Francine Bennion

Francine Bennion was one of my favorite undergraduate professors. I was in the Honors world civilization she and Bob Bennion taught the last year before they retired (I believe) in Fall 1995. They both opened my eyes to ways to be LDS and to be a scholar. Dr. Bennion even said I reminded him a little of a young Francine, I think mostly because I'm also a redhead. Since that class, I kept in touch with them both over the years, writing letters and emails. They came to my wedding reception in...

Francine's speech, A Latter-Day Saint Theology on Suffering, is profound. I'm grateful to her for giving it. My condolences to her family.

Sister Bennion was the faculty leader of my small group during the second semester of the Learning How to Learn honors colloquium at BYU-Provo, 1983-84. She was an interesting, cultured, and engaging teacher, and I enjoyed the small group discussions that she led. For some reason, however, I was late with my final project. After my sob story about being a busy honors student, I expected her to excuse the tardiness, but she did not. Instead, she kindly told me that deadlines were important and...

I knew her when I was a new convert in Ohio. I always admired her for many reasons.

Francine influenced my entire intellectual and spiritual trajectory. With her husband, she taught the Honors History of Civilization Colloquium course at BYU, which allowed me real academic freedom for the first time in my life. I thank her and her husband for so much good that has come into my life. She will be missed.