Dr. David W. Ullrich

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Dr. David William Ullrich, beloved paterfamilias, teacher, author, sculptor, poet, and basketball enthusiast. On December 5, 2023, David passed away at home due to complications from multiple myeloma. He is survived by his best friend and wife of 46 years, Joanne E. Murphy-Ullrich; children Dana Ullrich (Dino Sarris) and Jack David Ullrich (Olivia Smith); grandchild Gus David Sarris; in-laws John and Lorraine Murphy; brother-in-law Kevin Murphy (Lynne Zheutlin); brother Brian Ullrich (Maripat); nieces (Megan Murphy, Alison Murphy, Emily Ullrich); nephews (Seth Murphy, Christopher Ullrich); and aunt Jean Reakes and numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents William Joseph Ullrich and Arlene Kathryn Ring Ullrich.

Dave was born August 25, 1953 in Chicago, IL and remained a lifelong Midwesterner at heart. He was graduated from Marquette University, where he was President of the English Honorary Society Sigma Tau Delta. He earned his PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he completed his thesis on frame narratives in British Romantic poetry and began his long and distinguished teaching career. Outside the classroom, Dave was a proud starting center on the graduate student intramural basketball team “The Yahoos,” who won two championships.

In 1986, Dave and Joanne moved to Birmingham to start their professional careers. Dave taught at Birmingham-Southern College for 36 years, initially appointed to teach in the Adult Studies Program and “Wednesday College,” before rising through the ranks to become a tenured Professor. At BSC, Dr. Ullrich taught in the British Studies at Oxford program, served as Chair of the English Department, won the McWilliams Faculty Scholar Award, and retired with Emeritus status in 2022. Student testimonials cite his incredible ability as a classroom professor– engaging, challenging, irreverent, and caring.

Dave was a renowned scholar, having published articles on Coleridge, Blake, Vonnegut, Cheever, Hemingway, and Fitzgerald. He served on the Editorial Board of the F. Scott Fitzgerald Review and in 2023 co-edited a collection of essays on The Beautiful and Damned. Dave was also an accomplished poet, most recently published in the Alabama Literary Review, and sculptor. His metalwork was privately commissioned and exhibited at BSC and Little House Gallery in Homewood, AL.

Most importantly, Dave was a wonderful Dad to Dana and Jack and a devoted husband to Joanne, sharing their lives together for over 50 years. No obituary can capture his contributions as a father, his unique spirit, or the legacy he leaves behind.

In 2010, Dave was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, but persisted in his family life and professional activities through years of treatments. The family expresses its gratitude to Dave’s team at UAB who helped him spend invaluable time with loved ones, especially Kelly Godby, MD, Luciano Costa, MD, Sharon Spencer, MD, Todd Brown, MD, and James Markert, MD, and to the outstanding nurses in the infusion clinic, especially Kathy and Amanda, who made hard days more tolerable.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Dave’s family’s fundraiser to support multiple myeloma research https://give.themmrf.org/team/546917.

A celebration of Dave will be held at Ridouts Valley Chapel, 1800 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, AL 35209 on Thursday, January 18, 2024 from 6 to 8 pm.