Charles Dwight Auvenshine

Renowned clinical and research psychologist, Dr. Charles Dwight Auvenshine, age 95, of Lexington, Kentucky, was promoted to glory on the morning of Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Dr. Auvenshine was born December 18, 1929 in Formosa, Arkansas, in the foothills of the Ozarks, the son of the late Marvin and Elmer (Lowe) Auvenshine. He is preceded in death by his beloved grandson, John Salsman IV.
He is survived by his wife, Alice (Adams) Auvenshine; his son, Stephen Auvenshine (Sarah) of Paris, and his daughter, Jennifer Salsman (John); three grandchildren, Katelyn Edgar (Jacob) of Fredericksburg, VA, Christopher Auvenshine (Lauren) of Paris, and Victoria Caldwell (Evan); and six great-grandchildren, Colton, Lily Kate, Caden, Elliott, Virginia, and Lucy. He is also survived by his younger sister, Muriel Woolard (Bob), of Poplar Bluff, MO, and many nieces and nephews.
Dwight grew up during the Great Depression on a hardscrabble farm with parents passionate about the opportunities afforded by education and determined to send him to college. Luckily, he loved school and thrived, graduating from high school at 16, teaching in a one-room school at 19, and finishing an associate's degree in education before volunteering to join the U.S. Marine Corps in the early 1950s. An injury cut short his military service in 1953, but not before he had discovered an intense curiosity around counseling and clinical psychology at the post library during his downtime. Ultimately, this would set the course of his, and his family's, life.
Dwight met Alice in 1947, sitting on the counter of her parents' store in Fisk, Missouri, sipping a bottled Coke through a straw. They fell in love during Friday night movies and sodas at Doc Meyers's drugstore, and got married as soon as he was discharged from the Marines, in May of 1953. Over the next 72 years, Alice became not only his love, but a true partner. Together, they led their family with wisdom, grace, compassion, and unflappable dignity, setting an example for their children and grandchildren that will last generations.
Between 1953 and 1962, Dwight completed a BA in Psychology, an M.Ed., and a PhD, all at the University of Missouri, and welcomed his son, Stephen Dwight. He was soon selected to lead and shape the University of Kentucky's new rehabilitation counseling program, and the young family moved to Lexington. Shortly thereafter, Dwight and Alice added Jennifer Lynn, and central Kentucky has remained home for the Auvenshines (and the Salsmans, Edgars, and Caldwells) ever since.
Starting with UK's new Rehabilitation Counseling program in 1962, Dr. Auvenshine became a stalwart figure in the landscape of Kentucky psychology. He served 16 years as program coordinator, and later accepted a joint faculty appointment with the Departments of Education and Medicine. Consistently recognized as one of the top rehabilitation counseling programs in the country, Dr. Auvenshine's legacy also remains the Commonwealth's only rehabilitation counseling program to this day. He retired from the University of Kentucky in 1995, having served the Commonwealth in that capacity for over 33 years. As a testament to his love of learning and dedication to others, Dr. Auvenshine was twice elected by his peers president of the Kentucky Psychological Association (KPA), was appointed by Governor Wendell Ford to the Kentucky Board of Examiners for Psychologists, earned the Distinguished Psychologist of the Year award twice, and was inducted into the KPA Hall of Fame in 2009.
Despite these accolades, Dwight would be quick to clarify that the joy of his career came not from the awards or titles, but in the work itself. Throughout his distinguished career, Dwight wore many hats with grace and passion, from inspiring college freshmen and guiding doctoral students at the University of Kentucky, to offering compassionate care for patients living with chronic pain in private practice. He also served as an expert witness in the Kentucky court system, lending his knowledge to help others find justice. Psychology was more than a profession to Dr. Auvenshine, it was a calling, a path he walked with dedication and warmth, touching countless lives along the way. We know Marvin and Elmer would be proud - we certainly are.
More than anything accomplished in his career, however, Dwight was proud of his family and treasured time spent together. From carrying the requisite dad-backpack around Disney World and dutifully playing BINGO every night on family vacations, to proudly celebrating our successes, Dwight was never happier than when quietly and deliberately watching his family thrive. He was also a devout Christian and dedicated member of the Maxwell Street Presbyterian Church for over 30 years.
Family and friends are invited to celebrate Dwight's life with a visitation on Friday, July 11, beginning at 11:00 a.m. at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home, 3421 Harrodsburg Road, Lexington, KY 40513. A funeral service honoring his life will follow immediately at 1:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to Kentucky Habitat for Humanity, a cause close to Dwight's heart. He spent many years proudly serving on their board, believing deeply in their mission. Donations can be made at https://secure.givelively.org/donate/kentucky-habitat-for-humanity-inc