 A legacy gift
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Foundation will receive an estimated
$4.3 million from the estate of Lt. Col. George L. Simpson Jr., the son of Col. George L. Simpson Sr., one of UW-Eau Claire's first faculty members, and Marie (Stannard) Simpson, a member of the university's first graduating class in 1917. It is the largest gift ever to the Foundation. See news release.
George Simpson Jr.
George Simpson Jr. (back row, fourth from left) played football for Eau Claire State Teachers College in 1941.
George Simpson Jr. attended UW-Eau Claire and played on the football team in the early 1940s before serving for 25 years in the U.S. Army. The university already received $2 million as an outright gift in 2003 after Simpson's death at the age of 80. That gift became part of the Foundation's Endowment for Excellence, a fund that supports student scholarships, faculty/student research, University Honors Program, faculty development and the university's other areas of greatest need. Funds from Simpson's estate now will be directed to university athletics and the department of geography and anthropology, as designated by Lt. Col. Simpson.
Col. George Simpson Sr. taught geography at UW-Eau Claire from 1916-51, taking leaves to serve in both World War I and World War II.
Service to university
George Simpson Sr. was a geography teacher and coach of UW-Eau Claire's first football and basketball teams. He led the first basketball team to a 9-7 season-opening win, but the team finished that season with a 3-5 overall record. In football, he coached the 1920 and 1922 state championship teams. The 1920 season remained the university's only undefeated football season until 1963.
In recognition of Simpson's 35 years of service to the university, the athletic field on UW-Eau Claire's upper campus was named Simpson Field on April 20, 1969. The Simpson Center for Geographical Research was developed and named in his honor in the 1970s. It was merged with the W.D. McIntyre Library in the early 1990s.
|
Find out more about Blugold Athletics and Geography and Anthropology.
George Simpson Sr.
Service to country
Both Simpsons were decorated military officers. Col. George L. Simpson Sr. spent more than a year of active service in France during World War I. As a captain, he commanded a company of the 338th Infantry, 85th Division. He returned from the war late in 1919 and joined the Wisconsin National Guard in 1923, where he advanced in rank over the years to lieutenant colonel. During his service in World War II he was commanding officer of the 125th Infantry, and he was promoted to the rank of colonel in late 1941.
Lt. Col. George L. Simpson Jr. spent nearly 25 years in the U.S. Army. He served with the U.S. Army's 301st Infantry in Europe during World War II. His 25 military decorations and awards included two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts. He later was assigned to the Army Transportation Corps and also served with the early Green Berets. He was a member of the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) when he retired. Simpson's brother, Eber, served as an Army captain in France during World War II and was a military test pilot. He died in 1946 in a test flight crash.
In addition to his college studies in Eau Claire, Lt. Col. Simpson attended numerous other universities across the United States. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in engineering.
Making great things possible through
planned giving
Col. Simpson's generous gift was made possible through estate planning. At his death, his estate made an immediate gift of $2 million to UW-Eau Claire. Through a life estate trust he was able to provide for his wife during her lifetime and direct the remainder of the funds to the charitable organizations of his choosing. To learn more about these and other charitable giving and investment options, visit our Planned Giving pages.
|
|
