Emeritus Professor Joseph Bernard Tamney (8 January 1933 – 25 October 2009)
Eminent Sociologist

This is to inform the sad news that Prof Tamney, who had been the Acting Head of our Department between 1968-1971, passed away recently.

Prof Tamney had a long illustrious career in Sociology. Shortly after receiving his PhD in 1962 from Cornell University, he became Assistant Professor at Notre Dame in Indiana, USA. A year later, he took over as Chairman of the Sociology department at Marquette University, Wisconsin, after which he joined our Department at NUS. In 1971, he went Ball State University (BSU), Indiana, where he stayed for 31 years, during which he served as Chairperson of the Department of Sociology from 1977-1983, as an editorial board member for the Encyclopedia of Religion and Society (1994-2000) and ASA religion section Newsletter (2000-2002).

In 2002, Prof Tamney retired. However, he remained actively involved in several projects. One of these was with the Life Cycle Institute, an Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies at Catholic University in Washington DC. He was also President of the Association for Sociology of Religion from 2003-2004. Prior to his passing in 2009, Prof Tamney was elected chair of the Publications Committee, the Religious Research Association.

Prof Tamney was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer in August this year. He died peacefully in his home and is survived by his family members. As a scholar and eminent Sociologist, BSU has selected to honour his life and death by establishing a scholarship in his name, Ball State University Foundation for the Dr Joseph Tamney Scholarship (#8055). Cheques may be sent to the following address:

Ball State University Foundation
2800 West Bethel Avenue
Muncie, IN 47306
USA

Prof Joseph Tamney (right) with Assoc Prof Ho Kong Chong (left)
and Assoc Prof Hing Ai Yun (centre) at Atlanta ASA meeting, 2003