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James Aune Obituary
James Arnt Aune chose to leave the world on January 8, 2013, a very sad day indeed. The Aune family welcomes all friends to attend a memorial service planned for Sunday, January 27, at 4 p.m. at the Texas A&M Hillel located at 800 George Bush Dr., College Station, Texas 77840, which will be conducted by Rabbi Peter Tarlow.
He lived 59 years, having spent 26 of those years with his loving, devoted wife and dearest friend, Miriam Ruth Aune. Jim and Miriam have two sons, Nick 24, and Dan 21, both of who have autism. When autism moved in, any possibility of a normal life flew out. With humor, tears and perseverance, the Aune family stayed together against the odds.
Jim was a Minnesota boy, born and bred. He was born in Fergus Falls, only because his small hometown of Elbow Lake didn't have a hospital. He was involved in speech competition and theatre throughout his years at Lincoln High in Thief River Falls, and graduated from a small private college that shall remain nameless because Jim was mad at them.
Jim received his doctoral degree in Speech Communication from Northwestern University. After he began his professorial career at Tulane and continued at The University of Virginia, he was a visiting professor for one summer term at the University of Iowa, where he and Miriam fell in love and were married December 20, 1986. After two very happy and productive years at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, he was invited to join the Speech Communication department at TAMU in 1996. Jim was a very productive and creative scholar as well as a completely dedicated instructor of undergraduate and graduate students alike. Many Aggie students and former students would declare that Jim was the best teacher they ever had; he would have returned the compliment.
Jim's parents, Arnt and Adeline, preceded him in death in Minnesota. Though he missed their presence in his life, Jim came to Texas looking for a new home with an undivided heart.
Jim is survived by his love and life partner, Miriam; his sons, and his brothers Michael and John, their respective wives Caroline and Sandy; nephews, Peder, John Jr. and Tyler; and nieces, Beret, Stephanie and Emily.
It's a small group, but a mighty one. The larger group Jim leaves behind is made up of the hundreds of friends, colleagues and students with whom he shared various parts of his journey. He will be deeply missed.
Jim would be very pleased if donations would be made to the Autism Society of America (www.autism-society.org) because of their assistance over the years, and to the Texas Gulf Coast Vizsla Rescue http://www.vizslaclub.com/Library_club/Rescue/Rescue_main.html) because they provided his family with Buffy, Angel and Xander, three of the goofiest dogs on the planet who rounded out a family of "special" people.
This obituary was originally published in The Bryan-College Station Eagle.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Scott Poe
June 22, 2024
Still think of you Jim
Rahat Inam
June 5, 2019
So so sad... RIP Jim x
Donna Carlisle
November 12, 2013
Miriam, I was late learning of this sad tragedy. My memories are of Nick and Dan for those years and of you coming out to get the boys and visit with me each afternoon. Jim met the bus many times while you were away shopping. I was always impressed how good looking he was and what a handsome and fun couple you two were, and mostly where Nick got those good looks!
Those years were hard for the Aunes but you had the spirit of a vivacious young at heart fun loving girl, whilst telling me the funny stories about Dan and watching Dan be coaxed out of his seat on the bus.I remember that I insisted the dog come on the bus just momentarily one day because it was such a fun dog and loved the bus and its occupants to come there.
I really enjoyed coming there and getting to visit and laugh with you. Thank you for that.
You are still brave and intelligent Miriam. Jim was blessed to have a wife like you and you were blessed to have him. I feel very privileged to've interacted with you in my small but necessary way. Your loss is great but your contribution together to others is also great even in his passing. I so admire you and Jim especially after reading all his accomplishments and my heart is sad for you and your family but proud of the way you have supported your beloved husband and best friend. I hope to see you again someday. You are not alone.
June 13, 2013
Jim, Just found an email you sent me the day before you left us. It was just an ordinary note about what you were planning to teach for Fall 2013. How grateful I am that we had you for all the years and days and hours that we did! Miss you... Hugs, dear Miriam and sweet guys! Prayers for you all, always!! Love, Nancy Street
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Emily Snooks
February 4, 2013
Dr. Aune- I am eternally grateful to Texas A&M for bringing you to the SCOM Department. You brought much needed diversity to College Station, TAMU and our curriculum. Rhetoric and Western Thought was one of my most memorable and enjoyable classes as a student. I was thrilled to hear of your well-deserved appointment to head of the department. We are all better people - and more respectful communicators - for knowing you. I hope you have found the peace you deserve. My thoughts and prayers are with your family. Emily
amy sharp
January 27, 2013
having just left jim's memorial service at tamu, and having just listened to some of his close friends and colleagues eloquently share their memories i have become more fond of the first time i met jim. it was a camp for all. it was miriam and jim's first weekend alone in 6 years. dan didn't want to get out of the car and jim had to coax, push and pull. when i asked what they were going to do on this special weekend i was told that they were going home and having a quentin tarantino movie marathon. i knew these were special people... after the initial meeting i would see jim on campus, and sometimes he would even look up and see me. xo to miriam, nick and dan.
Pat Wheaton
January 27, 2013
I did not know Jim well by any measure, but I have known him in some way for nearly 30 years. We first met in August 1983 when I was a 2nd year student at UVA. After a year off from debate, I joined the UVA debate team. We were coached by a law student, but Jim Was the faculty advisor. Over the next three years, we met up often as he checked in with the debate and forensics teams in our office in the basement of Halsey Hall.
After graduating in 1986, I spent 5 years outside academe before seeking my MA and PhD at the University of Georgia. In 2006, I submitted a manuscript to Jim when he was the editor of the Free Speech Yearbook. Jim accepted that manuscript with no revisions. That was my first a cep fed publication as a solo author. Jim did not remember me until I mentioned in in one of our email exchanges.
Again, I did not know him well. But our paths crossed when I was a young student and again as a young academic. Despite our casual acquaintance, Jim played a part in who I am today. He supported and facilitated my debate career as a young undergrad. It was that debate experience that led me to a career as a rhetorician and it was Jim who, although unknowingly, helped validate my career.
May God's love and peace surround you and your family. And Jim, thank you for crossing my life path, even if only briefly at 20 year intervals.
Yogita Sharma
January 26, 2013
Dear Miriam, Nick, and Dan,
We have met only once at a department lunch at Dr. Street's house. Miriam, I have spoken with you on the phone a few times. I am very sorry for your loss. I do not know how to console you. I just wish your lives are filled with immense joy in the years to come.
One day, I was lingering outside Jim's office with a sullen face. He looked up, completely confused. "I dreamt that you had died and I was at your funeral." In response, he said something like: "It's weird. Jennifer had a similar dream about me recently. Why are people dreaming about me dying?" Then, he put his hand on my shoulder and we went on to speak of happier things. It is very hard to accept that that dream has come to pass.
With Jim around, there was always hope of being understood for he met you at the limits of your imagination and self definition and stretched them a bit further. There will be so many unfinished conversations without him.
With folded hands and tears, please know that I grieve with you, even though my loss is nothing compared to yours.
One of Jim's many students.
Beret Aune Ranelletti
January 25, 2013
Jim was the uncle who taught me how to play Spades when I was 15. In recent years, we got to know each other better through Facebook. He was appalled at my horrendous taste in music (Britney, anyone?) He even started to root for my beloved Oakland A's in the playoffs last year, but first he had to look them up on Wikipedia to figure out if it was football or baseball. He said, "Ok, like Obama, I got this!" I loved hearing his version of the Aune family history. He spoke of his dad (my grandfather) with such reverence and affection. Arnt was a man I truly loved as well. Jim was such an Aune: funny, introverted, self-deprecating, kind, and so smart ... This is just such an enormous loss for us all. He will be greatly missed.
Henrik and Lola Aune
January 25, 2013
Please accept our sincere sympathies.
Sue Allen
January 23, 2013
I am glad my friend Jim was so loved and respected by his wife, friends, students, and co-workers. He could be fierce when defending his point of view but was a gentle soul, old before his time. He was a friend worth having and remembering. I am glad he had you by his side Miriam. My thoughts will be with you for a long time.
Katie King-Lewis
January 23, 2013
I remember Jim when I was at ya'lls home working. He'd always wander around the house it seemed like! And how he'd sit with you in the living room in the evenings watching tv. He loved you so much Miriam. You can just tell in the small moments. My memories, aren't anything huge and inspiring, just small happy moments. Prayers with you.
Robin Miller
January 23, 2013
I keep thinking of the meeting at the middle school when Jim kept saying that he hated PE as a student and didn't see why Nick, or any other kid for that matter, should be forced to take it. After the meeting we walked out found Jim smoking in the parking lot. We joked that he only hated PE because he would rather be smoking behind the building, and I said we would have gotten along well in high school. Jim will be missed, and our thoughts, love, and prayers are with you and the boys.
Paul Stob
January 23, 2013
Here's a small memory of Jim but something that really sticks out in my mind:
Every time I saw Jim at a conference, the first thing we would say to each other was "Dude, . . ." and then we'd chat for a long time. Jim was usually smoking. It was a half-joke, half-serious beginning to our conversations over the last decade. I can still hear Jim say "Dude" to me. I will really miss that--among many, many other things about him.
John Lyne
January 23, 2013
The obituary captures it so well. Jim was a true intellectual and a bright light in our field. His influence will be felt for a long time. I know that you were his true soul mate. My thoughts are with you.
Rosa Eberly
January 20, 2013
Beautiful, Miriam. Many Penn State students would say the same, though he -- and y'all -- were here for just one year.
January 20, 2013
R I P Dr. Aune.......
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