Last surviving member of the 1948 Michigan Delta Chi re-charter dies

The Michigan Delta Chi fraternity has had three starts in its long history – originally in 1892 and then in 1948 and most recently in 2006.   In 1892, it was founded as the 2^nd chapter of Delta Chi and was a legal fraternity.   The Chapter thrived for many years and at some point, became a Social Fraternity as opposed to a legal fraternity. 

In 1934, when the Chapter was located at State and Hill Street on the northeast corner, ceased to exist due to the depression and the inability to recruit members and “pay the bills”.  Where the Chapter house was is now the Gerald R. Ford Public Policy Building.  When the old Chapter house was being torn down, Jeff Schoenherr ’91 (President of the Delta Chi Alumni Corporation) was working for the University of Michigan and was able to get permission to remove and keep the cornerstone of the old Chapter House.  Do any of you know where that cornerstone is today?  The answer will be at the end of this article.

Also, of interest is that the last president of the Chapter in 1934 was Wilbur Nelson.  That name will possibly be familiar to some of the older alumni as he was later a Professor of Aeronautical Space Engineering and the Chairman of that department at the University of Michigan for many years. Wilbur Nelson served the Chapter in many ways after his graduation and was a prime example for future Delta Chi Alumni to contribute to the Chapter by serving as Faculty Advisor for the Chapter. 

However, the most important service that Wilbur did for Delta Chi at Michigan was to restore the Chapter on campus in 1948.  He, along with the help of Henry deKoning, a local Ann Arbor builder, were the some of the group that found and purchased of the old Chapter House at 1705 Hill Street property.  This was the second coming of Delta Chi to the University of Michigan

Another prominent person that aided with this resurrection of the Michigan Chapter of Delta Chi was Joe Lacchia.   Unfortunately for some of us, he was from our Delta Chi Chapter Michigan State University and he never let some of us forget how much “bigger and better” a Chapter that Delta Chi had at MSU.  It was fortunate that Joe had a strong financial situation with the MSU Chapter and was well connected with National Delta Chi.  These two items were very helpful when restarting a Chapter that had no assets and no members.  Joe was able to work out an arrangement where the Michigan State University Housing Corporation made the initial down payment to buy Professor Hobbs property at 1705 Hill Street in 1948.  The MSU Building Corporation then held the mortgage on the 170 Hill Street property for 8 years while the Michigan chapter reduced the debt two-thirds over eight years.   At that point the Chapter was well established and was able to get a new mortgage with Ann Arbor Trust Company in 1953.  This new mortgage also allowed for the repayment of the expenses incurred by Henry DeKoning in 1948 to allow the residential house be converted into a Fraternity style boarding house. 

In approximately 1956, the property title was finally transferred to the Michigan Delta Chi Building Corporation.   The mortgage with Ann Arbor Bank & Trust continued on until the late 1970’s or early 1980’s when we finally had a mortgage burning party that was well attended by local Delta Chi alumni.

The return of Delta Chi to the Michigan campus was the first of the chapters that were dissolved during the depression and then reactivated after World War II.   There were 37 brothers and pledges that took part in the installation banquet at the Michigan Union on February 14, 1948 as charter members.   Included in this group was a Navy war veteran that was certainly a prime example of that era.  His name was Harold Gibbons, class of 1950.  We have recently been informed of his passing this year and we have published his obituary below.  It is our best belief that Harold (Hal) was the last surviving member of this group.   If any alumni have any different information on any surviving member of this chartering group, please contact Keith Hellems at (email or phone or both).

Obituary for Harold M. Gibbons ’50

On February 4, 2021 while residing at Benchmark Senior Living in Norwood, MA. Hal Gibbons was born in Los Angeles, CA on May 5th, 1926. His parents, Herb and Pearl, had three children: Vivian, Hal, and Coloma. When Hal was eight years old, his family moved to Dearborn, MI in a Model T with all their belongings inside and strapped to the running boards. They moved to Michigan to be closer to his Aunt and Uncle. Hal’s Uncle trained Hal’s Dad to be an auto mechanic and set Herb up with his own auto shop in Michigan. Hal enjoyed helping his father work on cars. Hal was eighteen when he joined the Navy and served from 1944 – 1946. Hal married the love of his life, Joyce. Hal and Joyce were married on June 16, 1951 and enjoyed sixty-eight years of marital bliss. Hal and Joyce traveled the world together and lived in a beautiful home. Hal got his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Engineering from the University of Michigan. Hal was an engineer at General Dynamics working in communications technology. Hal and Joyce lived in Medfield, MA and were loved by their many wonderful neighbors. They moved to Benchmark Senior Living in Norwood several years ago to enjoy all the activities and social functions that the assisted living facility provided. Hal and Joyce were devoted members of the United Church of Christ. Hal has had an incredible and successful life full of great memories. A small prayer service at the cemetery is being planned and will be announced on this website.