William Brink Monsma, Phd, M.Div

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Monsma, William Brink, PhD, M.Div age 72, of Minneapolis MN went home to be with his Lord, passing away peacefully on June 15. He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Marion Monsma and sister, Elin Block. He is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Mary Beth, who faithfully cared for him each day during his long journey with Parkinson's disease; sister Rosemary (David) Radius, brother-in- law Bert Block, son Jonathan, daughter Anne (Wes) Anderson; grandchildren Andrew, Jonathan, Katerina, Nathaniel, Emma, William; and daughter-in-law Molly (Inthisan) Monsma. Upon graduating from Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI with a degree in physics, he received a Danforth Graduate Fellowship and a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. His PhD was in Theoretical Physics from the University of Colorado (Boulder). He later obtained a Masters of Divinity from Calvin Seminary. He taught at Calvin College, Augsburg College and the University of Minnesota. William is best remembered for founding The MacLaurin Institute, a Christian Study Center at the University of Minnesota in 1982. The organization nurtures a community of students, professors, pastors and vocational leaders with the vision that faith and academics can rationally work together. William took great comfort in the ensuing leadership of Bryan Bademan, who as Executive Director of Mac-LaurinCSF, has expanded William's vision into an exciting and dynamic future. Memorials may be sent to MacLaurinCSF or Struthers Parkinson's Center. A celebration of his life will be held 11am on Friday, July 10 at Hope Presbyterian Church in Richfield MN with a visitation 1 hour prior and a light lunch following.

Published on June 18, 2015