Mary Louise White, pictured throughout her years in these photos, passed away Oct. 21, 1997, and made a bequest to SUNY Fredonia’s English department. It continues to make a difference in the cultural and professional lives of students and give us reason to be proud of our community members.
Earlier this year, Dr. Ruth Gottesman, a former pediatrics professor and a member of the board of trustees at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, donated $1 billion to her college, making medical school tuition free for the next generation of students.
Although donations of this scale happen rarely, there are many women philanthropists and donors who make a difference in higher education. Mrs. Mary Louise White of Dunkirk who passed away Oct. 21, 27 years ago, is one such donor, whose generous bequest to SUNY Fredonia’s English department continues to make a difference in the cultural and professional lives of students and give us reason to be proud of our community members.
Mary Louise was born Mary Louise Feightner on Feb. 24, 1913, in Greensburg, Pa., to Dr. Ross R. Feightner and Mrs. Mary Francis Feightner. She attended St. Joseph Academy for Girls in Pennsylvania in 1931 but did not finish high school.
We gather from her high school records and photos that she loved art and dogs. On November 22, 1937, she married Dean Warner White of Dunkirk. The couple moved to Dunkirk and, until Mary Louise passed away in 1997, lived on Washington Avenue.
Mary Louise White, pictured throughout her years in these photos, passed away Oct. 21, 1997, and made a bequest to SUNY Fredonia’s English department. It continues to make a difference in the cultural and professional lives of students and give us reason to be proud of our community members.
Mary Louise’s nephew Charles Feightner, who generously shared family photos of his aunt “Tippy” noted that many folks from Greensburg, Pa., owned property at Van Buren Point back then. In fact, he and his wife, Jane still own the family cottage built then in 1923. It was likely at Van Buren point that Dean Warner and Mary Louise met.
Mary Louise’s husband, Dean Warner, was a graduate of Dunkirk High School, Allegheny College, and George Washington University school of law. He served in the US Army for over two years, entering in June of 1943.
When he returned from the army, he started practicing law in Dunkirk and took over his father’s (Joseph C. White) office. Dean served the community and led a public life: he was appointed chairman of the Dunkirk Historical Committee; served as president of the Adams Memorial Church, the head of the Unitarian Church, and was on the election team for William Lawless in 1959.
The Whites were no doubt an important part of the local community.
Several interviews suggest that Mary Louise liked attending events at the college, perhaps one of the reasons why an endowment to the English Department was a worthy thought for her and her estate.
Mary Louise White, pictured throughout her years in these photos, passed away Oct. 21, 1997, and made a bequest to SUNY Fredonia’s English department. It continues to make a difference in the cultural and professional lives of students and give us reason to be proud of our community members.
Today, Mary Louise White’s enduring legacy continues to have a positive impact on students, faculty, and the Dunkirk-Fredonia community at large. The fund, established in 1998, a year after Mary Louise White passed away, is one of the largest endowments at SUNY Fredonia with an annual spending model of $18,850.
This fund has been critical in granting textbook scholarships to students and creative writing awards to outstanding student writers. The fund also supports student teachers in the English Adolescence Education majors who need to drive to their placements. This travel money is particularly critical as many student teachers drive well over 1,000 miles to and from placements. But it’s not only the students who benefit from Mary Louise White’s generosity. The fund continues to sponsor numerous free and public lecture series on campus, with high-profile writers and speakers. It is a high-impact endowment that elevates the already successful and distinct English program, and we are deeply grateful for it.
Mary Louise White’s legacy reminds us how local donors can make a difference in higher education, but more importantly, she inspires us to follow in her footsteps in building bridges between the community and the university.
This article was co-written and made possible by research conducted by the following English department students: Patricia P Albro, Zachary L Beaudoin, Katryna L Pierce, Rianna L Seelig, Holly M. McLaughlin and Meghan Berlin.
The writers note special thanks to: Charles and Jane Feightner, Reed Library staff, English Department faculty and staff, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, Seton Hill University Alumni Relations, Dunkirk OBSERVER archives.
Mary Louise White, pictured throughout her years in these photos, passed away Oct. 21, 1997, and made a bequest to SUNY Fredonia’s English department. It continues to make a difference in the cultural and professional lives of students and give us reason to be proud of our community members.