Obituary of William Monahan DR

Dr. William G. (Bill) Monahan, 84 of Morgantown, WV passed away Thursday, December 22, 2011 at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown.He was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky on August 9, 1927, the third son of Robert E. and Anna Catherine Monahan. He was a graduate of the Bowling Green College High School and held a BS degree in Geography from Western Kentucky University (1951), MA in Geography and History from Vanderbilt University (1955) and an Ed.D in Educational Administration from Michigan State University (1960). Dr. Monahan began his professional career as a high school teacher and athletic coach at Marion, Kentucky. He was a retired Emeritus Professor of Higher Education at West Virginia University. He came to WVU in 1972 as Dean of the College of Human Resources and Education from a professorship in Educational Administration and Director of the Iowa Center for Research in School Administration at the University of Iowa. Prior to his appointment at Iowa, he was Associate Professor of Educational Administration at the University of Oklahoma and Instructor at Michigan State University.He was the author of five books and more than seventy scholarly articles in nationally refereed journals as well as a number of published monographs and essays. He was cited by the American Educational Research Association in 1975 for his research utilizing q-factor analysis. During his ten year tenure as dean of the College of Human Resources and Education (HRE) at WVU, he served as president of the National Association of Land Grant and State University Deans of Education, and was a two-term member of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, and he chaired AACTEâs âExtended Programâ Task Force which led to five-year teacher education programs at WVU and elsewhere. He was president of the WV Association of Colleges of Teacher Education and also served two terms as president of the Appalachia Educational Laboratory Board of Directors and was a member of its board for fifteen years. He was presented with the AEL Board of Directorsâ Distinguished Leadership Award in 1984.Dr. Monahan was the first recipient of the WV State Department of Educationâs prestigious âLeaders of Learningâ award. He chaired more than 70 doctoral thesis committees at the universities of Oklahoma, Iowa, and at WVU. While dean of HRE, he was instrumental in establishing the HRE Alumni Association for which subsequently, that organization created the William G. Monahan Award for HREâs outstanding senior student at the College convocation, which he also initiated. Dr. Monahan has since endowed that award through the WVU Foundation.He was an avid golfer, serving on the Board of Directors of the Pines Country Club for two terms and authored the Pines Country Club Newsletter for seventeen years. He won the Pines Senior Club Championship in 2001. In his youth, he was a big band vocalist with several well-known dance bands.He served in the United States Merchant Marines during the latter years of World War II and then (not exempt) was among the first US Army occupation troops in Japan as a Sergeant in the 19th Infantry, 24th Infantry division.He was preceded in death by his devoted wife of 54 years, Jane N. Monahan, in 2000, and by his daughter-in-law, Rita Monahan in 1999 as well as two brothers, Robert E., Jr, age 20, killed in action, 15th Air Force, in World War II, and Frank Spencer, age 74, who was wounded in the Battle of Casino in Italy in 1944.Survivors include two sons, Dr. W. Gregory Monahan, Professor of History at Eastern Oregon University, and Joseph T. Monahan, Instructor in American History at Liberty High School, Harrison County, WV, his wife Cathy and their children Miguel and Eliana two grandchildren, Andrew Monahan and wife Laura in Portland, Oregon, and Catherine Rutledge Monahan, a student at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon and three great grandchildren, Isaiah, Liam, and Owen Monahan, in Portland, Oregon. He is also survived by his dear sister and longtime golf partner, Joan Westin, of Grenada, Mississippi, and numbers of nieces and nephews.Dr. Monahanâs family is honoring his wishes for cremation to take place.There will be a Memorial Service at Hastings Funeral Home, 153 Spruce St., Morgantown on Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 2:00 PM Friends may visit with the family at the funeral home from 1-2 PM. Graveside services will be private. Condolences online: www.hastingsfuneralhome.com