In Memoriam: Shirley M. Fontenot

Shirley M. Fontenot was born on May 25, 1935, to Curtis and Marie (Ortego) Fontenot in Villa Platte, Louisiana. She was one of the youngest of six children. She lived in University City, MO, with her long-term partner, Rose.  Shirley was a “small” extraordinary woman. She became a Catholic nun, entering the convent immediately after high school.  She taught first grade for 16 years and often said her finest education came by way of the many children who passed through her classroom. During her time in the convent, she also earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education.  

Shirley left the order after 26 years and moved from Louisiana “Cajun Country” to Chicago to pursue her interest in Jungian Psychology.  During the next 20 years, she completed master’s degrees in both Pastoral Studies and Divinity, as well as a doctorate in ministry, and worked as a psychotherapist. In 1993 she earned a diploma as a Jungian Analyst and enjoyed this profession for nearly 30 years. She was engaged in some form of formal education for one-third of her life. She semi-retired at age 87.

In Memoriam: Don Troyer

Don L. Troyer, M.D. died on November 11, 2023 at his home in Three Rivers. He was born on January 13, 1949 to Dana O. Troyer, M.D. and Verna (Burkholder) Troyer in Dhamtari, India, where they were serving as medical missionaries. He grew up in Goshen, Indiana where he graduated from Goshen High School and Goshen College with High Honors. During medical school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland he married Verna Hostetler on August 27, 1972. After completing a residency in Family Medicine at Williamsport, Pennsylvania in 1978, he and Verna moved to Paoli, Indiana to join Comprehensive Health Care, a medical group dedicated to serving one of the most medically underserved counties in southern Indiana.

In Memoriam: James Wyly

Remembrance by Mary Wyly

James Wyly was born in Kansas City Missouri. His mother came from an old family in St. Joseph, Missouri. His father from a family of Presbyterians in South Carolina. He was educated in public schools. For college he chose Amherst because it was far away and hard. He majored in English and studied organ at Smith Henry Mishkin. His friends included Tom Eighmy and Kelley Edey. His fraternity was Chi Phi I think. He graduated in 1959.

After Amherst he enrolled in the new DMA program at the University of Missouri at Kansas City earning his degree in 1964. From 1961 through 1963 he was supported by the Fulbright Commission for his research and dissertation on historic pipe organs of Spain, living in Madrid, the city he regarded as his real home town. He was prepared to teach organ, harpsichord, music theory, music history. 

In Memoriam: Dan Lindley

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Daniel A. Lindley, Jr., member of the Chicago Society of Jungian Analysts. Gus Cwik writes:

Dan and I overlapped in training together.  Dan, and his wife Lucia, were that type of quirky, professorial couple that you just had to love — highly refined, erudite, gourmets, with a true wry sense of humor.  One little know fact about Dan was that he was an avid fireworks creator and afficando.  Here the “ mad professor” worked his magic creating fireworks with the most exquisite explosions — though seemingly so out of character, he brought the same exacting refinement to working with gunpowder as he did to working his teaching, writing, and analysis.  The dinners they provided to many of us at the Institute, lucky enough to be invited, were elegant affairs, with aperitifs, many courses featuring a variety of wines, and digestifs — with jovial conversation to follow in the salon.  One often felt transported to some earlier era.  They will be missed.

Use the link below to read the obituary and more remembrances.

In Memoriam: Tom Kapacinskas

SOUTH BEND, IN – Thomas John Kapacinskas was born on October 31, 1941. He died on Friday, August 14, 2020.

Tom was educated at St. Bede Academy in Peru, IL and the University of Notre Dame, BA ‘63, JD ‘68. Tom completed a post-doctoral diploma in Analytical Psychology (Jungian Psychoanalysis) in 1972 at the C.G. Jung Institut-Zuerich. He taught the great books seminar from an archetypal perspective and courses in Jung’s psychology of religion at the University of Notre Dame from 1972 to 1979. He maintained a private practice in Jungian Analysis in South Bend. In 1975, together with the late June Singer of Chicago, Tom was a founding member of the Inter Regional Society of Jungian Analysts and their Training Institute, and in 1980 of the Chicago Society of Jungian Analysts and the C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago. Tom lectured and presented seminars in the psychology of religion nationally and internationally, encouraging the development of the Lithuanian Jung Society in 1990. During his Notre Dame teaching years, Tom was chairperson of annual conferences in Jungian Psychology and its cross-disciplinary relevance.

In Memoriam: Louise Carus Mahdi

Mary Louise Carus Mahdi (July 28, 1922-November 3, 2019) was truly a child of Hermes–god of exchanges, liminal spaces, communications, transitional activities, and travel. She was born into a family in Peru-LaSalle, Illinois, made wealthy from producing chemicals like potassium permanganate, widely used in water treatment and for medicinal purposes. Her grandfather, Paul Carus, was instrumental in introducing Buddhism into America in the late 1800’s.

She married Muhsin Madhi, a famous Islamic scholar.

In Memoriam: Fred Gustafson

Frederick Raymond Gustafson Jr., 77, of Watertown, passed away on Tuesday, July 17, 2018, at his home surrounded by family.

Fred was born on April 4, 1941, in Rockford, Illinois, the son of Frederick Sr. and Edith (Hall) Gustafson. He was raised by his paternal grandparents, Joseph and Myrtle (Gustafson) Ekstein. He was united in marriage to Karen Kastman in 1963 in Sacramento, California. Fred was a lifelong student: Augustana College in Illinois (B.A. in philosophy), Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago (MDiv), Andover Newton Theological School in Boston (D.Min.). Once ordained he became a mission developer for the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Harvey, Michigan, where he served for four years.

In Memoriam: John Giannani

With the death of John Giannini, we have lost a bridge figure who was important for his work in the Jungian community and the typology community. He particularly tried to bridge the communities both in his active work in bringing the two together, and his important major opus, Compass of the Soul. John believed passionately in whatever he felt
called to do, but he was particularly passionate about the work of integration of these two traditions. He valued the tools and the active participation in the larger world of the typology community, but he felt that it was important to maintain the original theoretical nexus to give depth and integrity to this work.