Knoxville psychologist Dr. Jeffrey Erickson will be remembered as much for the voice he gave others as for his own voice.

Dr. Erickson, 65, who died suddenly June 17 after suffering a heart attack while visiting Mobile, Ala., devoted his career to children and adolescents. Along with forensic psychology, in which he had an avid interest, his passion was treating young people and teaching.

Early in his career, Dr. Erickson was director and chief psychologist of Helen Ross McNabb Center’s Child and Adolescent Services division; later, he worked with East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and Florence Crittenton Agency. He codeveloped the Self-Discovery Project for students and collaborated on other clinical and educational programs for children.

He was chair of the state Board of Examiners for Psychology.

A longtime member of the University of Tennessee’s graduate psychology facility, Dr. Erickson “brought excellence and compassion to all he did, and the careers of a generation of students were shaped by his passion, wisdom and insight,” said Michael Hawthorne, president of the Knoxville Area Psychological Association, of which Dr. Erickson was a longtime member. He was also active in the American Psychological Association, the Tennessee Psychological Association and the Appalachian Psychoanalytic Society.

Outside his career, Dr. Erickson was a member and past president of the Smoky Mountain Jaguar Club. He remained very involved as an alumnus of the University of Virginia, from which he received his undergraduate degree. He later received a master’s degree from the University of Richmond and a doctorate in clinical psychology from UT.

“Dr. Erickson was known in our community and across our state as a superb and caring clinician, as a dedicated and creative educator, and as a loyal and generous friend,” Hawthorne said, calling him “an exemplary professional role model, a tireless advocate for children and adolescents, and a warm and trusted therapist to hundreds, maybe thousands, of people.”

Dr. Erickson is survived by his wife, social worker Kathleen Erickson, children Andrew Erickson and Alison Anderson, and two grandchildren. Hawthorne said he was “eagerly anticipating” the birth of a third grandchild.