Donors, new carillon pay tribute to Chancellor Weidner

Some final landscaping touches, a dedication ceremony and the first concert are coming together to inaugurate use of the Edward W. Weidner Memorial Carillon at UW-Green Bay.

A dedication ceremony was set for 4 p.m. Saturday, June 6, with brief remarks by family and friends, a twenty-minute demonstration of the carillon and selected pre-recorded melodies, and an invitation-only reception.

The 35-foot tall carillon dedicated to Weidner’s memory was installed in late May on the knoll just east of the University Union.

Family members, friends and former colleagues were among the donors contributing to the purchase and installation. No state dollars were used in the approximately $75,000 project.

Weidner, UW-Green Bay’s first chancellor, led the University from his appointment as its first employee in 1966 through his retirement as chancellor in 1986. He remained in Green Bay and was a driving force on behalf of various University and community initiatives. A carillon, those close to him say, was part of his long-term wish list for the campus he founded.

Weidner died on June 6, 2007. The carillon dedication coincides with the second anniversary of his passing.

For more on the carillon itself, see the news release.

See a time-lapse video of the carillon’s arrival and installation.

See a related feature on UW-Green Bay alumna Prof. Cheryl Grosso, a noted percussionist chosen to compose the on-the-hour chime melody, and listen to an audio file of the music.

(Photos this page by Kimberly Vlies, Office of Marketing and University Communication.)