Margaret Ann (Ranny) Riecker ’54, trustee from 1987-2010 and former chair of the board from 1999-2004, died peacefully at MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland on Monday, April 7. She was 80 years old.
Ranny was born Nov. 9, 1933, in Ann Arbor, the daughter of the late Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley. A zoology major at Carleton, she graduated in 1954 and participated as a student in music and drama events. She served as president of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation and president and chair of the Harry A. and Margaret D. Towsley Foundations.
Ranny gave generously of her time and talents to her community, serving as director of Midland Kids First, as a former trustee and chair of the Council of Michigan Foundations, as a former trustee of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and as a vice chairwoman and chairwoman for the Michigan Republican Party. Her dedication to volunteering at Carleton is without peer, as in addition to her service as Trustee and Board chair, she served as co-chair of the Assuring Excellence campaign, as chair of the presidential search committee in 2001-02, and in numerous capacities with the Alumni Annual Fund, among a host of other activities.
During her life, she had been awarded honorary doctorate degrees from Albion College, Central Michigan University, Ferris State University, Kalamazoo College, the University of Michigan, Carleton, Northwood University and Michigan State University.
You can read her full obituary on the Midland Daily News website.