Father Bertin L. Emling, O.S.B., 94, died Wednesday, February 16, 2000, after a long illness.

Father Bertin was born July 9, 1905, in Erie, a son of the late George and Barbara (Eichenlaub) Emling. He received a bachelor of arts degree from Saint Vincent College in 1931. After completing his studies at Saint Vincent Seminary in 1935, he did graduate study in chemistry, earning a master of arts from Johns Hopkins in 1937 and a doctor of philosophy from the University of Notre Dame in 1941.

Father Bertin entered the monastic community of Saint Vincent Archabbey in 1928. He made simple profession of vows July 2, 1929, and solemn profession July 11, 1932. He was ordained a priest June 16, 1935. Father Bertin served the monastic community mainly in its educational apostolates. He taught chemistry in Saint Vincent Preparatory School from 1934 to 1935 and then at Saint Vincent College from 1937 to 1980. He was a project director of the National Undergraduate Chemical Research Program and a consultant to the Keystone Carbon Co. of St. Marys and was a member of the board of directors of Saint Vincent College from 1958 to 1965. He also served as subprior of Saint Vincent Archabbey from 1960 to 1966 and as pastor of Forty Martyrs Parish in Trauger from 1960 to 1963.

In 1980 he was named professor emeritus. He received the Alumnus of Distinction Award of Saint Vincent College in 1984 and the Distinguished Professor Emeritus Award in 1989. In 1991 the college established the Bertin L. Emling, O.S.B., Scholarship Fund in his honor.

Father Bertin was a member of several professional and religious associations, including the Knights of Columbus, the American Benedictine Academy, the American Chemical Society, the Chemical Society of London and the Pennsylvania Round Table of Science.

He authored numerous articles that appeared in the Journal of the American Chemical Society and the Journal of Organic Chemistry.

He is survived by a brother, Father Marion Emling, O.S.B., of Latrobe, and three cousins, Ms. Jeanne Parker Finn and Mrs. Eleanor Wallace, both of Erie, and Ralph A. Emling of Fort Smith, Arkansas.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on February 19.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Bertin L. Emling, O.S.B., Scholarship Fund at Saint Vincent College, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, PA, 15650-2690.