Text below from the MLIVE Website - 1 February 2015

Link to full MLIVE article and photos here

One of the more delightful stories in the Kalamazoo Gazette and Mlive.com this week involved the memoirs of Martha Gilmore Parfet, granddaughter of W.E. Upjohn, who founded The Upjohn Co., and James and Carrie Gilmore, who operated the Gilmore Brothers department store.

Parfet, 89, has written a two-volume family history titled "Keep The Quality Up," which is the old Upjohn motto. The books offer stories of two of Kalamazoo's most influential families.

Her memoirs reminds us that W.E. Upjohn wasn't just a very successful capitalist. He also held "socialist" ideas, according to Mary Corcoran, who helped Martha Parfet with the research and writing for the book project.

"He had a wonderful quote about believing God had given him this great wealth, but that he was just a steward of the wealth to see it disbursed and used for everybody responsibly," Corcoran said.

Upjohn also supported a shorter work week, was a big patron of the arts and education, and wanted to extend a helping hand to the poor.

During the Depression, Upjohn established Upjohn Richland Farms, 1,600 acres of farmland opened to the unemployed in the area. Area residents could use the food they raised to feed their families, or they were allowed to sell it to raise money, Corcoran said.

At a time when corporate America too often reflects the attitude of "I've got mine, too bad about yours," it's heartwarming to think about a corporate leader who literally believed in sharing the wealth.

And Upjohn was far from the only philanthropist in the Upjohn-Gilmore-Parfet family tree.

Among the institutions the extended family helped to found: The Kalamazoo Community Foundation; W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research; the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival; the Kalamazoo Civic Auditorium; the Gilmore Community Healing Center, Elizabeth Upjohn Community Healing Center, and the Gilmore Car Museum.

No question W.E. Upjohn's generous spirit helped shape the personality of Kalamazoo and sent a tone that continues to this day.

We appreciate Martha Parfet for sharing her memories. We appreciate even more her family's legacy.

The two-volume book, titled "Keep the Quality Up," taken from an Upjohn Co. motto, is for sale for $45 at the Kalamazoo Nature Center, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, the Gilmore Car Museum. The proceeds from the sales will support those institutions. It also will be sold at Irving's Marketplace. The proceeds from those sales will benefit the KIA.