From the 'Bulletin', the magazine of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists in the United Kingdom. Posted to Stutt-L, December 15, 1999, by Norbert Lieckfeldt from the British Stammering Association.

Ann Vallack Dewar, 1927-1999

Ann was born in Sidney, Australia, the youngest daughter of Dr Clive Single, DSO, and Mrs Verania Single (nee Verania MacPhillamy, OBE). After qualifying as a speech therapist in Australia, Ann came to Britain in 1951. Here she improved her knowledge and experience of neurological therapy, centering her studies at St Bart's Hospital, London.

She subsequently obtained the post of therapist at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in the department of neurosurgery. In 1955 she married Dr A D Dewar, a university physiologist. Working together, they developed the Edinburgh Masker, an electronic device for suppressing stammering. This made use of the observation that stammerers often become fluent in noisy surroundings. The Edinburgh Masker automatically blocks self-hearing when the subject attempts to speak. Use of the Masker was very successful in the majority of stammerers when applied efficiently. It attained a remarkable apotheosis recently when Jack Webster, who benefited from its use, gained the UK Speaker of the Year Award in 1996. In an article in the Glasgow Herald, he described Ann as "one of nature's finest, a lady who devoted herself wholeheartedly to the service of others."

In later years Ann continued her contribution with her husband by assisting him in his hobby of restoring historic buildings in Perthshire. Her memory will be cherished by her patients and by her friends in many countries.

added December 18, 1999