R. Kirkland Gable

Ralph Schwitzgebel
Kirk Gable
R. Kirkland Gable, born Ralph Schwitzgebel on March 21, 1934, in Canton, Ohio, left his earthly form at age 80 on Jan. 18, 2015. He was a respected and cherished professor of psychology at Cal Lutheran University from 1975 until 2004. He and his twin brother co-invented the location-monitoring system for offenders used in ankle bracelets. Their goal was to effectively rehabilitate, not punish, offenders. The invention emerged from a graduate psychological study at Harvard University under professors B. F. Skinner and Timothy Leary. The twins chose to use the simplified surname 'Gable' as they were being published in professional journals. Kirk was also a lawyer, writing and co-authoring on the intersection of law and psychology. One of his articles on the legal rights of mentally ill patients was cited in a majority opinion of the United States Supreme Court. His education began at Edgefield School, then on to Canton Lehman, with graduation from North Canton High School in 1952. The college sequence was two years at Heidelberg College, bachelor's from The Ohio State University, a master's degree in education and two doctorates from Harvard, one in counseling psychology and the other a Juris Doctorate, capped off with a doctorate in social psychology from City University Los Angeles, Winning, with his twin brother Robert, the Ohio high school state debating championship in 1951 meant a trip to Pepperdine College for the national speech competition. Having seen the West and Midwest as the family took a six-week motoring vacation to and from that competition, there was no way that the twins saw themselves staying in Canton as they lived out their lifetimes. The educational Ivy Towers of New England colleges beckoned them first, followed by the scenic beauty and cultural climate of the West Coast. Kirk underwent amazingly successful cardiac surgery at Mayo Clinic in the late 1950's which allowed him another half-century of healthy living. The death certificate indicates he died from 'natural causes,' but the residual effects from the tremendous number of x-rays necessary for the surgery were obvious in recent years. The scope and impact of Kirk's life was the result of the parenting of Harry C. and Mary Blackburn Schwitzgebel. She grew up in Canton, the orphaned daughter of parents who divorced in 1903 with her mother dying before she was ten years old. With perseverance, she graduated from Hammel Actual Business College and became a secretary to U.S. Senator Atlee Pomerene. Harry was the youngest son of a large German immigrant family and the only one of the children to complete college, starting at Mount Union and completing his degree at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. His career as a respected public accountant extended over 50 years. Both Harry and Mary died in early 1983.
Among the people Kirk sadly left behind in California are his wife, Colleen Ryan, his daughter, Sandy Ryan, his son, Eric Schwitzgebel, and his twin brother, Robert S. Gable. He is also survived by a younger brother, H. Paul Schwitzgebel in Canton.
Please also see: http://www.npr.org/2014/05/22/314874232/the-history-of-electronic-monitoring-devices
http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.com/2015/01/memories-of-my-father.html