Rick King ’67 was recognized by the Florida State University College of Social Work among its 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients at a virtual event. Read more here.
Richard King is pictured on the far right.
Rick King ’67
2
David M. Diehl ’62
David M. Diehl ’62 of Decatur, Illinois, died Dec. 16, 2020. He was 84.
David studied accounting and business administration at Illinois Wesleyan, and he went on to earn his certified public accountant’s license in 1967. He practiced for 51 years, first with his father at Gaugher and Diehl accounting firm, and later started his own CPA practice. David was a U.S. Army veteran, having served before his time at IWU. He was a past commander of the Decatur Power Squadron, past president of the Decatur Noon Lions Club, and a lifelong member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and First United Methodist Church of Decatur. He is survived by his wife, two children and five grandchildren.
You can read the full obituary here.
Jean (Smith) Ward ’65
Jean (Smith) Ward ’65 of Creve Coeur, Mo, died October 20, 2020. She was 78. Jean earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and was active in Kappa Kappa Gamma at Illinois Wesleyan. She married her husband while attending IWU. The Wards relocated to Monroe, LA, shortly after Jean’s graduation. They had two children. Jean was a passionate educator . She spent the majority of her career as a teacher at Georgia Tucker Elementary in Monroe. Jean divorced in 1993. She began a new life as a retired, independent woman. She developed an incredible circle of friends, many from her church community at Jesus the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Monroe. She is survived by her two children, three grandchildren and two nephews.
Your may access her obituary here.
V. Stephen King ’61
V. Stephen King passed away on Friday, November 20, 2020 at his home. He was 81.
He was a United States Army veteran, serving from 1960 to 1963. Steve worked in the banking industry from 1964 – 1993. After retiring from banking, he worked at On Hand Safety Supplies from 1994 – 2004 and he retired from Coldwell Banker Heart of America in 2014, after 10 years of employment. Surviving are his wife, Donna, three children, and seven grandchildren. Also surviving are a sister-in-law, three nephews and two nieces.
You can read the full obituary here.
Delmar Smith ’61
Delmar Smith ’61 of Morton, Illinois, died Nov. 25, 2020. He was 86.
Delmar earned a bachelor’s degree at Illinois Wesleyan before earning master’s and doctoral degrees in divinity and ministry, respectively. He served 39-and-a-half years as an ordained clergyman in the United Methodist Church, including the final 19 years at Canton (Ill.) Wesley United Methodist Church. He is survived by two children, six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, a sister and a nephew.
You can read the full obituary here.
Dianne (Smith) Williamson ’62
Dianne (Smith) Williamson ’62 of Bloomington, Illinois, died Oct. 16, 2020. She was 80. Dianne majored in theatre at Illinois Wesleyan. She worked as publisher and editor of Bloomington-Normal Magazine, was a copywriter for WJBC and WBNQ radio stations, and retired from Illinois State University as events coordinator. Dianne was honored as the League of Women Voters of McLean County’s “Leaguer of the Year,” was named McLean County United Way “Volunteer of the Year” and was a McLean County YWCA Women of Distinction nominee. She was active in all three organizations for many years. Dianne and her husband had a passion for travel that began when they lived in Ireland for a year. Dianne was many things to many people, but a friend to all. She is survived by her husband, two daughters, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. You will find her full obituary here.
Louise (Sudkamp) Terrell ’62
We are saddened to share that Louise (Sudkamp) Terrell ’62, wife of Richard Terrell, Sigma Chi, 1962, died on September 16, 2020 in Lincoln Nebraska. Richard and Louise were married September 1, 1962. Richard is a retired art professor at Doane University in Crete, Nebraska. Louise was a Special Education teacher in the Lincoln Nebraska public schools.
Gilbert “Gil” Dorsey ’62
Gilbert “Gil” Dorsey ’62 is the recipient of the 2020 IWU Loyalty Award.
Dorsey graduated from Illinois Wesleyan with a major in Insurance. Immediately following graduation he joined Procter and Gamble as a Field Advertising Representative and later a Case Food Salesman. He is retired from The Eureka Company in Bloomington, a division of A.B. Electrolux of Sweden.
Over his 34 year career at Eureka, Dorsey served as President, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Vice President of Product Planning, Product Manager, and various sales office related positions. He traveled multiple times to Stockholm, Sweden and extensively on business and pleasure throughout the World and USA. He also served six years in the Army Reserves and Illinois Air Force National Guard.
Dorsey has been very active as an alumnus and has a long history of service to the University. He has served on the Illinois Wesleyan Board of Trustees since 1992 and currently holds an Emeritus position. He served as Chairman of the search committee responsible for hiring President Richard “Dick” Wilson. As a Trustee, he headed the Campus Life Committee, served on the Executive Committee as Vice President, and a Trustee of the Rupert Trust benefiting IWU Nursing. Dorsey is an avid Titan fan and supports IWU Athletics and enjoys all Illinois Wesleyan activities.
He participates in the Bloomington-Normal community where he is an active member of Calvary United Methodist Church, currently leading a men’s study group. Since 1986, he has been a member of the Bloomington Kiwanis Club, serving as President and as a member of other committees. In the past, he served on the BroMenn Hospital and Foundation Boards, Red Cross Evening of Stars Committee, Past President, and later Interim Director of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce.
Submit a note of congratulations to Gil Dorsey here .
Judith (Gilmore) Kirby ’62
Judith (Gilmore) Kirby ’62 of Frankfort, Illinois, died Aug. 7, 2020. She was 80. Judy earned a bachelor’s degree in music education at Illinois Wesleyan, where she was also active in Sigma Kappa, Delta Omicron and other musical groups. She went on to a 35-year career as a music teacher at Western Avenue Elementary School in Flossmoor, Illinois, where she led musicals, Christmas concerts and variety shows. She also directed choir at Flossmoor Community Church. In her final days at a care facility, her former students sang for her — mostly through virtual means, over cell phones and laptop computers — from outside her window. Judy’s former students’ tribute to their elementary school teacher was featured in a segment on Chicago’s WGN Evening News.
Gayle Bruch Rein ’62
After retiring from teaching composition and literature for 30 years at Geneseo High School and Black Hawk College, Gayle began a new career researching, writing, and giving Power Point programs about local history. In 2004 she wrote a chapter in the history book Grand Excursions on the Upper Mississippi River about 19th century logging in Wisconsin and the rafting of logs to Upper Mississippi River sawmills. In 2020 she published Artist Edwin Willard Deming, A Biography (1860–1942); From Childhood a Passion to Paint Native American Traditions. Growing up on a Geneseo, IL prairie farm, he became acquainted with Winnebago children, whose families in the winter came down from Wisconsin to hunt and fish near the Deming farm. This experience influenced him to dedicate his life to capturing in his art Native American Indian traditions. In addition to the Sioux, Crow, and Blackfeet, his friends included artist Fredrick Remington and President Theodore Roosevelt.
