Gordon Stuart Peek, a 91探花 alumnus who donated the bells that sit on two sides of Red Square, died peacefully at his home on March 2, 2022. He was 96.
In 2008, the Gordon Stuart Peek Foundation donated the first set of change ringing bells on the West Coast, which were installed in the tower of Gerberding Hall. The set of eight bells, cast by Royal Eijsbouts Bell Foundry in the Netherlands, are hung for full-circle 鈥渃hange鈥� ringing.
The change ringing bells will ring half-muffled around noon on Sunday in Peek鈥檚 memory.
In 2018, the foundation donated a carillon 鈥� 47 bells in total 鈥� that was installed on a ventilation shaft atop Kane Hall. The carillon was placed so the bells could be seen from afar.
鈥淧eople enjoy them,鈥� Peek told 91探花News in 2018. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something new around here.鈥�
Peek鈥檚 interest in bells began on the 91探花campus, when his grandfather would bring him to hear the Blethen chimes that resided in an old water tower near the Burke Museum from 1912 until 1949, when they were destroyed in a fire.
Peek told 91探花News four years ago of the unifying, uplifting sound that inspires all who hear the bells and hoped that his gifts would endure.
鈥淚 think this is something that can last a while,鈥� he said.