James Robert Palasek, professor emeritus, department of special education/speech-language pathology, died June 14 at his residence.
Palasek was born July 14, 1935, in Grand Rapids. He was 68. He was part of the Eastern Michigan University community for 32 years, teaching from 1966-1998.
"When I was a student here, he was one of my professors," said Claudia Galli, clinical educator and co-coordinator of the Speech and Hearing Clinic. "Then, when I was hired here, he was one of my colleagues."
Galli took advanced graduate classes with Palasek and recalls his influence on students who were in training to become speech pathologists.
"He had expertise in treating articulation disorders and stuttering," Galli said. "He brought a lot of personal experiences and stories to his teaching."
Kathleen Quinn, a professor in special education, remembers Palasek as an outstanding teacher and colleague.
"He was especially known for his anatomy and physiology class," she said. "It was his most popular class."
Palasek served as a board member of the Downtown Development Authority, Full Circle, the American Association of University Professors and the Corner Health Center. He also was a member of Holy Trinity Chapel and Grand Rapids Catholic Central Alumni.
A funeral mass was celebrated June 18 at Holy Trinity Chapel, and private interment was June 21 at Riverside Cemetery in Saugatuck. Memorials in Palasek's memory can be made to the EMU Foundation, EMU's Department of Special Education or St. Joseph Mercy Hospice.
Jim Armitage, former Eastern Michigan University assistant men's basketball coach, died May 16, in West Palm Beach, Fla. He was 57.
A native of Elyria, Ohio, Armitage graduated from Keystone High School in LaGrange, Ohio. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree at the University of Findlay in 1968.
He was a high school coach in Ohio for four years before coming to EMU and joined the EMU's men's basketball staff in 1972 as an assistant to Head Coach Al Freund. His duties included helping coach the varsity squad and acting as chief recruiter. He also was the head coach of the junior varsity squad. His 1972-1973 J.V. squad finished with an 8-5 record and the 1973-1974 jayvees were 13-3. He earned two master's degrees from EMU.
Armitage left EMU in September 1975 to become the head men's basketball coach and physical education instructor at Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn. He served as the basketball coach for 20 years and retired from HFCC in 2002.
Armitage is survived by two daughters, Jamie (Filipovic) and Anne (LaBadie); his mother, Joan Smith; his stepmother, Marian Armitage; a sister and a brother.
A memorial service took place at Howe-Peterson Funeral Home in Dearborn May 21.
Marion Grudier Carr, former professor of English at Eastern Michigan University in the 1950s and 60s, died April 27.
Carr was born February 7, 1912, in Mansfield, Ohio. She received her bachelor's degree in 1934 from Western Reserve University and her master's degree from Syracuse University in 1938.
Carr served as an English teacher for 30 years and retired from the SUNY College at Buffalo, as associate professor emeritus, in 1977. Carr also was associated with the University of Illinois and Central Michigan University.
In 1957, Ann Arbor Mayor Sam Eldersveld appointed Carr to the original Human Relations Commission where she served as housing chairperson. Her work with the commission included conducting committee hearings and research that laid the foundation for Ann Arbor's fair housing legislation. In 1959, Carr was awarded the Junior Chamber of Commerce Human Relations Award.
Carr also served as the first treasurer for the Ann Arbor-Washtenaw Branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as serving one term on the vestry and as trustee of the diocese for Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church in Ann Arbor.
A memorial service took place April 30 at Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church.
