Charles Carr Cleland

Charles Carr Cleland, Ph.D. was born in Murphysboro, Illinois on May 15, 1924 to Stella Carr Cleland and Homer Cleland. He died in Austin, Texas on December 6, 2008. He was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Betty Lou Woodburn Cleland. He is survived by wife Evelyn Hereford Cleland and by nephew Patrick Cleland of Florida. Dr. Cleland served in the Air Force during World War II as a radio operator with the 311th troop carrier squadron stationed in the Pacific theatre. After the war, he received a BS degree in government and a Master's degree in psychology from Southern Illinois University. In 1956, he received a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Cleland had a long and distinguished career in the field of mental health and mental retardation. He served as Assistant Director of Brown Schools in Austin, Chief Psychologist at Lincoln State School and Austin State School and Superintendent of Abilene State School. He was Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas where he taught for 26 years in the departments of Educational Psychology, Special Education and the School of Business. He was a prolific researcher and author with over 200 academic publications and books. Although Dr. Cleland retired from the University of Texas in 1988, his intellect, humor and creativity continued to find expression through his irreverent Commode Companion Series of short stories which totaled 27 volumes at the time of his passing. There is no doubt that Dr. Cleland was one-of- a- kind and lived his life on his own terms. He was intelligent, gruff, clever, stubborn, loyal, generous, inquisitive, fun and caring. He maintained an abiding love for Southern Illinois and for Kool Menthol cigarettes. "...and he also played the trumpet." In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 51 Crescent Drive, Murphysboro, Illinois 62966 or to Hospice Austin, 4107 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 100, Austin, Texas 78759. Funeral arrangements are with Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home in Austin, Texas. A graveside service will be held on Friday, December 12, 2008 at 4PM in Carterville, Illinois at the Hillcrest Cemetery under the direction of Riggin- Pillatsch Funeral Home.