Obituary of Frank B. Womer

Frank B. Womer age 94, died Thursday, January 21, 2016 at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Frank was born September 25, 1921 in South Bend, Indiana, the son of William and Ruth (Boal) Womer. His education was in the public schools of Niles, Michigan; North Central College, Illinois; the University of Colorado (B.A.); and the University of Michigan (M.A., Ph.D.). After teaching high school in Alamosa, Colorado and doing editorial work for Houghton Mifflin publishers in Boston, Frank joined the faculty of the UM School of Education in 1956, where he remained for thirty years, retiring as Professor Emeritus in 1986. In addition to teaching, he was Test Consultant in UM'S Bureau of School Services, where he consulted with K-12 schools across Michigan and in 1961 founded the annual Michigan School Testing Conference, which is still in existence and remains a national model 55 years later. On leave of absence from UM, he served as Staff Director of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (1967-71), UNESCO consultant in Indonesia (1972) and the US/AID Test Development Specialist in Jamaica (1981). He was a consultant in state-level assessment in eleven different states. Frank was presented numerous professional awards over his career for his dedication and service to professional practice in educational assessment. With the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) he served as newsletter editor (1963-68), president (1969-70), and founder and editor of the journal Educational Measurement: Issue and Practices (1981-85). He was treasurer (1967-70) and then president (1973-74) of the Association for Measurement and Evaluation in Guidance (AMEG) and represented AMEG on the Board of Directors of the American Personnel and Guidance Association (1975-78). He was a member of the Advisory Committee of the Buros Institute of Mental Measurement (1981-87) and of the College Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test Advisory Committee (1984-88). He was the author of over 60 professional publications. Frank's lifelong hobby was traveling, beginning at the ages of 12 and 13 with numerous trips from Niles to Chicago to visit the splendid World's Fairs in 1933 and 1934. By the time he stopped traveling he had visited all 50 states, including every Presidential Library in the country; 6 other countries in North America, 8 countries in South America; 35 countries in Europe; 20 countries in the Middle East and Asia; 8 countries in Africa and 5 other "Island" countries. The highlight of his travels was his first trip around the world in 274 days in 1963-64; the second one took only 4 months in 1971. In addition to his parents, Frank is preceded in death by his four siblings; Irene LeFevre, Robert L. Womer, Edith Yaw and Clyde Womer. He took great personal joy in his extended family of seven nieces and nephews: Susan Katzev, Bill Womer, Ruth Anne (Rick) Vite, Peter (Jean) Womer, Bob (Terry) Yaw, David (Connie) Womer, and Pamela (Danny) Burton. In addition, "Uncle Frank" also was blessed with eleven grand nieces and nephews plus twenty great-grand nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at the Portage Prairie United Methodist Church, 2450 Orange Road, in Niles Michigan at Noon on Monday, January 25, 2016 with a time of visitation beginning one hour prior. Interment will be in the adjacent cemetery. Luncheon will be served at the church following the interment. In Frank's memory, contributions may be made to the "Frank B. Womer Endowed Faculty Fund" at the School of Education of the University of Michigan, 610 E. University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.