In Memoriam: William E. Scollard '47 Th'48

William E. Scollard '47 Th'48

William E. Scollard '47 Th'48, longtime Thayer board member and adjunct professor and Ford executive, died April 7, 2024, at his home in Bonita Springs, Fla. He was 97.

He came to Dartmouth in 1944 and began V-5 training with the Navy and then studied as an engineer and naval pilot. After his service, he returned to campus to join Sigma Nu and graduate Phi Beta Kappa with a BS in engineering sciences and a master's in electrical engineering. In 1950, Scollard earned an MBA at Harvard, married Mary-Hope Minton, and was recruited by Ford Motor Co.

He moved up to general manager of the Ford engine and foundry division in Dearborn, Mich., in the 1970s and was VP of manufacturing and component engineering of its North American automotive operations in 1984, when he was named to Thayer's board. Scollard retired from Ford in 1991 as executive VP of North American manufacturing operations and a board officer.

A member of the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Scollard shared his vast experience with students as an adjunct professor teaching "Total Quality Management" for several years. He credited his youngest daughter, Samantha "Sam" Scollard Truex '92 Th'93 Tu'95, with drawing him back to Hanover to teach. He earned the Sylvanus Thayer Fellow Award, named after the school's founder, for his generosity to Thayer and commitment to engineering education. He also served the College as class head agent for the Alumni Fund. The School again recognized his contributions to the engineering community—including almost 20 years on the Board of Advisors—with its highest honor, the Robert Fletcher Award, in 2001.

Scollard was predeceased by Mary-Hope and sons Peter, Bill, and Jack. He is survived by his second wife, Kuniko; children Christina, James, Joanne, John, Patricia, Roberta, William, and Sam (and her husband, Edward "Tad" Truex '91 Th'93); 14 grandchildren, including Edward '22; and 16 great-grandchildren. Daughter Sam has followed in her father's footsteps at Thayer and just ended her nine years of service on the Board of Advisors, the last four as chair.