History of Wheaton Academy's Memorial Bricks
In 2015, the Emmy Gaffey ’10 Memorial Garden was dedicated, the culmination of a year of planning and praying. The garden encompassed the pond and surrounding courtyard of Academy Hall. The garden’s namesake, her twin sister Kate ’10, and their mom Kathy had been part of a close-knit circle of girls and moms since elementary school and through the girls’ high school years at the Academy. The heartbreak of losing the fun, lively Emmy in late 2013 prompted this group of friends to seek a way to preserve Emmy’s memory.
The Gaffeys, who gifted the garden to the Academy, envisioned a prayer garden, a place for students to sit with the Lord. As the plans for the garden began to take place, the idea to provide a venue for honoring the lives of other Academy alumni and friends began to take shape, too. With this in mind, engravable bricks were selected for the garden.
A second dedication ceremony was held in the Memorial Garden at Homecoming 2016 as the following six alumni were honored with engraved bricks: Matt Anderson ’11, Beth Blunt ’11, Clayton Bruntjen ’11, Bob Carlson ’57, Virgien Clark ’51, and Chase Froese ’13. The Class of 2011 raised funds for the bricks for their deceased classmates while fellow classmate and forever friend Gib McCartney ’57 sponsored the brick for Bob Carlson. The memorial brick for Virgien Clark was supported by her nephews, and Chase Froese’s tribute was the outreach of friends of the Froese family.
For Generations to Come Capital Campaign: Cross Plaza
In 2023, Academy Hall was demolished to make way for the expansion of the Main Academic Building. The cobblestone bricks of the Emmy Gaffey Memorial Garden were carefully removed and put into storage. A new plaza with a 32-foot cross has been constructed at the center of campus, serving as the physical embodiment of the Academy’s commitment to Christ-centered education. The original memorial bricks have been re-installed in this new plaza to continue the Gaffeys’ vision of a place to sit with the Lord as well as honor the lives of Academy alumni and friends.
When the extended Academy community loses a member, the grief is shared by many. Having a place on campus where these precious people can be remembered is an important way to capture the heritage of the Academy for generations to come. The dedication of memorial bricks for Academy loved ones has become one of the annual Homecoming traditions.
How to Honor Your Loved One with a Memorial Brick
A minimum gift of $500 will allow you to dedicate a memorial brick. This amount covers the cost of the brick itself as well as the engraving and installation of the brick. The remaining balance of the donation goes to the Warrior Fund.
The engraved text for your loved one’s brick should be no more than 5 lines with a maximum of 22 characters per line.
PLEASE NOTE: The deadline for the Memorial Bricks Dedication at Homecoming is June 15.
If you and/or your family or class would like to dedicate a memorial brick to a member of the WA community who has passed, please contact Dawn Earl, Director of Alumni Relations, or you can click here to submit your donation.
Memorial Bricks dedicated in 2022
Sarah (Sandahl ’72) Aram
Nancy Hawley
Dan Thorne ’61
Craig Torrenga ’72
Warren & Dorothy Torrenga
Ed Van Der Molen ’63
Memorial Bricks dedicated in 2021
Howard Broecker
Susan Finke Dahlin ‘66
David Engeseth
Bonnie Fuchs
Carl A Hass Jr.
Jay & Betty Huitsing
Bob & Genevieve Mojonnier
Edward Staiger ‘60
David Sullivan ‘61
Harry Teiwes ‘52
Hope Hult Williams ‘90
Memorial Bricks dedicated in 2019
Alex Budzisz ‘14
Matt Egler ’09
Hadi Flora ’08
Bill Henning ’51
Joyce Johnson
Ellen (Hanson ’42) Lindop
Jane (Watson ’52) Moore
Nancy (Strobeck ’73) Perry
Bob Rasera ’56
Chuck Strobeck
Memorial Bricks dedicated in 2018
Bruce Hare ‘74
Wilbur & Ruth Ann Hiller
Mel Johnson
Paul “Pep” Peterson
Jadyn Philipps ‘18
Vernon Rubenic
Jack Stewart ‘56
Mark Williams
Memorial Bricks dedicated in 2017
Donna (Allen ’56) Bond
Diane “Dee Dee” (Adam ’64) Brandon
Zolin Burson ‘52
Carol (Barnett ’52) Martin Perry
Carol (MacKinney ‘67) Romig
Dwight Schultz ‘39