Klausner, Neal W.

Neal W. Klausner, 102, F. Wendell Miller Professor of Philosophy at Grinnell College, died Wednesday, April 14, 2010, at Mayflower Community Health Care Center in Grinnell after a short illness. Services are pending at a later date. 

 He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ellis Klausner; and his sister, Katherine Olson. 

He is survived by his sons, David Neal Klausner of Toronto, Ontario and Richard Ellis Klausner of Iowa City; and his brother, William of Redlands, Calif.

He was born in Neenah, Wis., on May 22, 1907, the son of Oscar and Emma Larson Klausner. He graduated from Lawrence College, Colgate-Rochester Divinity School, and received his Ph.D. from Yale University.

During his career he taught at the University of Redlands and from 1945 until retirement, at Grinnell College in Grinnell. He was the author of numerous articles and publications, including the text Philosophy, The Study of Alternative Beliefs with P.G. Kuntz. During his tenure he was also a recipient of a Ford Foundation Fellowship, a Libby Foundation Fellowship and he was a visiting professor at the American College in Paris. 

In 1966, he was named to the F. Wendell Miller Chair of Philosophy at Grinnell College. From 1973 to 1979, he was a National Senator with the United Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. For many years he was on the regional selection committee for the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship.

An avid tennis player all his life (having won the Wisconsin State high school doubles championship in 1924) he continued to play into his mid-90s. He also loved golf, taking his last drive on his 100th birthday.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Drake Community Library in Grinnell.