Trustee emetrius Charles H. Ludlow dies at 89.
By Katy TerBerg
Charles H. Ludlow, a trustee emeritus of Western Michigan University, died May 8 in Kalamazoo. He was 89.
Ludlow was a member of the WMU Board of Trustees for 20 years, from 1967-87. He serves as board chairman, vice chairman, chaired WMU’s 1985 presidential search committee, and executive director of WMU’s 1997 presidential search.
After 20 years of governing board service, Ludlow was praised for giving “his time and talents to Western in the development of such key areas as financial analysis and data processing, while providing wise counsel and setting fiscal standards of the highest integrity.”
Ludlow and his wife, Marion, funded WMU’s prestigious Medallion Scholarship. He had served as a director of the WMU Foundation and had been a member of the President’s Club as well as the WMU Alumni Association, which presented him with its Distinguished Alumni Award in 1964.
He was also highly involved in the Kalamazoo community. He was active in civic affairs and played leadership roles in several organizations including senior services, the Greater Kalamazoo United Way, Girl Scouts, Kalamazoo College and the Kellogg Foundation Trust.
Ludlow received a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from WMU in 1950. After 34 years of serving as vice president and treasurer of the Upjohn Co. he retired in 1984.
Fellow trustee emetrius Maury E. Reed spoke about Ludlow’s committment to WMU and the community as a whole. “The time he devoted to his alma mater was legendary,” he said.
“His superb leadership and professional widsom as a chairman of the board and chairman of the [1985] presidental search committee provded WMU a path to prominence in U.S. higher education. Western Michigan University was indeed fortunate for the light and life of Chuck Ludlow.”
Ludlow was an asset to the school and the community, and he will be missed.
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