Class Knox

serve as student body president at the College.

Phyllis and Jim married in 1956, soon after her graduation. “Going back to their earliest days as sweethearts at Knox, our parents were two very different characters, who really complemented each other,” Karen said. “They teased each other constantly, but loved each other deeply and shared a strong sense of what’s important. And that included their love of Knox, and of what the college stands for.”

“Our parents treasured the friends they made at Knox,” James observed. “Their closest friends in life were all from Knox, one big extended family, really, who would gather regularly for summer barbecues and Christmas get-togethers. They also loved staying in touch with their broader network of Knox friends and classmates who they’d see at homecoming, or ‘snowbird’ reunions in Florida. They enjoyed, and nurtured, these close friendships all throughout their lives.”

Jim earned an MBA from Indiana University and a law degree from DePaul University. He took a position as a lawyer for Abbott Laboratories’ Legal Division in 1964 and served in that office with distinction for more than 30 years, until his retirement in 1997.

While raising their three children, Phyllis pursued and received a master’s degree in speech and language pathology from Northwestern University in 1971, where she later served as a faculty member.

The couple lived in Lake Bluff, Illinois, for 50 years and contributed to that tight-knit community in many ways. In 1973, Phyllis became the first female trustee on the Lake Bluff Village Board and was elected the village’s first female president in 1981. In her honor, the village of Lake Bluff created the Phyllis Albrecht Award in 2014 to recognize distinguished community service to the village.

The family felt that an unrestricted gift to the endowment was the best way to honor Jim and Phyllis’s legacy of giving generously to Knox. “Our parents always made unrestricted donations to Knox, trusting that their gifts would be used for the best purpose,” Michel said. “It was important to us that this gift could be used by Knox in whatever way best serves the college’s ongoing mission and purpose, without any strings attached. We know that Knox knows how to make a difference in peoples’ lives.”

Knox Trustee Laurence Msall ’84

Trustee Laurence Msall ’84 passed away on Saturday, February 4, 2023.

Msall headed the Civic Federation, a nonpartisan government research organization established in 1894 that promotes independent and evidence-based efforts to improve the effectiveness, financial sustainability, and transparency of state and local governments in Illinois.

A member of the Knox Board of Trustees since 2017, Msall served one year on the Committee on Academic Affairs and since 2019 had been a member of the Committee on Advancement and Committee on Facilities and Infrastructure. He served on the Honorary Degree Subcommittee from 2020 to 2021 and on the presidential search committee that resulted in the appointment of C. Andrew McGadney as the 20th president of Knox College.

“Since arriving at Knox, I have grown to count on Laurence as a trusted advisor, always quick with a text or phone call to help his alma mater and our entire leadership team,” McGadney said. “I have encountered few people with more passion for Knox, our great state of Illinois, and for improving the lives of others. Laurence will be missed but never forgotten.”

Msall received a B.A. in anthropology and sociology from Knox and a J.D. from Loyola University School of Law in 1992. While at Knox, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and captain of the cross country team.

In Illinois politics, Msall was beloved and feared on both sides of the aisle for his straight talk on numbers. Gov. JB Pritzker, noting Msall had worked for Republican governors George Ryan and Jim Thompson, credited him with “advancing fiscal discourse in Illinois.”

Survivors include his wife, Dr. Nicola Hill-Cordell ’85, and his eight children, Lucy, Camille, Matilda, Alex, Samantha, Thomas, Tess, and Oscar.

Join alumni, parents, and friends on a cruise of the Great Lakes!

September 25–October 2, 2023

Admire magnificent coastal scenery and discover nearly two centuries of North American innovation and maritime history on this one-of-a-kind cruise itinerary from Milwaukee to Toronto featuring all five Great Lakes.

Join Brian Williams ’86, former Knox administrator, as he shares his passion for arts and culture, travel, and history.

Learn more at: www.knox.edu/alumni/alumnitravel

Questions? Contact: Megan Clayton

Associate Director of College Engagement, Lifelong Learning & FYC Programs 309-341-7476; pclayton@knox.edu