Dr. Panos Bardis, a professor emeritus of sociology at the University of Toledo who was known internationally as a lecturer, social philosopher, poet and author, died of complications of heart disease Aug. 8 in his Ottawa Hills home. He was 71.
Dr. Bardis was a University of Toledo professor for 30 years, retiring in 1989. He was a long-time PWPA member and attended many ICUS conferences. He was also the editor-in-chief of the International Journal on World Peace.
More than 1,000 of Dr. Bardis' writings were published, from works in his field, to poems, short stories and novels. He was even the subject of several works, including The Passionate Pagan, a South African poet's doctoral dissertation about Dr. Bardis' poetry.
Born in a Greek mountain village, Dr. Bardis and his family endured many years of war-the country's war with Turkey, World War II and, later, civil war.
Unwilling to submit to fascists or communists, he was persecuted by both. At a school in a city nearby, he studied ancient Greek and Latin. He took advantage of a scholarship to the United States by intensive self-study in English for three months.
Dr. Bardis received his bachelor's degree in 1950 from Bethany College; a master's degree in 1953 from Notre Dame University; and his doctorate in 1955 from Purdue University.