Frank A. Nugent
A memorial service will held on Saturday, August 18, 2012, 2PM at St. Pauls Episcopal Church in Bellingham.
Frank A. Nugent, 91, passed away at his home July 26, 2012. In his last days, he was surrounded by family and friends. He was born on January 5, 1921 in Lyndhurst, NJ to Anthony and Edith Volpe Nugent. After he graduated from Patterson State College in 1942, he served in the U.S. Army during WWII working with wounded veterans at Starr General Hospital, Charleston, SC. After receiving an MA in vocational counseling at Columbia University (1947), he worked in counseling centers at U.C. Berkeley and at Stanford University. He met Ann VanArsdel, and they were married December 20, 1955 in Seattle at St Mark’s Cathedral. They lived in Pleasant Hill CA where Frank was a counselor at the local high school. During this time he completed his PhD in Counseling Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley (1959).
Frank and his family moved to Bellingham in 1961 where he joined the faculty at Western Washington University, Psychology Department. Over the years, until he retired as Professor Emeritus from WWU in 1986, Frank worked tenaciously to raise the professional and ethical standards of both school and mental-health counseling at the local, state and national level. During a career that spanned more than 50 years, he served as a counselor in schools and universities, and as a counselor educator, supervisor, and psychology professor. At WWU Frank co-founded the college counseling center, serving as director from 1962 to 1973. He spearheaded and coordinated the formation of the MEd. in school counseling (1963), and, later, the MS degree in mental health counseling (1978). In the community, as president of the board of both the Whatcom Counseling and Psychiatric Clinic (late 1960s), and the Lake Whatcom Residential Treatment Center (1970s), he helped develop new facilities for both agencies. At the state level, he was influential in gaining school-counselor certification and served as president of the Washington State Psychological Association (1968-69). Later, he was co-founder and first president of the Washington Mental Health Counselors Association (1980), and he led the drive to obtain state licensing for mental health counselors. He spent a year in Germany (1982-3) on a Fulbright Senior Research Scholarship. He published numerous articles and authored Introduction to the Profession of Counseling. As Professor Emeritus he continued teaching until 2000, including a course on the psychology of aging. In 1993 the Washington State Counseling Association presented Frank with the Hank Bertness Award in recognition of his contributions to mental health and to the counseling profession during his long and vital career.
In recent years Frank was an active member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. As program chairman of the Men’s Fellowship, he invited guests to speak on social justice issues from a faith perspective. He valued his men’s Cursillo reunions, where, for the past seven years, they met weekly to read books together and discuss God’s purpose and the meaning of life. Throughout his life he remained committed to his own personal and spiritual growth, kept up with current world issues, and pursued new ways of connecting with others in his community. Frank was known for his warmth, compassion, and playful sense of humor. He enjoyed a deep, loving relationship with his wife, Ann, his best friend and closest companion. He loved being with his children and grandchildren and continued socializing with friends until the last weeks of his life.
Frank was preceded in death by his sisters Thelma Burke and Edith Davis. He is survived by his wife Ann of 56 years; daughter Ellen Harris (Tim) of Bellingham and their daughters, Anna, Sophia, and Emily; daughter Laura (Andrew Ajemian) of Menlo Park, CA; son Michael (Marie Baker) of Bethesda, MD and their children Jean-Marc and Celine; son David (Bobbi Gerlick) of Seattle and Bobbi’s children Sara Salisbury (Doug), and Matthew (April Mapes-Jordan) and their son Burdock; and several nieces and nephews and their families. A Memorial Service will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Sat., Aug.18th at 2:00 p.m., followed by a reception. A memorial scholarship in Frank’s name is being set up at Western Washington University. To contribute, visit www.wwu.edu/give, or call (360) 650-3027. Specify “In memory of Frank Nugent.” Memorials can also be sent to Earth Ministry, (206) 632-2426, www.earthministry.org/join-donate.
Memories
From Maura O'Brien Griggs
My thoughts and sympathy go out to Ann and the family.
I really loved my time with the Nugent family and Frank's welcoming
ways, in Bellingham and in Germany. Love, Maura 0'Brien Griggs
From Lorene and Mer…
We are saddened to lose a good friend and valiant fighter against his ailments at the end. We will remember good times of the past with pleasure and think of the family we have known since forever. You were all so fortunate to have had him for so many good years. Lorene and Merrill
From Joan Kimball
Frank was such a wonderful mentor for me during my education in the Masters in Counseling program at WWU! He worked hard to promote licensing legislation for mental health professionals in our state. But more important was his compassion and care for students, and for everyone around him. This is his true legacy--that he left an indelible mark of caring on those who knew him. I will miss his loving presence in the world.
From Sue Bruntil Jampsa
Frank was a key person in my life during the 70's and 80's including the WWU School Counseling Program, the Professional Advisory Board, and attending state conferences. Many of us from the WWU program served as presidents of the state organization because of Frank instilling in us our duty to our profession. Frank taught the best Ethical Issues class in the state as evidenced by a number of us questioning duties "as assigned by the principal." I was thankful that I could call Frank and discuss with him serious ethical complexities presented on the job. If there is a Counseling Educator Hall of Fame, Frank would be unanimously elected. My role model, my mentor, my friend. Thank you, Frank, for being my teacher.
From Walt Lonner
Among his many admirable attributes as a colleague and friend, Frank was a consumate professional. Dedicated to his field, he spent his entire career trying to find the right path in the training and education of professional counseling. A terrific listener and conversationalist, it was always a pleasure to run into Frank on campus or elsewhere. He influenced hundreds of students and dozens of faculty members. His Italian heritage was often present in lively faculty meetings where he was always ready to express his opinion about anything and everything related to quality education, especially when discussions or issues related to what students under his wing were required, or in many cases, were not required to do. Western is fortunate to be able to claim him as an important figure in counselor education. In a word, Frank is unforgettable. In two words, he was a passionate humanitarian.
From Jim and Pat O'Brien
Frank was a great addition to the faculty at WWU and always contributed much to family and community activities as well. The O'Brien family enjoyed many similar interests with our Bill, Maura, and Kathleen sharing friendships over the years. His kindly humor will be missed at St. Patrick gatherings. Pat and Jim
From Ginger Martins…
I remember Dr. Nugent as the very kind father of my classmate Ellen, when she and I were attending Campus School together. I am sorry to hear of his passing, but it appears he leaves a wonderful legacy. My deepest sympathy to the family.
From Lou Lippman
We had the pleasure of having Frank as a faculty colleague for nearly the entire time that we worked at WWU. Frank was a kind, thoughtful, and caring person who conducted his personal, academic, and professional responsibilities with strong values and admirable integrity. He was a major contributor to the department and to the profession; it was great to see the success he enjoyed with his counseling book. He had a fine sense of humor and derived pleasure from life in general and from his exceptional familly, to which he was devoted. I greatly appreciated his wisdom and his positive, upbeat attitude, and have clear images of his infectious smile and his smooth, warm voice.
Lou & Marcia Lippman
From Larry Miller
A valued colleague and friend. An asset to the psychology department for many years. And, I enjoyed our weekly bridge sessions that we had for a few years during the 1990s. My condolences to Ann.
From Daniel Larner
Frank was a friend and valued colleague. Though we lost touch some time in the early 90's, Frank was a friend, consultant, and source of wisdom in the campus political wars. He stood for what was good for students, and good for the faculty who cared about them. I must miss the memorial service because I'm on the east coast on a research trip, and I'm sorry I'll miss seeing the family, especially Ann, and all Frank's colleagues and friends. My heart goes out to Ann, and the children, including especially Laura and David, who babysat for my kids, so I knew just a little bit about their earlier lives. Frank will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
From Kit and Saunie…
Frank was one of the first colleagues to greet us when we arrived at WWSC for our first jobs. He "showed us the ropes" and helped us to understand our new culture. Throughout our association and friendship, Frank was always caring, thoughtful, compassionate, honest, enjoyable, and passionate. He was a champion of quality education and standards. Not one to shy away from contoversy, Frank defended his values through his positions but treated others of differing opinions with courtesy and dignity. Oh that such a situation were true today. We will miss his smile, his humor, his charm, and his loyalty. Frank, as you go on through your journey we are confident that God is at your side. We send our sincerest sympathies and fondest love to Ann and all of the extended family. Saunie and Kit
From Bonnie (Huckin…
Weeks later, it is still difficult to write this. What made Frank one of my favorite people is hard to put into words even now. Many people know of his instrumental role in the birth and development of mental health counseling. Thousands of former students (such as myself) recognize that we became better clinicians as a result of his influence. But he made much more of a difference than that. I was lucky enough to live nearby so we could go out to lunch from time to time. We talked about many things, but my personal favorite was stories from his early career and other points along the way. I admired his intelligence, passion, vision and determination. Truly amazing!! He was also genuine, present, kind and caring. Frank was initially skeptical of my work in counseling and technology-- and not one to mince words about his concerns! I felt honored when he realized I wanted to advance the field *only* while adhering to the highest professional, ethical and legal standards -- just like he would-- and changed his opinion. Thank you for guiding me, inspiring me and believing in me, Frank--it meant a lot more to me than you ever knew. To Ann and the family, I am so sorry for your loss. May the Lord comfort you, and in the depths of your sorrow, help you remember that you will all be together again.
Add new comment