University Memorial Service
Address: “To Understand Truth” Text: Wisdom of Solomon 3:1–9 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them. In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their departure was thought to be an affliction, and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at peace. For though in the sight of men they were punished, their hope is full of immortality. Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and found them worthy of himself; like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them. In the time of their visitation they will shine forth, and will run like sparks through the stubble. They will govern nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord will reign over them for ever. Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in love, because grace and mercy are upon his elect, and he watches over his holy ones.
That a university should pause annually to recall in memory its members who have died is not surprising; indeed, it is altogether fitting. A university lives by continuities. It is charged by the culture with transmission of knowledge to unfolding generations of students. And, in the process, the schools and departments of the university achieve new knowledge and fresh interpretation by the cumulative and corporate labor of many individuals, who posed problems and resolved them, who studied together not only to comprehend what was known but to suggest what might be known. When death breaks these vibrant continuities, one of the effects of the break is thus to call attention to the meaning of the continuity itself and to the enduring contributions to it, given by trustees, faculty members, staff, students, and alumni. And so we assemble, recognizing that we could not be what we are had they not been who they were. The most sincere gratitude for these contributions does not, however, overcome the fact that death is hard. It is abrupt. And with it, the daily life of study and labor that the university knows and cherishes is immeasurably and permanently altered. Discontinuity, too, is a fitting reason for remembering. This morning’s reading from the Wisdom of Solomon attempts to draw together these themes of continuity and discontinuity by announcing that those who have passed away are the key to what is most permanent: “The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them.” By the complete course of life, however long or short, these righteous souls have known discipline and testing that prepares them to be the standard of measurement by which nations will be rightly governed and lives rightly lived. Of them, says this preacher of wisdom, “those who trust in [God] will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in love, because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones, and he watches over his elect.” But the preacher of wisdom also knows that any comfort or confidence that we, the living, may derive from these words does not, indeed cannot, rest on the bland reassurance that “all is for the best.” The preacher deliberately introduces other voices into the text, voices saying that the deaths of the righteous—”their going from us”—were a “disaster,” a disaster that was at worst their punishment and at best their annihilation. For these voices, death brought not peace in the eternal “hand of God” but merely finality. The preacher calls these despairing voices “foolish,” but they were common voices in his culture, in our culture, and, quite often, within ourselves. In the summer of 1861, the American poet Emily Dickinson was thinking her way through these perennial questions, in austere verse that began
Safe in their Alabaster Chambers, Untouched by morning And untouched by noon, Sleep the meek members of the Resurrection, Rafter of satin And Roof of stone.
But deciding on the second stanza to follow this one became a puzzle. Her first effort contrasted the timelessness of death with an ephemeral summer morning on whose breezes a bee “Babbles” and “the Sweet Birds [sing] in ignorant cadence” oblivious, in their brief moment of joy, to the “sagacity” about life’s impermanence that slept nearby in “Alabaster Chambers.” She sent the poem to her sister-in-law and confidant Susan Gilbert Dickinson. But, apparently, Sue objected to the second stanza, and Dickinson tried another approach. This time the second stanza contrasted death’s eternity not simply with the passing of life as a summer day but instead with the sweeping circuits of nature and empires.
Grand go the Years — in the Crescent— about them — Worlds scoop their Arcs — And Firmaments — row — Diadems — drop — and Doges — surrender — Soundless as dots — on a Disc of Snow —
Sue would not relent easily: “I am not suited dear Emily with the second verse — It is remarkable as the chain lightening that blinds us hot nights in the Southern sky but it does not go with the ghostly shimmer of the first verse as well as the other one — It just occurs to me that the first verse is complete in itself . . . and can’t be coupled — Strange things always go alone. . . . You never made a peer for that verse, and I guess you[r] kingdom does’nt hold one — I always go to the fire and get warm after thinking of it, but I never can again.” But Emily Dickinson remained challenged by the singular stanza she had herself created. It held death’s meaning within sealed, cool architecture—“Rafter of satin/And Roof of stone”—and she sought the analogy or the contrast that would relate it, in fruitful honesty, to the passages of everyday life. She tried a third version, and sent it to Sue with the query: “Is this frostier?”
Springs — shake the sills — But — the Echoes — stiffen — Hoar — is the Window — And numb — the Door — Tribes of Eclipse — in Tents of Marble — Staples of Ages — have buckled — there —
In this third experiment, the architectural images remain, but the smoothly sealed alabaster has been replaced by weather-worn windows and doors, stiff and frozen but not, perhaps, impenetrable. In another intriguing alteration, the silent repose of the dead in stanza one has now become nomadic movement, “Tribes of Eclipse,” perhaps an army, whose crypts have been transformed to “Tents of Marble” for a journey that somehow, mysteriously continues the pilgrimage begun in time and life. A great university is like Emily Dickinson. There is an austerity to its corporate reflection on the great issues of the intellectual enterprise. It knows that there are problems that intelligence can solve, and it is unstinting in seeking those solutions. But it also knows that life is not only a problem but a difficulty, a question for which some part of the resolution is only glimpsed. These difficulties, too, are part of the intellectual responsibility of any great university, even though the near approach to them confronts the silent “sagacity” of Dickinson’s Alabaster Chambers. It was of such difficulties that the preacher of wisdom said, “those who trust in [God] will understand truth.” And, with that austere confidence, the University of Chicago assembles today remembering the gifts to knowledge that have come, through life and through death, from these our cherished colleagues.
W. Clark Gilpin is Professor in the Divinity School and the College, and Dean of the Divinity School.
Memorial Roll 1998 The following list contains the names of those whose deaths have been recorded with Rockefeller Memorial Chapel between September 15, 1997, and September 15, 1998.
Trustee Family Gertrude B. Nielsen
Faculty Phillip Collins David N. Schramm Theodore W. Schultz Valero Valeri
Faculty Emeriti Alberto Calderon Yale Brozen F.J. Jerry Gould Esther Hermann Cyril O. Houle Alton Linford Viola Manderfield William D. Pattison J. Coert Rylaarsdam Allen P. Wikgren
Student Gail Elizabeth Shea
Staff Shirley Bohannon Venette Booker Jun Cao Dorothy Sue Casimere Samuel Craig Jeffrey S. Curtis Robert Dalman Anthony DeWitt Lynn Flaxbart Joseph C. Hoh Emma Jean Norman Robert Orr Edmond Turner
Faculty and Staff Family Klemens Farber Siegfried Flügge Daniel J. Keysar Franz and Ilse Scherer
Retired Staff Margaret R. Adams Michael P. Agresta Emery C. Alkire James W. Armstrong John L. Armstrong Opal Banks Bradley S. Burson Joseph E. Cantlin Beulah Catlet James P. Caulfield Peter Chiapetta Leon Clark James J. Clasby Thomas R. Corbett Iva J. Crannell Louis Demko Harold M. Feder Paul R. Fields Samuel Findley Lillie Flowers Louise Forsyth Donald R. Fredrickson Elmer Fuglsang Bernard A. Gergash Cornelius Gerristen Leroy C. Gunn Esther Hermann Paul R. Hirsch Lawrence G. Horky Paul R. Huebotter Irena Jakstys Evelyn Jensen Theodore C. Johnson George J. Kafka John A. Kelley Frances La Duke Stephen A. Lawroski Carl H. Leskinen Walter L. Lindner Blanche M. Lobick Ethel Lucas Michael Lucas Norman P. Malkowski Robert L. McBeth Elsie Miros Vincent Mitchell Robert Mogil Harry J. Myers James A. Nelson Darwin D. Ness Cornelius H. O’Grady Harvey Olsen Julius A. Ostapowicz Kenneth S. Parrott Josie Paske Frank J. Piotrowski Paul Plowe Dorothy Plucinski William C. Redman Caesar Relucio John Rule William A. Rupp Fritz Schlenk Werner Schnoor Virginia Seidman Joseph J. Senesac Carl W. Sorensen Caleb C. Springs William F. Thompson Herman Townsen Myrtle Tuzar Harry Wachowiak Ernest P. Wesley George C. West George A. Whittington Aubrey Williams Jacqueline Williams Rosemary Williams Robert G. Xenos Robert S. Zeno
Related Board Members and Staff Roland Barstow Ray W. Macdonald Arthur T. Worthwein
Alumni Grant C. Aadnesen William H. Abbott Leo George Abood Paul M. Adler Fred C. Akers Marion Aneta Albers William Henry Alexander Grace L. Alke Shorey M. Armstrong Irving Irmas Axelrad David R. Babb Eloise Parsons Baker Harry E. Baker, Jr. H. Kamuzu Banda Charles A. Bane Jack Bardolph Roland J. Barstow H. Allan Barth Walter L. Bateman Norman E. Bateson Henry Guenther Baumgart Charles E. Bayliss Frances M. Beck Leland T. Becker Mark Patrick Becker Conrad J. Bergendoff Marjorie Sue Berger Paul H. Berger Morton H. Bernstein William H. Bessey Helen U. Bibas Albert T. Bilgray Saul D. Binder Isabel A. Birkhoff Robert T. Blackburn Eugene E. Blackwell Marie H. Bloch Armand Richard Bollaert Chester T. Bonk Frank R. Borchert, Jr. Clarence A. Bostwick Cecil L. Bothwell, Jr. James G. Boughner Wilbur H. Boutell Mina S. Rees Brahdy F. Glenn Breen Gordon L. Briggs George D. Brodsky Frances R. Brown Yale Brozen James C. Bullis Harold H. Buls Denis G. Cain Lydia F. Campbell Robert G. Carpenter Mary Eileen Carter Margaret Ann Chambers Charles Augustus Chapin Jong Hyon Chey Clair D. Clark Jenny S. Cohler Bruce R. Colby John Coltman, II Henry Steele Commager Fanne L. Conkling George W. Connelly Mary Elizabeth Connors Michael Anthony Costello JoAn Gayley Costin Marian Coulbourn Robert E. Covert Thomas J. Creswell Amy E. Crisler Jean A. Crockett James Crosbie Gloria Joy Cunningham Davida B. Danish Watson M. Davis John Edward Devereaux George H. Dickerson, Jr. William J. Dieterich Harry N. Dorsey Bernard Drell Allan B. Dry Walter J. Ducey Peter Dukas Elmer W. Edstrand Gilbert P. Ellithorpe John Telestus Emerson John E. Fagg Signi L. Falk Robert E. Lee Faris Don E. Fehrenbacher Robert H. Felsenthal Paul R. Fields Donald Richard Fitts Arnold M. Flamm Mary Katherine Flynn Louise Forsyth Arthur W. Fort Courtland B. Frain Irma B. Fricke Darol K. Froman Theodore D. Frost Keith E. Fry Virginia I. Fujibayashi Robert K. Gassler Walter Gibbs Lewis R. Ginsberg Louis Gluck Viola H. Goetter Dorothy S. Goodell Floyd J. Gould Helen B. Graham Evelyn Brumbaugh Green Edward B. Greensfelder, Jr. Mary Elizabeth Grenander Hassan S. Haddad E. P. Kirby Hade Richard D. Hall Faith Halley Bernard R. Halpern Richard W. Hamming Maurice B. Hamovitch William John Hanley, Jr. John W. Hanni Gay Secor Hardy Robert C. Hardy Daniel L. Harper William T. Harrison Harlan H. Hatcher Donald M. Hawkins Zenos E. M. Hawkinson Wendell Hayes Klaus H. Heberle Richard E. Heller Margaret C. Hibbard George A. Hockenbery Norman Eugene Hollis William H. Hoster, Jr. Kenneth T. Hubbard Paul R. Huebotter Harry Sampson Huggins Robert B. Hummel Phineas Indritz Dorothea D. S. Ingersoll Julian J. Jackson Ralph B. Jackson, Sr. Charlotte Jelks Frank W. Johnson James C. Johnson Lent C. Johnson Elinor Jones John T. Jones Charles L. Jordan Virginia H. Jordan Frederic Theodore Jung Elizabeth B. Keller Kent E. Keller Sally Claire Kelsey Richard G. Kenyon W. Lester Killenn Ronald Franklin Kinney, Jr. William J. Kirby Grace T. Klemm Daniel B. Knock Larry L. Kron Emma M. La Porte J. Malcolm Landen Lorraine L. Larson Sidney R. Lash John V. Lassoe, Jr. Jean V. Lebacqz Elliot Burns Lee Ronnie West Lee Henry Martyn Lemon Charles G. Leonard Ellen Fooklen Leong William A. Lessa Noah B. Levin Anne Levine Robert O. Levitt Aaron Levy Lois Carroll Lewis William M. Lieber Grace A. Lindahl Raymond A. G. Linke Beverly Ruth Liss Fotios K. Litsas Gloria R. Little Kaspar T. Locher Anna Margaret Look Emmett B. Lorey, Jr. David Jonathan Luck Robert L. Lundstedt Robert E. Lyon Charlotte H. Lyons Dorothy Catherine MacDonald Ray Woodward Macdonald Donald B. Mack Franklin C. MacKnight Brice D. Maddox Edwin B. Main Dagmar G. Malicote Viola C. Manderfeld T. Richard Marquardt Frank L. Martin Margaret E. Martinson Kathryn Smith Matkov Marjorie N. Maxwell Moreau S. Maxwell Irene McAdam William Walker McLaury Y. P. Mei Lloyd J. Mendelson Saul Mendelson A. Bruce Mercer Lucy Lamon Merriam Wendy Mesnikoff Henry C. Miller Ruth Moulik Miller Thomas L. Minder David E. Misner Harvey D. Mitchell Marion O. Mitchell Roscoe E. Mitchell, Jr. Robert H. Mohlman Russell E. Mooney, Jr. Horace Everett Moore Margaret A. Moore Sara Walker Moore Analylle S. Morency Muriel H. Moss Thirza A. Mossman John B. Mullen Edward H. Nakamura George Nathan Inez H. Nelson Bonnie Bradley Niswander Mary E. Norris Edward H. Norton Francis J. Novak Robert H. O’Brien William E. Oddy Thomas J. O’Donnell Alexander Oppenheim Anneke Overseth Dale E. Owens E. Guy Owens, Jr. Sidney L. Pachter Lou Williams Page Patrick J. Palm Richard F. Pannabecker Gregory Pennebaker Mary Louise Peregoy Raymond L. Perlman Mary Pierson Mary Ruth Pippen Ray E. Poplett Elmer B. Potter James T. Powers Edith L. Rafter Robert J. Raiman Raymond Scott Rainbow Peggy C. Rast William F. Rauch John P. Raynor Willis A. Redding Clifford B. Reifler Dietrich C. Reitzes Paul Reizen Paul George Reynolds Irvin Joseph Rich, Jr. Charles Phil Richman George C. Rogers, Jr. Henry P. Rollick Celia Rosenzweig Nathaniel Ross Joseph P. Roth Morrison A. Rudner Gabriel G. Rudney Jessie Weed Rudnick Paul Rudnick Kenneth Russ J. Coert Rylaarsdam Donald J. Sabath Leonard A. Sagan Ina Samuels Charles D. Satinover Elizabeth C. Schmidt Georgia G. Schoendelen Richard R. Scholz Richard J. Schreiber Charles C. Schultz Irwin M. Schuster Allen D. Schwartz Florence Corsau Seibold Florence M. Seyfried Everett E. Shafer Chalmers W. Sherwin Maurice F. Shine Jay A. Silverberg Robert D. Simmons Julian L. Simon Alan Simpson Morris L. Slugg Elinor Anne Smith Mildred E. B. Smith Byron E. Snider Dorothy C. Snow Vernon F. Snow Jane Audrey Soltesz Kathryn E. Spies Rose Stamler Sigrid Phyllis Stearner Sharon Kay Stephens David W. Stotter Margaret Ponder Strong Erling B. Struxness Martin H. Studier Florence C. Sullivan William M. Swanson Timothy D. Sweeney Helen D. Szold Hisako Tanaka Elizabeth A. Tehan Margaret E. Terrell David T. Thackery Addie G. Thomas L. Eugene Thomas Vera Mae Thompson Philip Thorek Conrad G. Thurstone Jane Ellen Tiers Leslie C. Tihany Edgar W. Trout, Jr. Ai Chih Tsai David Robert Vervaet Howard W. Voss Daniel James Walsh Pearl A. Warn Elizabeth W. Watson Rebecca R. Watson E. Isabel Webb William O. Webster Harold P. Welch Allen S. Weller George P. Werner Richard E. Wheeler Robert E. White Marshall W. Wiley Lawrence A. Wilks William Wayne Willard Constance Williams Jonathan M. Williams Glenn G. Wiltsey Lucy Winslow Clarence F. Wittenstrom Arthur T. Woerthwein Clarence W. Wolf Charles F. Wood, Jr. Frank A. Wood, Jr. Ada Wrigley, Jr. Robert L. Wrigley Hisami Yamamoto John E. Yarnelle George I. Yaseen Herbert M. Zimmerman William E. Zimmerman John R. Zinzow
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