John Clark Wassom, November 13, 1939–July 26, 2011
John Wassom from the town of Grinnell graduated in June 1961 with a B.A. in Economics. His father, Samuel J. Wassom, was the manager of the Grinnell College Book Store while we the Class of 1961 were there. John lived at home and worked in the College mailroom during college. Later he was known to express pride in being a Grinnell College graduate.
After Grinnell, John went to Indiana University where he earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Economics in 1963 and 1971 respectively.
He was an Assistant Professor of Finance at the University of Florida from 1966 through 1971.
John then joined the faculty at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green as an Assistant Professor of Economics. In 1978 he was promoted to Professor and Head of the WKU Economics Department, a position he held until 2003. John, however, did not retire. Instead he became a Professor and Special Assistant to the Dean of WKU’s Gordon Ford College of Business, a position he held until 2005. Then he became Chair of the Business Division of WKU’s Community College, a position he held until his death.
John’s publications include two books: The Relevance of the Common Carrier Concept to the Contemporary American Transport System (U. Indiana, 1970) and Newtruck: Directory of Motor Carrier Data (co-author, Dr. Dan St. Clair).
John loved horticulture and gardening and his dogs.
But his true love was his wife of 50 years, Sharon Ferneau Wassom also of Grinnell, his son and daughter-in-law, Greg Wassom and Melissa Chase Wassom, and two grandsons. John also was survived by two sisters, two brothers-in-law and several nieces and nephews.
A scholarship has been established in his honor at WKU: The John C. Wassom Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o College Heights Foundation, 1906 College Heights Blvd., P.O. Box 41016, Bowling Green, KY 42101.
