MRS. WILLIAM MERRILL CHESTER

Source: Milwaukee Newspaper with the date hand written on it 7-12-1972)

MRS. CHESTER DIES; WAS CIVIC LEADER

Mrs. William Merrill Chester, 79, the organizer of Girl Scouting in Milwaukee and granddaughter of the founder of the T. A. Chapman Co., died Wednesday of leukemia. Mrs. Chester, who had been ill for about two years, died at her home at 3590 N. Lake Dr., Shorewood. She also had a summer home at Oconomowoc Lake. She was internationally known for her work with the Girl Scout organization, activities which spanned half a century.

Her civic involvement included membership on the Lawrence University Board of Trustees, organizer and first president of the Milwaukee Junior League and trustee of the Milwaukee Art Institute. She was a member of the motor corps in France during World War I, driving trucks from base hospitals to field hospitals near the front lines. She also was a former Wisconsin women tennis champion.

Mrs. Chester's husband, William M. Chester, was board chairman of T. A. Chapman. at the time of his death in 1964. He was associated with several industrial and financial firms and was active in civic affairs.

The former Alice Miller, Mrs. Chester was the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. George P. Miller. Her father at one time was attorney for Lucius Nieman, longtime publisher of the Milwaukee Journal. Miller owned Journal Company stock which was later sold to Harry J. Grant, Nieman's successor. Mrs. Chester's grandfather, T. A. Chapman, founded the Chapman department store firm. Her aunt was Miss Alice Chapman, who will $1 million to the former Milwaukee-Downer College for construction of the Chapman Library. The building is now called Chapman Hall and is part of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus.

The children of Mr. & Mrs. Chester are Atty. George M. Chester, a partner in the law firm of Foley & Lardner; William M. Chester, jr., vice president of the Heil Co.; John C. Chester, a former diplomat and now a staff consultant for the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, and Mrs. Verne R. Read, whose husband is board chairman of the Chapman stores.

Mrs. Chester, an avid traveler both for her own enjoyment and in behalf of the Girl Scouts, took her last trip in June, 1970, when she and more than 20 family members went to Mallawi, Egypt, to visit John C. Chester, who had a diplomatic post there.

Soon afterward, Mrs. Chester was stricken with Leukemia and was unable to travel again. In 1915, following her graduation from Bryn Mawr College, Mrs. Chester organized the Junior League here.

Immediately after their marriage, she and her husband left for Franch (sic) where they both served in 1917 and 1918. She was in Paris during the shelling and later became cable secretary for the YMCA.

During the 1920's, Mrs. Chester's activities included offices in the League of Women Voters and the Woman's Club of Wisconsin.

Mrs. Chester was the first commissioner of the Milwaukee Council of Girl Scouts, organized in 1921. Her portrait hands at Camp Alice Chester at Booth Lake near East Troy, which was dedicated to her in 1925.

Her interest in youth work, particularly with Girl Scouts, continued through nearly five decades. She served on the Girl Scouts Great Lakes Regional Committee and held various offices at the national and international level with the Scouts. She headed the Girl Scout mariner program here. She was assistant world treasurer, vice chairman of the Juliette Low World Friendship committee and chairman of the committee which maintains the Girl Scout World Center in Adelboden, Switzerland. Mrs. Chester wore her Girl Scout uniform in 1943 when she christened the wartime cargo ship Cape Bon at Wilmington, Del.

In 1967, though a grandmother and 74 years old, she was chosen by Gov. Warren Knowles to be general chairman of the governor's 10th conference on children and youth. She reacted with her customary enthusiasm for stimulating interest in young people.

As a young matron, Mrs. Chester was noted for ability to lay tennis and for her sailing ability. The Chesters spent summers at Oconomowoc Lake and were active in sailing and fox hunting there. Mrs. Chester served on the Milwaukee-Downer Board of Trustees from 1931 to 1964. She became a member of the Lawrence University board when the two schools consolidated in 1964.

Bryn Mawr gave Mrs. Chester a distinguished service citation in 1960, citing her civic activities. Mount Mary College presented her with its 1967 Pro Urbe medal for outstanding civic service. In September, 1970, Lawrence University granted her an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 914 E. Knapp St. Burial will be in Forest Home Cemetery.

The family suggests contributions to the Girl Scouts of Milwaukee County, Lawrence University and the University School of Milwaukee.