Rudolph F. Verderber, Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus of the University of Cincinnati and noted textbook author, went home to be with the Lord on May 16, 2019, at the age of 85 in Naples, Florida. Born on August 7, 1933, in Cleveland, he earned a B.A. and M.A. (1955, 1956) in Speech from Bowling Green State University and his Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Public Address from the University of Missouri (1962). Dr. Verderber began at UC in 1959 as Instructor of Speech and Director of the Forensics program. He retired as a full professor in 1998, having been honored with UC’s A.B. Dolly Cohen Award for Teaching Excellence in 1987, the National Speaker’s Association Outstanding Professor of the Year in 1994, and as UC’s Distinguished Teaching Professor in 1994.
As a professor, Dr. Verderber considered himself, most importantly, an undergraduate teacher. He was fond of telling people that he never “worked” a day in his life, because his life’s work was his passion and his joy and he awoke each morning excited to get to school or to his writing. Dr. Verderber’s vision was not only to mentor students at UC, but to “teach the wider audience” through the publication of twelve separate textbook titles collectively resulting in 66 book editions, at both the collegiate and high school level, including The Challenge of Effective Speaking (16 editions), Communicate! (14 editions), and Inter-Act, which he coauthored with his wife Kathleen (13th edition). Eight of his books are still in wide spread use. Dr. Verderber believed that not only should students learn concepts, theory, and research, but they should also be challenged to develop their skillfulness as communicators. Millions of students across the globe have learned to give speeches, work in groups, and improve their interpersonal communication from Verderber texts. In fact, in his books his use of student speeches as exemplars, rather than the speeches of famous orators, transformed the public speaking textbook genre.
Beyond his career, Rudy was dedicated to his family and was lover of puzzles, Scrabble, poker, reading, racquetball, and all U.C. and Cincinnati professional sports. He is survived by his wife of forty-five years, Kathleen and their daughter, Allison Verderber Herriott (Brian); two sons, Gregory (Rita) and Randolph (Deborah); and five grandchildren, Louisa and Madeleine, children of Allison; and Anna, Ethan, and Abigail, children of Randolph.
The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Rudolph F. and Kathleen S. Verderber Scholarship fund (Number: F101449).
Online: https://foundation.uc.edu/areas-donate?id=f8398d0f-f625-4f2d-b274-ad193a314949
By Mail: The University of Cincinnati Foundation, P.O. Box 19970, Cincinnati, Ohio 45219.
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