Memorial service to honor Quisenberry is Friday

A memorial service for the late James D. Quisenberry, longtime professor of curriculum and instruction at SIUC and former director of its International Programs and Services, will take place at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, at the University Museum Auditorium.

James Quisenberry

Quisenberry, who died Aug. 10 in an Urbana convalescent center after suffering a stroke last year, had moved to Urbana in 2002 with his late wife, Nancy, to be closer to family. While there, he became a grandfather, learned to fly and bought a plane. Nancy died in 2006.

Quisenberry joined what was then SIUC's College of Education in 1971, and specialized in language arts, children's literature, foreign languages and applied linguistics for educators. He shepherded 19 doctoral candidates and 10 master's students through their graduate programs and served on more than 100 graduate students' degree committees. He became acting director of the international programs in 1989, serving as permanent director from 1991 until his retirement in 1995.

During his years in Carbondale, Quisenberry was active in Rotary, serving as the Carbondale chapter's president in 1979 and being inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2001. He also served as chapter president of Phi Delta Kappa and as secretary of Mid-America Universities International, receiving its International Distinguished Service Award in 1995.

An Indiana native, Quisenberry earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in 1961 and 1962 respectively from Indiana State University and his doctorate in 1972 from Indiana University. He and Nancy, also a born-and-bred Hoosier, married in Washington, Ind., in 1960, and their son, James P. Quisenberry was born in Indiana in 1965.

In addition to his son, Quisenberry is survived by his daughter-in-law Jill, his grandson Will, a brother and three sisters.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Urbana Rotary Club Charities or the James D. and Nancy L. Quisenberry scholarship fund through the SIU Foundation.