The solid foundation I received at UW has opened many doors for me. I think it is important to give while you are ‘alive and taking nourishment,’ and it will be such a joy to see the new building on its completion.

Mary Behrens (’64 BS Nurs)

A Talent for Investing Yields Returns for Medical School

During her life, Alice B. Ballantine ('31 BA L&S), traveled all over the world. Born in Bloomington, Wisconsin she spent less than a third of her life in Wisconsin, but she always considered herself a Wisconsinite.

Following her graduation from the UW-Madison, Alice taught school in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and San Juan, Puerto Rico. During her travels, she met Anthony John Hood Thistlethwaite, Ilkley, Yorkshire, England. They were married on Dec. 26, 1941. Anthony was an accountant with the firm of Delotte Pender of England, which later merged into Delotte, Haskins and Sells. From 1927-1962, he headed the office in Mexico City, where the couple lived for 22 years.

Following Anthony's death, Alice was left to handle the family finances. She became a savvy investor spending hours following financial trends and reading the Wall Street Journal, Barron's and Forbes. She found success in the stock market and various real estate investments. And she kept "her investments under her fists at all times." It was upon her death that her fondness for the state of Wisconsin and the University was revealed. She left her estate of more than $2 million to the UW-Madison School of Medicine for its geriatric program. The Thistlethwaite/Ballantine Geriatrics Endowment was named in honor of her family.
"The Alice B. Thistlethwaite estate gift will provide invaluable resources and unmatched support to establish a nationally recognized Alzheimer's disease research program at the UW," said Dr.Sanjay Asthana, who heads the Section of Geriatrics & Gerontology. "This gift strengthens the current infrastructure of the Geriatrics Section, and helps us recruit outstanding physician scientists and other investigators from across the country."

"The UW Section of Geriatrics and Gerontology is one of the premier sections in the country with a long and distinguished record of conducting cutting edge research in gerontology," he said. "The Section provides a continuum of outstanding clinical care to older residents of the state of Wisconsin and those from around the world."