Dr. Joel M. Maring

Makanda - Joel Marvyl Maring, 80, of Makanda, Illinois, passed away Sunday, December 6th at Carbondale Memorial Hospital. He was an Associate Professor in the Anthropology department at SIU from 1963 to 1996, specializing in the areas of linguistics, ethnomusicology, and cultural change. He retired in 1996. Joel was born January 17, 1935 in Waterloo, Iowa to Marjorie Lura (Shadman) and Marvyl Henry Maring. He graduated from West High School in Waterloo in 1950. He then began studies in Theology at Wartburg College in Waverly with intent to become a missionary, but graduated with a degree in English in 1953. He went on to graduate school at Indiana University-Bloomington, IN, where he met Ester Gayo whom he married on September 13, 1959. He finished his PhD in Anthropology after 10 years of research on the Keresan languages of the Pueblo Indians of the American Southwest. Based upon his dissertation data, he received a grant from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to devise a writing system for the Acoma language so that the Indian children could learn to read and write in their own native language. In 1973, he and a colleague, Phillip Dark, went to New Guinea to do research on Papuan languages and arts. Some of his most important life work started in New Guinea resulting in the creation of the second largest collection of New Guinea art and cultural artifacts in existence, which is now owned by SIU. Joel was well-loved by his many students and won several awards for excellence in teaching. He loved fishing, camping, playing darts and working in his gardens, but his true passion was his music. Joel Maring was a trained classical pianist who loved all kinds of music and instilled this love of music in his six children. Joel is survived by his wife, Ester Maring of Makanda, IL, three daughters, Lillian Maring of Cobden, IL, Priscilla Dali Hertz (Maring) of St. Louis, MO, Mila Leigh Maring-Sims of Alto Pass, IL, three sons, Timothy Joel Maring of Cobden, IL, Geoffrey Neil Maring of Carterville, IL, and Raymond Marvyl Maring of Makanda, IL, and six grandchildren, Ashley Nicole Hertz of Kansas City, MO, Nicholas Scott Hertz of St Louis, MO, Sophia Canova Maring, Gia Leigh Maring, Nadia Joy Maring and Lorenzo Neil Maring of Carterville, and Maria Rae Maring and Dylan Lance Maring of Makanda, IL. He was preceded in death by his parents, Marjorie Lura Shadman Maring in 1999 and Henry Marvyl Maring in 1992. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 pm, Sunday, January 17th, 2016 at the Epiphany Lutheran Church, 1501 W. Chautauqua St., Carbondale, IL 62901. A celebration of life will follow immediately after. Memorials may be made to the Joel Marvyl Maring Memorial Scholarship through the SIU Foundation at Colyer Hall, 1235 Douglas Dr, Carbondale, IL 62901.



Service:



3:00 p.m. Sunday, January 17, 2016



Epiphany Lutheran Church 1501 W. Chautauqua St Carbondale, IL 62901







Visitation:



Following the service at 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.



Epiphany Lutheran Church 1501 W. Chautauqua St Carbondale, IL 62901