Albert Emericus Bender Ph.D., Sr.

About

Saint Louis University

Albert Bender Obituary

Bender, Sr., Albert Emericus PhD (Rick) lifelong educator and community servant, died peacefully of natural causes and surrounded by family on October 23, 2013, survived by his wife of 58 years, Joan Carol Tabor Bender, his five children, Andrew Barnabas Bender (Andy) of Webster Groves and his wife Patricia (Patty), Albert Emericus Bender, Jr. (Bert) of Atlanta and his wife Kathryn Lee (Kay), Hugh Tabor Bender of Austin and his wife Cassandra (Sandi), Dr. Elizabeth Anne Bender (Beth) of St. Louis and her wife Shauna Cunningham, and Rachel Evans (Bender) Boxdorfer of St. Louis and her husband Matt, and his brother Francis (Mick) Bender of Maryland. Pop thrived in the presence of his 14 grandchildren, Maddy, Christian and Gretchen Boxdorfer, Connor Cunningham, Sydney, Jack and Max Bender, Alex and Brendan Bender, and Jordan, Lacey, Blake, Lindsay and Ashley Bender. He will be remembered as the co-founder of Bender Beach Week (est. 1997). Before becoming an education professor at Saint Louis University in 1968, Dr. Bender (BS St. Vincent, 1948; MLitt (1956) and PhD (1964), Pittsburgh) was a U.S. Naval Air Corpsman, brickmaker, butcher, Benedictine postulant, law student, high school teacher and college instructor. Among numerous SLU leadership roles, Rick hosted years of informal (raucous) lecture sessions for graduate students (in vino, veritas). He served to improve student education on the St. Louis Board of Education from 1993 to 1999. A constant presence on the Forest Park handball courts, he served as President, Secretary and Treasurer, receiving (and surviving) a heart attack on those courts. Rick served on the Deanery and Archdiocesan Pastoral Councils and as the Liturgy Committee Chair for Saint Roch. An Eagle Scout, Rick was Scoutmaster and Chair of Troop 98, and in 1978 received the Silver Beaver Award, the highest council distinguished service award of the BSA. His list of other community service and leadership roles goes on and on and on . . . Services: A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Roch Catholic Church, at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013, reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, friends may contribute to St. Roch Catholic Church, Forest Park Forever, Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council, or Troop 98 (c/o St. Roch).

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by St. Louis Post-Dispatch from Oct. 27 to Oct. 28, 2013.

Memories and Condolences
for Albert Bender

8 Entries

Jack Gallagher

October 17, 2024

Dr. Bender taught a political science course I took at Wheeling College 1963 - 66. It was the first college class where I actually learned something new every class. His class involved reading articles on great world leaders at home and then discussing in class how their ideas applied to today. I was a history major and it was the first class that did not rely on memorizing dates and events but dealt in concepts and ideas. I also played bridge with him in the cafeteria and when he would get his hand he would fan it out so I could see the cards in his hand as my partner. The other players were so intimidated by playing with him they hardly looked up and didn´t see us flashing our cards. He had a great sense of humor. His class was in the afternoon when we liked to play golf. So when I would show he would do this little drama where he would say " Gee Mr. Gallagher is with us today " and then he would walk to the window peering out pretending to be looking for rain. He was a wonderful professor and his obit makes sense. Just thought about him recently and thought maybe a kiddo of his would enjoy knowing his impact. I wound up counseling kids and families and teaching a parenting class series with parents and their teens. Your dad was the best professor I ever had and got me thinking about the why and how of history versus dates and event details. It clearly improved how I taught my classes.

Margaret Williams

November 8, 2013

Dr. Bender, I am sorry to learn of the passing of your father. My prayer is that you and your family find time to remember the beauty of his life and that your family bond continue to be strong around your loving mom.

May God richly bless the memories and the love you share.

Sincerely,

Su Schmalz

November 4, 2013

So sorry to hear of your Dad's passing. Did not know him but knew "of" him. He sure passed on some great genes. Thinking of you.

Leslie Sabol

November 2, 2013

Beth, I am so sorry to hear of your Dad's passing. May is memory be for a blessing.

Dan & Monique Hudspeth

November 1, 2013

You all are evidence of his great works while on this earth. What a wonderful man and such a wonderful family...our love to you

Tobias Gilk

October 27, 2013

My deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Mr. B. In addition to his five children, he must have had a thousand additional sons through his involvement with Troop 98. I was (and remain) privileged to be one of them.

Mick & Alice Bender

October 27, 2013

We shall miss the funnyness(?), along with the devilness and the caring that was Rick. He and Joan have been very kind to us. We shall miss him greatly.

Grant Ezell

October 27, 2013

What a wonderful family he created. Job well done.

Showing 1 - 8 of 8 results