Bruce Eldon Shertzer, 89, of West Lafayette died Monday, December 25, 2017 at his home surrounded by family.

He had been a resident of West Lafayette, Indiana since 1960. He retired from Purdue University in 1994 as Professor Emeritus of Counseling and Development. Born January 11, 1928, the son of Edwin Franklin Shertzer and Lois B. (Fitzpatrick) Shertzer.

Mr. Shertzer is survived by his beloved wife Carol M. (Rice) Shertzer, whom he married in 1948; his daughter, Sarah (Shertzer) Kleedehn and her husband Rodney of Anchorage, Alaska; and his son, Mark Eldon Shertzer and his wife Jamie (Lockridge) Shertzer of Dothan, Alabama. Also surviving are two grandchildren, Kristine Kleedehn and her fiancé, David Gladish of Shoreline, Washington and Mark Kleedehn and his wife, Alison Anderson of Madison, Wisconsin.

After graduating from Bloomfield High School in 1946, Mr. Shertzer enlisted in the US Army and was honorably discharged as a Sergeant in 1947. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in 1951, his Master’s Degree in 1953, and his Doctorate degree in 1958 from Indiana University.

Mr. Shertzer served as a teacher and then counselor at Martinsville High School from 1952 to 1956. He was appointed State Director of Counseling and Pupil Personnel in the Indiana Department of Public Education, serving from 1956 to 1958. In 1958, he was appointed Associate Director of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools research project on gifted students.

In 1960, he was appointed Assistant Professor, Associate Professor in 1962, and Professor in 1965 of Purdue University. He served as Chairman, Counseling and Personnel Services in the Department of Education and in 1989 as Head, Department of Educational Studies in the College of Education. He was Visiting Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Hawaii in 1967 and appointed Fulbright Senior Lecturer, University of Reading, England during the academic year 1967 to 1968. He served as a Visiting Professor of Educational Psychology for the University of Southern California Overseas Program in 1975 and again in 1982, teaching in Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain.

Mr. Shertzer was elected President of the Indiana Counseling and Personnel Association in 1963, was elected national President of the Association of Counselor Education and Supervisors in 1971, and was elected national President of the American Personnel and Guidance Association (APGA) in 1973. He served as President of the APGA Foundation for three years from 1976 – 1978. Mr. Shertzer was appointed by the Secretary of Health Education and Welfare, David Mathews to the National Advisory Committee for Career Education and served as its chair in 1976.

Mr. Shertzer authored “Planning Your Career,” a high school text and “Career Planning,” a junior college text. He co-authored three counseling textbooks with S. C. Stone, multiple editions, and co-edited a book of readings in counseling with S. C. Stone, and 100 monographs for the Houghton Mifflin Professional Guidance Monograph Series. He co-authored a textbook on Counseling Assessment Practices with James D. Linden. He authored 33 referred journal articles.

Since 1973, Mr. Shertzer has been cited in “Who’s Who in America” and in “Who’s Who in the Midwest.” He was awarded the Distinguished Professional Service Award in 1991 by the American Counseling on Association, and in 2013 was elected Fellow by that association.

His greatest career satisfaction was his relationship with graduate students. He served as chair for 34 Ph.D. students and 206 M.S. degree students.

Bruce Shertzer leaves an extended, loving, family who will miss his warmth, humor, and compassion. His voice and clarity of vision were exceptional. He was a steadfast and vocal supporter of all things Purdue. He will be missed.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the “Bruce Shertzer Endowed Chair for Counseling,” (Purdue Foundation, 403 West Wood Street, West Lafayette, IN 47906). Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.

A memorial service for Mr. Shertzer will be held at 1:00 pm, Saturday, December 30, 2017 at Soller-Baker Funeral Home, West Lafayette Chapel, 1184 Sagamore Parkway West, West Lafayette.