OU Founder
The following is a timeline of the life of Matilda Dodge Wilson, OU founder.
| 1883 | Born Oct. 19 in Walkerton, Ontario, Canada, to George and Margaret Rausch, German immigrants. |  |
| 1902 | Graduated from Gorsline Business College and went to work as a secretary for Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company. | |
| 1907 | Married John Francis Dodge on Dec. 10. | |
| 1914 | Gave birth to Frances. | |
| 1917 | Gave birth to Daniel. | |
| 1919 | Gave birth to Anna Margaret. | |
| 1920 | Her husband, John, died of influenza Jan. 14. | |
| 1922 | Sailed to Europe where she lived for more than a year after her stepchildren contested her husband's will. | |
| 1924 | Her youngest daughter, Anna Margaret, 4, died April 13 from complications following the measles. | |
| 1925 | Along with Anna Thompson Dodge, Matilda sold Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company in May for a record $146 million. She then married Alfred Wilson on June 29. | |
| 1929 | Held a housewarming party at Meadow Brook Hall on Nov. 19, less than a month after the stock market crash. | |
| 1930 | Matilda and Alfred adopted two children: Richard, at 18 months, and Barbara, at 3 months. | |
| 1931 | Elected to the State Board of Agriculture, the governing board of Michigan State University. Her sister, Amelia, married John Cline, Meadow Brook Farm manager. Matilda's disapproval instigated a 30-year estrangement. | |
| 1938 | Her son, Daniel, 21, died Aug. 15 while on his honeymoon. | |
| 1940 | Appointed the first woman lieutenant governor of Michigan by Governor Luren Dickinson. | |
| 1952 | Matilda and Alfred built Sunset Terrace on the Meadow Brook Estate to use as a retirement home. | |
| 1955 | Received an honorary doctor of law degree from Michigan State University. | |
| 1957 | Matilda and Alfred donated their 1,500-acre estate, its buildings and $2 million to Michigan State University to establish what became Oakland University. She also received the Distinguished Service Cross from the Salvation Army. | |
| 1962 | Her second husband, Alfred, died April 6 from a heart attack. She then moved back into Meadow Brook Hall where she lived alone until her death. | |
| 1963 | Gave each member of the first graduating class of Michigan State University - Oakland a diamond ring. | |
| 1967 | Suffered a massive heart attack on Sept. 19 and died at age 83 in Brussels, Belgium, where she had gone to tour horse-breeding farms. | |
