Patricia (Pat) Stelmachowicz passed away peacefully in Omaha, Neb, on January 24, 2021 with her husband of over 40 years, Michael Gorga, by her side. She was 72.
Dr Stelmachowicz was born in St Louis and raised in Denver. She graduated with a BA and MA from Colorado State University then received a PhD in Audiology from the University of Iowa in 1980. She and Michael Gorga, PhD, moved to Omaha in 1981, where she would serve as Director of Audiology and Vestibular Services at Boys Town National Research Hospital for over 30 years, and Dr Gorga would served as the Director of the Human Sensory Physiology Lab, becoming a world expert in areas of ABRs, OAEs, and pediatric testing. Together, they epitomized clinical and translational audiology science. As Director of Audiology, Dr Stelmachowicz was responsible for helping to establish Boys Town as one of the premier pediatric audiology clinical and research facilities in the world. Her clinical research program was funded by the NIH for almost her entire career, and her work often focused on the amplification differences between children and adults. She may be best known for her research on the importance of high frequency speech signals for children. (See the February 2002 Hearing Review article, From Boys Town to Your Town: 25 Years of Pediatric Hearing Science.)
According to her official obituary, Pat loved the outdoors, including hiking, skiing, and camping. She and Michael loved to entertain and had a reputation for serving wonderful food to large groups of people. She is survived by her husband, Michael, her son and two daughters, and many close family members, friends, and colleagues.
A Celebration of Life will be held when family and friends can safely travel and gather.
