When Peggy (Rehmer) Haeger (LA’78) was 4 years old, she made the front page of The Exponent. She just didn’t realize it until decades later.

A few years ago, while searching Purdue University Archives and Special Collections for materials related to her father—who served as pastor of University Lutheran Church during Haeger’s childhood—she stumbled upon a surprise.

“I went to the archives to find old copies of The Exponent, and lo and behold, in September 1958, there was a short story on the front page about a Lutheran pastor coming to West Lafayette,” Haeger says.

That pastor was her father, Reverend Dr. R. F. Rehmer.

“My dad was very involved with the university in a lot of different ways,” Haeger says. “He was always talking to people and showing up for the community. Whether it was sports, the arts, religion, history, alumni relations, local government, or news and radio, my parents were a big part of the greater Lafayette community.”

This discovery brought back vivid memories of her childhood in West Lafayette. Haeger remembers riding her bicycle down South Chauncey—then lined with trees and houses—and making frequent trips to the West Lafayette Public Library to stock up on books.

“As soon as my mother let me cross State Street by myself, I would check out all the books I could carry home to read,” Haeger says. “The library was one of my favorites.”

Her father shared that love of reading and learning with Haeger.

“He was always writing or studying, and that became a big part of my life too,” she says. “The chapel had a small library my father expanded while we were there, and I was responsible for cataloging all the books.”

Campus has changed dramatically over the past 50 years, so discovering her family’s history preserved in the archives left a lasting impression on Haeger—one that ultimately inspired her to make a gift supporting Purdue Archives, located in Stewart Center.

“In my father’s files I found pictures of the corner of State and Chauncey, when it was only grass and trees,” Haeger says. “That is where University Lutheran Chapel was built. To be able to see how campus used to look and think about how much it’s grown is really valuable.”

Beyond her personal connection, Haeger was fascinated by the breadth of the collection itself.

“There’s an exhibit with Eugene Cernan’s glove that still has moon dust on it,” she says. “It’s incredible. I also saw a book written by Copernicus that Frederick Hovde acquired for the collection. I know history isn’t for everyone, but I think the more you explore it, the more you learn.”

—Nicolle DeWitt