Martin Bronfenbrenner, Duke University's first Kenan Professor of Economics, died of pancreatic cancer at his Durham home on June 2, 1997. He is survived by his wife, Teruko Okuaki Bronfenbrenner; a son, Kenneth Bronfenbrenner of New York; a daughter, June K. Bronfenbrenner-Walker; and a grandson, Brian J. Walker, both of Severna Park, Md.

Professor Bronfenbrenner received his Ph.D. in Economics in 1939 at the University of Chicago and began his long, distinguished academic career at Roosevelt College. He taught, lectured, or conducted research at many universities in the United States and abroad. He also served in the SCAP in Tokyo, the Federal Reserve Banks, and the Department of the Treasury. He authored numerous books, monographs and journal articles. He taught, nurtured, and mentored generations of younger economists and researchers.

Professor Bronfenbrenner's contributions to economics were widely acclaimed during his lifetime and will continue to be honored for years to come. We were all impressed with his rigorous analytical approaches to a wide range of problems, his superb literary skill with unique style and taste, and his spirit of responsible citizenship. His students vividly and gratefully remember what an outstanding, inspiring and dedicated teacher he was.

This mourner was one of Professor Bronfenbrenner's students at the University of Wisconsin in the early 1950s. I treasure the memory of those days. Attending his lectures was a major part of my routine then. He usually came to class ahead of the hour and filled the blackboard with fascinating, multicolored diagrams, tables, and equations for use in his lecture. In each course, I copied everything from the blackboard, took extensive notes of his lectures, and after hours reworked the diagrams, data, notes, etc., which by the end of a semester grew into a small book. I worked with special care this way when I took his famous course on income distribution.

I also actively sought his advice on many theoretical issues whether related or unrelated to the courses I was taking with him. No doubt, I was using up too much of his time, but he was never annoyed by my persistence. He always generously engaged me in theoretical argument and problem-solving. Unfortunately, my rewarding days at Wisconsin were cut short. The U.S. Army, my ultimate sponsor, would not grant me any more extension of stay in the United States. While waiting for another chance to return to graduate work in the U.S., the notes from the Bronfenbrenner courses were my closest companion keeping my hopes alive.

Professor Bronfenbrenner was a world class economist riding high at the frontier of economic theory. At the same time, he was also keenly interested in practical problems. For example, he maintained his interest in the Ryukyuan/Okinawan economy all his life beginning with his participation in a SCAP mission to Okinawa in 1949. The readers of The Ryukyuanist will remember his essay, "An Airport Economist in the Ryukyus (November 1949)," (No. 9, Summer 1990). He single-handedly fixed the exchange rate for the Type B military yen currency (B-yen, Ryukyuan currency, 1950-58) at 120 yen to a U.S. dollar.

In Who's Who in Economics (1983), Professor Bronfenbrenner is cited as having "assisted in keeping general economics alive and making Japanological economics respectable." His "Japanological economics" was as rigorous as his general economics except for the use of different institutional and behavioral postulates derived from Japanese practices. It was still theory-driven economics and quite different from "economic Japanology" of the Japanese studies variety.

Quite fittingly - if one may say so in hindsight - Professor Bronfenbrenner's last paper was on Japan's growth and recession, presented at a meeting of the Japan Economic Seminar in November 1996, a few weeks before symptoms of his illness began to appear. He continued to teach until the end of March 1997.

Alas, he is no longer with us. We sorely miss his presence. He taught us to strive for an ever higher standard of scholarship combining rigorous economic analysis and sustained concern for justice and fairness. We will honor him by efforts worthy of his memory. (K.T.)