Campus Connection

[caption id="attachment_3865" align="alignright" width="550"] From left, UW-L Alumni Association Executive Director Janie Spencer; Eleanor Kennedy, former alumni association director; Darryl Clott, friend of Kennedy and former UW-L Alumni Association board member.[/caption]

Long-time ‘Friend-raiser’ Eleanor Kennedy dies

If someone exemplified UW-La Crosse, it was Eleanor Kennedy. The long-time founder and executive director of the UW-L Alumni Association — and double alum — died June 1, 2013, following a lengthy illness. Kennedy came to campus in the 1960s. Her husband had died a few years earlier and she knew to support their four children, she needed a college education. Kennedy planned to become a teacher, but that never happened. Instead shortly after she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1964, she was asked by then president Rexford Mitchell to start the university’s alumni association. Kennedy was given a box of 3 x 5 index cards containing 5,000 names and was told “Go for it!” She did. By the time she retired in 1988, the number of names had grown to 40,000 and was on a computerized databank. She witnessed student lifestyles turn from turmoil in the late ’60s to conservatism in the ’80s. Along the way, Kennedy earned a master’s degree in student personnel services from her alma mater in 1976. She mentored many and served as the university’s first official friend-raiser. [caption id="attachment_3874" align="alignright" width="361"] Eleanor Kennedy was a long-time friend-raiser for the university.[/caption] “She always called herself the ‘friend-raiser’ for UW-L,” says Darryle (Damon) Clott, ’66 & ’71, who got to know Kennedy while serving as the Alumni Association Board of Directors in the 1980s. They soon formed a friendship that lasted until Kenney died. Clott says when she thinks of Kennedy, she thinks of three words — a lady, class and grace. “Eleanor is at all times a lady; she brought elegance and dignity to the position of Executive Director of the Alumni Association,” explains Clott. “I never saw a better-dressed lady on campus.” The second word Clott thinks of about Eleanor is class. “Every alumni event she was involved in and everything she touched had an element of class—just like her,” she continues. The third word — grace. “One cannot buy grace nor pretend to have it,” she notes. “A person either has it, or they do not. Eleanor was pure and total grace.” Current Alumni Association Director Janie Spencer didn’t work with Kennedy, but she kept in touch with her. Spencer attributes much of the association’s success to its founding director. “The thing I will remember most about Eleanor is she was always such a lady. She loved UW-L and the opportunity to meet so many wonderful alumni,” says Spencer. “Eleanor built a strong foundation for our program, and thanks to her efforts, we're still going strong 44 years later.” From those early notecards with 5,000 names on them, the current alumni list has grown to 72,800.

Scholarship honors Kennedy

Eleanor Kennedy Scholarship Fund in College Student Development & Administration honors students studying college student personnel. If you’d like to join Alumni Association Board members in making a donation in Kennedy’s honor, send it to UW-L Foundation, Attn: Eleanor Kennedy Scholarship, 615 East Ave N., La Crosse WI 54601. Eulogy for Eleanor Kennedy By Darryle Clott Read by Jane Harrison Good Morning, When Eleanor turned 90, she announced to me that she was a nonagenarian. I had to go home and look the word up in the dictionary. It means to be 90 to 99 years old. Eleanor almost made it into the next category as she would have turned 97 on June 15th. When I count my blessings, I count Eleanor. It was my honor to work with her for several years when I was on the UW-L Alumni Board beginning in 1982 and to work very closely with her when I was President of the Board. She always called herself the “Friend Raiser” for UW-L. At first I was a board member, and she was Executive Director of the Alumni Association, but we soon became friends, and our friendship has lasted for over 30 years. Eleanor had three great loves after her husband died when she was only 42 years old, her four children, Duke, Dale, Dennis and Dawn, Christ Episcopal Church, and the University of WI—La Crosse, and she devoted her life to all three. She was a very humble woman. Back in 2008 I was privileged to work with current Executive Director of the Alumni Association Janie Spencer on a celebration to honor Eleanor for her many years of service to UW-L. Eleanor did not think she deserved it and was sure no one would come, but she was wrong on both counts. She deserved it and over 100 people showed up to honor her. Eleanor has been a great inspiration to me as a woman and has taught me many things. When I think of her, I think of three words. The first is lady. Eleanor is at all times a lady; she brought elegance and dignity to the position of Executive Director of the Alumni Association. I never saw a better-dressed lady on campus. The second word I think of when I think of Eleanor is class. Every alumni event she was involved in and everything she touched had an element of class—just like her. The third word that reminds me of Eleanor is grace. One cannot buy grace nor pretend to have it. A person either has it, or they do not. Eleanor was pure and total grace. These past few years were difficult ones for Eleanor. She lived at Bethany Riverside Nursing Facility, but her heart was at 1629 Main Street her home for so many years. Her body was failing her, but her mind remained sharp as a tack. She still maintained her love for the Packers, the Brewers AND the Democrats. I loved to have conversations with her about the good old days at UW-L, for she remembered everything and everyone. She maintained her sense of humor and I will never forget a recent experience which brought her much joy. At Christmas time I was given a huge sack full of small stuffed Elmo and reindeer toys. I thought it would be great fun to have Eleanor give the toys to residents of Bethany and she agreed. The day her friends Jane Harrison, Leticia Pena and I arrived to help her distribute the gifts, we found out that her unit was quarantined due to a high volume of residents having the flu. That was not going to stop us. Off we went, all of us wearing Santa hats and masks, pushing Eleanor down the hallway, entering rooms, shouting, “Ho Ho Ho!” as Eleanor handed out the toys bringing many smiles from those receiving them. What a happy memory! I know I speak for everyone in this church when I say, “Eleanor, we celebrate you!’ Thank you for a life well-lived, and thank you for being my friend.