To: All University Employees From: Gary B. Shontz, Controller
Date: May 4, 1992 Subject: Obituary Notice and Tribute--Philip C. Jennings
Philip C. Jennings, Business Manager Emeritus, died of cancer on Thursday, April 30, 1992, at Sartori Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Jennings was born on March 15, 1909, in Cedar Falls, the son of Joseph and Cordelia Carpenter Jennings. He married Signe Esval of Scobey, Montana, on March 18, 1933, in Ames. He attended Iowa State Teachers College from 1926-1928 before transferring to Iowa State University where he received a B.S. degree in engineering in 1932 and a M.S. degree in industrial economics in 1935. His M.S. thesis was entitled "Statistical Study of Payrolls in Iowa Manufacturing Industries." Jennings served as Internal Auditor at ISU from 1935 to 1942. In 1942 he returned to Cedar Falls to assume the position of Assistant Business Manager. In 1945 he was promoted to Business Manager, the position he held until his retirement in 1977. As Business Manager, Mr. Jennings headed the Business Office and supervised several other departments: Mail Center, Mimeograph Service, Physical Plant, and Word Processing Center. He served on the following University committees: Administrative Council, Architectural Selection Committee, Athletic Board, Executive Budget Committee, Insurance and Retirement Committee, and Union Policy Board. Phil's foreign travels included several trips to Canada and a trip to Norway. He listed his hobbies as tennis, hunting, and fishing. Mr. Jennings gave much of his time to public service efforts. For many years he was treasurer of the College Hill Interdenominational Church and treasurer of the UNI Faculty Men's Club. He was an honorary life member and past president of the Cedar Falls Lions Club. In addition, he held memberships in the Cedar Falls Historical Society and the Cedar Falls Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Jennings is survived by his wife, Signe; a daughter, Natalie J. Thatcher of Boise, Idaho; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and a sister, Alice Conger of Riceville. He was preceded in death by a son, Philip, Jr., in 1966, and a sister, Josephine Fuller. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, May 4th at the United Church of Christ. Internment will be in Fairview Cemetery. Sympathy cards may be sent to Mrs. Jennings at 921 West 12th Street. Memorials may be given to the UNI Foundation, Sartori Health Care Foundation, or the Cedar Valley Hospice.
Dean William Lang, in a 1977 retirement tribute to Mr. Jennings, wrote: "For me. . . Phil is the embodiment, among many other virtues, of these three--dedicated stewardship, sound judgment, and integrity. But surpassing any and all these qualities is Phil the person--for the man is more than the sum of the qualities one can count!"