Duane Rumbaugh

Duane M. Rumbaugh died peacefully on June 24, 2017, following a stroke. He was born in Maynard, Iowa on July 4, 1929. He was the younger brother to Doris Radloff and Vida Rumbaugh. His parents were Arthur and Ida Rumbaugh. He attended the University of Dubuque, Kent State University and the University of Colorado where he earned his PhD in Psychology. He was married to Phyllis Forsman from 1952-1976, and to Sue Savage from 1976-2000.

Duane had a grand career studying monkeys and apes. He was a Professor at San Diego State College, Emory University and Georgia State University where he chaired the Psychology Department for 18 years. While in San Diego he worked with monkeys and apes as part of his work to understand intelligence across primate species. He consulted for NASA helping get the first monkeys into space, and safely back to Earth. In Atlanta he was founding Director of the Language Research Center. With a computerized keyboard he designed, he helped pioneer ape-language research. He was in the Naval Reserves and always wished he’d been a pilot. He spent the last years of his life in Highland Park, NJ.

Duane Rumbaugh is survived by his daughter Joan Rumbaugh Gartenberg, his son-in-law Marc Gartenberg, and their sons, Aaron and Micah; and by his adopted son Shane Savage-Rumbaugh and Shane’s daughter Martha.

A Memorial Service will be held at 3 pm Friday, June 30, at the Reformed Church of Highland Park, NJ. Donations may be made on his behalf to the church. Sympathy is extended to all whose lives were touched by Duane.

Memorial Service

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