June 5, 2009
SOUTH BEND - Professor Otto Allen Bird, Founding Director of the General Program of Liberal Studies at the University of Notre Dame, died June 5, 2009 in his sleep. He received his bachelor's degree in English and his master's degree in English and Comparative Literature from the University of Michigan and his doctorate in philosophy from the University of Toronto. He taught at St. John's University in New York. He was Associate Editor of the Syntopicon, the analytical index of the Great Books of the Western World, published by the Encyclopedia Britannica. He was Editor of Great Ideas Today, and worked closely with philosopher Mortimer Adler. In 1950, he founded the General Program of Liberal Studies, based on the Great Books, at the University of Notre Dame. He retired from Notre Dame in 1977. He was the author of several books, including his autobiography, Seeking a Center: My Life as a Great 'Bookie.' In 1936, he married Evelina Bills Polk, who predeceased him. He is survived by eight children: Kate Bird (Joe Volz) of Frederick, Md.; Bill (Evelyn) of Prescott, Az.; Mike (Diane) of Loogootee, Ind.; Tony (Roni) of Noblesville, Ind.; Evie Bird Haas (Dick) of Mequon, Wisc.; Chris (Erika) of Ashland, Ore.; Sarah Bird (Ken Peczkowski) of South Bend; and Barry (Charlotte Cook) of Rockville, Md. He also is survived by 19 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren and a sister, Margaret McGimsey. All five of his sons and three of his grandchildren graduated from the General Program. Visitation will be on Sunday from 2 to 4 pm at McGann Hay Funerals & Cremations, University Chapel, 2313 Edison Road, South Bend, Ind. His funeral will be on Monday at 9:30 am at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, University of Notre Dame. Burial will follow at Cedar Grove Cemetery on the Notre Dame Campus. To send condolences to the family or for directions log on to www.mcgannhay.com.