Skip to main content

Campus mourns loss of UTM English professor


Dr. Carl Jay Buchanan of Union City, an assistant professor in the UTM English Department, died Saturday at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union City. He was 46.

He is survived by his wife, Kristine Veenstra Buchanan, his 5-year old daughter, Miranda, and a son, Carl Buchanan of Indianapolis.

Dr. Todd Butler’s office is directly across the hall from Dr. Buchanan’s office, where a wreath has been placed in his memory.

“Carl was the first member of the faculty to offer to do something social when I arrived at UTM,” Butler said. “He was both an active scholar and an active teacher, and an all-around good guy.”

Butler added that Buchanan was very passionate about poetry and developing poets and creative writers.

“I am sure our students and staff will miss him greatly,” said Jenna Wright, an instructor of English.

Wright spent the day talking to Buchanan’s classes about how to cope with the loss, and how the remainder of the semester would be handled.

Dr. Andy King of the Counseling Center was also present for these classes.

“Students dealing with a loss feel the need to do something, something creative,” King said.

“Today I suggested they write a letter to the widow to tell her how much Carl meant to them.”

King urged students who are currently enrolled in his class or have taken Buchanan’s classes in the past to come by the Counseling Center in UC 213 if they feel the need.

However, students are asked to call 587-7720 to make an appointment because of the number of people affected by this loss.

Anthony Reynolds, an Athletic Training major from Carbondale, Ill., was once a student in Buchanan’s class.

“Dr. Buchanan meant a whole lot to me; he is probably my favorite professor in college,” said Reynolds. “He will be greatly missed by those that experienced his teachings.”

He had also written more than 20 published articles and reviews on topics ranging from Sigmund Freud to Star Wars in American culture.

Buchanan published a book in 1999 title Ripper!, which was a series of poems about Jack the Ripper, the never-caught killer who terrorized East End in London in 1888.

“Attitudes and Choices,” a series of plays written by Buchanan, dealt with teenage delinquency issues.

Buchanan received numerous awards, including the honor of being a Walt Whitman Award finalist and a $1,000 research grant at Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey.