A Family Discovery, a Shared Dedication
By: Bea McPherson
Our family’s connection to the Benjamin Rose Institute began with a simple question. One afternoon, while my sister-in-law, Shirley McPherson Lanzer, and my husband, James W. “Bill” McPherson Jr., were playing cards at Shirley’s house, I happened to read a Cleveland Plain Dealer article marking an anniversary of the Institute. We wondered aloud whether the man who built the Rose Building might be related to Bill and Shirley. Their mother, Helen Everingham Rose McPherson, had long spoken with pride about her Rose family roots. A few conversations among siblings and a look into the family Bible confirmed what we suspected: Benjamin Rose was Helen’s granduncle – and the great-grand uncle of her children.
That discovery drew us to Cleveland to learn more about Benjamin Rose – not only as a successful businessman and builder, but as a philanthropist whose vision continues to serve others generations later. What moved us most was how deliberately he chose to give back to his adopted community, creating an institution that has remained responsive to evolving needs while staying true to its founding purpose. We were especially struck by the originality of his vision, including the establishment of an all-women board of directors – an innovation that reflected both trust and respect for community leadership.
One of our most meaningful experiences took place on August 12, 2006, at a dedication held at Kethley Place. That day, more than 20 members of our family gathered alongside leaders from the Institute to dedicate the Benjamin Rose Garden in memory of Helen – known lovingly in our family as “Mother Mac.” For us, it was a rare and powerful moment: standing together in one place to honor a beloved relative we knew personally, while also recognizing a forebear whose generosity continues to touch so many lives across Cleveland and beyond.
Earlier that summer, I had traveled to Chagrin Falls to assist with selecting elements for the garden, but it is the dedication itself that remains etched in my memory – the shared stories, the sense of continuity, and the deep appreciation for Benjamin Rose’s legacy. That visit also allowed our family to tour Kethley Place, learn more about the Institute’s work firsthand, and later visit the Rose family gravesite at Lake View Cemetery, reflecting together on the roots of our shared history.
Before Bill’s passing in 2008, we also attended the 100th anniversary of the construction of the Rose Building in 2002, which recognized the building’s history and the long-standing roles of both the Institute and Medical Mutual of Ohio. In the years since, our family has continued to return to Cleveland – for the opening of new housing, for Institute events, and to stay connected to the organization’s evolving work.
One moment that especially affirmed my ongoing support was sitting in the Kethley House library and reading the original documents that established the Institute. Seeing Benjamin Rose’s intentions in his own words made it clear that his gift was about far more than bricks and mortar – it was about responsibility, compassion, and service to those less fortunate in his adopted community.
I continue to support the Institute in memory of Helen McPherson and the values she embodied throughout her life, caring deeply for her community wherever she and her minister spouse lived. Family has always been central to my life, and supporting the Institute is one way I honor both the Rose and McPherson legacies. Benjamin Rose’s vision lives on not only through history, but through the lives the Institute continues to serve every day.