Dr. Ronald Ray Schmeck of Makanda

Dr. Ronald Ray Schmeck, 74, passed away at 1:01 p.m. Monday, Aug. 27, 2018, at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.

Dr. Schmeck was born Tuesday, Dec. 7, 1943, in Reading, Pa., to Raymond and Mable (Cronrath) Schmeck.

Dr. Schmeck was a distinguished professor of applied psychology. His disciplinary specialties were learning styles, individual differences in cognition, and teaching styles. He published six books, nine book chapters and more than 50 articles. As he wrote in one of his publications, "We learn by thinking and the quality of the learning outcome is determined by the quality of our thoughts."

He loved what he did and spent 33 years contributing immensely to the field and inspiring students to do the same at Southern Illinois University Carbondale until his retirement in 2002. He was also an avid outdoorsman with a strong reverence for nature, and author of two novels paying tribute to his Pennsylvania Dutch heritage.

Survivors include loving wife, Melanie; son, Eric Ronald Schmeck with wife Melissa Scroggs and their son Oscar of Columbia, Missouri; stepsons, Joshua Hassler with wife Carlee Coplea of Carbondale, and Shane Hassler of Chicago and daughters Brianna and Josephine; stepdaughter, Patricia Linehan and husband Dennis and children Lauren, Grant, Owen, and Levi of Hartford, Wisconsin.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Delores, and brother Preston.

A memorial service at Zion United Church of Christ in Marion will be held at 10 a.m. Sept. 22. Family and friends are welcome for visitation before the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the following organizations in honor of Dr. Schmeck: Zion United Church of Christ in Marion; The Nature Conservancy; Friends of Giant City Park, or donations toward the support of his grandson Oscar's education.

Meredith Funeral Home in Carbondale is in charge of arrangements. For more information or to leave a story or memory of Dr. Schmeck, visit meredithfh.com.