After four years of battling an ultimately fatal case of prostate cancer, communications professor William Alnor was recently honored in a modest and heartwarming gathering.

Professor Alnor was a well-known journalism and law lecturer in the Communications Department.

The son of a United Methodist minister, Alnor wrote four books—all involving religion, the existence of UFOs or some combination of the two.

Upon spending a decade working in the journalism field, Alnor decided that his passion lay in “training up fellow journalists,” as his wife, Jackie, put it and decided to become a teacher.

Students remember Alnor as being an enthusiastic professor who cared for his students and always made himself available.

Four years ago, Alnor was given the news that he had terminal stage four prostate cancer that had spread to different parts of his body.

Though Alnor was always honest and open about his condition with students and co-workers, he never asked for pity and was always willing to help the department in any way possible.

On March 20, the cancer overcame his body and took his life. He was 56 years old.

At the on campus memorial service for the professor on Monday, April 11 in the Biella room in the Library, Chair of the Communication Department Dr. Gail Young said it best.

“Dr. Alnor once said to me that he was a soldier,” said Young. “But I thought of him as more of a protector because of his sense of service and duty. The department was his academic home and he wanted to do anything he could to protect it, so in that sense he was a good soldier.”

The service included a short speech from his widow, a video profile done by a student from the department, the reading of select student evaluation forms and a time for fellow faculty and students that knew him to go up and share their memories and experiences with Alnor.

Present at the service were Alnor’s wife, oldest daughter and only grandchild, a five month-old baby girl named Noel.

“We’re so lucky to have had Noel come into our lives when she did,” Alnor’s wife said, becoming emotional. “She brought so much joy to Bill and it was great for him to have that.”

Jackie was with Alnor when he got the news that his cancer was spreading.

“I asked the doctor, ‘Will my husband ever be an old man?’” she said. “He said no, and at that point Bill sort of hung his head, but he never gave up.”

Indeed, it was a common theme among his colleagues and students that he always gave 100 percent in everything he did.

Fellow communications professor Grant Kien remembered Alnor’s “remarkable fight” with cancer and admired his willingness to carry on.

“He is both a champion and a hero to me,” said Kien.

Terry West, another colleague that worked alongside Alnor, admitted to regrettably not getting to know him better before he became ill but will always recall how he was dedicated to his field to the very end.

“You could always count on Bill to have his part of the work done,” said West. “He always made sure to be there for his office hours and meet with his students. Students were what Bill was really all about.”

Young mirrored this sentiment.

“Never have I ever read teacher evaluations with such an overwhelmingly positive response,” she said.

Students were asked to read excerpts from his evaluations, which mentioned his outstanding work ethic, even when ill, and his enthusiasm in the classroom.

“I wish he taught every class in the Communication Department,” one read.

“Great teacher! He really made me interested in the subject,” read another.

One student present at the service remembered how Alnor refused to let his declining health get in the way of his teaching.
“He was in so much pain sometimes,” she said. “You could see the pain in his face but he always came to class. He never gave up.”

Common themes in the memories that members present were sharing included his love of life and teaching and his never failing integrity.

One reading from the student evaluations said it best.

“He was always willing to help his students,” it said. “I don’t think there are any obstacles that could stop him from teaching.”

Alnor is survived by his wife, three children and one grandchild.