The Human Development and Family Studies professor passed away recently at age 95

George T. Fitzelle Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of HDF, died on March 4, 2019 at the age of 95.

George was a World War II veteran, having served in the U.S. Army as a combat infantryman in Europe. After the war, he attended Cornell University and was awarded his Ph.D. He then was appointed as an assistant professor at UCLA. In 1959, he was invited to join the faculty of the then Dept. of Child Development and Family Relations by the department chair, Russell Smart, who had been George’s doctoral advisor at Cornell.

George served as the department chair for several years in the 1970s. Then the department was in the College of Home Economics. From 1976 to 1978, the college was being reorganized into the College of Human Sciences and Services, and George was a principal figure in that process. As a part of the reorganization, the Counseling Program faculty in Education elected to move to the department, and it was renamed the Department of Human Development, Counseling and Family Studies (HCF). In the 1990s, the department was renamed Human Development and Family Studies.

In 1978, George’s main interest became the formation of a master’s degree program in Marriage and Family Therapy. George joined forces with Peter Maynard, who had joined the department with the counseling faculty. Both were licensed psychologists with a strong background in family therapy. George was a senior full professor, and his experience was critical in guiding the MFT proposal through the various College and University committees for approval. The first group of family therapists graduated in 1983. Another HCF faculty member, Dr. Gweneth Rae, also become a member of the MFT faculty.

Peter became the Director of the MFT program and George served as Clinical Director. Under his supervision, parts of the Transition Center were renovated to accommodate for Practicum. Graduate students began serving individuals, couples and families under faculty supervision.

In 1985, the MFT Program applied to the Commission on Accreditation of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy to be granted national accreditation. George was a long-time member of AAMFT and he was very active in that process. The MFT Program was granted accreditation in 1986.

George retired from URI in 1989 after 30 years as a professor, advisor and mentor to many students, and a valuable, trusted colleague and friend. However, his professional life continued. As a licensed psychologist, he and his wife, Connie, a licensed MFT therapist herself, maintained a private psychotherapy practice into his late 1980s.

George was a famous gardener and a lifelong athlete. Early every morning, rain or shine, sleet or snow, George could be found running through the trails of Potter Woods with his dog. For most of his career at URI he would bike to work. The only thing that slowed him down was a broken leg at age 89.

His funeral was held at Kingston Congregational Church, of which he and his wife, Connie, were long time, very active members. Several professors’ emeriti, former students, and staff members from URI were in attendance to remember and honor George.