Remembered by students, faculty and staff alike as a tireless teacher and dedicated family man, the memory of Associate Professor of Psychology Burton Ozarow was honored Friday, Aug. 29 at a memorial service in Cascade.

Ozarow died unexpectedly on Aug. 27 after what his doctors described as “an arryhthmia caused by an underlying heart problem,” according to the Grand Rapids Press. He was 61.

“It was unbelievable,” said Michelle Smith, an Aquinas senior majoring psychology. “No one expected it. The funeral was very sad.”

Ozarow, who came to Aquinas in 1983, earned a reputation as one of the best - if not always the quietest - lecturers on campus.

“His lectures were unbeatable and loud,” said Smith.

“He knew so much and shared his knowledge in an entertaining way that kept his students hooked on his every word,” wrote Aquinas alumna Amy Haborak (Nee Hughes) in the funeral guest book. “You would leave after an exam with cramped and aching fingers …because he had taught you so much in his lectures.”

For many, Ozarow was the reason they decided to pursue a career in psychology. East Area Resident Director and Adjunct Assistant Professor Terry Keller had the unique opportunity to both take classes from and teach alongside Ozarow in the Psychology Department.

According to Keller, one of the main reasons he decided to pursue a degree and career in psychology was Ozarow’s Intro to Psychology course.

“I had gotten a huge paper back,” Keller said. “I picked it up, and on the back Ozarow had written, ‘Nice work. You should go into psychology.’”

“He always treated you with respect, and was always entertaining,” said Keller.

Ozarow completed his doctoral studies in clinical psychology at State University of New York in Buffalo, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in behavioral therapy at Temple University School of Medicine.

“I feel so fortunate that I was able to be taught by Dr. Ozarow,” said Melissa (DeWitt) Greene, an Aquinas graduate living in Grand Rapids. “It was Intro to Psychology with him that led to my degree in psychology.”

After coming to Aquinas in 1983, Ozarow taught Intro to Psychology, Human Motivation, Abnormal Psychology, and Behavior Modification. His research interests included sleep, anxiety and personality disorders, as well as behavioral and cognitive therapies, psychopharmacology, and treatment effectiveness.

Ozarow is survived by his wife, Bonnie, and their 18-year-old daughter, Abby.