Melissa Harju Vos ’91 is a study project manager at Abbott/AbbVie, Russian. We went to Moscow in late November to see her, experience winter, and check out one of the world’s great cities.” ❯ A quick update from the Nicolaus: My wife and I celebrated our 32nd anniversary in September. Two days later, our oldest son (29) got married to a wonderful young lady I introduced him to 10 years earlier when they were both freshmen at Mizzou (I knew her family). My daughter (27) is now the office coordinator/event planner for a mid-market ad agency in Chicago, her dream job. My 22-yearold son is in his final year (I hope) at Columbia College, studying audio acoustics. My 19-yearold son graduated from my alma mater (Loyola Academy) and is a freshman at Miami University in Ohio, studying finance. My wife celebrated her 34th year as a nurse, mostly in the ICU at Glenbrook Hospital. This summer, I celebrated 13 years as a partner in an IT consulting firm that has grown to more than 20 team members. With no need to take 400+ photos each weekend at my youngest son’s football games, I enjoy more free time and hope to see many of you at our 35th Reunion in October. Class Correspondent: John Nicolau 930 Huckleberry Lane, Glenview, IL 60025-2302, 847-657-6311, j.nicolau@comcast.net
1982 To all: The death of Mary Filosa Brown has been a shock to all of us. Everybody knew Mary. Most importantly, everybody loved Mary! She was a collector of people. People flocked to Mary for the infamous 15 minutes of chat. During that time, the problems of the world were solved.
OLD PHIS — REVISIT THE BOWERY PARTY Homecoming 2016 Saturday, October 15, 4:00 p.m. Wilson House (formerly Panhellenic House) corner of South West and West South Streets Contacts: Mike Boyd ’85 773-793-1753 mike@ajhudsonspublichouse.com Mike Lenz ’89 618-398-4496 mike.lenz@toyota.com
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KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016
That smile, the laugh—and, of course, a Mary hug—and you were set for the day. For many of us, that first meeting with Mary was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. ❯ We all have different memories of Mary. I am asking that you focus on those memories and dig deep into your pockets to help us fund the Mary Filosa Brown Memorial Fund for Community Service. In the upcoming months you will receive additional information about this memorial fund. Remember—no gift is too small. ❯ Now for the notes: Diane Williard Jaskolka: “Mark and I both retired this year, sold the house, cars, and all of our possessions, and will move to Boquete, Panama. All visitors welcome!” ❯ Mary Wylie: “Son John is a sophomore at Northwestern University and president of his fraternity, Beta Theta Pi! He spent his Christmas break in London! Too much fun! Hope you are well and enjoyed the holiday season!” ❯ Kelly Norton Warner: “I work at the U.S. Geological Survey as chief of water quality investigations. Just finished a chapter for a book on integrated groundwater management. Gave a talk in Rome, Italy, for the International Association of Hydrogeologists and was able to enjoy a few days in Florence with Lizzy Warner ’13. She is working on an M.S. in sustainable engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology; son Drew is a senior at DePauw University. One more semester, and I get that no-tuition pay raise!” ❯ Mike Kraynak: “Thank you to my Knox family for all the thoughts and prayers, gifts, and flowers! They have helped my family get through a terrible time in our lives! God bless you all!” ❯ Lastly, I have the pleasure of announcing my new Knox correspondent partner: Chris Bohm Gavlin. Please make her feel welcome! ❯ Hugs and Kisses, Sharon. Class Correspondents: Sharon L. Schillereff 7780 W 38th Ave., #404, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033, 303-885-7185, Sschil7470@yahoo.com Chris Bohm Gavlin 4246 Howard Ave., Western Springs, IL 60558, 708-246-1419, cgavlin@gmail.com
1983 Many may already know that Rick Brown “lost my best friend, confidant, lover, and wife,” Mary Filosa Brown ’82, in August. “We had a storybook life together that began at Knox and many memories to cherish. By the time this goes to print, I hope many will have heard of the establishment of the Mary Filosa Brown Memorial Fund for Community Service. It is an endowed fund to support the work of the Kleine Center for Community Service. The Fund will memorialize the endearing relationship between Knox and Mary, and it illuminates her generous, giving spirit.” Our deepest sympathies to Rick, his family, friends, and all who were touched by Mary’s kindness, spirit, sense of humor, warm smile, and…her tremendous laugh. ❯ Werner Holz reported that he “will break bread with Dan Hrozencik, Ed Kemper ’85, and Tony and Dee Dee Kinzie Tedeschi ’85.
This is one year later than planned but gives us more to talk about.” ❯ Patrick Fleming’s daughter, Sonya Fleming, “is a freshman at Knox this year. She wants to major in creative writing. She enjoyed her first term very much.” ❯ Steve and Linda Mugnaini McMillan ’81 “celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary last month! (I’m not really sure why I was so lucky to snare her for my wife.) Eldest son Daniel turned 30 in November and is a doctor of physical therapy in Eugene, Oregon. He graduated from Washington University’s School of Medicine in 2014. Middle son Nicholas is 26 and a singer/songwriter/musician currently in New Orleans. To make ends meet, he is a cook in a great little diner. And, last but not least, is little Ella, who is 19 and a waitress at a nice restaurant in Evanston (where we live)… trying to figure life out. Linda has been counting down the days, sort of, until she can retire from Baxter International, where she’s been employed for the last 27 or 28 years. She is the director of financial systems at their corporate headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois. We both still love seeing live music. We will travel to Park City, Utah, in February to ski with other Knox grads—Dean Smith ’81, Rusty and Natalia Brennan Strong, and David Rosenbacher ’84. Other Knox grads we see with some regularity include Joe Flanagan ’85, Cliff Piper ’87, Jason Rahal ’88, Barry Petersen ’85, Tom MacMillan ’81, Joan “Bunny” Bruner Weber ’81, Chris Shillestad ’81, and Sharon Spellman ’80. I left Whole Foods in July to help my mother care for my father, who had a slowly worsening case of Alzheimer’s. He died October 9 after an amazing run of 89 years…32 of which were retired!!! (He retired when he was 57 years old!)” ❯ Margaret Davis and husband Kristoph Klover released their 13th CD last year, Make We Merry!, which they recorded with their band, Broceliande. This year, their primary focus was work on Snow White—The Mirror’s Revenge, an original play for which they are writing, producing, performing, and recording the music. Margaret continues to work playing therapeutic harp in San Franciscoarea hospitals with Healing Muses and has had several commissions this year for her original works of illuminated calligraphy. ❯ Gail Golberg Eisner’s store, Pumpkin Moon, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. “Hard for me to believe. It’s like having a grown child. I’m feeling that too, as Jennifer, my eldest, is applying to colleges now, and Julia is a freshman in high school. Still in Oak Park and busy running two stores and managing life.” ❯ In December, Karen Burich Levin, Peggy Fletcher ’86, Alene Lesniak Ackerman ’85, Florence Giannola Botbol, Kathy Schurr, Karen Longawa Dugard, Ann Elfline Davie (all the way from Australia), Mary Bohaty Osborne ’84, Chris Bohm Gavlin ’82, Aleida Villasuso Vekony ’86, Lenore McCarthy, and I met for a mini-Tri Delta reunion. We had a wonderful time catching up—some of us hadn’t seen each other since graduation. We toasted the memory and spirit of