John Vincent Carlis of Minneapolis died February 21, 2018 at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Duluth, MN. He was born in Philadelphia, PA on January 2, 1947 to Vincent and Ruth (Purcell) Carlis the youngest of four children. His family moved to Palmyra, NJ when he was five years old. He graduated from Holy Cross High School in Delran, NJ and received his bachelors and masters degrees from Penn State University.
John moved to Minnesota in 1973 to begin a PhD program in management information systems at the University of Minnesota. He and Rynda Neff were married on his 30th birthday in 1977. John was a faculty member at Syracuse University from 1978-80. He then returned to the U of M where he taught computer science courses as well as advised dozens of students. He had a particular interest in learning about and teaching good writing. John and Rynda’s first daughter, Julia, was born in 1978. Cathryn joined the family in 1981.
Playing sports was a favorite part of John’s life – baseball in his New Jersey school years, followed by rugby and basketball. He played noontime pick-up basketball several times a week up until chemotherapy sapped his energy and skills last year. He also enjoyed riding his recumbent bicycle including commuting to the U from the family’s then home in Edina.
John is survived by his wife, Rynda Neff Carlis; daughters, Julia Carlis (Rufo Sanchez) and Cathryn Carlis (Philip Rooney); and grandchildren, Silas and Gloria Carlis Rooney. His three sisters, Mary-Ruth Bannon, Nancy Myers, and Janet Dougherty and many nieces and nephews also survive him. He was preceded in death by his parents; his three brothers-in-law, James Bannon, Roy Myers, and Frank Dougherty; and his nephew, Casey Neff.
One of John’s non-marketable talents (as he called them) was being able to recognize that a baseball had been hit for a homerun just from the particular sound the bat made as the ball was struck. “Gone!” he would announce as soon as he heard the telltale sound. Ever a notorious punster, John fully supported the plan to have his grave marker read:
John moved to Minnesota in 1973 to begin a PhD program in management information systems at the University of Minnesota. He and Rynda Neff were married on his 30th birthday in 1977. John was a faculty member at Syracuse University from 1978-80. He then returned to the U of M where he taught computer science courses as well as advised dozens of students. He had a particular interest in learning about and teaching good writing. John and Rynda’s first daughter, Julia, was born in 1978. Cathryn joined the family in 1981.
Playing sports was a favorite part of John’s life – baseball in his New Jersey school years, followed by rugby and basketball. He played noontime pick-up basketball several times a week up until chemotherapy sapped his energy and skills last year. He also enjoyed riding his recumbent bicycle including commuting to the U from the family’s then home in Edina.
John is survived by his wife, Rynda Neff Carlis; daughters, Julia Carlis (Rufo Sanchez) and Cathryn Carlis (Philip Rooney); and grandchildren, Silas and Gloria Carlis Rooney. His three sisters, Mary-Ruth Bannon, Nancy Myers, and Janet Dougherty and many nieces and nephews also survive him. He was preceded in death by his parents; his three brothers-in-law, James Bannon, Roy Myers, and Frank Dougherty; and his nephew, Casey Neff.
One of John’s non-marketable talents (as he called them) was being able to recognize that a baseball had been hit for a homerun just from the particular sound the bat made as the ball was struck. “Gone!” he would announce as soon as he heard the telltale sound. Ever a notorious punster, John fully supported the plan to have his grave marker read:
John Vincent Carlis
January 2, 1947 – February 21, 2018
Gone
January 2, 1947 – February 21, 2018
Gone
In Memoriam: John Carlis from the University of Minnesota Department of Computer Science and Engineering