ANN ARBOR, MI – During a commencement address this past spring, Penny W. Stamps told graduating students of the school named in her honor that imagination has no limits, and that they should always pursue their dreams.
“Even if you’re the assistant’s assistant, if you do great work, remember, the cream always rises to the top, and the growth potential can be there,” she said. “If you’re good at what you’re doing, you will be noticed."
Stamps, an arts advocate, philanthropist, design professional and University of Michigan alumna, died at her home Thursday, Dec. 13, following a battle with leukemia. She was 74.
Stamps and her husband E. Roe Stamps created the Stamps Family Charitable Foundation, contributing significantly to UM over the years, beginning in 1999 with funding for the Penny W. Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series.
The popular series has brought names like Oliver Stone, Ken Burns, Michael Moore, Chelsea Manning, Nick Cave and Russian feminist punk-rock band Pussy Riot to the university.
The family foundation later granted the UM School of Art & Design’s largest philanthropic gift of $32.5 million in 2012, leading the Board of Regents to rename the school in Stamps’ honor. It is the only school at UM named after a woman.
Stamps delivered the school’s commencement address in spring 2018, earning an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree at the 2018 spring ceremony. She also was the 2005 recipient of the David B. Hermelin Award for Volunteer Leadership from UM.
UM President Mark Schlissel recognized Stamps’ generosity and kindness in a message to the campus community, recalling her “unwavering support of our students and her vision for championing art and design’s power.”
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Penny W. Stamps, a great friend of the University of Michigan and a cherished member of the Michigan Family,” Schlissel said.
“I will always remember Penny’s warmth and kindness, along with her devotion to helping the University of Michigan – and the world – become a better place.”
Stamps, who grew up in Chicago and lived in Miami, earned a bachelor’s degree in design and a teaching certificate at UM in 1966. She worked at Herman Miller and Kaplan & Fox Inc. before heading her own residential design firm in the Boston area for 18 years.
As an alumna, Stamps co-chaired the Michigan Difference National Campaign Leadership Committee and was a deputy chair of the Victors for Michigan fundraising campaign.
In 2006, the Stamps Foundation launched its signature merit scholarship program. The program has awarded scholarships and fellowships to more than 1,600 students at more than 40 colleges and universities, according to UM.
Her philanthropic contributions also funded the Stamps Auditorium on UM’s North Campus and the Stamps Student Commons at the Stephen M. Ross Academic Center.
Stamps offered graduates a number of life lessons during her commencement speech, urging students to choose their partners wisely and devote time to family and friends.
“At the end of your life, you won’t regret not getting that project done or not having traveled to some exotic place,” she said. “But you will regret not spending enough time with a parent, sibling or child.”
Stamps is survived by her husband of 47 years, E. Roe Stamps; her mother, Carmella A. Witt; her son, Will Stamps (India); and her daughter, Ann Stamps Ridgeway (Dustin). She also is survived by her grandchildren, Hunter and Gwyneth.
A funeral mass will take place Tuesday in Coconut Grove, Florida. In lieu of flowers, her family suggests a gift in her honor to the Stamps School.