annual conference on Educational Collaboration at Southern Connecticut State University. He co-authored and presented the Council for Exceptional Children's (CEC) Academy for Professional Collaboration and CEC's Institute on Collaboration, wrote about and gave presentations about collaboration and consultation for many national and international organizations.

Born in Boston and into a Red Sox family, he remained a loyal fan throughout his life. He attended Tufts University as an undergraduate, transferring and graduating from the University of Illinois. Right after graduation he was drafted into the post WW II army. The Korean War had just ended and after training at Ft. Lee, Virginia, he was sent to Frankfurt, West Germany, first as part of the U. S. Army of Occupation and later, part of the new NATO treaty. Following his service he attended and received a Doctorate Degree in Educational Psychology from the Harvard University School of Education. Part of his residency was at the Judge Baker Clinic in Boston.

Stu and Beverly met in Yorktown Heights, NY, where Stu was the psychologist assigned to Beverly's special education class of students with behavior disorders. After marrying, they moved to Milford, CT and Stu became a professor in the Department of Special Education at Southern Connecticut State University. Beverly joined the Special Education Department faculty two years later and they were colleagues for over 30 years. Stu and Beverly worked, traveled, and presented professional papers together around the country and world. For many years, with children and cats, they traveled the Eastern coastline in their 28' Argosy motorhome, from Nova Scotia to Key West. Their concentrated time together encouraged a frequent and quick repartee, always including Stu's clever and funny "zingers," that was dubbed the "Stu and Bev Show" by sister, Eileen. Stu's family, friends, neighbors, and students all loved his intelligence and quick, dry sense of humor.

Stu absolutely loved to travel, and used his impressive photographic gifts during those travels. Between family trips, professional travel, group tours, and journeys with his now deceased, close university friends, David Purpel (NC) and Harold Berlak (CA), and later, with Harry Goldhar (Toronto), he visited countries from Iceland to Australia to Uruguay. Stu also loved museums, both art and history, where he made sure to read every description. At home, he enjoyed reading on the deck or in the backyard, under the apple tree. He balanced reading with cycling, swimming, sailing his sunfish, or paddling his kayak on Long Island Sound. He also took great pride maintaining his yard and trimming the enormous privet hedges that rimmed the yard (usually done on a weekend when neighbors could see). He is missed by them.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the "Stuart A. Gerber Endowed Scholarship in Special Education," Southern Connecticut State University Foundation, Inc., 501 Crescent Street, New Haven, CT 06515-1355.