Thirty-two years after retiring as a professor at Millersville University, it seems Bill McIlwaine’s office hours are still open.
McIlwaine, who lives at Mennonite Home Assisted Living, often receives visits, phone calls and cards from old coworkers, students and academic advisees from as early as the 1960s. These days, they don’t seek academic insight — rather, connection with the man who also has served as a World War II veteran, impassioned community member and devoted father of four.
Those cards and phone calls hold a special message now; on Jan. 4, McIlwaine turns 100.
“Unbelievable,” McIlwaine said, when asked how it feels to be celebrating his 100th birthday. “I’m an old man!”
To Deb Shenk, McIlwaine’s oldest child, her father’s visitors demonstrate just how much of an impact his eventful life has had.
“It absolutely amazes me the people who have stayed connected to him. There are people he hasn’t seen in forever, and they send him a card every month,” said Shenk, of Willow Street. “He must have made an impact on these people that they take the time to be in touch.”
A decorated WWII veteran
McIlwaine, an only child, was born in 1924 in Fall River, Massachusetts, where he lived until he was 19. After graduating high school, he volunteered to serve in WWII — a decision that took him to the European theater in 1944 and 1945.
William McIlwaine as a young soldier.
McIlwaine joined the 3rd Army, 80th Infantry Division, 317th Infantry Regiment and fought in notable battles, including the Battle of the Bulge at 20 years old. A breakthrough moment of the war, the battle began in December 1944 and was fought in the Ardennes Forest near Germany’s border with Belgium. The battle, which ended about a month later, was successful in halting German attempts to push the Allies back. The battle opened the floodgates for Germany’s downfall.
McIlwaine, who had been wounded by artillery fire, went on to help liberate more than 20,000 people imprisoned at the Austrian Nazi concentration camp of Ebensee in May 1945. He received numerous awards for his service, including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Combat Infantry Badge and Four Theatre of Operation Stars.
“I wouldn’t sell it for a million dollars, but I wouldn’t do it again for a million dollars, either,” McIlwaine said of his military service in a 2014 interview with LNP | LancasterOnline.
Throughout Shenk’s childhood, she says, her father never spoke about his war memories due to the traumatic nature of soldiers’ experiences. In recent decades, she says, he became more open about it, as he realized the importance of telling veterans’ stories. Since then, McIlwaine has shared his valuable first-hand perspective through LNP | LancasterOnline and the Millersville University Review.
Forming a family in Millersville
After returning home in 1945, McIlwaine’s life would be a whirlwind of milestones.
He pursued his passion for geology and chemistry, earning bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees specializing in Curriculum and Instruction from Boston University. In 1950, McIlwaine married his wife, Melva, with whom he had four children — Deb, Dave, Meredith and Doug. The family would live and grow in Millersville, after McIlwaine accepted a teaching position at Millersville University in 1958.
Shenk recalls her parents’ adventurous spirit and her father’s unyielding support of his children’s aspirations.
“Growing up, Dad wanted to be sure we had as many experiences as we could,” Shenk said.
Her father encouraged his children to take advantage of any opportunity to explore and learn, an outlook that inspired some of Shenk’s favorite family memories, like visiting Yellowstone National Park and attending the Orange Bowl in Florida.
“He encouraged us to follow our dreams, and we really are.”
These days, McIlwaine’s children are pursuing careers in teaching, HVAC services, librarian work and academia. They look forward to reuniting in January, to celebrate McIlwaine’s birthday.
Bill McIlwaine, a World War II veteran pictured here with family, turns 100 on Jan. 4.
A leader of higher education
McIlwaine’s devotion to science and education caused him to leave a permanent mark on Millersville University’s history.
He started teaching geology and chemistry in 1958, when Millersville was evolving beyond its original identity as a state teachers’ college. He was influential in establishing the Department of Earth and Space Sciences, of which he would be the first chair. He later served as chair of the Department of Early Childhood Education, as well, and was an active member of state and national science teacher organizations.He also worked as the director of grants and awards for the university. His efforts funded Millersville with over $1 million.
Inspired by his and Melva’s mutual love for music — they were frequent attendees of symphonies at the Fulton Theatre — McIlwaine established a master class endowment in the name of his wife, who died in 2009. The program seeks to bring professional musicians to campus for students to learn from and see perform.
McIlwaine was awarded the President’s Medallion in 2015. One of the most prestigious accolades the university distributes, the award recognizes outstanding contributions to academics.
“His dedication was unbelievable… he was very committed to academics,” Richard Frerichs, a colleague and friend of McIlwaine, recalls.
Frerichs first met McIlwaine as a student himself, when he took one of McIlwaine’s chemistry classes. After graduating from Millersville in 1964 with a degree in biology, Frerichs says McIlwaine became a mentor to him as he joined the Millersville staff and worked on the university’s Council of Trustees alongside his former professor.
Despite retiring in 1991 after three decades of teaching, McIlwaine remained connected with the campus community by serving on the university’s council from 1995 to 2019. The 11 trustees on the council advise Millersville’s president on campus decisions regarding the budget, policy and programs.
To commemorate McIlwaine’s work and show love for a friend, Frerichs arranged a “card-a-thon” amongst some members of the university community earlier this month, inviting select alumni, faculty, and other acquaintances from over the years to send birthday cards to McIlwaine.
“He’s one of the well-respected members of Millersville,” Frerichs said. “He was one of those people that moved it forward and made it into the university that it is today, especially in the area of science.”
