William Guthrie Packard
Encyclopedia
William Guthrie Packard (October 13, 1889 – November 19, 1987) owned Shepard's Citations
and served the company for 51 years rising to the position of President and Chairman of the Board. He is the namesake of Packard Stadium
, the home of Arizona State University
collegiate baseball.
. He attended the St. Paul's School and graduated from Cornell University
in 1911. From 1911 to 1913, Mr. Packard represented the New York Athletic Club as a sprinter, becoming New York City Metropolitan Junior Champion in 1911 and a member of the world record
400m relay team in 1912.
Packard entered the United States Navy
upon U.S. involvement in World War I
, receiving ground school training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
. He was later assigned to flying duty at Pensacola, Florida
achieving the rank of ensign
and served throughout the war period.
Following World War I, Packard returned to The Frank Shepard Company (Shepard's Citations). In 1919, he became vice-president, secretary, and managing editor of the organization. Packard married Sabra Anne Merriam Beaumont in 1920.
He was named President in 1929 and later served as president of the American Association of Law Book Publishers. The company was removed from New York City
following World War II
and set up headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado
. Following a divorce, he married Helen Theresa Davis in 1944. Mr. Packard had six children: Merriam Sands Packard, Deborah Sands Packard, Karen Beaumont Packard, Sabra Guthrie Packard, William Guthrie Packard Jr., and Peter Davis Packard.
Throughout his life, Packard remained active in Alpha Delta Phi
, the American Yacht Club, the Bronxville Riding Club, the Cornell Club of New York, as well as in the Leonard Morange Post, American Legion
, Bronxville, and as a founding member of the Pikes Peak Range Ride and a member of the Desert Caballeros Range Ride.
He was affiliated with St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Oxford, New York, as well as with various community organizations in New York
, Colorado
, and Arizona
. He died of natural causes in Colorado Springs, Colorado
on November 19, 1987.
Shepard's Citations
In legal research, Shepard's Citations is a citator, a list of all the authorities citing a particular case, statute, or other legal authority. The verb Shepardizing refers to the process of consulting Shepard's to see if a case has been overturned, reaffirmed, questioned, or cited by later cases...
and served the company for 51 years rising to the position of President and Chairman of the Board. He is the namesake of Packard Stadium
Packard Stadium
Packard Stadium is a college baseball stadium in Tempe, Arizona, the home field of the Arizona State Sun Devils of the Pacific 12 Conference. Opened in 1974, the stadium's seating capacity is 7,875....
, the home of Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
collegiate baseball.
Life and career
Packard was born in Oxford, New YorkOxford, New York
Oxford is a town in Chenango County, New York, United States. The town contains a village named Oxford. Oxford is an interior town in the south-central part of the county, southwest of the City of Norwich. At the 2000 census the town population was 3,992...
. He attended the St. Paul's School and graduated from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1911. From 1911 to 1913, Mr. Packard represented the New York Athletic Club as a sprinter, becoming New York City Metropolitan Junior Champion in 1911 and a member of the world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
400m relay team in 1912.
Packard entered the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
upon U.S. involvement in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, receiving ground school training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
. He was later assigned to flying duty at Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
achieving the rank of ensign
Ensign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
and served throughout the war period.
Following World War I, Packard returned to The Frank Shepard Company (Shepard's Citations). In 1919, he became vice-president, secretary, and managing editor of the organization. Packard married Sabra Anne Merriam Beaumont in 1920.
He was named President in 1929 and later served as president of the American Association of Law Book Publishers. The company was removed from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and set up headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
. Following a divorce, he married Helen Theresa Davis in 1944. Mr. Packard had six children: Merriam Sands Packard, Deborah Sands Packard, Karen Beaumont Packard, Sabra Guthrie Packard, William Guthrie Packard Jr., and Peter Davis Packard.
Throughout his life, Packard remained active in Alpha Delta Phi
Alpha Delta Phi
Alpha Delta Phi is a Greek-letter social college fraternity and the fourth-oldest continuous Greek-letter fraternity in the United States and Canada. Alpha Delta Phi was founded on October 29, 1832 by Samuel Eells at Hamilton College and includes former U.S. Presidents, Chief Justices of the U.S....
, the American Yacht Club, the Bronxville Riding Club, the Cornell Club of New York, as well as in the Leonard Morange Post, American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
, Bronxville, and as a founding member of the Pikes Peak Range Ride and a member of the Desert Caballeros Range Ride.
He was affiliated with St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Oxford, New York, as well as with various community organizations in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. He died of natural causes in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
on November 19, 1987.