Jerry J. Bigner (1944-2011)

presents an obituary for Jerry J. Bigner. Jerry J. Bigner died on July 30, 2011, after a brief illness, in Maui, Hawaii, where he had recently moved. He was born May 24, 1944, in Jekyll Island, Georgia. Jerry was the author of Parent–Child Relations: An Introduction to Parenting (Prentice Hall, 2009; the 9th edition was under way) and editor or co-editor of numerous volumes on same-sex couples (e.g., An Introduction to GLBT Family Studies, 2006, Hayworth Press). He conducted research on parenting and was known for his tireless advocacy on behalf of gay and lesbian families, giving expert testimony during a time when it was risky to be a public voice. During his career, Jerry won numerous professional awards, but none was as important to him as his recognition by his alma mater, Florida State University, in 2005 at the College of Human Sciences Centennial Celebration, where he reconnected with his mentor, Nora-jane Hendrickson. For those who never had the privilege of knowing Jerry, he had a wonderful smile and an unforgettable laugh, a positive approach to life, and an insatiable appreciation of nature. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)