Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 43, No. 2 , 1987, p p . 169-171

In Memoriam: Barbara Strudler Wallston, 1943- 1987

I would rather be ashes than dust; . . . a superb meteor . . . , than a sleepy and permanent planet.

The trajectory of Barbara Wallston’s 43 years of life, begun on August 15, 1943, in New York City, bore no resemblance to the path of a sleepy planet. After graduating with a B.A. in mathematics from Cornell, which she attended on a New York State Regents Scholarship, she took an M.A. in counseling and guidance at Connecticut. In 1972, Dr. Wallston received the Ph.D. in social psychology at the University of Wisconsin, shortly after joining the Faculty in Psychology and Human Development at Peabody College as a part-time lecturer. She was soon on the tenure track and rose quickly through professional ranks to Professor.

Dr. Wallston’s early research appeared in medical, nursing, and community and health psychology journals, and foreshadowed her important role in the establishment of the new discipline of health psychology. One senses that her interest in dual-career couples, which produced several articles and chapters on working couples and joint job seeking, stemmed from her own experiences with Kenneth Wallston in that role. Although the marriage ended in 1974, the re- search collaboration (on a health locus of control scale) and friendship continued until her death.

Dr. Wallston’s later research (on social support systems) formalized her contribution to a role she played so well in life. It reached beyond a 14-year commitment to her Nashville women’s support group to include prisoners, who she helped to follow the “Seven-Step Program” to freedom.

Her intellectual productivity encompasses over 60 articles and chapters, an award-winning edited book on feminist psychology (Women, Gender, and Social Psychology, with V. E. O’Leary and R. K. Unger), and a co-authored book in progress on health psychology (Research in Health Care Settings, with K. E. Grady) .

Jack London

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As a mentor to her students, Professor Wallston was both demanding and supportive. She made a special effort to recruit minority men and women stu- dents. Dr. Wallston was known to have remarked to more than one of her research students that “You can either write the world’s best disserta- tion, . . . or you can get your degree.” It is a fitting tribute that her university has established a dissertation award as its memorial to her.

As an organizational leader, Barbara Wallston’s influence extended far beyond Peabody College and Vanderbilt University, as evidenced by the eu- logies that have appeared in the Newsletter of the Association for Women in Psychology (which she helped to found), several divisions of the American Psychological Association, and the National Organization for Changing Men. In so many professional organizations has she taken a leading role that it is difficult to recount her contributions to them all.

A Fellow of divisions 8 (Social and Personality), 9 (SPSSI), 35 (Psychology of Women), and 38 (Health Psychology) of the APA, Dr. Wallston was active in all of them, as well as in Division 44 (Lesbian and Gay Issues). She chaired the APA’s Committee on Women in Psychology and served on its Council of Repre- sentatives. SPSSI is fortunate to number Dr. Wallston among its recent Council members. Before her term of office ended, she served on the committee that established a program of predoctoral public policy internships. A special in- ternship for Black South African students has been named in her honor.

It wasn’t work for you to work, you had to work at playing; And, like most things you worked at, you learned to do it well.

Roberta Smith Former student, co-author

To those many friends who received her annual end-of-year letter, it seemed that Barbara Wallston’s yearly accomplishments were the work of more than one person, despite health problems that would have sapped the productivity of most. Her last such letter mentioned her special sense of honor at being named the 1987 Carolyn Wood Sherif Memorial Lecturer by Division 35 for her feminist schol- arship, teaching and mentoring, and professional leadership.

However, recent annual letters detailed the steps Barbara was taking to strike a balance in her life between work and play. Her love of dancing is well known to many who frequented the social gatherings at psychological con- ferences, and her faithful attendance at songwriter’s night in Nashville each Sunday that she was home brought her many friends outside academia.

On January 3, 1987, Barbara Wallston died in Nashville of complications following surgery for a broken ankle sustained on a trip to New York City. At her Peabody College memorial celebration, colleagues, friends, and students spoke eloquently of her contributions to their lives. Songs especially written for her were sung in her honor.

Barbara Wallston’s intellectual and social life traversed many paths, making

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connections among diverse people, ideas, and research traditions. She was as adept at nurturing local and national support networks as she was at doing research on them. She took special pride in linking those whotn she met to each other by her publications, teaching, mentoring, and service. Her own life’s course was cut short, but at its many intersections with the paths of her col- leagues, students, and friends her wisdom bums brightly.

The road narrows, it splits, and it bends . . . Sure makes it hard, holdin’ on to old friends.

Rodney (R . W.) King Nashville Songwriter

Michele A . Wittig Department of Psychology

California State University, Northridge