Edward Ludwig, 78, former Fenwick educator

During his 37-year tenure at Fenwick High School in Oak Park,Edward E. Ludwig wore many hats -- a math teacher, an assistantprincipal and ultimately dean of students.

Yet the title he urged students to call him most often was"director of happiness" -- even though one of his primaryresponsibilities was enforcing the school's conduct code.

"He had a great sense of humor," said the Rev. William Bernacki, aformer teacher and administrator at Fenwick, a Dominican high school.

Mr. Ludwig died Tuesday at Regional Medical Center inMadisonville, Ky., where he had lived for the last 13 years. He was78.

Bernacki said Mr. Ludwig was an educator who knew how to relate tostudents, whether discussing with them exponents and integers, ormore personal issues.

"He was good in math, but he was excellent in that other area --the human condition," Bernacki said.

By establishing a structured and disciplined learning environment,Mr. Ludwig "helped students achieve the type of maturity we weretrying to bring them to by the end of school," Bernacki said.

Born on Chicago's Northwest Side, Mr. Ludwig majored in math atLoyola University Chicago before joining the faculty of Fenwick in1953. As chairman of the math department, he was responsible foradding pre-calculus and calculus to the school's curriculum.

He went on to serve as assistant principal of student personnel,assistant principal of student life and dean of students beforeretiring in 1990. Mr. Ludwig was also the director of the school'sBlackfriar Guild Productions for many years.

Mr. Ludwig, who never married or had children, moved toMadisonville to be near other family. He also had an older sister inLansing, Mich., the only one of his three siblings still living.

Though retired, Mr. Ludwig never lost his love for teaching, andhe volunteered much of his time as a math and reading tutor for anadult education center and Christ the King Catholic School, nieceKaren Hane said.

Mr. Ludwig also spent countless hours tending the flower gardensoutside his house, and he loved collecting antiques.

But being the generous person he was, Hane said, "If somebodyadmired one, he would just give it to them after he bought it."

Survivors include his sister, Mildred Knapp, and nine nieces andnephews.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Lansing Chapelof Gorsline Runciman Co. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesdayat St. Casimir's Church in Lansing. Burial will be in St. Joseph'sCemetery in Lansing.