UM Dearborn has sadly lost a beloved friend and generous donor with the passing of William Stamelos. Bill was born in Detroit on November 5, 1928. He was a graduate of General Motors Institute in Flint in Mechanical Engineering. The vast majority of Bill's career was at Ford Motor Company Engineering Center in Dearborn where he headed the group of residential engineers.

Bill and Electra were married in 1953. Electra was a remarkably gifted painter and Bill was an avid photographer. Many of Bill's photographs inspired Electra's work. The couple loved to travel, and they acquired artwork from all over the world for their collection. Their many memorable trips included visits to Russia, China, Australia and New Zealand. Bill was a devoted husband who supported Electra's work and traveled the country to assist in setting up her exhibitions.

Electra served as a UM-Dearborn art lecturer from 1980 to 1994, held the position of Director of Art Acquisitions and Exhibitions for UM-Dearborn for many years and taught on the Ann Arbor campus. She sadly passed in 2007. Bill was a devoted university donor and volunteer to the Alfred Berkowitz Gallery for many years, which included acting as honorary curator for a period of time.

Bill and Electra contributed greatly to the university's art collection for decades including donating the majority of Electra's body of work and many other art pieces that they collected throughout their years together.

The couple also contributed a sizeable, and very generous, gift which, along with the support of other donors, will allow for the creation of the new Stamelos Gallery Center to be located on the first floor of the Mardigian Library. The art center will be compromised of two galleries, divided by a moveable wall, equipped with high quality lighting and security systems.

The renovation plans will provide gallery staff with improved work and collection storage spaces and more display areas to highlight the university's permanent collection. The most exciting feature will be a new climate control system that will allow staff to better protect artwork in the collection and on loan, and open up a world of possibilities for producing more ambitious exhibitions and programming.

If you would like to contribute a donation to help support this important initiative, please contact Leah Zientek at (313)-593-5643 or roseleah@umich.edu or Give Now.

Bill will be most remembered for his kindness, humor, generous spirit and wonderful smile. Both Bill and Electra are greatly missed.

Bill Stamelos, Art Curator Laura Cotton, and former Curatorial Assistant Julie-Ann Magdowski