AUTHENTICS
living
LEGACY
When J. Timothy Cloyd, Ph.D., assumed the presidency of Drury University, he and his wife, Wendy, moved into the historic president’s residence on campus. Fourteen Drury presidents have made the residence their home, and Wendy loves thinking of all the joyful receptions that have taken place in the space where she lives. We sat down with her to learn what it’s like to live in a piece of university history. WRITTEN BY LUCIE AMBERG PHOTOGRAPHED BY LEAH STIEFERMANN
417 Home: When did you move into the house? Wendy Cloyd: We moved here in 2016. We were living in Conway, Arkansas. Drury came to Tim and asked him to interview for the presidency here. When he came home and told me the mission of the school, we prayed about it and felt this was where God was leading us, to this beautiful campus. So that’s what brought us here, and we love it. 417 Home: hat were the rst things you noticed about the house? WC: I was able to come into the house a couple of times before we moved in. The house was built in 1895, and it’s absolutely beautiful. I immediately noticed the stained glass in this house—you can’t buy it anymore. And downstairs, there are eight leaded-glass windows, which just don’t get made anymore, and they’re so special. 417 Home: How did you make this historic home feel like your home? WC: I didn’t want to take away from the natural
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WINTER
beauty, but I also wanted to update it. The Board of Trustees was so gracious about me putting my own touch to it and making it our style. [Drury trustees] Rosalie Wooten and Rita Baron helped me a lot. 417 Home: What were some of the updates you made? WC: We took down the wallpaper downstairs and painted the walls a light gray. In the dining room, there was a brass chandelier. I didn’t want to spend money on changing things, so I antiqued the chandelier myself, which gave it a new, fresh look. There were white candlesticks, and I brushed those with a light gold. In the entry foyer, there’s a beautiful chandelier that had been in the house for a long time. I antiqued that chandelier in black and
PANTHER PRIDE Cloyd takes pride in living in a home full of history from past Drury presidents and their families. Her dog, Lottie (short for Charlotte), greets Drury University students as they walk by.
