- Date Of Birth: November 22, 1937
- Date Of Death: October 23, 2021
- State: Indiana
Gerald (Jerry) S. Wasserman passed away Saturday October 23, 2021, at the age of 83. Jerry was born in Brooklyn in 1937 to Julius and Bess Wasserman. After graduating from Brooklyn Technical High School and New York University, Jerry received a PhD from MIT in Psychobiology. On June 17, 1962, he married his beloved wife of 59 years, Louise Mund Wasserman. He went on to complete a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the NIH where he learned the technique of implanting electrodes into the eyes of limulus (horseshoe crabs) for performing micro-recordings. Horseshoe crabs would be a lifelong research passion and many local residents will know Jerry from his distinctive red convertible with “Crab Eye” vanity plates.
Jerry’s first faculty appointment was at the University of Wisconsin, Madison followed by an appointment as Professor of Psychological Sciences and Director of the Sensory Coding Laboratory at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana.
Among his academic achievements was a book entitled Color Vision which was used as a textbook for numerous Optometry schools. He received a US patent with Purdue University for enhancements to cochlear implants using computing techniques. He also received First Place in The John Hopkins University National Search Certificate of Achievement for enhancing the life of people with hearing disabilities. Perhaps most important to him was his mentoring and continuing support of his many graduate students. He always referred to them as his other children and many are still valued friends. Jerry retired as a Professor Emeritus in 2012 after 37 years at Purdue University.
Jerry is survived by his wife Louise Mund Wasserman, preceded in death by their daughter Rachel, and survived by their son Mark (wife Limor) of Northbrook, Illinois, and 2 grandchildren Liat and Natanel. Jerry is also preceded in death by his sister Zelda Sion and survived by nieces Rochelle Denning (husband Brad), Robin Levy (husband Martin) and Karen Sussman (husband Howard); sister-in-law Marion Zatz (husband Kenneth Kirk), nephew Noah Zatz (wife Jessica Cattelino), and niece Sara Zatz (husband Adam Nadel).
Jerry has been a member of Temple Israel since his arrival in Lafayette in 1975, serving as President, on the Board of Directors, and on various committees.
Jerry will be sorely missed.
