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A century of alumni

When Malcolm Seth Wardrop enrolled at Central Michigan Normal in 1909, little did he know that he would be starting a history of Wardrops at CMU that would carry on for a century.

It is hard to imagine that the direct descendents of any other graduate of CMU has as many combined years of participation at the university as the Wardrop family.

After graduating from Central Michigan in 1911, Malcolm Wardrop attended the University of Michigan. He returned to Mount Pleasant and raised a family of six children. His direct descendants and their involvement with Central Michigan are:

• Malcolm Seth Wardrop Jr. (10 years). Mac attended what was then called the Central Michigan Elementary School and Junior High (or “College El”) for eight years and Central Michigan for one year. He subsequently graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and died during World War II.

• William S. Wardrop (12 years). Bill Wardrop attended College El for nine years and Central Michigan for three years, graduating in 1947. Bill married Evelyn Lapard, also a graduate of Central Michigan. Bill is deceased. Evelyn lives in Toledo, Ohio.

• Mary Elizabeth Wardrop (13 years). Merrie attended College El for nine years and graduated from Central Michigan in 1943. Merrie currently resides in Sacramento, California.

• Robert F. Wardrop (at least 36 years). Bobb attended College El and graduated from Central Michigan in 1947. He also obtained master’s degrees from Central Michigan and the University of Michigan. After more than 15 years of teaching and coaching at Mount Pleasant High School, he went back to school and obtained an Ed.D. degree in mathematics education from Indiana University. He joined the math faculty at Central Michigan and was a member of the department for more than 20 years. He also served as associate dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Central Michigan. Bobb has five children, all of whom attended Central Michigan. Bobb is an inductee in the CMU Athletics Hall of Fame. Bobb, and his current wife Mary, a former faculty member at Central Michigan, live in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

• Daniel H. Wardrop (10 years). Dan attended College El and attended CMU for one year prior to entering the Army during World War II. He subsequently graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and had a distinguished career in the military, eventually rising to the rank of general. Dan is retired and lives in Williamsburg, Virginia. Dan married Noreen Dickinson, a graduate of Central Michigan. Dan has three children, two of whom attended Central Michigan.

• Elvira (Wardrop) Harrison (15 years). Elvira attended College El and graduated from Central Michigan in 1949. She subsequently obtained a master’s and a specialist degree from Central. She married Donald Harrison, also a graduate of Central Michigan. She has three children, two of whom attended College El and one of whom graduated from Central. Elvira worked as a teacher and counselor in the Alma, Michigan, public schools for many years prior to her retirement. Don is deceased, and Elvira lives in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

The third generation of Wardrops to attend CMU include the children of Bobb Wardrop. Bobb married Maureen (McConnell) Wardrop, also a graduate of Central Michigan. Maureen’s family has a long history at Central Michigan, and Sweeney Hall was named after Maureen’s uncle, Lawrence “Doc” Sweeney. The children of Bobb and Maureen are:

• Robert F. Wardrop II (17 years). Robb attended College El and subsequently graduated from Central Michigan with both an undergraduate degree (1972) and a master’s degree (1975). Robb taught in the economics department for three years in the late 1970s. He subsequently obtained a J.D. degree from the University of Detroit School of Law. Robb has served on the alumni board for more than 12 years, including two years as president. He and his wife, Rae Marie (Trussell), who also attended Central Michigan, are residents of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Atlantic Beach, Florida. Robb is a lawyer, in partnership with his brother, Mac, in Grand Rapids.

• Rebecca Ann (Wardrop) Yankle (13 years). Rebecca attended College El and holds undergraduate (1975) and graduate degrees from Central. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. Rebecca and her husband Richard have one daughter and reside in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. Becky is a teacher in the Lakewood Lake Odessa School District.

• Michelle Maureen (Wardrop) Hickey (10 years). Michelle attended College El and also attended Central Michigan. Michelle married Patrick Hickey, a Central Michigan graduate. They have two children, one of whom recently graduated from Central Michigan. Michelle and Pat reside in Rockford, Michigan, where they operate Donald Hickey and Associates.

• Daniel M. Wardrop (10 years). Daniel attended College El and graduated from Central Michigan in 1978. He married Barbara Jane (Penny) Wardrop, also a graduate of Central Michigan. They have two children. Dan subsequently obtained a master’s degree from Purdue and a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech. Dan currently is a vice president of human relations at Royal Dutch/Shell in The Hague, Netherlands.

• Thomas M. Wardrop (10 years). Mac attended College El and graduated from Central Michigan in 1981. Mac subsequently attended the University of Detroit and obtained a juris doctor degree. Mac and his wife, Anna (Sweetnam), who also attended Central Michigan have four children. He resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he is a partner with his brother Robb in the law firm of Wardrop & Wardrop P.C.

The third generation of Wardrops also include two of the children of Dan and Noreen Wardrop. They are:

• Daneen L. Wardrop (4 years). Daneen graduated from CMU in 1975. She subsequently obtained a Ph.D. in English at the University of Virginia. Daneen and her daughter, Lili, currently reside in Kalamazoo, where Daneen is on the faculty at Western Michigan University.

• Daniel Charles Wardrop (4 years). Chuck attended and graduated from CMU in 1976. Chuck and his wife Helen (Miller), also a graduate of Central Michigan, currently reside in Black Diamond, Washington, and is a computer programmer. Chuck and Helen have two sons.

The third generation of Wardrops also include two of the children of Elvira and Don Harrison. They are:

• Donald Kent Harrison (2 years). Donald Kent Harrison attended College El for two years.

• Robert M. Harrison (8 years). Rob attended College El for three years and graduated from CMU with an undergraduate degree in business and an MBA (1991). He and his wife, Sue, reside in Holt, Michigan. Rob is a consultant in the retail petroleum industry.

The fourth generation of the direct descendants of Malcolm Seth Wardrop are now at or approaching college age. The first of this generation to graduate from Central is Katherine Rebecca Hickey (5 years). Katie graduated in 2005.

The total combined time of Wardrops at Central Michigan is at least 178 years, including at least 64 years as students at the undergraduate or graduate level. •

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Robert F. Wardrop, 1946