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 1912 - 1997 (85 years)
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| Name |
Theodore J. BENAC |
Dr. Theodore J. Benac earned a bachelors of science degree in chemistry and philosophy from St. Michael College in Vermont in 1933. He continued his education and received a master of science in mathematics from Connecticut State College in 1934 and a doctorate in mathematics from Yale University in 1941.
Originally from Lisbon, Conn., Dr. Benac arrived at the Naval Academy on July 1, 1941, five months before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. For more than half a century, he taught algebra, calculus and thermodynamics to thousands of midshipmen. He was responsible for teaching two of the required courses in mathematics at the Naval Academy at the time of his death.
During his teaching career at the academy, Benac witnessed milestones such as the first Black midshipman who graduated in 1949, Roger Staubach as Navy quarterback in the mid-60s and the admission of women in 1976.
Throughout his distinguished career at the academy, Dr. Benac taught the full spectrum of undergraduate courses in mathematics. He served for 12 years as the chairman of the mathematics department, and coordinated the innovative "calculus with computers" program at the academy beginning in 1969. His expertise and teaching skills were recognized in 1990 when the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) named him the Maryland State Professor of the Year. Dr. Benac served as Grand Marshall for the Academic Procession at all Naval Academy graduations from 1972 until 1997.
Dr. Benac served on the Naval Academy Admissions Board and on a variety of curriculum committees. He personally authored three textbooks, translated five textbooks from German to English and wrote articles and abstracts for publication by the American Mathematical Society and the International Mathematics Congress.
Benac received the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award in 1982, the Alumni Association Civilian Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence in 1989 and the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 1989. In 1998 the Civilian Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching was renamed in Honor of Dr. Benac.
When Dr. Benac died he was survived by his wife, his sister, his three children and five grandchildren
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| Born |
12 Jan 1912 |
CT  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Died |
09 Nov 1997 |
Annapolis, Anne Arundel Co., MD |
| Buried |
Annapolis, MD @ St.Mary Cemetery |
| Person ID |
I21120 |
Chartier Family |
| Last Modified |
7 Jul 2016 |
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