Kenneth Moll

Kenneth L. Moll, 79, of Iowa City, Iowa, died at his home Wednesday, April 11, 2012.

He was born Oct. 16, 1932, in Jackson, son of Wilbert and Helen Roloff Moll. He graduated from Jackson High School and completed a bachelor of science degree at Southeast Missouri State University in 1954.

After two years of military service, he came to Iowa City for graduate study in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at the University of Iowa.

He and Earline Settle of Fayette, Mo., were married in 1957.

Ken received a Ph.D. in 1960 and from 1960 to 1965 held joint research-faculty appointments in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology and the Department of Otolaryngology.

Following completion of a Special NIH Fellowship at the University of Michigan in 1965 to 1966, he returned to Iowa as associate professor in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology (now Communication Sciences and Disorders). He was promoted to professor and served as department chairman from 1968 to 1976.

Ken joined the University of Iowa central administration in 1976 in the office of vice president for academic affairs (now the provost's office.) He served in various positions including associate dean of faculties, associate vice president and during 1981 to 1982 as interim vice president. He returned to his faculty position in 1989 where he taught until his retirement in 1995.

He was recognized for his research on the physiological aspects of speech production in normal speakers and those with cleft lip and palate. He held a number of NIH research grants and published extensively in books and scientific journals. He was a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) in which he held numerous committee and board positions and served as national president in 1974. He received the highest ASHA award "The Honors of the Association" in 1984.

Ken enjoyed travel, Cardinals baseball, Hawkeye football and basketball, and was an avid reader, especially mysteries and espionage. Most important to Ken was his family, especially time spent playing cards and attending his grandchildren's sports events and their other activities.

Survivors include his wife Earline of Iowa City; a son, Jeff, wife Suzie and children Emily and Christopher of Cincinnati, a daughter, Katy Stutsman and sons Tyler and Tanner of Hills, Iowa; and a brother, David and wife Lynn of Fort Myers, Fla.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents; an infant brother, Wayne; and his in-laws, Earl and Hazel Settle of rural Fayette.

Memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday at Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City, with the Rev. Sam Massey officiating.

The family will greet friends from 3 to 4 p.m., with a reception to follow in The Kirkwood Room.

Committal service will be held at 9 a.m. Monday at Oakland Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Iowa City Hospice or to the Communications and Sciences Disorders Scholarship Fund c/o University of Iowa Foundation.

Online condolences may be sent to www.lensingfuneral.com.