Culver Academies Alumni Magazine | Summer 2022

Culver

Alumni Magazine

More to Celebrate!

One of the funny things about Culver is that it always seems like we’re celebrating, honoring, or otherwise acknowledging an anniversary of some sort. I suppose that’s to be expected when your school has so many signature programs and traditions.

This year, for example, we celebrate the 125th year of the founding of the Black Horse Troop. With that in mind, I urge you to get to know in these pages our new Director of Horsemanship Capt. Sean “Skip” Nicholls. Nicholls, formerly of the British Army and the captain of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, joined Culver last year, arriving after having accepted the job before even visiting the United States, let alone campus. His plans for Culver’s boarding and summer programs, not to mention our equine sports, are already at a brisk trot, soon to be a fast gallop (if you’ll pardon the puns), and are fittingly ambitious in the Culver tradition.

As all of you know, the school celebrated the 50th anniversary of Culver Girls Academy during the 2021-22 school year. Among the special events and programming that were part of the year-long celebration were guest visits by CGA alumni and other prominent women in their fields.

Among those were visits from historian Doris Kearns Goodwin in the fall, and, in the spring, Saint Mary’s College President Dr. Katie Conboy, and, finally, the great honor of former Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice.

You can read about those visits in this issue, along with a brief in-residence stay by Dana Crigler ’93, who found a way to balance the demands of her professional career with her creative passion — in this case dance — and even integrate the two in her daily life. It’s always a pleasure when our alumni and alumnae share with our students their talents, skills, and experiences.

Speaking of incredible alumni experiences, I hope you’ll also take note of the story in this issue of Dan Moore ’80 and U.S. Navy Capt. Adam Halstrom ’90. Though their time at Culver was separated by 10 years, that Culver bond meant a connection during an especially exciting assignment working with the cast and crew (Yup, even the film’s star. See the story for proof) on this year’s blockbuster smash film “Top Gun: Maverick.”

No matter where they find themselves, Culver’s alumni and alumnae always seem to be in the thick of something great. And sometimes you don’t have to go beyond Culver’s borders to see the school’s values in action. You will also read about how Culver Summer Schools & Camps provided a stable, safe haven for four teenagers from Ukraine as they found themselves suddenly unable to return to their country.

In this issue and those that come after, it’s my hope that you will be gratified to see not only the amazing things happening for students on campus, but also the great successes Culver graduates are having, and the changes they make, wherever they find themselves after leaving the shores of Lake Max.

— Mike Petrucelli

Culver

Alumni Magazine

CONTENTS

HEAD OF SCHOOLS

Douglas Bird Ed.D. ‘90

ADVANCEMENT OFFICE

Chief Advancement Officer

Amy Wilson

ALUMNI RELATIONS

Director Alan Loehr Jr.

Legion President

Timika Shafeek-Horton ’86 Charlotte, North Carolina

CSSAA President Emily Barnes Cole SS’84 Chicago, Illinois

Culver Clubs International President Michael E. “Mike” Rudnicki ‘92 W’88 Loveland, Ohio

Museum and Archives Manager Jeff Kenney

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Director of Marketing and Communications

Scott F. Johnson ‘94, W ‘89

Publications Manager and Editor in Chief, Culver Alumni Magazine Mike Petrucelli

Editor at Large Kathy Lintner

STAFF CONTRIBUTORS

Kirk Brown, Tom Coyne, Jan Garrison

MAGAZINE DESIGN & EDITORIAL CONSULTING

Scott Adams Design Associates

PHOTOGRAPHY

Front Cover: Paul Ciaccia

Back Cover: Jan Garrisonr

Inside: Chloe Broeker, Paul Ciaccia, Andrew Crowell ‘18 N’16, Jan Garrison, Camilo Morales, iStock, Ken Voreis

A little over a year ago, Capt. Sean “Skip” Nicholls left his position as riding master with the British Armed Forces’ Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment to cross the pond and take the reins at Culver Academies and Culver Summer Schools & Camps as Culver’s 23rd director of horsemanship.

Ancient Memories

A summer archaeological expedition to the Middle East with his brother led to humanities instructor Kevin Danti discovering a new energy and perspective on his teaching. Page

Culver (USPS 139-740) is published by The Culver Educational Foundation, 1300 Academy Road, Culver, Indiana 46511-1291. Opinions are those of the authors, and no material may be reproduced without the editor’s written consent.

Postmaster, please send change of address notice to Culver Alumni Office, 1300 Academy Road #132, Culver, Indiana 46511-1291.

No One Gets There Alone

Humanities instructor Jen Cerny reflects on the visit from former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during the yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of CGA.

Page 20

A ‘sense of normalcy’

In the wake of the war in Ukraine, Culver became a refuge and a haven for Ukrainian students this summer and even afterward.

Page 6

GRADUATION

Culver celebrated its 128th Commencement in June. Page

Culver educates its students for leadership and responsible citizenship in society by developing and nurturing the whole individual — mind, spirit, body — through an integrated curriculum that emphasizes the cultivation of character. Our vision is to “Lead the world in whole-person education.” Our values and virtues are: Truth and Wisdom, Honor and Courage, Duty and Moderation, Service and Justice.

What you’ll get:

• A running feed of Culver alumni updates, interesting content, photos and conversations;

• A full opt-in directory of Culver alumni, allowing you to connect with the Culver Network around the world;

• A mentorship program, giving you the opportunity to be mentored by others or offer mentorship to fellow alumni;

• A job board with opportunities posted by alumni and strategic partners;

• Group conversations allowing you to engage at a more granular level with those with the same class, interests, careers, industries and locations as you;

• Postings by alumni and by Culver, inviting you to upcoming events around the world and back on the grounds of Culver’s campus, as well at Culver Clubs International events

opportunities created for you and by

Register in under 2 minutes by following the simple steps below:

1) Visit connect.culver.org.

2) On your first visit, click “Get Started.”

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A Message from Doug Bird

After the past few years, I can honestly say this year is the first time since before the pandemic that things have felt more business-as-usual at Culver instead of business-as-unusual.

This was brought into sharp relief in early October with the return of the Live the Legacy Auction after a four-year hiatus. More than 1,200 alumni, parents, faculty and staff, and friends of Culver joined us for one of the most festive auction nights we’ve had in a long time. This was the most successful auction we’ve had, raising a record $1.7 million, all for the benefit of the Culver Fund. To everyone who took part, we thank you!

Speaking of the benefits of your support of our students here, I hope you take a few moments to look at the summary of your impact during the 2021-22 fiscal year. You topped the Culver Fund goal of $6 million, allowing our leaders in the making to succeed and thrive. As the students in those pages will tell you themselves, this support is greatly appreciated.

That support takes many forms, of course, including the physical layout of the campus, which is undergoing one of its greatest transformations since Eugene C. Eppley, Class of 1901, endowed what would become the academic center of the modern campus.

And now we have an ambitious new Culver residential experience in the making. We were pleased to officially dedicate two new buildings over Parents Weekend: The Lauridsen Barrack and Eagle Stadium. As our progress upgrading and transforming the campus continues, it has been wonderful to take time out to celebrate the first of what will be many accomplishments along the way, and to honor those who help make realizing our master plan possible.

But, more importantly, the people inside our buildings and what they do there also make a difference in the lives of the young men and women who call Culver home. This year, we were pleased to welcome a new group of resident directors, a staple of the CGA residential experience for decades, to each CMA barrack. This is just one more way to add more meaningful adult relationships to the Culver experience, better arming our students for success in life after Culver.

Finally, looking ahead is important of course, but it’s also important to celebrate the traditions that have been with Culver since its earliest years. It’s with that in mind that this year we are happy to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Black Horse Troop at Culver. From the arrival of 50 horses in 1897, Culver’s horsemanship program — which makes it unique among any other secondary school or summer program in the country — has grown to serve hundreds of young men and women every single year, from the youngest Woodcrafter to the newest graduates of CMA and CGA.

Thank you again for your support of Culver and of the Culver Mission, as well as your belief in our vision to lead the world in whole-person education. Everything we do here stems from that foundation, and our students are all the richer for it. I wish you all the best over the holidays and an early Happy New Year!

Warm regards, Dr. Doug Bird ’90 Head of Schools

Thank you again for your support of Culver and of the Culver Mission, as well as your belief in our vision to lead the world in whole-person education.

A ‘sense of normalcy’

Culver provides a respite for campers from Ukraine

The families of four summer campers from Ukraine say they are grateful Culver Summer Schools & Camps is providing a respite from the stress they’ve been under since Russia invaded their country in February.

“It gives them a little bit of normalcy and gets their mind off the war,” said Shane Sorg ’90 N’88 W’85, who has three children at Culver this summer. “Because every day, they’re watching clips of war and reading about war. That’s not something that 12-year-olds and 14-year-olds should be doing. So camp is great.”

That is echoed by Iryna Voloshyna, who said Culver is the best place for her 16-year-old nephew, Misha Yadukha.

“It’s a safe place where he doesn’t have to worry about the war for a little bit,” she said.

The campers say attending summer camps in Indiana on the scenic Culver campus is a refuge. For 12-year-old Arianna Sorg, a Bronze C in Cardinal Wing 2, the best part of being at Woodcraft Camp is focusing on fun.

“It’s kind of a relief because I get to forget about things,” she said. This is her third summer at Culver. “If I were at home with my phone, I’d be watching the news and knowing what’s going on. It’s kind of stressful. Being here is a relief because I can forget about everything.”

The Sorg children, Arianna and 14-year-old twins Katya (Deck 2) W’21 and Chris (Naval Band) W’21,

From left, Katya, Chris, and Arianna Sorg.

“It’s kind of a relief because I get to forget about things,”

— Arianna Sorg

who were both third classman in Upper Schools this summer, fled Ukraine two weeks before the war began because of concerns Russia would invade. Katya and Arianna went to Egypt with their mother, Nina Pyzhova, who is a native of Ukraine, and their grandmother, while Chris went to stay with his father in Cyprus. The children and their mother were scheduled to return to their home in Kyev, the capital of Ukraine, on Feb. 24. That was the day Russia invaded.

“I’m just thankful the invasion occurred before they got back,” their father said.

Misha, a third classmen in Aviation, was in his hometown of Khmelnytsk, in western Ukraine, when Russia attacked. He has seen Russian jets firing missiles at an oil storage tank near his parents’ trucking firm.

“It was fortunately empty. If it had been full, it would have been a very big explosion,” Misha said. “It was very scary.”

His parents decided to remain in Ukraine and send their children to stay with their aunt, who is earning her doctorate at Indiana University. They finished the school year at Harmony School in Bloomington, then Culver awarded a scholarship to Misha.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Voloshyna said. “He was really excited to be on the aviation track.”

Misha said he’s learning all sorts of new things. “Next week I will try golf. It looks fun,” he said. “You get to do a lot of things you never did before.”

Chris said he’d rather be back in Ukraine with friends he hasn’t seen in four months. He is happy to be at Culver, though.

“It’s kind of a relief because I’ve been sitting for months in one place with no friends, no nothing. It’s fun. You make friends, you have a place to stay. It’s nice. But I’d rather be at home. I haven’t seen my friends or my house or my school or anything like that in such a long time,” he said.

The campers say one of the hardest things is knowing they may never see some friends again.

“It’s honestly really hard because one of my friends is in Germany now, one of my friends is in Bulgaria, and we were texting online and FaceTiming for several months and we still didn’t get the chance to see each other. We don’t know when we’re going to be able to see each other,” Arianna said. “That’s really sad.”

School shut down for a week and a half when the invasion began, but then resumed remotely, like it had previously because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The classes were sometimes interrupted by air raid sirens.

“We were scared for teachers and half the class because they’re like, ‘I have to go because there might be bombs coming down,’ ” Arianna said.

Sorg likes that the children don’t have access to cell phones or social media at Culver during the summer, so they can’t constantly monitor the news.

“They just get to be kids,” he said.

He worried about where his children would be going to school in the fall, though.

He said international schools in Cyprus have waitlists and they can’t attend regular schools there because they don’t speak Greek. Attending school in the United States is a challenge because their mother doesn’t yet have a visa. Shane said even though a lot of people have returned to Ukraine, he remains concerned.

“A missile could drop in Kyev at any minute,” he said.

In the end, Chris started his fourth-class year in Company A at CMA this year, and Katya is a freshman at CGA in Benson. Arianna is attending middle school in Fort Wayne. Misha is attending school in Bloomington, Indiana, this year.

What they want more than anything is to return to a Ukraine they know no longer exists.

“I really want to go home because I miss everything so much,” Katya said. “I didn’t get to say goodbye to my friends, and I’m probably never going to see them again because they all moved away. I just want everything to be the same; but I know it’s never going to be the same.”

A slightly different version of this story originally appeared on the Culver Cannon, the Culver news blog. Visit Culver.org/Cannon and sign up for the Culver Cannon newsletter, which is sent on Fridays.

Misha Yadukha

— Tom Coyne

“I just want everything to be the same; but I know it’s never going to be the same.”

— Katya Sorg

Brothers Michael, left, and Kevin Danti, Syria 1993.

The Mashki Gate at Nineveh.

Danti at the Iraq Museum in Baghdad.

I felt re-energized by the thrill of discovery and the possibilities that lay beneath me in the layers of unexcavated earth.

I considered the need for our students to embrace a global perspective in order to understand the complex environments that exist beyond the news cycle. This perspective can be found across Culver’s campus within its classes, organizations, and community.

This cuneiform-inscribed brick from Assyrian King Sennacherib describes his building of Nineveh’s outer wall.

Kevin Danti with Abu Raqman of the Mosul Museum in Mosul, Iraq. Raqman works with the team Danti was part of and is responsible for various cultural restoration projects.

magine you have your dream job and you’ve risen to the top of your field.

You are confident, content, comfortable, and enjoying life, but know you might be looking for a new challenge in a few years. Suddenly, out of nowhere, someone offers you a challenging, life-changing opportunity. You will have to uproot your life and move not only to a town you’ve never been to, but to a country you’ve never even visited.

Sound like the premise of a movie or a TV show?

Welcome to the world of Capt. Sean “Skip” Nicholls.

A little over a year ago, Nicholls left his position as riding master with the British Armed Forces’ Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, whose job was to train the riders and horses that guard Queen Elizabeth II during parades, to cross the pond and take the reins at Culver Academies and Culver Summer Schools & Camps.

He became the school’s 23rd director of horsemanship even though he had never been to campus. He had never even set foot in the United States and couldn’t visit while considering the job offer because of pandemic restrictions.

Call it a leap of faith.

“Sometimes you have to take the opportunity when it arises,” Nicholls said. “It was a tough call to make. But I didn’t think this job would come around again for another 10 years.”

The story sounds like the premise of the Apple TV+ show “Ted Lasso” in reverse, and sort of sideways, with a side serving of “The Crown.”

Nicholls has a lot in common with Lasso’s character. Both are folksy, upbeat, encouraging, nurturing, and are so uncool they are cool. They are both funny and share a dry sense of humor and unbridled enthusiasm for their jobs.

The biggest difference is the fictional Lasso was a small-time football coach hired for his utter lack of soccer knowledge, while the authentic Nicholls was a big-time equestrian expert hired for his thorough horsemanship knowledge.

And while Lasso didn’t know much about the town of Richmond, England, before taking the job coaching soccer, the 48-year-old Nicholls knew of Culver Academies. The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment had been sending instructors annually to Culver for twoweek stints to work with students for about two decades.

Nicholls was no dark horse for the job. He was the favorite if Culver could interest him. Jim Henderson ’52, who served 20 years as president or chairman of the Culver Educational Foundation Board of Trustees, was a key player in recruiting Nicholls. Henderson is retired as CEO of Cummins Inc., which has plants in the United Kingdom, and he played a key role in setting up a program where members of the Household Cavalry would come annually to Culver as visiting instructors.

“We soon learned they were not only good at cavalry drill, they were good at jumping and other equestrian discipline. They were good at teaching and they were comfortable working with both our cadets and our young ladies and it was very successful,” Henderson said.

Henderson forged a strong relationship with Maj. Dickie Waygood, who held the position of the Mounted Regiment’s riding master before Nicholls. After Waygood retired from the army, he became technical director and

“We really do have an opportunity to make Culver a bastion of shining light in equestrian excellence,”

— Sean “Skip” Nicholls, director of horsemanship

A horsemanship class at Culver isn’t just a rote lecture, if Nicholls has anything to say about it. He gets fully immersed in getting his point across.

eventing performance manager for the British equestrian team and one of the premier horsemen of Europe. Henderson sought Waygood’s advice when looking for Culver’s new director of horsemanship.

“He gave me an absolutely glowing recommendation for Skip,” Henderson said. “He said no one understands horses better and he’s a very effective officer with a very winning personality.”

Henderson had previously talked with Nicholls on the phone to arrange for the next instructor to come to Culver and found him to be “very engaging.”

Henderson initially approached Nicholls to see if he would help Culver in its search for a new director, but Nicholls was Culver’s target all along.

“A mentor of mine told me that sometimes you need to dig a hole and let them fall into it,” Henderson said.

Nicholls still had more to accomplish with the regiment. He was less than a year from being promoted to major, which would have boosted his pension, and less than a year from guiding the Household Cavalry for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, a glittery display that the whole world watched in June as Great Britain celebrated the queen’s unprecedented 70 years on the throne. Nicholls wasn’t ready to be put out to pasture and knew he’d be looking for a new challenge soon, so he fell into the hole that Henderson had dug.

“It was the right job at the wrong time,” Nicholls said. “But it was the right reason to come.”

The reason: the opportunity to restore the Culver horsemanship program to the heights it previously reached. This year marks the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Black Horse Troop at Culver, a perfect milestone for Nicholls to celebrate.

Nicholls liked that Culver had a black horse troop, just like the black horses used by the Household Cavalry.

The Black Horse Troop has ridden in 18 inaugural parades since 1913, more than any other high school. The Equestriennes, Culver’s performing equestrian team for women, have been involved in eight inaugural parades, starting in 1985 for the second inauguration of Ronald Reagan.

The Black Horse Troop also has had the honor of escorting the late Queen Elizabeth, King Charles III, when he was Prince Charles, the king and queen of Denmark, and the late Emperor Hirohito of Japan. So Culver knows a bit about pomp and pageantry.

Culver polo teams have won 13 National Scholastic Championships, 12 Open National Interscholastic Championships, and one Girls National Interscholastic Championships. James Wofford, CMA ’62, was a three-time Olympian, winning a silver medal at the Olympics in 1968. And Culver’s riding hall was once the largest indoor equestrian center in the United States.

But Culver hasn’t been a national power in horsemanship for a few years. Nicholls was brought in to reinvigorate the program, help bring its facilities up to the state of the art, and to expand the program to include such things as equine-assisted therapy.

Nicholls is the perfect fit for Culver, which prides itself on developing leaders. Nicholls knows about military leadership after serving 32 years in the British army. He had overseen all the personnel and all of the horses of the Household Cavalry, which also had an educational component. So hiring Nicholls seemed like, well, horse sense.

“There was a synergy between the two. We both have black horses. We have parade work. We deliver an educational piece because we train people in everything from being a basic rider

Among Nicholls’ duties as the riding master with the regiment was to plan each step of each horse for appearances before the queen and to make sure every soldier in his command was properly trained.

right up to a riding instructor to farriers. So it kind of just had an absolute synergy with everything that I had been doing,” he said.

One of Nicholls’ duties as the riding master with the regiment was to plan each step of each horse for appearances before the queen and to make sure every soldier in his command was properly trained.

The walls of his office are adorned with his accomplishments. There’s the document showing he had been promoted to warrant officer, the equivalent of a master sergeant in the U.S. Army, and another document signed by Queen Elizabeth, showing he had been promoted to captain. There also is a cuirass, a piece of armor that covers the body from the neck to the waist that he wore during key ceremonial events involving the royal family.

There’s a little less pomp in his daily duties now. Nicholls looks a bit out of place wearing a dress shirt and tie surrounded by students on horses, standing on the floor of the Jud Little Riding Hall. One minute he’s scooping up manure with a rake in his left hand while directing a student with his right. Later he’s pantomiming riding a horse as he instructs students. Then later he’s running the course, showing the students the order of jumps he wants them to do. He jumps over the corner jump, turns to his right and approaches the barrel jump, then veers off.

“I’m not going to do that! It’s too high! I changed my mind!” Nicholls said, much to the enjoyment of the students.

He’s constantly yelling encouragement to students.

“Very gentle movements with your fingers. Tap, tap, tap,” Nicholls said. “Open your hands just a little wider.”

“You took your eyes off, that’s why you’re drifting left.”

He explains to a student to keep the horse moving.

“What we’re trying to do is not give him (the horse) time to think,” Nicholls said.

When a student completes a two-jump series over the corner jump and the brush jump, she lets out a shout: “I did it!”

Nicholls knows when it’s time to roll up his sleeves and get to work and when it’s time to horse around, gently chiding the students.

“He’s going where you’re going,” he told a student.

“Interesting line Jimmy,” he told another.

When a horse balks at a jump, Nicholls yells: “Take two. That didn’t happen. We didn’t see that.”

He tries to calm a student when his horse acts up.

“She’s got a box of frogs in the head,” Nicholls said of the horse.

Nicholls is a hands-on guy, throwing himself into every aspect of the job, even getting down on his hands and knees to spread cement in a stall being refurbished when the job calls for it.

Senior Sarah Goldberg ’23, from Golf, Illinois, said she was intimidated when she first met Nicholls because of his military background and how accomplished he is.

“He was big, British, and it was kind of off-putting. Then, once I started riding with him, he was very welcoming and very encouraging. He knows when to let loose,” she said.

Skijoring via horseback – which is clearly as fun for the rider as it is for the skier -- is one of the many Culver horsemanship traditions that is not going anywhere (weather permitting, of course).

First Classman Jacob Maibach ’23 of Farmington Hills, Michigan, agrees, saying Nicholls strikes a balance of knowing when to work and when to lighten up.

“He gets things done. He’s a very lighthearted, very funny guy. But he knows how to be serious,” Maibach said.

Maibach said if a prospective student asked him what it’s like being taught by Nicholls, his response would be: “Prepare to have the most fun you’ve ever had learning on the back of a horse.”

Renata Heinsen ’92 W’89, a horsemanship instructor at Culver, said Nicholls has created a family atmosphere. She recalls students and their families, including one student’s grandfather, sitting together following a competition at Albion College last spring. Some of the parents had ridden at Culver.

“Everyone was just enjoying that time together, sharing stories of old, and students were sharing some of their fondest memories of jump team from this year,” she said. “Just that collaborative feeling of team and enjoying each other’s company are feelings

Nicholls is the perfect fit for Culver, which prides itself on developing leaders. Nicholls knows about military leadership after serving 32 years in the British army. He had overseen all the personnel and all of the horses of the Household Cavalry, which also had an educational component.

those students are never going to forget. It was creating memories across generations.”

Goldberg said Nicholls taught her to be more positive when riding and to view her horse as a partner.

“I’m on jump team and he’s one of the only people who have given me directions for something and it’s actually worked,” she said. “He’s a good guy to take advice from because he’s had so much experience in the world.”

She had left the jump team for a year because she was frustrated by her lack of improvement but returned when Nicholls arrived. She’s happy she did.

“I felt I was finally being taught and improving,” she said.

Goldberg said Nicholls has a special relationship with the horses.

“He’s very gentle with them and he talks to them. He’s able to form connections with all of them.”

When Nicholls left the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment he was recognized by its leadership for dedicating his career “to the betterment of HCMR, its soldiers and horses, leading on many development initiatives to modernize the method and training within mounted ceremonial.”

He’s been given the same charge of modernizing Culver’s program.

Nicholls said the equine industry tends to undergo changes in feeding technology, animal welfare, teaching methods, and other professional services every five years or so. He said what he discovered when he arrived here that Culver’s horsemanship program “has just stood still a little bit too long.

“So that’s a big jump we now need to make to bring things up to date so we are at the forefront of industry standards,” he said.

In the year since his arrival, Nicholls already has modernized the feeding regimen of the horses, enhanced the veterinary care, and overseen the updating of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system to lessen the odor in the stables. Some standards and jumps have been replaced.

He’s now working to increase the size of the horsemanship staff through recruiting veteran horse people and working to promote development of the existing staff. He also wants to replace the arena footing, which helps with the health of the horses. He also wants to install a horse walker, make facility upgrades to the

Vaughn Equestrian Center, add new equine training equipment to help boost the polo and dressage programs, replace the tractors, trucks and trailers over time, and upgrade the saddlery, tack, and training equipment.

He’s even made subtle changes, such as how students tack up their horses. He’s taught them to use more specialized equipment, such as a curry comb that reaches the base of a horses’ coats to bring up dirt and release healthy oils. It also stimulates the horses to make sure the animals are more prepared to ride.

He also updated the software and technology Culver uses. He worked with Culver’s Information Technology Department to create a program where they can easily share information about students, horses, and other areas.

“It’s been an extraordinary step forward in the overall wellness and safety of our horses, which also leads to the overall safety of our students,” Heinsen said. “We have happy, healthy horses. That leads to students feeling like they are more in control.”

Nicholls also is rewriting what competencies Culver students can expect to learn during each of their four years at horsemanship school.

“When somebody comes to Culver having never touched a horse, what skills should they have after four years? What should their abilities and capabilities be?” Nicholls said. “What I want them to do is leave here being good horse people so they know how to ride a horse, know how to look after a horse in a stable and they know how to care for a horse.”

The Vaughn Equestrian Center has stables for 94 horses, but as of now the troop is down to 69 horses. His goal is to build and rejuvenate the herd.

Then it will be the job of Nicholls, his staff, and his students to teach the horses to walk, trot, canter and jump, essentially teaching the horses how to be horses. The goal is to have the herd rebuilt by the end of 2023 in time for the inaugural parade in January 2025, in case Culver is invited.

Nicholls also wants to make the horses more visible on campus, so more students interact with those in the horsemanship program. Horsemanship now is sort of off on the periphery of campus. He wants to see students riding horses around campus interacting with other students and inviting students to the Vaughn Equestrian Center.

Nicholls during his time with the Household Cavalry.

“When you’re having a stressful day, it makes people happy to see a horse and pat a horse,” he said. “We’re going to tell people, invite your mates over. When they’re going to take their horses for a swim, bring your friends over to watch.”

He envisions some advanced riders could teach some non-riders basic horse-riding skills.

He also believes the horses can play a role in improving students’ mental health when they interact with the horses.

“Horses can help people’s mental welfare. It’s definitely helped me in my past,” he said.

One of the main reasons Culver has a horsemanship program is because it reinforces some of the pillars of Culver, such as nurturing the mind, spirit, and body. Nicholls believes the horsemanship program naturally instills students with leadership skills that Culver places a premium on because riding a horse means constantly solving problems and exploring new ways to not only overcome obstacles, but anticipate obstacles before they arise.

“A horse is a sentient being with a weight, mass, and strength of about 800 kilograms (1,750 pounds) and it will choose to or not choose to do something that you wish it to do. That’s in any environment, from its basics of being groomed, being tacked up and being ridden. So, you as a person have to learn how to manage this animal. You have to learn how to understand its body language. That’s everything from the movement of the ear to the movement of the eye, to the position of the head and neck to what the horse does with its body. And you as a person have to be in tune to that, to understand what the next reaction might be and then how do you deal with that reaction? Do you go to flight mode? Do you go to pacify mode? Do you go to authority mode and go: ‘Whoa! Stop!’ Because the horse will succumb because they work in hierarchal system, like a herd system.

“So you have to learn to be its master and its confidante all at the same time, and where this bleeds fantastically into industry is you’ve learned to manage, and you don’t even know you’ve done it,” he said.

In other words, you don’t know teamwork until your partner is a 1,750-pound free spirit with a mind of its own.

“Horse riding can be the most frustrating thing in the world,” Nicholls said. “So it teaches you: Well, why can’t I get this right?

It’s all gone terribly wrong, and then you just learn to try different tactics. Then about analyzing what happened, working out why it happened. So it makes you more of a critical thinker,” he said.

Nicholls said the best part of working with horses, though, is that sense of understanding and accomplishment when you achieve a goal.

“It’s a sense of harmony when all goes well,” he said. “You and that animal have just worked in absolute harmony together. You might not have won a rosette, but you just had the most amazing ride and you walk away happy and your spirits are lifted.”

Horsemanship teaches other lessons that translate into the business world and life, such as time management, because a student must find time to care for their horse between keeping up with classes and other things. Students are constantly looking for ways to work more efficiently while putting a premium on caring for the horse.

“It’s a skill set that comes in handy later in life, and these kids are learning to do it on a daily basis without even realizing they are doing it,” Nicholls said. “It’s just that other tool in the toolbox that they’ve already got. They can say: ‘I can make efficiencies here. I can save time; I can deliver a better output. These are all skill sets that work in horsemanship, too.’ ”

Nicholls’ goal is to create what he calls a “Culver stamp of approval,” so that people in the horse industry will know that someone who graduates from the school’s horsemanship program meets a high standard.

“So they know what to expect from someone who has been through the Culver horsemanship program,” Nicholls said.

The goal for Culver is to be a place where top polo riders, rough riders and dressage riders choose to attend school and where other top schools come to compete.

“We really do have an opportunity to make Culver a bastion of shining light in equestrian excellence and attract riders to come here and compete,” Nicholls said. “It’s building that reputation back to what it was. So when people come here to compete they’ll say, ‘Oh, you’ve got a really good program and a really good educational program.’ It will shine a light on Culver as a whole.”

— Tom Coyne

“Just that collaborative feeling of team and enjoying each other’s company are feelings those students are never going to forget. It was creating memories across generations.”

— Renata Heinsen ’92 W’89, horsemanship instructor

The young men and women at Culver can realize their vision for themselves, whatever it is, thanks to your support of the Culver Fund. It allows the school to meet its commitment to affordability. Your gifts help provide need-based financial aid to more than 40 percent of Culver’s students and campers.

With this vital assistance, every young leader in the making has the opportunity for a unique Culver experience.

Make your gift to the Culver Fund at culver.org/giving or with the envelope included in this issue now and you will help ensure that current and future generations of Culver men and women will provide the character and leadership the world requires.

By Jen Cerny, Humanities Master Instructor

he Academies were honored in April 2022 to host Condoleezza Rice as we celebrated the CGA 50th. Rice was the capstone speaker in a year that featured women at the top of their fields. During the school year, we hosted Doris Kearns Goodwin, Dr. Katie Conboy, Fran Hauser, and Jamie Engstrom. During her visit, Rice met with a small group of faculty and administrators, a gathering of selected students for a Q/A, and then, by way of an interview on the Eppley stage by Casey Jayne Collins ’22, addressed the entire Academies community along with representatives from the Culver Community High School.

Reading extensively during her spring break and working with humanities instructor Kurt Christiansen and counselor Shalena Eaton to further prepare, Collins designed the conversation to extract the wisdom of Rice’s life and experience for the benefit of her peers. Rice’s deeply personal remarks, which emphasized her formative experiences as a young person with athletics and music, the importance of education and mentorship, the complexity of decision-making, and dealing with criticism, spoke powerfully to all. Candid about her relationship to failure, and honest about how she balances the demands of her professional life with what she needs for her own well-being, and despite the accumulation of titles on her resume from National Security Advisor to Secretary of State, to Provost of Stanford University to the Director of the Hoover Institution, what struck many was Rice’s evident humility, humanity, humor, and graciousness.

Striking to all, and noted quickly by Rice herself, is the parallel between her own life’s trajectory and accomplishments and Culver’s commitment to developing mind, spirit, and body. Rice’s telling of her own story draws deeply from each of these aspects of Culver’s mission and affirmed the notion that the purposeful activity of educating for leadership and responsible citizenship organized around deeply held values can grow individuals with a powerful sense of self, of purpose, and of personal agency.

Immediately intent on connecting Rice’s experience with the lives of the students, Casey Jayne Collins began by asking Secretary Rice about the

value and impact of living and studying in different places. Rice’s early years were spent in still-segregated Alabama, but her family later moved to predominately white Colorado. After graduating from high school (at 16) and then college in Colorado, she moved east to complete a master’s degree at the University of Notre Dame before going to Moscow to learn Russian, and then later to Palo Alto, California, and Washington D.C. Rice cited the importance of having your hidden assumptions of others surfaced and then challenged when you meet new people, and the value of learning that others have very different experiences in their lives, and hence very different expectations.

Particularly powerful for the students were the lessons Rice learned from failure, some of which came from her experiences as a competitive figure skater and an aspiring concert pianist. Rice made it clear that athletics and the arts are cross-training for life and leadership. One learns the importance of preparation and dedication, of perseverance and commitment, and of the need to learn and recover from failure and frustration, to be patient and think strategically. It is in such settings that one also learns much about one’s limits, how to honestly compare yourself to your competition, and when to look for the next opportunity.

Continuing on the question of failure’s lessons, a very young Condoleezza (her name means “with sweetness”) once declared that she wanted to quit piano, but she wasn’t allowed to. Her mother, Angelena, told her she wasn’t old enough or talented

Condoleezza Rice with Casey Jayne Collins ‘22, left, and Jenna Springer ‘22, during Rice’s visit to Culver in April 2022. The 21-22 senior prefects presented Rice with a framed copy of “Treasured Memory.”

enough to make that decision. Later, as a college sophomore, Rice was humbled at a music festival by the obvious talent of musicians much younger than herself and then decided — and was supported by her parents this time — to leave the piano major and seek something else. It was then that she wandered into an international politics class at the University of Denver, taught by none other than Josef Korbel, former Czech diplomat and father of President Clinton’s Secretary of State, the late Madeleine Albright. Sometimes failure and serendipity can crack open the world in the most unexpected ways and being open to the surprises that await can be transformative. This class provoked a curiosity that later grew into fascination and eventually a passion and a career and it was all the result of what appeared, at the time, like failure.

Having spent her spring break preparing to interview Secretary Rice by reading her books, Collins was eager to have Rice explain the importance of mentorship. Beginning with the simple but poignant idea that no one gets there alone, Rice explained that using your voice and your influence to open doors and create opportunity for others is at the heart of what mentorship is. Recalling her own experience with being identified by Brent Scowcroft, former National Security Advisor to President Ford, after she gave an early-career academic talk, Rice added that mentorship is something that one needs to earn.

Rice reminded us that when it’s likely that you’re the first at something, it’s unlikely that your mentors will look like you. Had she waited around for a Black, female Soviet specialist in the late ’70s to mentor her, she said, she’d have waited a long time. Indeed, her professional mentors were mostly older white men, and having seen that Rice was skilled and knowledgeable, they opened many doors for the young scholar then on the cusp of a career in government service.

Echoing her earlier remarks about the power of travel, Rice warned against assuming too much about anyone based on their appearance, whether they look like you or not. With no insight into that person’s worldview or experiences, with no knowledge of what they think or why they think it, we should resist the tempting assumptions it’s easy to make and be curious and willing to learn instead. With this kind of openness, one can find surprising and significant connections which will make it easier down the road to approach, learn from, and work with people despite differences. Being the first in so many settings and having been the beneficiary of earned opportunities created by mentors (and her parents) and learning to navigate across incredible differences over the course of her life, education, and career, it’s no surprise that Rice became the foremost American diplomat.

Interested in learning about Rice’s experiences with high-stakes decisions and the criticisms that come with responsibility and visibility but also with being a Black woman in traditionally white and male spaces, Collins asked how Culver can prepare students for these kinds of challenges.

Rice began her fascinating answer in a way that emphasized the general primacy of knowledge and the need to always be prepared, but quickly moved into a discussion of strategies and tools for decision-making.

Regardless of what one might feel about some topic or issue, or how much one already knows, it’s crucial to always deepen your knowledge. Intuitions are insufficient when it comes to making policy. As struck as she is about the passion and the moral commitments of many of her Stanford students, Rice emphasized in her meeting with faculty that there is just so much that these brilliant and energetic students do not yet know. Part of the purpose

Senior Prefect Casey Jayne Collins ‘22 speaks with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at Eppley Auditorium.

Rice’s deeply personal remarks, which emphasized her formative experiences as a young person with athletics and music, the importance of education and mentorship, the complexity of decision-making, and dealing with criticism, spoke powerfully to all.

of education is to develop knowledge and sound intellectual habits. Passion, motivating and important as it is, is not enough when it comes to doing the hard work that results in durable progress. In other words, one must care about what’s true factually and not just morally. This can be hard because we often assume we are factually correct when we are confident that we are morally correct. It is vital, therefore, that we constantly expose ourselves to new ideas and information. In academic pursuits, we come nearer to the truth through research and inquiry, the process of falsification, and the rigorous testing of ideas.

While knowledge is certainly gained through continuous study and inquiry, much insight — and, crucially, opportunity — can come when we listen carefully. When discussing a central commitment in her diplomatic work, Rice emphasized that it is careful listening that puts you in a position to not only learn what you did not know, but to find areas where interests overlap, which is where there are openings for progress and cooperation. While it is tempting and sometimes easier to just “transmit” when communicating, we neglect listening at our peril.

Also crucial in her work, from National Security Advisor to Secretary of State, is appreciating that one is always operating in complex and uncertain environments with incomplete information, often on a short timeline and sometimes with the added vulnerabilities of the “fog of war,” which makes it hard to assess situations when it’s impossible to delay a decision. It is vital, then, that one always be willing and prepared to adjust and update beliefs when new information arises so that new and better questions can be asked, so decisions can be made from a position of increasing accuracy. In the earlier session, for example, she acknowledged that errors in Iraq and Afghanistan resulted from failures to anticipate and appreciate the role that sectarian and tribal divisions would play on the ground after the displacement of the regimes that controlled those countries.

Although making mental space for new information can be uncomfortable, not doing so increases the odds of poor decisions. Mental rigidity in the face of changing circumstances, particularly when unmoored from values and goals is a recipe for failure.

As though updating beliefs isn’t hard enough when it comes to making decisions, Rice went on to emphasize that one’s judgments aren’t complete until the second and third-order effects and likely consequences have been identified. What could be the effects of the effects of the effects, and how probable are they? It is here where the problem of uncertainty is most likely to reveal itself, and where the limits of our knowledge start to show, but where decisions still need to be made. It is in such circumstances that relying on a skilled and trusted team, guided by values and with goals in mind, that decisions must be made. And yet, even with careful and collaborative thinking, decisions don’t always turn out as we hope. This brings us to the final part of Collins’ question to Rice: dealing with criticism.

It’s important, Rice said, to see past any ad-hominem or deliberately personal attack and consider the substance of the criticism. Though it’s difficult to not take criticism personally, it’s crucial to remember that it’s sometimes warranted and that taking that information on board can help one perform better. But personalsounding criticism is inevitable, partly because of the ease of expressing it thanks to things like social media, but also because of how human brains tend to work.

While it’s impossible for every aspect of a decision-making process to be visible to the public, hearing Rice talk through some of these complexities made it clear that decision-making on the global scale resists the “simple” judgments that are so easy to make because of how human minds function by default. In her question, Collins specifically referred to the fundamental attribution error, which is when we explain another’s action or choice by pointing to an attribute or a characteristic of the person rather than by understanding the situation, environment, motivation, and tradeoffs that were at play. This is a common mistake, of course, because we so seldom have this level of insight or access into the mental processes of others; additionally, we tend to prefer to simply judge the decision-maker rather than assess the decision.

Another common flaw in our judgment about decisions raised by Rice is “resulting,” where we evaluate a decision by its result, rather than the processes used to make the decision. This is common because we often only have access to the result (which might have had much to do with luck or randomness) and not the process or of how a decision was made. An excellent example of this, made more popular by Annie Duke in her book Thinking in Bets is the controversial pass play that Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll called for in the final seconds of Super Bowl XLIX. Considered the “worst call ever” because it resulted in an interception that gave the game to the Patriots, what many don’t understand is that Carroll chose that play for good reasons. There was a low probability of an interception, passing rather than rushing would have stopped the clock, which was needed with only 26 seconds left in the game and one timeout remaining. Carroll anticipated needing a fourth down and chose the option most likely to leave him the time for it. But the pass was intercepted and Carroll was condemned, not because of the calculus of his decision, but for the low-probability, high-consequence result that was lucky given the odds of an interception.

Given the tendencies to judge decision-makers rather than decisions, and to attend to results rather than the mechanics of decision-making, aspiring leaders have many opportunities to learn more than others by knowing what to consider, and how to learn from their own mistakes and from the mistakes of others. At Culver, we intentionally teach about these predictable tendencies of human cognition so that our students see what others seldom do.

A priority for Casey Jayne Collins on this day was making the ongoing situation in Ukraine relevant to students. Collins, who was

known for her “Outside the Culver Bubble” segment in dorm meetings when she was Court’s first-rotation dorm chair always sought to make significant events salient, despite the busy lives of Culver students.

Citing Vladimir Putin’s 19th-century imperial thinking which plainly involves a territorial war of aggression, Rice returned to a theme of how decisions get made poorly when she emphasized that Putin, anxious about COVID, spent most of the last two years essentially in isolation, reading books and looking at maps, and always considering himself to be a great leader in the tradition of Peter the Great. The perils of thinking alone, of not having a system that ensures that accurate information filters upward, of not questioning or seeking to disconfirm or having anyone question one’s assumptions, and of not thinking about second order effects are now, tragically, on full display as the war in Ukraine continues.

Referring again to her experience as Secretary of State, Rice emphasized the importance of getting accurate information (which is harder and harder to obtain the higher one’s position), of not punishing those “speaking truth to power,” of authorizing others to respond to urgent situations, and forgiving the inevitable errors that periodically result. Operating with a trusted team where each member can be counted on to capably execute their own responsibilities is crucial. Such principles do not describe Vladimir Putin’s leadership.

When asked how our values can help us when thinking about how to respond to this conflict and how to maintain courage despite various pressures, Rice praised the Ukrainian people who are responding to Russian aggression in ways that remind Americans of our central values. Rice hopes that their example will inspire those Americans who tend to feel disillusioned with democracy, distrustful of leaders, and disengaged from institutions.

Taken up in more detail during the session with faculty, Rice recognizes that it can be easy to feel disillusioned with representative government, partly because our politics are so rancorous and increasingly tribal. (Research by Roberto Stefan Foa and Yascha Mounk reveals that less than one third of millennials believe that living in a democracy is important). It can be slow, progress can be rolled back, and there are real, unjust, stubborn, and increasing forms of inequality and conspicuous disparities in outcomes.

And yet, there is much reason to have confidence and faith in representative government, if only we can learn how to see it with fresh eyes and learn how to engage fruitfully with it.

When one looks beyond our shores to the wider world, Rice sees that democracy is the political system best suited to improving human lives by generating peace, progress, and political and economic freedom. In her travels, Rice observed a universal craving for freedom and a recognition of rights, for the ability to decide how one is to be governed and how and whether to worship, for the desire that governments be accountable to citizens, for rights to be protected and expanded, for markets to operate freely. The combination of democratic governance, free markets, and civil society organizations generate broader prosperity and peace, both of which, Rice believes, are conditions for human freedom.

When questioned in the student session about the role of the United States abroad, Rice’s confidence in democracy’s power to improve human lives confers a responsibility on the United States to use its influence around to “create a balance that favors freedom.” While some wonder whether American influence in other countries is tantamount to imperialism, Rice said it’s important to consider what the absence of American influence and leadership abroad might enable.

But doing the work of advancing freedom and opportunity is something most of us will do much closer to home.

While it’s often easier to focus on our rights as Americans, Rice reminded us that we must not lose sight of, neglect, or forget that responsibilities are the other side of the coin. We must create and extend opportunities for others to increase their capacity and skill and in so doing, increase belonging, prosperity, freedom, and a sense of efficacy and agency. But this requires much more than merely feeling or knowing that this is a good idea. It requires activity. We must become directly involved in the communities that we live in or near through conversation, service, volunteerism, engagement, and mentorship. Understanding that the doing is fundamentally a familiar set of activities, it’s possible to be hopeful.

We have to approach problems — individual, local, national, and planetary — with a sense of hope and an assumption of agency even when despair seems warranted and when cynicism seems easier. Why hope? Because we need to believe that the kinds of progress that have been made in the past are also possible in the future.

Rice met with history and leadership students prior to her all-school session.

Rice’s hope comes from her own story, and those of many in her family and her childhood community in Alabama, a hope squarely centered on the transformative power of education. Hope is given legs when one embraces the sense of responsibility for honoring the sacrifices made in the past to create equivalent opportunities for others in the future. Culver’s hope comes from our confidence in and our commitment to the principles in our mission.

Hope and a general sense of responsibility is important, but where do we start such a daunting project? How do we build the courage to begin and the stamina to sustain interactions with those seeming strangers with whom we disagree?

This isn’t actually as hard as it sounds when you remember that this is exactly what Culver’s classrooms accomplish. In classrooms where political differences don’t much matter, we learn that we can work with others despite those differences. In classrooms where such differences do matter, we learn that those we disagree with still have values, have the capacity to reason and have reasons for their beliefs, and have insights and experiences that we don’t. We learn that there’s always something to learn from even the most different seeming “other.” In such spaces, committed to truth-seeking, knowledge-building, and listening, students engage new ideas, grapple with facts, encounter history, and develop a sense of their responsibilities to others. Practiced often over their years at Culver, our students go into the world with curiosity, humility, and an understanding of how and why to engage with others, and can do so with a sense of hope, confident in their ability to make progress.

Although a spirit of hope is essential to working in service of a mission as demanding as Culver’s is, it is also possible to feel optimistic that these efforts will bear fruit.

Culver’s students are courageous and are willing to jump into investigations and conversations no matter how complex and fraught. As their knowledge of issues grows, so does their patience with that complexity. But what is it that helps them struggle through the difficulties? Their relationships with each other and with the adults they work with. These friendships are strong enough to withstand disagreement and argument and in a robust classroom, their curiosity soon overtakes their tendency to tread lightly and hold their positions close. Trusting in these friendships, and in their teachers who work to create the space for these explorations, our students find their way right into the center of the issues that bedevil our national conversation. Though solutions might seem elusive and unlikely, students begin to sense the significance of the problems we face as a nation and a planet, and they see how they are affected by problems that once seemed distant, only experienced by others, or just too big to address. It is here where their sense of responsibility begins to grow, and where their increasing capacity to understand issues and the institutions for channeling the energy of difference creates a commitment to address them.

WHERE CULVER IS GOING NEXT: LEADING THE WORLD IN WHOLE-PERSON EDUCATION

As much as Rice’s message resonated with students, her visit coincided with, and her remarks complemented and affirmed, some large programmatic projects that are underway at the Academies to ensure that we are meeting both our mission, and our vision to lead the world in whole-person education.

Rice’s visit happened at the end of a year when academic institutions are asking questions about what education is for and how it should happen. Culver has also been asking these questions, partly because we always seek to be intentional, principled, and innovative in our programming, but also because it seems clear that the world is changing in ways that require schools to reflect on and respond to the challenges facing us individually, nationally, and globally.

How do we teach students to direct and govern their attention in a noisy world filled with more information than anyone can absorb? What is the best way to address national problems when engaging with political adversaries in good faith seems naïve, when institutions seem ineffective, and when cooperation and compromise seem antiquated, if not impossible? How do we proceed in the face of planetary challenges with existential implications on a short timeline?

At Culver, we are taking on the next iteration of program and curriculum development through a competencies project that began with identifying and defining our learning outcomes for all Culver graduates. These outcomes will inform curricular choices going forward and will be used to ensure that students develop the commitments, capacities, and character needed for leadership and responsible citizenship at all levels from the community to the nation, and to the world. Rice’s remarks suggest we are on the right path as we seek to specifically develop the qualities or “distinguishing characteristics” of scholarship, communication, leadership, citizenship, and well-being.

Five weeks after Secretary Rice’s visit, the class of 2022 enjoyed their picture-perfect commencement ceremony, the school’s 127th, between the Memorial Chapel and the lake. Each spring, approximately 200 graduates pass through the Gate or the Arch. Imagine the global impact, year after year, of these young men and women who think critically, clearly communicate ideas, lead by example, value a multitude of perspectives, and who maintain a foundation of wellness. At a time when these qualities are as important as they are elusive, Culver is proud to focus on this vital service to the world. At a time when despair seems warranted and cynicism seems easy, we at Culver remain hopeful and optimistic for the future because of this annual ceremony. To put it simply: the world needs Culver women and men and we’ll continue to supply them, every spring, for at least the next 127 years.

W

hen one looks beyond our shores to the wider world, Rice sees that democracy is the political system best suited to improving human lives by generating peace, progress, and political and economic freedom.

CGA Celebration includes Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin

Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin refers to them as “my guys.” Goodwin explained to the Culver Academies audience on Oct. 29 that she is familiar enough with presidents Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson to look upon them as dear friends.

She has thoroughly researched and written books about each. She worked for Johnson as a White House fellow and staff member after graduating from college. She then met with him on his ranch in Texas to help him with his autobiography.

She was on campus to give a COVID-delayed presentation on the four men, their backgrounds, and their leadership styles as part of the Class of ’62 Student Enrichment Series. It is based on her book, “Leadership in Turbulent Times.” Free copies of the book were made available to students and faculty before the talk.

Goodwin said people had asked her in the months leading up to her Culver visit if she believes these are “the worst of times” for the United States. She doesn’t think so.

Lincoln had to face the secession of the southern states and the Civil War, she said. Teddy Roosevelt came into office after the assassination of William McKinley, facing the industrial revolution, a major labor strike, a growing mistrust between rural and urban citizens, and the rise of socialism. FDR came into office during the depths of the Depression and then the start of World War II. And Johnson became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the conspiracies around that, and the continuing fight over civil rights.

Through her research, Goodwin found common threads among the four men, even though they came from vastly different backgrounds. Those included their ability to grow; their ability to motivate themselves; their capability to inspire others; their accessibility to people; and their ability to control negative and unproductive emotions.

But the one common denominator that all four men had was they had developed the emotional qualities that led to humility. “I think being able to acknowledge when you make a mistake, when something has gone wrong, and learn from it is critical,” she said. “Lincoln liked to say ‘I’m smarter today than I was yesterday because I learned what I did wrong.’ ”

She added that having character is a “fundamental thing and it is connected to that ability to grow.”

Goodwin told the Eppley Auditorium audience that her fascination with history started when her father taught her how to keep a scorebook while listening to the Brooklyn Dodgers on the radio. She would keep the book while he was at work and then excitedly recite the plays back to him when he got home. The history was only four hours old, Goodwin said, and she didn’t realize details of the game would be in the newspaper the next day.

Working with Johnson got her fascinated in presidents. While she doesn’t have a favorite, her book “No Ordinary Time” about FDR and Eleanor is her favorite biography. Her book on her personal memories growing up, “Wait Till Next Year,” would be her favorite book overall.

On being a leader, Goodwin said, she believes there has to be a goal to better people’s lives to meet that definition.

“I think it’s a human quality that has to do with emotional intelligence. It allows you to know how to move people forward and, hopefully, move people forward to something that increases opportunity or justice for people, opportunity, or fairness.”

And, she said, after meeting with Culver students before her talk, “I think it’s extraordinary you’ve made leadership at this school a central tenet of your learning. Because every subject you’re studying contributes to it. Whether it is philosophy or psychology or even mathematics or science, and learning how to understand the data points of what you’re doing in leadership.”

— Jan Garrison

Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin and members of the Class of 1962.

Dana Crigler ’93: Dancing Back to Culver

After Dana Crigler ’93 left the Boitsov Classical Ballet Company in Chicago, she believed her dancing days were finished. She was moving with her husband, who was in the Air Force, and her children to Arizona.

Crigler had been dancing her entire life, including two years with Culver Academies’ Dancevision. She entered DePaul University but continued to dance at the Boitsov Classical Ballet Academy. After two years at DePaul, she decided to dance full-time with Boitsov.

When it was time to leave two years later, she said her goodbyes. But Mme. Elizabeth Boitsov, the director of the company, made a bold prediction.

“The last thing she said to me as I walked out the door — in her Russian accent — was: ‘You’ll never stop dancing. Dancing’s in your blood.’ ” Crigler recalled. “To this day, I still hear her voice. She’s still teaching. God bless her.”

Now Crigler is teaching dance in Atlanta. But she spent four days at Culver, working with Dancevision students on a special piece in honor of Culver Girls Academy’s 50th anniversary. Working with Antwan Sessions and Shervoski Moreland from the Namari Dance Center and Conservatory, they choreographed the piece using music by Gabriel Urbain Fauré, who is known as the composer of George Balanchine’s  “Emeralds” selection.

The idea for working with the students originated during Crigler’s 25th reunion in 2018. She met instructors Ingrid Ciaccia and Emily Fought and they talked about doing a future workshop with the dancers. She did a Zoom workshop last year, but the pandemic put a pause on any faceto-face contact until now. Crigler said she would like to come back for one of the performances, but Namari is also performing at those times.

Dancing, teaching, and choreography are all part of Crigler’s “night job.” She also teaches at the Atlanta Professional Dance Academy, which is owned by Wei Dongsheng and his wife, Jue Chen.

Her “day job” is as a software test engineer. While in Arizona, Crigler took online courses through the University of Phoenix. She received her bachelor’s degree in business information and then obtained her master’s in computer information systems. Her first job was testing the software on farm equipment for Case IH.

“I started troubleshooting with the farmers

on combines,” she said. “The software inside the combine monitors the soil and estimates how much yield they were getting. All of a sudden, it just clicked with me.”

After Case IH, she joined CVS Caremark for more than 10 years and is now a software testing engineer with Abarca Health, which is headquartered in Puerto Rico.

She credits her father, John Hill, “a techie person,” with her computer fascination. “I think I was about nine years old when I got my first Apple IIE computer. He loved playing games like ‘Flight Simulator’ and I remember playing ‘Goonies’ and teaching myself how to type.

“I never thought it would be a part of my career path,” she added. “But, as I became older, I became more interested in technology, so I kind of fell into the test engineering role. I didn’t think anything about software engineering, coding, or programming.”

As her youngest child got older, she also “got the itch” to return to dancing. She started going to class again and soon ran into Sessions and joined his company and became a principal dancer. When he decided to open a conservatory, she joined in as a partner.

Her return to Culver produced several happy moments and memories. She is very pleased with the new facilities in the Steinbrenner Performing Arts Center. Her time was spent taking classes and rehearsing in the basement of Eppley Auditorium.

She is also happy to see the expansion of the dance program, including the Dance for Athletes class. She enjoys talking with the boys. She wants them to understand that dance is as much a sport as hockey or lacrosse. “They were on the floor saying ‘Oh, this hurts.’ So I said, ‘I don’t ever want to hear any of these young ladies telling me that any of you hockey players, football players, or lacrosse players are saying that dance is easy and not a sport. Now you know it’s a sport.”

It’s nice for the boys to have the experience, she said, and it creates an atmosphere so they can appreciate other art forms. “It creates more of a cultured experience.”

She sees a lot of potential in the members of Dancevision. Crigler, of all people, understands the time crunch the girls and instructors are under with all the other obligations. She is hoping that some summer intensive sessions can be

worked in or that the dance troupe might be able to come to Atlanta sometime over a spring break to help further their dance education.

Along with dance, Crigler said she took something else away from Culver: time management and discipline. It is that learned behavior that makes her two very different lives work. And she has passed that along to her children. Every Saturday the family gets up, makes the beds, cleans together, then folds and puts away the clothes.

Crigler doesn’t do a full room inspection “but I do go through and look at the bathrooms and their bedrooms. They know I don’t like anything underneath your bed. Your drawers can’t have clothes hanging out. Everything has to be nice and neat, folded and put away.”

And her dancing is the same way, as the audience will see that in the pieces she choreographed. “I’m a very clean dancer. I like simple movements,” she said. “This piece came to me because of its simplicity.”

This left brain-right brain switching may puzzle some people, Crigler said, “But, honestly, the creative part helps with the non-creative part. I have to be creative to find solutions to the problems in my job. They may seem like polar opposites, but they actually work hand-in-hand with each other.

“It gives me the flexibility to see things differently,” she explained. “I see things from the customer perspective, our own internal perspective, and, then, someone else’s perspective. I’m starting to find all these issues when I’m looking at different ways of doing things.”

Culver Daughters

Celebrating 50 Years of Culver Girls Academy

The story of the founding of the Culver Academy for Girls (today’s Culver Girls Academy) and the extraordinary growth of opportunities and successes for women in leadership at Culver Academies has never before been told in book-length form.

Commemorating the 50-year anniversary of CGA, “Culver Daughters” explores, in words and over 500 images, the history of one of the most significant and impactful educational programs for young women in the world.

Highway to the Danger Zone runs through Culver

The power of his Culver ring still amazes Dan Moore ’80.

Even though it is smooth in spots due to 42 years of wear, Moore said people still recognize it. Usually, because they have one, too.

“It’s a great way of connecting,” he explained. “It’s like we’re all brothers and sisters. We have so much in common. The same set of experiences. There is just such an ethos about it.”

As wing commander, Carlstrom oversaw the F-18s used in the movie and served as the official liaison between the Navy and the crew during their time in Washington. Carlstrom took the film crew, including star Tom Cruise and director Joseph Kosinski, on their reconnaissance flight to scout locations. He flew his jet through the Yakima Mountains, he said, and they trailed at a higher elevation.

Carlstrom went through the Top Gun school himself, so he has an appreciation for what the movie crew wanted to accomplish. Cruise became a pilot after the original “Top Gun.”

The main objective of the movie’s production team was to honor those who play out the roles in real life, Carlstrom said, “and the one to which I was most committed.” Cruise, who was also the executive producer, said he wanted the movie to be “a love affair with aviation.”

The film was finished in 2019 but the pandemic closed movie theaters and Cruise wanted to make sure it was a theatrical release because of the IMAX, which would have been lost if streamed online. Everyone involved with the movie had signed non-disclosure agreements agreeing not to talk about the film until it was released, including Moore and Carlstrom.

Due to the pandemic, the film wasn’t released until Memorial Day weekend this year, meaning Moore and Carlstrom are now able to discuss their involvement and share the photos taken during production three years ago.

He was wearing his Culver ring while his company, Videohawks, was working on “Top Gun: Maverick.” Videohawks supplied the equipment for filming the movie, so Moore traveled to each location with the crew. While he was at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, his ring connected him to Capt. Adam Carlstrom ’90, the Electronic Attack Wing Commander, at the base.

Moore said it was Carlstrom’s wife, Deanie, who first noticed his ring at an event hosted by the production company. She asked about it and that led to his meeting Carlstrom. “We just hit it off immediately,” he said. “And we’ve stayed in touch since then.”

“It was pretty neat,” Carlstrom said. “It’s the luck of the draw. Just two guys doing their jobs. But to be at this level of his field, it just shows that Culver helps you put down good roots.”

Several stories have been written about the commitment to making the cockpit and flight scenes as realistic as possible. The actors went through a three-month program to train for their flight time and special IMAX cameras were installed in the jets to capture them while they were in the cockpits behind the selected Navy pilots. The snow-capped Yakima Mountains behind the actors are real, Carlstrom said.

CGI added the bridges in the mountains, he explained, and the flares fired off by the planes didn’t exist. The real ones were smaller and didn’t show up on film because the larger ones would have been a forest fire hazard. He flew during some of the filming and thinks his aircraft is in a couple of scenes, but with CGI he is not sure.

Moore explained the cameras used in the jets required specialized mounts because of the extreme stress they were put under. Once the cameras were in place, he ran the connecting wires. And when the F-18s returned to the base each day, he would pull the data cards from each camera so the video could be watched during the debriefing sessions.

What made the wait even tougher was Moore and Carlstrom had planned to hold a special talk about the movie during their 2020 Alumni Reunion. The reunion, though, was also canceled due to the pandemic. And Carlstrom didn’t mention it when he was the 2021 Gold Star Ceremony speaker.

“Certainly not talking to other people” was tough, Moore said. And Carlstrom said the movie production company waited until the film was released to distribute the official photos taken at the social events held on the naval base.

But all the wait was worth it. And, with the critical eye of a Top Gun pilot, Carlstrom thinks Cruise succeeded in creating his tribute to aviation.

“I think it’s the best flying movie I’ve ever seen.”

Capt. Adam Carlstrom ’90 and his wife, Deanie, with Tom Cruise.

Capt. Adam Carlstrom ’90, left, and Dan Moore ’80 crossed paths during their work on the filming of “Top Gun: Maverick.”

2022 STUDENT AWARDS

GRADUATION

CULVER HONORS 2022 GRADUATES

The most prestigious of Culver’s Class of 2022 student awards were presented at Commencement Convocation over graduation weekend in June. The top six student award winners are nominated and selected by a vote of the faculty and staff. The academic/athletic awards are selected by the coaching staff from among the 2022 members of the Cum Laude Society.

The McDonald Award was presented to Enzo Costanza (Ogden Dunes, Indiana). The award, first given to Joshua Logan ’27, Pulitzer Prize winning Broadway playwright and director, is given to the cadet who — by his individual work, example and inspiration — has contributed materially to the betterment of cultural life at Culver. Established in 1927 by Edwin C. McDonald 1915.

The Arthur G. Hughes Award was presented to Xinran (Olivia) Ma (Shanghai). The award, honoring Culver’s first chair of Fine Arts, is presented to the graduating senior girl who has revealed the most exceptional concern for cultural life at the Academies. Established in 1974 by the graduates of CGA.

The Van Zandt Key was presented to Samuel Tullis (South Bend, Indiana). The key is presented to the cadet who, by his effort and example, has increased an awareness among the Corps of Cadets of the importance of moral and spiritual values. Established in 1954 by Richard R. Van Zandt ’28.

The Mary Frances England Humanitarian Award was presented to Brianna Small (Culver). The award, named for the founding director of Culver Girls Academy, is presented annually to the senior girl who, by her acts, has revealed an exemplary concern for others. Established in 1973 by the Culver Parents Association.

Matthew Derrick (Champaign, Illinois) received The Chambers Award, which is given in memory of Cal C. Chambers ’08. The award recognizes that first-classman who has distinguished himself through a combination of excellence in scholarship and athletics. Established in 1915.

The Jane Metcalfe Culver Bowl was presented to Sofia Dolan (San Miguel de Allende, Mexico). The Award is presented to the graduating senior of Culver Girls Academy who has distinguished herself in scholastic and athletic achievements. Established in 1988.

The YMCA Cup was presented to Mitchell Schott (Newport Beach, California). The Cup is presented to the cadet who, in the opinion of the faculty and staff, best exemplifies the ideals of Culver. Established in 1915.

The Superintendent’s Bowl was presented to Maya Jyothinagaram (Forsyth, Illinois). The Bowl is presented to a graduating senior of Culver Girls Academy for leadership, example, influence, and total record of achievement. The award was established in 1972 by a former cadet.

Three students were recognized as the valedictorians of the Class of 2022 and recipients of the Jonas Weil Award. Katharine Beeson (South Bend, Indiana), Sophie Nash (Columbus, Indiana), and Andrew Perun (Bensenville, Illinois) maintained a 4.0 grade point average for all four years. Established by Jonas Weil ’54, the Weil Award provides a monetary award to the valedictorian and salutatorian. Leshan (Stephen) Yang (Changning, China) was named the salutatorian.

Enzo Costanza

Xinran (Olivia) Ma Samuel Tullis Brianna Small Matthew Derrick Sofia Dolan

Maya Jyothinagaram

Katharine Beeson Sophie Nash Andrew Perun Leshan (Stephen) Yang Owen Hart

Mitchell Schott

Samantha Jorgensen

Perun also received The Scholarship Medal, which was established in 1946. The award is presented to the cadet with the highest cumulative grade point average during the second- and first-class years at Culver.

The Alfred J. Donnelly Scholastic Award was shared by Beeson and Nash. The award is given in memory of Alfred J. Donnelly, Culver’s long esteemed teacher, counselor and dean. It recognizes the graduating senior in CGA who has attained the highest academic average during her junior and senior year. The award was established in 1979.

The Mark Todd Berger ’88 Scholarship was presented to Owen Hart ’23 (Lafayette, Indiana). The merit award goes to a rising first classman who best exemplifies Berger’s qualities of courage, concern, pleasant nature and positive outlook. The scholarship was established by Berger’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Berger, and his brother, David Berger ’83, following Mark Berger’s death in April of his senior year.

Samantha Jorgensen (Dyer, Indiana) received the Outstanding Sportswoman of the Year award, which is presented by the CGA Class of 1972 to the senior who is the best all-around athlete in Culver Girls Academy. Schott also received the Russ and Myra Oliver Best All-Around Athlete award, which is presented to the CMA first classman who best represents the ideals of Russ and Myra Oliver.

Dorm/Unit Awards

Harbor Dorm won The Benson Bowl for Academic Achievement with an overall grade point average of 3.7459. The award, established by a former Culver cadet, is dedicated to the memory of Dean Ernest B. Benson, and is awarded to the CGA dormitory having the highest academic achievement for the year.

Company C won The Silver Bowl with an overall GPA of 3.7158. Given by E.R. Culver III 1918 to the CMA organization having the highest academic achievement for the year.

Honors and Concentrations

Ninety students received diplomas indicating they successfully completed the requirements for concentrations or honors in a discipline.

Students graduating with a concentration in a subject complete a series of prerequisite courses, including special seminars, focusing intensively on their areas of interest.

Those students graduating with honors have produced a body of work judged to be of high merit by the corresponding subject-area faculty committee.

2022 FACULTY AWARDS

FIVE FACULTY-STAFF MEMBERS HONORED

Culver Academies honored faculty and staff members for their dedication and service during the 2021–2022 academic year.

Dancevision co-director and dance instructor Ingrid Ciaccia received the Maj. Gen. Delmar T. Spivey Award for Teaching. Named for Culver’s sixth superintendent, the Spivey Award recognizes and encourages superior teaching among younger, promising faculty members. The recipient is selected by the academic department chairs.

CGA Residential Education team leader Angie Strobel ’98 was the recipient of the John R. Mars Award. Established by the board of trustees to honor Culver’s 10th superintendent, the award goes to the member of the faculty/staff who best exemplifies the ideals of Culver and Dean Mars during his 41-year career.

Senior Leadership Education instructor Don Fox ’75 received the Kaser Scholar Award. The award is presented to the faculty member “whose scholarly interests, enthusiastic teaching, sympathetic understanding and wise counsel combine to inspire students and kindle in them the zest for life and learning.” It is selected by the top 30 percent of the senior class and is named in honor of Mark B. Kaser ’75

The Ralph N. Manuel Award is presented annually to the male and female faculty or staff member who, in the opinion of the student body, best exemplifies the ideals of Culver. Manuel was the superintendent of schools from 1982 to 1999. Leadership Education and Latin instructor Evan Dutmer and Wellness instructor Chantel Vinson were the recipients of the honor.

Ingrid Ciaccia

Angie Strobel

Don Fox

Evan Dutmer

Chantel Vinson

THE NEXT CHAPTER

GRADUATION

The 217 members of the Class of 2022 earned their Culver diplomas with a sense of confidence and optimism that will shape their future careers and personal lives. Seven graduates have earned acceptance into service academies at the U.S. Air

Aquinas College 1

Arizona State University 2

Babson College 2 Ball State University 2 Baylor University 1 Beloit College 1 Bentley University 2 Boston College 1 Boston University 1

Bowling Green State University 1 Brown University 1 Bucknell University 1 Butler University 4 Cabrillo College 1

California Polytechnic State University 1

Carelton College 1 Carelton University 1

Carnegie Mellon University 1 Carthage College 1

Case Western Reserve University 2 Catawba College 1

Chapman University 1 College of Charleston 1

Colorado School of Mines 1

Cornell University 3

Cuesta College 1

Culver-Stockton College 1

Dalhousie University 1

Eastern Michigan University 1 Elon University 1

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 13

George Washington University 4

Georgetown University 1

Hamilton College 3

Harvard University 2 High Point University 1 Hobart and William Smith Colleges 1 Hollins University 1 Howard University 1 Huntington University 1 Indiana University-Purdue University IUPUI 2 Indiana University Bloomington 12 Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de 1 Monterrey, campus Torreon

John Carroll University 1

Johns Hopkins University 2

Kings College London 1

Lake Forest College 2

Lewis and Clark College 2

Lipscomb University 1

Loyola University Chicago 1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 Miami University Oxford Ohio 6 New York University 1

Northeastern University 1 Northern Arizona University 1 Northland College 1 Ohio University 1 Pennsylvania State University 1

Pepperdine University 2 Pratt Institute 2 Princeton University 4 Purdue University 8 Quinnipiac University 1

Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Four graduates are pursuing their education at Mexican universities. Fourteen are pursuing gap years, ranging from playing junior hockey, to an internship with the New York Times, and two are spending a school year abroad as part of the English Speaking Union program.

Rochester Institute of Technology 2

Rollins College 2

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 1

Rutgers University 1

Saint Cloud State University 1

Santa Clara University 1

Sewanee, University of the South 2 Skidmore College 1

Southern Methodist University 3

Stevens Institute of Technology 1 Syracuse University 2

Tecnolagico de Monterrey (ITESM) 1

Texas A&M University 1 Texas Christian University 2 The Ohio State University 2 Trine University 1 Tulane University 1

United States Air Force Academy 2 United States Merchant Marine Academy 1 United States Naval Academy 4

Universidad Anahuac

Naucalper de Juarez 1

Universidad Iberoamericana 1

University of Alabama 1

University of California, Irvine 2 University of California, Los Angeles 1 University of San Diego 1 University of California, Santa Barbara 1 University of California, Santa Cruz 1 University of Chicago 4

University of Colorado, Boulder 2 University of Dayton 2

University of Denver 1 University of Findlay 1 University of Illinois 1 University of Maryland 1 University of Michigan 1 University of Minnesota 1 University of Notre Dame 1 University of Oregon 1 University of Pennsylvania 7 University of Pittsburgh 1 University of Rhode Island 1 University of Rochester 1 University of San Diego 3 University of San Francisco 1 University of South Carolina 1 University of San Diego 3 University of South Carolina 1 University of Southern California 5 University of Texas 2 University of Utah 1 University of Virginia 1

Vanderbilt University 1 Villanova University 3 Virginia Military Institute 1 Wabash College 1 Washington University 3 Wellesley College 2 Western Michigan University 1 Xavier University 1 Yale University 1

Culver’s Changing Campus

Since Henry Harrison Culver founded Culver Military Academy in 1894, Culver has always had a dynamic campus that was expanded and enhanced to meet the needs of the students and campers who called Culver home.

Whether it was during the days of its initial growth under the careful eye of Superintendent Gen. Leigh Gignilliat, or the efforts of inspirational group of Culver alumni looking to honor him with the hall that bears his name, who in turn prompted Eugene C. Eppley ’01 to support the creation of what can be called the academic heart of campus, Culver has always looked to provide the best facilities to deliver on its mission to its students.

The campus is in the midst of one such monumental transformation now, as construction of a new residential heart of campus continues apace. The recent dedication of the new Lauridsen Barrack and the expanded Eagle Stadium are just the first steps in this endeavor.

Ground is now being prepared for the construction of a new Main Barrack, designed to meet the 21st century needs of students on a residential campus, but with an eye to the traditional Collegiate Gothic design that is the signature image of Culver in the minds of so many alumni and alumnae, faculty, and staff.

Scan the code below for a short video update of the progress of these projects. It will be bittersweet for some of you, but know that the best of Culver, what the graduates who leave here take with them, still stands strong.

The Band plays at the dedication of the new Lauridsen Barrack on Oct. 6, 2022.

summer heralded the return of the Culver Experience everyone is familiar with, marked by its outstanding successes for students and summer campers. This is in large part thanks to everyone who and other areas during that period, and we are grateful for that support. Below is just a small alumni and alumnae, parents, faculty and staff, friends, and students made with their gifts to Culver.

“Generosity is what enables Culver to create such impactful experiences and opportunities. Every donation is seen and greatly appreciated by students, who get to take part in such a special community. Thank you!”

— Faith Martinez ’23 (Benson)

Culver Military Academy and Culver Girls Academy: states and countries 832 students came to Culver from

37 23

Culver Summer Schools & Camps states and countries

campers and students came to Culver from

“Because of the kind-hearted nature of you and others who trust in Culver’s mission, students and cadets like myself have the opportunity of a lifetime to spend the most formative years of our development here. Thank you for believing in Culver. Thank you for believing in us.”

— A.J. Black ’24 (Band) NB’23

CMA & CGA captures Track & Field Championship

CMA Track & Field

CMA Track & Field captured the program’s 6th IHSAA Sectional , as well as the second consecutive. The effort included first-place finishes in the 100m, 200m, and pole vault from George Bourdier ’22, as well as a first-place finish from Sam Tullis ’22 in the 1600m. Bourdier would go on to finish 3rd overall in the pole vault at the state finals, setting a school record of 15 feet 9 inches.

CGA Track & Field followed its Sectional Championship performances with an equally impressive performance to claim the program’s second Regional Championship. The team also captured the Regional in 2021. First-place finishes included the 4x100 relay team of Brighton Bird ’23, Susie Bourdier ’23, Alexa LaBella ’24, and Cecille Figueroa ’22. Quinn Bird ’24 also placed first in the 400m. In field events, Lena Spiller claimed first in both the long and high jump, while Bourdier placed first in the pole vault and Madi Miller ’22 bested the discus throwers.

CGA Track & Field

CMA Prep Lacrosse

CMA Prep Lacrosse finished its 2022 campaign with an overall record of 20-2. The team’s post-season included two championships. First, Culver defeated Cathedral, Hudson, and Western Reserve in the Midwest Scholastic Lacrosse Association tournament, followed by wins over Western Reserve and The Hill Academy in the first Premier Prep Championship.

CGA wins sectional title…again

For the fourth season in a row, CGA Tennis was crowned Sectional champ at the Gable Tennis Complex. The team put together a 4-1 win over North Judson in the first round, then swept Rochester 5-0 for the Championship.

18 continue athletic careers

Eighteen more Culver Academies students signed on to continue their athletic careers during two spring signing ceremonies in May and June.

Making spring commitments were:

Oscar Stuart – Wabash College, Baseball

Reid Omilian – Chapman University, Diving

Emily Luo – University of California San Diego, Fencing

Sophia Berghammer – Hamilton College, Hockey

Emma Sweeney – Lake Forest College, Hockey

Colin Kessler – University of Vermont, Hockey

Ellen Shepard – RIT, Rowing

Matt Derrick – United States Naval Academy, Rowing

Grant Dougherty – Rollins College, Rowing

Jack Mullins – Baylor University, Rugby

Gian Kilborn – Purdue University, Rugby

Lani Dye – Aquinas College, Rugby

Emily Heim – Catabwa College, Swimming

Alessandra Besachio – Hollins University, Swimming and Lacrosse

Cecille Figueroa – Washington University St. Louis, Track and Field

Maddy Rivera – Xavier University, Track and Field

George Bourdier – Washington University St. Louis, Track and Field

Sam Tullis – University of Chicago, Cross Country and Track and Field

ALUMNI CLASS NEWS

1960s

Patrick Mahony N’63, the longtime senior vice president at NYRA, who spent more than 50 years in the racing industry, retired in 2016. A 5.5-furlong turf sprint named in his honor, the $100,000 Mahony, was run Aug. 7.

Dr. Henry P. Williams III ’67 earned degrees and diplomas from Culver, the University of Virginia, the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, the University of Florence, Italy, as well as two masters and a doctorate in international law

and diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, a joint Tufts University and Harvard University program. He has lived in four foreign countries and has studied and worked professionally in four foreign languages: French, Greek, Italian, and Turkish. Formerly a Wall Street and international investment banker, Williams currently operates a small consulting business and lectures on a variety of topics, including American history, Turkey, and the Middle East.

At the Institute of World

Politics, Williams teaches “The Turks: Relations with the MENA, Europe and America, Then and Now,” which IWP offered in summer 2022. In May 2023, he will discuss how Turkey’s President Erdogan is walking a tightrope leading up to the 2023 national elections, as well as its implications for the Western alliance and NATO.

Ronald T. Rubin ’68 W’63 was awarded an honorary doctorate from Sonoma State University’s School of Business and Economics on May 22, 2022.

F. Peter Schloerb NB’68 was selected as the 2021 inductee into the ARCS Alumni Hall of Fame at the January National Board Meeting. Hall of Fame inductees are ARCS Scholar Alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of science and increased our nation’s scientific competitiveness. Selection is based on alumni contributions in the areas of scientific innovation, discovery, economic impact, development of future scientists, and enhancement of U.S. scientific superiority. He is the University of Massachusetts

director of the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT) Alfonso Serrano, a joint project between UMass and Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica in Mexico. He is also a professor and director of the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory at UMass.

Donald S. Barlow ’68 N’66 was awarded the John D. McKee Alumni Volunteer Award from The College of Wooster at this year’s Alumni Weekend in June. He earned his degree in economics at Wooster in 1972. He was involved on campus as a member of the soccer team and remains active with the Wooster Soccer Alumni group. He has also served as the Class of 1972 class president since 2007, as a reunion committee member, and a leader for Scots in Service. Barlow is a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International, served as president of the Wooster Parks and Recreation Commission for two decades, and serves as president of the board of the Habitat for Humanity in Wayne County.

David J. Udelf N’69 W’66 wrote an article for the April 2022 issue of “Psychology Today” on “Calm, ClearHeaded, and Humble Wins for Leaders and Coaches.”

John O. Feighner ’69, one of the senior lawyers and past managing partner at Fort Wayne law firm Haller Colvin, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association on

May 12, 2022. The award honoree is selected by ITLA past presidents, and Feighner’s choice was unanimous. He served as assistant Allen County attorney, representing the Allen County Sheriff’s Office and other county departments before the state and federal courts from 1977 through Aug. 28, 2018. He earned his undergraduate degree from Brown University in 1973 and graduated cum laude in 1976 from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. He is past state chair of the American College of Trial Lawyers and has been listed in the Best Lawyers of America since 2001. Feighner also served three terms on the Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission and the Indiana Judicial Qualifications Commission. He has practiced law in Fort Wayne for more than 45 years. He is married to Margy Feighner and has two children, Spencer Feighner and Betsy Miller.

1970s

Robert A. Stackhouse II ’72 Band NB’70 finally had a summer to himself after 50 years. Having graduated from the Summer Naval School in 1970, he anticipated spending his college summers as a “military officer” assigned to one of the Naval companies at Culver, preferably the Band. His late decision to accept an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West

Point canceled that plan, since the nation exercised first rights on his time for the next 48 summers. In turn, his Army retirement was another doorway within the Department of Defense, this time in the civil service where he served another 23 years. After retiring in August 2020, this past summer was the first time since his 1972 graduation that his summer activities were up to him.

One of his sisters had mentioned in late May that Culver was still looking for summer staff. He had recently read Malcom Gladwell’s “Outliers,” which described the importance of engaging summer programs relative to student development. Consequently, he applied for Upper Schools staff and said he’d be happy to serve where needed most. As it turned out, Culver’s needs were greatest on the five-person Upper Schools military staff. His title was senior military officer, a slight misnomer since U.S. Navy Capt. Mike Kehoe was brought on as Upper Schools commandant and Bob was assigned to his staff. While Mike had served as CMA commandant, this was his first time on Culver’s summer staff. Bob is sure they were probably the oldest first-year staff. He also was the last one in his immediate family to serve on the summer staff. His son J.B. ’12 W’07 was also there the entire summer and his wife, Susan ’81 was on staff the July Fourth weekend, plus the last 10 days of camp. Their

daughter Sarah ’14 W’09 had three summers on staff but was not at Culver in 2022.

C. Michael Duncan ’78 N’77 recently retired from The City of Worthington, Ohio, Division of Fire and EMS after 31 years of service at Worthington and 40 years in the fire service. He looks forward to getting some fly fishing and backpacking in before agreeing to be a guest instructor to teach new generations emergency medic skills.

1980s

Ross E. Buck ’87 was named executive director of the Omni Multiple Listing Service in Mexico City in July 2021. Omni MLS is Mexico’s largest and most recognized subscriber-based multiple listing service.

Michael F. O’Connell ’89 SC ’84 offered to speak with two classes in the Ron Rubin School and guide them through a case study before the Culver Connections weekend.

Ahmed I. Qureshi ’89 is president and CEO of BILT Incorporated, creators of the BILT app. The company will provide 3D interactive intelligent instructions to the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to increase speed, safety, accuracy, and competency. It enables users to complete complex projects safely and efficiently by tracking steps

and calling out specific warnings. Thousands of 3D instructions can be preloaded onto a single mobile device and accessed without Wi-Fi, saving space, weight, and fuel.

William M. Yates III ’89, founder and CEO of Silent Arrow, revealed that the company is currently conducting flight testing with the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) C130s and with sling loads hung from Bell UH1H Iroquois helicopters. Silent Arrow lists the C17, C130, CH53, and V22 as aircraft from which it can currently deploy the GD2000 glider. Distribution agreements have been completed for 37 countries and the company is working hard to become the worldwide standard for airdrop logistics. The gliders can

be dropped from a variety of aircraft and could revolutionize how the military resupplies small units deployed in the field. They can also be used for disaster relief missions at half the cost of existing airdrop systems.

1990s

Derek R. Gittus ’91 just completed his 25th year as a teacher and coach at Portsmouth Abbey School, where he is currently the J. Clifford Hobbins Chair in History. In the spring of 2022 he won the Dom Peter Sidler Award for Excellence in Teaching for the second time in his career, as well as earning his 200th win as a varsity high school baseball coach.

Kyle Y. Faget ’92 was appointed co-chair of Foley & Lardner, LLP’s national health care practice group. Foley is one of the premier health care practices in the United States. She was also appointed co-chair of Foley’s Health Care & Life Sciences sector for medical devices. She was included in Chambers & Partners for health care, which is the worldwide standard for ranking in law. She is described as at the top of their “collective list for quality of advice depth of understanding responsiveness and just plain reliability.”

Ryan A. Lindholm ’95 W’90, was hired as CEO of “In Good Taste.” He was previously global brand director, advanced concepts at Nike and has also held leadership

positions at AKQA, Dentsu, Razorfish, Havas, JWT and DDB. For more than 20 years, Lindholm has been developing a point of view on how the creative model can evolve to better serve the ambition of business leaders. He and his team have jumpstarted a new kind of creative approach; they look for innovative solutions that give the C suite the courage and support to make dramatic changes in their business. They do that with Grey Space thinking, their method of finding solutions in the spaces between obvious or black-and-white answers.

John Conlon ’97 is returning to Hope College, his alma mater, to lead the men’s soccer program. He is the Flying Dutchmen’s 10th soccer coach. He has won 674 games and five Michigan High School Athletic Association championships, coaching boys and girls soccer for East Kentwood and Byron Center high schools. He also has taught fifth grade at Kentwood Public Schools for 22 years; he is currently at Endeavor Elementary.

2000s

Kimberly Chalmers Hicks ’00 was selected as Purdue University’s Outstanding Aerospace Engineer, class of 2022. She is the director and program manager in Boeing’s Space and Launch Rapid Space Capability division. In this role, she is responsible for the strategy, schedule, financial and technical execution of

Torrie Christlieb ’14, a fifth-grade humanities teacher at Riverside Intermediate School in Plymouth, Indiana, was named Indiana’s Outstanding Teacher of American History by the Indiana Daughters of the American Revolution.

franchise spacecraft development programs. Prior to this position, Hicks served as the director of development for the KC46A Pegasus where she developed strategic roadmaps and block upgrades for the KC46A. She has also been the director for enterprise modelbased engineering where she was the core functional leader for new product business capabilities and model-based engineering deployment, implementation, and integration. Preceding that role, she served as the advanced capabilities program manager for Phantom Works. Hicks began her career at Boeing as an intern on the F22 program.

Joseph T. Liles ’03 and his wife, Karla, welcomed a son, Sterling Alejandro, on Oct. 9, 2020. They live in San Diego through the end of 2023 and look forward to coming back next year for his 20-year reunion.

Elliot R. Lauzen N’04 and Kristin Hanson were married on June 16, 2018, in Chicago. Their first daughter’s name is Annabelle Brooke Lauzen, born on Jan. 31, 2020, and the most recent addition is daughter Madeline Paige Lauzen, born on Feb. 9, 2022.

Liddell “Jack” Parchman ’04 married Katie Bethke on Sept. 4, 2021, in Bozeman, Utah. She is a lawyer at Jones Day and was an All-Big Ten soccer star at the University of Minnesota, playing pro soccer in the United States and in Europe.

Andrea Jackson Garcia ’04 SS’01 and her husband, Mark, welcomed their first child, Marguerite, in December 2021. Andrea is currently a director of sales development at a tech company focused on leadership development.

Lorena Alvarez-Sottil ’04 and Grant Teaney ’04 were both very shy teenagers who never spoke to each other. Shortly thereafter they both decided to work at Woodcraft

Camp at the same time. The 2019 Reunion Weekend brought them back together years later. During the class dinner by the lake, Lorena was asked by Grant to save him a seat, which she happily did. After that weekend, they decided to date long-distance and were married on Jan. 22, 2022, in Houston.

Hameedat T. Adeniji ’05 was appointed to the combined role of managing director of Warner Music Africa’s operations in South Africa and as senior vice president for strategy in sub-Saharan Africa.

Sara Johnson White ’06 W’03 had a son, Charles Jamison White, on Jan. 22, 2022. His grandfather is David R. Johnson ’72.

Katherine Mitzell Fagan ’06 SS’02 W’01 and her husband, Kevin, welcomed their first child, Jack Rudy Fagan, on Dec. 22, 2021.

Elizabeth A. Cook ’07 married Joseph Hoefer on Nov. 9, 2019. Culver alumni

in the wedding party included Lacey (Willman) Jensen ’07, who was a bridesmaid. Her father is Douglas A. Cook ’75 Ellie and Joseph also welcomed their first child, Henry, on May 28, 2021.

Jocelyn A. Kinsey ’08 spoke to 55 students virtually and held a Q&A session afterward for students in the Ron Rubin School of the Entrepreneur.

Kayla Ray SS’08 W’05 married Adam Spinella on June 11, 2022, overlooking the ocean in York Harbor, Maine. Adam and Kayla met while working for Culver in the spring of 2015. Adam was a fellow for Admissions and Kayla was a Culver Fund Officer in Development. The wedding party included Culver Summer alumni Mary Clare Stannard SS’08 W’05, Stephanie Kliber SS’08 W’05, Sarah Frische W’06, Kyle Ray NB’06 W’02, Kameron Ray NB’14 W’11, and Konnor Ray NB’18 W’15. Along with the wedding party, 13 other Culver alumni were in attendance (predominantly from the Ray family) and two past Culver staff members. The couple recently purchased their first home and currently reside outside of Baltimore.

Karly Schmidt Simard ’09 graduated from the University of North Carolina with her Ph.D. on June 7, 2022. She successfully defended her doctoral dissertation in the Department of Geography. As an atmospheric scientist and dendroclimatologist,

she combines techniques in tree-ring science and chemistry with her knowledge of weather and climate to make inferences about past water availability and to contextualize present climate conditions. She also has considerable experience in teaching and curriculum development with a focus on active learning strategies aimed at fostering equity and inclusion.

Jenna Iwaniec Hutches ’09 gave birth to her second child Charlotte Marie Hutches on Feb. 4, 2022. Her son, Charles Douglas, turns 2 this year. Her husband, Bo, took on a new job in Red River, New Mexico, where they moved in April 2022.

Taylor Whitsett Theg ’09 married fellow Davidson College Wildcat Alex Theg in Sacramento, California, in April 2022. Several Culver classmates joined the celebration including Paul Todd ’09, Zafiro Joseph ’09, Frances Staadt ’09, Theresa Dickson ’09, Courtney Hague ’09, and Emily Loehmer ’09. Taylor and Alex recently purchased a home in Davis, California, where they reside with their black lab Franklin.

Capt. Alexander E. Master ’09 was the guest speaker for the Culver Annual Review (CAR) dinner on Feb. 6, 2022. He discussed his career in Cyber Command.

Message from Legion and CSSAA Presidents

We are excited to share with you in the pages of this magazine issue news of successful alumni events in recent months.

We welcomed 900 alumni/ae, plus their families and guests, back to campus last May for our first reunion weekend since 2019. Our increased numbers were undoubtedly bolstered by the highly successful capstone event of the CGA 50th Anniversary Celebration.

In July, 450 alumni/ae of Woodcraft Camp and Upper Schools relived their days on Lake Maxinkuckee and were part of a triumphant return of their annual Homecoming celebration activities.

Finally, Culver Clubs International has an ambitious goal of 30 events around the world between August 2022 and June 2023..

2010s

Logan Kilduff Silverman ’10 got married on Aug. 28, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio, and changed her name to Logan Michelle Silverman. The wedding party included Brooke Bourgraf ’07, Ariana Garcia ’10, Willow Smith ’10, and Austin Kilduff ’14. They are still located on the Memorial Street in Alexandria, Virginia.

Robert C. Lauzen N’10 married Erin Taylor on Oct. 15, 2022, in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Charles John Harm II ’11 started a position as a business development consultant for Allianz Life Financial Services recently. He held similar roles with both Jackson National Life and Fidelity Investments. He graduated from Fairfield University in 2015 and has been living in Nashville, Tennessee, since 2017.

Deanna Dilts Carpenter ’11 married Travis Carpenter on March 26, 2022, in Indianapolis.

Riley L. Scott ’11 SC’05 ’06 has recently been the lead actor in a movie called “The Baby Sitter Must Die!” Not only is Riley an actor but also a writer. She recently sold a script to a Canadian company that has already produced the movie. Riley is a graduate of the Theatre and Film school at University of Southern California.

Sarah M. Jamieson Court ’13 SS’11 W’08 is the owner of Jam’s Mid to West Art. Originally from northwest Indiana, she moved to Ohio for college and graduated with a degree in interior design. Shortly after, she moved to a small town in the mountains east of San Diego, California, and worked for an incredible artist named James Hubbell, whose studio taught her a wide range of trades. While working there, she was fortunate enough to learn about woodwork, metalwork, mosaics, stained glass, construction, and gallery exhibits. Working there, as well as at Hubbell & Hubbell, an architecture firm, and other jobs on the side, ultimately gave her the confidence to be fearless with what she wanted to do in her own work. Her boyfriend got a job as a ranch hand in central Montana, and they moved together in the summer of 2021. He found cattle skulls, which she painted, and she experimented with glass, combining both skills. She has decided to run her business full time.

Claire Marshall ’13 W’09 and Joshua Henderson, a former Woodcraft counselor, were married in Culver’s Memorial Chapel on Oct. 13, 2018, by Chaplain Dana Neer. Claire’s maid of honor was Melissa Ma ’13, her father Chet ’73 gave her away, and her aunt Cindy Marshall ’71 participated in the ceremony as well. Many other Culver graduates were in attendance.

Claire and Josh are both cum laude graduates of Valparaiso University. After living in Washington, D.C., they have returned to Culver now making it their home. Claire has joined her mother in real estate – forming the Marshall-Henderson Group of Coldwell Banker Real Estate in Culver. Josh works in international relations and recently received his master’s degree at George Mason University in International Security.

Torrie Christlieb ’14, a fifthgrade humanities teacher at Riverside Intermediate School in Plymouth, Indiana, was named Indiana’s Outstanding Teacher of American History by the Indiana Daughters of the American Revolution.

Kayla-Colleen K. Miracle ’14 is beginning to prepare for the 2022 defense of her national wrestling title and another shot at the gold medal at the world championship, and she is gearing up for another Olympics in Paris in 2024.

Duncan W. McBride ’14 married Valentina Marginean on July 4, 2021, in Blaj, Romania, where she grew up and where her family lives.

Mitchell J.S. Kokko ’15 is transitioning out of his role as a member of Notre Dame’s investment committee for the Pit Road Fund in June and moving to Palo Alto, California, joining Valley Capital Partners as their newest partner. He continues to do venture

Timika ShafeekHorton ’86 President

The Culver Legion Emily Barnes Cole SS ’84

President The Culver Summer Schools Alumni Association

Michael E. “Mike” Rudnicki ’92 W’88 President Culver Clubs International

capital but will broaden his client base of solely Notre Dame faculty, students, and alumni to a broader audience.

Nicholas J. Andert ’15 and a 2021 graduate of Drake University, was recognized for his work as a doctor of pharmacy student.

Cole A. Payne ’15 and John R. Oosterhoff ’15 both graduated from the McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis this spring.

Harrison F. Harm ’17 graduated from the University of Colorado in December 2021 with a BA in neuroscience. In addition, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army as an ordnance officer. Harrison will be attending the Basic Officers Leaders Course in Fort Lee, Virginia, for 16 weeks and then will be assigned to the Army Reserve Unit of the 90th Aviation Support Battalion at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas.

William J. Kuhl ’18 was one of six MIT students named as 2023 Schwarzman Scholars who will pursue graduate studies in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing. They will head to Tsinghua University in Beijing next August to pursue a one-year master’s degree in global affairs. They will also receive leadership training, career development, and opportunities to gain a greater understanding of China’s role in the world. The Schwarzman

Scholars program aims to build a network of young leaders and encourage them to explore and understand the economic, political, and cultural factors that have contributed to China’s increasing importance as a global power.

Callaway W. Bird ’18 is an economics major and English writing minor at DePauw University. As a member of both the cross country and track & field varsity teams, he has served as the captain for both teams and has helped lead the cross country team to conference titles every season. In addition, he has won multiple conference titles in track and was also named an Academic All-American. Callaway has also contributed to the campus community by serving as a first-year student mentor and member of the WGRE college radio station. As a management fellow, he was hired to work with Cummins Inc. in India in 2020 until the pandemic forced him to work from home. This past summer, Callaway worked in a commercial banking role for BMO Harris Bank in Chicago. As a senior, he has helped the management fellows program by mentoring first-year students, participating in student panels, and interviewing prospective students. Upon graduation, he hopes to pursue a consulting job in Denver.

Michael G. Robinson ’19 led Delaware to the first win over a ranked opponent in CAA men’s lacrosse this

season. The junior attackman netted a game-high five goals in the Blue Hens’ 12-10 victory over No. 18 Johns Hopkins while adding three ground balls in the effort. Robinson’s final tally came after a 4-1 Blue Jay run tied the game at 10. The Peterborough, Ontario, native netted the goahead goal with three minutes remaining in the contest to put Delaware in front for the final time. Robinson has scored at least five goals in three of his last four games and ranks second in the CAA with 27 goals this season.

The Culver News blog is now The Culver Cannon. On The Culver Cannon,

Check it out at www.culver.org/ cannon.

Our blog has moved!

you’ll read stories about how members of our community positively impact others. You’ll read about current events on our campus. And finally, you’ll find helpful posts in which experts in our community share their thoughts and advice on a variety of topics.

CULVER CLUBS INTERNATIONAL

The Culver Club of Culver hosted a tailgate at CMA’s home football opener on Friday, Aug. 19.

The Culver Club of Quito, Ecuador, recently held an event hosted by Carlos ’66 and Gloria Montufar, with Tony Giraldi ’75 and Karla Hernandez SS’81 representing Culver. The club and Carlos were recognized as the No. 1 Culver Club in the world by the Culver Clubs International alumni leadership.

The Culver Club of Indianapolis held its annual polo gathering at Hickory Hall Polo Club in Indianapolis on Sept. 9.

LVERCLUBS

The Culver Club of Guayaquil, Ecuador, held an event at the Union Club in downtown Guayaquil on Sept. 19, 2022, and was sponsored by Fausto Moscoso ’70 and Alfredo Guzman ’87, with Tony Giraldi ’75 and Karla Hernandez SS’81 representing Culver. Graduates from CMA and CGA attended, ranging from the 1950s to the 2000s. During the event, a number of alumni children expressed interest in applying to Culver.

IN MEMORIAM

George William Baehr W’32 died on Feb. 19, 2022.

1930s 1940s

Wayne Edward Firestone ’41 (Company C) W’36 of West Lafayette, Indiana, died on Sept. 11, 2021, at his home at University Place Healthcare.

He continued his education at Purdue prior to serving in the U.S. Army during World War II and was honorably discharged as a captain in 1946. He graduated from the Indiana University School of Business in 1949 and Northwestern Uni-

versity School of Law in 1952, passing the bar in Indiana and Illinois. He later graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Banking.

Wayne married Betty Ruth Woodard in 1951, with whom he had two children, Debra Kay and Steven ’73 (Battery C) N’71. Betty preceded him in death in January 1999. On Dec. 7, 1999, he married Linda Lipp-Hodson in Lafayette, who survives.

Committed to community service, Wayne was a member of Central Presbyterian Church in Lafayette and associate

member of the Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church in Naples, Florida. He was also a member of the Westfield and Rensselaer Lions clubs, the Lafayette Kiwanis Club, and was a lifetime member of the American Legion and VFW. He served as a trustee at St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana, and served as an officer of the Indiana Bankers Association. Surviving are his wife, Linda; daughter, Debra Malone; son, Steven; stepson, David Hodson; stepdaughter, Melissa HodsonOstler; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Paul Julius Morsches Jr. W’42 of Columbia City, Indiana, died on Feb. 12, 2022. He was the chairman of Morsches Builders Mart, which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2021, one of the oldest continually operating family businesses in the Midwest. He joined the company in 1951 after graduating from college. He was a pioneer in the field of cashand-carry retail for home and commercial building products, and conceived and directed the company’s growth. Today, Morsches Builders Mart is one

of the leading retail building products suppliers in Indiana.

Paul graduated from Columbia City High School in 1947. After graduation, he attended Wittenberg College. He met his future wife, Wini, at Wittenberg and they were married on Sept. 1, 1951 in Columbia City. After their marriage, they lived in East Lansing, Michigan, where Paul attended Michigan State University and completed a curriculum focused on the retail lumber industry.

Following the program at Michigan State, Paul served in the U.S. Army’s Ordnance Rocket Center at Redstone Arsenal (RSA) in Huntsville, Alabama. The RSA research was led by Wernher von Braun and a group of German scientists who had previously developed the V-2 rocket engine. In the 1980s, he also completed the Harvard Business School Families in Business program.

Paul and Wini raised three sons who survive him, Frederick J. “Fritz” Morsches ’74 (Kareem George), Hans J. Morsches ’76 (Stefanie Montgomery), and Franz E. Morsches ’80 (Stacey). He is also survived by five grandchildren, Turner ’11, Annie ’13, Chloe ’13, Makenna ’15, and Fredrik ’25, and a great-granddaughter. Paul had a lifelong devotion to Culver.

He was preceded in death by his wife; son William, and brother Richard W’49. He is survived by his brother Robert W’58.

Paul Hunt Broyhill ’43 (Troop I), furniture industry icon and philanthropist, died on Oct. 5, 2021. For a fourth year of high school, he attended Culver, then enrolled in Virginia Polytechnical Institute.

While he was in college, Paul was drafted into the U.S. Army and served as technical sergeant. After returning from the Army, he finished his degree in business at the University of North Carolina and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.

Paul returned and joined the family’s furniture business, beginning in the factories and working his way into management. During the 1940s and ’50s he gained more responsibility until he became president and CEO of Broyhill Furniture Industries. When he assumed the reins from his father, the company employed 1,000 workers, which grew to nearly 7,500. Sales soared, doubling on average every seven years.

Throughout the industry, Paul Broyhill’s management style centered on the belief that employees were the company’s most valued asset. Paul was an industry pioneer in creating an employee stock option plan (ESOP) for every worker.

At the company’s height, Paul sold Broyhill Furniture Industries and the Broyhill name to Interco, Inc. With the proceeds he structured a fund, BMC, that he managed on behalf of the Broyhill family. Paul Broyhill stayed involved in business and in humanitarian efforts until his death.

Survivors include his wife, Karen; one son, Hunt II; two daughters, Caron Broyhill and Claire Broyhill; his brother, retired U.S. Sen. James T. Broyhill; two stepchildren, Chris Hall, and Jenny Hall Robeson; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

James Frederic Mayer ’43 (Troop II) died on Feb. 9, 2022. He was a loving husband to his wife of 71 years, Lila, a daughter, Marjorie, a son Robert, and only granddaughter, Rebecca. He grew up in Winnetka, Illinois, a precocious child, and was sent to Culver to complete his high school education before beginning his college career at Cornell University with a major in chemical engineering. In 1943, he entered the U.S. Army where he was a member of the 311th Infantry, 78th Division, fighting in the European Theatre. He received a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service. He spent his early career working for major international grain companies like Continental Grain Company. Eventually, Jim started his own successful grain brokerage company and continued his business in Illinois until he was 94.

Raymond Edward Roth ’44 (Artillery) died on June 16, 2021, at the age of 94. He received a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University in 1949 and served in three branches of the military, including the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S.

Army. He built a successful career in the insurance industry, including positions at CNA Insurance, Humana, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and his own brokerage, Insurance Masters. Ray is survived by his wife, Joan as well as his daughter, Mandy, and sonin-law, Simeon Smith. Ray was preceded in death by his daughter, Gretchen.

Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Richard “Dick” Cunningham NB’45 died on April 8, 2022, in Reston, Virginia. Dick spent many summers at Culver and his first sailing experiences there destined him for a naval career. Music was what brought Dick and his wife, Carmen, together. Before Dick’s graduation and commissioning following his graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1951, he (a jazz band leader) and Carmen (a piano soloist) performed and met at a church festival. Dick spent multiple decades serving as a submarine officer, culminating in command of the USS Harder (SS-568). His subsequent assignments included the 6th Fleet’s flagship as surface/ submarine warfare officer, commanding officer of Harold E. Holt Communications Station (Exmouth, Western Australia), the Defense Communications Agency, the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, and the Department of Defense’s Explosive Safety Board.

He is survived by his wife; three children; three grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.

The obituary dates are from January 1 – June 30, 2022

Frank Stewart Berall N’45, of Bloomfield, Connecticut, died on March 31, 2022.

After graduating from Yale College in 1950, with a degree in economics, he served as an army officer in the field artillery, as a forward observer and also gunnery instructor, for two years during the Korean War. Honorably discharged as a first lieutenant in 1952, he returned to Yale Law School, graduating in 1955, was admitted to the New York Bar, and immediately started his legal career as an associate with the Wall Street law firm of Mudge, Stern, Baldwin & Todd, while earning a master’s of law degree in taxation from New York University’s School of Law. In 1960, with his young family, Frank moved to Connecticut where he built his home of 55 years on Penwood Pond and joined the legal department of the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (now CIGNA).

Returning to private practice in 1968, he became a partner in a predecessor of Copp & Berall, LLP.

He was a lifleong supporter of Culver, serving as vice president of the Culver Summer Schools’ Alumni Association. In 1983 he founded Culver’s Alumni Division that marches during the Summer Homecoming Garrison Parade, a great source of pride for him, which continues to this day.

Besides his wife, Jenefer Carey Berall, he is survived by a son, Erik N’75, a daughter, Elissa SS’78, and one grandson. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Christiana Johnson.

Robert L. Kress ’45 (Troop II), died on Dec. 19, 2021. Bob was a member of the Lancers and a heavyweight on the boxing team, among other accomplishments at Culver. After graduating, he attended Princeton University. He held a number of business leadership roles, including president of Godiva Chocolate, developing the Bigwood property in Sun Valley, Idaho, and counseling and coaching senior executives at Drake Beam Morin. He was a commissioned officer in the New Jersey National Guard.

Robert is survived by his five children: Christy Cheney; Maidy Kress (John Luster); Nancy Bowden (Mark); Edward ’86 (Emma); and Mathew (Allison). He was preceded in death by his son, Robbie. He is survived by five grandchildren, two of whom, Aiden ’22 and Estelle ’24 attended Culver; and two great-grandchildren.

William Wilson Norman McLeod ’45 (Company C) of Honesdale, Pennsylvania, died on March 27, 2022. Following the service in the U.S. Army, Bill entered Yale University, graduating in 1951. He became an executive of Sears, Roebuck and Co., retiring in 1986 after 35 years with the company. He and his late wife, Virginia, are survived by two children: a son Douglas (Laurie) and grandson; daughter Susan; and a brother Ian (Jock) McLeod ’47.

Charles Robert Sligh III ’45 (Battery A) died on April 15, 2022. After Culver, Charlie

served in the U.S. Army from 1945–1947, stationed with the occupation forces in Garmisch, Germany, at a Bavarian resort where he taught GIs water skiing, sailing, snow skiing and horseback riding. Charlie attended Hope College and Davenport University. After graduation he joined the family furniture manufacturing business, Sligh Furniture. He was president of Sligh Contract Furniture and then vice president of Sligh Furniture and Clocks.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marilyn; daughter Susan Sligh VanDyke; a brother Robert ’46; and a granddaughter. He is survived by his children: Charles, David (Kathy), Thomas (Dory), and Jim (Bev) VanDyke; 13 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson.

Paul Richard Cassiday ’46 (Artillery) W’40 died on Sept. 8, 2021.

His business career began in June 1950, first with American Factors in their insurance division, and later on as manager of their mortgage banking operations. From managing mortgage finance and leasing, Paul progressed to being the first employee president and founder of the commercial lending activities as Amfac Financial. He left Amfac as executive chairman of asset management and executive first vice president to join the Estate of James Campbell (currently the Campbell Corporation) as trustee and later chairman. He was instrumental in the planning

and development of the island of Oahu’s “Second City” of Kapolei and the diversification and purchases of numerous mainland properties.

Paul is survived by his wife Fredrica “Ricki,” son Ricky, Jr. (Maite), daughters Lindsey Cassiday-Chang (Ralen) and Brooke Klein (Jimmy); and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Cochran Bryan Cassiday and brother, U.S. Air Force Gen. Benjamin Buckles Cassiday II, ’40

Jack Wayne Martin ’46 (Band) died on March 18, 2022. After attending the University of Florida on a partial football scholarship, he received his appointment to the U.S. Military Academy. There he played running back from 1948-50 under coaches “Red” Blaik and Vince Lombardi. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers in 1951, serving for 24 years. Education continued with a master’s in civil engineering from MIT, the Advanced Engineer Course at Fort Belvoir VA, the Marine Command and Staff College in Quantico, VA, and a master’s in education from the University of Florida. He was then hired by the School of Building Construction, obtained his general contractor license, was a National Director of Sigma Lambda Chi Construction Honorary Society.

He was preceded in death by his wife Evelyn. He is survived by sons John ’73 (Susan), Richard ’75 (Cathie), David (Mary), Scott (Caroline), and Jeffrey (Maren); three

grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and five step-great-grandchildren.

James Crosby McGill N’46 died on March 9, 2022. He graduated from Valparaiso University, then served in the U.S. army from 1951–1953. Jim worked for more than 30 years at McGill Manufacturing, retiring in 1993 as chairman emeritus. He was a longtime member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church and former board member; he served on the Porter County YMCA board, was a member of Valparaiso Rotary Club, Valpo Chamber of Commerce, Porter County United Fund, and Elks Lodge 500. He also served on the Valparaiso University board of directors for 12 years, was an Indiana State Chamber director, First National Bank director, member of the Electrical Manufacturers Club, and director of National Association of Manufacturers.

Lewis Newton Thomas Jr. ’46 (Company A) died on January 19, 2022. He graduated from Cornell University with a degree in civil engineering in 1951. He served in the U.S. Air Force for two years.

He had a long career with Carbon Industries, a familyowned coal mining business named Carbon Fuel Company, until it was purchased by ITT Corporation in 1977.

He was preceded in death by a son, L. Newton Thomas III. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; his daughters, Kim (Mike) Foster, Katharine (Will)

Harbison, and Nancy (Rich) Keshian; and son, Addison ’80 (Nancy); 14 grandchildren; and 4 great-grandchildren.

Joseph Paul Garibaldi Ziluca ’46 (Troop I) died on May 12, 2022. Paul’s mother was Josephine, a granddaughter of Giuseppe Garibaldi, who history has credited with being the one who, in 1860, brought Italy’s many city-states together as a nation.

After Paul graduated from Culver, he attended Harvard University. He was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force in August 1952 and served his country for 28 years, half of them overseas, including Vietnam in 1968, the year of the Tet Offensive. During his career, Paul earned a master’s degree and the rank of Colonel. Paul, preceded in death by his two brothers and parents, is survived by his wife, Louise, and their four children, including sons, Joe ’73 and Max ’78.

William “Skipper” Dunlap ’47 (Company D) died on May 6, 2022.

He attended Williams College and the University of Michigan, majoring in forestry. He and his wife, Barbara, began married life at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, then in Havre, Missouri, to serve with the Air Force at a radar station. He began his career as a logger with Weyerhaeuser Co. in Coos Bay, Oregon, transferring to Longview in 1968. He was a woods superintendent in Kalama, Washington, then his final job as a mill site engineer in Longview.

He is survived by his wife; daughters Nell and Peg (Mark), and son Bill (Carla); seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchilren.

Louis Gene Fontaine NB’47 died on Feb. 12, 2020. He graduated from DePauw University in 1952 with a degree in speech and English and earned a master’s degree at Indiana University.

As a U.S. Army sergeant he instructed new recruits at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

He taught English and was on the admissions staff at Culver from 1954-56. He was also a former president of the Culver Summer Schools Alumni Association. He joined the DePauw admissions staff in 1957 and retired in 1980 as director of admissions and financial aid.

Lou is survived by sons Greg NB’77 W’74 (Susan ’79 SS’76) and Jeff A’73 NB’72 W’68; two granddaughters Lauren SS’07 and Carol SS’10; and a grandson, Dirk W’08

Robert “BJ” Marvin Jones ’47 (Company D) N’46, director with Lakeside Credits, died on July 22, 2021. Shortly after arriving at Lakeside, Jones stepped up, willing to put his Hollywood talents to work, directing “I Hate Hamlet” for the Lakeside Little Theater. In Hollywood fashion, he agreed to spin a second success off the first triumph, agreeing to take on the direction of “Bermuda Avenue Triangle.”

He came to the LLT with one of the most impressive histories of the Lake Chapala

directors. Jones relied on his regimented background from Culver, Valley Forge Military Academy and the University of Virginia, where he picked up directorship of the Virginia Players. He took on the prestigious Cleveland Playhouse and stayed there three years before moving on to the directorship of Interplayers in Williamsburg, Karamu House Theatre in Cleveland, Shaker Players in Shaker Heights, Ohio.

He headed for Hollywood and was hired by TV station KTTV where he directed the nationally-syndicated “Territory Underwater,” “Indy 500,” and”Divorce Court.”

By 1961, the Armed Forces Radio/Television Network realized his talents took precedence over network news items. He was placed in charge of the selection of all material, editorial and packaging supervision up to, and including distribution.

His film credits list more than 20 feature films including: “The Ballad of Cable Hogue,” “Ice Station Zebra,” “The Liberation of Lord Byron Jones,” and “Pretty Boy Floyd.”

His marriage to film star Vera Miles was a tremendous joy. Between features, he moved to “Movies of the Week” which focused on the mini-series rage in which “North & South II” (12 onehour segments) was followed closely by “Hollywood Wives” (six one-hour shows). “Bonanza” turned out to be one of Bob’s favorites followed by six years of “The Rockford Files,” “Dynasty,” and “Lucy.”

IN MEMORIAM

Dr. Gilbert Frederick “Ace” Mueller Jr. ’47 (Troop I) died on April 14, 2022. Ace graduated from Dartmouth College where he studied pre-med, played football, and met his future wife, Barbie.

He completed medical school at the University of Michigan, his surgical residency at Minneapolis General Hospital, then served as a general surgeon at Castle Air Force Base in California. He finished his vascular surgical training in Minneapolis before arriving in Appleton with his young family in 1962.

He began his medical practice in a small office in the Zuelke Building with his wife as his secretary. He donated three months of his time in 1968 traveling to Ceylon (Sri Lanka), serving on the hospital ship the SS Hope, treating patients and mentoring physicians. Then, in 1970, he and Dr. William Chandler co-founded Fox Valley Surgical Associates, a cardiac care program for the Fox Valley.

He is survived by five children, Jeff ’66, Kathy Gross, Deb, Bill (Chris), and Beth Nuveen. He is also survived by five grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

William Sinclaire ’47 (Troop II), died June 30, 2021.

Bill discovered his lifelong love of polo as a young boy in Arizona, which continued into his time at Culver. He subsequently completed studies at the University of Arizona in 1952, married his sweetheart, Joanne Wray Sinclaire, and

moved to his family’s S-Spear Ranch in the Plum Creek Valley, near Sedalia.

There he managed, under the name of Sinclaire Cattle Company, a wide-ranging cattle operation. At the same time, he actively pursued his polo career, playing competitively throughout the Southwest and as far afield as Mexico and Argentina. He was a member of the victorious U.S. team which defeated Mexico’s best in the Camacho Cup of 1975. He retired from the game at the age of 65, after a 50-year career. In addition to his success as a player, Bill devoted himself to promoting the game and serving its organization, the United States Polo Association, on its board of governors and as its chairman. He was inducted into the Polo Hall of Fame in 2007.

He also was a supporter of Culver’s horsemanship programs, including the Vaughn Equestrian Center project.

He is survived by his wife; his daughter Catherine Brooks; his son, William Lincoln Sinclaire ’75; and a grandson.

Richard Samuel Wilson ’47 (Artillery) died on Feb. 26, 2022.

Before entering Culver, Richard’s early childhood education began at Brookside School and Vaughn School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He continued running track at Michigan State University and graduated with a BS in agriculture. Richard began working at the Fuller Brush Co and a few years later discovered a true passion of

harness racing. Richard began to pursue horse racing with his sister Frances (Dodge) Van Lennep. They found success in the horse racing industry, both in Michigan and Florida, including managing Castleton Industries, which owned numerous horse racing facilities.

In 2005 Richard was inducted into the Florida Harness Racing Hall of Fame. He was also a member of the Thoroughbred Racing Association and the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association. Jane, his first wife of 48 years, preceded him in death. He was also preceded by his children’s mother, Elinor (Baldwin) Wilson. He is survived by four children: son Lawrence (Deborah); daughter Barbara (John); daughters Linda (John), and Patricia (Wallace); 11 grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.

Edward Bermetz Brandon ’49 (Artillery) died on Dec. 21, 2021. Ed graduated from Northwestern University, where he met his future wife, Phyllis, and then served in the U.S. Navy, sailing on the destroyer USS Colahan in the western Pacific Ocean during the Korean War and rising to the rank of lieutenant. After the Navy, Ed graduated near the top of his class at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Ed then launched his nearly four- decade banking career at National City Bank in Cleveland, Ohio, as a management trainee. He rose steadily through the ranks of the bank’s corporate and consumer banking groups, eventually serving as chairman

and chief executive officer of National City Corporation.

Ed devoted much time and energy to the community, serving on numerous civic boards like those of St. Vincent’s Hospital, Notre Dame College, YMCA, and United Way.

He was preceded in death by his wife. He is survived by five children, William M. Brandon (Lauren), Robert P. Brandon (Beth), Beverly B. Marzullo (Chris), Beth B. Webster (David, deceased), and Edward Matthew Brandon (Laura); 15 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

John Evans Peck ’49 (Company A) died on Nov. 26, 2021. John was a lifelong resident of South Bend. He was a graduate of Culver and the University of Notre Dame. Following graduation, he served two years of active duty in the U.S. Navy. John worked as a contract administrator for the Bendix Missile System Division in Mishawaka, Indiana, prior to returning to Notre Dame for a Ph.D. in economics. He taught economics at Saint Mary’s College, and for 25 years, served at Indiana University South Bend as professor of economics and director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research. He also served on numerous civic and corporate boards. John was preceded in death by his wife, Dolores. Survivors include six children, Laura (Andy) Adamson; Stephen (Carol Paddock) Peck; Teresa (Robert Montante) Peck; Robert (Dawn Williams) Peck; Anne Marie

Peck; and Daniel (Elizabeth) Peck; 14 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.

Ernst Schmidt Rees ’49 (Company A) died on Feb. 21, 2022. Ernie was a professor and faculty member in the Department of Zoology at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa from 1963 until his retirement in 2002. Ernie majored in biology and graduated in 1953, magna cum laude, from Princeton University.

Ernie served in the U.S. Army with a posting in Austria as a first lieutenant and executive officer. Upon returning to the U.S. as a military reservist and using his GI Bill, Ernie enrolled in the graduate program in zoology at UCLA. At this time, Ernie received a unique invitation from the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission to visit Eniwetok Atoll Marine Biological Laboratory, located in the Marshall Islands. With his fellowship from the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, he studied coconut crabs and the possible storage of radioactive particles in the coconut crabs (a regular food source for the Marshallese). This provided Ernie with his first opportunity to study the fauna of a tropical coral reef and in 1960 led to an offer to teach an introductory zoology course at the University of Hawai’i, Manoa.

Ernie is survived by his wife, Ilze; children Theresa “Tessa” McFarland (Bill), and Hans (Michele); and seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son Peter.

1950s

Alberto Rene

Bailleres Gonzalez ’50 (Black Horse Troop), Mexico’s “King of Silver” or “King Midas,” who once owned the world’s largest refined silver company, died at age 90 on Feb. 2, 2022, in Mexico City. His firm, Penoles, was once the largest producer of refined silver.

Bailleres benefited from the privatizations carried out by former President Carlos Salinas de Gortari from 1988 to 1994, his fortune soaring from 2000 to 2012, when the government granted him vast acreage for mining. He received the Belisario Dominguez medal, the highest honor awarded by the Senate, for his entrepreneurship in 2015. Bailleres maintained that “Wealth is not a means, not an end, and when this wealth is invested in the country, it becomes a social instrument that benefits everyone.” His company, Petrobal, also won its first oil contract in 2015 in Mexico’s inaugural competitive auctions, following Pena Nieto’s introduction of historic energy reforms.

Bailleres was a patron and chairman of the board of trustees at his alma mater, Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico, or ITAM, for more than three decades. At age 27, he took over the management of the Moctezuma brewery after his brother Raul died, and later he inherited his father’s business conglomerate. In the 1960s, he sold the brewery and other assets and founded Penoles, a leading producer of metals in Latin America.

ROBERT JOSEPH VLASIC

Robert Joseph Vlasic ’44 (Troop II) H’43 died on May 8, 2022. He was a successful businessman, philanthropist, and lay leader in the Catholic church.

Bob was born March 9, 1926, in Detroit to Marie and Joseph Vlasic. After graduating from Culver, he earned a degree in engineering from the University of Michigan. After serving in the U.S. Navy, Robert met the love of his life, Nancy Reuter, and they were married on Nov. 11, 1950. They raised five sons and spent more than 65 years together at their homes in Michigan and Florida.

Bob pursued what became a storied career in the food industry, building his family’s hometown Vlasic pickle business into an iconic national brand before selling it in 1978 to the Campbell Soup Company, where he joined the board of directors and served as its chairman from 1988 to 1993. Yet he always remained an entrepreneur at heart, founding technology companies and other ventures, while also taking leadership roles on the boards of Henry Ford Hospital and Cranbrook Educational Community, and as a member of the finance council of the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit.

Bob was the finance committee chairman for the Cranbrook Educational Community in Bloomfield Hills and, in that role, influential in the Evening News Association’s sale of The Detroit News to Gannett Co. Inc. in 1985. He sat on the board of Henry Ford Hospital from 1976 to 2006, including serving as its first non-Ford family chairman.

Today, Vlasic Foods International is owned by Chicagobased Conagra Brands Inc. Dan Skinner, brand communications manager, said in a statement, “Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Frank, and father, Joe, Bob was instrumental in the growth of Vlasic into a nationally recognized brand. His innovative leadership helped pickles become a popular part of American cuisine.”

He was father to Jim ’69 W’65; Bill ’72 W’67; Rick ’76 W’71; Mike W’70; and Paul. He also had 17 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy, and a sister, Sally Blakeley.

Robert Joseph Vlasic

IN MEMORIAM

In April 2021, amid the coronavirus pandemic, Bailleres stepped down as president from the five main firms comprising Grupo Bal, including Industrias Penoles SAB, and his son, Alejandro — one of the seven children he had with his wife, Teresa Gual, who was already on the board of directors of the main companies — assumed leadership of the family enterprises.

He is survived by his wife, Teresa; and sons Alejandro Bailleres ’79 and Xavier M. Bailleres Gual ’80. He was preceded in death by his brother Raul Bailleres Jr. ’45 and son Mauricio Bailleres Gual W’75. Culver honored Alberto for his leadership and lifetime achievements as the Graduate of the Year in 2001.

John Bruce Goering H’50, died on Feb. 7, 2021. He served in several faculty and administrative positions at the University of Cincinnati, all while nurturing his family and a variety of business enterprises. His passion for family, education, and business eventually fused into a calling, and he devoted his considerable talent and resources to strengthening the business and cultural community, exemplified by the founding of the Goering Center for Family and Private Business at UC. He was preceded in death by his wife, Gloria, and two brothers, Al H’43 and Chuck H’46. He is survived by his children Stuart (Marcia) Goering, and Susan (David) Hill; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Edward James Seymour, Jr. ’50 (Battery A) died on May 31, 2022. He attended Duke University and graduated from Tulane University receiving his BBA in business in 1954 and his juris doctor in 1956. Ed also served in the U.S. Air Force from 1956-1958. Ed began his law practice with Thompson and Sparks in January of 1958 and then joined his father in the insurance business the following year at Seymour Insurance Agency. He was also a senior account executive of Bennett Seymour Insurance, Inc.

He is survived by his daughters, Claire Campbell Seymour Ward (fiancé Robbert), Louise Avonia Seymour North (Steven); son, Edward James Seymour, III (Caroline); and six grandchildren.

William Thomas Wheatley ’50 (Black Horse Troop) died on Oct. 19, 2021. A professor emeritus at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, Tom taught acting and directing for more than three decades. He earned his master’s degree in theater from Columbia University in 1956 and his Ph.D. from New York University in 1965. As a student, he was the recipient of a Fulbright scholarship to Japan in 1963 and then another, in 1966, to Colombia.

After graduation, he became a member of The Actors Studio in New York. He performed on Broadway, in “The Shadow of a Gunman” and later created the role of Andrew in “All the Way Home,” alongside Colleen Dewhurst, Lillian Gish

and Arthur Hill. Under the direction of Arthur Penn, the production won the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award as Best Play of the Year in 1961. He also appeared in many Off-Broadway productions, including “The Cat and the Canary” and “Ping Pong.”

In addition to numerous television appearances, other stage credits include performing in the New York Shakespeare Festival and with San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater (ACT). In Hollywood, he performed as the “silent Lear” in Robert Wilson’s production of “King Lear” and worked opposite Burgess Meredith in “The Threepenny Opera.”

He is survived by his wife, Julia, and two sons, Scott ’82 and Edward W’80

Herbert Arthur Harmison Jr. ’51 (Artillery) died on March 5, 2022. He earned a BS in mechanical engineering from Iowa State University in 1962, and an MS in mechanical engineering in 1968. Herb served in the U.S. Army, and later in the Iowa National Guard, achieving the rank of brigadier general. He was stationed in Colorado and Germany before returning to Iowa to attend ISU.

Following Herb’s graduation in 1962, he worked for the Berkeley Company in Spirit Lake, Iowa. Upon earning his master’s degree, he taught at Iowa State, then was head placement director for the Engineering College. He also served as president of the Midwest College Placement

Association and was the faculty adviser for both the Society of Black Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers. Herb finished his working career at the University of Minnesota, serving as its IT Placement Director.

Herb is survived by his four children, Kathy (Steve) Andrews, Chuck (Leanne), Dave (Sandy), and Mark (Lisa); five grandchildren; six great grandchildren; and seven step- grandchildren. Herb was preceded in death by his wife Esther.

Dr. Joseph E. McMullen ’52 (Company A) died on March 5, 2022. Joe graduated from Culver and went on to earn a medical degree from Kansas University in 1962.

Joe served seven years as a military reservist. The long military tradition in his family (his father Joseph E. McMullen ’25) and his desire to service led him to re-join the army reserves later in life, where he achieved the rank of colonel for his combined years of service. Joe was called to active duty during the Desert Storm campaign in Iraq to act as Chief of Surgery in the 410th Evacuation Hospital, which was part of the 331st Medical Group, 89th U.S. Army Reserve from Topeka, Kansas. Joe was awarded the Legion of Merit for his service.

Joe is survived by his younger sister, Peggy (McMullen) Travers; four children, Robert McMullen, Karla (McMullen) Klossner (David Klossner), Paula (McMullen) Wright (Eddie Wright), Joseph

McMullen (Rebecca White); nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sandra.

Charles Adkins, Jr. ’53 (Company A) W’49 died on Feb. 22, 2022. He attended Ohio State University and earned his bachelor of finance degree and went on to work for City National Bank and Dime Bank as a Vice President. From 1959 to 1964, he served in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Charles is survived by his wife, Patricia, three children: Charles “Chip” III, Don “Alex”, and Claire (Andrew) Loose; four grandchildren. Charles was preceded in death by his first wife, Donna “Chris” Adkins.

John “Cap” S. Borges ’53 (Battery B) died on Oct. 10, 2021. After graduating from Culver, he attended Lawrence University. Cap served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. In 1972, after working 12 years with his father at the Borges Insurance Agency, Cap formed his own company, Borges, Patton, and Ogden. In 1983 he joined Robertson Ryan & Associates, where he later became president and chairman of the board.

Cap was preceded in death by his father, John Henry ’22, and mother, and his first wife, Mary Mackie Borges. He is survived by his wife of the last seven years, Gays; four children, Barb (Tim) Aik, Mack (Ashley) Borges, Meg Vail, and Mahlon Vail; and six grandchildren.

Dr. Carl Frederick Brunjes ’53 (Band) died on April 13, 2022. Carl attended Yale University. He sold toothpaste and neckties door-to-door for spending money, and by graduation in 1957 had earned degrees in both English and pre-med. That led him back to New York City, to Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, from which he graduated in 1961. Columbia had a partnership with Mary Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, New York, and Carl held a rotating internship there for a year before attending Harvard University’s orthopedic residency program, from which he graduated in 1967. From Harvard, Carl entered the U.S. Air Force. In 1969 Carl became a founding partner of what is now known as Northwest Orthopedic Specialists.

Carl is survived by his wife, Marilyn Northern; daughters Laura Read ’82 (Douglas); Molly Brunjes DeWalt (Martin), and Jennifer; two grandchildren; four great grandchildren; and his former wife Grace Watt.

John Martinson, Sr. ’53 (Battery A) died on May 25, 2022. John attended Princeton University and Northwestern University. Throughout his career, he worked mainly in the financial sector and in the oil and gas industry. John is survived by his wife, Jaclyn; his children, including Torgen ’99, and John Jr. ’78, his stepchildren, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Col. John Patrick Stokes III ’53 (Company D) died May 17, 2022.

He graduated from the University of Virginia in 1957 and earned an MBA from Michigan State University in 1963. He served 30 years in the U.S. Army. Pat was a graduate of Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. His final command assignment was Garrison Commander, Fort Lewis, Washington. Following retirement from the Army in 1987, he and his wife, Joyce, began a second career, this time in ministry and service missions that led to short-term trips to Burundi, Mexico, Kenya and China. John also served as Bible Study Fellowship Teaching Leader, church missions Elder, Sunday School teacher, and Deacon and Gideon.

He was preceded in death by his wife and daughter Kimberly Stokes Waldron. He is survived by a daughter, Patricia (Doug); a son John IV (Sandy); and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Miguel Tapanes Brostella Jr. ’54 (Troop A) died on Jan. 21, 2022.

Robert Wetmore Cottington Jr. ’54 (Company B) H’49 a longtime resident and owner of Cottington’s Interiors, died on Aug. 1, 2021.

Bob is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; three children, William, Barbara, and Douglas; and four grandchildren.

Dennis Michael Cunningham ’54 (Company C) died on June 21, 2021. He received a congressional appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. Mike served at various posts and stations as an infantry officer until retiring in 1981, including Vietnam and the Dominican Republic.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Maxine, and a son Mark Hatzopoulos. He is survived by his wife, Dottie, his sons Theodore Hatzopoulos and James Cunningham, and his daughter Sydma Hatzopoulos; two grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters.

William Edward Bridges ’55 (Battery B) died on Feb. 26, 2022. His father, Howard K. Bridges, was a 1917 graduate of Woodcraft Camp, and his brother, who survives, Howard K. Bridges, Jr. is a 1962 graduate of Troop A.

James Trester Dyke ’55 (Battery B) W’50 died Oct. 11, 2021. He was Chairman of Dyke Industries, president and chairman of the board of Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, and on the advisory board of the National Gallery of Art.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Helen Lanier Porter, his children, Merritt (Anne), Robert Finch, Jim (Dawn), Jonathan (Susan), and Simmons Kirkpatrick; and seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Gregory; and a grandson.

IN MEMORIAM

David (Dusty) Jerome Henricks ’55 (Band) W’49 died on Oct. 18, 2021. Dusty earned a degree in civil engineering from Purdue. Dusty worked for Aramco Steel for 43 years in the metal products division and retired at the age of 65.

Dusty was preceded in death by his wife, Joanie, and is survived by three children: Bret (Donna), Brian SC’78, and Allison Henricks SC’81; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Harry Edmund Jennings Jr. H’55 died Sept. 17, 2021. Harry wrote that definitely two of the highlights of his life were playing football and the summers he spent at Culver (his father, Harry Jennings, was a 1924 graduate of the Culver Summer Naval School), where he learned to canoe and ride horses. Harry graduated from Stanford University with a degree in political science. The four years from 1961 to 1965 in the United States Marine Corps years was another highlight of Harry’s life, when he served as an infantry officer. Harry was commissioned a second lieutenant and served during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Harry served as an infantry platoon leader and executive officer in the Caribbean Sea area, throughout 1962 and 1963 and commanded a rifle company within an Infantry Battalion for over 13 months as a first lieutenant.

In 1969, he received a law degree from the University of Virginia. After law school, Harry first practiced law with

Collier, Shannon, Rill Edwards in Washington D.C. Harry also taught Continuing Legal Education and University of Washington classes on securities fraud, antitrust and federal practice. He was active as a presiding arbitrator and sat as an arbitrator for the National Association of Securities Dealers (“NASD”), the American Arbitration Association, and the Pacific Stock Exchange. He also served as an NASD trainer for other arbitrators. In 1993, Harry represented James Allen “Al” Hendrix, the father of musician Jimi Hendrix, on a highly successful case involving the Jimi Hendrix legacy.

George J. Posejpal ’55 (Company D) W’51 died on Oct. 6, 2021. After graduation from Culver, he attended Brown University in 1959. George loved his days at Culver and bought a home in Culver after his daughter Christine ’80 started high school there. He also served on the Culver Legion Board.

George is survived by his wife Alma; his sister Lyn Scotillo (Posejpal); his daughter Christine Esler ’80; son George J. Posejpal II ’84; stepdaughters Toni Todd, Terri Chapman (Todd), stepson John Todd, stepdaughter Gina Todd; a half-sister Gigi Posejpal ’78; a half-brother Filip Posejpal; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Carol.

Roger James Schulz H’55 died Aug. 19, 2021. He graduated from Dartmouth College,

from which he received his degree in economics. In 1960, Roger joined Morgan Guaranty Trust, the principal operating arm of J.P. Morgan & Co. For the next 20 years, he engaged in the financing of major international petroleum companies. In 1978, J.P. Morgan opened its Toronto office, and Roger emigrated together with his family to serve as vice president and manager of Morgan’s corporate banking activity in Canada. Roger later joined the First National Bank of Chicago (Canada) in a similar capacity. He later served as senior vice president of Laurentian Life Insurance Company before concluding his career with a lengthy tenure in the Strategic Investments Group at the Ontario Ministry of Industry.

John Bain Schuyler Jr. ’55 (Troop B) W’50 died on Oct. 26, 2021. He graduated from Princeton University, and the University of Michigan Law School and practiced law for over 30 years in California and Arizona. He also was a member of the Western Montana College Foundation Board, along with serving on the County Commission’s Board. John is survived by his wife, Jo Ann Juliano; sons Jay Schuyler ’85, and John B. Schuyler III ’83; daughter in-law Tracey Schuyler; two granddaughters; stepsons David Juliano and Dean Kannes; and two step-grandchildren.

Richard Stuart Chancellor ’56 (Battery A), died on May 3, 2022. He went to Oklahoma

University to play football. After an injury, he transferred to the University of Texas where he played on the golf team under Harvey Pennick. While in college, Stuart married the love of his life, Eleanor. Stuart and Eleanor, after graduation, spent their first married years in New Orleans while Stuart was an officer in the U.S. Army. Stuart is survived by his wife, Eleanor, and his three children Rick (Tracy), Scott (Donna), and Page SS’83 (Sheldon) and three grandchildren.

Frederick “Fred” Carl Miller ’56 (Battery B) died on March 24, 2022. He is survived by his wife, Margaret West Miller; daughters, Sallie Usher (John) and Diana Chiaravalloti (Gino); and two grandsons.

Peter Davidson Van Der Jagt NB’56 died on Sept. 12, 2020. He was a real estate broker and investor. Peter is survived by his wife Kay Charlotte, his two sons Culver ’95 and Grant ’96; and six grandchildren.

Peter Andrew Fasseas ’57 (Battery A) died Feb. 24, 2022.

Born June 10, 1939, in Chicago, Peter’s formative years during the post-war era led him to attend Culver, where he learned the value of discipline and perseverance. In addition to serving in U.S. Army Intelligence, he went on to Northwestern University for undergraduate and law school.

As an attorney, he represented many small business entrepreneurs and grew frustrated by how difficult it was for them to obtain bank loans. In

1978, he and his wife, Paula, gathered a group of investors and purchased North Community Bank, a one-office bank near Wrigley Field. He began by making all the loans himself at a time when Illinois was a unit-bank state, which limited every financial institution to one location.

Under his leadership, Metropolitan Bank Group grew into the largest privately held bank group in Illinois, with 98 locations and 1,100 employees. In 2013, the company was recapitalized and turned into Byline Bank.

After his retirement, Peter continued serving the communities he loved through board and philanthropic service. He was a trustee and supporter of Culver, the University of Arizona Foundation, the Hellenic Foundation, Chicago City Day School and PAWS Chicago, the organization his wife and daughter founded in 1997 that has grown into one of the largest No Kill animal welfare organizations in the nation.

Peter and Paula established the Fasseas Foundation, funding The University of Arizona Fasseas Cancer Center, supporting cancer research at Dana Farber and other leading medical universities, and providing resources to many other charities across the country.

He is survived by his wife; his children, Alexis and Drew; daughter-in-law, Meghan; and three grandchildren.

Jack Henry Kinkel N’57 died on March 20, 2022. Jack practiced architecture a

total of 55 years and received national recognition for his design of the Emge Real Estate Office. He also received recognition for his designs of the University of Evansville’s Bower Surheinrich Library and Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Other landmark buildings designed by Jack include the Indiana National Guard (Evansville), Holy Rosary and Holy Redeemer Catholic Churches, St. Luke Lutheran Church, and the Student Recreation Fitness and Wellness Center at the University of Southern Indiana. He was proud to have designed nearly every modern building at Oakland City University.

Jack is survived by his wife, Linda; two daughters, Amy Elizabeth Adams ’79 (Scott); Anne Susan Schweir ’81 (Gregg), a son Jack Theodore “J.T.” ’85; and 11 grandchildren.

Robert Francis Henry Moore ’57 (Battery B) W’51 died on Feb. 27, 2022. He grew up in Duluth, Minnesota, where he learned to play hockey at a young age. At 13, he was a member of the Glen Avon hockey team which won the national championship at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Upon graduating from Culver, he attended Dartmouth College.

Bob began his business career at the US Steel Company. That experience was interrupted when he entered the U.S. Army to fulfill his ROTC commitment and was stationed in Nuremberg, Germany as a second lieutenant. Bob returned to U.S.

MARGARET “PEGGY” THOMPSON

Dr. Margaret “Peggy” (Riecker) Thompson ’77 (New Lodge), 63, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, died on Sept. 24, 2022, following a two-and-a-half year journey with cancer.

Peggy was born April 30, 1959, in Midland, Michigan, where she attended grade school. She graduated from Culver in 1977, Northwestern University in 1981, and the University of Michigan Medical School in 1985, where she and her future husband, David, met and were wed in 1986. Following a family practice residency in Burlington, Vermont, in 1989, they started their family and moved back to Grand Rapids in 1990, where she began practice at Family Care, PC. She also volunteered at Heartside Clinic, serving the homeless population in Grand Rapids.

Peggy found her calling to teach medical education students and had her first teaching appointment with the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in 1992 in the Department of Family Practice, advancing to associate professor of family practice. She eventually went into administrative roles within the college, culminating as associate dean for academic affairs, a position she held for nearly seven years until she retired in 2021.

Peggy played an integral part in designing the educational spaces in the Secchia Center, working diligently on curriculum development, developing and enhancing professionalism among medical students, and establishing educational liaisons among other medical disciplines, such as nursing and physician assistants.

She co-authored numerous medical articles and presentations regarding medical education and co-authored a chapter on nutrition in a leading family practice textbook.

She served as a trustee of the Culver Educational Foundation, later becoming a vice president and secretary of the board from 1995 until her death.

She was trustee and later president of the Clark Retirement Community in Grand Rapids, MI from 2004-2015, served on the board of the Grand Rapids Symphony from 2003-2012, was a member of the Dean’s Advisory Committee of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan from 2016–2022, and a board member of Mid-Michigan Health, Midland Medical Center.

Peggy served diligently on philanthropic foundations established by her great-grandparents and grandparents to benefit the citizens of Midland and greater Michigan.

Peggy is survived by her husband, Dr. David Thompson; their two daughters Margaret “Sarah” Thompson of Grand Rapids, and Stephanie Ruth Thompson ’11, RN, of Ann Arbor, Michigan; her brother John Towsley Riecker (Cindy), of Salado, Texas; as well as several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Peggy Thompson

REMEMBERING THE FAMILY

James A. “Jim” Brugh, 73, died at the Mayo Clinic Hospital, St. Mary’s Campus in Rochester, Minnesota on Feb. 17, 2022, following a one-year battle with lung disease. He was born the second son of Joseph and Mildred Brugh. Growing up he shared his childhood with his older brother Randy. Jim graduated from Rochester High School in 1966. After a brief stint at Indiana State University, he transferred to Manchester College to continue his studies in German, where he graduated in 1970 with a BA in secondary education. During his Manchester years, he studied in Germany at PhilippsUniversität Marburg, perfecting his linguistic skills and later earned his MA degree from Indiana University.

On July 1, 1972, Jim married Ronda Rae Hood.

With great dedication and devotion to his students Jim, a master instructor, taught German for more than four decades at Culver. He held the Eugene C. Eppley Chair of Foreign Language from 1998 to 2014. Voted on by the student body, Jim received the Kaser Award in 1995 for recognition of his scholarly interests, enthusiastic teaching, sympathetic understanding, and wise counsel.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he was the head coach of the boys’ varsity soccer team from 1984 to 2014, making him the longest-serving head soccer coach in the state of Indiana. He was an assistant coach for 10 years prior. He guided the Eagles to the state finals on multiple occasions, inspiring his team for 40 years.

As a musician, Jim played his trombone for student musicals and on stage for various musical ensembles at Eppley Auditorium. He also played big band and jazz at other nonschool venues. As a self-taught harmonica player, he would often play songs in German class for his students to sing along.

Jim is survived by his wife, Ronda, of Rochester, Indiana; a daughter, Audra Lomba (Ray Anthony); two sons: Jason ’91 W’87 (Nicole), and Jim Brugh (Melissa); 10 grandchildren;

two great-grandchildren; and a brother Joseph Randall “Randy” Brugh of Rochester.

Jim was preceded in death by two sons, Joel A. Brugh W’91, and Joshua A. Brugh ’97 W’92

David L. Burke, 89, died on May 19, 2022, after a brief illness. He was born on Dec. 6, 1932, in Portland, Indiana. He attended Warsaw High School, where he was the high jump state champion. There, he also met his lifelong love, Janet Miller, and they married in 1953. David went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and education, with a minor in physical education, from Purdue University. He also earned his master’s degree from Ohio State University.

In the fall of 1961, David began a 35-year teaching career at Culver Academies, retiring in 1996 as a master instructor in mathematics. Additionally, he coached cross country and track for 10 years and chaired the Academic Affairs Committee. After his retirement, David liked to keep his mind occupied, taking up various hobbies that included making clay pots, building rustic furniture, growing bonsai trees, and learning Italian. He was a prolific writer of haiku, and loved to read and listen to music, especially Mozart.

David was preceded in death by his wife, Janet. He is survived by his daughter, Susan ’76 Nelson (Don), sons, Dan ’78, Scot ’80 (Kim) and Steven ’81 (Sharon), six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Master Sgt. Mark W. Click, 77, of Culver, died on Sept. 7, 2022, in Mishawaka.

He was born on Jan. 31, 1945, in Shenandoah County, Virginia to Mark W. Click Sr. & Neda L. (Baker) Click. Mark entered the U.S. Army at the age of 17 and was honorably discharged in August 1985. During his service, Mark served in Panama, two tours in Vietnam, Alaska, and Korea, and several state-side assignments. As a certified instructor, Mark served as a drill sergeant while stationed

at Fort Polk, Louisiana, and Fort Knox, Kentucky, and taught ROTC at the University of Kentucky.

After retirement from the Army, he served CMA for 21 years in various roles, including JROTC, Leadership, and as a tactical officer. He was also responsible for maintaining military vehicles, cannons and leading the 4-Gun Drill honor organization in the artillery battalion.

On Dec. 27, 1969, at St. Paul Church in Rockford Township, Wells County, Mark and Jo Ann McAfee, who went on to become a counselor for Court dormitory, were married.

Survivors include his wife Jo Ann Click of Culver, a son, Mark David Click ’88 (Rhonda) of Louisville, and a daughter, Janna M. (Ken) Van DePutte of Culver; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and three sisters, Betty Miller of Edinburg, Virginia, Ida “Dolly” Bowers of Chester, Virginia, and Francis (Leslie) Ridout of Westerville, Ohio.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Scott M. Click W’87, and brothers, William “Billy” Baker and David Click.

Richard “Dick” Lyle Craft, age 87, of Plymouth, Indiana, died on June 24, 2022.

A lifelong resident of the Plymouth area and graduate of Knox High School, he graduated from Ball State University and earned a master’s degree from St. Francis College in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. On Jan.4, 1958, he married Welma Abert. He taught typing at Culver, as well as driver’s education, for 42 years. He also taught physical education at Washington, Webster, and Jefferson elementary schools in the Plymouth School Corporation.

Dick served in the U.S. Army as an auditor from Aug. 2, 1955, through Aug. 1, 1957, at 5th Army Headquarters in Chicago. He was a member of the Moose and Elks Lodges in Rochester, Indiana.

Dick is survived by his wife, Welma; three sons Scott H’75 W’72, Brian H’76 W’73 and Stephen H’82 W’79; and seven grandchildren.

Mark W. Click

David Burke

Jim Brugh

David Wayne Jefferies Sr., of Culver, died on Feb. 20, 2022. He was born to Eugene and Doris (Hawkins) Jefferies on Jan. 23, 1962, in Plymouth, Indiana. He enlisted in the U.S. Army National Guard at an early age, and after his discharge, met and married Doris Frame on April 27, 1985, in Culver. David started as a temporary worker in the Culver dining hall’s dish room but went full time in the food preparation department in 2005.

Carol Lee Calhoun Kelsey, 85, of Monterey, Indiana, died on May 7, 2022. Carol worked in the Unifrom Department and as a student chaperone until 2011. She is survived by her daughter, Jean Ann Groning, three grandchildren. Carol was preceded in death by three children, Jeffrey Kelsey and infant twins Scott and Laura Kelsey.

Elaine Kay Snell Mallory, 79, of Culver, died on May 7, 2022. Kay was born to the Rev. Robert and Edna (Miller) Snell on July 20, 1942, in Greenville, Ohio. She was one of four children. Kay married the love of her life and best friend, Phillip K. Mallory, in West Lafayette, Indiana, on Jan. 21, 1961. Together they raised two children and suffered the death of an infant daughter. Kay was a faithful member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Culver.

Kay worked as an executive assistant in the superintendent’s office.

Kay is survived by her daughter, Kris W’78 (Doug) Mallory Bernhardt; son, Kevin ’81 (Andrea) Mallory; sister, Jane (Jerry) Mattern; and one grandson. She was preceded in death by her husband, a daughter, Laurie Kay; brother, Jim Snell; and sister, Marjorie Hartlep.

Steel and in 1963 entered the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University and graduated with an MBA with a concentration in advertising and marketing.

He is survived by his wife, Susan J. Moore, three children, and eight grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother, Richard Moore ’56, and a sister.

Ricardo Calixto Sarabasa ’57 (Troop B) died on Oct. 3, 2021.

Richard Lockey Strean ’57 (Company D) died Nov. 4, 2021. Dick graduated from George Washington University in 1967 with a degree in business administration. He received his CPA designation in 1971. Dick had successful careers as both a certified public accountant and a certified financial planner, ultimately retiring in 2019.

Dick is survived by his wife Beverly; as well as his two sons, Flynt, and Chad; and four grandchildren.

William Luther White ’57 (Company B) died Jan. 5, 2022. Bill attended Princeton University, but left school to join the Navy. He used his knowledge of Spanish to work as a translator. After his honorable discharge, he received a B.A. in English and journalism from the University of Pittsburg in 1964, before embarking for New York City to begin a career in management consulting. He became an expert in employee compensation and helped businesses

across the U.S., and consulted around the world in Nigeria, Micronesia, Puerto Rico, and United Arab Emirates. His brothers George ’59 and Mark ’70, also attended Culver.

John William Keone Whitehead, Jr. ’57 (Company B) died on May 29, 2022.

He served 21 years in the U.S. Army as a combat and medevac helicopter pilot, stationed in Panama, Vietnam twice, and Germany. John retired from the military as a major, earning many awards and medals, including the prestigious Silver Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross on two occasions. In 1979, John settled in Lancaster, beginning his 35-year career in banking and investments until his retirement in 2014. John is survived by his wife, Janet; his four children: Debra Mumaw; John Whitehead III; LaRie Miller; and E. Scott Whitehead; and Janet’s four children, Ivy Sweigart; Jenny Grumbecht; Robert Kruppenbach, and Heidi Kruppenbach; 18 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren. John was preceded in death by one grandchild, and one great-grandchild.

Lange Walker Allen II ’58 (Company D) died on April 12, 2022. He is survived by his sons, Lange W. III ’95 (Shawna), Robert ’93 (Katie) Edward ’01.

Lawrence Wade Hawley ’58 (Company D) N’54 died on March 13, 2022.

Warren Light Lews Sr. ’58 (Band) died on Sept. 8, 2021. He is survived by his wife Margaret “Penny” Lewis; three sons, Warren, Jr. (Terry), Gregory (Theresa), and Douglas (Tina); six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. His father Alvin ’25, and uncles, William ’25 and Robert ’23, attended Culver.

John Henry Oehlschlaeger III ’58 (Company D) N’54 died on Sept. 21, 2021. After Culver he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve but retired a colonel after 20 years of subsequent service in the U.S. Army. He graduated from Samford University School of Pharmacy in 1963 and was the retired owner/operator of G&O Drugs. John is survived by his wife, Elaine; his two sons, Michael (Amanda), and Frederic (fiancee, Kelly Bishop); and two grandsons. John was preceded in death by his son, John Henry IV.

George Gibson Weaks III ’58 (Battery A) W’53 died on Feb. 20, 2022. Survivors include his wife, Mary Beth; children, Whitney Churchill (Kent), Ashley M. Payne (Gordon), and Conrad Mingledorff ’82 (Amy); six grandchildren; and five great grandchildren.

Henry Michael Bernstein ’59 (Company C) W’54 N’57 died on Jan. 7, 2022. Dr. Bernstein earned degrees from the University of Illinois and the Northwestern Medical School. He is survived by his wife, Rose, two siblings who

attended Culver, Louis ’61 and Sidney N’56, as well as three daughters: Elizabeth ’82, Rachel ’87 and Rebecca ’92 Two grandsons, Noah ’26 and Zachary ’26, entered CMA in August 2022.

Philip Lane Bobo ’59 (Company C) died on Dec. 21, 2021. He is survived by his wife Ann; son Matthew; and daughter Tara.

Dan Willard Pugh ’59 (Company B) died on Jan. 20, 2021. He was a graduate of Princeton University and the University of Texas. He served in the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant. He spent several years as a city planner for San Angelo and Webster, Texas. He was preceded in death by his sister, Chula Bryant; a niece, and a nephew.

Robert Allen Altman ’60 (Battery A) W’56 died on May 15, 2022. He spent his professional life in a variety of positions in higher education, including The City University of New York, The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education in Boulder, Colorado, and as a vice president of Educational Testing Service in Princeton, N.J., from 1980 to 1995. Bob supervised ongoing test development and the operation of a variety of programs at ETS, including the Graduate Record Exam and TOEFL. He was very involved in the expansion of ETS’s international programs which sent him to China, Japan, and Korea among other countries.

Bob is survived by his wife, Jane; daughter Jennifer (Maurice), son John Altman (Sima Paul), and five grandchildren.

James Reeve Cumming II N’60 died on Jan. 27, 2022. Some of his happiest memories as a young man were spent at Culver Summer Naval School with his younger brother Chad N’64. The kids called Jim Moose because of his size and when Chad joined him, Chad was known as Little Moose. After high school Jim went on to study at Valparaiso University. Jim is survived by his wife, Marianne JessupCumming, three sons, James Reeve Cumming III, Paul Cumming, and David Cumming; a daughter, Michelle K Snyder; and 11 grandchildren.

Thomas Lee Jackson ’60 (Company B) N’58 died on Jan. 8, 2022. He received a bachelor’s from Washington University and a master of divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary. He was an ordained priest of the Episcopal Church. Tom was an early advocate for people living with AIDS, starting a community called St. Dismas. He opened his heart and his home to those needing a safe harbor. He strongly emphasized: “there is never any judging, no preaching, no rules other than not infringing upon someone else, and never any condemnation” of another. Tom survivors include his wife, Tricia; their four children: Jennifer (Steve), Jackson; Peter (Jayne); Lisa Shull (Roland).

Alec Tyrrell Whitley’60 (Company B) N’55 died on May 15, 2022. Terry attended Olivet College, and Grand Valley State University, all preparing him for his 26-year career in law enforcement with the Michigan State Police and then independent private investigation. He served in the U.S. Army from 1967-1969. Terry is survived by his wife, Nancy; son, John (Karilynn) and Aaron (Michele); 11 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Enos Keys Fry ’61 (Battery C) died April 26, 2022. Enos spent his career in banking, as president and vice chairman of Citizens Savings Bank, director of Provident Bank, and in business development at M&T Bank. He is survived by his wife, Susan; children Christina Giulieri (Dave), Beth Anne Smith (Nick), and Brendan.

Capt. Richard Paul Genet Sr. ’61 (Battery C) died Dec. 24, 2021. After Culver, he attended the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1965 with a degree in electrical engineering. He served in weapons, operations and engineering departments, as an executive officer; and finally as commanding officer on four different ships. Following his naval service, he had a second career with BAE Systems, where he became that company’s chief cartography and chief hydrographer and served as the company’s vice president of Homeland Security and department head for geospatial data production. He was married to the former

Karen Ann Harrison of Kenosha, Wisconsin. They had four children: Richard, Danielle, Adam and Peter; and seven grandchildren.

Philip Art Holmer ’61 (Company D) died on Jan. 5, 2022. After graduating from Bradley University, Phil joined the U.S. Army. Once honorably discharged, Phil became a motorsports writer for the Orlando Sentinel. He eventually left journalism and became a public relations representative for NASCAR. While working at NASCAR, Phil co-founded the the Boot Hill Saloon. He later left Daytona Beach for the shores of Lake Erie and spent 32 years as the field manager of Goodyear’s NASCAR and other stock car racing divisions. In 2003, Phil was awarded NASCAR’s Buddy Shuman Award, one of the most prestigious honors in the sport, which recognizes individuals whose efforts and contributions helped advance stock car racing. He is survived by his daughter Evelyn (Hansal) Patel. His eldest daughter, Katie preceded him in death.

Randolph Kent McKee ’61 (Company D) W’55 died on June 1, 2020. Randolph received his master’s in theology and worked many years as a teacher of acting and speech at the community college level, notably Eastfield College in Dallas. Randolph is survived by four children, Michael, Sri, William, and Molly McKee Riddle; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

William David Robinson’61 (Band) W’55 died on Jan. 19, 2022. His late brother, John W. Robinson ’57 also attended Culver.

Willima James Borkenstein ’62 (Battery A) W’57 died on Feb. 8, 2022. He is survived by his wife Gabriele, two sons Joachim and Juergen, two sisters Sue Swift and Jill Borkenstein, and three grandchildren. His brother David ’67, also attended Culver.

Stephen Paul David “Buzz” Eisenberg ’62 (Troop A) died on April 3, 2022. At Culver, Buzz played polo and rode horseback in the inaugural parade for President Kennedy. He graduated from Washington University and DePaul University College of Law. Buzz was a founding partner of the law firm Leahy, Eisenberg and Fraenkel in Chicago. He served on multiple state boards and committees dedicated to Arson Prevention; was a member of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on the Fire Service; contributed to the passage and implementation of the Illinois “Arson Information Immunity Bill”; and testified before the Illinois Legislature on multiple occasions. He is survived by his wife, Tricia Fox; and his two children and their families: Jamie Trumbell (Matthew), and Morrie ’93 (Natalie Holden); and his brother, Arthur “Butch” Eisenberg ’59, and stepchildren Teresa Ritterhoff (Jens), Karin Patterson (Jonathan), and Lindsay Gordon (Allen).

Wray DePrez “DeP” “Digger” Ewing ’62 (Company A) died on Jan. 4, 2022. He graduated from Miami University in 1966. Following graduation, he went to pilot training school for the U.S. Air Force and served as a captain in the Vietnam War. He was awarded five air medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross award.

Following active duty, he went to Indiana Mortuary School and joined his father’s business, Ewing Mortuary, which he later purchased and eventually merged with Carmony Funeral Home to become Carmony-Ewing Funeral Home.

DeP is survived by his wife, Debbie, and two sons, Christopher (Emily) Ewing ’99 and Todd Ewing, and daughters Jennifer (Chris) Dennis and Andrea (Dean Tucci) Payne; and seven grandchildren.

John Thomas Fletcher ’62 (Battery A) died on Jan. 13, 2022.

Harry G. Goodheart III ’62 (Troop B) died on Oct. 29, 2021. Harry served with distinction in the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam. He graduated from Washington and Lee University and the University of Missouri, Kansas City, School of Law. For 20 years Harry was a trial lawyer in Bradenton, Florida. During this time he was involved in the early development of the Florida Lawyers Assistance Program, providing recovery services for lawyers struggling with substance-related illnesses and serving on its board of

directors for five years. Harry is survived by his former wife, Ann.

Frank John Lee II N’62 died on Nov. 3, 2021.

James Edward Staebler ’62 (Company C) W’57 died on Jan. 27, 2022. Jim attended DePauw University before serving in the U.S. Army as a 1st lieutenant in Vietnam. Upon his return, Jim graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in geology. Jim enjoyed a lifelong career as an interpretive park ranger for the National Park Service, working at Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Dinosaur National Monument, Zion National Park and Bighorn National Recreation Area.

Jim was preceded in death by siblings Richard (Jean) Staebler and Dorothy Jean (Charles) Williams. He is survived by three children, Kristine (Benjamin), James and Gary, and four grandchildren.

Judge Arthur William DePrez ’63 (Battery B) died on Oct. 12, 2021. He earned his BA from Depauw University in 1967. After graduation, he served as a U.S. Air Force pilot in Vietnam from 1967 to 1970. He returned and received his MBA and Juris Doctor from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, in 1971 and 1973, respectively. He spent the majority of his career in the private sector prior to joining Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals in 2005. Arthur continued to practice law and

served as city attorney for Shelbyville from 1996-2000. Arthur began his work as a Federal Administrative Law Judge for Medicare Hearings and Appeals in June of 2005.

Arthur is survived by his wife, Cheryl; three children, Megan Booth ’84 (James); Ashley DePrez SC’84 (Paul Giese), and Chris DePrez SC’84; five stepchildren, Teresa Gaskin, Gary (Cathy) Foreman, Jeff (Angel) Foreman, Bryan Foreman, and Denise (Brett) Isenhower; three grandchildren, 12 step-grandchildren; and three siblings, John C. DePrez, Jr. ‘59 (Lee Marks), Peter DePrez ‘66 (Pamela), and Anne Nading DePrez.

Larry Paul Garrison ’63 (Band) died Dec. 29, 2021. After attending Washington University in St. Louis, Larry moved to Chicago, and then to Minneapolis, where he met his wife, Carolyn. During his 50 years as an international freight forwarder and customhouse broker in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles, Larry managed trade operations for several companies, including Reliance Trading, Control Data, Ryder, Radix, and Alcoa Fastening Systems, having also founded International Pursuits, Ltd. Larry was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to serve on the District Export Council during the Obama Administration. Larry is survived by his wife; two daughters, Brianne Turtletaub and Kerry Reeves; one son, Andrew; and three grandchildren.

Charles A. Longfield ’63 (Battery C) died on Feb. 4, 2022. He is survived by his wife, Heidi, his son John; daughter Carolyn (J.D.) Jernigan; son James; sister Sue Lohrberg; brother Tom Longfield ’66 (Betty) and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles ’30, and Virginia Longfield; and one son, Charles T. Longfield.

John Michael Zanetis Jr. ’63 (Company E) W’59 N’62 died on June 8, 2022. He graduated from Indiana State University in 1967 with a BS in finance and business. Furthering his education at Indiana Univeristy School of Law, he earned his JD in 1970.

John had a lengthy career as a sole practitioner. He eventually became a partner at Galbreath, Schneider and Zanetis, PC. Upon moving back to Indiana in 1980, John practiced in Nashville, Bloomington and Carmel and became the first attorney in Indiana to give seminars on the advantages of living trusts.

Survivors include his wife, Sarah; two daughters, Angela Lynn ’81 and Ashley; two grandchildren; three brothers, Charles ’64 W’60, Steve ’66 (Vicki), William W’64, Michael W’65 (Denise), and Joe ’77; sisters, Mary Ella Walker, Martha SS’70 and Cathy ’76 He was preceded in death by his son, Christopher.

William Loren McElfresh Jr. ’64 (Battery B) died on Sept. 25, 2021. He was born in Topeka, Kansas, to William

Loren McElfresh N’28 and Marianna Robinson McElfresh. Bill transferred from Osage City High School to Culver. Bill graduated from the University of Kansas in 1968. He earned a master’s degree in business from Pepperdine University.

After serving as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, Bill joined TRW Inc. (now Northrop Grumman.) Following that, Bill worked with International Aircraft Support Inc. near San Francisco. Several years later he joined Willis Lease Finance Corp., specializing in leasing commercial aircraft engines worldwide. He traveled extensively internationally and built lifelong relationships with friends from England, Paris, Singapore and elsewhere. In recent years he formed his own company as sole proprietor, Pacific Power Group, Inc. Bill is survived by his wife, Bonnie.

Ralph Crandall Oser ’64 (Battery B) W’59 died Jan. 26, 2022.

In 2013, he retired from his position at the U.S. Department of Energy, where he negotiated contracts to purchase power for the National Laboratories across the country. Prior to that, he worked for 12 years in Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). He was especially proud of his selection to help draft and later sign the U.S. claims against Iran in the International Court of Justice in the Hague in 1980, despite it resulting in his being persona non grata in Tehran.

From 1968–1971 he served in the U.S. Army as an artillery officer. He went to Vietnam first as a battery commander and then as a civil affairs officer in Da Nang.

Survivors include his wife, Katherine; their children Rebecca and Nathaniel Oser; and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brothers Mark Raclin ’60 and David Oser ’63.

The Rev. Geoffrey Bruce Oswald NB’64 died Jan. 7, 2022. Geoffrey earned an education in ministry at the Methodist Theological School and Catholic Pontifical College Josephium in Columbus, Ohio, where he earned a master’s degree. Geoffrey attended Culver in 1964, where he discovered his passion for sailing and military service. His newfound nautical passion led to a commission in the U.S. Navy in 1979, where he served as a lieutenant in the Navy Chaplain Corps. In 1986, He returned to the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church where he continued his ministries, serving hundreds of parishioners at multiple churches throughout Ohio before retiring in 2003 in his father-in-law’s hometown of Cape Vincent, with his wife, Michelle. Rev. Oswald is survived by his wife, and his son, Charles R. Willis III. Chaplain Oswald will be buried at sea by the U.S. Navy.

Cy Darryl Young ’64 (Battery C) died on Oct. 15, 2021. He attended Hanover College, graduating in 1968

with a degree in biology. Following in his father’s footsteps, he graduated from Des Moines College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1972.

Cy took over his father’s practice as a family medicine doctor, serving the people of Mt. Sterling, London, and surrounding towns in Ohio from 1974 until his death. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; his son Adam (Katie), his daughter Natalie (Jonathan) Dick, and five grandchildren.

Virgil Byrd Crane II ’65 (Company B) died on Oct. 20, 2021. He graduated from Southern Methodist University. Virgil was preceded in death by his partner Cynthia Talboys. He is survived by daughters Kelsey Dawson Alorda and Christian Sharp Wells; stepdaughter Christy Cracraft; three grandchildren and three step-grandchildren.

David Ralph Estes ’66 (Band) died on Jan. 4, 2022. He earned a BS in sociology at Valparaiso University, then attended and graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in Springfield, Illinois, in 1974. David became a Lutheran pastor, and after retiring from the ministry, he served in the Salvation Army in South Carolina.

David is survived by his wife Sheila; daughter, Rebecca Susan Wilburn (Danny Lee); son, Philip (Holly); stepdaughters, Holly, Allison, and Angela; seven grandchildren; and seven step-grandchildren. David was preceded in death by a brother David Carlisle

Crowley ’31, and a stepson Don-Eric Milam.

Joseph Henry Nixon Jr. ’66 (Band) N’62 died on March 26, 2022. He graduated with a degree in journalism and a minor in urban studies from Indiana University, then went on to earn an MA in business in 1972. Joe began his career at Nixon Newspapers, a familyowned company, publishing small daily and weekly newspapers in the Indiana towns of Peru, Wabash, Michigan City, Frankfort, and Auburn. He was a registered regional representative at ShareAmerica, a startup securities broker-dealer, dealing with both state and federal regulations. He also contributed to the educational activities of the Hyperspectral Imaging Foundation and helped identify the programs for scholarships and grants the Foundation adopted.

A brother Don ’60, an uncle, and numerous cousins all attended Culver.

Richard Hadley Reahard N’66 W’63, died Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. Rick grew up in Indianapolis spending summers at Waycross Episcopal Summer Camp and Culver. Rick enjoyed scouting and became an Eagle Scout.

He graduated from Park School in 1967, Indiana University in 1971, and received an MBA from Butler University in 1975. After managing four retail clothing stores (Just Jeans) in the early/mid 1970s, Rick worked in sales and management for Pearson Ford, Tom Wood Ford, and RCI

Corporation before starting his own business, Telecom Resources.

He is survived by his wife, Becky; his daughters, Amanda (Mike) Rizzari, and Amy (Kevin) Stutey; his stepdaughters, Rachael (Andrew) Sawyer, Madison (Chris) Perry, and Ellee Moyer; siblings Joan (Charles) Bennison, Ralph “Bo” (Stanley) Reahard, and Tom (Cathy) Reahard; five grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.

Patricia Eleanor Conrad Rehnberg SS’67 died on Dec. 7, 2021. Patty attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, majoring in early childhood education and graduating in 1973. She found her passion in teaching young children and was a dedicated elementary school teacher in both Florida and California for over 30 years, retiring in 2004. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward. She is survived by her son, Thomas, sister Susan (Richard) Perry; and brothers Bruce Conrad ’67 (Margaret), and Wayne Conrad ’71 (Loree).

Elmore Fitzpatrick Smoak ’67 (Troop A) died on Aug. 17, 2019. After graduating from The Citadel in 1972, he was commissioned as a U.S. Army officer. During his 23 years in the military, he served two tours in Germany and was deployed during Operation: Desert Shield. Following his retirement from the Army, he used his skill set to provide training to military contractors as well as other governmental

organizations.

Pat is survived by his wife, Mignon; three children, Gillian, Marian (Hugh) Scott, and Elmore F. “Patrick” Jr. (Brenna); and two grandchildren.

Eric William Klatt, ’68 (Troop B) died Sept. 6, 2021. Following his graduation, cum laude, from Culver, with honors in Spanish, Eric earned a BA in psychology from Emory University, and an M.Ed. from the University of South Carolina. He worked in Beaufort, South Carolina, county government administration for three decades. He was preceded in death by his father, Emil H. Klatt Jr. ’45 He is survived by his wife, Tracy O’Kelly Klatt; son, Eric William Klatt, Jr., ’96, (Lindsay); daughters, Elizabeth Armstrong Klatt and Kathryn Diane Klatt; five grandchildren; his mother, Alice DeForest Klatt Harvey; brother, Emil H. Klatt III, ’73, (Barbara ’73); sister, Suzanne Klatt Thompson (Steve); and sister Diane Lenski Sexton (Stan).

Lawrence Anesworth Pritchett Jr.’69 (Company E) died on May 17, 2022. He graduated from Texas Christian University in 1973 with a business degree and worked as a financial consultant in Wichita, Kansas. He eventually formed his own business, Nutter, Pritchett, & Co.

He is survived by his wife, Cindy, three children, Lola (Jason) Pfeifer, Annie (Clint) Dayhuff, and David Pritchett; and seven grandchildren.

1970s

David James Malloy Diamond ’71 (Battery B) died on Feb. 17, 2022. David attended the University of Oklahoma, where he earned a degree in petroleum and geological engineering and began working with his father, Harry, in the oil and gas business.

David is survived by his son, Jason. His brother Harry ’65, and a niece and nephew attended Culver.

Robert “Bob” L. Coxe ’71 (Company C) died on April 1, 2022. Following his graduation from the U.S. Military Academy in 1976, he served in the U.S. armed forces for 27 years, holding a number of significant positions.

He retired as a U.S. Army colonel in 2003 with military awards and decorations that include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 oak leaf clusters), the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal.

Over the next 20 years, he endeavored to apply his broad experience with design, development, procurement, communication and information technology systems as a senior executive officer at the Department of Homeland Security and a business leader with SAIC, Criterion Systems, and Verizon.

He is survived by his wife, Janet; and their son, Christopher.

Alexander Walcott Calder ’72 (Company C) died on Jan. 9, 2022. He attended Youngstown State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in combined sciences in 1977. Alex enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served as a pilot. During his time in the service, Alex earned the Air Force Commendation Medal, Navy Battle “E” Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Navy Pistol Marksmanship Award. After serving for 14 years, he then joined the U.S. Naval Reserve. Alex earned his master’s degree in computer science from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. After his retirement from the Navy, Alex was employed as a pilot for ABX Air in Wilmington, Ohio, until 2014. He is survived by his wife, Lani; a son, Alexander “Lex” E. (Victoria), and daughter, Alyssa; and four grandsons.

Sylvan “Van” James Sewell ’72 (Battery A) died on Oct. 31, 2021. Uncannily prescient, at age four, Van announced from the stage of his church in his home of Columbus, Ind., what his future would be: “I’m going to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy.” And, so he did. Van served as a U.S. Marine and, later, as a Marine Reserve, where he retired as a major. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, and the University of Virginia Darden Graduate School of Business Administration.

Van also served as executive director of Memorial Health

Services, Memorial Health Care System, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is survived by his daughter Elizabeth “Libby” Sewell.

Bruce David Karsh ’74 (Company C) W’69 died on Jan. 9, 2020. He had worked with a variety of Silicon Valley companies; Silicon Graphics, Inktomi, Yahoo!, Wink Technologies, and Google, before joining Pandora Media in 2015. Survivors include his wife, Jan Leonard; and mother, Bernice.

Stephen Blanchard Imes ’72 (Company D) died on July 31, 2021. He owned and operated Waukaway Springs Bottling Company. He is survived by his wife, Dava; children Trey (Logan), Stephan Gordon (Adam), and Hannah Duke (Wade); and four grandchildren.

Peter John Santos ’74 (Company B) died on Oct. 26, 2021.

Charles Reeves “Buddy” Ferguson ’75 (Battery A), died on Sept. 1, 2021. A decorated swimmer since his youth, Buddy incorporated this discipline into his Culver experience. Additionally, his swimming records stood for many years.

For 47 years Buddy flew float planes in southeast Alaska to private jets across the United States. In December 1988, Buddy made national news following a four-day adverse event, where he and fellow pilot Michael Mills were stranded on a remote Cana-

dian ice field after the engine of their World War II-era airplane failed. Photography was Buddy’s second passion. He blended his fondness for art, flight and adventure into unique aerial photography, capturing breathtaking views of Southeast Alaska. His environment was his inspiration, no matter where he found himself. In 2003, he published “Southeast Alaska, A Bush Pilot’s View.’’

Buddy’s father Charles was a 1947 graduate of Culver.

Joseph Gresham Turner III ’75 (Battery B) died on Jan. 13, 2022. While at Culver, he rowed for the crew. In 1979 he received his BS in geology/ earth science from Marietta College, where he continued to thrive in crew. He graduated from the U.S. Navy’s Officer Training School (OCS) and served until 1986.

In 1982 he earned his MS in geology from the University of Kentucky. Joe continued his education with a civil engineering master’s degree in 1991 from Cleveland State University and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University in 2002.

Joe particularly enjoyed mentoring the young people that crossed his path through GE’s LEAD Operations Program. After more than 26 years with GE and Wabtec, Joe and his wife, Danielle, retired to Florida. Joe is survived by his wife and his children Jonathan and Katherine; and several nieces and nephews.

James Warrick Arthur ’77 (Battery C) died on March 4, 2022.

Beth Sharon Reilly Gilmore ’77 (New Lodge) ’75 (Deck 2) of Raleigh, North Carolina, died on June 23, 2021. Born in Ithaca, New York, she grew up in Rochester, Minnesota, and was a graduate of Vanderbilt University. She also lived in Houston before settling in Raleigh. She worked first as a civil engineer before becoming a mother, and later helped run Gilmore Construction Services.

Beth was active in the Caswell-Nash chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the YMCA.

There have been four generations of Reillys that have attended Culver. Beth served on the Parents Association Board.

Beth is survived by her husband, David; her children Marisa ’07, Austin ’10, her father Philip Reilly ’48; and siblings Anne Reilly Fahim ’74 and Richard Reilly ’79.

Patrick John Peters ’77 Troop A H’74 died on Sept. 15, 2021. He was the service manager at Neil’s Automotive Service. He was an accompished athlete at Culver and still holds the school records for indoor and outdoor high jump. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Linda Dalrymple, and a brother, Neil W. Peters III ’72 Patrick is survived by his wife Shannon; and stepchildren Brian and Justin Clark.

James Gregory Hass ’80 (Company A) died on Aug. 11, 2021. Greg attended Riley High School in South Bend, Indiana, before graduating from Culver. He attended Hanover College and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting.

He was a subcontractor for the U.S. Air Force, working out of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, and was president and CEO of Maxinkuckee Advisory Services Corporation. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul D. and Enas L. Hass (Krivanek). He is survived by two daughters Meredith (Adam) Werne, and Emma (Kyle) Hass; and twin sisters Char (Greg) Monges ’81 SC and Chris (Rich) Clippinger ’81 SC

Paul Barrett Christian ’84 (Company B) died on May 6, 2022. He graduated from Wabash College in 1988. He graduated from CaliforniaWestern Law School in 1997 and practiced law in Payson, Cottonwood, and Flagstaff. He later was a practicing judge in Page, Flagstaff, and Camp Verde, Arizona, until about 2017.

Barton “Bart” William Turner N’86 of Westfield, Indiana, died Jan. 28, 2022. He graduated from Anderson University and later received his master’s degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. He continued his education

in the Indiana Police Academy and worked at ML Ferris Investigations, Culver’s Summer Boy Scout Program (he was an Eagle Scout), and Kokomo Police Department. Bart was preceded in death by his biological parents, Karen (Ferris) Goodman and Dennis Ferris. Survivors include his parents, Charles and Mary Ellen (Grant) Turner; wife, Sheri; children, Noah NB’17, Elijah NB’22 and Kayleigh Turner; and stepchildren Conner ’18 and Gabriel Henderson ’20.

1980s 1990s

was a golden friend to many. She is survived by her father Alki ’55; and four siblings: Emanuel ’90, Andrea ’82, Anastasia ’86, and Stephanie ’83

Megan Elizabeth McMillen Hamilton ’87 (Linden) ’85 (Deck 5) died on Dec. 3, 2020. She was a professional photographer and RYT-200 certified yoga instructor. Her father is Dale Wilmore McMillen III ’61

Catherine “Kathy” Richards Knight ‘87 (Linden) died on Dec. 26, 2019. Kathy was a vibrant soul who loved animals of all kinds, cooking and golf. She spent many years in the medical billing and hospitality industries, but will be best remembered for her heart and thoughtfulness. She is survived by her father John Richards ‘56 and her stepmother, Joanne; mother Sonia, brother Jay ‘81, and sister Erika ‘84

Penelope Eileen Scopelitis ’88 (Atrium) W’83 died on Jan. 20, 2022, in Seattle. She approached life with a high-level of class and deep care for others. She was bright, cultured, artistic, colorful, and sharp-witted. She held her family close to her heart and

Carolyn Gay Arney ’92 (Ciel) died on April 18, 2021. She graduated from Hollins College in 1997, majoring in biology. She worked at the Charlottesville airport for ComAir, a division of Delta Airlines, and continued working for Delta Global Services with Delta and United Airlines until her death.

Survivors include her mother, Marcia Shari Arney and stepfather, Larry G. Phillips. Her father, the late William Arney, was a 1964 graduate of Culver.

Michael Scott Williams W’95 died unexpectedly on Sept. 10, 2021. He attended Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. He served as vice president of his family’s business, A&A / Securall, LaPorte. He married Ashley (Gathman) Williams, who survives, along with their three sons, Michael Tiberius Williams W’22, Spaulding Arthur Prescott Williams W’21, and Garth Harrison Williams W’22. He is also survived by his father, Michael; mother Patricia; five nieces; two nephews; one uncle, Dave E. Williams.

death by his mother, Rochelle L. Ewigleben Morris, and son Luca Jeffery. Kyle is survived by his partner, Shauna Wagner; and children, Elijah, Chance, Fletcher, Christian, and Savannah; father, Jeffery Duncan; stepfather, Robert Morris (Lynn); brother, Seve W’01 (Kayla); sister, Abigail Wessel SS’02 (Michael).

Patricia Anne Newton’04 (Atrium) ’02 (Deck 2) died on Jan. 24, 2022. She is survived by her father, Jeffry ’70, and mother, Beth.

Travis Jared Whittemore ’05 (Company A) died on April 13, 2022. Travis served in the U.S. Air Force and later used those flight skills to become a commercial pilot.

2000s

Kyle William Duncan N’01 died on March 11, 2022. Kyle spent the majority of his career in sales. Kyle was preceded in

Of Culver and Kings and Royals, Past and Future

The passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the assumption to the crown of now King Charles has not only put England’s royal family in the international spotlight, but it’s no doubt stirred some memories for Culver graduates and staff of some remarkable past interactions.

of 1978 in Lexington, Kentucky, for the nationally-televised World Three-Day Event Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park. In addition to Culver were the best horsemen from 17 countries, 70,000 spectators from around the world, and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and husband of Queen Elizabeth.

Culver provided color guard, escort, and musical accompaniment, as Culver students played the national anthems of various winners at the awards ceremonies.

At one point, Honzik says he found himself in the press box with former Horsemanship Director Jack Fritz and Prince Philip himself.

“Jack is talking to the prince,” recalls Honzik, “and in come the Culver Troopers, and the prince says, ‘What a sharp group of young men!’ And Jack says, ‘They’re from Culver Military Academy.’“

Perhaps most notable was the escort of Prince Charles — now King Charles III — on Sept. 5, 1986, by 12 members of the Black Horse Troop’s Lancer Platoon during a polo match in Oakbrook, Illinois, between the United States and England (England eventually won what Director of Horsemanship Maj. R. Jeffrey Honzik H’65 called “a close game” 12-10). The Lancers escorted the prince onto the field, performed as color guard for the event, and provided halftime entertainment for its 7,000 spectators. At the time, Mauricio De La Torre ‘88 noted that the prince greeted Lancers with a quick “Hi” and “How are you?”

John Waggoner ‘88 summed up the event: “The most impressive thing is that Culver was the only high school unit invited to attend and perform.”

Similarly, select Troopers were joined by Culver’s concert band in September

What followed was a back-and-forth discussion between Prince Philip and Fritz as the latter sought to help the prince differentiate Culver from institutions such as the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and West Point, but instead as a private boarding high school in Indiana.

Of course, neither event was Culver’s first brush with international royalty. Among the plethora of dignitaries they have escorted or hosted, members of Culver’s Black Horse Troop escorted the King and Queen of Denmark in 1960 and Japanese Emperor Hirohito in 1975.

And, among the many world leaders to attend Culver programs were Swasti Pradish ‘25, Crown Prince of Siam (today’s Thailand), and Crown Prince Alexander Karageorgevich II of Yugoslavia, who attended Culver Military Academy in 1960.

And, exhibiting Culver’s values of servant leadership for all the world to see, when Culver students aren’t escorting royals, they might also be rescuing them. Cadet Newland DePauw Knight ‘27 made headlines when Princess Ileana of Romania reported that the “most romantic thing” that happened on her American tour the previous winter was when she witnessed a car accident while passing through Rossville, Indiana, and felt faint. CMA Regimental Commander Knight and Regimental Adjutant Gene Culver had been sent along with the princess to escort her on a planned visit to the Culver campus (that visit didn’t happen at the time due to a change in plans, though the princess did visit Culver at a later date as part of an envoy of World War I-related dignitaries).

The princess’ mother, Queen Marie of Romania, told the Associated Press that her daughter “was quite overcome by the manliness and chivalry which was shown by the young student.”

Cadet Knight, however, reported that all he did “was to rub her feet and ankles and nothing romantic ever came of it.”

He added that he received a letter of thanks and a picture of the princess. “I did not reply to it.”

Not everyone can marry a Culver graduate and the loss, it would seem, was the princess’.

By Jeff Kenney

Crown Prince Alexander Karageorgevich II of Yugoslavia.

Eddie Nowlin ’87 and Francisco Ramos Cardenas ’87, with Prince Charles in Oakbrook, Illinois.

Swasti Pradish ‘25, Crown Prince of Siam (now Thailand).

ROVIDING A MEMORIALIZED RESTING PLACE FOR OUR CULVER FAMILY

Overlooking the shores of Lake Maxinkuckee, on the northeast corner of Culver’s verdant campus sits the majestic Memorial Chapel. Within this beautiful Tudor-Gothic chapel is a Columbarium containing 108 niches we respectfully offer for purchase to members of our Culver community who wish to make this honorable setting their final resting place.

For more information or to purchase an inurnment right, please contact Brian Baker at (574) 842-8292 or Brian.Baker@culver.org.

Alumni Magazine