Henry W. Hofstetter

Henry W. Hofstetter (September 10, 1914 – May 10, 2002) was an American optometrist and the author of two books and 500 research papers. He is a past president of the American Optometric Association and a member of the National Optometry Hall of Fame.

Early life

Hofstetter was born on September 10, 1914, the 8th of eleven children born to Swiss and

Hofstetter was an instructor and associate professor at Ohio State until December 1948, when he moved his family to Los Angeles to take the position of dean of the Los Angeles College of Optometry effective January 1949.^[1] In 1952, Hofstetter arrived at Indiana University to assume the directorship of the newly created Division of Optometry. He held this post until 1970, when he resigned from his administrative duties. Hofstetter remained an active member of the faculty, receiving the Rudy Professorship in 1974. He retired from his academic position in 1979 and was awarded the title of Rudy Professor Emeritus by the Board of Trustees.^[2]

Hofstetter authored two books and more than 500 articles.^[1]

Retirement and death

In 1980, Hofstetter decided to retire from full-time work, but continued to advise 15 master's and 11 Ph.D. students. In 1960, he published a book called the Dictionary of Visual Science which he helped revise four times, the last as the Dictionary of Visual Science and Related Clinical Terms in 2000, the fifth edition. He was a member of the Optometric Historical Society for 30 years, ending as its president, and served as president of both the American Optometric Association and the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. He also worked as a consultant for the National Academy of Sciences, the United States Public Health Service, the US Air Force, and the National Science Foundation. He died on May 10, 2002, in Bloomington, Indiana, and was survived by his two daughters, Ann Delaney and Susan Mohme.^[1] His wife, Jane, died in October 1994.

Awards

Hofstetter was awarded several honorary degrees including an O.D. from the Los Angeles College of Optometry in 1954.

Two awards from the Indiana chapter of the American Council of the Blind are named for Hofstetter. The Hank Hofstetter Opportunity Grant assists blind individuals, while the Hofstetter Award recognizes outstanding contributions to blind citizens in the state.^[4]

References

External links

• Henry William Hofstetter papers, 1941-1997, bulk 1980-1995 at the Indiana University Archives.