Visited Wilson in May 1988 to perform and was a long-time patron of the college

Jean Stapleton, Golden Globe and  Emmy Award-winning actress, was the beloved patron of Wilson College for many years. Best known for her role as Edith Bunker on All in the Family, she was a life-long lover of the performing arts, and continued to support the theater community in Chambersburg until her passing.

Born into a family of singers and actors, Stapleton was invested in the art of performance from childhood. She began her career at the age of 18 in an off-Broadway show, and began acting for television in 1958. She appeared in multiple feature films before she was cast in All in the Family, the American sitcom in which she starred for nine years. During her time on the show, she won five awards for her performance.

Stapleton continued to act in several television series and films through 2001, and performed opposite stars like Whoopi Goldberg, John Travolta, and Meg Ryan. In 2002, she was inducted into both the American Theatre Hall of Fame and the Television Hall of Fame.

Both she and her husband were actively involved in live theater as well. William Putch, her husband, was the Artistic Director of the Totem Pole Playhouse in Fayetteville, PA for thirty years. During his time there, the Playhouse achieved national recognition, and put on over 300 shows, many of which starred Stapleton. 

It was during these years in Chambersburg that she returned to Wilson College to show her support. Stapleton corresponded with several staff and faculty members and immensely enjoyed visiting when she was able.

In 1986, she generously donated to Wilson a large collection of personal letters, pictures, posters, and souvenirs belonging to her and her late husband. For many years, her donation of memberobelia was kept in the archives at the college.

Perhaps her most notable visit to Wilson was for her performance of The Italian Lesson in 1988. Accompanied on the piano by Lee Hoiby, Stapleton charmed her audience on Wilson’s campus with her expressive acting and strong voice.

Nine years later, she gave the commencement address to Wilson’s graduating class of 1997. She was conferred an honorary degree at the ceremony. She encouraged students to trust themselves and their abilities, saying, “You have discovered and enriched your capacities at this college. You’ve become familiar with advanced technology which will support you in your work. But you must realize that your very own natural intuitions and responses are a mine of problem-solving resources.”

Jean Stapleton remained a beacon of positivity in the Chambersburg community until her death in 2013. She is buried at Lincoln Cemetery, a mere 10 minutes from the college she supported for so many years.

The photographs included on this page feature Jean Stapleton on the night of her performance of "The Italian Lesson" at Wilson College in 1988.

Sources:
Billboard Volume 71 No. 10 May 13, 1988

Totem Pole Playhouse 1997 Season

Public Opinion June 8, 1983

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/02/arts/television/jean-stapleton-who-played-archies-better-angel-dies-at-90.html