John F. (Jack) Reardon, a longtime accounting professor at La Salle University died Friday, April 13, of an infection at Arden Courts of Warminster.

Fresh out of the Navy in the spring of 1962, Reardon encountered one of his former professors, who offered him a teaching post in La Salle’s Accounting Department. He went on to teach for the next 40 years serving as a professor of accounting from 1962 until retiring in 2002.

In 1969, Reardon won the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. He chaired the Accounting Department from 1991 to 2000. He also won numerous awards for his contributions to the college and the accounting profession.

For many years, Reardon taught the most difficult courses, including Introductory Financial Accounting to freshmen and Advanced Accounting to seniors, said Paul R. Brazina, CPA, CMA, former Dean and assistant professor of La Salle’s Accounting Department.

Born in Philadelphia, Reardon grew up in West Oak Lane. He graduated from La Salle College High School in 1955. As a senior, he played third baseman for the school’s city championship team. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from La Salle, a master of business degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1961, and a doctorate in education in 1972 from Temple University.

Reardon’s teaching philosophy was simple. “It’s the search for the answer, not rote memorization, that’s important,” he told the Catholic Standard in April 2002. “My mission is to teach students how to learn. Teaching is a joint effort, a boat with two oars. If both the student and I are rowing, then we’ll get somewhere. But if it’s just me, we’re only going around in circles.”

La Salle University’s Class of 1987 dedicated its yearbook to Reardon, who at that time had put in 25 years of teaching. The students wrote: “He continues to receive outstanding evaluations from his students, and his sections are the first to close at registration.”

A year after he retired, La Salle dedicated the Jack Reardon Learning Center classroom in his honor.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Jeff; a daughter, Tracey; four grandchildren, a sister, and nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to a food bank of the donor’s choice.