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Steven Preece Sondrup

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Steven Sondrup Obituary

Name: Funeral service for Steven Preece Sondrup
Start: 2020-11-21T18:00:00.000Z
Location: Funeral services will be held virtually

Steven Preece
Sondrup
1944 - 2020
Steven Preece Sondrup passed away on November 10, 2020. Born on May 27, 1944, to Walter and Louise Sondrup, he was the eldest of three children. A gifted and driven student, Steven attended schools in Salt Lake City before graduating magna cum laude from the University of Utah with an Honors BA in German.
Unbounded intellectual curiosity and formidable focus took Steven to Harvard University where he earned an MA and PhD with an emphasis in modern German and Scandinavian literature.
After graduating from Harvard, Steven returned home to Utah and began teaching at Brigham Young University as a professor of comparative literature. Over the course of his remarkable career he spoke, read, wrote, and taught in nine different languages.
Having demonstrated superiority in both teaching and research, Steven earned BYU's most prestigious faculty award, the Karl G. Maeser Research and Creative Arts Award in 1982.
A renowned expert in his field, Steven produced numerous publications during a career that spanned over five decades, including books, articles, and reviews on various aspects of nineteenth and twentieth-century literature. His final book, Concepts and Contexts: A Retrospective, is a collection of his favorite publications. It was finalized in October 2020 and is available online.
Steven is particularly remembered for his work in the field of Scandinavian studies. As the editor of the quarterly academic journal Scandinavian Studies, he generously lent his expertise to countless scholars over the course of twenty years. His vision and leadership helped to secure the journal's place as the premier academic publishing venue for Scandinavian scholarship.
He was similarly committed to building an internationally recognized comparative literature program for both graduate and undergraduate students at BYU. With the help of Steven's ambitious direction it became one of the most competitive, sought after programs in the United States.
Steven's profound commitment to his students and his University complemented his unending love of language, literature, and philosophy. His desire to think and write with increasing precision produced insights that benefited his academic associations and commitments. His desire to cultivate community within the academy led to many years of active involvement with the International Comparative Literature Association, including his tenure as president of the organization from 2010 to 2013. He also helped to found the Association for Mormon Letters in 1976, and served as the organization's executive secretary during its crucial early years.
Steven served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Germany and Italy. He was a faithful member of the Church his entire life and enjoyed serving in numerous callings, though friends believe his favorite may have been as an organist. He loved his ward family deeply, and held a fervent testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Throughout his battle with Parkinson's disease and cancer, Steven was extremely patient and never complained. He was an example of dedication, faithfulness, inner strength, and dignity.
Steven is survived by his sisters, Susan Dunn (Jon) and Julie Day (Roger) and thirteen nieces and nephews.
We want to thank Olga for her loving care and kindness in caring for Steven. We also want to thank the caregivers from Amada Senior Care, especially Seine, Antoinette, Jaydon, Miriam, and Heppi.
Funeral services will be held virtually Saturday, November 21, 2020 at 11:00 A.M. Guests are invited to attend using this link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88639685813?pwd=Z3JhT084ZDBlY3BaV3g0djduNEloZz09
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations made to an endowed scholarship fund that he established as a lasting gesture of generosity to BYU. To donate please visit give.byu.edu/Sondrup.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Salt Lake Tribune on Nov. 15, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for Steven Sondrup

16 Entries

J.P.

January 18, 2024

I never had the privilege of knowing Professor Steven Sondrup. However, I bought a second-hand book on The Languages of China, and the note inside said it was part of his personal library. After learning about him, and being amazed by his beauty of mind, I feel blessed to have one of his literary materials in my possession. I was recently admitted to a graduate program in Beijing - as I study and travel across China, I will keep this book with me, as a reminder of the spirit of inquiry and wonder in learning, which Professor Sondrup inspired in so many.

Cynthia Hallen

July 22, 2021

Brother Sondrup kindly invited me to write a book review for the Scandinavian Studies journal. A copy of the book arrived in my box with a note in Steven's fine penmanship. I sensed that the handwriting represented the order and beauty of his mind and character.

Kenneth and Leone Lee

February 20, 2021

I am sorry I did not see this until now and am replying so late. I first met Dr. Sondrup (as I thought of him) when he was at Harvard and I was at MIT as we were in the same student ward, but it wasn't until I went to BYU after my mission and when he was starting as a member of the faculty that our association really begin. I worked with him writing computer programs he used for his literary analysis my entire eight years at BYU. He even arranged funding to bring me back to BYU to work for him during the summers after I left BYU. It helped that I understood German and spoke Swedish and we shared a passion for those two languages. He was a great person to work with and my work for him became a form of collaboration. He became more than just an employer, but also a good friend. That friendship had a large impact on my career, although I don't think he ever knew that. One major example was a conversation I had with him just three days before I graduated with my bachelors degree and was scheduled to leave BYU. I did not feel my time at BYU was done. My interest was natural language processing. As we talked I realized that getting a masters degree in linguistics would be a good path to take and that I could get that degree at BYU, which is what I did. One of the ramifications of that was that I met my wife during that time. As I said, though, I don't think Dr. Sondrup ever knew any of that. I am sorry that he is gone from this world for now, but look forward to renewing our friendship on the other side.

Wade Kelson

November 21, 2020

Steven was simply an extraordinary talent. He was my professor and my mentor. I, like so many, am the grateful beneficiary of having been taught by this remarkable teacher. He conditioned my acceptance into the masters program of Comparative Literature upon my rewriting all of my upper level literature courses. He was patient with and dedicated to my learning experience. He was an intellectual powerhouse. He was a gifted mind opener. His charm and wit were accompanied by a kind of twinkle in his eye. He was a friend.

Kristen & Rob Beckstead

November 21, 2020

Dear Julie and Susie,
What a wonder of an older brother you had in Steven. You and your families will surely miss him dearly.
I remember his patient and somewhat quizzical smile as he tutored us in french one afternoon, Julie. I could see his mind working, trying to fathom why I/we were not understanding the concept of the particular conjugation or phrase we were wrestling with at the time. But I remember most clearly his patience in re-explaining and rephrasing to us until we did understand.
He is a great teacher, with his brilliant mind, and encouraging spirit.
It is delightful to read the letters of so many who were influenced and mentored by him.
What a happy reunion he must be having with Walter, Louise, and Roger.
Thinking of you, wishing you blessings of comfort, and sending you virtual hugs.
Kristen (Welling) Beckstead

John S Tanner

November 21, 2020

Steven was a colleague at BYU. We were both in the College of Humanities and, for a couple of years, served together in the Association for Mormon Letters. During that time, we often meet at his house, where I learned of his devotion to his mother and came to see, admire, and love the greatness of his soul. I was moved by his funeral service. He leaves a wonderful legacy of disciplined discipleship.

William M. Reading

November 21, 2020

I keep a mental list of favorite people. Steven is a favorite person.

Sarah Day

November 21, 2020

Steven was an amazing man. It is such a loss for our family. I will miss him very much. I wanted to share this video with those that might be interested in seeing a glimpse of the remarkable life he lived. https://youtu.be/6CRWNZr1C_M

Dianne Whitelock Miller

November 20, 2020

Sending love & prayers to Susie, Julie & families as you prepare to bid a temporary farewell to Steven. I'm certain he is finding heaven beyond his wildest expectations and, heaven knows, he expected a lot. May you be encircled in the arms of His love until the day of sweet reunion.
Steve & Dianne Whitelock Miller

Laury Livsey

November 17, 2020

I love Steven Sondrup. What an incredible man, someone who made a significant impact on my life. We served together in the Hillside (Singles) Ward bishopric in the mid-to-late 1990s. I was 20 years younger than him, and we seemingly had little in common yet were fast friends. He was extremely intelligent (smartest man I’ve ever met), and I was really literate in 1970s sitcom trivia and baseball player batting averages. He would regale me with stories about some Icelandic writer who had recently published something, and I would come back with, “By chance did you catch the Jazz game on TV last night?” He played the piano for me once on a visit to his home then lifted the lid of his Steinway grand to show me that one of the Steinways had hand-signed the soundboard in magic marker. Of course a Steinway had autographed his piano! He also played the organ, the harpsichord, the recorder and spoke more languages fluently than I have fingers on my hand. Meanwhile, I played the radio. Where we met in the middle, though, was a love of the gospel, and I will always admire his uncompromised testimony and love of the Savior. He was diligent, steadfast and faithful and always treated my wife and children like we were family. Quite simply, he set an indelible example while leading a supremely well-lived life.

Tom Spencer

November 16, 2020

Steven was an institution. Easily one of the most memorable teachers I've had. Absolutely brilliant and wonderfully idiosyncratic. I had the pleasure of working for him as an editorial assistant, and that's almost all I remember now about my undergraduate days. Thank you, Steven.

Madison U. Sowell

November 16, 2020

Steven Sondrup was my academic mentor when I was a BYU undergraduate and was largely responsible for my being accepted and, what is more important, my doing well at Harvard, where, like him, I completed by master's and Ph.D. Later we were colleagues for over thirty years, and he remained a key mentor and treasured friend. He allowed me to sit in on his Literary Theory class a few years after I began teaching full-time, and it was comparable to the best classes I had at Harvard. His insights into literature, literary theory, art, music, languages, and the humanities were legion. He was, to use Dante's phrase about Aristotle, "the master of those who know." R.I.P., maestro.

Ilona K.

November 16, 2020

Steven, you inspired so many of us over the years, with your never-ending knowledge, your kindness and compassion, and your profound academic commitment and example. You lived such an honorable and productive life, and your presence will be missed. I am grateful for your willingness to always lend an ear and brainstorm together about Italian and German Romanticism. Godspeed, Steven!

Lin Sherman

November 16, 2020

Steven was one of my professors in 80's. I remember well his class on literary theory. Though I struggled in the class, he was always supportive and patient. He inspired me to learn the art of thinking outside the box. I will always be grateful to him for helping me to open my eyes to the beauty of theory and philosophy.

Stan Benfell

November 16, 2020

I was Steven's student in the 1980s, and he was crucial in influencing me to pursue a career in literary study. His 610 course, an Introduction to Literary Theory, was legendary throughout his time at BYU, and so I took it as an undergraduate to prepare for graduate school. It was the best theory course I ever took, which many of his students who went on to graduate school elsewhere would second. I returned to BYU and was his colleague for many years, where we worked together on many committees and projects. We miss his extraordinary memory and his sharp, incisive mind, as well as his generous mentoring of many, many students over the years. It was difficult to see how the diseases he fought take a toll on his memory. The world is a less interesting and engaging place without him.

Barbara (Woodbury) Benson

November 15, 2020

I remember Steven from many, many years ago when our family lived across the street from the Sondrup family on 18th East and attended Colonial Hills Ward together. It was so interesting to see how Steven fulfilled his life with so many outstanding accomplishments. When I was babysitting for the Sondrups, little did I know where his life was leading, especially when he would ask me to help him with a math problem.

After marriage my husband and I settled in Arizona, but I always enjoyed visiting with Louise when we would come home for a visit. My sincere condolences to Susan and Julie.

Sincerely,
Barbara (Woodbury) Benson

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