A Philosophical Life: The Collected Essays
of
William C. Gentry
Book of essays published by friends of late professor (article published Sept. 7, 2008 )
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. Kevin 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 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 incoming
“ 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 )
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. Kevin 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 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 incoming
“ 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
