Phil Besonen Passes Away
Posted on 9/17/2009
Philip Besonen, University of Arkansas professor of secondary education who retired in 2007, died Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009.
Besonen earned bachelor's and master's degrees in social studies education from the University of Minnesota and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Brigham Young University. He also studied at Dartmouth College, State University of New York at Stony Brook and Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. He began teaching in the College of Education and Health Professions in 1973. He is survived by his wife, Joan, and their three children.
Besonen won the college's first faculty teaching award in 1979 and was highly regarded by his students.
In 2006, Besonen was honored by the University of Minnesota as one of its College of Education and Human Development's 100 Distinguished Alumni. The college has 45,000 living alumni and was ranked fifth among all public professional schools by U.S. News & World Report in 2005.
Besonen, who was of Finnish ancestry, also received international media attention after building a mokki, the Finnish word for small cottage, in his back yard. An essay Besonen wrote about the mokki, which he used as a space to write and listen to music, was published in the New York Times, and the bureau chief for Finnish TV based in Washington, D.C., visited Besonen in June to interview him and shoot footage for a newscast in Finland about the mokki.
A memorial service is planned for later.
Memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 2925 Old Missouri Road, Fayetteville, AR 72703.
We want to hear from you. Please e-mail comments and feedback to Heidi Stambuck at stambuck@uark.edu.