Paul A. Pietsch, 80
AUG. 8, 1929 — NOV. 26, 2009
Paul A. Pietsch, Ph.D., 80, retired Professor Emeritus of Optometry at the I.U. School of Optometry, died on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009, at Bloomington Hospital. He was born in New York City, the son of Elwood and Bridget (McDonnell) on August 8, 1929. An Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Paul credited the GI Bill for providing him with the means to an education. He received his B.S. in Zoology from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in Anatomy from the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Pietsch was world renowned for his teaching and mentoring to thousands of students, publishing nearly 100 articles and winning numerous awards, including 12 awards for outstanding teaching. Some of the publications that recognized Dr. Pietsch included Quest, Harpers Magazine, Science Digest, as well as many periodicals. He was also interviewed by the television media including "60 Minutes," "Television Francais" and the Canadian National Radio broadcasts.
Survivors include his wife, Myrtle (Miller) Pietsch of Bloomington; sons, Samuel H. (Kathleen) Pietsch of Dearborn, MI, Benjamin E. (Cheryl) Pietsch of Chambersburg, PA; stepson, Geoffrey L. (Sharron) Hewston, Au Sable Forks, N.Y.; and daughters, Mary T. (Andrew) Alexander, Abigail L. Pietsch and Mary K. Wheeler, all of Bloomington; grandchildren, Kate E. Pietsch, Jeffrey Pietsch, Sean (Jennifer Scott) Randall and Ian Randall; step-grandchildren, Jacquelyn (James) Girardin, Christopher (Sharon) Hewston, and Jessica (Brandon) Maliezewski; great-grandchild, Aila Scott Randall; and step-great-grandchildren, James and Jessica Girardin, Emilee, Ethan and Grace Hewston, Aden Scott and Henry Maliezewski. Also surviving are his sister, Anna (Alfred) Battle of Spring Hill, FL; brother, Robert (Joann) Pietsch of Little Egg Harbor, N.J.; and brother-in-law, Louis Vanacore of Little Egg Harbor, N.J.; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Evelyn Vanacore, and beloved family members Nana and DeDe.
Private family services will be conducted at Clear Creek Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Bloomington Hospital Hospice and Home Health Care, P.O. Box 1149, Bloomington, IN 47402.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenfuneral home.org.
AUG. 8, 1929 — NOV. 26, 2009
The Indiana University community lost one of its most influential professors on November 26, 2009. Paul A. Pietsch, Professor Emeritus of Optometry, died after a long battle with end stage renal disease.
Dr. Pietsch's academic career was stellar. Over the years he was a beloved mentor to thousands of students, was the author of nearly 100 publications, and won numerous awards, including 12 awards for outstanding teaching. The Paul Pietsch Scholarship Award, in the School of Optometry, was endowed by Dr. Freddie Chang, a former student then colleague. Dr. Pietsch taught many courses, including: neuro-anatomy, microscopic anatomy, gross anatomy, cell biology, molecular biology, embryology, ocular anatomy, comparative anatomy, and physiology. Despite these rare achievements he was anything but the stereotypical ivory tower professor.
His path to science was not a typical one. A native of Depression-era New York City, Paul Pietsch was the first of four children. His father was a taxicab driver, and his mother, who had emigrated from Ireland in 1926, worked in childcare. His father died when Paul was 6. Paul left high school when he was in the 10th grade. He joined the Army in 1946, serving until 1949 in the post-war occupation of Japan and Korean conflict in 1951, and he always credited the G.I. Bill for providing him with the means to an education. While in the Army his love of teaching emerged, and he taught English to Japanese students and was a writer on military subjects. While in the Army he earned a GED, and after his discharge he pursued higher education with a vengeance, earning a bachelor's degree in zoology from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in anatomy from the University of Pennsylvania. He also supported himself and his young family at various times by working at jobs that paid the bills: journalist, science writer, bartender, construction laborer, truck driver and many others.
However, it was in science that Paul Pietsch found his calling. He worked as an instructor in anatomy at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University; assistant professor of anatomy at the State University of New York at Buffalo; and as a research scientist at Dow Chemical Company, where he was the author of nine patents. He came to Indiana University in 1970 as an associate professor of optometry, and his career as a neuroscientist flourished. Dr. Pietsch taught optometry students and medical students while pursuing his primary research interests in regeneration and in the relationship between the brain and the mind. He even developed coursework to teach anatomy to blind students. He shared his research with the scientific world through publication in professional journals, such as: Quest, Harper's, Science Digest, and many periodicals. He believed that scientists have the obligation to share knowledge with the non-scientific public. His article "Shuffle Brain," about brain transplants in amphibians as a test of the language of the brain and of memory, was originally published in the May, 1972, issue of Harper's Magazine and later won the 1972 Medical Journalism Award of the American Medical Association. Popular interest in his research continued to grow, and it culminated in August, 1973, when Dr. Pietsch was interviewed and discussed his research on the television show "60 Minutes." He also was the subject of a series of Canadian national radio broadcasts, and was interviewed on Television Francais.
A demanding but enthusiastic teacher and a rigorous and exacting scientist, Dr. Pietsch was also an intellectual in the broadest sense of the word, with interests ranging from Civil War history to the space program. He was a modest, courteous, eloquent man who loved teaching and scholarship, but he could be moved to a crackling fury by misinterpretation of science for personal gain by "crackpots" and "snake-oil salesmen." He detested injustice in any form, which bureaucrats learned quickly during his term as president of the IU chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, when he famously advocated for those whom he believed had been treated unfairly by the institution.
Although Dr. Pietsch retired from classroom teaching in 1994, he continued to come into the office every day until illness made it impossible. In his retirement he devoted himself to helping others and to the authorship of more than ten fiction and non-fiction books.
His passion in retirement was an extension of his belief that science should be available not just to scientists. This passion resulted in his award-winning Web site, Shufflebrain, (www.indiana.edu/~pietsch/home.html). "A polycultural collection on the biology of memory, perception and a few other items." This site has experienced an astonishing 29.5 million hits since July, 1995, which is an enormous testament to the fact that the world is hungry for palatable scientific information. Ironically, in retirement, Dr. Pietsch influenced millions of people using this new technology, while during a lifetime of teaching, his students numbered "only" in the thousands. He quickly embraced new Web technology as a teaching tool.
Touching testimony to the international influence of Dr. Pietsch's Web site is evident in the pleas of people afflicted with rare neurological conditions, or even more touchingly, from the parents of children suffering from these conditions. He was in constant communication with people around the world who needed help interpreting the language of science as it applied to them in the most personal of ways. Such conditions as agenesis of the corpus callosum (a rare condition in which the patient lacks the bundle of nerve fibers that connect the two hemispheres of the brain) and Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy (another rare condition resulting in temporary or permanent vision loss) are two of the many subjects that he researched and translated into comprehensible lay language for sufferers worldwide, referring them to nearby specialists for treatment. In testimony to his efforts he received grateful thanks from many individuals. These are only a few examples:
"If only you were here in the Philippines I would invite you for the baptism of my baby and for sure you're one of the godfathers.
"I wish to thank you for your kind letter, about getting out of [city] and getting the help I needed with my eye. Dr. _____ has taken me on as a full time patient. Thank you so very much.
"Thank you for giving us the clue for a new life, we have now contacted associations, other parents, etc, that give us a lot of information and support.
"Last year you sent me information on Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and the medication that our granddaughter's doctor had prescribed because she had 2 seizures. We are very happy to report that she . is doing very well. She has been seizure free for over a year.  She is very healthy and happy.   I wanted to thank you for your help in finding the information we needed to make some very difficult decisions on her health care. Our family is and will remain very grateful to you.
"Thanks, you could never know how much you've helped. Believe me you're our Angel."
Despite the enormous popularity of his Web site, Dr. Pietsch was uncomfortable with recognition, and he did little to call it to the attention of his IU colleagues. Many people at IU remain unaware of it despite the priceless goodwill that it has brought to the university over the years. He modestly resisted all attempts to publicize it among university administrators, preferring to work quietly and tirelessly for the benefit of others.
Paul is survived by his wife, the former Myrtle Evelyn Miller, their sons Samuel H. (Kathleen) Pietsch, Dearborn, Mich., Benjamin E. (Cheryl) Pietsch, Chambersburg, Pa.; step-son Geoffrey L. (Sharron) Hewston, Au Sable Forks, N.Y.; and daughters Mary T. (Andrew) Alexander, Abigail L. Pietsch and Mary K. Wheeler, all of Bloomington, Indiana; nieces and nephews.
Also surviving are his sister Anna (Alfred) Battle, Spring Hill, Fla.; a brother Robert (Joann) Pietsch, Little Egg Harbor, N.J., a brother-in-law Louis Vanacore, Little Egg Harbor, N.J.; nieces and nephews.
The grandchildren are Kate E. Pietsch, Chicago, Ill.; Jeffrey Pietsch, Dearborn, Mich.; Sean (Jennifer Scott) Randall and Ian Randall, Bloomington, Ind.; step-grandchildren Jacquelyn (James) Girardin, Essex, Vt.; Christopher (Sharon) Hewston, Plattsburgh, N.Y., and Jessica (Brandon) Maliezewski, Dearborn, Mich.
The great-grandchildren are: Aila Scott Randall, Bloomington, Ind., and step-great grandchildren James and Jessica Girardin, Essex, Vt.; Emilee, Ethan and Grace Hewston, Plattsburgh; Aden Scott and Henry Maliezewski, Dearborn, Mich.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister Evelyn Vanacore in 1999 and his beloved Nana and De De.
The family suggests contributions to Hospice c/o Bloomington Hospital for those who wish to remember Paul.
Author: Douglas K. Freeman, director of technology, head of optometry library at Indiana University.
AUG. 8, 1929 — NOV. 26, 2009
Paul A. Pietsch, Ph.D., 80, retired Professor Emeritus of Optometry at the I.U. School of Optometry, died on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009, at Bloomington Hospital. He was born in New York City, the son of Elwood and Bridget (McDonnell) on August 8, 1929. An Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Paul credited the GI Bill for providing him with the means to an education. He received his B.S. in Zoology from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in Anatomy from the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Pietsch was world renowned for his teaching and mentoring to thousands of students, publishing nearly 100 articles and winning numerous awards, including 12 awards for outstanding teaching. Some of the publications that recognized Dr. Pietsch included Quest, Harpers Magazine, Science Digest, as well as many periodicals. He was also interviewed by the television media including "60 Minutes," "Television Francais" and the Canadian National Radio broadcasts.
Survivors include his wife, Myrtle (Miller) Pietsch of Bloomington; sons, Samuel H. (Kathleen) Pietsch of Dearborn, MI, Benjamin E. (Cheryl) Pietsch of Chambersburg, PA; stepson, Geoffrey L. (Sharron) Hewston, Au Sable Forks, N.Y.; and daughters, Mary T. (Andrew) Alexander, Abigail L. Pietsch and Mary K. Wheeler, all of Bloomington; grandchildren, Kate E. Pietsch, Jeffrey Pietsch, Sean (Jennifer Scott) Randall and Ian Randall; step-grandchildren, Jacquelyn (James) Girardin, Christopher (Sharon) Hewston, and Jessica (Brandon) Maliezewski; great-grandchild, Aila Scott Randall; and step-great-grandchildren, James and Jessica Girardin, Emilee, Ethan and Grace Hewston, Aden Scott and Henry Maliezewski. Also surviving are his sister, Anna (Alfred) Battle of Spring Hill, FL; brother, Robert (Joann) Pietsch of Little Egg Harbor, N.J.; and brother-in-law, Louis Vanacore of Little Egg Harbor, N.J.; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Evelyn Vanacore, and beloved family members Nana and DeDe.
Private family services will be conducted at Clear Creek Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Bloomington Hospital Hospice and Home Health Care, P.O. Box 1149, Bloomington, IN 47402.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenfuneral home.org.
AUG. 8, 1929 — NOV. 26, 2009
The Indiana University community lost one of its most influential professors on November 26, 2009. Paul A. Pietsch, Professor Emeritus of Optometry, died after a long battle with end stage renal disease.
Dr. Pietsch's academic career was stellar. Over the years he was a beloved mentor to thousands of students, was the author of nearly 100 publications, and won numerous awards, including 12 awards for outstanding teaching. The Paul Pietsch Scholarship Award, in the School of Optometry, was endowed by Dr. Freddie Chang, a former student then colleague. Dr. Pietsch taught many courses, including: neuro-anatomy, microscopic anatomy, gross anatomy, cell biology, molecular biology, embryology, ocular anatomy, comparative anatomy, and physiology. Despite these rare achievements he was anything but the stereotypical ivory tower professor.
His path to science was not a typical one. A native of Depression-era New York City, Paul Pietsch was the first of four children. His father was a taxicab driver, and his mother, who had emigrated from Ireland in 1926, worked in childcare. His father died when Paul was 6. Paul left high school when he was in the 10th grade. He joined the Army in 1946, serving until 1949 in the post-war occupation of Japan and Korean conflict in 1951, and he always credited the G.I. Bill for providing him with the means to an education. While in the Army his love of teaching emerged, and he taught English to Japanese students and was a writer on military subjects. While in the Army he earned a GED, and after his discharge he pursued higher education with a vengeance, earning a bachelor's degree in zoology from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in anatomy from the University of Pennsylvania. He also supported himself and his young family at various times by working at jobs that paid the bills: journalist, science writer, bartender, construction laborer, truck driver and many others.
However, it was in science that Paul Pietsch found his calling. He worked as an instructor in anatomy at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University; assistant professor of anatomy at the State University of New York at Buffalo; and as a research scientist at Dow Chemical Company, where he was the author of nine patents. He came to Indiana University in 1970 as an associate professor of optometry, and his career as a neuroscientist flourished. Dr. Pietsch taught optometry students and medical students while pursuing his primary research interests in regeneration and in the relationship between the brain and the mind. He even developed coursework to teach anatomy to blind students. He shared his research with the scientific world through publication in professional journals, such as: Quest, Harper's, Science Digest, and many periodicals. He believed that scientists have the obligation to share knowledge with the non-scientific public. His article "Shuffle Brain," about brain transplants in amphibians as a test of the language of the brain and of memory, was originally published in the May, 1972, issue of Harper's Magazine and later won the 1972 Medical Journalism Award of the American Medical Association. Popular interest in his research continued to grow, and it culminated in August, 1973, when Dr. Pietsch was interviewed and discussed his research on the television show "60 Minutes." He also was the subject of a series of Canadian national radio broadcasts, and was interviewed on Television Francais.
A demanding but enthusiastic teacher and a rigorous and exacting scientist, Dr. Pietsch was also an intellectual in the broadest sense of the word, with interests ranging from Civil War history to the space program. He was a modest, courteous, eloquent man who loved teaching and scholarship, but he could be moved to a crackling fury by misinterpretation of science for personal gain by "crackpots" and "snake-oil salesmen." He detested injustice in any form, which bureaucrats learned quickly during his term as president of the IU chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, when he famously advocated for those whom he believed had been treated unfairly by the institution.
Although Dr. Pietsch retired from classroom teaching in 1994, he continued to come into the office every day until illness made it impossible. In his retirement he devoted himself to helping others and to the authorship of more than ten fiction and non-fiction books.
His passion in retirement was an extension of his belief that science should be available not just to scientists. This passion resulted in his award-winning Web site, Shufflebrain, (www.indiana.edu/~pietsch/home.html). "A polycultural collection on the biology of memory, perception and a few other items." This site has experienced an astonishing 29.5 million hits since July, 1995, which is an enormous testament to the fact that the world is hungry for palatable scientific information. Ironically, in retirement, Dr. Pietsch influenced millions of people using this new technology, while during a lifetime of teaching, his students numbered "only" in the thousands. He quickly embraced new Web technology as a teaching tool.
Touching testimony to the international influence of Dr. Pietsch's Web site is evident in the pleas of people afflicted with rare neurological conditions, or even more touchingly, from the parents of children suffering from these conditions. He was in constant communication with people around the world who needed help interpreting the language of science as it applied to them in the most personal of ways. Such conditions as agenesis of the corpus callosum (a rare condition in which the patient lacks the bundle of nerve fibers that connect the two hemispheres of the brain) and Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy (another rare condition resulting in temporary or permanent vision loss) are two of the many subjects that he researched and translated into comprehensible lay language for sufferers worldwide, referring them to nearby specialists for treatment. In testimony to his efforts he received grateful thanks from many individuals. These are only a few examples:
"If only you were here in the Philippines I would invite you for the baptism of my baby and for sure you're one of the godfathers.
"I wish to thank you for your kind letter, about getting out of [city] and getting the help I needed with my eye. Dr. _____ has taken me on as a full time patient. Thank you so very much.
"Thank you for giving us the clue for a new life, we have now contacted associations, other parents, etc, that give us a lot of information and support.
"Last year you sent me information on Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and the medication that our granddaughter's doctor had prescribed because she had 2 seizures. We are very happy to report that she . is doing very well. She has been seizure free for over a year.  She is very healthy and happy.   I wanted to thank you for your help in finding the information we needed to make some very difficult decisions on her health care. Our family is and will remain very grateful to you.
"Thanks, you could never know how much you've helped. Believe me you're our Angel."
Despite the enormous popularity of his Web site, Dr. Pietsch was uncomfortable with recognition, and he did little to call it to the attention of his IU colleagues. Many people at IU remain unaware of it despite the priceless goodwill that it has brought to the university over the years. He modestly resisted all attempts to publicize it among university administrators, preferring to work quietly and tirelessly for the benefit of others.
Paul is survived by his wife, the former Myrtle Evelyn Miller, their sons Samuel H. (Kathleen) Pietsch, Dearborn, Mich., Benjamin E. (Cheryl) Pietsch, Chambersburg, Pa.; step-son Geoffrey L. (Sharron) Hewston, Au Sable Forks, N.Y.; and daughters Mary T. (Andrew) Alexander, Abigail L. Pietsch and Mary K. Wheeler, all of Bloomington, Indiana; nieces and nephews.
Also surviving are his sister Anna (Alfred) Battle, Spring Hill, Fla.; a brother Robert (Joann) Pietsch, Little Egg Harbor, N.J., a brother-in-law Louis Vanacore, Little Egg Harbor, N.J.; nieces and nephews.
The grandchildren are Kate E. Pietsch, Chicago, Ill.; Jeffrey Pietsch, Dearborn, Mich.; Sean (Jennifer Scott) Randall and Ian Randall, Bloomington, Ind.; step-grandchildren Jacquelyn (James) Girardin, Essex, Vt.; Christopher (Sharon) Hewston, Plattsburgh, N.Y., and Jessica (Brandon) Maliezewski, Dearborn, Mich.
The great-grandchildren are: Aila Scott Randall, Bloomington, Ind., and step-great grandchildren James and Jessica Girardin, Essex, Vt.; Emilee, Ethan and Grace Hewston, Plattsburgh; Aden Scott and Henry Maliezewski, Dearborn, Mich.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister Evelyn Vanacore in 1999 and his beloved Nana and De De.
The family suggests contributions to Hospice c/o Bloomington Hospital for those who wish to remember Paul.
Author: Douglas K. Freeman, director of technology, head of optometry library at Indiana University.
Paul A. Pietsch, 80
AUG. 8, 1929 — NOV. 26, 2009
Paul A. Pietsch, Ph.D., 80, retired Professor Emeritus of Optometry at the I.U. School of Optometry, died on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009, at Bloomington Hospital. He was born in New York City, the son of Elwood and Bridget (McDonnell) on August 8, 1929. An Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Paul credited the GI Bill for providing him with the means to an education. He received his B.S. in Zoology from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in Anatomy from the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Pietsch was world renowned for his teaching and mentoring to thousands of students, publishing nearly 100 articles and winning numerous awards, including 12 awards for outstanding teaching. Some of the publications that recognized Dr. Pietsch included Quest, Harpers Magazine, Science Digest, as well as many periodicals. He was also interviewed by the television media including "60 Minutes," "Television Francais" and the Canadian National Radio broadcasts.
Survivors include his wife, Myrtle (Miller) Pietsch of Bloomington; sons, Samuel H. (Kathleen) Pietsch of Dearborn, MI, Benjamin E. (Cheryl) Pietsch of Chambersburg, PA; stepson, Geoffrey L. (Sharron) Hewston, Au Sable Forks, N.Y.; and daughters, Mary T. (Andrew) Alexander, Abigail L. Pietsch and Mary K. Wheeler, all of Bloomington; grandchildren, Kate E. Pietsch, Jeffrey Pietsch, Sean (Jennifer Scott) Randall and Ian Randall; step-grandchildren, Jacquelyn (James) Girardin, Christopher (Sharon) Hewston, and Jessica (Brandon) Maliezewski; great-grandchild, Aila Scott Randall; and step-great-grandchildren, James and Jessica Girardin, Emilee, Ethan and Grace Hewston, Aden Scott and Henry Maliezewski. Also surviving are his sister, Anna (Alfred) Battle of Spring Hill, FL; brother, Robert (Joann) Pietsch of Little Egg Harbor, N.J.; and brother-in-law, Louis Vanacore of Little Egg Harbor, N.J.; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Evelyn Vanacore, and beloved family members Nana and DeDe.
Private family services will be conducted at Clear Creek Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Bloomington Hospital Hospice and Home Health Care, P.O. Box 1149, Bloomington, IN 47402.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenfuneral home.org.
AUG. 8, 1929 — NOV. 26, 2009
The Indiana University community lost one of its most influential professors on November 26, 2009. Paul A. Pietsch, Professor Emeritus of Optometry, died after a long battle with end stage renal disease.
Dr. Pietsch's academic career was stellar. Over the years he was a beloved mentor to thousands of students, was the author of nearly 100 publications, and won numerous awards, including 12 awards for outstanding teaching. The Paul Pietsch Scholarship Award, in the School of Optometry, was endowed by Dr. Freddie Chang, a former student then colleague. Dr. Pietsch taught many courses, including: neuro-anatomy, microscopic anatomy, gross anatomy, cell biology, molecular biology, embryology, ocular anatomy, comparative anatomy, and physiology. Despite these rare achievements he was anything but the stereotypical ivory tower professor.
His path to science was not a typical one. A native of Depression-era New York City, Paul Pietsch was the first of four children. His father was a taxicab driver, and his mother, who had emigrated from Ireland in 1926, worked in childcare. His father died when Paul was 6. Paul left high school when he was in the 10th grade. He joined the Army in 1946, serving until 1949 in the post-war occupation of Japan and Korean conflict in 1951, and he always credited the G.I. Bill for providing him with the means to an education. While in the Army his love of teaching emerged, and he taught English to Japanese students and was a writer on military subjects. While in the Army he earned a GED, and after his discharge he pursued higher education with a vengeance, earning a bachelor's degree in zoology from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in anatomy from the University of Pennsylvania. He also supported himself and his young family at various times by working at jobs that paid the bills: journalist, science writer, bartender, construction laborer, truck driver and many others.
However, it was in science that Paul Pietsch found his calling. He worked as an instructor in anatomy at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University; assistant professor of anatomy at the State University of New York at Buffalo; and as a research scientist at Dow Chemical Company, where he was the author of nine patents. He came to Indiana University in 1970 as an associate professor of optometry, and his career as a neuroscientist flourished. Dr. Pietsch taught optometry students and medical students while pursuing his primary research interests in regeneration and in the relationship between the brain and the mind. He even developed coursework to teach anatomy to blind students. He shared his research with the scientific world through publication in professional journals, such as: Quest, Harper's, Science Digest, and many periodicals. He believed that scientists have the obligation to share knowledge with the non-scientific public. His article "Shuffle Brain," about brain transplants in amphibians as a test of the language of the brain and of memory, was originally published in the May, 1972, issue of Harper's Magazine and later won the 1972 Medical Journalism Award of the American Medical Association. Popular interest in his research continued to grow, and it culminated in August, 1973, when Dr. Pietsch was interviewed and discussed his research on the television show "60 Minutes." He also was the subject of a series of Canadian national radio broadcasts, and was interviewed on Television Francais.
A demanding but enthusiastic teacher and a rigorous and exacting scientist, Dr. Pietsch was also an intellectual in the broadest sense of the word, with interests ranging from Civil War history to the space program. He was a modest, courteous, eloquent man who loved teaching and scholarship, but he could be moved to a crackling fury by misinterpretation of science for personal gain by "crackpots" and "snake-oil salesmen." He detested injustice in any form, which bureaucrats learned quickly during his term as president of the IU chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, when he famously advocated for those whom he believed had been treated unfairly by the institution.
Although Dr. Pietsch retired from classroom teaching in 1994, he continued to come into the office every day until illness made it impossible. In his retirement he devoted himself to helping others and to the authorship of more than ten fiction and non-fiction books.
His passion in retirement was an extension of his belief that science should be available not just to scientists. This passion resulted in his award-winning Web site, Shufflebrain, (www.indiana.edu/~pietsch/home.html). "A polycultural collection on the biology of memory, perception and a few other items." This site has experienced an astonishing 29.5 million hits since July, 1995, which is an enormous testament to the fact that the world is hungry for palatable scientific information. Ironically, in retirement, Dr. Pietsch influenced millions of people using this new technology, while during a lifetime of teaching, his students numbered "only" in the thousands. He quickly embraced new Web technology as a teaching tool.
Touching testimony to the international influence of Dr. Pietsch's Web site is evident in the pleas of people afflicted with rare neurological conditions, or even more touchingly, from the parents of children suffering from these conditions. He was in constant communication with people around the world who needed help interpreting the language of science as it applied to them in the most personal of ways. Such conditions as agenesis of the corpus callosum (a rare condition in which the patient lacks the bundle of nerve fibers that connect the two hemispheres of the brain) and Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy (another rare condition resulting in temporary or permanent vision loss) are two of the many subjects that he researched and translated into comprehensible lay language for sufferers worldwide, referring them to nearby specialists for treatment. In testimony to his efforts he received grateful thanks from many individuals. These are only a few examples:
"If only you were here in the Philippines I would invite you for the baptism of my baby and for sure you're one of the godfathers.
"I wish to thank you for your kind letter, about getting out of [city] and getting the help I needed with my eye. Dr. _____ has taken me on as a full time patient. Thank you so very much.
"Thank you for giving us the clue for a new life, we have now contacted associations, other parents, etc, that give us a lot of information and support.
"Last year you sent me information on Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and the medication that our granddaughter's doctor had prescribed because she had 2 seizures. We are very happy to report that she . is doing very well. She has been seizure free for over a year.  She is very healthy and happy.   I wanted to thank you for your help in finding the information we needed to make some very difficult decisions on her health care. Our family is and will remain very grateful to you.
"Thanks, you could never know how much you've helped. Believe me you're our Angel."
Despite the enormous popularity of his Web site, Dr. Pietsch was uncomfortable with recognition, and he did little to call it to the attention of his IU colleagues. Many people at IU remain unaware of it despite the priceless goodwill that it has brought to the university over the years. He modestly resisted all attempts to publicize it among university administrators, preferring to work quietly and tirelessly for the benefit of others.
Paul is survived by his wife, the former Myrtle Evelyn Miller, their sons Samuel H. (Kathleen) Pietsch, Dearborn, Mich., Benjamin E. (Cheryl) Pietsch, Chambersburg, Pa.; step-son Geoffrey L. (Sharron) Hewston, Au Sable Forks, N.Y.; and daughters Mary T. (Andrew) Alexander, Abigail L. Pietsch and Mary K. Wheeler, all of Bloomington, Indiana; nieces and nephews.
Also surviving are his sister Anna (Alfred) Battle, Spring Hill, Fla.; a brother Robert (Joann) Pietsch, Little Egg Harbor, N.J., a brother-in-law Louis Vanacore, Little Egg Harbor, N.J.; nieces and nephews.
The grandchildren are Kate E. Pietsch, Chicago, Ill.; Jeffrey Pietsch, Dearborn, Mich.; Sean (Jennifer Scott) Randall and Ian Randall, Bloomington, Ind.; step-grandchildren Jacquelyn (James) Girardin, Essex, Vt.; Christopher (Sharon) Hewston, Plattsburgh, N.Y., and Jessica (Brandon) Maliezewski, Dearborn, Mich.
The great-grandchildren are: Aila Scott Randall, Bloomington, Ind., and step-great grandchildren James and Jessica Girardin, Essex, Vt.; Emilee, Ethan and Grace Hewston, Plattsburgh; Aden Scott and Henry Maliezewski, Dearborn, Mich.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister Evelyn Vanacore in 1999 and his beloved Nana and De De.
The family suggests contributions to Hospice c/o Bloomington Hospital for those who wish to remember Paul.
Author: Douglas K. Freeman, director of technology, head of optometry library at Indiana University.
AUG. 8, 1929 — NOV. 26, 2009
Paul A. Pietsch, Ph.D., 80, retired Professor Emeritus of Optometry at the I.U. School of Optometry, died on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009, at Bloomington Hospital. He was born in New York City, the son of Elwood and Bridget (McDonnell) on August 8, 1929. An Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Paul credited the GI Bill for providing him with the means to an education. He received his B.S. in Zoology from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in Anatomy from the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Pietsch was world renowned for his teaching and mentoring to thousands of students, publishing nearly 100 articles and winning numerous awards, including 12 awards for outstanding teaching. Some of the publications that recognized Dr. Pietsch included Quest, Harpers Magazine, Science Digest, as well as many periodicals. He was also interviewed by the television media including "60 Minutes," "Television Francais" and the Canadian National Radio broadcasts.
Survivors include his wife, Myrtle (Miller) Pietsch of Bloomington; sons, Samuel H. (Kathleen) Pietsch of Dearborn, MI, Benjamin E. (Cheryl) Pietsch of Chambersburg, PA; stepson, Geoffrey L. (Sharron) Hewston, Au Sable Forks, N.Y.; and daughters, Mary T. (Andrew) Alexander, Abigail L. Pietsch and Mary K. Wheeler, all of Bloomington; grandchildren, Kate E. Pietsch, Jeffrey Pietsch, Sean (Jennifer Scott) Randall and Ian Randall; step-grandchildren, Jacquelyn (James) Girardin, Christopher (Sharon) Hewston, and Jessica (Brandon) Maliezewski; great-grandchild, Aila Scott Randall; and step-great-grandchildren, James and Jessica Girardin, Emilee, Ethan and Grace Hewston, Aden Scott and Henry Maliezewski. Also surviving are his sister, Anna (Alfred) Battle of Spring Hill, FL; brother, Robert (Joann) Pietsch of Little Egg Harbor, N.J.; and brother-in-law, Louis Vanacore of Little Egg Harbor, N.J.; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Evelyn Vanacore, and beloved family members Nana and DeDe.
Private family services will be conducted at Clear Creek Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Bloomington Hospital Hospice and Home Health Care, P.O. Box 1149, Bloomington, IN 47402.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenfuneral home.org.
AUG. 8, 1929 — NOV. 26, 2009
The Indiana University community lost one of its most influential professors on November 26, 2009. Paul A. Pietsch, Professor Emeritus of Optometry, died after a long battle with end stage renal disease.
Dr. Pietsch's academic career was stellar. Over the years he was a beloved mentor to thousands of students, was the author of nearly 100 publications, and won numerous awards, including 12 awards for outstanding teaching. The Paul Pietsch Scholarship Award, in the School of Optometry, was endowed by Dr. Freddie Chang, a former student then colleague. Dr. Pietsch taught many courses, including: neuro-anatomy, microscopic anatomy, gross anatomy, cell biology, molecular biology, embryology, ocular anatomy, comparative anatomy, and physiology. Despite these rare achievements he was anything but the stereotypical ivory tower professor.
His path to science was not a typical one. A native of Depression-era New York City, Paul Pietsch was the first of four children. His father was a taxicab driver, and his mother, who had emigrated from Ireland in 1926, worked in childcare. His father died when Paul was 6. Paul left high school when he was in the 10th grade. He joined the Army in 1946, serving until 1949 in the post-war occupation of Japan and Korean conflict in 1951, and he always credited the G.I. Bill for providing him with the means to an education. While in the Army his love of teaching emerged, and he taught English to Japanese students and was a writer on military subjects. While in the Army he earned a GED, and after his discharge he pursued higher education with a vengeance, earning a bachelor's degree in zoology from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in anatomy from the University of Pennsylvania. He also supported himself and his young family at various times by working at jobs that paid the bills: journalist, science writer, bartender, construction laborer, truck driver and many others.
However, it was in science that Paul Pietsch found his calling. He worked as an instructor in anatomy at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University; assistant professor of anatomy at the State University of New York at Buffalo; and as a research scientist at Dow Chemical Company, where he was the author of nine patents. He came to Indiana University in 1970 as an associate professor of optometry, and his career as a neuroscientist flourished. Dr. Pietsch taught optometry students and medical students while pursuing his primary research interests in regeneration and in the relationship between the brain and the mind. He even developed coursework to teach anatomy to blind students. He shared his research with the scientific world through publication in professional journals, such as: Quest, Harper's, Science Digest, and many periodicals. He believed that scientists have the obligation to share knowledge with the non-scientific public. His article "Shuffle Brain," about brain transplants in amphibians as a test of the language of the brain and of memory, was originally published in the May, 1972, issue of Harper's Magazine and later won the 1972 Medical Journalism Award of the American Medical Association. Popular interest in his research continued to grow, and it culminated in August, 1973, when Dr. Pietsch was interviewed and discussed his research on the television show "60 Minutes." He also was the subject of a series of Canadian national radio broadcasts, and was interviewed on Television Francais.
A demanding but enthusiastic teacher and a rigorous and exacting scientist, Dr. Pietsch was also an intellectual in the broadest sense of the word, with interests ranging from Civil War history to the space program. He was a modest, courteous, eloquent man who loved teaching and scholarship, but he could be moved to a crackling fury by misinterpretation of science for personal gain by "crackpots" and "snake-oil salesmen." He detested injustice in any form, which bureaucrats learned quickly during his term as president of the IU chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, when he famously advocated for those whom he believed had been treated unfairly by the institution.
Although Dr. Pietsch retired from classroom teaching in 1994, he continued to come into the office every day until illness made it impossible. In his retirement he devoted himself to helping others and to the authorship of more than ten fiction and non-fiction books.
His passion in retirement was an extension of his belief that science should be available not just to scientists. This passion resulted in his award-winning Web site, Shufflebrain, (www.indiana.edu/~pietsch/home.html). "A polycultural collection on the biology of memory, perception and a few other items." This site has experienced an astonishing 29.5 million hits since July, 1995, which is an enormous testament to the fact that the world is hungry for palatable scientific information. Ironically, in retirement, Dr. Pietsch influenced millions of people using this new technology, while during a lifetime of teaching, his students numbered "only" in the thousands. He quickly embraced new Web technology as a teaching tool.
Touching testimony to the international influence of Dr. Pietsch's Web site is evident in the pleas of people afflicted with rare neurological conditions, or even more touchingly, from the parents of children suffering from these conditions. He was in constant communication with people around the world who needed help interpreting the language of science as it applied to them in the most personal of ways. Such conditions as agenesis of the corpus callosum (a rare condition in which the patient lacks the bundle of nerve fibers that connect the two hemispheres of the brain) and Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy (another rare condition resulting in temporary or permanent vision loss) are two of the many subjects that he researched and translated into comprehensible lay language for sufferers worldwide, referring them to nearby specialists for treatment. In testimony to his efforts he received grateful thanks from many individuals. These are only a few examples:
"If only you were here in the Philippines I would invite you for the baptism of my baby and for sure you're one of the godfathers.
"I wish to thank you for your kind letter, about getting out of [city] and getting the help I needed with my eye. Dr. _____ has taken me on as a full time patient. Thank you so very much.
"Thank you for giving us the clue for a new life, we have now contacted associations, other parents, etc, that give us a lot of information and support.
"Last year you sent me information on Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and the medication that our granddaughter's doctor had prescribed because she had 2 seizures. We are very happy to report that she . is doing very well. She has been seizure free for over a year.  She is very healthy and happy.   I wanted to thank you for your help in finding the information we needed to make some very difficult decisions on her health care. Our family is and will remain very grateful to you.
"Thanks, you could never know how much you've helped. Believe me you're our Angel."
Despite the enormous popularity of his Web site, Dr. Pietsch was uncomfortable with recognition, and he did little to call it to the attention of his IU colleagues. Many people at IU remain unaware of it despite the priceless goodwill that it has brought to the university over the years. He modestly resisted all attempts to publicize it among university administrators, preferring to work quietly and tirelessly for the benefit of others.
Paul is survived by his wife, the former Myrtle Evelyn Miller, their sons Samuel H. (Kathleen) Pietsch, Dearborn, Mich., Benjamin E. (Cheryl) Pietsch, Chambersburg, Pa.; step-son Geoffrey L. (Sharron) Hewston, Au Sable Forks, N.Y.; and daughters Mary T. (Andrew) Alexander, Abigail L. Pietsch and Mary K. Wheeler, all of Bloomington, Indiana; nieces and nephews.
Also surviving are his sister Anna (Alfred) Battle, Spring Hill, Fla.; a brother Robert (Joann) Pietsch, Little Egg Harbor, N.J., a brother-in-law Louis Vanacore, Little Egg Harbor, N.J.; nieces and nephews.
The grandchildren are Kate E. Pietsch, Chicago, Ill.; Jeffrey Pietsch, Dearborn, Mich.; Sean (Jennifer Scott) Randall and Ian Randall, Bloomington, Ind.; step-grandchildren Jacquelyn (James) Girardin, Essex, Vt.; Christopher (Sharon) Hewston, Plattsburgh, N.Y., and Jessica (Brandon) Maliezewski, Dearborn, Mich.
The great-grandchildren are: Aila Scott Randall, Bloomington, Ind., and step-great grandchildren James and Jessica Girardin, Essex, Vt.; Emilee, Ethan and Grace Hewston, Plattsburgh; Aden Scott and Henry Maliezewski, Dearborn, Mich.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister Evelyn Vanacore in 1999 and his beloved Nana and De De.
The family suggests contributions to Hospice c/o Bloomington Hospital for those who wish to remember Paul.
Author: Douglas K. Freeman, director of technology, head of optometry library at Indiana University.
Family Members
Children
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
