u
C L A S S
N O T E S of us here in the Portland Magazine newsroom.
We heard from plenty of alumni and current and for-
’94 SHE WAS A GIFT
mer UP employees when we ran our summer 2013 mystery photo, and it was no mystery that this is our very own Meridee Kaiel, or Meridee Willis as she was known at the time this photo was taken. We goofed when we said she was “North Catholic High School’s Rose Festival princess in the 1970s,” however. “It was the class of 1968 at North Catholic, the school burned in 1970,” she reminds us. “And each of the Catholic schools had two representatives, so Judy Kost and I were the princesses from North Catholic and we competed with St. Mary’s Academy and Holy Child. A girl from St. Mary’s won as the representative for Catholic schools and went on to be Queen of Rosaria.” Thanks for being a good sport, Meridee, our fears for life and limb were all for naught. We hope. And now for our fall mystery faculty member. This professor has been a fixture on campus since he taught his first class on The Bluff in 1979, a class this writer was privileged to attend. He may rightly be said to be an expert on one Pope in particular, and shares that Pope’s disdain for “hacks, scribblers, and dunces.” Four times he has served as chair of his remarkably talented and cohesive department, for a total of 18 years. A scholar in every sense of the word, his love of language and literature is apparent to any who have seen him expound on his favorite authors, and nobody relishes a good scandalous satire more than him. Best guesses to mcovert@up.edu.
Bonnie Jean Toon-Sweeney passed away on June 14, 2013, peacefully at home while surrounded by friends and family following a courageous threeyear battle with ovarian cancer. For all those who were fortunate enough to know her, she will be greatly missed for her kindness, generosity and gentle, caring nature. Bonnie is survived and loved forever by her husband, Pat Sweeney; mother, Joan; and siblings, Brian, Mary, Michael, Kathy, Karen, and Kevin; and 26 nieces and nephews, many of whom will always know her as Auntie Love. Our prayers and condolences to the family.
’95 A PROUD HUSBAND We heard recently from Rob Beazizo, who writes: “My wife, Amy Beazizo, graduated with honors from the University of California, Davis with a master’s of science in nursing leadership, and was inducted into the nursing honor society Sigma Theta Tau. She is the manager of the cancer center at Sutter Roseville Medical Center in Roseville, Calif. I’m not sure what else to write except that her family is very proud of her and that this degree will allow her to continue to provide superior education and care for her patients.” Thanks Rob, and congratulations to Amy.
’96 SAD NEWS Prayers, please, for Jill Furrow and her family on the death of her mother, Judith Lillis Kresse Furrow, on February 23, 2013. Survivors include her children, Chris and Jill Furrow; brother, Michael Kresse; and nephew and niece, Steve and Leah Kresse. The family suggests contributions be made to the Oregon Humane Society. Our prayers and condolences to the family.
’98 A NEW DEAN Juan Flores has been named as dean of the School of Trades and Professional Services at Guam Community College, effective June 30. Prior to joining GCC, Flores served as principal consultant for McREL out of Honolulu, Hawaii; dean of admissions and student fi-
Portland 42
nancial aid services at St. Martin’s University in Washington; assistant head of school at Bosque School in Albuquerque, New Mexico; visiting instructor at the University of Portland; and superintendent of Guam Public Schools. Bryna Eadas Clarke passed away on May 18, 2013. Bryna spent her early years in High Prairie, Alberta, prior to moving to Edmonton with her family in her teenage years. There she met her late husband, Brian, with whom she built their dream home and raised two kids, James (Shannon) and Maxine (Mike). Bryna welcomed two grandkids, Hayley and Ava-Lee, and was pleased to learn of the coming of a third in September 2013 prior to her passing. Our prayers and condolences. Jennifer McIntosh writes: “Sean and I moved back to the Chicago area last year after six years in Wyoming. We took this time to decide where we wanted to land and we are happily settled into the town of Lombard. Sean is technical director for the Fine and Performing Arts Center at Moraine Valley Community College and I’m working as a reference librarian, presently with Prairie State College. The girls, Gwen and Lizzy, are really loving it here, and as of this month both my and Sean’s parents are living in the area as well! The wide open spaces of Wyoming were awesome but it’s great to be back near the city.”
’01 A NEW CHAPTER We heard recently from Kate Kaufman, who writes: “I was accepted into the 2013 Teach For America Corps and will be moving to Las Vegas to teach middle school special education and complete my master’s degree in secondary special education. I am thrilled to be starting this new and exciting chapter in my life.”
’04 LILAH’S LATEST HONOR Lilah Hegnauer won the inaugural New Southern Voices Poetry Prize for her unpublished manuscript, Pantry. The prize includes $1,000 and publication by Hub City Press in early 2014. Hegnauer is the author of Dark Under Kiganda Stars (Ausable Press, 2005). She teaches literature and creative writing at James Madison University and at the University of Virginia.
’05 ON TOP OF THE WORLD An elite U.S. Air Force mountain-climbing team that included Andrew “Drew” Akles