Donor Stories - Lt. Frank Peoples Jr. '42

GENEROSITY, HEROISM AND SACRIFICE:

The Enduring Legacy of a Millersville Alumnus Transcends Generations

Throughout its rich history, Millersville has made a valuable impact in the lives of thousands of alumni who treasure their student experiences with gratitude for the opportunities that have shaped their life pathways immeasurably. These transformative student experiences at Millersville have encouraged many gracious alumni to leave a legacy through their generous contributions of estate gifts.

An exceptional Millersville alumnus with an enduring legacy of sacrifice and generosity is the late Lt. Frank Peoples Jr. ’42. Born on April 10, 1920, and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Frank Peoples Jr., who was also known as “Larry,” attended Millersville State Teachers College (M.S.T.C.) and graduated in 1942 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education – Secondary course.

As a Millersville student, Frank was an active participant in a variety of campus clubs and activities. According to the Millersville “Touchstone” yearbook in 1942, during Frank’s senior year, he was involved in “Band, Choir, Orchestra, and Music Committee,” in addition to serving as “Chairman of Entertainment Committee as a Junior,” and he was president of the Student Council in his senior year. Through his interests in both science and math, Frank was a member of Mu Kappa Mu, a math club focused on teaching math, and the Roddy Scientific Society, in addition to the Normal Literary Society. Frank’s yearbook entry notes that he was a “real upholder of the ideals of the ‘Skunk Hollow Boys,’” which was a small, student-run dramatic club on campus. As demonstrated through his extensive engagement in the Millersville campus community, Frank made a valuable contribution to M.S.T.C. while a student, and his appreciation for Millersville made a positive impact in his life.

After graduating from Millersville State Teachers College in 1942, Frank served in World War II. Tragically, Lieutenant Frank Peoples Jr. was “killed in action on a bombing mission over Vienna, Austria, on July 16, 1944,” according to the July 1946 edition of the Millersville College Journal. Frank died at the ageof 24, and he was buried in Nettuno, Roma, Italy.

Frank had a younger sister, Irma Elsie Peoples, and their family resided in the Frankford neighborhood of Philadelphia, which was still rather rural during their youth. Like Frank, Irma attended college to become a teacher, and she graduated from Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania. Irma dedicated many years of her life to a long and successful career as an educator through her work in the Pennsylvania School System.

To honor the memory of Frank Jr. and his father, the late Frank O. Peoples Sr., Irma and her mother, “Elsie,” donated a stained-glass window that was placed in Emmanuel Resurrection Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. Like the bright illumination of a stained-glass window, the memory of Frank was carried on by his sister, Irma, throughout her long life until she passed away peacefully at the age of 100 on March 15, 2023, at Southampton Estates, a continuing care retirement community located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

The 1942 Millersville "Touchstone" yearbook entry for Frank Peoples, jr.. Photo courtesy of Millersville University Archives & Special Collections.

Following the conclusion of World War II, in honoring Frank’s heroism on campus at Millersville, a memorial tree was planted in his memory. According to a May 1946 edition of The Snapper, an article with a headline of “College Honors Heroes” states, “Twelve young trees have been added to the college campus to honor each of the M.S.T.C. students who gave his life in service to his country.” To memorialize the lives of Millersville students who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, the lives of these courageous students were commemorated by the memorial trees on campus.

Many years later in 2023, more than 80 years after his graduation from M.S.T.C., Frank’s gratitude for his student experience was demonstrated through an estate gift to Millersville University. Through Frank’s estate gift, his legacy of generosity continues for Millersville students long into the
future. As an active and engaged student, Frank made a difference in the campus community at
Millersville many years ago, and he was inspired to support student excellence in others – as reflected in his life story and in the remarkable lives of Millersville students throughout history.

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This story was originally featured in the Fall 2023 edition of the Millersville University "Imagine" Magazine.