Stephen Dennis Lapan

Stephen D. Lapan passed on April 19, 2011. His death followed a short illness from complications related to chronic pancreatitis. Steve was born in Aurora, IL (1940) and attended K-12 schooling in Galva, IL, where he was an outstanding athlete. In 1962 he graduated from Parsons College in Fairfield IA with an education degree. In Illinois he taught middle school in Roberts-Thawville and Elk Grove Village school districts while completing an MA in special education (gifted) at the University of Illinois. From 1966 to 1973 he worked for the state of Illinois as a consultant in gifted education and educational evaluation. He graduated from the University of Connecticut with a PhD in educational psychology in 1972. From 1973 to 1986 he was a professor at Northeastern Illinois University in elementary and gifted education.
Steve joined the faculty of Northern Arizona University in 1986 and worked in the areas of gifted education and educational research. He was coordinator of the Curriculum and Instruction doctorate at the time of his retirement as Professor Emeritus in May 2010. He authored numerous articles and books related to gifted education and educational research. Most recently he co-edited Research Essentials (2009) with M. Quartaroli and Qualitative Research (in press) with M. Quartaroli and F. Riemer.
Steve loved the academic life: the challenge of teaching by providing support to students while holding high standards of academic excellence; the writing process of creating readable, explicit academic writing; the intellectual discussions with colleagues and students; the mentoring of new faculty members. This is the life he loved.
His wife, Pat Hays, his life partner both personally and professionally, survives him. Other survivors include a sister, aunts, cousins, nieces, and nephews in IL, IA and TX. Steve and Pat lived in Pine Valley in the Village of Oak Creek for over 20 years.
A life celebration/open house will be held on April 30, 2:00-4:00 in the Bright Angel Room in the 1899 Bar and Grill complex (in the old North Union/Prochnow Auditorium), 307 W. Dupont Ave., across from the High Country Conference Center and Drury Inn on the NAU campus. A family memorial will be held in IL in May.
Steve loved his two cats who came from the Sedona Humane Society and they provided him with much comfort during the last few months of his illnesses. Donations in his name can be made to the Humane Society of Sedona, 2115 Shelby Drive, Sedona AZ 86336.