David P. Ausubel, M.D., Ph.D.

David P. Ausubel, M.D., Ph.D., Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Graduate School, The City University of New York

Port Ewen, NY.
David P. Ausubel, M.D., Ph.D., scholar, theorist, professor, author, and psychiatrist, 89, died July 9th, 2008 at Victory Lake Nursing Home in Hyde Park, NY. Dr. Ausubels work in Educational Psychology (meaningful verbal learning), Child Development (theory of satellization), Adolescent Development, and Anthropology have been helpful to students, scholars, and thoughtful readers throughout the world.
David P. Ausubel was born in Brooklyn, October 25, 1918 to the late Herman and Lillian (Leff) Ausubel. David Ausubel attended the University of Pennsylvania, taking the pre-medical course and majoring in Psychology. After graduating from the medical school at Middlesex University, he completed a rotating internship at Gouveneur Hospital (NYC Department of Hospitals) located in lower east side of Manhattan, including the Little Italy and Chinatown of 1944.
David Ausubel was a Senior Assistant Surgeon, Reserve Corp, in military service under the US Public Health Service, (Equivalent to the rank of Captain, U.S. Army)Honorable Discharge serving overseas in Germany, Guatemala, and Nicaragua during World War II. His residency training in psychiatry was performed at the US Public Health Service Hospital, Lexington, KY; Buffalo Psychiatric Center; and Albert Einstein Medical School. With assistance from the GI Bill, he earned a PH.D. in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University. A series of psychological professorships ensued at schools of education: the University of Illinois, University of Toronto, and in the European universities at Berne, the Salesian University at Rome, and the Officers Training College at Munich. He received a Fulbright Research Grant in 1957-58 to do a comparative study of the vocational motivation of Maoris and Europeans. In 1973 he retired from academic life to devote full time to his psychiatric practice. His principal interests in psychiatry have been general psychopathology, ego development, drug addiction, and forensic psychiatry.
Dr. Ausubels published works include 26 books (textbooks in developmental and educational psychology, and books on specialized topics such as drug addiction, psychopathology, and ego development) and over 150 original articles in psychiatric and psychological journals. In 1976 he received the Thorndike Award from the American Psychological Association for Distinguished Psychological Contributions to Education.
Dr. Ausubel retired from professional life in 1994 to devote himself full time, at the age of 75, to writing. Four books resulted.
Survivors include his wife, Gloria George Ausubel; they married on July 31st, 1985. A son Frederick Ausubel of Newton Highlands, MA and a daughter Laura Beck of Florence, MA. A brother, Hillel Ausubel of Great Neck, NY and a sister Jeanne Ausubel of Mexico, and four grandchildren. An older sister Mildred died at age 8.
Entrusted to the care of the Keyser Funeral Service, Inc., 216 Broadway, Port Ewen, where the procession will form on Saturday at 9:15 am and proceed to St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church where at 10:00 am a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated.
Burial in St. Peter's Cemetery, Kingston with military honors provided by Joyce Schirick Post # 1386 VFW. Friends may call at the funeral home on Thursday from 7 - 9 pm and Friday from 2 - 4 & 7 - 9. The family suggests in lieu of flowers memorial contributions be made to St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Restoration Fund, 93 Wurts Street, Kingston, NY 12401. Light a candle in memory of David at www.keyserfuneralservice.com .