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News & Updates
Supporting the Library is a family affair
Jean Phillips Gove ’61 had been working as an administrative assistant in the Cullom-Davis Library for a few years when Ellen Watson, the Library director, started the Friends of the Library group. Gove attended many of the planning sessions, where she learned about the Library’s book endowment program.
From left to right: Jack Gove ’56, Jaclyn Pauline Gove ’11 and Jean Phillips Gove ’61.
Book endowments allow individuals to purchase books for the Library in memory of a loved one, in honor of a family member, in their own name, or to commemorate a special occasion such as a retirement. Jean and her husband, Jack Gove ’56, have made 11 endowments so far, nine of which were in honor of family members who have graduated from Bradley. The couple gave endowments in honor of their children, LISA GOVE RICKGAUER ’90, DAN GOVE ’81 and NEIL GOVE ’84 MS ’86 and his wife Sawanee Phongpaichet Gove, MS ’86, and their grandchildren, Stephanie Marie Gove ’05, Nathan Daniel Gove ’07, Jaclyn Pauline Gove ’11, Ryan Michael Rickgauer, and Taevin Russell Gove. They also established endowments for Jean’s mother Verial S. Phillips, and Jack’s mother Mildred Gove ’51.
The Goves are now working on establishing endowments for their grandchildren who haven’t reached college age. Jean says she would like them to go to Bradley, but just wants them to start thinking about college.
“It seemed like a wonderful place to support the library and honor family members,” said Jean.
Jack and Jean also contributed to the Library by donating artwork. Four framed designs made out of paper hang in the Library’s entryway in memory of Mildred, and a quilt that they had made in memory of Verial hangs outside the Wyckoff Room.
“They were looking for some wall hangings and that seemed like a good idea to honor the mothers and give something to the Library,” said Jean, who was working at the Library during its renovation.
During their days at Bradley, Jack was in ROTC and joined the Air Force directly after graduation. They moved around the country for three years, then came back to Central Illinois for Jean to finish her education. Their travels around the country continued with Jack’s jobs as a Caterpillar engineer. Jean worked as a school librarian before she worked at Bradley. Both are retired now, and Jack enjoys Bradley basketball and volunteers in church and community activities, while Jean volunteers as a church librarian. They both share a love of books and book endowments.
Book endowments can be established with gifts of $500 or more to the Cullom-Davis Library. Books purchased from the earnings from the endowment have a special bookplate inside them identifying the donor and the person(s) the donation was made in honor of. The names are inscribed on brass plates that adorn a marble kiosk located on the Library’s first floor. The Library has received 432 book endowments since the program began.