James T. Mathieu

Message from the President

Aug. 19, 2024

Dear LMU Community:

I am saddened to share that James T. Mathieu, emeritus professor of sociology, passed away on Aug. 6, 2024. He was 91 years old.

Professor Mathieu taught at LMU from fall 1972 until spring 2006, when he retired. His students held him in high regard and fondly remember his commitment to academic enrichment beyond the classroom, impressing upon them the importance of thinking globally.

Professor Mathieu taught three courses in the LMU study abroad program in Bonn, Germany, establishing lasting connections with local scholars there. He was also engaged in LMU programs in Cuernavaca, Mexico; Beijing; and Hawaii, and he visited Greenland to develop an understanding of the nation’s historic connection with Denmark.

Professor Mathieu received international recognition with two yearlong Fulbright teaching awards, one in Zambia and the other in Lesotho. Professor Mathieu and his wife, Barbara, whose Ph.D. is in anthropology, also helped establish Marol Academy in South Sudan, which began as a primary school and later expanded to a secondary school, with a focus on education for girls.

Professor Mathieu earned his Ph.D. in sociology at USC, his M.A. in sociology and theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, and his B.A. at Grove City College in Pennsylvania. Devoted to his faith, he was also an ordained Presbyterian minister.

Professor Mathieu’s family is planning a remembrance, and the details will be shared soon. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Marol Academy in Professor Mathieu’s honor.

Please keep James, Barbara, their sons Christopher ’87, Robert ’89, and James Jr., James’ friends, and his many students in your thoughts and your prayers.

Sincerely,

Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D.
President