Development director recounts his experience with IU Southeast alumna and supporter Patty Cress
David DeWitt, director of development at IU Southeast, illustrates how he has gotten to know one of IU Southeast’s generous donors.
Shown in top photo from left to right: Chancellor Ray Wallace, Vice Chancellor Dana Wavle, IU Executive Vice President John Applegate, Patty Cress, IU Foundation Vice President Jonathan Purvis, Vice Chancellor Betty Russo and Director of Development David DeWitt at the Cress Lobby dedication at the Ogle Center on April 14, 2018.
Patty Cress stands in front of The Freezer, a restaurant in Florida.
Patty Cress at her home in Clarksville.
I first met Patty Cress in the fall of 2017. I was kindly introduced to her by a representative of our Paul W. Ogle Cultural and Community Center, which is a wonderful performing arts center found on the Indiana University Southeast campus. Patty, a graduate of both Indiana University Bloomington and IU Southeast, as well as a volunteer of the Ogle Center, indicated an interest in making a gift to the Ogle Center. I was still relatively new to my position at IU Southeast, and Patty was one of the first donors I met.
My contact and interaction with Patty was limited for the next several months. I had heard through various sources that she was caring for her ailing husband, Hugh. I was hoping to have more contact with Patty, but I respected that she had more important matters to tend to versus discussing a gift. Therefore, mail communication resulted for the next several months to let her know I was readily available to her when convenient.
Things would change drastically in early 2018. Of all times, it was during a Hawaii vacation in late January. I had been in contact with Patty’s financial adviser in the closing months of 2017, but the activity surrounding a potential gift increased substantially while I was in Hawaii. I would receive several emails between the hours of 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. Of course, it was mid to late morning in southern Indiana. There was a sense of urgency by the financial adviser to move forward with Patty’s gift, and time was of the essence. Patty’s husband, Hugh, was failing and failing fast.
Discussions and negotiations increased in a big way for the next several weeks between the IU Southeast Advancement Office, the IU Foundation and Patty’s professional representative. It was pretty simple. Patty desired to name the Ogle Center lobby and do this before Hugh’s passing. Fortunately, Hugh saw this happen. He signed the gift agreement to name what is now the Hugh and Patty Cress Lobby in the Ogle Center. Hugh Cress signed the document on February 24, 2018, and died a few days later on February 28.
My next encounter with Patty, only a second contact, would be to transport her to and from our black-tie event called the Chancellor’s Medallion Dinner. I was so grateful to Chancellor Ray Wallace for inviting Patty to be his guest and to sit at his table. Our 20 to 30-minute drive to the venue, there and back, would allow for ample time to visit. It was thoroughly enjoyable as I learned a great deal about Patty. I am sure Patty learned a great deal about me. One thing for sure, we both liked to talk.
My interactions with Patty expanded in many, many ways in the coming weeks. We had a fast-approaching deadline to plan an event to honor Patty, recognize her wonderful gift and celebrate Hugh’s life. We did just that, involving Patty in the planning process. What a blessing for all! We worked with Patty and her family members to host an event that was well deserved and so needed at a time of loss. This allowed me more time to get to know Patty. We were able to host a successful event for Patty, her late husband, Hugh, along with family and friends on April 14, 2018. Throughout the entire time, I reminded Patty that I would not disappear after her gift or after the event. I was amazed at Patty’s strength and poise during her time of grief, planning and celebration.
As a result of her gift, Patty was inducted into the President’s Circle, which honors Indiana University's most generous donors. Yet another wonderful opportunity to celebrate with Patty. I transported Patty to the Bloomington campus for a luncheon where she, along with many other good folks, was recognized as a President’s Circle inductee. We took in an IU football game, and I transported her back to her home. I learned how close she was with family, and the values bestowed on her by her parents. She shared stories of growing up in southern Indiana and about her undergraduate years at Bloomington. She talked about her professional career and her 27 years of service with the Census Bureau. We laughed, exchanging stories of good times and would reflect when discussing the more challenging periods in and throughout our lives. We opened up and shared what was on our minds, in our hearts and our souls.
A lot has happened in two years. I have had the pleasure to see and interact with Patty in numerous ways. I may see her at a campus event for a quick hello and a few laughs. We sometimes schedule lunch where we discuss current events and I provide her with a campus update. As we closed out 2019, we decided a weekly glass of wine would be nice with a single rule; there would be no real reason for the visit except to just visit. We would have one more such visit in late November just before Patty departed for Florida for the winter.
Patty graciously invited me to visit her while in Florida. During my early February visit, Patty showed me around central Florida, taking me to the Freezer, an outstanding place for fresh seafood. We also took in the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, home to Lucifer, the oldest living hippopotamus in the Americas. I concluded my visit with Patty and other area visits with alumni departing for home on February 6, 2020.
We have seen a lot of changes since that time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Patty decided to extend her stay in Florida for a month. She would usually return to Indiana in late March to resume her volunteer work at the Ogle Center and normal routine with area friends and family. Like all of us, Patty had to adapt to the disruption in life and adjust to the new normal. In turn, we changed the way we connected. We held weekly phone calls that quickly transitioned to Facetime visits that included, of course, a glass of wine. Like in past visits with Patty, I would so enjoy conversations covering a wide range of subjects.
Patty has since returned home safely in early May. We are glad she is back, and I have had the pleasure to visit her while still practicing social distancing. We recently sat at her back patio, keeping a healthy six feet apart, enjoying each other’s company. I am grateful to Patty for so many things. She is a huge advocate for the mission of both Indiana University and IU Southeast. She continues to be actively engaged with both campuses and has given generously. However, what is the one thing for which I am most grateful? The friendship of Patty Cress. Thank you, Patty!