Dr. Gerald L. Sievers
KALAMAZOO, Mich.--Dr. Gerald L. Sievers, professor emeritus of statistics at Western Michigan University, died Sept. 25. He was 74.
Sievers joined the faculty in 1967 and retired in April after 46 years of service to the University. His research expertise was in the areas of quality and productivity improvement, robust correlation methods and linear models.
A co-founder of WMU's statistics program, Sievers helped to develop many of the University's statistics courses. In particular, the Introduction to Statistics flourished under his leadership. It began with an enrollment of 40 students and now has some 400 students enrolled in multiple sections during each semester.
Sievers is remembered as a dedicated teacher and statistician. His students often remarked on his kind and supportive mentoring. In addition, he was referred to as "The Legend" by friends joining him for noontime basketball, which he played until he began to suffer from ill health at age 71.
He earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from St. Mary's College in 1962 and a master's and doctoral degree from the University of Iowa in 1964 and 1967, respectively.
Services
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. today, Sept. 29, at the Langeland Family Funeral Home's Portage Chapel, 411 E. Centre St. in Portage.
The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, in St. Thomas More Church, 421 Monroe St. in Kalamazoo.
Remembrances
Visit langelands.com to make a memorial guestbook entry. Memorial gifts may be made to the Gerald Sievers Memorial Fund for the Department of Statistics, payable to the WMU Foundation, and can be sent to the WMU Department of Statistics, 3304 Everett Tower, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5278.
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