Donald R. Koenig

DONALD R. KOENIG, 61 Houston, Texas August 6, 1941 - January 11, 2003 Donald R. Koenig, 61, Chairman of the History Department of The Awty International School in Houston, Texas, died January 11 at his home of cancer. Many friends, colleagues, and deeply appreciative students will miss his academic excellence. Even in his last months, Mr. Koenig excited and enriched the lives of senior International Baccalaureate students in weekly history classes. The students looked forward to his deep knowledge of history and his talent to involve them all in the learning and critical thinking process. In recognition of his fullness of life, sense of humor, and spirit, the school has dedicated the annual senior history prize in his name. Born in Hibbing, Minnesota, Mr. Koenig graduated from Hibbing High School, achieving top honors in debate. He spent summers playing baseball and leading tours of the open pit mines on the Mesabi Iron Range. He holds the unique distinction of having a hanging curve ball hit out of the county at a Canadian border game. He earned his Bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota in 1965, and pursued his Ph.D. at Brown University. He achieved a Masters in Journalism and Political Science from Columbia in 1978. He gained teaching and administrative experience at MIT, Brown, Rhode Island College and the Trinity School of New York. Prior to assuming his position at Awty in 1986, he taught for four years at the Braddley School in Los Angeles, and for four more years at the Birch Waltham School in New York. Don was a true schoolmaster and educator. He developed the history programs of the International Baccalaureate curriculum at Awty, inaugurated the Model United Nations program, and created a strong reputation for Awty School, thus allowing students to be admitted to leading academic institutions around the world. He taught high school history and began the I.B. program in Theory of Knowledge. Don continued to develop this program and was granted two fellowships from the European Council on International Schools. From these, he wrote two important historical contributions: Sources in Five Topics in Twentieth Century History and The Cold Was and the Holocaust. He presented these works and received an NEH fellowship for independent study in 1992. He was invited to the Dusseldorf, Germany International School as a visiting instructor for the 1993-1994 academic year. Don enjoyed people, especially his students. He was an extraordinary conversationalist and an experienced European traveler, fluent in German. He appreciated and understood fine wine, good food, and classical and jazz music. He continued his enjoyment of sports throughout his life, often playing pickup basketball with young men half his age. Don is survived in death by his uncle, Robert Koenig MD of Sartell, MN, several cousins, and is preceded in death by his parents, Edna Jackson, Koenig and Ralph Koenig. Don remained an inspiring teacher even in his final days, showing his students and friends how to face death with courage, dignity, and faith. All of his personal and school family wish to thank the care-givers of Houston Hospice along with many friends, faculty colleagues, former students, and parents who gave many hours of comfort and personal help during his final days. Memorials in honor on Don Koenig can be sent to the Endowment Fund of The Awty International School, Houston, TX. Funeral services will be held at St. Francis Xavier Church, Sartell, MN, at 11 am Thursday, January 16. A special Memorial Service will be held at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Houston in the near future.