DR. ADRIANNE WADEWITZ

DR. ADRIANNE WADEWITZ, 37, of Los Angeles, Calif., died on Tuesday, April 8, 2014, in Palm Springs, Calif. She was born on Jan. 6, 1977, in Omaha, Neb. She attended public schools in both Omaha and North Platte, Neb., graduating from North Platte High School in 1995. In 1999, after excelling in her undergraduate studies, Adrianne was awarded a B.A. magna cum laude in English Literature by Columbia University, New York, N.Y. She went on to Indiana University, Bloomington where she earned an M.A. in 2003. In 2011, Indiana University conferred upon Adrianne a Ph.D. in British Literature, with a minor in 18th Century Studies. Adrianne worked as an Associate Instructor of English at Indiana University from 2001 to 2011. In the 2011-2012 academic year, Dr. Wadewitz held the position of Visiting Assistant Professor at Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis, Ind. At the time of her death, Dr. Wadewitz was a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Digital Learning and Research at Occidental College, Los Angeles, Calif., where she specialized in 18th Century children's literature and the digital humanities. Dr. Wadewitz wrote and edited extensively on Wikipedia during the final 10 years of her life, contributing 36 featured articles and more than 49,000 edits. She traveled extensively to speak about Wikipedia, and organized and assisted many events and edit-a-thons. In 2013, she accepted a position on the Board of Directors of the Wikipedia Education Foundation. Dr. Wadewitz is survived by her parents, the Rev. Dr. Nathan R. Wadewitz and Betty M. Wadewitz, numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins, and her partner, Peter B. James. Memorial service is 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26, 2014, at Risen Savior Lutheran Church, 8010 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne (IN 46804), followed by a reception at the church.