Paul Jorgensen died on Wednesday, January 25th at the age of 91. Paul taught Math and Education at Carleton for 33 years, from 1954 until his retirement in 1987 as Professor of Educational Studies and Mathematics, Emeritus. He was also the Director of Summer Programs and Associate Dean of the College from 1981-1985.
A former colleague and student of Paul’s writes: “Paul’s enthusiasm for mathematics was never-ending, sincere, and contagious. A former high-school teacher himself, Paul was the ideal person to teach potential teachers…. Paul (“Jorgy” to his colleagues) was consumed professionally by the desire to find better ways to teach mathematics at the secondary level. He was an active participant with colleagues across the country in this endeavor and collaborated in writing many nationally-used materials with them…. Personally, Paul was outgoing, always in good humor, always interested in his students and colleagues. When he entered a room, everyone’s spirits picked up. He was, quite simply, a wonderful person to be around.”
Paul is survived by his wife, Joann; three children, Eric, David, and Anne; and 5 grandchildren, Kirsten, Peter, Erin, Kaia, and Thomas.
A more complete obituary can be found at the Benson & Langehough Funeral Home website.
A memorial service will be held at 2pm on February 18, 2017 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Northfield. Memorial gifts may be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church, Friends of the Northfield Public Library, or the Paul S. Jorgensen Memorial Fund at Carleton College.
Please keep all of Paul’s family, friends, and former students in your thoughts and prayers.
Comments
I knew Paul as an Associate Dean when I first came to Carleton. We enjoyed several lively talks on issues like creativity, mathematics education, and decision making. He was a great help in helping me make connections with relevant administrators in the local school district, something I will always be grateful for.
I knew Paul as a student in the early 1970's. While I majored in Philosophy, I took a number of Education classes as well, and appreciated the study of education from a philosophical perspective -- the philosophy of learning, in other words. In this regard, Paul was a mentor. After I graduated, I did not see Paul again. That is until several years ago, by random chance, we found ourselves seated at the same dinner table at a college function in the Alumni House. Though it had been about 40 years since we'd last met, he struck up a conversation with me immediately as if I'd only been away for a few days. It took me a few moments to realize just who he was and how he knew me, then all the fine memories flooded back. This became an amazing evening for both of us, and served to epitomize the greatest strength of Carleton -- its professors who care deeply about their students and can remember them after decades, as if virtually no time had passed at all. Farewell, Paul. Perhaps we shall meet again. I would like to think so...
Paul was a wonderful friend and mentor to me when I took over Summer Academic Programs from him and helped develop the Chuo University summer session. He was always positive and upbeat, with a ready smile, a chuckle, and words of wisdom. He embodied the best of Carleton faculty's commitment to students and to the community. When Carleton turned the former Northfield High School into the Weitz Center, Paul always reminded us that the classroom in which he had started teaching high school ("his classroom," facing the UCC church) was still being used as a classroom. He was as proud of those early years as he was of teaching math at Carleton and serving as the Associate Dean.
Paul was one of those wonderful "older brothers" who welcomed and supported me when I came to Carleton in 1974. Like others, he modeled to me what was expected of a productive member of the College community both as a faculty member and in administrative service. More than that he was a real gentleman in the widest meaning of that word.
I gave Paul a call about a year ago. We had a good talk. I am saddened to hear of his passing. He and I were both from Cedar Falls, Iowa, so the first time I talked with him as a sophomore we had much in common talk about. I still recall his story about a friend who tried to build a submarine and submerge it in the Cedar River. I tried some crazy things as a kid, but that was a wild idea my gang of friends never tried. Or the day John Dillinger came through town, and every kid claimed to have seen him. I first started thinking about teaching math my sophomore year. Paul was the ultimate person with the passion about math to have as a mentor. I still recall his simple truths about teaching math he shared during my student teaching such as, "Don't mistake an assignment for a lesson plan," or "Keep their hands busy-use physical objects and models," and finally his crux of teaching math, "Teach the concept." I returned to Carleton in 1983 for a summer class in computer programming. I shared with Paul how valuable his insights and words of wisdom had served me well in nine years of teaching. The years had passed since I left Carleton, but I was still an old friend to him. I will not be able to attend the Memorial Service, but my thoughts are with his wife and family. In mathematical set format: {Paul's influence will continue to be part of me, ...}
Jorgy ( Paul) taught me during my time as a Carleton math (and physics) major from 1969 to 1973. He had a great smile and the very best chalkboard writing of any professor I have ever known. The letters were always perfectly formed and he could write long equations and keep them perfectly horizontal. His enthusiam and clear method of presenting ideas made it a pleasure to take his classes.
I remember Prof. Jorgensen fondly from my time as a math education student at Carleton. His influence as a teacher went far beyond theory and academics. His patience, his general wisdom, and his uncanny ability to see everything that was happening in the classes I taught, even when I missed most of it myself, together comprised the most valuable mentoring experience I could have wished for. I have since left the teaching profession, though I still provide instruction to younger professionals in my field, and I am convinced that Prof. Jorgensen's influence remains there in my personal background, guiding me still.
I extend my condolences to Professor Jorgensen's family.
I was a student of Paul’s at Carleton and, later, a colleague of his there for 18 years. Paul’s classes centered on student participation and he constantly conveyed his excitement about mathematics to his students. When news of Paul’s death came, one of my Carleton classmates from 1961, a political science major, wrote me. “I’m not sure how he did it, but Paul Jorgensen got me through calculus. Of all the profs I had at Carleton, he was the most fun.” Another, an English major, wrote, “Since I hadn't been born with the math gene, I needed a teacher who could do two things for non-majors, make the stuff appealing and enable me to grasp it. Paul Jorgensen did both.” Paul (“Jorgy” to his colleagues) was consumed professionally by the desire to find better ways to teach mathematics. He was an active participant with colleagues across the country in writing nationally used secondary-school mathematics materials. Jorgy’s enthusiasm for mathematics was never-ending, sincere, and contagious. A class from him was a highlight of any student’s program. He would talk enthusiastically about mathematics with anyone, anywhere, anytime. He was outgoing, always in good humor, always interested in his students and colleagues. When he entered a room, everyone’s spirits picked up. He was, quite simply, a wonderful person to be around.
Paul was a continuing source of inspiration to me both as a student in his mathematics education class, in his many personal interactions with me that confirmed my interest in mathematics teaching and learning, and through his encouraging me to continue on to a PhD in Education and Mathematics at the University of Minnesota, as well as the contacts there that he made for me. He was a continuing influence on the ways I taught mathematics in secondary school and in the research I pursued with students both at the elementary and secondary school level. I was inspired to become aware of the value of student interaction in bringing forth a mathematical world for themselves in interaction. He certainly modeled that in the classes I was privileged to take with him where he shared with us both ideas from his own research and from his experiences in teaching mathematics which focused on getting students to build their own ideas of geometry using imagery and logical reasoning and explaiining to others. Even as I worked with Grade 1 and 2 students to find the areas of various geometric figures that were parts of a "100 day quilt", or with high school students integrating algebra and geometry, Pauls's influence om me was present whether deliberately or unconsciously. He was a master at getting us in his classes to think of mathematical ideas in a variety of ways and inter-acting with others about them effectively. As others have mentioned he was a bright, warm, friendly person to work with. I was privileged to get to know his family and both my wife Dianne [ an Ole] and I extend our condolences to Joann and her family.