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HELEN DOW WHITING
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WHITING, HELEN DOW, 85, of Sun Valley, ID, died peacefully on Oct. 16, 2009, while in the loving care of her devoted family, in Ketchum, ID. Helen was born in Midland, MI on Aug. 13, 1924, the oldest child of Martha (Pratt) and Willard Dow. She attended the Carpenter Street School, the Dow Private School, graduated from the Kingswood School in Birmingham, MI, and earned a BA degree in Chemistry from Sarah Lawrence College in 1945. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree from Northwood University in 1972. She met her husband Macauley while she was a student at Kingswood, and they were married July 6, 1945. Their life together has been full of rich experiences, which includes the raising of a family of six children, being grandparents of eight grandchildren and great grandparents to one, and travel to 94 countries around the world as well as all of the fifty United States. As an author of three books, Yes, We Can Cook (1978), Souvenirs of Tuscany (1990), and Discovering China (1999), Helen's books were informed by her life experiences as a wife, mother and traveler. She sought to create beauty in all aspects of her life, whether in her home in Midland, where all her children were raised, or in Sun Valley, where she and Mac lived for more than 30 years. She maintained an interest in many civic organizations, including hospitals, schools, land trusts, and arts organizations, which she and Mac supported through their family foundation, the
Macauley and Helen Dow Whiting Foundation. She also served as a trustee of the
Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation in Midland. She is survived by her loving husband of 64 years, Macauley, her six children, Susan Scholl of Taos, NM, Martha FioRito of Windsor, CA, Helen Whiting of Sun Valley, Idaho, Mary
Whiting of Blue Hill, ME, Henry Whiting II of Bliss, ID,
Macauley Whiting Jr., of Winter Park, FL, eight grandchildren, Macauley Whiting III, of Charlotte, NC, Correll Whiting of Winter Park, FL, Cameron and Chessye Collette of Sun Valley, ID, Castine and Noah Dow of Blue Hill, Maine, Brandon FioRito of San Diego, California, Meghan FioRito of Windsor, California, one great grandchild Nevaeh Collette of Sun Valley, Idaho, as well as many other loving family members, and friends. She was predeceased by her parents, and by her brother, Herbert Henry Dow II. Funeral services for Helen will be held in Midland, Michigan, at the St. John's Episcopal Church, 405 N. Saginaw Road at St. Andrews Drive, on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, at 1:00 pm. The Reverend Robert Skirving will officiate, with private family burial rites in Midland Cemetery. The family will be receiving friends at the Ware Smith Woolever Funeral Home, 1200 West Wheeler Street in Midland on Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, from 4 to 6 pm. Helen requested that those planning an expression of sympathy provide gifts of flowers. If you are unable to visit with the family in person, you may share your condolences through
www.waresmithwoolever.com
Published in the Orlando Sentinel from Oct. 20 to Oct. 21, 2009
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/orlandosentinel/obituary.aspx?pid=134696480
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Tiny woman made big ideas come to life
by Midland Daily News Published 8:00 pm, Monday, October 19, 2009
When Northwood University was a tiny school and new in Midland, a granddaughter of The Dow Chemical Co.'s founder helped it grow in visible and not-so-visible ways, those who knew her said.
Helen Dow Whiting, granddaughter of Herbert H. Dow, died Friday at age 85. She and her husband, Macauley Whiting, have lived in Sun Valley, Idaho for a number of years.
Helen's uncle, architect Alden Dow, became the master architect for the new campus. When Northwood founders R. Gary Stauffer and Arthur E Turner wanted to meet with Dow officials, Macauley — then a Dow leader, was drawn into the early life of Northwood, recalled Helen's friend, Nancy Barker. Helen, too, took up the vision.
"Helen was one of these wonderfully passionate women" for causes, Barker said. "When Helen became interested in something, she was very lively, very determined."
A tiny woman who was a stylish dresser, Helen Whiting probably would have been an executive had she grown up in more modern times, Barker said. Instead, she put her organizational gifts into managing her household with six children and working hand in hand with her husband on community projects.
Whiting was opinionated enough to shake her finger — "in a very motherly way" — in the direction of Stauffer and Turner and say, "I've got an idea here, let me tell you about it," Barker said. She "didn't mind taking a stand" on issues, and her ideas made good sense, Barker added.
Some of the Whitings' gifts were made quietly, said Northwood President Emeritis David Fry. If everything at the school were named for a donor, "we'd have the Whiting Sewer on campus," he said.
When Northwood was too young to have many alumni, Whiting was among a group of dedicated women who founded what is now the Town and Campus organization, Barker said. The organization is a liaison between the university and community, and Barker remembers parties the Whitings hosted for new faculty.
The Whitings' desire to train young people to become innovators prompted them to devote themselves to Junior Achievement as well, said Margaret Riecker, Helen's cousin and also a philanthropist. Living away from Midland didn't keep Helen from involving herself in The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, and she was one of its trustees at the time of her death, Riecker noted.
"Her wisdom and her advice have been invaluable to me," Riecker added. "She never minced words. She wouldn't say 'Oh, that's great' if it wasn't great. She'd say 'Why don't you try something else?' in a constructive tone."
The couple's financial means allowed them to donate land to Northwood's West Baden, Ind. campus; a parcel of land at Higgins Lake for use by Delta College and money for a Junior Achievement building in Midland.
They were instrumental in developing a park overlooking the Midland Cogeneration Venture, and the Macauley and Helen Dow Whiting Foundation contributed to formation of the Midland Civic Arena. Barker recalled a small kindness of Helen's, years after she'd written a cookbook called "Yes, We Can Cook."
A woman called Barker's office and said she wanted to make a lemon pie from a recipe she'd found in this book published by Northwood Press. But the recipe didn't call for lemon, and the woman wanted to know the amount. Helen called the woman and corrected the error in the recipe.
Helen's death came after a stroke, Riecker said. She was very sick, but "fortunately it was only for two weeks."
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1924 - 2009 (85 years)