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The College of Engineering community laments the loss of Donald Vernon Stocker, former director of the Wayne State University Division of Engineering Technology from 1981 to 1987 and professor emeritus. Stocker, passed away Wednesday, May 19, at his home in Onsted in Michigan’s Irish Hills. He was 83. The family has planned a funeral service for 3 p.m. Saturday at the Anderson Funeral Home, 265 W. Beecher Rd. in Adrian. Visitation is from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday. Visitation will also be Saturday from 2 p.m. until the service begins. Stocker was the third director of the Engineering Technology Division, which was created in 1972. In a 1998 interview with EXEMPLAR magazine on a return visit to the division for its 25th anniversary celebration, Stocker recalled the years of his leadership as quite lean. “Those were the tough years. The original promise – to hire teachers, augmented by part-time faculty, with no need for labs – was wrong. You still have to have laboratories. This is hands-on experience.” He was quite pleased at the time with ET’s growth. In 1987, it had only three faculty members. By 1998 it had seven and many adjunct faculty members as it does today. Stocker retired to the Irish Hills in 1989. He was born January, 1927 in Detroit to Alfred Otto and Elsie (Breitenbach) Stocker, and served in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946. Stocker is survived by his wife, Clara, of 59 years, two daughters, Jan (Ron) Heverly of Frankfort, Mich., and Laura (Chuck) Dorais of Canton; one sister, Jeannette Stocker of Redford, and four grandchildren, Linda Reno, Richie Reno, Brett Wysocki, and Eric Dorais. Cremation will follow the service. Memorial contributions may be made to the USO or Lenawee County Humane Society. Former colleagues, students and friends of Donald Stocker are encouraged to share their memories, which will be posted, by emailing David Reich, WSU College of Engineering homepage editor, at: [email protected]
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