Dr. Gilbert Andrew Jarvis, a dear kind soul, has departed this earth on February 11, 2022. He was two days short of his 81st birthday. He tried to convince us that the Super Bowl was being played in honor of his birthday. We will miss his humor.
Gilbert was born February 13, 1941 to Vernon O. Jarvis and Angeline M. (Burkard) Jarvis in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
Gilbert earned a B.A. from St. Norbert College (Wisconsin), M.A. and Ph. D. from Purdue University.
He was a professor at The Ohio State University in the College of Education where he taught and chaired several academic departments. He was Chairperson Professor Emeritus at OSU.
Gilbert is an author, coauthor, and editor of more than 60 books, as well as of more than 50 scholarly articles. He also made presentations to nearly 100 professional organizations during his career. He mentored 70 doctoral students to completion of their Ph.D. Degrees and was always very pleased by their collective career success. He also provided service to many professional organizations and government agencies.
The study of other cultures was very important, which led him to travel to The People’s Republic of China, Russia, Estonia, Finland, Kenya, Indonesia, Ecuador, France, Spain, Italy, Egypt, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, French Canada, Morocco, The Republic of South Africa, Costa Rico, and Germany.
Gilbert was an avid Buckeye and lifelong Green Bay Packers fan.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Vernon and Angeline Jarvis, In-laws John and Eleanor Ganter. His son Mark Jarvis. Brothers-in-law George Kailhofer and Russell (Lisa) Ganter.
Gilbert is survived by his wife Carol of 59 years. Daughter Vicki (Christof Heisser),daughter-in-law Tricia Jarvis and grandchildren Luke, Ellie, and Chloe Jarvis ,sister Patricia Kailhofer, brother-in-law John (Carol) Ganter, and many nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be private.
Gil was a good man and he died much good for many people. He had a good sense of humor which lasted to the very end — with a few lapses as years of suffering took their toll. He will be missed to be sure. His becoming a Buckeye was Green Bay’s loss, Bill Wayson
Gil Jarvis directed my PhD dissertation. He turned down several of my ideas for a dissertation subject until I came up with one that was really worthwhile, and I appreciate the fact that he made me think things through. That was one of his strengths as a teacher as well. I cannot express how much I owe to his guidance and example.
Gil arrived at OSU at the same time as a new cohort of Ph.D. students. I was among that first class taking courses, seeking dissertation topics and advisors in a field that was shifting toward new research. He taught us, mentored us, provided support until we reached our goals. Most importantly he developed a collaborative orientation among us, not a competitive one, so that many of us remained lifelong friends not just colleagues. As the obituary states, he was proud of our success and we owe so much of that to him. My late husband and I were privileged to have traveled to so many places with Gil and Carol on OSU trips and those memories are precious.
Gil was my advisor for my Ph.D. and he hired me as first TA and then RA. As advisor and as employer, he was fair minded and even tempered. I remember him asserting to us that Ph.D. meant problem solver. Those were both words of praise and of challenge to me. I left OSU buoyed by his encouragement and inspired by his high standards. He leaves a fine legacy among his many students.
About once a year I would google “Gilbert A. Jarvis” to see what he was up to. In March of ‘23, I expected to find him still publishing books with his team. Instead, I found an obituary. I was heart broken.
It was the summer of 1972 when I walked into his office and offered a topic for my dissertation. “Keep looking,” he replied. Later, I offered two more topics to which he gave the same answer. At my fourth visit, I said: “I can see what I’m doing as I learn Spanish in class.” “THAT’S IT.” he said. And so I began my research on learning strategies.
To a great teacher, mentor, colleague and friend, I say: “Gil, go get ‘em in Paradise and show ‘em how it should be done.”
Carol Hosenfeld.