Alma Kuby died at home on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021, of pancreatic cancer.
She was born in 1933 to Fannie and Sam Mazur, and grew up in White Plains, New York. She received an undergraduate degree in sociology from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Both of her master’s degrees, in sociology and business administration, were from the University of Chicago.
Her career spanned 50 years and focused on health and child welfare. She directed studies for policy makers on issues such as drug use in minority youth, sudden infant death syndrome, foster care and attitudes about immunization. In her work, she developed survey instruments and conducted focus groups and cognitive testing.
She held research and management positions at the University of Chicago Center for Urban Studies, the Hospital Planning Council for Metropolitan Chicago, American Hospital Association, American Society of Clinical Pathologists and Illinois Bell Health Care. Her first and last positions were at the National Opinion Research Center, where she began her career in 1957.
During her retirement years, she volunteered as an advocate for women in the domestic violence court and served on a federal advisory committee for the National Children’s Study. She lived in Hyde Park for 64 years.
She is survived by her husband Ray Kuby ’57, sons Michael (Kevin Siarkowski) and Eric (Valerie), grandchildren Alex, Michelle and Brooke, great-granddaughter Jane Olson, and sister Marcia Elwitt.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to Antioch College or the Merit School of Music, 38 S. Peoria St.