Minoo Dorab Adenwalla

Minoo Dorab Adenwalla, 97, passed away peacefully on January 5, 2025 in Appleton, Wisconsin, where he had lived for the past 65 years.

Minoo was preceded by his late wife, Mary June Adenwalla (nee Hill), and survived by his sister Perin Cooper, daughters Elizabeth Shireen Kapadia and Sheila Anne Adenwalla, as well as their respective husbands, Homi Kapadia and Mike Blise. He is also survived by three grandchildren: Sarita, Cyrus, and Katie; three great grandchildren: Darian, Linus, and Casper; as well as nieces and nephews: Laila, Nayana, Mary, and Peter.

Minoo was born in Pune, India, in the Indian state of Maharashtra on India’s West Coast. When he was born, India was part of the British Empire. 

Minoo got his B.A. in English Literature at Wilson College in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, followed by a M.S. in Journalism and a Ph.D. in Political Science, both from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. After serving as a visiting professor at Kenyon College in Ohio, and as assistant professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia, he joined Lawrence University in 1959 where he taught Asian History and Politics, specializing in Indo-Pakistani politics, as well as U.S. Constitutional Law and Political Philosophy.

Lawrence University’s longest serving professor, former Professor Emeritus of Government and Mary Mortimer Chair of Liberal Studies, Minoo Adenwalla, retired from full-time teaching in June 2002. But he wanted to continue teaching part-time which he did until the age of 95 in 2023. Overall, Minoo taught for 66 years, 64 of them at Lawrence. 

Minoo made strong connections with most of the people he met, as he was genuinely curious about and interested in their lives. He loved staying in touch with former students, many of whom were still visiting and FaceTiming him recently. He often said that one of his greatest joys had been the very large number of current and former students who had become close friends, as also reported in a recent Lawrence University article, https://www.lawrentian.com/archives/1024911. His longevity can be attributed to his wide network of family and friends as well as his strict daily exercise routine. He also enjoyed traveling, teaching abroad, cooking, eating, and drinking scotch while discussing politics in the company of good friends accumulated over decades.

He enjoyed living independently at his home near City Park until June 2023 when he moved to Touchmark. The family would like to thank all his caregivers from Touchmark, Home Instead, St. Croix and Heartland hospices.

A memorial service celebrating Minoo’s remarkable life will be held in Spring on the campus of Lawrence University, most likely in May 2025. Minoo always had a very strong belief in education. If you’re interested, we suggest a contribution to the Minoo Adenwalla Professorship in the Social Sciences at Lawrence University at https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/56680/donations/new. If contributing by check, see mailing address at https://www.lawrence.edu/giving-lawrence/how-give and note “Adenwalla Professorship” in the memo line or enclose a note.