Dr. Thomas David Oakland, a nationally and internationally renowned school psychologist, test developer, teacher, mentor, and humanitarian, died March 4 at his house in Gainesville, FL.  He was 75.

Tom often spoke of having had an idyllic childhood in Kenosha, Wisconsin.  He was much loved, and surrounded by a large Scandinavian-immigrant family.  His leisure time was spent fishing and swimming in Lake Michigan, going to Chicago Cubs baseball games, and spending summers on relatives' farms.  One of his dreams was to build a cabin in Northern Wisconsin with his sons, where they could spend summers.

He held many leadership positions in school, both at Mary D. Bradford High (Kenosha), and at Lawrence College (Appleton).  It was at Lawrence that he met his first wife--Judy (Defferding) Higgins--and mother of his two beloved sons, David and Christopher.

Upon graduation from Lawrence, he began his career as a middle-school teacher, before completing the doctoral program in educational psychology at Indiana University in 1967.  That same year, Dr. Oakland became a Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, where he remained for 27 years.

During those years, he was a dedicated father, scholar, and community leader.  He rose to the position of Chair of the School Psychology Department at the University of Texas.  He co-founded the Allandale Neighborhood Association.  He hosted an on-going nightly neighborhood-kids baseball game, went with friends and neighbors to get ice cream in a neighbor's antique fire truck, took his sons fishing and coached their soccer teams.

Following his divorce, Tom successfully combined academic responsibilities with those of being a single parent.  Days were spent on campus, while evenings always started with a good meal prepared by all, followed by a game of basketball, cards, or backgammon.  These were some of his happiest years.  One of Tom's first books, Divorced Fathers, was written during this period; it was dedicated to his two sons.

It also was during this time Tom's interest in and commitment to psychological and educational characteristics of children and youth, learning disabilities, and international issues began.  He travelled internationally most summers with his sons while teaching and engaging in research, throughout Central America, New Zealand and Australia, Europe, and the Middle East.  On these trips, he established deep and life-long professional and personal friendships, and laid the foundation for the field of educational psychology in many countries. In all, he lived and worked in more than 50 countries on six continents. Through his dedication to the development of training programs across the globe, Tom is warmly known as one of the “Founding Fathers of International School Psychology.”

Although Tom's heart always would remain in Texas, he left Texas in 1995 to become the Chair of the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Florida (Gainesville).  While there, his research and writing became more prolific, and his areas of interest also expanded to include temperament and adaptive behavior.  His work as a forensic psychologist also flourished; his test of adaptive behavior continues to be one of the determining standards for intellectual ability for death-row inmates.

He officially retired from the University of Florida as Professor Emeritus in 2013. Following his retirement, he continued his dedication to his field.  When not traveling internationally to participate in conferences or symposia, he spent the majority of his waking hours working at home, which he considered his sanctuary.  In all, he authored or edited 12 books, more than 200 chapters and articles, and 11 psychological tests.

During his career, Dr. Oakland also was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Brasilia, and was a member of the faculty of psychology at the University of Hong Kong, and the Iberoamerican University in San Jose, Costa Rica.  He was a diplomate in the fields of psychology, forensic examination, and professional neuropsychology.

Recognized internationally, he received numerous awards of distinction from state, national, and international professional associations, recognizing his outstanding contributions.  He also provided leadership for many organizations, both domestic and international.  He was the Founder and President of the International Foundation for Children's Education.  Despite his success and recognition, Dr. Oakland asked that his peers and friends call him “Tom” which they did with affection.

What distinguished Tom from others professionally was his unique ability to stay in the present moment and to provide true mentorship. He especially was attuned to other’s thoughts, feelings, and actions; in turn, people instantly were drawn to him. Over the course of his career, he mentored a legion of graduate students and colleagues, both at home and abroad. He took extreme care to foster and maintain relationships and learn about those around him, demonstrating authentic and genuine interest in the happiness, well-being, and success of others. In many ways, Tom lived a self-actualized life, guiding others toward this noble pursuit.

Tom’s two passionate interests were his work, and his sons.  He greatly excelled at being a scholar and a father. He often said that he thanked God for the joys of each day, and looked forward to a beautiful afterlife, spending eternity with loved ones, past and present.

Thomas Oakland was a modest person, humble, open, and engaging.  He trusted and believed in the goodness of people, a trait that endeared him to all he met.  He will be remembered for his generosity, infectious laughter, refined card-playing skills, story-telling ability, extraordinary command of the English language and editing skills, unique dancing style, high moral tenets, love of country, and desire to be a good person.

His two sons survive him:  David Thomas Oakland, of Houston, and Christopher Oakland, of Austin.  David is married to Patricia Ragan Oakland; they have three children:  Jacob Thomas, Brooks David, and Sara Catethleen.  Tom’s four nieces and nephews, Robert Stoebe, Nancy Stoebe Barnes, Susan Stoebe, and Michael Stoebe, also survive him.

Service Info

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church, 919 60th Street, Kenosha, WI. Tom will be laid to rest with his mother, Nancy; father Oscar; sister and brother-in-law, Darlene and Bob Stoebe and nephew, Tommy Stoebe, in Sunset Ridge Memorial Park.