The Purdue University Retirees Association’s Historic Purdue Characters Project
To help celebrate Purdue University’s 150th anniversary in 2019, the Purdue University Retirees Association (PURA) recruited some of its members to portray historic characters from Purdue’s past. The reenactors researched their characters, developed period costumes and personas, then appeared at a number of events to share the stories of these important Purdue figures with the public. PURA member and past PURA president, Tom Turpin, organized the team. The photo chronology of the project can be found here.
Pictured, from left: (click on links below to move to more detailed character information)
David Caldwell, as Orville Redenbacher
Mary Alice Nebold, as Amelia Earhart
Joyce Beery, as Virginia Meredith
Tom Turpin, as J. Clifford Turpin
Olivia Wood, as Mary L. Matthews
Robert “Pete” Bill, as John T. McCutcheon
Carolyn Jones, as Lillian Gilbreth