Lucille Johnsen Stelling

Lucille Johnsen Stelling, a college professor, theater critic and travel writer in Minnesota for many years died Monday (May 26) in North Kingstown. She was the author of the original Frommer’s Minneapolis & St. Paul travel guide, graced with details such as the observation that the town of Le Sueur, birthplace of two well-known figures, gave more prominent billing to the Jolly Green Giant than the founder of the Mayo Clinic. Born in 1924 in New York City, Lucille was the daughter of William and Jean (Weissman) Lokos. Growing up in Brooklyn, she was an avid Dodgers fan, attending many games at Ebbets Field. She was a graduate of Erasmus Hall High School and Brooklyn College. After raising three children in Edina, Minn., she returned to school to earn a Ph.D. in Theater at the University of Minnesota. Her doctoral thesis entailed living for a time in Italy to view performances of plays for children, preceded by a language immersion program at the Bread Loaf School of Middlebury College, in Vermont. Lucille was one of the original faculty members at Metropolitan State Junior College, in Minneapolis, and later began a 25-year career at Normandale Community College, in Bloomington, teaching literature and writing. During that time, she regulary wrote theater reviews, book reviews and travel pieces for various newspapers including the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. She was a member of the American Theater Critics Association and one of the first writers to interview playwright August Wilson and review his work. At the Sun Newspapers, she worked with editor Del Stelling who became her loving husband and traveling companion of many years. After retiring from teaching, Lucille moved on to develop Elderhostel programs for the University of Minnesota. She took several groups to theater performances at venues ranging from the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis to Trinity Rep in Providence, Broadway and London’s West End. She is survived by her daughter Carol Johnsen and her husband Bruce Bryant, of Vancouver, Wash., her daughter Amy Johnsen-Harris, of Cranston, and her son Dan Johnsen, of South Kingstown; her brother Lionel Lokos, of Ocala, Fla.; and three grandchildren, Molly Johnsen, Bart Johnsen-Harris and Homer Johnsen. She held a special fondness for the Lodge Critters. A memorial service will be held in Minneapolis.