Robert Bernard ’69 *84

Bob died March 19, 2015, after a multi-year struggle with lung cancer. After the initial surgery, he missed only one day of teaching, to which he was so dedicated.

Bob came to Princeton from Exeter, majored in classics, and was a member of Stevenson Hall. A University Scholar, he was awarded the Robbins Greek Prize.

He earned his bachelor’s degree and his Ph.D. from Princeton and a master of divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. His subjects included Hebrew, Latin, Greek, French, German, patristics, and philosophy. A faculty member at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he held the positions of director of modern languages and chair of the philosophy and ethics division.

Bob will be most remembered for his extraordinary human qualities. As the seminary president reflected, “He was a grand encourager of students and fellow professors, the faculty leader of our prayer ministry, and a teacher as greatly beloved as any that have ever taught here.”

Bob often quoted a 2 Corinthians verse with a smile: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”

He is survived by his wife, Mary Ella, and their daughter, Helen.