John Vernon "Vern" Jensen

Jensen, John Vernon "Vern" of Mpls, age 102, passed away January 6, 2025 peacefully at home surrounded by family. Born on Sept. 29, 1922 in Scandia, MN, he grew up in Lindstrom, graduated from Lindstrom-Center City High School in 1940, served in the CCC 1940-41 near Ely, MN, and attended Augsburg College 1941-43. He served in the Army, 1943-46, being assigned to an engineer regiment in France. After WWII he finished his B.A. at Augsburg in 1947, received his M.A. (1948) and his Ph.D. (1959) from the Univ. of Minnesota. He taught at Augsburg 1948-51, and at the University of Minnesota from 1951 until his retirement in 1993. He cherished his teaching, whether with Freshmen or Ph.D. students, and counted it a privilege to follow their later careers. He specialized in the areas of critical thinking in communication, communication ethics, British parliamentary speaking and Asian rhetoric. He made frequent research trips to various libraries and archives in the U.S. and abroad, mainly England, eventually publishing three textbooks, one biography, and two books of reflective essays. He published numerous scholarly articles and book reviews, and presented papers at a number of conferences in the U.S. and abroad. He had a cosmopolitan appreciation for multiple cultures and races. He was awarded a Danforth Foundation Teacher Study Grant (1958-59), a Fulbright Lectureship in a Teacher Training College in Rangoon, Burma (Myanmar) (1961-62), and a number of grants enabling research in this country and abroad. In his retirement years, in addition to writing, lecturing, traveling, reading and volunteering, he remained active until in his nineties in tennis and swimming and played golf until 101. Vern was kind to everyone. He was deeply grateful for his loving family, who survive him: his devoted wife of 70 years, Irene Khin Khin; son Donald Jensen (Tanya Hemphill); daughter Maythee Kantar (John); grandchildren and great grandchildren: Daniel Kantar (wife Brittany and their children Ari James, Aiden Oliver, Avery Rose); Michael Kantar; Elianna Kantar; Dillon Jensen (daughter Esme Morrow); and a large extended family. Preceded in death by granddaughter Sally Kathleen Kantar. His ashes will be buried at Lakewood Cemetery, Mpls. Funeral services will be held at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, 511 Groveland Ave., Mpls., February 16, 2025 at 2 pm. Memorials preferred to Scott, Jensen & Campbell Graduate Fellowship in Rhetoric at Univ. of MN Foundation or Augsburg University Library Archives or donor's choice. Live stream of service available at http://haumc.org/live

Tributes

John Vernon "Vern" Jensen

September 29, 1922 - January 6, 2025

Tributes

John Vernon "Vern" Jensen

September 29, 1922 - January 6, 2025

We are here for you 24x7

Call us and get help now

(612) 377-2203