David Kaser, of Mishawaka
Published 10:43 am Thursday, March 30, 2017
March 12, 1924 — March 24, 2017
David E. Kaser, Ph.D., 93, of Bloomington, Indiana, died at his residence Friday evening, March 24, 2017.
Born March 12, 1924, in Mishawaka, Indiana, he was the son of Arthur L. and Loah (Steele) Kaser.
Dr. Kaser had a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Houghton College, a master’s degree in English from Notre Dame and a Master of Arts and Ph.D. in library science from the University of Michigan.
He was a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Indiana University. Both at home and abroad, Dr. Kaser led a more varied existence than the title librarian might lead one to expect.
At home in the U.S. he was both an administrator and teacher. He consulted on library-related matters on four continents and researched and published more than a dozen monographs and 300 articles. His autobiography, “Just Lucky, I Guess: My Adventurous Life as a Hoosier Librarian,” traces his odyssey from his Indiana childhood, through his World War II service where he fought in combat in France and Germany, thence to library work at Ball State, Michigan, Washington and Vanderbilt and later as director of libraries at Cornell universities. While serving in the administrative positions at these universities he worked on foreign assignments from Ireland to Laos.
All this led up to his teaching in the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University, where he was much loved and respected by his students. He also authored an additional 13 books and served in many learned and professional societies. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship and numerous other research grants.
Dr. Kaser is survived by one son, John Andrew (companion Gina Nagy) Kaser of Bloomington; one daughter, Kathleen “Kathi” Abrell of Bloomington; three granddaughters, Daphne Rose Watts, Eden (Kevin) Slaughter and Laine (fiancé Loren Clark) Abrell; three great-grandsons, Noah Watts, Westin Watts and Tucker Watts; and three stepgranddaughters, Kristal (James) Richardson, Chastity (Jermaine) Millard and Rebecha Gillespie.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Jane Ann (Jewell) Kaser, brother Kent Kaser and one sister, Barbara Standiford.
A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 1, 2017, at Day & Deremiah-Frye Funeral Home, 4150 E. Third St., Bloomington. Friends may visit the family from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 31, 2017, at the funeral home. A private family burial will follow in Valhalla Memory Gardens, where the Monroe Veterans Honor Guard will perform military rites.
Online condolences may be given at DayDeremiahFryeFuneralHome.com.