Creig Dunckel, MA, a well-known and respected practice-owner and educator in audiology, passed away on May 23 at his cabin home in Gaylord, Mich. He was 72.

Creig and Patty Dunckel at last year's Oticon Summer Camp, an event he regularly participated in for 20 years.

Creig and Patty Dunckel at last year’s Oticon Summer Camp, an event he regularly participated in for 20 years.

Dunckel graduated from Michigan State University with a masters degree in Audiology, and shortly after, moved to Houston where he would work in a hearing care clinic with many distinguished audiologists, including Jay Hall and Deborah Hayes. He then relocated to Dallas where he and his family lived for 42 years. There, he established several successful audiology practices, while also serving as a consultant and educator for Oticon.

With his intelligence and knack for frankness—as well as a “down home” charm and wonderful sense of humor—Dunckel excelled in teaching concepts related to audiology and practice management.

“He was the Oticon face to so many of our customers through the countless presentations he did over the years until his retirement,” said long-time friend and colleague at Oticon, Henning Falster. “For those of you not fortunate enough to know Creig, he was both loved and respected by colleagues and customers alike through his warm and charismatic personality. He had a wonderful gift for taking what many would consider less-than-exciting topics and turning them into engaging and enlightening presentations. He could capture an audience not only through his strong resonating voice, but also with his contagious, friendly, and funny style.”

“Creig had an amazing way of explaining technical concepts in a way that clinicians could immediately relate to— with wit, humor, and insightful “take home” messages,” wrote David Fabry, PhD, on his Facebook page. “He was wicked smart, and one of the best teachers I’ve been around. I have so many fond memories from the early days of the Oticon Summer Camp, the Scott Haug meeting, and the many state association conferences where we taught together. No one ever wanted to follow Creig on the program, because you knew that that he had “set the bar” high. He will really be missed.”

Dunckel was born May 28, 1945 to Virgil and Louise Dunckel in Lansing, Mich. There, he met and married his high school sweetheart, Priscilla Lynn, to whom he was married for almost 50 years. She died in 2013. They had two children (Denise and Darren). He had recently married his second wife, Patty.

“Creig and I were only married for a short time, but he was the love of my life and I miss him terribly,” wrote Patty. “We had much fun traveling, laughing, hugging, and simply living our lives together in the short time we both had left on this earth. I know he was dearly loved by his Oticon folks and lectured all over the world. He was five days shy of his 73rd birthday when he died of a heart attack here at home. He loved sitting out on the deck and enjoying the lake.”

Dunckel leaves behind his wife Patty, his children Denise and Darren, three grandsons from his marriage with Priscilla, and Patty’s two grand-daughters, as well as many other family members and special friends.