John P. Dworetzky

John P. Dworetzky died Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at his home in Bellingham, Washington, with support from Whatcom Hospice, after a long and valiant battle with kidney cancer. A resident of Bellingham since 1988, he is survived by his wife of 34 years, Karen Casto, and their two sons, Christopher and David Dworetzky, all of Bellingham, and his brother, Steve Dworetzky, of San Mateo, California. John loved ideas. While he made his living as an author and teacher in the field of child psychology, he was a man of broad intellect fascinated by many subjects, a talented conversationalist who maintained lifelong friendships, and a passionate follower of politics and current events. What he loved most in life, however, was the relationship he shared with his wife, and with his two sons. He was proudest of his boys' accomplishments and excited about all the great things the future holds for them. John was born in Cooperstown, NY, on August 14, 1947 to John Peter and Jean Wells Dworetzky. While he was still a child, his mother predicted that he would grow up to become either a teacher or a writer; John fulfilled her prediction by becoming both. He obtained his Ph.D. in experimental child psychology from Utah State University in 1975, and went on to author three college textbooks that were published in many editions. For 12 years, he taught introductory psychology and child development courses at Glendale Community College in Arizona and, when the family moved to Whatcom County, taught for two more years at Western Washington University. John was a consummate storyteller. Few who heard him tell one of his classic but true tales forgot them, whether it was the one about his mother's lamp during the NYC hurricane of 1954; the saga of the Long Island Expressway motorcycle policeman who got shot with a bazooka; the "body" in the pool; the masses of flies on the window; or the tale of the flying, flaming drinks. True to form, in the weeks prior to his death, John continued to think and write about new ideas. He put the finishing touches on a book he'd been working on for many years (well before he became ill himself), entitled The Illusion of Death (www.illusionofdeath.org), which combines current theories in physics and psychology to create his own unique take on what might happen to people after they die. He completed the final editing only three weeks before he died. There will be no public service; instead, family and friends will hold a private celebration of John's life later this spring. A scholarship in John's name has been created for students in Whatcom Community College's nursing program, with preference given to current and former employees of hospice programs. Donations can be made by sending a check to: The John Dworetzky Memorial Scholarship, Whatcom Community College Foundation, 237 W. Kellogg Road, Bellingham, WA 98226.