Robert Reilly ’57 of Fayetteville, Arkansas, died Aug. 3, 2020. He was 84. Bob majored in music and formed a small jazz group called the “King’s Men” at Illinois Wesleyan. He was also a member of the Bloomington-Normal Symphony Orchestra along with another IWU music major, Mary Anne (Cubin) Reilly ’58, a cellist who later became his wife. Bob was a member of Phi Mu Alpha and the Blue Key Honor Society. After graduation, Bob began teaching in Homer, Illinois. He later took part in a three-year graduate fellowship program offered through the National Defense Education Act to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in the psychology of classroom learning. His career as a college professor started at the State University of Wisconsin in Oshkosh, in the educational psychology department. He later taught at the State University of New York in Oswego, Shippensburg State College and, eventually, the University of Arkansas, where he worked for 30 years. Bob often presented and published his work, including an educational psychology textbook. He stayed connected to music throughout his life, playing clarinet and saxophone in bands in all the places he lived. He and Mary Anne also enjoyed hiking, camping and visiting national parks. He is survived by his wife, two children, 11 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and three siblings.

Donald Hildebrand ’50 died April 14, 2020, in Nashville, Tennessee. He was 91. Don majored in history at Illinois Wesleyan before pursuing a law degree at Vanderbilt University. He entered the U.S. Army after his second year of law school but returned to Vanderbilt after an honorable discharge and earned his law degree in 1955. He was employed by State Farm for several years before founding the law firm Lester, Hildebrand, Nolan Porter and Mondelli. Don was a man of many interests and talents. He was active in American Legion, Shriners, Masons and the Eisenhower Foundation “People to People.” He hosted legal talk shows. He was a lifelong lover of music who performed in a lawyers’ orchestra and another group known as “The Established.” He ran for the Tennessee Supreme Court, and was a colonel in the Tennessee State Guard and the State Guard judge advocate, then the adjutant general, and finally the State Guard inspector general. He was also a published author who wrote The Community House about growing up in Emden, Illinois. Don was a longtime member of Belmont United Methodist Church in Nashville, where he served in the choir, as a Sunday school teacher, class president, and member of the administrative board. He also attended services at Belle Meade Methodist Church in Nashville. Of his time at Illinois Wesleyan, Don said, “When I reflect on the values and education that directed me in my career, I credit Wesleyan for providing me a strong and lasting foundation in both of these areas, along with many other wonderful experiences. Proudly, I credit Wesleyan for preparing me for a very successful career.” Don was preceded in death by his first wife. He is survived by his second wife, stepdaughter, two brothers, including Robert “Bob” Hildebrand ’52, and three nephews.

John Edwards passed away on Aprl 17, 2020 in New Holland, PA. He was married 58 years to Margaret Edwards, and earned a Ph. D. at the University of Illinois in Chicago. He was a member of Phi Kappa, Sigma XI, American Chemical Society, American Society of Biological Chemistry, and was listed in Marquis’ Who’s Who in American and Who’s Who in Science and Engineering. He is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren. Read the full obituary here.

John Edwards ’59 died April 17, 2020, in New Holland, Pennsylvania. He was 83. John earned a Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Chicago and conducted two years of postdoctoral research at Tufts University. He taught biochemistry at Villanova University for 38 years and served as department chair for 10 years. John was a member of Phi Kappa, Sigma Xi, American Chemical Society, American Society of Biological Chemistry, and was listed in Marquis’ Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in Science and Engineering. He enjoyed camping, hiking, orienteering and distance running. He ran two marathons and many trail runs and half-marathons. He also served as an assistant Boy Scout leader. His hobbies included making wine, silver jewelry, Danish pastries, gardening and bird-carving. John moved to Garden Spot Village in retirement, where he engaged in hobbies and various groups and volunteer efforts. He is survived by his wife Peg (Smith) Edwards ’61, three children and five grandsons.

Flavin (Stine) Marilyn ’50 passed away on April 24, 2020 in Minneapolis. She was an educator, musician and artist. She was a member of Prairie Community Church, and went on several missionary trips in her life. Read the full obituary here. 

Grace DuMond ’46 passed away on October 11, 2018. She was born in Canton, Illinois on May 26, 1925. She graduated top of her class in Illinois Wesleyan, majoring in Chemistry, and had three children after marrying Charles DuMond. She was one of the first women to attend Notre Dame University in the Master of Arts in Teaching Program. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews. Read the full obituary here.

James Reid ’49 passed away on June 5th, 2017 at the age of 49. He received his PhD in Religious Studies at Harvard University in 1965 and also conducted research at the University of Tokyo and College de France in Paris. He had an extensive career of teaching and was the founder of the Japanese Journal of Religious Studies. Read more here.

Virginia Langellier ’45 passed away on April 4, 2020. She was born on November 17, 1924 in Kankakee, Illinois. She is survived by her sons, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and siblings. She was a member of the Women’s Business Association, Retired Teachers Association, Daughters of the American Revolution, The First United Methodist Church, and the Delta Kappa Gamma Teachers Society. Read the full obituary here.

     We regret to inform you that Janet L. (Thompson) Andrews, 82, died on Monday, May 18, 2020. Janet received a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington in 1959, She taught elementary school at Pearce before moving to a career in banking. You may read her full obituary here.