Gerald N McCall

While at FSU, he enrolled in a speech class thinking it was a public speaking class, leading to a long and distinguished career in speech pathology. He received his doctorate from Northwestern University, then worked in the medical centers of Louisiana State University and SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.

He built his family along the way. While in Chicago, he met Diane, his amazing wife of 61 years. While in New Orleans, they were thrilled to welcome Jeanine and Laura to the family, and they completed their trio of daughters with Catherine in Syracuse. The family moved to Severna Park, Maryland and Jerry served as a professor at the University of Maryland College Park in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences for 27 years, including many years as the chair of the department and as the director of Graduate Studies. He thoroughly enjoyed establishing the UMD Hearing and Speech clinic and teaching countless students over the years, and he loved being a Terp.

He volunteered for many years in his community, most extensively with the Severna Park Optimist Club as the coach of their annual youth Oratorical Contest. His retirement years were spent enjoying time with family and friends, living in Lake Monticello, Virginia and back in his home state of Florida. After celebrating his 85th birthday earlier this year, he and Diane had recently moved to Charlottesville, Virginia to be close to their daughters and grandchildren.

Over the years, Jerry and Diane welcomed many visitors into their home - hosting international exchange students, serving as a sponsor family for midshipmen at the Naval Academy, hosting veterinary students from the Chi Institute, and entertaining friends and neighbors. Many of these people became not just friends, but extended family. Jerry also treasured the role he was able to play as an honorary guardian for Michael Vennik.

Jerry will be remembered for his kindness, his genuine interest in others, and his love for his family. He is survived by his wife Diane McCall, their daughters Jeanine Dehn and her husband Rick, Laura Stevenson and her husband Brett, and Catherine McCall and her husband Scott, his grandchildren, Jessica Dehn, Matthew Dehn and his wife Samantha, Bryce Stevenson, Perry Stevenson, John Ballenger and Sarah Ballenger, his sister-in-law Jackie Kremer, and his many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins.

Our family will gather to celebrate his life later this year. If you would like to honor his legacy, please consider making a donation in memory of Dr. Gerald McCall to the University of Maryland Hearing and Speech Sciences Student Research Fund (https://giving.umd.edu/giving/fund.php?name=hearing-and-speech-sciences-student-research-fund).