Sylvania, Ohio
May 15, 1940 – Feb 16, 2014
John Bennett Bacon, a retired professor and author, died on February 16, 2014; he was 73 years old.
He was born in Toledo, Ohio on May 15, 1940 to Frank Rider Bacon, Jr. and Eleanor Bennett Bacon. He graduated from DeVilbiss High School in Toledo, Ohio in 1958 and received his BA from Wabash College in 1962 and in 1966 he received his PhD from Yale University. He was interested in philosophy, semantics and logic and held positions on the faculties at the University of Texas, Austin, The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Fordham University, City University of New York, Rutgers University, Pratt Institute in New York, and the University of Sydney, Australia.
In addition to teaching, he was also an accomplished author. He co-authored titles such as Logic from A to Z: The Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy Glossary of Logical and Mathematical Terms; Being and Existence: Two Ways of Formal Ontology; Ontology, Causality and Mind and his works were also cited in the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Volume 10.
Mr. Bacon is survived by his son David (Karen) Bacon, Katonah, New York and daughter Sara Elsa-Beech (Jennifer Balfour), Somerville, MA, three grandchildren Miles, Calder and Rosalind, brother George (Lai Ling), Toronto, Ontario and sister, Kate (John) Endersbe, Tubac, AZ. He is also survived by two ex-wives, Gertrud Elsasser Bacon (Weilheim, Germany and New York City) and Abigail Rosenthal Martin (New York City and Pennsylvania). He was preceded in death by his parents Frank and Eleanor Bacon.
I am saddened to learn that John is no longer with us. I was Chair of the Philosophy Department at the University of Sydney when we appointed John in the 1970s. That was a good day's work - he was for many years a stalwart of the department and a regular at our lunch table in the faculty club.
We will miss his earnestness, willingness, and endearing unworldliness.
Keith Campbell, Sydney
July 30, 2014
I was very sorry to hear of John's death (by way of an obituary in today's Sydney Morning Herald, 29 July 2014). We were colleagues and good friends in the Philosophy School at Sydney over many years from the late 1970s. He was a true scholar, deeply informed, precise in his thinking, open in discussion and argument, tenacious in the search for truth and understanding. John was the most regular participant in the many 'Philosophy' bushwalks that I organised in those years in the national...
Paul Crittenden
July 28, 2014 | Sydney, Australia
It saddened me to hear of John's death. As my philosophy teacher at University of Sydney John's knowledge, clarity and precision of thought, and humour, impressed. He later became a good friend. Many a conversation - about philosophy, literature, love, life - was shared over pizza on Glebe Point Road or on conversational walks as far apart as Royal National Park, Sydney, and New York City. Conversations were exacting, sometimes exasperating, but always invigorating and worthwhile exchanges of...
Denise Gamble
March 29, 2014 | Adelaide
This is sad news about John. He was a caring person, very bright and very decent. As his first Honours supervisee after his move to the University of Sydney, I am forever grateful for his philosophical focus and support during that year. I liked and respected him a lot.
Stephen Hetherington
March 28, 2014 | Sydney
I was extremely sorry to hear of John Bacon's death. John was one of the many excellent teachers I had at the University of Sydney Philosophy Department in the 1980s.
Daniel Stoljar
Daniel Stoljar
March 26, 2014 | Canberra
I remember John, Gertrud, David and Sara from Austin, Texas. Then we kept in touch on the east coast. We met him with Abigail Rosenthal and then lost touch. We were sad to hear about his passing.
Brigitte Howard
March 25, 2014 | New York, NY
Dear Kate,
I was sorry to here about John. I can't make to the memorial service but I would like to see you when you come to Toledo. Just let me know and I will try to be there.
Love, Andy
Andrea Steible
March 20, 2014 | Reynoldsburg, OH
John was a special person. We were fraternity brothers at Wabash, and I remember him as a brilliant, eccentric man with a basically good heart. His brothers will miss him.
Earl Arnett
March 19, 2014 | Baltimore, MD
I am shocked and saddened. John was a wonderful friend. We were in Chemistry class together senior year at DeVilbiss. There I discovered his humor and friendship. When I was a camp counselor a few summers later, his letters kept me sane! Many years later, my sister Judith and I saw John in Sydney and we spent time together. Thank you for your friendship, John. God be with you.
Sharon Klein
March 19, 2014 | Solana Beach, CA
