Arthur Paul Doederlein, 70, died on August 24 at Kishwaukee Community Hospital, with his family by his side and in the arms of his loving wife. Born August 21, 1942, in Toledo, Ohio, Arthur was the son of Arthur John Leonard Doederlein and Erna Alvina Herzberg Doederlein. He married his high school sweetheart, the former Sue Ann Warrick, on September 8, 1962. Although his proud parents never studied beyond the eighth grade, Arthur went on to earn his B.A. degree from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, as a Rector Scholar, and his M.A and Ph.D. degrees from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Arthur studied at Northwestern under the auspices of an N.D.E.A. Fellowship and with the additional support he received as a Danforth Fellow Associate. While at Northwestern, where he served for a year as a faculty member, Arthur received the Outstanding Teacher Award from the School of Speech. When he received the analogous Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award at Northern Illinois University in 1994, he observed that it took longer to earn such recognition at NIU because Northern students were a "tougher crowd."

On September 8, 1969, Arthur and Sue joined the faculty at Northern Illinois University. It was their seventh anniversary and the beginning of a new love ? a true passion for NIU and its extraordinary students. Arthur served for more than thirty years as the Undergraduate Studies Director in the Department of Communication. In that capacity he advised thousands of students, spending countless hours assisting students in planning their academic programs and counseling them about graduate and professional schools and career opportunities. Among his earliest assignments at Northern was as a professor in the CHANCE program, and his involvement with that ethnically diverse and very special population remained a center of his professional life. In recognition of his service to the CHANCE program, he received a special award to acknowledge his continuing commitment to some of Northern?s most important graduates.

As part of his passionate commitment to students, Doederlein served on many university committees, always choosing those whose purview made a real difference in students? lives. He was a member of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee; he served on the Admission Policies and Academic Standards Committee and the Academic Planning Council, which he served as secretary; and he chaired the Undergraduate Coordinating Council.

Among Arthur?s and Sue?s finest achievements are their two children, Arthur Allen Doederlein and Catherine Warrick Doederlein. He is survived by his wife, his son (husband Jeffrey Bouthiette), and his daughter. Although he was not removed from life support until three days later, Arthur?s family believes he died on his seventieth birthday, a symmetry he would have enjoyed. He leaves a legacy of thousands of graduates along with his loving family.

In accordance with his wishes, there will be no funeral. The family will hold a celebration of his life at a future date. Cremation is being handled by Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Arthur Paul Doederlein Memorial Fund, c/o Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home, 310 Oak Street, DeKalb, Illinois 60115. Arrangements were entrusted to Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home.

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