Lambda Chi Alpha - University of Illinois

Chi Zetagram 4 Why I Still Love My College Fraternity (Continued from page 3) Bill's typically understated and modest recount understates by far his importance to our chapter over the decades. I've spoken with many of our alumni who remember and universally love Bill and his spirit, and consider him and Mike to be close friends to this day. While an undergraduate with his close friends Glenn Grosse '47 X577 and Ralph Smykal '47 X575, he was involved in many activities including student government. Over the years he has been the life of too many parties to list with Glenn and Ralph! More seriously, without Bill's commitment in the '70s when the Annex was condemned, we would not have had the home at Illinois that most of us knew, or even a chapter. His support never wavered, and he was also important to the 2000 campaign to keep our house open and up to modern code. In 2000, Bill Stallman was awarded the Lambda Chi Alpha International Order of Merit for distinguished service to his chapter— an impressive but all-too-small recognition of his lifetime of support for Lambda Chi and Chi Zeta. All our love and respect goes out to our exemplary brother, Bill and Mike, too, naturally. In ZAX, Pete Kale '75 X1020 Alumni Association President CONNECT WITH CHI ZETA ONLINE www.illinilambdachi.com Lambda Chi Alpha – Illini – Chi Zeta Lambda Chi Alpha – Illini – Chi Zeta - f i aernoons at the chapter house. When Mrs. Lippy was present, we undergraduates were allowed to bring our dates back to the first floor of the house. She had the rare talent of teaching us that the fraternity house was our home away from home, and we were to act accordingly. She became a lifelong friend to many of us. "During my three years living in the house, I received great support from some of the older brothers. However, the most important benefit I received from being a member of Lambda Chi Alpha began with a dessert exchange we had with the Alpha Xi Delta sorority. It was at this exchange that I met Margarite Eckhardt, better known then and to this day as 'Mike.' Aer several dates, Mike accepted my Lambda Chi pin during our junior year of school, and we were married in 1951. Glenn was my best man. Mike and I had three children: Diane, Karen, and Andrew. Unfortunately, Andrew died in 1991 aer a long bout with Crohn's Disease. Karen has given us our only grandchild, Casey Lewis. Mike and I celebrated our 64th wedding anniversary on June 9, 2015. "I received a B.S. in civil engineering in 1950 and accepted a position with the Illinois Division of Highways. I worked in the design, construction, materials, and traffic sections over a span of 16 years. In 1966, I made a career change and accepted a teaching position with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Although I did not know it at the time, the university was looking for staff with administrative experience as it was planning to reorganize its administrative staff to create a structure that made the three campuses more independent. us, aer teaching just one year, I was put in charge of a new administrative office called the Office of Space Utilization. is office was charged with the responsibility of seeing that all physical space of the Urbana Campus of the University of Illinois was being used in an efficient manner. "During the 21 years that I worked at the University of Illinois, I became interested in advising Chi Zeta. Aer a few years, I accepted the volunteer role of president of the Lambda Chi Alpha Alumni Association and became very involved in developing a plan to upgrade the physical condition of the chapter house. It was during my tenure as president that plans were developed, funds were raised, and construction undertaken and completed for the addition to the chapter house in 1978. Unfortunately, the design and quality control in the construction of the addition was inadequate because our funds were so tight that many corners had to be cut to make ends meet. So the project did not create the long-term improvement it was intended to accomplish. "When I was recently asked to participate in raising funds to completely replace the original chapter house, I readily agreed to help. Aer discussing the need with my wife and children, we mutually agreed that I should pledge a major amount to help fund this much-needed improvement. I am spreading my pledge payments over five years since all the money is not needed immediately, and I can meet my obligation more easily. In determining the amount I decided to pledge, I first asked myself, 'Can I afford to give this much?' I thought of several reasons why I should give less, but then I asked myself, 'Can I afford not to give this much?' My answer to that question was no, I cannot. e need is too great. "I still bleed purple, green, and gold even at 87. And I am proud to say I still love my college fraternity. Lambda Chi Alpha did a lot for me. I am sure that I would not have been as successful as I have been if I hadn't had so many helping hands during those formative years. I would also have settled with a wife who was not as lovely and caring as Mike has been these past 64 years. "I close by asking each living alumnus of Chi Zeta to make a significant monetary pledge to the campaign so that Lambda Chi Alpha will remain a leading fraternity on the U of I campus. We're close to success and can't afford to fail on this major undertaking. Please make your gi today and ensure our future at the University of Illinois."

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