All are invited to the 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27 service in Christ Chapel at Gustavus Adolphus College to honor John S. Kendall, the college's 12th president who died July 26. The memorial service will be based on Kendall's homily "A Litany for Thanksgiving," which he wrote and delivered when he led his undergraduate alma mater, from 1981-91.Following the 20-minute public worship, all are invited to the Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library at Gustavus for refreshments and to view a special display of books that Kendall read or re-read during the final months of his life. This location was chosen because Kendall was an active, ongoing supporter and user of the library. He spent much time in the Gustavus library as well as other libraries.
Kendall was a beloved and respected president and psychology teacher. In 1973 he received Gustavus' highest teaching honor, the Edgar M. Carlson Award for Distinguished Teaching. During Kendall's 10-year presidency he was a leader who brought about many positive changes. It was during his tenure that Gustavus became a Phi Beta Kappa institution and received a prestigious grant from the F.W. Olin Foundation to build a new science hall.
Kendall was born Aug. 28, 1928 in Rockford, Ill., and grew up in Minneapolis. He received a B.A. in psychology from Gustavus, an M.A. in psychology from the University of Minnesota, a B.D. from Augustana Theological Seminary (now Lutheran School of Theology) in Chicago, and a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Minnesota.
He and his wife, Joanne, and three children, Mary, Peter, and David, lived in St. Peter for many years, where they were members of Trinity Lutheran Church.
Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college in St. Peter, Minn., that prepares 2,500 undergraduates for lives of leadership, service, and lifelong learning. The oldest Lutheran college in Minnesota, Gustavus was founded in 1862 by Swedish immigrants and named for Swedish King Gustav II Adolf. At Gustavus, students receive personal attention in small-sized classes and engage in collaborative research with their professors. Fully accredited and known for its strong science, writing, music, athletics, study-abroad, and service-learning programs, Gustavus hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and is internationally recognized for its annual Nobel Conference.
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