Written by Stephanie Gordon
Lee Moriarty Tonnies, ’75, had a simple yet transformative path to Hillsdale College. Hailing from the small town of Milford, New Hampshire, Hillsdale felt a little like home. Lee described the 1970s as “an interesting time in history,” and so visiting Hillsdale’s campus her junior year of high school felt “normal.” She and her family appreciated the friendliness of Hillsdale, and not much has changed since that visit.
The elementary education major and psychology minor was actively involved in Chi Omega, CCAs, and leadership workshops as a student. She credits each of these experiences for her leadership skills. “Chi Omega really taught me how to work with others, especially women,” she said. “Working with others is one of the best things you can gain from being involved in Greek life. It’s made me a better person, wife, mother, and friend.”
After graduation, Lee went to work as an analyst for Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan. She also met her husband, Jim, at Ford. The two married, and when their children, Sara and Rob, were born, Lee left Ford to raise them. Lee eventually made her way back to the working world and worked for decision consultants for 17 years as an account executive, specializing in IT consulting for fortune 500 companies.
In the late ’80s when their children were young, Lee and Jim were on the hunt for a lake cottage. Some of their Metro Detroit friends had purchased a cottage in the Long Lake area in nearby Reading, Michigan. “When we went to go visit, and turned on Milnes Road, I told Jim, ‘Oh my goodness, we’re in Hillsdale.”
The Tonnieses found a cottage in the same neighborhood for sale and purchased it that same day. The cottage became a cherished childhood getaway for their family. And when the couple retired from their jobs, the kids said they couldn’t get rid of the cottage, so they tore the cottage down and built their forever home.
Now in the Hillsdale area full time, Lee and Jim are able to get involved in the College community. “Jim and I really enjoy attending sporting events and CCAs,” said Lee. “I am also heavily involved with the Women Commissioners. I am one of the founders of the Charger Derby, and I am the head of the scholarship committee for the Commissioners. To me, it’s the best committee because we get to award money to students who are so humble and appreciative. It’s very heartwarming.”
Lee said the scholarship committee works hard to help kids who might not be able to stay at Hillsdale because their debt load is too high or their family circumstances have changed. “It’s so rewarding helping good kids achieve things they don’t even know they’re capable of. The students also help us run and operate the Charger Derby,” she said. “This is a way the students pay back with gratitude.”
In addition to Women Commissioners, Lee is the house corporation board president for Chi Omega, and alongside her, her daughter-in-law, Carolynn Branchick Tonnies, ’04, serves as a recruitment advisor. “I love that I get to see and interact with the women,” Lee said. “They are just spectacular, and I’m sort of a grandmother figure to these women. I manage a lot of different things at the house, but it’s so rewarding watching these women grow.”
For Lee, she’s always loved the small town atmosphere that Hillsdale offers. “We enjoy the farmers market and running into people in the grocery store,” she said. “Looking back, I didn’t realize how much Hillsdale impacted me until I came back and saw what it all stood for. I knew this the whole time, but I didn’t realize how important my Hillsdale experience was and how lucky I feel to be so close to campus now.”
In the summer of 2026, she and Jim ventured out on the first alumni Europe tour. “It was the best, and the Alumni team did a spectacular job,” said Lee. “We had a great time connecting with friends and making new ones.”
In Lee’s free time, she still enjoys the friendliness that Hillsdale conveys through golf, being on the lake (even in the wintertime), and socializing with friends and family. Lee and Jim are especially smitten with their two grandchildren, Clare and Jimmy.
“I love life,” Lee said. “I wake up every morning happy, with no regrets. I have been very blessed.”
Stephanie Gordon, a lifelong Hillsdale native, is the managing editor of Virtue and Valor: The Official Blog of Hillsdale College. She is married to chiropractor, Dr. Matt Gordon, and has three children – Eloise, Flora, and Jack. She enjoys baking, floating on Baw Beese Lake, Detroit Lions football, and breaking a sweat at the gym.
Published in August 2026
