Dr. Pacht

MADISON - Dr. Asher Roger Pacht was born on July 2, 1922, in Youngstown, Ohio, to Joseph and Tillie Pacht. He attended Ohio University in 1939 and after graduation immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he rose to the rank of Captain. Dr. Pacht was an officer in the 11th Airborne division and saw combat in the Philippines and in Okinawa during World War II. After the surrender of the Japanese, he served as military governor of part of Japan. Dr. Pacht returned home in 1946 and married his childhood sweetheart, Perle Landau. They were together for 67 years, until she passed in 2015. In 1946, he returned to school and completed an M.A. and Ph.D. in psychology. He took his first job with the Wisconsin State Division of Corrections, where he pioneered the introduction of clinical psychology into the prison system and rose to the position of Director with a staff of over 100 clinicians. During that time and after his retirement from the state, he served as a Professor at the University of Wisconsin and built and maintained a private practice in psychology.

Dr. Pacht was a leading voice for high-level clinical training, ethical practice and the state licensing of psychologists. He began working on Wisconsin state licensing during the 1960's. He served two terms on the Wisconsin Psychology Examining Board, including six years as its chair. He was twice elected President of the Wisconsin Psychological Association and twice elected to the American Psychological Association Council of Representatives. In 1975 he became involved with the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards. He worked with this group until 2003, and served as their Director of Professional Affairs for the last nine years of his career. Dr. Pacht spent 51 years working in the profession of psychology. He was the recipient of countless major professional honors, including the 2006 APA Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in Psychology in the Public Interest.

Asher Pacht died on March 14, 2017, at the age of 94. He is survived by his two children, Jory (Debbie) and Eric (Karen); four grandchildren, Ben (Kerry-Ann), Lora (Andrew), Jeffrey, and Elissa; and two great-grandchildren, Maya and Layla. He will be remembered not only by them, but by the thousands of people he helped and mentored over many years.

A Memorial Service celebrating Asher Pacht's life will be held on April 29, 2017, at 3 p.m. at the CRESS FUNERAL HOME at 3610 Speedway Road, Madison, WI 53705.

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