A Philosophical Life: The Collected Essays
of
William C. Gentry
Book of essays published by friends of late professor (article published Sept. 7, 2008 )
• E-mail story
LITTLE ROCK — The Rev. Dr. William C. Gentry is gone, but those left behind have endeavored to ensure
that his work lives on through a book of his essays.
Gentry died in the summer of 2003, after 29 years as assistant professor of philosophy at Henderson State
University. He was also an ordained United Methodist minister.
Dr. Kev in Durand, who assumed Gentry’s job upon his retirement in 2000, said that Gentry was vital in the
university’s growth process. “His vision for the university has shaped the education at Henderson,” said
Durand. “He was dedicated to a liberal arts education.”
Gentry’s widow, Betty, said Gentry often spoke of his students when he was at home, and he loved teaching.
“Bill was a very gifted teacher, thinker and caregiver; and he would have been able to go other places to
teach, but it didn’t work out that way. He had a very hard decision to make. He thought it through and knew
that he wanted his family here,” she said. “He made a deliberate decision to put all his energy y into teaching
at HSU. He didn’t complain or do the minimum. He used all of his energies and efforts.”
In addition to teaching philosophy, Gentry worked to help establish Henderson’s Master of Liberal Arts
program and led a symposium, each fall and each spring, discussing topics as diverse as the environment and
Africa. He began the school’s Honor’s College and has a classroom named after him in the college’s Sturgis
Building.
“He understood the interconnections between all of the disciplines,” Durand said. “The university has
benefited from that tremendously.”
Although Betty Gentry said that she only attended a couple of Gentry’s classes and did not know him very
well in the academic setting, he often spoke about his students and enjoyed spending time with them.
“He loved to grill hamburgers and have students over for supper a couple of times a semester,” she said. “He
loved teaching and loved his students. He was always telling me about his students - how they were
progressing and thinking and what was going on with them.”
Gentry often used his own research and essays, which he had written at various times throughout his career,
to inspire his students. Betty Gentry said that some of her favorites included one on Homer’s contributions,
terminology that is used in philosophy, stem cell research and the Arkadelphia tornado of 1997.
“He loved books, and he seemed able to read books and apply their principles and truisms to any area of
living,” Betty Gentry said.
“History, religion, sports, politics, ethics or art. Ethics was his favorite. He applied ethics to all that he did.”
Gentry himself was also affected by these essays, particularly the discussion about the use of stem cells in
research. After his retirement, Gentry was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, the disease that
eventually took his life, and he underwent a stem-cell transplant. “They [essays] were careful and scholarly,
from his own experience of living with cancer,” Durand said. “He put aside political rhetoric and got to the
heart of the philosophical matter.”
Gentry had a vision of publishing some of his essays, but was not able to do so before his death. With this in
mind, Durand contacted Betty and told her he wished to publish volumes of Gentry’s work. The original idea
was to publish them in Henderson’s online archives. But Durand had previously published a couple of books
with University Press of America, and contacted them about Gentry’s work. The result was A Philosophical
Life: The Collected Essays of William C. Gentry.
After editing all 32 essays, Durand sent them to University Press and the book was published in June, then
released to the public in July. A memorial service was held in Arkadelphia on Sept. 7, 2008, to launch the book
in the area and give people the opportunity to remember Gentry’s life.
“The book is doing reasonably well, from my limited vantage point. We only get updates from UPA at the
conclusion of the fiscal year, so we won’t have a number for a bit, yet. However, the bookstore here in town
sold out of it,” Durand said. The book is available at amazon.com and at the HSU bookstore.
Durand is in the process of compiling a book of Gentry’s essays on religion. Betty Gentry is working on
compiling Gentry’s sermons, as well as stories about life within the church. Durand said that the second and
third editions of the book may be a while in coming. “Generally, in academic publishing, new editions of
textbook s come out every three to five years,” he said. “However, since this isn’t strictly a textbook, but is
rather a piece of original scholarship, it may be longer before a new edition is authorized.”
Proceeds of the book will go to the Philosophy Fund at the Henderson State University Foundation, which
helps support conferences, scholarships and the work of Henderson’s philosophy department, in keeping with
Gentry’s lifestyle. “He was always trying to think of ways in which to make living life a better experience,”
Durand said. “He was very concerned with making connections to how people actually lived, and to be useful,
have an effect and make people’s lives better,” Durand added.
Betty Gentry knows how pleased Gentry would have been with the publication of these books, and hopes
that people realize and remember what a great man Gentry was. “He enabled me to become a better person
than I would have been without him,” she said.
~~~~~~
From Betty Gentry: I would be very pleased for you to put it on the web site. Yes, I am grateful to Bill's
successor, Kevin Durand, for getting the book published. It is a collection of some of Bill's thoughts regarding
philosophy, religion, teaching philosophy, and several essays on timely subjects, as well as remembrances of
Bill by several colleagues and students.
*It is available at the *HSU (i.e. Henderson State University) bookstore and the *Reddie Or Not Bookstore
[on 10th street near the campus], as well as on Amazon.com. The paperback version costs $27 at the HSU
Bookstore. I am always impressed with how you classmates keep up with each other and care for each other.
Betty
_____________________________
*book stores mentioned are in Arkadelphia, AR
To purchase from Amazon.Com Direct Link: http://tinyurl.com/5mlxdw
OR Search for: A Philosophical Life: The Collected Essays of William C. Gentry
of
William C. Gentry
Book of essays published by friends of late professor (article published Sept. 7, 2008 )
• E-mail story
LITTLE ROCK — The Rev. Dr. William C. Gentry is gone, but those left behind have endeavored to ensure
that his work lives on through a book of his essays.
Gentry died in the summer of 2003, after 29 years as assistant professor of philosophy at Henderson State
University. He was also an ordained United Methodist minister.
Dr. Kev in Durand, who assumed Gentry’s job upon his retirement in 2000, said that Gentry was vital in the
university’s growth process. “His vision for the university has shaped the education at Henderson,” said
Durand. “He was dedicated to a liberal arts education.”
Gentry’s widow, Betty, said Gentry often spoke of his students when he was at home, and he loved teaching.
“Bill was a very gifted teacher, thinker and caregiver; and he would have been able to go other places to
teach, but it didn’t work out that way. He had a very hard decision to make. He thought it through and knew
that he wanted his family here,” she said. “He made a deliberate decision to put all his energy y into teaching
at HSU. He didn’t complain or do the minimum. He used all of his energies and efforts.”
In addition to teaching philosophy, Gentry worked to help establish Henderson’s Master of Liberal Arts
program and led a symposium, each fall and each spring, discussing topics as diverse as the environment and
Africa. He began the school’s Honor’s College and has a classroom named after him in the college’s Sturgis
Building.
“He understood the interconnections between all of the disciplines,” Durand said. “The university has
benefited from that tremendously.”
Although Betty Gentry said that she only attended a couple of Gentry’s classes and did not know him very
well in the academic setting, he often spoke about his students and enjoyed spending time with them.
“He loved to grill hamburgers and have students over for supper a couple of times a semester,” she said. “He
loved teaching and loved his students. He was always telling me about his students - how they were
progressing and thinking and what was going on with them.”
Gentry often used his own research and essays, which he had written at various times throughout his career,
to inspire his students. Betty Gentry said that some of her favorites included one on Homer’s contributions,
terminology that is used in philosophy, stem cell research and the Arkadelphia tornado of 1997.
“He loved books, and he seemed able to read books and apply their principles and truisms to any area of
living,” Betty Gentry said.
“History, religion, sports, politics, ethics or art. Ethics was his favorite. He applied ethics to all that he did.”
Gentry himself was also affected by these essays, particularly the discussion about the use of stem cells in
research. After his retirement, Gentry was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, the disease that
eventually took his life, and he underwent a stem-cell transplant. “They [essays] were careful and scholarly,
from his own experience of living with cancer,” Durand said. “He put aside political rhetoric and got to the
heart of the philosophical matter.”
Gentry had a vision of publishing some of his essays, but was not able to do so before his death. With this in
mind, Durand contacted Betty and told her he wished to publish volumes of Gentry’s work. The original idea
was to publish them in Henderson’s online archives. But Durand had previously published a couple of books
with University Press of America, and contacted them about Gentry’s work. The result was A Philosophical
Life: The Collected Essays of William C. Gentry.
After editing all 32 essays, Durand sent them to University Press and the book was published in June, then
released to the public in July. A memorial service was held in Arkadelphia on Sept. 7, 2008, to launch the book
in the area and give people the opportunity to remember Gentry’s life.
“The book is doing reasonably well, from my limited vantage point. We only get updates from UPA at the
conclusion of the fiscal year, so we won’t have a number for a bit, yet. However, the bookstore here in town
sold out of it,” Durand said. The book is available at amazon.com and at the HSU bookstore.
Durand is in the process of compiling a book of Gentry’s essays on religion. Betty Gentry is working on
compiling Gentry’s sermons, as well as stories about life within the church. Durand said that the second and
third editions of the book may be a while in coming. “Generally, in academic publishing, new editions of
textbook s come out every three to five years,” he said. “However, since this isn’t strictly a textbook, but is
rather a piece of original scholarship, it may be longer before a new edition is authorized.”
Proceeds of the book will go to the Philosophy Fund at the Henderson State University Foundation, which
helps support conferences, scholarships and the work of Henderson’s philosophy department, in keeping with
Gentry’s lifestyle. “He was always trying to think of ways in which to make living life a better experience,”
Durand said. “He was very concerned with making connections to how people actually lived, and to be useful,
have an effect and make people’s lives better,” Durand added.
Betty Gentry knows how pleased Gentry would have been with the publication of these books, and hopes
that people realize and remember what a great man Gentry was. “He enabled me to become a better person
than I would have been without him,” she said.
~~~~~~
From Betty Gentry: I would be very pleased for you to put it on the web site. Yes, I am grateful to Bill's
successor, Kevin Durand, for getting the book published. It is a collection of some of Bill's thoughts regarding
philosophy, religion, teaching philosophy, and several essays on timely subjects, as well as remembrances of
Bill by several colleagues and students.
*It is available at the *HSU (i.e. Henderson State University) bookstore and the *Reddie Or Not Bookstore
[on 10th street near the campus], as well as on Amazon.com. The paperback version costs $27 at the HSU
Bookstore. I am always impressed with how you classmates keep up with each other and care for each other.
Betty
_____________________________
*book stores mentioned are in Arkadelphia, AR
To purchase from Amazon.Com Direct Link: http://tinyurl.com/5mlxdw
OR Search for: A Philosophical Life: The Collected Essays of William C. Gentry