By Rebecca Goodman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

ST. MARTIN, Ohio - Bernard Gendreau gave his last philosophy test Tuesday night.

On staff at Xavier University for 50 years, he had gained professor emeritus status in 1993. But he was still teaching as an adjunct.

Dr. Gendreau had a heart attack after his last four-hour class. He died Wednesday after open-heart surgery at Jewish Hospital. The St. Martin, Ohio. resident was 81.

An internationally known philosopher, Dr. Gendreau was "a wonderful man who was well respected by all the students that I've met," said his friend Robert McDevitt of Sycamore Township, a psychiatrist.

He was a member, with Dr. Gendreau, of AIEMPR, a group of philosophers, psychiatrists, psychologists and theologians that works on issues such as violence. "He helped us a lot with the philosophical understanding of the underpinnings of psychology and psychiatry. He had a lot of great insights (and) presented ideas for us to mull over," McDevitt said.

Dr. Gendreau presented academic papers in Rome; Paris; London; Prague; Guadalajara, Mexico; and universities throughout the United States.

A native of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, he was the son of Marie Louise and Alphonse Gendreau.

He received a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Montreal in 1947 and a post-doctoral master's degree in medieval studies from the University of Notre Dame in 1953.

That year he joined the faculty at XU, where he was chairman of the philosophy department for six years.

Dr. Gendreau's interests included music, art and gardening.

Survivors include: his wife, Jean Anderson Gendreau; three sons, Tom of La Crosse, Wis., Pierre of Anderson Township and Andre of Mason; three daughters, Elizabeth Maxwell of Columbus, Mimi Noyes of Detroit and Emilie Burdette of Fayetteville; a sister, Gloria Impagliazzo of Tampa, Fla.; and nine grandchildren.

Visitation is 12:30-2 p.m. today, followed by Mass of the Holy Spirit at Bellarmine Chapel at XU. Burial follows at St. Martin Cemetery in St. Martin, Ohio.

Memorials: Xavier University Library Fund, or the Philosophy, Politics or Public Honors Program, 3800 Victory Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45207.