SEMO MARKS HOMECOMING; ALEEN VOGEL WEHKING NAMED `FRIEND OF THE UNIVERSITY'

While she had no children of her own, Aleen Vogel Wehking was fond of saying that Southeast Missouri State University was her baby.

Wehking, a 1932 graduate of the university, was posthumously honored as "Friend of the University" Saturday morning at the annual Copper Dome Society Breakfast at the Show Me Center. About 400 members and faculty attended the event.

The Southeast Missouri State University Foundation gives the award annually to recognize "a very select group of individuals who have supported Southeast Missouri State University," university president Dr. Dale Nitzschke said.

The award, which is the university foundation's highest honor, was created in 1983 and is presented annually during Homecoming.

Wehking died Sept. 25, 1995, at her Cape Girardeau home at age 88.

"She demonstrated exceptional enthusiasm since she graduated 64 years ago," Nitzschke said. In addition to her financial gifts, he said Wehking "seldom missed a university basketball or football game in her entire life."

He said he is very grateful for the tremendous contributions Wehking made to the university over the years.

"We are fortunate to have alumni with the level of dedication shown by Mrs. Wehking and we deeply appreciate her unwavering commitment to this institution for so many, many years," Nitzschke said.

Wehking's great-nephew, Charles Wehking III, accepted the award.

"My aunt knew this university was very important to students and to the region," he said. "She had been involved in one way or another most of her life. She would be very proud to have received this award and we were very proud of her."

Jane Stacy, director of Alumni Development at Southeast and a friend of Aleen Wehking's, said Wehking invested her life in Southeast.

"She invested in the future," Stacy said. "She visited the past but she never took up permanent residence there. When she came to the Alumni Center, she didn't come to dwell on the past; she came to find out what was going on next week. She invested in the lives of all who were lucky enough to cross her path."

Wehking was born April 22, 1908. As a child, she played on the Southeast campus and she knew many of the professors and students. She enrolled in 1925 and promptly became the first president of the newly-formed Tomahawks pep squad.

Health problems forced her to withdraw from school for a time, but she later returned to school and graduated in 1932.

Wehking taught briefly at Steele. In 1935, she joined a business venture, the Coop Drug store in Cape Girardeau. A year later, she sold her interest in the firm to her partners.

She married Walter John Wehking on Nov. 10, 1936. He died in 1972. At the time of his death, he was office manager for Paramount Liquor Co.

Wehking was one of the university's major financial benefactors and endowed a number of scholarships. In 1987, the school honored her by naming the alumni center for her.

In her will, Wehking set up an endowment fund to continue to provide scholarships and to help operate the alumni center that bears her name.

A tree will be planted in Wehking's honor at the alumni center, which is on Sprigg Street, in front of the Show Me Center.

"She was truly a friend of the university and we will miss her always," said Dr. Ken Dobbins, executive vice president of the university.

C. Michael Dambach, chairman of the university foundation, reported Saturday morning that the foundation had received more than $3 million in gifts and over $2.7 million was in cash for the fiscal year 1995-96. This came from over 2,900 members of the Copper Dome Society, he said.

The Copper Dome breakfast preceded the homecoming parade.

The parade was held in a steady rain Saturday morning that soaked participants and onlookers.

"Give My Regards to Broadway" was the theme for this year's parade.

Peter Pan's "Escape to Never-Never Land" won first place in the large-float category. It was sponsored by Pi Kappa Alpha and Alpha Delta Pi.

The "Singing in the Rain" float -- sponsored by Gamma Phi Beta, Sigma Nu and Sigma Chi -- took second.

The "Show Boat" float of Delta Delta Delta and Phi Delta Theta took third.

The "Phantom of the Farm" float by the university's agriculture department students won first place in the small-float category.

Students Ryan Ozinga of Pella, Iowa, and Traci Hackstadt of Kirkwood were crowned Man and Woman of the Year at halftime of the football game at Houck Stadium.