VERONKA JOHN-STEINER

I learned with great sadness of the passing of this tremendous luminary and scholar at the AERA conference in NYC this weekend. I had planned to visit her, to ask that I might speak to her very briefly as I have been spending time of late getting to know her through her tremendous scholarly output. I will sadly, never have that opportunity.

I was saddened to learn of the passing of Vera John-Steiner, whose work I first encountered in 1963 in a course on small group behavior taught by George Psathas and the late David Sudnow.. As a linguist and student of social interaction in public places, I followed her always creative and insightful work from time to time, and had the delight of meeting her once at the American Anthropological Association meetings, and even having my photo taken there with her and fellow luminaries and...

A huge personality and dazzling mentor. I left Albuquerque many years ago, but Vera comes to mind with great frequency. I plan to return to NM in May and was so looking forward to seeing her and sitting with her, once again, at her dining table overlooked by a portrait of one of her relatives, the only personal possession, she told me, that she was able to take with her when she escaped the Holocaust.

thank you for your memories of Veronka.
they will join with my own, which right now are too powerful for me to put into words.

Dr. John-Steiner was an important influence in my graduate studies at UNM & continuing at the University of Arizona, where I was awarded a doctoral assistantship largely through her supportive efforts. She shared her ideas regarding creativity in a book-signing and lecture "Notebooks of the Mind" at University of Arizona (1986). I remember serious conversations with Vera and Stan regarding Native voice & authorship, and the importance of preserving indigenous languages. She continued to be...

I admired, loved, and revered her. She had a very large impact on me as a thinker and a compassionate being. This is a loss for us all, and I am comforted to know she was in the emrace of family.

Veronka was my friend, an esteemed scholar who could listen to me and hear me, a younger and unknown researcher, and give me support to find my own voice in the academic world of educational research. She was an inspiration and a patient co-editor and co-author of a book and a few chapters in that book.
She always had a smile when I visited her at home in Santa Fe. I will never forget her great home cooked meals "From the old country".
Veronka John-Steiner was an important Vygotskian...

Vera was an important influence and inspiration in my doctoral education at UNM. I valued her as a mentor, role model and friend.