Lucier Courtyard Dedication, August 1971.
Have you ever spent time in the courtyard between Hayes-Healy Center and Hurley Hall? When warmer weather and sunny skies finally return to Notre Dame, you’ll often find friends eating lunch, students studying, or even little ducklings running around. The courtyard is enjoyed by many around campus, but few know the history behind this treasured space.
This outdoor area was officially dedicated as the Ralph and Phillip Lucier Courtyard in August 1971. Philip was a 1942 graduate of Notre Dame, a member of the College of Business Administration’s advisory council, and president of the Continental Telephone Company in St. Louis. Philip died in July 1970 when a bomb exploded in a parking lot during a lunch outing. An investigation indicated that the bomb was meant for someone else – a tragic case of mistaken identity. Philip passed away at the young age of 49 years old and was survived by his wife and 11 children.
Philip's wife, Marcella, and nine of her children
pose with Fr. Hesburgh.
The Lucier Courtyard was established by Loren Berry, president of a telephone company in Indiana and a close friend of Phillip’s father Ralph. At the time, Hurley and Hayes-Healy were home to the College of Business Administration and Center for Graduate Business Education respectively, so establishing a memorial in the College of Business Administration was an ideal place to remember Philip and Ralph.
The dedication was officiated by Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., president of the University, and Rev. Leo Pursley, bishop of the Fort Wayne-South Bend dioceses. Philip’s wife and 10 of his 11 children were in attendance at the service.
In addition to the memorial courtyard, the Phillip J. Lucier Scholarship was established at Notre Dame in Phillip’s honor. Nearly 45 years later, the scholarship continues to provide financial aid assistance for Notre Dame undergraduate students.
Photos courtesy of E'Louise Lucier Ondash.