A. Bennett Jenson

Died

  
Dr. A. Bennett Jenson  
Passed away peacefully on December 23, 2019 at the age of 80. His great sense of humor, tender heart, generous spirit and scientific mind will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Born in Houston Texas in 1939, Ben spent his childhood in Hobbs, New Mexico, but returned to Texas to complete a bachelor's degree in chemistry at TCU, Master's degree in Experimental Pathology and a Medical Degree at Baylor College of Medicine. Bennett served in the US Army Medical Corps as a pathologist, performing valuable research for which he received the Army Commendation Medal. His career in pathology started at Baylor but extended to Scripps Research Institute, the National Institutes of Health, Georgetown University Medical School, and the Brown Cancer Center at the University of Louisville , teaching and researching viruses and vaccines. He greatly admired Edward Jenner, an early vaccine researcher, and gave several lectures on his work. Ben's hard work and dedication through the years reached fruition in his research linking Human Papilloma Virus to cervical cancer and his co-development of the HPV vaccine. He was also an animal lover and very interested in the prevention of the papillomavirus in dogs, horses, manatees, dolphins and snow leopards. Veterinarians often asked him to share his knowledge and expertise on animals afflicted with this virus. Ben's determination to help others was apparent in his ongoing work on other types of vaccines after the cervical cancer vaccine was made available to the public. His leisure pastimes included reading, and following his favorite basketball and football teams. In his younger days, Ben was an excellent golfer and won the state championship in high school. Loved by all who knew him, Ben's achievements in the field of science, as well as his warm personality will be long remembered. He is survived by his wife, Shin-je Ghim, daughters Stephanie, Michelle and Jennifer, by his first wife, Susan Hathorn, and his grandson, Jared, and granddaughter, Mariska. A visitation will be held Sunday, December 29, 1 to 4 p.m. at Arch L. Heady-Cralle Funeral Home, 2428 Frankfort Ave., Louisville, Kentucky, with a celebration of Dr. Jenson's life at 4 p.m. A burial service will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date to be determined.

Source: The Washington Post

Published on: 29-12-2019