North Carolina
Adrienne E. Hitchcock Savage, 87, of Greensboro, North Carolina, formerly of Columbus, Indiana, died peacefully on August 4, 2016, at Moses Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro after a four-year struggle with Alzheimer’s.
Adrienne was born on November 3, 1928, in Bedford, Indiana, and was the daughter of the late Ben and Edith Hitchcock. She married Orville M. Savage on April 26, 1952, in Bedford. He preceded her in death on November 1, 1985.
Adrienne was a 1951 graduate of the Indiana University Kelley School of Business where she was a member of the Sigma Kappa social sorority. She was a career woman, working for Cummins, Inc. for nearly 40 years and was named its first female Vice President in 1976. From the time she moved to Columbus, she was active in many service and philanthropic organizations. She was a lifetime member of the Indiana University Alumni Association (“IUAA”), and was the President of IUAA in 1994-1995. She was honored with the Gertrude Rich Award by IU in 1998 for her exemplary contributions to IUAA and is a member of the Indiana University President’s Circle. From 1985 through 2015, she held many positions with IU, including the IUAA corporate Board of Managers, the Executive Council, and the External Audit Committee; the President’s Search Committee; the IUPU Columbus Board of Advisors; the Woodburn Guild; and, the Kelley School of Business Alumni Board. She also was a member of the IU Varsity Club Hoosier Hundred.
Adrienne was a past member of the Presbyterian Foundation Board, past President of United Way of Bartholomew County, past President of the Retirement Foundation of Bartholomew County and Senior Center, served on the Boards for the Foundation for Youth, Zonta International, the Bartholomew County Hospital Association and the Hospital Building Authority, and the Indianapolis Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors. Adrienne was appointed the first Chairman of the Indiana Commission on Vocational and Technical Education. She also volunteered her time and talents for the Bartholomew Consolidated School Board, the Citizen’s Forum, Leadership Bartholomew County, as well as, co-facilitating the development of the first Teen Center in Columbus. Adrienne was a member of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, the American Society of Women Accountants, Beta Gamma Sigma business honorary and Harrison Lake Country Club.
For her lifetime of professional and personal achievement, Adrienne was named the Woman of the Year by The Republic in 1986. She was also recognized by her peers as the 1983 recipient of the third Tribute to Women in International Industry sponsored by the YWCA of the United States and was awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash by Governor Frank O’Bannon in 1997.
She is survived by her two children, Craig Savage of Durham, North Carolina, and Leigh Ann Figg of High Point, North Carolina; three granddaughters, Cameron Savage Ammann and her husband Ryan of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Evangeline Figg Selimovic and her husband Nazif of Carmel, Indiana, and Margaret Savage of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and one great-granddaughter, Hayden Ammann.
Her family wishes to send special and heartfelt gratitude to the wonderful women who have given her such extraordinary care over the past four years, Joy Grant, Sylvia Martin, Jessica Muntz and Camilla Jones.
A memorial service for Adrienne will be held in Columbus, Indiana, on Saturday, August 13, at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 512 Seventh Street, with Dr. Felipe Martinez officiating. There will be a reception at the church after the service. Her children and granddaughters will host an informal gathering Friday evening around 7 p.m. at Smith’s Row on Fourth Street, Columbus, to share wonderful stories of their mother and grandmother. All are welcome.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Indiana University Foundation, Showalter House, 1500 N. State Road 46 Bypass, Bloomington, IN 47408 (or at iufoundation.iu.edu); The Presbyterian Foundation of Columbus, Indiana, 512 Seventh Street, Columbus, IN 47201 (or at fpccolumbus.org/foundation); or the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601 (or at alz.org/donate).
