Dr. Susan Ann Vogel

Dr. Susan Ann Vogel passed away peacefully and surrounded by her family on May 4, 2021. She was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Dr. Manfred Henry Vogel. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and educator. She will be missed dearly. Born in Roxbury and raised in Newton Massachusetts, Susan was confirmed in 1955 at Temple Emanuel and graduated from Newton High School in 1957. In 1961, she received her Bachelor of Arts from Brandeis University and went on to earn a Masters in Education the following year from Harvard University and her PhD in Education from Northwestern University in 1972. Susan met her husband while at Brandeis and they were married for 52 years until Fred's death in 2013. In 1962, they relocated to the Chicago area where Fred accepted a teaching position at Northwestern University. They were founding members of Beth Emet, the Free Synagogue, in Evanston, IL. In 2011, Susan and Fred moved to the Moldaw Residences' Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life in Palo Alto, CA to be closer to their two sons and seven grandchildren. She was involved in numerous committees, led discussions and organized speakers surrounding Jewish life and current events in Israel. She was also an active member of Congregation Etz Chaim and the Kol Emeth Singers. For over 50 years, Dr. Vogel dedicated her research and professional career to the field of special education. More specifically, she was a pioneer in developing diagnostic tools and worked tirelessly as an advocate supporting the advancement of students and adults with learning disabilities. She served as Chair and Professor of the Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling and Special Education at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. In 2004, she was appointed Distinguished Research Professor at Northern Illinois University. Previously, Dr. Vogel held positions at Barat College in Lake Forest, IL and as the Executive Director of the Cove School in Evanston, IL. Dr. Vogel received numerous grants and published over 75 peer-reviewed articles and research reports along with five books. Most notably, she developed the "Campus Climate and Disabilities Questionnaires" which are still widely used today to assess support for students with disabilities and determine appropriate accommodations at numerous higher educational institutions. In addition to presenting at more than 100 international conferences, Dr. Vogel served as founding Co-Editor of Learning Disabilities Research and Practices. In recognition of her expertise and many contributions to the field of special education, Dr. Vogel was appointed in 1992 by former First Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush, to serve as a founding board member of the National Institute for Literacy. Dr. Vogel advised the Institute on policy and other matters involved in achieving its ambitious mission of eradicating illiteracy in the US. Susan is survived by her two sons, Evan James Vogel (Palo Alto, CA) and Henry Michael Vogel (Saratoga, CA) and her seven grandchildren: Jordan, Aaron, Benjamin, Rachel, Sofie, Lucas and Josie. She is also survived by her two siblings: her older sister, Dr. Laura Altman of Phoenix, AZ, and her younger brother, Paul Sugarman, of Piedmont, CA. A private memorial in celebration of Dr. Vogel's life will be held later this summer. The family will share more details when they become available.