Dale-Mortensen-Obituary

Dale Mortensen

1939 - 2014

Obituary

EVANSTON, Illinois (AP) — Nobel laureate and longtime Northwestern University economics professor Dale Mortensen has died.

Mortensen shared the Nobel economics prize with two other Americans in 2010 for their work explaining how unemployment can remain high despite a large number of job openings.

Mortensen died Thursday at his home in Wilmette, Illinois, said his personal assistant and close family friend, Sue Triforo. He was 74.

Northwestern President Morton Schapiro paid tribute to Mortensen, saying "his groundbreaking work is especially relevant to policymakers attempting to address unemployment today."

Besides his pioneering approaches to investigating the labor market, Mortensen had a way of breaking down complex economic ideas into terms anyone could relate to.

He even quoted the late Chicago author and fellow Pulitzer prize winner Studs Terkel while thanking the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Nobel Foundation.

"Work was a search, sometimes successful, sometimes not, for daily meaning as well as daily bread," Mortensen said, quoting Terkel, who was known for recording the stories of ordinary Americans.

Mortensen was away teaching in Aarhus, Denmark, when he found out he won the prize. When delivering the news to his wife on the phone he said simply, "I won."

Such understatement and humility was a prominent characteristic, according to Triforo.

"The words really fail me at the moment because the grief is overwhelming, but he was a remarkable, humble, brilliant mind and man is all I can say," she said.

Mortensen was born in Enterprise, Ore. He had been at Northwestern in suburban Chicago since 1965. He also was an accomplished musician.

Survivors include his wife, Beverly, their son and two daughters, and eight grandchildren.

A public memorial will be announced later.




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James 4:8 draw close to God and he will draw close to you. Sorry for the loss.

So sorry for the loss,may ALMIGHTY GOD be with you and yours........

The loss of a loved one can be so hard. Please have comfort in God 's love. 1 Cor. 15:26

May your hearts soon be filled with wonderful memories of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived.

My deepest sympathy is with the family during your time of sorrow. God is for us a refuge and strength, a help that is readily to be found during difficult times. Psalms 91:2. May you find the needed strength from God, family and friends.

To the Mortensen Family: Our heartfelt condolences to you during your time of sorrow. May you find comfort in knowing that Dale cared for you dearly and he cared for all people who desired to work and provide for themselves. As we cherish the ransom sacrifice of Jesus and what it means for all person who exercise faith in that ransom, may we all look forward to becoming citizens of God's kingdom when persons "will not toil for nothing, nor will they bring to birth for distrubance;...

As the days and weeks pass, and as you return to life's routine, may you continue to feel comforted by the love and support of family and friends.

Condolences to the Mortensen Family and comforting words from Daniel 12:13 regarding your loss - Linda, Jamaica, NY