About the author

Jeanette Blonigen Clancy is an educator and writer living in Avon, Minnesota. She has taught languages and communication to adolescents and adults in a variety of settings, most recently as a teacher of ESL to adults at Adult Basic Education, St. Cloud, MN, and as a supervisor of teacher candidates for St. Cloud State University.

Brought up in a blanketing Catholic atmosphere, she obtained a Master’s degree in systematic theology from St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota, but claims an eclectic and generic spirituality. Her graduate degree led to independent study of the historical Jesus, mythology, scripture, spirituality, and comparative religion.

Besides writing two local history books, she contributed an essay to the anthology The Rule of Mars: Readings on the Origins, History and Impact of Patriarchy. In addition, she has written for many periodicals, including letters in the National Catholic Reporter. Frequently she appears on the opinion page of the St. Cloud Times, striving to build global justice, spiritual understanding, and cooperation between nations and religions.

Jeanette was in Garrison Keillor's “Prairie Home Companion” show in Avon, MN on July 4, 2009, as the historian of Avon. She researched and wrote Nestled between Lakes and Wooded Hills: The Centennial History of the Avon Area, two inches thick, according to Garrison.

In addition, she has been heard on various radio shows since 1991. The interview with Garrison and two more samples are available for download on the Interviews page.