Philip Bean
NAPERVILLE, IL: Philip Bean, age 79, and Naperville, Illinois resident for 38 years, passed away October 26, 2020 of Interstitial lung disease/idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in the ICU of Edward Hospital. He had fought the disease for four years.
Philip grew up in Enosburg Falls, Vermont, about seven miles from the Canadian border. Occasionally on a Sunday drive they would notice that the signs were in French and that they must have accidentally ended up in Canada. Then they would have to stick to back roads to return to the U.S. He enjoyed celebrating his July 14 (1941 ) Bastille Day birthday. One brother remarked on a trip to France that the whole country set off fireworks to celebrate.
Philip received his Doctorate in History from the University of Illinois in 1976. He taught at Illinois Benedictine in Lisle for 30 years and reached over 2,500 students. He brought an extra level of interest to his lectures by coordinating his ties to them–ships, airplanes, rockets, fife and drummers, etc.
Dr. Bean was known as a problem solver as he served as Head of the Summer School and also the Evening School in addition to his teaching. He served as President of the Lincoln Group of Illinois for 10 years and oversaw its quarterly publication. He had an interest in his family genealogy which included one of the Salem witches. His students enjoyed spoofing history by having him dress as a warlock at Halloween.
Philip was preceded in death by his parents, Donald Bean and Vivian Archambault Bean Nichols and his sister, Sr. Rhea Bean RSM. He is survived by his beloved wife of 51 years, Janet Richards Bean., brothers Daniel Bean (Jeanette Voss), Lawrence (Larry) Bean (Marie), David Bean, brother in law John Richards (Diane) as well as numerous nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews.
Philip asks that any remembrances be directed to St. Catharine Academy (Sr. Rhea Bean RSM Scholarship Fund), 2250 Williams Bridge Rd, Bronx, NY 10469.www.scahs.org. Phone 718-822-2882.
All services are private.
