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IN LOVING MEMORY OF Ludo A. J. Op De Beeck

Ludo A. J. Op De

Ludo A. J. Op De Beeck Profile Photo

Beeck

Ludo A. J. Op De Beeck's Obituary

Ludo A. J. op de Beeck Ludo op de Beeck died Tuesday, October 12. Ludo was born in 1938, the son of miel and Marthe op de Beeck. He grew up in Mortsel, a suburb of Antwerp, Belgium. Although he grew up speaking Dutch, he became an exemplary language-learner and -teacher. Ludo grew up studying Latin and Greek, served as a scouting camp leader, and trained as a paratrooper in the Belgian Army. From 1957-59, he studied philology and literatures at the Universit catholique de Louvain, and he taught language courses in English, French, and German after his graduation. He came to the United States on a Fulbright scholarship in 1963 and continued graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh, which awarded him a Ph.D. in French Literature in 1973. From 1964-73, while completing his doctoral work, Ludo became an assistant professor and then an associate professor of French and German at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. From 1973 until his retirement in 2003, he was a Professor of French and French Literature at IUP. He loved being in the classroom and was a dynamic instructor, whether teaching introductory French or advanced language courses featuring the novels of Stendhal, Albert Camus, and Boris Vian. Among Ludo's greatest pleasures was his co-direction, from 1989-2003, of IUP's Nancy Summer Program. This study-abroad experience allowed Ludo to introduce IUP students to the cities of Nancy and Paris, while indulging his passion for France and French culture. He was a tour guide par excellence, with a rich knowledge of military sites, literary and arts monuments, French and Belgian cuisine, and local lore. Another of his joys, related to his fascination with medieval history, was research on witchcraft, alchemy, and the occult. He approached these subjects with a scholarly eye, and he could not resist the opportunity to read a palm, analyze handwriting, or discuss superstitions. He would be pleased to know he died at midnight, the threshold when one day passes into the next. Ludo will be missed by his wife, Martha Lynn op de Beeck; his sister Lieve Van Rompaey-Op de Beeck of Mortsel, and her children and grandchildren; his sister Cecile Meyers and her husband Jan Meyers of Lint, Belgium, and their children and grandchildren; his daughter Nathalie op de Beeck and her husband Donald S. Lacey; his son Christopher op de Beeck; and his grandchildren. Friends will be received from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, October 14, at Bowser-Minich Funeral Home, 500 Ben Franklin Road South, Indiana. Funeral services take place at 11 a.m. Friday, October 15, at Bowser-Minich. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ludo's name may be made to the Indiana County Humane Society.

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