I first met Ernest Furchtgott twenty-five years ago after joining the
faculty of the College of Social Work at the University of South
Carolina. At that time, Ernie chaired the Department of Psychology. In
the following three years we collaborated with an Academic Committee on
Gerontology in conceptualizing and shaping the University's Certificate
of Graduate Study in Gerontology Program, guiding it to final approval
by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. For twenty years
we team- taught our graduate-level course, "Psychosocial Approaches to
Geron- tology," involving colleagues from related disciplines. Over the
years, we examined and jointly graded hundreds of research posters
prepared by our graduate students in gerontology as their final course
requirement. Several years ago, Ernie formally retired from the
university. He in- stantly agreed to my request that he continue
teaching the psychology of aging portion of our interdisciplinary
course. On campus nearly every day since retirement, Ernie frequently
telephoned to discuss are- cent article in The Gerontologist or a paper
presentation that had ex- cited him at the Gerontological Society's
annual scientific meeting. He maintained a clear presence in the
academic community.