obituaries

The Rev. Robert Esbjornson of St. Peter, Minn., a Gustavus Adolphus College professor of religion and ethics, believed a good teacher should interact with his students outside the classroom.

He opted not to dine in professors' lounges, sitting down instead with his students in their campus eateries. And he kept up a voluminous correspondence with many for years after they graduated.

Esbjornson, who taught at the college in St. Peter from 1950-83, died on Oct. 27 in St. Peter. He was 89.

"He just absolutely believed that at the core of learning is the conversation of the community," said the Rev. Dennis Johnson, former vice president of Gustavus Adophus. "He never wanted to be isolated from students. He loved the campus Canteen."

Esbjornson's teaching focused on religion and its implications for social ethics, Johnson said.

Esbjornson was born in Duluth and graduated from Gustavus Adolphus in 1941. After four years of seminary in Rock Island, Ill., he was a pastor in Connecticut before joining Gustavus Adolphus.

In 1954, he received a master's degree in sacred theology from Yale Divinity School.

Esbjornson, a former chairman of Gustavus' religion department, studied prayer and worship practices in the 1970s. He developed courses on ethics and economics, and ethics and medicine.

In 1979, the college awarded him the Edgar M. Carlson Award for Innovative Teaching. He retired in 1983, continuing as a part-time teacher and leading retreats.

Esbjornson also led many college and community organizations, including the Riverbend Association, a former citizens' action and planning group that focused on land use and water conservation. Dr. Richard DeRemee of Rochester, a former student and longtime friend, said that Esbjornson "was one of the students."His enthusiasm for his subject was just contagious. He was very animated in his lectures. He made wonderful contact with the student body," DeRemee said.

DeRemee joined Esbjornson's retreats for physicians.

"He was very interested in medicine. Many of our conversations revolved around the problem of medical care and pain," DeRemee said.

In his book "Final Times," Esbjornson documented his wife's final illness.

Esbjornson and Johnson collaborated on a book, "Esbj! The Heart and Mind of a Professor." Esbjornson signed copies of the book during homecoming festivities at Gustavus on Oct. 13.

His wife, Ruth, died in 1990. His daughter, Louise died in 2005.

He is survived by his son, Carl, of Bozeman, Mont.; a brother, John, of Willmar, Minn., and two granddaughters.

Services have been held.

Ben Cohen • bcohen@startribune.com