Join a distinguished group of supporters who included IHAA in their estate planning.
For more information on giving opportunities contact Linda Kentes.
Types of Legacy Gifts
Will or Living Trust
Beneficiary Designation
Tribute Donation
Frances Jean Lyman
Memorial Fund
Frances Jean Lyman — a lifelong educator, world traveler, and dedicated community volunteer, Fran lived with curiosity, compassion, and a deep commitment to service.
Fran earned degrees from Knox College and the University of Michigan. Her adventurous spirit led her to teach across the U.S. and abroad, including Alaska, Japan, New Zealand, Germany, and England. She served twice in the Peace Corps and had a long career with Ann Arbor Public Schools as a teacher and librarian.
Fran served on the IHAA Board of Directors from 2009 to 2015. She was active in the Development and Program committees and continued to support residents and the IHAA program through 2023.
She was active in many local organizations including the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor, Packard Health, League of Women Voters, Kiwanis, and Habitat for Humanity. She loved singing, gardening, cooking, yoga, and lifelong learning — and inspired others with her global perspective and joyful spirit.
Roger Pohl
Memorial Fund
Roger Nathaniel Pohl — a lifelong learner and advocate for justice, he was passionate about birding, literature, travel, and social transformation. Roger earned degrees from North Park, Indiana University, and Yale Divinity School, and received an honorary doctorate from Olivet College. He served United Church of Christ congregations in Minnesota and Michigan. Roger was Executive Director of IHAA (formerly ECIR: Ecumenical Center and International Residence) in Ann Arbor from 2000-2009, working in a cross-cultural interfaith setting with University of Michigan students from around the world. Deeply committed to community service, he helped launch a successful school mentoring program and held leadership roles in local social justice organizations.
Shirley Lewis
Legacy Fund
Shirley Lewis — a native of Indianapolis, earned a B.A. from Hanover College and began her career in service as an intern with the World Student Service Association in Philadelphia and as a youth worker in Manila, Philippines. In the 1960s, she moved to Ann Arbor to work with Paul Dotson in Presbyterian and ecumenical campus ministries. She went on to serve as Associate Director and later Director of the Ecumenical Campus Center and International Residence, supporting international graduate students through counseling, cultural exchange, and travel programs. A lifelong advocate for ecumenism and global understanding, Shirley was also a devoted member and Elder of Northside Presbyterian Church for over 40 years.
She was a counselor, friend, and confidante to several thousand international students/scholars over several decades. Many became strong supporters of the ECIR, especially during the fundraising for the new Center at our present location, 921 Church Street. No one served the vision of ECIR longer or international students/scholars with more dedication. IHAA is indeed grateful for her legacy – years of dedicated service and financial support. Her legacy will continue through her estate gift to further the IHAA vision and program.
Edward G. Voss
Legacy Fund
Edward Groesbeck Voss — a renowned botanist and educator. He was professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan and curator of vascular plants at the University Herbarium. Born in Delaware, Ohio, in 1929, he earned degrees from Denison University and the University of Michigan, where he taught from 1960 to 1996 and spent 35 summers at the U-M Biological Station. Dr. Voss was a leading authority on the vascular plants of the Great Lakes region and also studied Lepidoptera and the history of biology. In addition to his fascination with the natural world, Voss also embraced human diversity, inspired by the example of his parents, Katherine and David Voss, who often welcomed international students and visitors in their home. Appreciation for diverse cultures became a prominent theme throughout his life. Over many years, Voss was a dedicated volunteer and generous supporter of the International House Ann Arbor (IHAA), formerly known as Ecumenical Center International Residence (ECIR).When he died in 2012, Prof. Voss left a generous bequest to IHAA, a portion of which has been used to establish an agency endowment fund at the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation.