Please Remember in Your Prayers James Henry Rothenberger III

Please remember in your prayers James Henry Rothenberger III

Please remember in your prayers James Henry Rothenberger III,
61, of Minneapolis, who died Monday, Dec. 8, after an extended illness.

Rothenberger was faculty of the University of Minnesota School of Public Health-Division of Epidemiology and Community Health since 1972, and over the course of 35 years, taught roughly 100,000 students and received a number of the university's teaching and service awards.

James Henry Rothenberger

Rothenberger taught the state-required course on drug and alcohol abuse for teachers at both the U of M and the University of St. Thomas.

Rothenberger was an adjunct in St. Thomas' School of Education from 1974 to 2002. In addition to drug and alcohol education courses, he taught a course on death and dying.

William Carter, special projects manager for the St. Thomas' Department of Public Safety, took this course in 1981.

"It was outstanding. He was very knowledgeable about the topic, was a wonderful teacher, and cared about his students and their learning. He was one of the hallmark instructors and classes I have ever taken at UST," Carter said.

Carter talked to Rothenberger recently at a national conference on alcohol, drug, and violence prevention. "We visited about St. Thomas. He was so excited to talk about UST and more importantly his students," Carter said. "He was able to remember the course I took from him and when. He said he loved teaching the students; however, he really liked the teaching police officers because of their experiences in the areas he studied. At this national conference, I saw how well-respected of a scholar and teacher he was on a national basis."

Private funeral services were held in his Grand Marais, Minn. The School of Public Health and the University of Minnesota is planning a memorial service for early 2009 .