Joanne McPherson, former MSU first lady who helped start MSU Safe Place, dies at 75

EAST LANSING — Joanne McPherson, the former first lady at Michigan State University who was lauded for her work to support victims of domestic violence, died Thursday at her home in McLean, Virginia.

McPherson, who was 75, was married to Peter McPherson, who served as MSU’s 19th president from 1993 to 2005.

Many in the MSU community are mourning the woman who they say had a huge impact on MSU.

“Joanne was a remarkable woman whose loss will be felt deeply in our university community and beyond,” said MSU President Samuel Stanley Jr. at Friday’s Board of Trustees meeting. “She and Peter both welcomed and supported me when I came to Michigan State and she continued to support the university they both loved through generous giving and engagement.”

Joanne McPherson's biggest impact on the campus may have been as “the guiding spirit” behind the creation of the MSU Safe Place, Stanley said, which became the first university-based shelter and support program for students, staff, faculty and their partners who are survivors of abusive relationships or stalking.

Survivors and their children can receive shelter, support, counseling services and advocacy through the program. MSU Safe Place, through public education and awareness and systemic change efforts also works to end interpersonal violence and stalking.

Her inspiration for the program came from an MSU police officer who was driving Joanne from the Lansing airport to Cowles House, MSU's presidential residence, in 1993. The officer talked with her about ways to improve the lives of MSU students, according to a press release. When the officer told her that student survivors of domestic violence had no safe place to go to escape their abusers, Joanne knew something had to be done.

She spent most of the following year working to bring MSU Safe Place to campus.

In addition to helping create the program, Joanne and Peter McPherson helped fund it. They started an endowment to support MSU Safe Place in 2020, and made an initial $50,000 challenge gift.

“Joanne is the reason we have a relationship violence and stalking shelter and support program on our campus today,” said MSU Safe Place Director Holly Rosen, in a press release. “I have always valued her compassion and commitment to meet the needs of our campus community and her ability to bring together donors and campus partners to create the program that exists today. She will be greatly missed! My heart goes out to her family and to all the lives she has touched.”

The McPhersons have made more than $100,000 in donations to MSU, leading to them being honored as members of the Snyder Donor Society.

The MSU Alumni Association also honored Joanne with the Honorary Alumni Award. She was appointed to the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission in the late 1990s, according to the press release.

“Joanne traveled the country with our team to engage with alumni chapters all across the U.S.,” said Charles Webb, director of alumni during the McPhersons’ time at MSU, in a press release. “She was deeply passionate about her family and her Spartan family. She was a very caring and generous person.”

She was also deeply passionate about MSU sports, especially the football and men's basketball teams, said Peter McPherson.

During the men's basketball team's 2000 NCAA Championship season, Joanne grew close with some of the players and their families, including Mateen Cleaves.

Family and friends risked drawing her ire if they called during a football game, he said.

And she loved getting to meet students, Peter McPherson said. Joanne used Cowles House to host memorable parties and events for graduates and guests. The campus police cookout was always a popular event, as was the annual Potter Park Zoo fundraiser, featuring live zoo animals like llamas that would spit at guests or bear cubs that somehow got loose in the house.

Those were prized invitations, he said.

"She had this wonderful team she would work with," said Susan McPherson Shea, the couple's daughter. "They really made the events come to life."

After Peter McPherson left the MSU presidency in 2005, Joanne retired and turned her love and focus to her seven grandchildren, Peter McPherson said.

McPherson Shea said it was like having two families.

"We clearly have a family, but we have an MSU family," she said. "It was a great time. Everyone was so positive about one another."

And the pride and love Joanne had for MSU and the students was undeniable, Peter McPherson said.

"She was that kind of person," said Peter McPherson, who is completing his term this year as president of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. "She cared about people. She cared about the students."

Members of the MSU Board of Trustees noted the impact she had on the school.

“As a member of the community here for 30 years, I watched Joanne be the founder and advocate for Safe Place,” said Trustee Melanie Foster. “She was very visible. She was very active in the community and she certainly left her mark here at Michigan State University.”

The McPherson family has asked that donations be made to the MSU Safe Place, 155 Service Road, Room 113A, East Lansing, MI 48824, in lieu of flowers.

In addition to her husband, and daughter Susan (Jack), Joanne is survived by children Marc Bielawski, Bruce McPherson (Hanh), Michael Kircher (Donna) and seven grandchildren."

A visitation is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. June 30  at the Roth-Gerst Funeral Home in Lowell.

McPherson's funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. July 1 at Vergennes United Methodist Church near Lowell.

Contact Mark Johnson at (517) 377-1026 or majohnson2@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByMarkJohnson.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Joanne McPherson, former MSU first lady and advocate, dies at 75