Thomas J. Jambeck of Storrs, associate professor emeritus of English and former director of medieval studies, died Nov. 14 at the age of 78. He had taught at UConn since 1976.

Born in Minneapolis, Minn., the son of Elmer J. and Valeria (Bischoff) Jambeck, he was proud of his Minnesota roots and his Finnish heritage. He earned his bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University and his master’s degree from St. Cloud State College, both in Minnesota. He also served in the U.S. Army.

Passionate about medieval English literature particularly medieval drama, he earned his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1969. His dissertation, “The Elements of Grotesque Humor in the Passion Sequences of the English Medieval Cycle Drama” appeared the following year, and has been widely cited.

His published works include numerous articles, among them “Everyman and the Implications of Bernardine Humanism in the Character ‘Knowledge'” and “The ‘Day Star’ Allusion in the Secunda Pastorum.” He also co-authored two books with UConn colleagues, Grammar and the Strategies of Writing with David Sonstroem, and Reading Old English: A Primer and First Reader with Robert Hasenfratz.

His many fellowships and honors included the Teaching Excellence Award in 1967 from the University of Colorado, where he was a graduate assistant and a teaching associate at the time.

In 1986, he married Kathy Shaughnessy, who predeceased him. He is survived by two sons, Mark David Jambeck of Storrs and Per Jambeck; and many relatives and friends.

A funeral Mass was held on Nov. 21, at St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel in Storrs, with burial in Storrs Cemetery. Donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or to cancer research.