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Max ’55 and Joyce Wheeler ’56 Douglas
T
For them, the compass points toward Manchester
he road to North Manchester from their home in
Denver, Colo., is a familiar one for Max ’55 and Joyce
Wheeler ’56 Douglas. At least once a year, the couple
visits the campus that has remained a touchstone of
their lives. To honor that connection, the Douglases recently
designated a $1.5 million estate gift for the University.
“Manchester prepared us to meet the challenges of the new world
we found after graduation: teaching, industry, foreign assignments
and life in general,” says Joyce.
Joyce was a high school student in Grand Rapids, Mich., when
her Church of the Brethren pastor encouraged her to consider
Manchester over Michigan State. Max was “happily driving a
tractor” in his hometown of Flora, Ind., when his mother – a
high school teacher and guidance counselor – recruited him for
her alma mater. Indeed, Max says he has family ties to MU “all
over the place,” including Professor Emeritus of Music Vernon
Stinebaugh ’41, who is a cousin.
At Manchester, Joyce studied home economics and earned her
master’s degree at Indiana State University. She taught high school
and at Eastern Michigan and Wayne State universities. A chemistry
major, Max remembers the strong teaching of Harry Weimer and
Carl Holl. Weimer kept a rock on
his desk and if a student fell asleep
or wasn’t paying attention, he’d drop
the rock on the floor. “That got our
attention,” recalls Max, smiling.
After earning his master’s degree at the University
of Wisconsin, Max worked as a chemist at the Marathon Oil Co. until his
retirement. The job required frequent moves, including an assignment in
Germany that fueled their interest in international travel, museums and the
arts.
On their many travels, Max and Joyce amassed a significant collection
of the crèche from all over the world. They have shared much of that
collection with MU and designated $500,000 of their estate gift to provide
for its care. A sizable portion of their gift will go to The Manchester Fund,
while the remaining designation has yet to be determined.
When the Douglases were making estate decisions, they asked themselves
where their money would do the most good. The answer, they say, was
clearly Manchester.
By Melinda Lantz ’81
Help us reconnect with your fellow alumni
Each year, Manchester loses track of alumni who forget to update
their information with us. If you can help us reconnect with them,
we would greatly appreciate your help.
Please visit alumni.manchester.edu and click on alumni resources
and lost classmates to see if you know the whereabouts of people
on the lists. Names of alumni for whom we are missing information
are listed by decade. If you do have information, please use the Lost
Classmates Form to provide as much information as possible.
Your assistance will ensure that your friends receive Manchester
magazine and other communications throughout the year, including
invitations to alumni outings, gathering and events such as
Homecoming. Thank you for your help!
Manchester | 41