Jesse Bier *56

Body

At age 97, Jesse died in Missoula, Mont., on 
Jan. 20, 2023.

He was born July 18, 1925, in Hoboken, N.J. After serving in World War II, Jesse earned a B.A. at Bucknell. He obtained a Ph.D. in English from Princeton in 1956.

After briefly teaching at the University of Colorado, in 1955 Jesse became professor of English at the University of Montana, where he taught for 35 years. Visiting appointments included Bucknell and San Diego State, Lausanne University in Switzerland, and the Sorbonne, Clermont-Ferrand, and Lyon universities in France.

Jesse taught English, Canadian, and American literature, American humor, creative writing, poetry, fiction, and film. His literary and critical essays on topics ranging from satire to science fiction appeared in a variety of scholarly and popular publications.

Author of 13 fiction and nonfiction books including a history of American humor, thrillers, children’s books, and poetry, Jesse was an honorary member of the Mark Twain Society and won the Alan Ginsberg Poetry Award.

Jesse said the dumbest thing he ever did was not marrying his wife at once. The smartest thing he ever did was to live in Montana.

Predeceased by his wife Laure, Jesse is survived by children Ethan, Leslie, and Lilian, and six grandchildren.

Graduate alumni memorials are prepared by the APGA.

 

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