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Requiescat in Pace Living Legacies
from SLUH Magazine
by SLUH
REQUIESCAT IN PACE
Since July 2021, SLUH has learned of the deaths of the following alumni. Eternal rest grant unto them, oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. Find the complete list at sluh.org/remember.
List compiled 7/1/21-1/15/22
Mr. Thomas R. Arri '50 Mr. Stephen P. Aylward '64 Matthias H. Backer Jr., M.D. '44 Mr. Christian J. Balcer '90 Robert L. Bannister, Ph.D. '54 Mr. Ronald J. Bauer '56 Mr. Marc J. Braeckel '56 Mr. Robert E. Britt '56 Mr. Nick E. Calcaterra '07 Mr. Thomas C. Cassani '49 Mr. Mark B. Chartrand '59 Mr. John J. Cleary '90 Mr. Robert E. Concannon Jr. '52 Mr. Richard B. Dalton '61 Mr. John E. Donato '52 Capt. Donald P. Dorenkamp,
USAF (Ret.), PA '78 Mr. Richard T. Doyle Jr. '80 Mr. Stephen P. Forrest Jr. '64 Mr. Thomas J. Fournie '72 Mr. Richard J. Fredrick '54 Mr. Donald R. Garcia '53 Mr. Barry A. Gates '98 Mr. David J. Gund '66 Edward J. Heiden, Ph.D. '56 Mr. Ryan J. Hemkens '99 Mr. Richard A. Horner '54 Mr. Preston Humphrey Jr. '90 John J. Kelly, M.D. '56 Mr. Richard J. Klohr Jr. '28 Mr. David P. Laufer '55 Mr. Donald W. Maag Sr. '52 Mr. Charles J. McEnery Jr. '49 Mr. Leonard A. Meyer Sr. '49 Mr. Joseph H. Mueller '53 Mr. Eugene A. Naes '48 C. A. Nester, MD '66 Mr. Joseph A. O’Connor '30 Mr. John J. O’Donnell '33 William J. Ott, M.D. '62 Rev. John W. Padberg, SJ '44 Mr. Russell A. Pautler '56 Mr. Theodore J. Petersen '61 Mr. Robert F. Pfyl '55 Lt. Col. George Podrasky '55 Mr. John G. Pollock '61 Mr. Nicholas E. Porter '86 Mr. Rick J. Randazzo '74 Mr. James W. Rataj '60 Mr. Dennis Reichert '65 Mr. Richard H. Riehemann '54 G. G. Robben, M.D. '54 Mr. Thomas M. Sargent '72 Mr. Robert P. Schaefer '55 Mr. Richard Schmandt '47 James H. Stebbings, ScD '55 Richard P. Sugg, Ph.D. '59 Mr. John F. Sullivan '51 Thaddeus Szewczyk, M.D. '32 Mr. Stephen M. Tapper Jr. '59 Mr. Kenneth R. Tiemeyer '60 Mr. Kevin R. Toal III '88 Mr. Thomas J. Tobin '55 Mr. Pierre L. Troupe '72 Mr. William F. Vishy Jr. '59 Mr. Nicholas M. Walter '96 Mr. James M. Wetzel '56
Please let us know if you learn of the death of an alumnus or friend of SLUH at alumni@sluh.org.
LIVING LEGACIES
Three Backer Awardees Distinguished by Selfless Service, Remarkable Careers
Matthias Backer, M.D. ‘44
The first SLUH Backer Award recipient (1983), Dr. “Matt” Backer was a leader in healthcare, education and the U.S. Navy.
A graduate of Saint Louis University Medical school, Backer was in private practice for 31 years, attending more than 5,000 births. At different times, he was chairman of obstetrics-gynecology at St. Joseph’s, St. Anthony’s and Saint Louis University hospitals, and chief of staff at the latter two. He was a faculty member at SLU from 1954 to the time of his passing, advancing from instructor to professor and department chairman. His academic career included considerable clinical research and the publication of numerous papers and articles on medical, social and naval subjects. During his naval career, from 1944-84, he rose from Hospital Apprentice 2nd Class to that of Rear Admiral in the medical corps. He was the Navy representative at his medical school from 1957-92, during which time more than 400 students entered the Navy medical corps.
Backer was honored with the Legion of Merit from the U.S. Navy, the service award from his medical school and the leadership award from the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society. He was married to Laverne Knapp for 43 years before her death from cancer, and they had 13 children. In 1997, he married Georgia Garrison-Backer BSN.
View Backer's eulogy. Bob Bannister, Ph.D. ‘54
Dr. Bannister dedicated his professional life to education and public service. He began his teaching career at the St. Louis Priory School and spent 30 years as faculty and vice principal at Ladue Horton Watkins High School. He led SLUH as principal from 1995-2002 and served as a consultant to the president for many years thereafter. Bannister was an adjunct professor of Mathematics at UMSL from 1968-78 and represented the 12th Ward on the St. Louis Board of Aldermen from 1977-79. He served on numerous committees, boards and councils, including the St. Louis Art Museum, the St. Louis Public Library, the St. Louis Arena Corporation, the Arts and Humanities Commission of the City of St. Louis, the 1987-88 Board of Freeholders of the City and County of St. Louis, and the Boards of Trustees for Loyola Academy, Marian Middle School, Nerinx Hall and SLUH.
A lifelong St. Louisan and Saint Louis University graduate, Bannister was an avid city historian who descended from the original settlers of St. Louis. He and his wife, Margaret, had three daughters. He was a born storyteller and a master of puns who loved helping others.
View Dr. Bannister's SLUH Archive video interview. Fr. John Padberg, SJ ‘44
A Jesuit for 77 years and a priest for 64 years, Fr. Padberg was one of the most influential American Jesuits of the last 50 years.
An avid scholar, he earned several degrees, including a Ph.D. in Intellectual History from Harvard. He taught Greek, Speech, and history at SLUH from 195153 and served as a history professor and academic vice president at SLU from 1964-73. He was president of the Weston School of Theology in Cambridge, MA from 1975-85. During these same years, 1975-85, he was the founding Chair of the National Seminar on Jesuit Higher Education and Editor of Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education. In 1986, Padberg took the reins as Director of the Institute of Jesuit Sources in St. Louis as the Chair of the Seminar on Jesuit Spirituality, and as the Editor of Studies in the Spirituality of Jesuits. Over the years, he lectured extensively about the history and spirituality of the Society of Jesus and Jesuit education, giving presentations at all 28 U.S. Jesuit colleges and universities and in the d’Arcy Lectures at Campion Hall at the University of Oxford.
Padberg had the historian’s flair for a good story and demonstrated unfailing courtesy and friendliness. He was a delightful companion and always a pleasure to be with.
