Birth date: Feb 25, 1940 Death date: Dec 4, 2014
Richard R. Bootzin, 74, died suddenly at home on Dec. 4 after fighting off heart disease for 35 years. He was born in Milwaukee WI on Feb. 25, 1940, the eldest son of the late Arnold and Evelyn Bootzin. He was graduated from Washi Read Obituary
It is hard to imagine the world of insomnia research without Dick. He has been a thought leader for such a long time, providing not only formative ideas that have remained contemporary more than 40 years, but an unrelenting gravitas to research and practice across those decades. Perhaps more than anything his legacy will be through those whose lives he blessed with support, encouragement, advice and good humour. His mentorship of others is legendary, and although coming at this from a UK perspective I can also testify to this. Dick was always pleased to see you. He had time for people, and you always left even the briefest of encounters feeling the better of it. I hope that we can all live up to that example. I would like to pass on to Mitzi and the family my sympathies and warmest regards. Dick was first and foremost a family man. Another example to us all!
Sleep well good friend.
Colin Espie, Oxford and Scotland
In 1978 I applied for a postdoc in methodology and program evaluation at Northwestern. I didn't get it. Then Dick called and offered me funding as project director on a grant, which then allowed me to be in the postdoc program. That postdoc changed my life. So thanks, Dick. We worked together for about 10 years until our interests drifted too far apart. But my affection for him never changed. Saw him last at APS in May in SF. I'll miss him. Will Shadish
Dick was a friend, colleague, collaborator, mentor, role model, compass and voice of wisdom from my first day as a faculty member until the last day we worked together. I will miss him sorely and find peace in knowing through you how much real and lasting impact a scientst can have.
Dr Bootzin came to Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center and provided a wonderful seminar on his sleep research and treatments for myself and fellow active duty colleagues. I use this treatment with many patients. His contribution to psychology will never be forgotten. He was such a nice man and wonderful scholar. My condolences to his family and friends.
Circa 1973 when Dick Bootzin and I were on the AABT board working closely together on programming, we had occasion to celebrate the end of a hard days work with some of our AABT colleagues at a Japanese restaurant serving what was then a novel and adventuresome dining experience called sushi. None of us had had it before. After tentatively sampling some of the items on our plates, Dick, who was sitting next to me, took his fork and shoveled a pile of green stuff sitting on the side of his plate into his mouth all at once. Next thing I knew Dick slapped me so hard on my back that it knocked the wind out of me and as I turned to look at him he seemed to have smoke coming out of his ears and fire out of his mouth. That fire was quickly extinguished with a lot of good beer and we had many laughs over the ensuing decades about that evening, but more important fires were burning within Dick reflecting his passion for a scientific approach to clinical psychology and the delivery of mental health services. That those passions are now being realized is due in large part to the influence Dick had on all of us and on the field over the past 40 years. We will miss you old friend, but all of your good works will live on
Dave Barlow
Dick was a voice of reasonableness, critical thinking, and gentle humor for me throughout graduate school and for many years afterward. Now, my own students benefit by hearing about the things Dick told me over the years and reading his extremely influential science and scholarship. I'm so grateful to have known him and to have benefited from his guidance and friendship.
Dick was one of my professors in grad school at the UA. I will always fondly remember his kind and easy-going manner, along with his answer when people asked him how he ensured compliance with his stimulus control for insomnia instructions: “I have never had a problem with people not following my instructions.” Dick was a classic, and my sincere condolences go out to his family, friends, colleagues, and students. --Warmly, Brian Burk
Taking visual statistics with Dr. Bootzin helped me see data and understand it better than before. His method to treat insomnia is also my standard advice for all of the sleepy people in my life. He lives on in all of the people he taught.
