2016 50th Reunion Memory Book (1966)

Page 1

Memories Reconnect l

Reflect l

Renew

Class of 1966 50th Reunion Otterbein University April 22-24, 2016


As we celebrate the Golden Reunion of our Otterbein College graduation, we hope these biographical updates will help us

“Reconnect, Reflect, Renew�

Thank you to all the 1966 classmates who participated in this memory book. The 1966 50th Reunion Planning Committee


Class of 1966 Mrs. Dianne Aborn Beasley Rev. Robert E. Airhart II Mrs. Sherry Alford Robinson Miss Martha L. Allen Mr. Richard L. Amelung Mr. Larry L. Amstutz Mr. Robert N. Apgar Ms. Mary Ellen Armentrout Ms. Kathryn Armstrong Miller Mr. Bob Arn Mr. B. Dean Aukerman Mrs. Donna Azbell Dailey Ms. Marcia A. Baer Mr. Sidney C. Ball Ms. Christine Balzer Mrs. Sharon Balzer Hoblit Mrs. Ruth Barnes Wilson Ms. Barbara Barnhouse Stephens Mr. Wade E. Bayer Mrs. Virginia Beavers Rolfes Miss Deedra E. Bebout Mrs. Martha Behanna Singleton Mrs. E. Joann Bell Sudduth Mrs. Carole Benes Chavez † Mrs. Darlene Bennett Garber Mrs. Trenda Bly Kleinman Mr. David A. Boles † Rev. Ronald W. Botts Mrs. Chery Bowles Supinger Dr. Edward J. Bradel Mr. Tracy E. Brammer Mrs. Catherine Brandeberry Tinnerman Mr. R Craig Brelsford Mr. Stephen D. Bretz Mrs. Lenore Brobst Lutz Mrs. Karen Brubaker Dobbins Mrs. Vicki Bryan McClurkin Mrs. Nathalie Bungard Decamp Mrs. Diane Butterbaugh Cook Mrs. Phyllis Butterbaugh Hartley Dr. David S. Calihan Mr. Thomas E. Casey Mrs. Ruby Chalfont Spitler † Mr. Harry E. Chandler Rev. Rebecca Sue Clark Rev. Edward L. Clarke Mr. Robert C. Clawson Col. Michael T. Clay Mr. John M. Clayton † Mr. Michael H. Cochran Mrs. Suellen Cochrane Wassem Mrs. Ruth Collins Amstutz Ms. Catherine Cowperthwait Strohmeyer Mr. Dale E. Creamer Col. David M. Crippen Miss Anne E. Croskey Mrs. Marian Crow Posson Mrs. Carole Curfman Hall

Mrs. Pamela Cutinella Gault Mrs. Diana Davidson Snell Dr. Lourene Dellinger Nevels Mr. Philip R. Dever Mr. Wendell B. Dickinson † Mr. Terry D. Dillon † Mr. Jay L. Donaldson Maj. Jack A. Driscoll Mr. Arthur L. Duggan Ms. Charlotte H. Durkin † Ms. Cynthia S. Eckroth Mr. William K. Eggers Mrs. Judith Evans Walls Mrs. Elizabeth Fenn Kile Mr. Michael J. R. Fensler Mrs. Sandra Fisher Lezotte Dr. Robert W. Fisher Mr. William C. Fisher † Mrs. Betty Fitch Gibson Ms. Judith A. Fitzgerald † Mrs. Kay Flickner Leimbach Mr. Ted C. Flory Mr. Christopher H. Foster Mr. Michael M. Fribley Ms. Jean Fuller Timberlake Mr. Richard Furay Mrs. Wanita Gallogly Ross Mrs. Dianne Garverick Rundell Mrs. Joan Gerber Kroeckel Mrs. Barbara Gleason Dodez Mr. Michael R. Grayem Dr. Jack S. Gruber Mr. Nels S. Gustafson Mrs. Carol Haag Sturtevant † Mr. Brian K. Hajek Mr. Ronald P. Hanft Mr. William R. Hankison Mr. Harlan E. Hatch Dr. Emily Heft Rucker Mr. Donald G. Hershberger † Ms. Vicki Hickle Hanacek Mr. James H. Hiett † Mr. Jarold Higgins Ms. Kathleen Hobbs Layman Mr. Ronald L. Hoblit Mrs. Carol Hoffman Shuey Mr. Roger A. Hohn Mrs. Susan Hohnhorst Smolen Mrs. Marilou Holford Cook Mr. David G. Holl Rev. William L. Hunter Mrs. Marilyn Hutchings Carroll Mrs. Ann Hutchins Whiteside Mrs. Barbara Ink Vachon † Mr. Keith L. Jarvis Mrs. Jill Jenkins Grayem Mr. Keith E. Kaufman † Mrs. Rebecca Keister Carmer Mr. Samuel S. Kelly

Ms. Nancy R. Kesselring Mr. Wayne C. King Col. Timothy E. Kinnison, (USAF Ret) Mrs. Sharon Kite Plank Mrs. Susan Klenk Creamer Col. Warren R. Knapp † Mrs. Roberta Kobs Matt Mrs. Patricia Kocher Graham Mrs. Carol Kratzer Flory Mrs. Sandra Krisher Reeg Miss Suzanne A. Kuthan Mr. Robert L. Lafollette Ms. Marsha Lauderback Zimmermann Mrs. Ruth Lea Weiner Mr. Raymond Leffler Mr. Stuart R. Leichter Mrs. Jan Lenahan Dwyer Maj. Gary D. Leonard † Mr. Richard J. Lincoff Ms. Elkendra Lindner Dickinson Mrs. Jacqueline Lockhart Smith † Ms. Jeanne M. Lord Mr. Ronald D. Lovett Mr. Muhammad A. Lowe Mrs. Donna Lust Miles Mrs. Melinda Macarie Van Heertum Mrs. Sally Maibach Brokken Mr. George R. Maibach Mr. Arthur E. Makholm Mr. R.A. Mankamyer Mrs. Rose Anna Mansfield Drewes Mrs. Marilynn Marsch Hinder Mrs. Sally Martin Rosenzweig Mr. Thomas N. Martin Miss Helen F. Mason Ms. Theodora Mathis Dr. Richard A. Mauger Mr. J. Edgar Maurer Mr. Larry A. McCurdy Mr. Larry E. McDougal † Ms. Wanda McFarland Faust Mr. Patrick E. McGinnis † Mr. John E. McIntosh Mr. Edward L. McKelvey Mr. Michael L. McMullen Mrs. Martha Mercer Coons Mr. Charles Messmer Mr. George W. Miles Dr. Gail L. Miller Mrs. Marcia Millikin Felton Mr. James N. Million Mr. James B. Miskimen Mr. Steve Moeller Mrs. Lorraine Mogren Martin Mr. James R. Montgomery Mr. Jack W. Moore Mrs. Judith Morison Thompson Mr. Gordon J. Morris Mrs. Sally Morrow Mazza


Class of 1966 Rev. Larry L. Motz † Mr. Charles A. Nelson Mr. Norman L. Nelson † Mr. Dean A. Nemetz Mrs. Kathleen Nevans Smith Mr. Kenneth C. Newill † Mr. David W. Newton Dr. David P. Orbin Dr. Ronald E. Orbin Mr. Philip R. Owen Mrs. Barbara Paine Fee Dr. Roy E. Palmer Mrs. Janet Parsons Colliton Mr. William C. (Pat) Patterson Mrs. Jane Paugh Ewing Dr. Paul B. Paulus Mr. Philip D. Pearson Mr. Gary Peffly Mr. D Paul Penrod Mrs. Violet Peoples Pisor † Mrs. Sheryl Perlick Day Dr. Lea J. Perritt Mr. Richard G. Petersen Mrs. Gail Peterson Herron Ms. Patricia Pierson † Mr. Frank A. Pimentel Mr. Lewis W. Poole Mr. Ronald C. Pope Mrs. Diana Powell Walton † Ms. Patricia Price Keller † Mrs. Meredith Priest Neff Mr. Ralph E. Prince Ms. Joyce Puckett Conley Mr. Paul J. Quinn † Mr. Bernard F. Rausch † Mr. Donald C. Rawlins † Mrs. Bonnie Reams Paul Ms. Maggie Reck-Kosewic Mrs. Judith Reddick Meckfessel Mr. Roderick M. Reed Mr. Gary Reeg Mrs. Barbara Richardson Smith Ms. Melinda Rickelman Mullen Mrs. Lana Rinehart Laseta † Mr. Phillip P. Roberts Mrs. Jo Robinson James Mr. Phillip C. Robinson Mr. John S. Roby † Ms. Aldine Rose Ahl Mrs. Barbara Rose George Mr. Charles D. Ross Mrs. Linda Rote Arth Mr. David W. Rule Ms. Dorcas L. Rusk † Dr. Wolfgang R. Schmitt Miss F. Jeanette Schneider Mr. Chris C. Schumacher Mrs. Marcia Searfos Ogle Miss Carol K. Sears

Lt. Col. James R. Sells Ms. Roberta Sette Jaworski Mrs. Alvarene Shank Massanova Mrs. Edith Sheets Hajek Mrs. Gail Sherer Talerico Mrs. Ellen Shipman Aiello Mr. Thomas F.Shoaf Mr. James R. Shumaker Mrs. Lana Silvester Washburn Mr. Joseph O. Simmons Mrs. Emily Smith Curie Mr. George A. Smith III † Mrs. Carol Sockel Taylor Ms. Kathleen Solt Lehman † Mr. Kenneth L. Stansberger Ms. Talia Nicole Starr Mrs. Mary Stewart Heisel † Mr. Gary L. Stoner Mrs. Mary Jo Stuckman Black Mrs. Marian Svozil Dreisbach Ms. Suzanne Taylor Mueller Mr. John A. Thurston Mr. Geary C. Tiffany Mr. Frank Tippett Miss Pauline J. Tratebas Rev. David C. Trout † Mr. Masaaki Tsuda Mr. John C. Van Heertum Mrs. Carolyn VanAsdale Bordelon Mrs. Nan Vanscoyoc Rider Mrs. Jennifer Villard Ishida Mrs. Jane Vorpe Pence Mr. Charles M. Wall Mr. Richard P. Waltz Lt. Col. John R. Wardle Mrs. Martha Warthen Wolfe Mrs. Sharon Washburn Kruckeberg Dr. Diane Weaston Birckbichler Ms. Suzanne M. Weber † Ms. Naomi R. Weinert Mrs. Lynne Westover Moomjian Mr. John A. Whalen Mrs. Frankie Wheeler Foster Mrs. Margery Wheelock Rodeheffer Mrs. Becky Wiard Hollis Mr. Larry E. Wickline Mrs. Ruth Wigginton Millisor Ms. Ellen Williams Dillon Mr. James Martin Williams Mr. John E. Williamson Ms. Michele Wilson Toney Ms. Judith Wolfe Mr. Mark L. Woodruff † Miss Wilma J. Woodworth Rev. David L. Woodyard Dr. Fred W. Worley Mr. Barry Eli Yavitch Mr. David L. Young Col. Michael Ziegler

Mrs. Linda Zimmers Keller Ms. Barbara J. Zirkle † Mrs. Charlene Zundel Nevans

† In Memoriam


In Memoriam

Carole Benes Chavez

Gary D. Leonard

Patricia Price Keller No Photo Available David A. Boles Ruby Chalfont Spitler John M. Clayton Wendell B. Dickinson William C. Fisher

Terry D. Dillon

Patrick E. McGinnis

Bernard F. Rausch

James H. Hiett Carol Haag Sturtevant Barbara Ink Vachon Warren R. Knapp Jacqueline Lockhart Smith Larry E. McDougal Norman L. Nelson

Charlotte H. Durkin

Larry L. Motz

Lana Rinehart Laseta

Violet Peoples Pisor Paul J. Quinn

Donald C. Rawlins John S. Roby Dorcas L. Rusk George A. Smith III Kathleen Solt Lehman Judith A. Fitzgerald

Kenneth C. Newill

David C. Trout

Mary Stewart Heisel Mark L. Woodruff

Donald G. Hershberger

Patricia Pierson

Suzanne M. Weber

Keith E. Kaufman

Diana Powell Walton

Barbara J. Zirkle

as of April 1, 2016


1962 to 1966 Otterbein Faculty President Lynn W. Turner Deans Marion C. Chase Hannah Frank James V. Miller John Taylor Joanne Van Sant David Waas Business Office Sanders A. Frye Albert Sanders Treasurer Albert V. Horn Development Wade S. Miller, VP Registrar Floyd Vance Peter Baker Virgil Raver Admission Counselors Michael Kish Richard Pflieger Elsley Witt Public Relations Craig Gifford Arthur L. Schultz Art Lillian Frank Albert Germanson Earl Hassenpflug

English con’t Elizabeth Lee Mildred Munday Marguerite Nelson Elizabeth O’Bear Velma Ogg Robert Price John Ramsey James Ray Thackery Science Phillip Barnhart Don Bulthaup Charles Botts Keith Crane Albert J. Esselstyn Mr. Grodner Dr. Michael Herschler Arnold Leonard Mr. Matthews Lyle Michael Donald Molyneaux Stephen Morton Mr. Norvel Rexford Ogle George Phinney Thomas Tegenkamp Roy Turley Mr. Weber Jean Willis History/Government Harold Hancock Ursula Holtermann Thomas Kerr Richard Kestler John Laubach Richardson Mr. Thurston

Business/Economics Bert Glaze Stanley Hart George Hogue Young Koo Joseph Miles Herbert Parnes

Speech & Drama Charles Dodrill James Grissinger Joel Swabb Fred Thayer Jack White

English Norm Chaney John Coulter J. Raymond Derby Cleora Fuller William Hamilton Ada Haylor

Air Science Maj. Comstock Sgt. Cromer Maj. Robert Fawley Sgt. Arnold Page Capt. Phillip Rice Capt. Hamer Spence

Education Chester Addington Evelyn Anderson Helen Clymer Nell Pagean Mildred Stauffer Nicholas Vigilante Franklin Young Foreign Language Charles Buffington Dorothy Cameron Janet Cristy Marjorie Hopkins Robert Howell Paulette Loop Gilbert Mills Donald Molyneaux Roger Neff Elizabeth O’Bear Jean Poulard Mr. Rosales Lavelle Rosselot Anita Stoll Sylvia Vance Lucia Villalon Lena Wilson Mathematics Mr. Bamforth David Deever Mr. Estes Mr. McCloy Roger Tremaine Roger Wiley Sociology/Psychology William Combs Robert Harrison Deanne Knapp Albert Lovejoy David Ruth Barbara Settles Home Economics Margaret Gill Mary Alyce Holmes Emily Ingram Mabel Joyce Physical Education Robert Agler Marilyn Day Judith Jensen Mike Kish

Physical Education con’t Larry Lintner Richard Pflieger Terry Parsons Joanne Van Sant Curt Tong JoAnn Tyler Elmer (Bud) Yoest Kenneth Zarbaugh Music Alan Bradley Richard Chamberlain Robert Daugherty Louise Dibble Lawrence Frank Paul Frank Karl Glenn Robert Hohn Elizabeth Johnston Arthur Motycka Frieda Myers L. Lee Shackson Eika SmitVanrotte Glenn Spring Robert Westrich Religion/Philosophy Paul Ackert William Amy Phillip Deever Rev. Kenneth Pohly Albert Suthers Chaplain Rev. James B. Recob Rev. Richard Ellsworth Library John H. Becker



Robert E. “Bob” Airhart II 65 Millard Court Springboro, OH 45066 937-825-0232 bxj_airhart@msn.com

Spouse:

Judy Buckle Airhart ‘65

Children:

Robert III (1969) and Matthew (1971)

Grandchildren:

Vivienne (11), Beatrix (9), April (8) and Fiona (5)

After graduation from Otterbein, I attended United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, graduating in May 1970. While in seminary, I participated in an intern year, assigned to St. Paul United Methodist Church, Ybor City, Tampa, Florida, where my experiences included working with their settlement houses, model cities, and social justice programs. After ordination in the East Ohio Conference in June, Judy and I moved to the Collinwood neighborhood of Cleveland where I was pastor from July 1970 through June 1973. The community struggled with racial tensions and one of my community focuses was on bridging the hostilities. This focus continued in my three other assignments in Cleveland—Pearl Road, Warrensville Heights and Euclid. During our years in Cleveland, Judy stayed home for six years with our two sons and volunteered at the YWCA working on issues of racial justice. She was hired in 1976 by the Cuyahoga Plan of Ohio, a nonprofit agency whose mission was to eliminate discrimination in housing and reduce patterns of housing segregation. She worked there for twelve years, first as associate director and then as executive director. It was an exciting, meaningful and challenging time that included physical threats to her and our family by people who did not want to see changes in housing patterns. We moved to the Columbus area in 1988, where I completed another master’s degree, this time in chemical dependency counseling and worked in an outpatient clinic. Most of my clientele were referred from municipal or juvenile court, some from common pleas Judy was employed by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE).

We moved to Springboro, Ohio, (south of Dayton) in 2000 to be near our parents, all four of whom were living at Otterbein Retirement Community in Lebanon. During our entire married life, our parents had come to our house for holidays, birthdays and “just because” days. Recognizing how fortunate we were to have all four parents living in the same community, we decided to move from Worthington to Springboro which was 10 miles from Otterbein. We wanted to be near them to enjoy the good days and not spend a lot of time commuting in the more difficult days. It was a a beautiful time and we feel blessed to have been there to walk with them through the last years of their lives. The last of our parents passed in 2012.


After moving to Springboro, I was interim pastor at Hunter United Methodist Church (five years—long interim) in nearby Franklin, and worked in the Community Corrections Center in a secure prison program for felons whose crime (and conviction) was driven by addiction. This was the most rewarding work of my postOtterbein years. I retired in 2006 and have been able to pursue my interests in trumpet, choral singing, painting and theater. Judy remained employed by the Ohio Department of Education and later by Montgomery County Educational Service Center, and worked on school improvement issues with districts that were struggling to meet state standards. She retired in 2008 and worked part time until retiring completely in 2012. We are thoroughly enjoying retirement and spend a great deal of time traveling. Some of our favorite trips have included a Mediterranean cruise, China (including Tibet), Antarctica, Iceland, the Baltic countries, a Grand European river cruise on the Danube and Rhine Rivers, Portugal, five weeks in France and and another five weeks in Spain. For every place we cross off our “Bucket List,” we add at least three more. We feel fortunate to be in good health and to have the means to travel. When someone asks us how we can travel so much, my response is, “You just have to get old.” We have two boys— Bob III born in 1969 and Matthew born in 1971. Both sons graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University. Bob lives in Stone Ridge, New York, and has two daughters—Vivienne, age 11 and Beatrix, age 9. Matt lives in Oakville (near Toronto), Ontario, and has two daughters—April, age 8 and Fiona, age 5. Ongoing projects for me include writing three books. One examines the Pittsburg Cycle of playwright August Wilson, one tells the story of my journey with our parents in the last years of their lives, and the third explores my journey to the margins of faith and beyond. For years I have had the desire to direct theater. As of this date (February 4, 2016) Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is producing “Henry VI: War of the Roses Part 1” which is an edited version of Henry VI, part 1 and 2. (These plays are part of William Shakespeare’s eight play history cycle.) I have the privilege of being assistant director to Brian Isaac Phillips, a man whose work I have admired greatly for nearly a decade. At this point, I have several other projects under consideration. Growing older has its advantages, one of which is the opportunity to have third and maybe even fourth careers. I am grateful for my years at Otterbein—the friendships that developed and the opportunities to begin to expand my thinking and my horizons. Most of all I am grateful for having met Judy Buckle (now Airhart) the love of my life. In June we will have been married 51 years.


Sherry Alford Robinson 105 Briar Heath Circle Dayton, OH 45415 sheralf105@yahoo.com

Spouse:

Chester K. Robinson, M.D.

Children:

Chet, Russ, Barrett and Shelli

Grandchildren:

Alexis, Kennedi, Evan, Jacqueline and Warner

I recall that my years at Otterbein were the beginning of some “firsts” for me, among which were flight (to Boston); travel to New York; first World’s Fair (’65); first Broadway Production (Golden Boy); and driver’s license (yes, at age 20)! All of these contributed to a broadening of my horizons and planted in me a yearning for lifelong travel which began in 1967. When I was working at IBM and purchased my first car, a Pontiac GTO, I set off from Dayton, Ohio, with three friends for the Montreal World’s Fair. My parents thought I had lost all sense of reason, and I had! We went through Poughkeepsie, New York, to pick up our classmate JoAnn Robinson James and drove all night (two guy friends were drivers) at speeds that approached the speed of sound and tested that GTO such that we returned with tires that were literally cracked and separating, not to mention hazardous to be on the road. What a blessing that God protects babies and fools! In 1968, I married Chester Robinson, began teaching and moved to Columbus where he had two years of medical school remaining. We began our family after his graduation with the birth of our first son, Chet, and soon found ourselves in the Air Force. Those were good years for us: our family increased when son, Russ, was born; we learned what life was like in a group medical practice rather than solo; we gained an appreciation for cultural differences in a cosmopolitan society; and we grew spiritually through Bible study and our youth work in the base church. We decided to return to Dayton in 1973, when Chester’s tour of duty ended, because we wanted our children to grow up around family. We have always been grateful for that decision since our children remain close to cousins, aunts and uncles despite the many miles that separate them today. Chester completed his family practice residency in Dayton and subsequently joined a well-respected group practice in Vandalia, Ohio. With Chet’s birth I became a stay-at-home mom and remained there through the birth of our third son, Barrett, and the adoption of our daughter, Shelli. When Shelli started school, I came out of thirteen years of being at home to return to a high school classroom and that was scary… so much had changed in those years! My mothering skills and life lessons, however, had equipped me well for the challenge.


Though I became involved with some community work, my primary involvements over the years have been in the church, especially in youth work—Sunday school teacher and superintendent; vacation Bible school teacher and director; oratorical contest coordinator; co-chair with Chester of Teen Sexuality sessions; Christian education teacher; women’s group presenter; women’s day chair; and deaconess. I feel very blessed to have the love of family and friends, reasonably good health, children who are established in life who, through their educational pursuits, have exposed us to many opportunities. They hold MBA, law, and medical degrees, fully tenured and assistant clinical university professorships, and our oldest son is the author of five published novels! Middle son served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer during the historic 2000 Bush v. Gore presidential election decision. Three of our five grandchildren live in the Dayton area and two in Evanston, Illinois. We are legal guardians to the oldest, now a high school junior, and remain grateful to have been able to “stand in the gap” for her despite challenges. Our daughter is in Cincinnati, and one son makes his home in the San Francisco Bay area.

I am fully retired, and Chester is quasi-retired! We have traveled extensively with trips to northern Europe, Asia, Mediterranean, northern Africa, South and southern Africa, South and Central America, the Caribbean, and forty-five U.S states. Between travels we “play at” tennis, enjoy regular exercise, classes at Sinclair Community College, church involvements, volunteering, family gatherings, as well as anything and everything that involves our grandchildren. We consider it a joy and privilege to create wholesome memories for them.


Mary Ellen Armentrout 3950-C Moundview Road Hilliard, OH 43026 Maryellen.armentrout@gmail.com

After graduating from Otterbein and a brief attempt at retail management and teaching, I began a lifelong career as a librarian in many places around the country. Here is my resume of where my work took me. In 1980 I enrolled at Indiana University and earned my MLS in Library Science. 1970 – 1976

Glendale Community College Periodicals Librarian Glendale, AZ

1982 – 1987

Adrian College Reference Librarian Adrian, MI

1987 – 1999

Otterbein College Reference Librarian Westerville, OH

1999 – 2001

Cleveland Botanical Garden Library Director Cleveland, OH

2001 – 2003

Herrick Memorial Library Library Director Wellington, OH

2003 – 2008

2008 – present

Elyria Memorial Hospital Library Director Elyria, OH Riverside Methodist Hospital Medical Librarian Columbus, OH

Publications: Carnegie Libraries of Ohio Our Cultural Heritage 2003 ….And Her Stockings Sung: Childhood Memories of Carnegie Libraries 2016


Burhel Dean Aukerman 4420 New Market-Banta Road Lewisburg, OH 45338 937-962-2843

Spouse:

Sharon

Children:

Chad and Jena

Grandchildren:

Five

After graduating from Otterbein in 1966 with a bachelor of science in math, I taught high school math and computer science for thirty years. After receiving my master’s degree from Wright State University, I also taught part-time at Sinclair Community College in the math department for forty years. I was married in 1968 to Sharon and we have two children, Chad and Jena. Chad teaches high school math and has two children. Jena teaches high school English and has three children. I retired from teaching high school in 1997 and retired from Sinclair Community College in 2015. Since retiring, I play golf, take care of my grandchildren, write a journal about my granddaughters’ adventures and go to the YMCA gym. I also enjoy doing oil paintings of my grandchildren and landscape scenes.


Barbara Barnhouse Stephens 895 Brentford Drive Columbus, OH 43220-7403 614-459-5821 bstephens43220@gmail.com

Spouse:

Jerry A. Stephens (deceased)

Children:

step-daughters, Shellie and Melodie

Grandchildren:

Caleb, Tyler, Ben, Mike, Matthew and Cole

Great Grandchildren:

Lillie and Autymn

Like many of my classmates, my first experience with Otterbein was a weekend trip during my senior year of high school. I really did fall in love with the campus, Cochran Hall, and the friendly students I met. With help from Donna and S. Clark Lord, alumni and parents of my best friend Jeanne, I moved from the Akron area to Westerville and King Hall the day after high school graduation and began working right away at Williams Grill. All summer long, as I walked to work early in the morning, I got to experience the “quiet, peaceful village� in a beautiful, personal way. Four years of classes went by so fast. I had great teachers, patient roommates, and wonderful friends in my sorority, Rho Kappa Delta. My Spanish teacher, Lena May Wilson, took me with her to church and helped me accept Jesus as my savior. In August of 1966, Sam Wolfe (Pi Sig, class of '65) and I were married in Westerville. He went on to get his master's at OSU while I taught junior high English in the Columbus schools. We lived in Germany for a year while Sam served in the Army. When we came back, I continued teaching in Vinton County and Perry County schools for several years, then had an opportunity to work for four years as a career counselor for the state of Ohio, serving schools in Athens, Hocking, and Perry counties. I also began taking classes in computer science and accounting at Hocking Technical College. After Sam and I divorced in 1984, I moved to Columbus and have worked as a computer programmer for several companies, including Big Bear, where I met Jerry, also a programmer. We were married in 1988 in my church, Bethel Presbyterian Church, and moved to northwest Columbus. His two daughters have given me six grandsons and two great-granddaughters. Jerry passed away in 2007. I retired from programming two years ago. I loved my job but have thanked God every day since then for having more time to enjoy my family, friends and neighbors. I'm active in my church, choir, a folk-music group, and a ladies' Masonic organization. I volunteer in the church office two days a week and at Habitat for Humanity one day a week in their office. And, finally, I've enjoyed the opportunity to help with our 50 th reunion and to share these memories.


Wade E. Bayer 8119 S. State Route 19 Bloomville, OH 44818 wbayer44@yahoo.com

Spouse:

Jenifer

Children:

Aaron and Michelle

I married my wife Jenifer in 1976 and we have two children. Aaron, a sales consultant for Humana in Worthington, Ohio; and Michelle, who is married to Thom Hooper, a lawyer. They recently moved to Belleville Illinois, where she hopes to find a position teaching high school integrated social studies, and Thom is starting a new position as lead attorney for a firm in Belleville. To date, no grandchildren. While at Otterbein, I spent a lot of time studying and working in the chemistry lab. I worked at WOBN as an engineer and chief engineer, and hung around with my friend, John Van Heertum. We were both chemistry majors, so we helped each other study for tests, etc.. After graduation, my first job was with Monsanto Research Corp. in Miamisburg. They were under contract with what was then the Atomic Energy Commission. Being young and restless at the time, I left after two years, and have had numerous jobs since. Each one was a new adventure. I worked in industry as a quality control inspector; taught high school chemistry, physics, and math; was a draftsman for National Machinery in Tiffin; started as a lab technician, and became organic laboratory manager for Aqua Tech Environmental Labs in Melmore, Ohio; and finally as an injection mold operator at MTEK in Upper Sandusky. Throughout this time I did some flying, drag racing, gardening, camping, motorcycling, traveling around the country, and helping my brothers on the farm. I retired in 2010 and still enjoy gardening, camping, and riding motorcycle. My wife, who is a RN graduate of Mount Carmel School of Nursing in Columbus, is still working as Director of Nursing at the Seneca County Health District in Tiffin. Once she retires, we will be spending more time touring the USA.

My wife and I attend the UCC church nearby that my grandfather helped build, and my mother attended while growing up. I have served as trustee, deacon, elder, and presently treasurer. I have worn many different “hats� and the ability to do so is, I believe, a testament to the value of the good liberal arts education I received while at Otterbein.


Virginia (Ginny) Beavers Rolfes 718 West Home Road Springfield, OH 45504 937-399-0658 ginnyrolfes@yahoo.com

Spouse:

James (Jim) Rolfes, Wittenberg B.S. Ohio University M.Ed. in school administration

Children:

Christen Lee and Christy Lynn

Grandchildren:

Sabrina, Alex, Tyler and Kyra

After two wonderful years at Otterbein, I transferred to The Ohio State University to complete my major in foods and nutrition and minor in education and certification in vocational home economics. In my junior year, I was inducted in Phi Upsilon Omicron, an educational honorary. After graduating in 1966, Columbia Gas Corporation offered me a position of home economist for the central district of Ohio. I accepted and continued the educational experience and received many fringe benefits. In my early career I was assigned the Springfield office. My work schedule included daily school demonstrations on gas equipment. I met weekly with gas equipment dealers, made home visits for customers with new gas appliances and conducted varied food demonstrations to various clubs, scouts, and churches. My division manager introduced me to the man I married in 1968. My husband was a high school science teacher and a coach for Springfield City Schools. He was selected to study a new biological curriculum shortly after we married. Since I could go with him for the summer in New York, I left my dream job. When we returned home I began teaching vocational home economics and continued that in the Springfield City Schools. During this time we were blessed with identical twin girls. I took a leave of absence to be home with the girls. My husband became an athletic director so our lives revolved around a variety of sports. When the girls started school, I started working in the schools again. Most of my time was spent being a volunteer in Christian-related activities which has always been my desire. I really enjoyed working with patients in a nearby hospital, delivering books to the homebound, teaching and helping with church and community activities. Our family life centers around God, in fact both girls have Christ in their names. Christen has a degree in nursing, working on a master’s degree and currently employed as a consultant in electronic health records. Christy has dual degrees in HR and business management. She currently operates a homebased business making home dÊcor and custom apparel. We are blessed with four grandchildren and are planning a summer trip to Alaska with all of the family.


Deedra Bebout 6028 Ethel Avenue Van Nuys, CA 91401 deedra@eml.cc

Writing this bio-sketch has turned out to be just like being in college again. It’s due on the 5th and I’m writing it late on the 4th! I don’t think any of us can believe it has been 50 years since we graduated. I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks, “Gee, I thought I’d be more mature” or “How come I still feel the same?” So here’s what I’ve been up to. I’ve been in California for almost all of the time. I made my living in radio and television. First, I was a disc jockey for three and a half years. It was in Apple Valley, CA, at a small station in the Roy Rogers Apple Valley Inn. What made it so great was that it just so happened there was a group of us there who were creative, interesting people. We were pretty much free to do whatever we wanted on the air. I started doing the 6 p.m. to midnight shift, and then moved to the 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. slot. I’ll tell you, it’s a great way to earn one’s keep. The problem was that to be creative you had to stay in a small market, but to make money, you had to go to a large market. But by that time, the large markets were mostly giving the time and announcing the formats...so I opted out. In 1973, I got a staff job at CBS here in LA. After working telecine (film projection) for six months, I had looked around the building and decided I wanted to go into sound effects. They needed a person, so it worked out nicely. I did the bells and buzzers on all the old game shows: Tattletales, Match Game, Jeopardy, Price is Right, Joker’s Wild, etc. I also did effects on The Young and Restless, The Cher Show and others I can’t think of at the moment. I always have a problem with large institutions, so I left CBS in 1978. My pattern for many years was to work three or four years and then not work until my money ran out. Sometime in the early ‘80s, NBC hired me to do sound effects on a soap opera called Santa Barbara. You probably never saw it, no one did. It always had bad ratings but won lots of awards. Go figure. It was a fantastic job. Great people, wild and wooly, lots of fun. I stayed about four years. Then I started a small publishing company and produced something called Children’s Story Scripts. I got writers from all over the country and one from Australia. They are a kind of reader’s theatre, but I chose stories that fit into school lessons and put a lot of teacher support material in each package. They were and are fabulous...but I couldn’t make enough to support both the business and myself. So it was back to studio work. But the problem was that it was now mostly daily hire...sound effects were fast becoming a thing of the past...done mostly in post production. So I went into putting microphone on people and taking care of headsets. I worked a lot of different shows. The longest stretch was on Price is Right (probably 15 years or so), and a lot on Days of Our Lives, and that sort of thing. Luckily, I got into doing the mics for the morning CBS news show like the Today Show or Good Morning America, but on CBS (the show had many names during the 15 or so years I worked it). The show is live from New York from 7-9 a.m., which is 4-6 a.m. here. Anytime they had a guest from LA, I would mic them up. We worked out of the CBS L.A. news bureau. It was a great job. I met soooooo many people…...


Everybody from Secretary of State Warren Christopher to Larry Flint (I hated to even touch him!). There was only one producer, the camera man, a make-up person and me. So nice. And we were quite chatty, so we had no trouble talking with the people when we were with them for an hour or two. Great fun, no traffic in the middle of the night, often home within two hours. In 2010, I had a hernia operation that took a long time to recover from … and by then nobody was going to hire someone my age. So I guess I retired. I never married. There were two men I would have married, but it didn’t happen. The ones I could have married, I didn’t want to. So, consequently, no children. I’ve kept up with a few friends through the years. And since deciding to attend our 50th, I’ve talked to some of my old theatre friends. It will be great to see them.

I guess we can count our lucky stars that we are still upright and functioning! My best to all my old friends. It will be great to see the campus again and hunt for things that still look the same!


Joann Bell Sudduth 836 Bluffview Drive Columbus, OH 43235 614-848-9419 jsudduth@columbus.rr.com

Spouse:

Dury

Children:

Bruce and Amy

Grandchildren:

Four

Following graduation with a B.S. in education, I taught in the Columbus Public Schools. Ted and I married in 1966 and after our children, Bruce and Amy, were born I was a stay-at-home mom. I volunteered in our children’s school, in our church and in the community. I have been a volunteer at Nationwide Children’s Hospital for 41 years, TWIG 88, an auxiliary support group that raises funds for the hospital. Following my husband Ted’s death in 1989, I stepped forward to operate the family business, Kaiser Machine Works, along with my son Bruce for the next eight years. Thanks to my education at Otterbein for providing me with the life skills needed to manage the business. In 1998, Dury, a long-time friend, and I started to date. We were married in August. Since our marriage we have enjoyed traveling abroad to England, Africa, Australia and China, along with travels in the U.S. We continue to enjoy attending many Otterbein theatre productions. Our church, Worthington Presbyterian, is very important to us. I serve as a deacon along with being involved in other church activities. My son, Bruce Kaiser, graduated from Ohio Northern. He now lives in Victoria, British Columbia, and is married with two children. My daughter, Amy Kaiser Spears, graduated from Otterbein in 1993 in education. She is married to Mark Spears, they have two children, they live in Dublin and she teaches there. Over the years, Lenore Brobst Lutz and I continue to be best friends. We have many wonderful memories of Otterbein from education classes, volleyball to Kappa Phi sorority. We have been friends since we were in second grade. Our children were in school, church and Boy Scouts together. We are sisters and friends until the end.


Edward Bradel 39541 Baker Lake Road Concrete, WA 98237 360-399-1762 ebradel@me.com Some memories of Otterbein: The Men’s Glee Club Ice skating on Alum Creek – probably not the safest activity Working in the biology labs – especially for my advisor Dr. Willis who once tricked me into believing I was stealing flowers for a botany lab from some strangers garden when in fact they were from her garden. Continued education: Ohio State for graduate school M.S. in Pathology Ph.D. in Physiology Work: Columbus Children’s Hospital Pathology Department Lecturer The Ohio State University

Professor of Biology at The University of Cincinnati Regional Campus in Blue Ash, Ohio. Spent the last three years in this position as the head of the biology department of 37 faculty members and staff. Family: Son - Jared Bradel currently an active duty naval officer Grandchildren Betsy – age 4 Alex – age 2 Daughter – Erica (deceased) Retirement:

Retired from the University of Cincinnati autumn of 2013 and four months later moved from Cincinnati to western Washington state to be near my son and his family. Hobbies: Building furniture and am currently building a wood/fiber glass canoe. Reading to grandchildren.


Stephen D. Bretz 11283 Lockport Court Cincinnati, OH 45240 513-851-4118 Bretzohio@yahoo.com

Spouse:

Carolyn J. Bretz

Children:

Kimberly, Amy and Terry

Grandchildren:

Bradlye, Chelsea, Kaitlyn, Logan and Jared

I was born and raised in Grandview Heights, Columbus, Ohio. I attended OSU for two years before transferring to Otterbein, where I became the production manager of the T & C from the fall of ‘64 till graduation. This was our transition from line-a-type to offset printing, both of which are obsolete now. I married the best looking girl in Dr. Bamforth’s calculus class, Carolyn Ramsey, x-67, in June, 1965. GE moved us to Cincinnati after graduation, and retired me in 1994 after 28+ years as a computer programmer. I have spent over 47 years as a firefighter / EMT for the Forest Park and Greenhills Volunteer Fire Departments. I was active for 37 years before an on-duty auto accident took me out of front-line responding service. I was named Fireman of the Year in 1987. I still run with the Greater Cincinnati Hazmat Unit as a charter member in 1988. Since 1966, I have been an active member at Forest Chapel United Methodist Church, and currently serve as a trustee. We have been on 13 cruises – mostly out of Florida. during January and February. I have been on Buckeye Nolake, Ohio since 1946, and we have owned a second home there since 1997. I have been retired since 1994 and really like sleeping in and not going to work daily. We are enjoying good health and we are looking forward to the Golden Reunion in April.


Rebecca (Becky) Sue Clark 620 N. Alex Road West Carrollton, OH 45449 937-859-8316

Otterbein College: B.A. history/music/Spanish, license secondary education, June 1966 Played intercollegiate basketball, freshman year Played clarinet in college band, freshman year through senior year Kent State University: M.A. history and music history, December 1977 Three year assistantship in the School of Music Played in the symphonic band United Theological Seminary: M.Divinity, May 1986 Student associate at Hale United Church of Christ, Dayton CPE at Miami Valley Hospital Substitute teaching at the same time MY LIFE Family: brother, Steven; niece, Jennifer and her husband, Daniel, and extended family Kent State shooting, vivid memories still stay with me from May 4, 1970 Substitute teaching 1977-1990s Trip to Australia, visiting relatives October 1979-January 1980 Ordained to Christian Ministry November 1, 1987 (All Saints Day) Served several UCC churches

1990s continued subbing and twice traveled to Europe, visiting England, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Germany and Lichtenstein. October 1993 moved back home to help my father manage the household after my mother’s death. Confirmed as an Episopalian 2005. Member of St. George’s Episcopal Church, Washington Township, Ohio. Served on Vestry, 2013-2016. Occasional choir member and serve as Verger, Lector and Intercessor, and teach a Wednesday morning Bible study. Enjoy reading, needlework and visiting with friends. Favorite TV show: The Big Bang Theory. Associate member Monday Night Club, Miamisburg. Member Mount Pleasant Cemetery Board, Poasttown, Ohio.


Edward L. Clarke 105 Keller Drive Ford City, PA 16226 724-388-2416 edbetclarke@ymail.com Spouse:

Elizabeth W. Clarke

Children:

Launa Elizabeth Harris

Grandchildren:

Kara, Amber, Jordan

Great-Grandchildren:

Isabella, Eva

Education after Otterbein: United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio, M.Div. 1969. Slippery Rock graduate courses as long term care administrator Career:

Served pastorates throughout western Pennsylvania United Methodist Conference, 1969-2001. Nursing home administrator Pittsburgh based hospital 1972-1976 Assistant director United Presbyterian for Children and Youth Center 1978-1979. Chaplain Civil Air Patrol northwest and central Pennsylvania from 2011-present

Hobbies:

Kittanning Museum and Genealogical Society Ford Memorial United Methodist Church Choir


Clockwise from top left: Amber, Launa, Kara and Jordan.

Eva Grace

Isabella Monroe


Michael H. Cochran 7722 Golden Wheat Lane Westerville, OH 43082

Spouse:

Gretchen Van Sickle ‘67

Children:

Amy ‘93, RN; Compdrug in Columbus, Client Rights Advocate; lives in Gahanna Laura, Ohio Dominican graduate; married to Matt Cavanaugh; ecampus.com, regional sales manager; lives a block away from us in Westerville

Grandchildren:

Michael (12), Katie (11), and Ryan (8) Cavanaugh

I have been rector of Christ Church Anglican in Columbus, Ohio, since 1990. With the exception of church responsibilities, I am fully retired. Gretchen and I enjoy spending time with our family; which fortunately is in close proximity, including Gretchen’s 96 year-old parents, Frank ‘41 and Mary Jane Kline Van Sickle ‘42. It is a pleasure to watch our grandchildren grow and mature. We stay active, do some traveling and appreciate this state of life after very busy years. Education after Otterbein: Capital University Law School/Juris Doctor Degree 1971 Methodist Theological School of Ohio/Master of Divinity 1986 Work Experience: Logan Elm High School 1966-1971, social studies teacher and basketball and baseball coach Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Circleville, Ohio, summer of 1971 Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Columbus, Ohio, 1971-1974 Private practice of law since 1974 until retirement in 2010 Executive Director of Ohio Township Association 1980-2010 Co-founder of two insurance pools for local governments Public Offices: Elected Law Director for the City of Reynoldsburg 1974-1979 Elected President of City Council of Reynoldsburg 1980-1982 Appointed Finance Director City of Reynoldsburg 1983-1985 Elected to four terms Reynoldsburg Board of Education in 1988 Elected to two terms State Board of Education 2000-2008 Associations and memberships: Served 25 years as a member of the Otterbein Board of Trustees, currently trustee emeritus Past President and former member of the National Association of Towns and Townships Past member Board of Directors Ohio Township Association Risk Management Authority Former member Ohio State and Columbus Bar Associations


Suellen Cochrane Wassem May 1– Nov 1 2715 Tara Trail E. Beavercreek, OH 45434 937-429-0347/937-238-4602 (mobile) Nov 1—May 1 11 N. Esplanade St. Englewood, FL 34223 941-460-8929 suellen@woh.rr.com Being an unhappy student at Bowling Green State University, I transferred to Otterbein College the middle of my sophomore year. I must admit that Jerry Wassem played into that decision, even though I cut into his social life. After graduating with an MRS. and a B.S. in Education, Jerry and I immediately started our twenty year military career. Home economics jobs were sparse, so I never did teach in the public schools.

Our first military assignment was at Hanscom A.F.B, just outside of Boston. We were there only a year, but we loved the area, the history, the sightseeing and the small towns. From Massachusetts, we went to Santa Monica, CA. Jerry was assigned to a civilian corporation, doing work with the Army, Navy and Air Force. Our first child, Heath, was born in St. John’s Hospital; where Dr. Marcus Welby “worked”…remember that show? One thing about living in southern California, we had lots of visitors!! Next, we moved to Woodbridge, VA, and Jerry worked at the Pentagon and then at Andrews A.F.B., Maryland. Four years after Heath was born, we had a daughter, Heather, who was born at Quantico Naval Hospital. Jerry and I both became involved in the local Jaycees. I became president of the Jaycee Wives group and was kept very busy. Jerry was then selected to attend graduate school at the University of West Virginia in Morgantown. It was quite an experience for 18 months. We are still W.V.U. fans during football and basketball seasons. Then, we headed south to Maxwell A.F.B, Montgomery, AL, where the Officer’s Professional Military Educational schools are located. The Officer’s Wives Club sponsored many activities for the student wives to keep them occupied while their spouses were studying. It was here that I put my teaching degree to work. I taught myself to quilt and appliqué by reading all the books I could find and then put together a class. I lucked out and had a great group of gals that wanted to learn more and more, so back to the library again! I, literally, knew one day more than my students. It was a fun time. Our next, and last, move was to Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH. We consider Beavercreek, Ohio home (when we are not at our Florida home). I went back to teaching adults again at one of our local quilt shops. I worked in the shop, as well as taught English smocking, quilting and appliqué for ten years. After that, I had a variety of jobs…delivering flowers, working in antique shops, interior decorating, an office manager for IT training company, and then started my own business, Pieceful Heart Designs. I designed, wrote and published eleven quilt patterns and seven quilting instructional books. I traveled twice a year to the International Quilt Market to “sell my wares”. My career was fun, stressful, and gratifying, but it was


something I never dreamed I could do. I met so many talented and fascinating people and visited many different cities. After ten years, it was time to retire. Now, I sew, read, hook rugs or knit whenever the spirit moves me and without any deadlines! I continue to work part-time at a little quilt shop in Ohio. Since 1967, I have been an active in various chapters of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, wherever we have lived. P.E.O. is an international philanthropic, educational organization “where women celebrate the advancement of women; educating women through scholarships, grants, awards, and loans and motivating women to achieve their highest aspirations.” We even own our own college, Cottey College, Nevada, MO. I have held offices during the years, serving as treasurer, vice president and president. I also co-chaired our annual state convention held at Wittenberg University. We worked for four years on that convention, but what a thrill it was when our committee received a standing ovation at the end of convention! For ten years I was a volunteer advocate for the Greene Co. Victim Witness Division of the Prosecutor’s office. The advocates respond to rape victims after hours. We counseled, comforted and supported them while in the emergency room and dealing with law enforcement. It was an eye-opening, educational experience! I was honored to receive a Volunteer of the Year award presented by the County Prosecutor. Our daughter, Heather Hyer, lives in Stillwater, NY, with her husband, Brian, and wonderful Schnauzer, Rocky. Heather is presently, a bathroom designer, but in March she will be an estimator for the largest familyowned home improvement center in New York. Brian is on the promotion list to become a Lt. Colonel in the New York State Army National Guard. Our son, Heath, lives in Mt. Kisco, NY, with his wife, Rebecca, and three children, Carolyn, Paige and Shane and two labradoodles. Heath is a P.G.A. club pro and owns the Pro Shop at Fenway Golf Club in Scarsdale, NY. My sister, Barbara Cochrane Palombo ’69, lives in Canton, OH, with her husband, Dominick. She was an elementary teacher for 30 years! They spend three winter months in Lake Jackson, TX, with their daughter, Amy, husband, John, and 10 year-old grandson, Dominick. In 2008, Jerry had had enough of the Ohio cold and gray winters, so we headed to Florida looking for Utopia. We rented places for two years and then in 2010 we bought a “tinominium” in Alameda Isles, Englewood, FL. We live in an over 55 waterfront community on the Gulf. There are activities galore and we have our own marina, so we just had to buy a boat! It sure does beat shoveling snow and wearing boots!!! Otterbein was a wonderful place to attend college. The students were friendly; the classes were small, and the professors accessible. We were able to develop lifetime friendships and still see many of our classmates frequently. It is amazing to know the number of Otterbein graduates that live in Beavercreek and the Dayton area! Jerry and I are both involved with the Dayton Alumni group and serve on the June Bug reunion committee. This get-together is graciously held every June at Helen and Bill LeMay’s beautiful home in Waynesville, OH. Otterbein has been good to us!


Catherine Cowperthwait Strohmeyer 81 Century Lane Watchung, NJ 07069 908-756-6773 cstrohmeyer@optonline.net Former Spouse:

William Strohmeyer

Children:

Eric Scott and Leslie Anne

After receiving my B.A., I returned to my home near where I was born in New Jersey where I reside today. I then attended Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School in Montclair, NJ, for a one-year business course designed for college graduates. Next, I worked at Sandoz, Inc. (now Novartis), an international pharmaceutical company, as a medical literature researcher. While working, I enrolled at Montclair State College in an advanced degree program where I earned three New Jersey Teaching Certificates in French, English, and history. Shortly after certification, I married. One year later, I gave birth to my first child. I remained a stay–at-home mom until my second child was born. After my second child entered preschool, I became a full time, grades 9-12, teacher in a local private school, Mount Saint Mary Academy, a member of the New Jersey Independent Schools Association. I remained a teacher of college bound students for fifteen years, during which time I taught a variety of subjects: English literature, language arts, French, sociology, and creative writing. I also monitored the school’s literary magazine which several times won recognition from The National Association of Teachers of English.

It was during this time that my marriage ended, and I became a single parent of our two children. We enjoyed vacations to the Jersey shore, and a trip to Washington, D.C. where my children participated in the CAR (Children of the American Revolution) conference. I went as one of the senior DAR moderators. To date, I am a 32-year DAR member and have served my local chapter as Regent and Vice-Regent. In July 2008, I won first place in the DAR Women’s Issues essay contest. I received my award in Washington in front of the historic Eagle Podium that has been used by our Presidents to give their inaugural addresses. The big life changing moment for me came in 1994. After the passing of my father, I decided it was time to move from our home in Dunellen, NJ, back to my childhood home in Watchung. This move was a harbinger of more changes to come. For most of the 90s, I was a caretaker of three elderly relatives who were failing. I left my teaching job and began to look for something else to do while I brushed up my business skills at Katharine Gibbs while I taught business English there. During this time, I began working temporary jobs at such companies as Channel, ATT, Merck, etc. The first decade of the new century brought further hardship for me. The employment market dried up over night as our country was plunged into not one recession, but two. Not only were my savings devastated, I was finding it impossible to find a job. I eventually found one at Duke Farms in Hillisborough, NJ, the estate of the late Doris Duke. At the Farms, I took reservations and gave tours of her gardens and home.


Today, retired, I am pursuing my own love of writing. I like most to write poetry and short stories, but my dream is to one day publish a novel. A few pieces of my writing when teaching were published in the NJ Independent Schools Newsletter. During a graduate course I took with other NJ writers at Drew University, we saw our writings self-published in a booklet, called “Tattoo.”

Receiving the DAR award

My son, Eric, who attended Drexel University, has found enjoyment in his railroading pursuits. My daughter, Leslie, is happily married. I was thrilled when my daughter graduated first with honors from New York Institute of Technology, and then from Seton Hall School of Law with a master’s in jurisprudence. She works for Johnson & Johnson. My son-in-law graduated from American University in D.C. with a degree in homeland security. He works for Bosch. My years at Otterbein were the best of my life. Participating in the Junior Year Abroad program at the University of Strasbourg, France, left me with a broadened understanding of our world and its many challenges. The erudite and wonderful professors I had opened up the world to me. The kindness of those who stood by me when I lost my mother to cancer my sophomore year will never be forgotten. A desire for life long learning was set during my Otterbein (1962-1966) years. Thank you, Otterbein.

Leslie’s Wedding


Dale Edward Creamer 9016 Pleasant Plain Road Brookville, OH 45309 937-833-4771/937-475-3833 dalecreamer@frontier.com Spouse:

Susan Klenk Creamer ‘66

Children:

Kimberly Sue Creamer Elling, BSN ‘92 graduate of Capital University; RN, Fidelity Home Health Care, Dayton, Ohio Kregg Edward Creamer, BS in education ‘96 Miami University; Athletic Director, Dixie High School, New Lebanon, Ohio

Grandchildren:

Devann, Tim, Sydney and Madelyn

Education: Master’s degree, Xavier University, 1971 Principal’s Certification Superintendent’s Certification, 1971-2004 Teaching and Coaching Experience, 1966-1977: Xenia West Junior High School Xenia High School Miami Trace High School Mt. Gilead High School Taught: physical education, health, biology, American history and driver’s education Coached: baseball, football, basketball, head varsity basketball coach at Miami Trace and Mt. Gilead Administrative Experience 1977-2004: Assistant Principal/Athletic Administrator, Mt. Gilead High School Principal, Twin Valley North High School, Lewisburg, Ohio Principal, Brookville High School, 22 years, 1982-2004 Accomplishments at Brookville High School: Chosen as a participant in Southwest Ohio Principals Academy Presented at North Central Convention, “Implementing a Student Leadership Retreat” Presented at Ohio High School Principal’s Convention, “Implementing a Crisis Intervention Program” Initiated a student recognition program incorporating business principles, Renaissance Program Initiated the following programs: Athletic Hall of Fame, Athletic Wall of Champions, SWAP (Switch With a Parent Day), trained 10 individuals to become effective and competent school administrators, created an educational foundation, created a SOAR club (Supporters of Academic Recognition), started a senior citizen Christmas luncheon, created the Brookville Community Scholarship Foundation which has awarded 1,006 scholarships amounting to $1.5 million. Athletic Career-Post Otterbein: Baseball umpire, Ohio High School Athletic Association 1969-1982 Elected member of the Southwest District Athletic Board 1991-2004, secretary of the board 2005-present Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Control 1992-1994, 1998-2001


Elected President of Ohio School Athletic Association Board of Control 1993-1994, Vice President 19981999, and President again 2000-2001. Selected to Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame 2012 Special Honors/Awards: Brookville High School Hall of Fame 2007 Flagpole at Brookville High School erected in my name honoring the many new program initiatives 2004 Selected to be a Torch Bearer for the 2002 Winter Olympics, carried in the Dayton, Ohio area Selected as a trustee for the Brookville Community Scholarship Foundation 2010 An annual scholarship given in my name by the Southwest District Athletic Board Retirement Activities: Reading Church and community service Serving on a Brookville, Ohio, interviewing committee for hiring city employees Travel: Many areas of the U.S. including New England, western National Parks and Monuments, Alaska, Hawaii, Canadian Rockies, eastern Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, London, Paris and Normandy, France. Enjoying grandchildren and watching their many activities Accompanied my Dad, a World War II veteran, on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. I look forward to our celebration in April. All of us have blazed a trail that left many etchings along the way. Without any hesitation, we have brought great honor to our college. I feel certain that all of us have left indelible marks on every acquaintance that we made. My accomplishments have surpassed what many projected, including myself, but they all became possible via great friends, a strong wife, a great family and a relationship with God.


David M. Crippen 2831 Southfield Drive Beavercreek, OH 45434 937-429-3101 daveloggie@aol.com Spouse:

Marsha

Children:

Michelle, graduate Miami University Jennifer, graduate Ohio University Shari, graduate Ohio State University Ken, graduate Ohio State University

Grandchildren:

Jeremiah, Macayla, Hadley, Ella, Evie, Annie

While at Otterbein, I was in ROTC and on the drill team. We marched in the Cherry Blossom Parade twice during my four years along with many other drill team competitions those years. After graduation, with a B.S. in math, I was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and spent the next 24 years in the Air Force moving around the country and finally retiring as a Colonel. My nine assignments included bases in Denver, CO; Columbus, OH; Tacoma, WA; Anchorage, AK (5 years); Colorado Springs, CO; Keflavik, Iceland; Washington, DC; Sacramento, CA; and Dayton, OH. I retired from the Air Force as a Colonel at Wright-Patterson AFB with 24 years service. I was an aircraft maintenance officer with tours supporting flying organizations. I then spent the next 24 and one-half years working as a contractor for various organizations in the Dayton area doing work for the Air Force at Wright-Patterson. While in Anchorage, I earned a master’s in business administration from the University of Alaska. My emphasis was information systems during the period when small computers/workstations were just becoming available. During my free time, we camped around Alaska. I panned one-half ounce of gold one summer at an old gold mine site. I was able to catch three King Salmon and lots of other good fish. Visiting Mt. Denali was incredible. One of the most interesting and demanding jobs I had in the Air Force was commander of a maintenance squadron with 450 personnel assigned. We had about 60 T-37 and 19 C-43 aircraft at Mather AFB to support navigator training. Additionally, we had three detachments located elsewhere in California and Washington, with our personnel and aircraft there to support navigator continuation training. While in Montgomery, AL, I attended Air War College and earned another master’s degree. My research paper was selected as the best logistics paper of the class. I retired from the Air Force November 1990 and worked as a contractor for companies providing support to Wright-Patterson AFB for the next 24 years, finally retiring in 2014.


I have enjoyed traveling and have been to 48 of our states with the goal to finish all 50 in the next couple years. Additionally, I have been to Europe (England, Scotland, Germany, and Spain), South America (Columbia and Brazil), Africa (Morocco) and Mexico, Canada and several Caribbean Islands.


Anne Elizabeth Croskey 3586 Reed Road Columbus, OH 43221

After Otterbein, as my father says, I left home and never returned. I’m not sure he forgave me, but he forgot that I had come all the way from San Diego, California. I fell in love with Upper Arlington nearby and have established myself here. My private practice as a licensed clinical psychologist is here as well. Alas! I’ve not moved my home or practice since. I have taken a circuitous route to being a psychologist, however. I was a “psych major” at Otterbein (as any self-respecting Arbutus was), but when I applied to OSU to do my Ph.D., it became clear they “were not accepting women in the Experimental Psychology program.” Seriously, they said that! So I went to work—at the Welfare Department in Columbus. There I received a very different, but important education. And a year later, I was off to apply to OSU again (brave, huh?)! This time I was accepted into the College of Social Work and earned my master’s in social work by 1969. After several years, I began teaching in the master’s program and learned as much or more as a professor as I had as a student there. As a licensed independent social worker, I practiced for quite some time, eventually entering private practice, first as a part of a group practice, and finally, into my current solo practice. But!! I had never been happy without my Ph.D. in psychology. So in 2001, after the disaster on 9/11, I determined I was going to get that Ph.D., one way or another. At the tender age of 57, I entered the Union Institute and the University of Cincinnati. I commuted; as I was unmarried and had to support myself, I worked threequarter time while earning my final degree. It was a six-year adventure, but alas here I am! As my career is only a career, I’ve entertained myself in other ventures besides teaching at OSU. Most interesting is my work in the Upper Arlington Rotary, my experience with Leadership UA as its executive director, various positions in UA city government, singing with Sweet Adelines and continuous efforts to perfect my painting (not houses). As I have always exercised, I am fortunate to still be working. After all, I have to feed my animals and friends—and buy my books! And my father will be 100 this year! In reaction to being so “nerdy” in college, I’ve had many “learning experiences.” But I am grateful for those as I’ve never learned anything good the easy way! And, not surprisingly, my liberal education has taught me to be a Conservative.


Philip R. Dever 887 E. Anson Drive Cincinnati, Ohio 45245 Prd13@fuse.net

Spouse:

Carol J. Ruehrwein Dever

Children:

Laurie – graduate of Western Kentucky University elementary school teacher in Florida, currently home schooling 4 children

Amanda – graduate of Valencia College in Orlando, currently a registered sleep lab technician with the Florida Hospital Association in Orlando Born: Dayton, Ohio Education after Otterbein: USAF Advanced MSC Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas, 1974 Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington; Degree: M.A . in human resources management, 1977 Career: First Life: 2nd Lieutenant assigned to Kelly AFB, Texas 1st Lieutenant assigned to Yokota AB, Japan (Met my wife in Japan and she was from Cincinnati) Captain assigned to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio Several positions and left the Air Force in 1979 Second Life: Vice President Human Resources Clermont Mercy Hospital 1979-1992 Administrator 178 TAC Hospital Springfield ANG, Ohio Desert Shield/Desert Storm call up 1991 Retired from Air National Guard as Lt. Colonel in 1992 Third Life: COO/CEO Peoples Hospital Mansfield, Ohio 1992-1998 Interim CEO Paris Community Hospital 1999 Director Comp and Benefits St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Retired in 2005 Former Board Member West Ohio United Methodist Credit Union



Memorial for

Terry D. Dillon 1944-2015

At Otterbein Terry and I were both in the French program and went to France our junior year to study at the University of Strasbourg. After graduation we both went on to separate careers. When I came back to Otterbein in 1987 to work as a librarian, I decided to look up Terry. I seemed to remember that he was teaching around Waynesville. I found his phone number and gave him a call. His brother, Gavin, answered the phone and told me that Terry had suffered a debilitating stroke which had affected his speech. He insisted that I come to see Terry despite his speech difficulties. I drove to Waynesville to find Terry living in an old converted train depot in the little village of Lytle. It was filled with antiques and many souvenirs from his travels around the world. His house was like stepping into the past of 100 years ago. He greeted me with open arms as though it was 1966. That visit began a twenty-eight year friendship that meant much to both of us. Since Terry was unable to communicate with me very clearly, Gavin was able to fill in the details of Terry’s life since leaving Otterbein. He went to graduate school at the University of Minnesota where he earned a master’s degree in French language and literature. He also worked as a graduate assistant. He made many friends there who he kept in touch with after graduation. He left Minnesota and took a job at Miami University teaching entry level French classes. He wanted to teach the upper level classes rather than the university required classes. He also learned that students came to college unprepared in high school French which was very disappointing to him. At that point he decided to change careers. He went back to France to attend La Varenne Culinary School in Paris. He bought a Volkswagen van and when not in school, he traveled. He went as far as Turkey. He acquired a dog, a chocolate Afghan hound named Vassar. Being a fearless traveler, he entered several communist countries. Local people would invite him into their homes as they were curious about Americans. He returned to the U.S. and took a job in a restaurant in Seattle. He thought the rainy weather was depressing so he came back to Ohio. He took a job in a Cincinnati restaurant for a while. Again he changed careers and decided to become a high school French teacher. He earned his secondary school teaching certificate at the University of Dayton and started teaching at Waynesville High School. He also began a catering business specializing in authentic French food. He was very successful with only word of mouth advertising. Many of his customers for a number of years were influential people in the Cincinnati area. At Waynesville High School he was the yearbook advisor and published very non-traditional yearbooks. He organized a French Club and fundraised enough money each year to take students to France each summer. The students made and sold French onion soup at the Waynesville Sauerkraut Festival each year. That expanded into a French Dining Experience for the community where the students helped him prepare and serve an authentic French meal. One year they served seventy-five meals to their customers. He was well loved by both faculty and students. He also became involved in organic gardening. His father gave him and Gavin five acres on the family farm near Springboro. For pest control they purchased ladybugs and praying mantises. They planted sweet corn and green beans to sell at their farm market and to local grocery stores. Terry was also very interested in French Quimper faience pottery which is produced in Brittany in northwest France. He traveled to the village of Quimper each summer to buy pieces for his personal collection and to find pieces to sell to other collectors. His collection was extensive and included many museum quality pieces. In the 1990s, I invited Terry to exhibit his collection in the Otterbein Library.


Terry loved Christmas and hosted flamboyant Christmas parties at his home in Lytle. He would often travel to Paris to buy wine, cheeses and chocolates for the party. He prepared authentic French food served on Quimper plates. The house was decorated with a live Christmas tree which he adorned with lighted candles in the German tradition. Throughout the house were Christmas decorations from around the world. Sadly in 1985, he suffered a stroke and lost his ability to speak. He was no longer able to speak clearly but that did not stop him from traveling around the world one last time. He managed to visit Cuba around 2004 by flying in from the Cayman Islands. He also went to Africa and visited Timbuktu in Mali. Gavin does not understand how he was allowed in as a tourist. But knowing Terry, where there was a will, there was a way. He was a fearless traveler. He gravitated to the forbidden places. Terry was also an avid stamp collector who collected stamps from around the world. He would always put these on the antique holiday post cards he would mail to his friends every year.

Terry died at his home in January 2015. At his memorial service I spoke about our days as classmates at Otterbein and in France. The church was filled with his many students and friends who all had wonderful stories to tell about Terry and his impact on their lives. He was loved by all. As you read this, you will probably realize that Terry was one of our most colorful classmates. He was hilariously funny, loved his students, and most of all was the ultimate Francophile. The French would gladly call him their own. Written by Mary Ellen Armentrout and Gavin Dillon


Jack A. Driscoll 234 Sky Top Road Acme, PA 15610 Radnav234@aol.com

Spouse:

Lisa Driscoll

Children:

Matthew and Mikisa

Upon departing Otterbein and leaping into the “real world,” I was hit by the realization that I had to support a wife and baby on the way. I asked for, and received, a year deferment before going on active duty with the Air Force. During that time, I taught fifth grade in the Connellsville (PA) Area School District. I enjoyed the experience and learned a lot about teaching in general. I also had several flashbacks “just you wait until…” moments that my mom would always bring up. The year passed quickly and I soon found myself driving cross country to Mather AFB, CA, for navigator training. Somehow my direction-challenged brain caught on and upon graduation, I went to B-52 training at Castle, AFB, also in California. There, I was reunited with Gary Leonard ‘66, another Otterbein grad. Gary had grown up in Scottdale, PA, and we liked to tell people that we went to different high schools together. In July, 1969, I reported for duty as a brand new B-52D navigator to Carswell AFB, Ft. Worth, TX. In September of that year, our wing was sent to Guam to participate in the Vietnam conflict. For the next six months, we flew missions out of Guam, Okinawa, and Thailand. During that deployment, I was again united with Gary as he was now a B-52 navigator assigned to McCoy AFB, FL. After four additional tours in SE Asia the war finally ended and I returned to Carswell where I was upgraded to radar navigator. In 1974, I was selected to be an instructor at the new combat crew training squadron, where I taught new navigators and navigators upgrading to radar navigator, the joys of flying in the B-52D. By this time, Gary Leonard was also at Carswell and was selected as an evaluator. After two years of not having a student fail a check ride, I was selected to be an instructor at the Central Flight Instructor Course (CFIC) where I would teach radar navigators, who had been selected to become instructors, the art of instructing. That brought back memories from my first flight in the B-52 at Castle. We took off and a CFIC flight was landing behind us. They crashed on the runway (no fatalities) and we spent a night away from home. In 1977, I went to Ellsworth AFB, SD as an intelligence officer in the airborne command and control squadron. After three years at the 4th ACCS, I was asked to return to CFIC where I flew until the B-52D was retired for the force in 1983. I was then assigned to March AFB, CA as an intel planner where I worked in a room next to (wait for it) Gary Leonard. I retired in November 1987. Gary also retired and started a construction business. I learned that he passed away two years ago. You are missed buddy. After retirement, I worked for one year as a substitute teacher and was actually asked to return. I told them that I had five tours in Vietnam and the experience paled by comparison. Remember how substitutes were treated when you were in school?


I then went to work for the Riverside, CA, Department of Environmental Health as an assistant to the division director, Damian Meins. We became close friends and I was very saddened to learn that he was one of the 14 murdered by terrorists in San Bernardino last year. In 1997, I returned to Connellsville to help my mom as my stepfather had passed and she was living alone. I bought a house in the mountains not too far away and was able to take care of her needs until she also passed away in 1998. During that time, I was the executive director of a small environmental non-profit, putting my Riverside experience to use. I am now totally retired and Lisa works as an assistant professor at California University of Pennsylvania. Matthew is working as a real estate agent in Grand Prairie, TX, as well as owning a commercial facility watering company, and flipping houses. Mikisa is a senior at Penn State and has been accepted to medical school where she will become a pediatrician.

When I retired from the air force, my co-workers gave me a model B-52 with the inscription “Don’t worry – Be happy.” Life is good.


Judith Evans Walls 59 West Broadway Westerville, OH 43081 614-891-1662 jwalls@cscc.edu Spouse:

Paul Walls

Children:

Christina, Mitchell, Kevin and Karen

Grandchildren:

Russell, Chelsey, Jessie, Anastasia, Timothy, Gabriel, Katie, Walter, Avery, Olivia, Abbigail, Isabella and Bennett

Great Grandchildren:

Allan, Zackary and Matilda

Amazing! How quickly 50 years flies by! Looking back has brought a flood of fond memories to mind...scrap day when trying to locate old outhouses for our freshman bonfire, panty raids when my friend Michelle thought that they wanted pennies not panties, sunning on Barlow Hall, Coke dates and dancing at the old campus center, spring formals, artist series and concerts, professors—a few who could put you to sleep at 7:45 in the morning but mostly those who would challenge and inspire—and many wonderful friends. After graduating later than the rest of my class, in 1967, I was hired by Mr. Ed Rarey ‘52 to be his second grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary in Gahanna, replacing Vera Garrabrant Hall ‘65 and Ann Hutchins Whiteside ‘66. Here I taught for 30 years. I loved it! The people I worked for and with were wonderful. While teaching, I had the privilege of mentoring both student teachers and interns from Otterbein. During this time, I was doing my graduate work through Ohio State University in outdoor education and later helped develop and set up a land lab for our district. It now sadly lies under a condominium community. The year 1996 brought retirement for me. I left to help take care of and spend time with my elderly 93 yearold father and my brother who had cerebral palsy. Upon their passing, I went back to work as an adjunct for 11 years at Columbus State, teaching everything from QuickBooks to computer keyboarding, as well as running a testing lab and instructing orientation classes. I married my husband, Paul Walls, in 1972. He came with a ready-made family of four children, Christy, Mitchell, and twins, Kevin and Karen. They, in turn, have blessed us with 13 grandchildren and three greats. The year of our country’s big birthday celebration, 1976, was the time of a big change in both of our lives. It was the year that we both committed our lives to Christ, and our lives took on new directions. Paul returned to school to finish classes that he had started years before at Olivet University in Illinois, working toward his ordination. We became youth leaders in our local church and later held Bible studies in our home. Throughout the 80s and 90s, we led a marriage ministry that was a part of a national ministry based out of Council Bluffs, Iowa. We referred to it as a “MASH” unit because it helped those who were traumatized due to going through a break-up or a divorce. Along with the support group, we manned two radio programs on WRFD, a local Christian radio station. One was a teaching, the other a call-in. We were honored to be part of many conferences on marriage and led many workshops on marriage restoration.


Several years after Paul was ordained, we started a non-denominational church which is now under the covering of the Christian Community Churches. We have both English and Hispanic services. This has given me many new responsibilities that keep me busy. I now serve as Children’s Ministry Head, allowing me once again to teach, this time as a Sunday school teacher. We both love to travel. Our vacations have provided us with many adventures both in the States and abroad. Trips throughout Italy, Paris, London, Germany, Austria and Switzerland have given us many memorable experiences. A cruise to Alaska will be crossed off our bucket list this year. While living most of my life near Westerville, I now reside in Otterbein’s back yard. I still hear the chimes playing—daily ringing—bringing back an influx of memories of “remember whens.” In reflection, it has been a wonderful life. I know that God has walked me through both the good and the bad. For this, I am most grateful and that part of it included my years at Otterbein. How blessed I was to be an Otterbein “Otter!”


Michael J. Fensler 866 E. Michigan Avenue Grass Lake, MI 49240 517-522-5141 mjfensler@yahoo.com

My four years at Otterbein resulted in a bachelor’s degree in history and government, with a teaching certificate which I never actually used. On the way to 1966, most of my experiences were driven by my membership in Eta Phi Mu fraternity (Jonda), where I served as house manager in 1965-66. The only academic awards I recall were two as part of my participation in AFROTC for four years, a medal from the Chicago Tribune and one from the American Legion. My interest in history, going back to age 11 or so, promoted a trip to the 1965 inaugural of Lyndon Johnson, with four other Jonda members (and one independent). I also continued to collect artifacts and relics, with two special items of Otterbein interest, a 1920 Victrola, given to me by Dr. Lee Shackson, head of the music department, which had resided in Lambert Hall attic for probably 35 years ( and now in my home for 53 years) and a record by the glee club, recorded in 1925, and obtained from an aunt who attended Otterbein in 1924-26. Upon graduation, I began 11 years in the U.S. Air Force, being an AFROTC graduate, leaving the military in 1977. I began my career as an electronics buyer in various manufacturing and assembly plants in southeast Michigan, where I moved in 1978. My stint as a purchasing agent ended in July 2009, when my final place of employment moved out of Michigan into Illinois. During my Michigan years (still going on), my interest in history brought me to the board of directors of two non-profits, our local historical society (where I was president for 25 years and still serve as a board member) and an organization that renovated our 1887 railroad depot which had fallen into ruin. That association continues also. With no family attachments, my life has been pretty sedate, broken up by trips to the West and East, and one to England, at infrequent intervals. With one exception, the friends I still communicate and visit with are those I met at Otterbein College, and those friends are my most precious memories of my four years in the “QPV.�


Sandra Fisher Lezotte 965 Monroe Street Denver, CO 80206

Spouse:

Dennis Lezotte

PRELUDE Dayton, OH:

Born in Dayton; grew up on a farm near Findlay, OH

Westerville:

Bachelor’s of Music Education (1966)

DOWNBEAT Painesville, OH: Began career as an Elementary Music Teacher (1966-1968) Taught in Saturday School, a federally-funded program for disadvantaged youth

SOLO Honolulu, Hawaii: Elementary/Middle School Music Teacher in Honolulu, HI; Hanahauoli School (’69-’73) and Punahou School (‘73-‘81) Band vocalist at the ‘Top of the I’ lounge (Ilikai Hotel) and the ‘Summit Lounge’ (Ala Moana Hotel) in Waikiki, HI (‘71-’81)

DUET Manoa Valley, Honolulu:

Married Dr. Dennis Lezotte; January, 1981

ENSEMBLE Children By Marriage: Nicole – medical technology degree, University of S. Florida; EPIC application analyst at SCL in Golden, CO. Derek – senior sales representative at Biotronik, Inc., a cardiology medical device company, Tampa, FL


THEME AND VARIATIONS Colorado Career:

Elementary Music Teacher at North Mor in Northglenn, CO for twenty-two years; retired in 2004 For the past twelve years, I have been a half/time K-5 Music Teacher at Lowry Elementary School in Denver; Lowry’s unique diversity is reflected in its 55% middle class and 45% Colorado Coalition For The Homeless students.

Advanced Degrees:

Master’s of Music Ed. from the University of Colorado; Boulder Campus Orff-Schulwerk Level Three Certification; University of Denver

NOTES Career Highlights:

Excellence in Education Award (Roy Romer; Governor) Lowry Elementary Teacher of the Year Elected to the twelve-member National Board of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association Mentored (and hopefully inspired) dozens of fledgling teachers over my forty-nine years in music education

ACCENTS The CODA has yet to be written. In the meantime, Den (retired Chair of Biometrics at UC Health Sciences Center) and I will continue to celebrate our active lives through travel, tennis (Den), good books (Sandy), and treasuring precious moments with family, friends, and granddaughter, Miranda.


Betty Fitch Gibson P O Box 347 Evinston, FL 32633

Spouse:

David Gibson, deceased Jan. 31, 2016

Children:

Amy (Ryan) Lovelady, Evin and Will (Katherine)

Grandchildren:

Landon Lovelady

I was born raised in Findlay, Ohio. When I was looking at colleges, Otterbein just really called to me. After finishing in January 1966, I went to Plymouth, Ohio, and became the math teacher for the high school. Barb Zirkle joined me the next fall, and we shared an apartment for two years. Then I went to the University of Alabama, in Tuscaloosa, to get my master’s degree in math. I was blessed to get a job, teaching math, at Palm Beach Junior College, now Palm Beach College, in Lake Worth, Florida. While there, I met a special person, David, who was also teaching there. We were married in 1973. David then got a job at the University of Florida, in Gainesville, in 1974. I was able to be a homemaker, and our daughter, Amy, was born in 1978. We moved to the country, a small town called Evinston, about 15 miles south of Gainesville. Then Evin was born, then Will. So my life was filled with sports and band and their school activities. And we got involved with two small churches in the area. In 1999, we moved to Tuscaloosa for a year, so my husband could work on his Ph.D. We took our youngest, Will, with us, and he attended the local high school. Then we came back to UF. All our children attended UF. We all really enjoyed our time there. In 2002, I started teaching math at Sante Fe Community College. I stayed there for 10 years. In 2009 David was diagnosed with ALS. But it was slow. He was a visiting research professor in LeMans, France, for six months in 2012. (Of course, I went with him). And in 2013, our grandson was born, and became the joy of our lives. I was able to take care of him his first year, when his mother went back to work. David was able to keep doing some teaching until 2014. He gradually got more disabled as time went on, and died Jan. 31, 2016. All our children live in Gainesville right now. All in all, I feel very thankful and blessed.


Michael M. Fribley 3620 Spangler Road Columbus, OH 43207 614-491-6831 frib@columbus.rr.com Spouse:

Susan J. Thorn, B.S. and M.S. Ohio University, married April 6, 1968

Children:

Amy M. McKinlay ‘93, Capital University College of Law 1996, McKinlay Law Offices, LLC, Columbus, OH.

Grandchildren:

Payton McKinlay, born Nov. 30, 2004

Master of Arts Degree, Ohio State University, 1971; inducted into Phi Kappa Phi, National Honor Society

Worked for Columbus Clippers AAA baseball team for 21 years

Retired from Columbus Public Schools in 1998 after a 32 year career. Have not worked a day since.

Master Gardener affiliated with Ohio State University Extension Service since 1999. Currently coordinator of Franklin County Extension Garden Information Line, a telephone service answering gardening questions.

Member of OSU Extension Ask an Expert Program, answering gardening questions statewide.

I spend my days working on my two acre property, mowing grass, tending to my apple trees, landscape, and vegetable/flower gardens.

Life is good.


Dianne (Tish) Garverick Rundell P O Box 393 Gambier, OH 43022 diannerundell@gmail.com

Spouse:

Fred Rundell

After graduating from Otterbein with an art education degree I began my teaching career in Shelby, Ohio, at the junior high school.

The summer after my first year of teaching, I moved to Columbus and had a job with the Parks and Recreation system for the summer season. It was in a part of town that I would hesitate to drive through at this age! I moved to Galion, Ohio, and completed my additional six years of teaching in that area. While there I met my future husband, Fred Rundell. He was also teaching in the Galion area as a business teacher. We were married in 1970. Little did we know that those two areas would lead us to our life’s work. In addition to teaching, I had an interest in “all things art”. I explored many avenues, one of which was weaving. Fred had an interest in woodworking. The two of us would spend weekends exhibiting our work at art fairs. One weekend we had our booth beside two men who made jewelry. That weekend became a turning point for us! Fred had a relative who made jewelry and we did some private instruction with him. We were soon hooked on creating with metal! We read everything we could find about the art of metalsmithing. Soon we were making jewelry in our meager workshop: a card table set up in the second bedroom of our apartment. We attended art fairs on weekends. We were both teaching and soon it became apparent that jewelry was more interesting to us than teaching. In February of 1973, we purchased our first home in Mount Vernon. In August of the same year we opened Silver Cove – our jewelry business in Mount Vernon. Fred taught for two more years as we got the business established. Our first years in business were very busy – exhibiting in art fairs throughout the Midwest, participating in workshops with the Society for North American Goldsmiths, serving on the board of Ohio Designer Craftsmen, exhibiting in juried art exhibitions at various museums, doing independent study at Ohio State University and keeping our business growing. The progression of our business meant more custom design and more work in gold. As our business grew, so did our need for more space. In 1986, we moved our business to a location on the main street of Mount Vernon. The focus of our business had become more gold than silver so the move meant a new name: Rundell Goldsmiths. As the business was thriving we added a new creative challenge in the form of a new home. We bought a beautiful property in the hills of Gambier, Ohio, and commenced to design and build our dream home. We had a wonderful time creating our home and a delightful experience with our builder. As the years progressed our business grew and we built wonderful relationships with clients who became friends. We sold one of a kind jewelry that we had created and also developed a fruitful custom design base . We have made many, many wedding bands for couples who are looking for rings that are significant to the beginning of their lives together. In addition, we have custom designed many individual pieces representing a special story with meaning that goes beyond a piece of jewelry.


We have created some exciting pieces for our clients over the years. We completed a series of chalices these were designed with a bud of idea from the client and our design. Most of the series of eight were sterling silver but one was especially beautiful. It was 14k and 22k gold set with rubies . It incorporated granulation, an ancient technique we researched and began to use in our work. Another special piece we were commissioned to make was the inauguration medal for the president of Kenyon College – it was a large medallion of gold and enamel with links of gold, each engraved with the name and years of service of one of the former presidents of Kenyon College. A project that we completed in 2014 was a meditation altar which we installed in the home of a client – it was 40” x 80”. The altar was made of copper which had been formed by metal manipulation, chasing and repousse`. In 2010, we closed our store front location in Mount Vernon and moved our business to our home in Gambier and became Rundell Studio. We now work by appointment and still keep very busy with jewelry . The move has given us time to devote to our property and make it flourish. We love traveling, but it seems now we have more interest in returning to our favorite locations rather than discovering all that the world has to offer. Favorites for us are Santa Fe, NM; Asheville, NC; Pass A Grille Beach, FL; Tucson, AZ and the city of Saint Petersburg, FL. However, my all time favorite place to visit is New Orleans, LA. Our first trip to New Orleans was on our honeymoon and it took two more visits to “get it”… 20 visits later I am still discovering a city that is so unlike any place I know yet it is like I have been a part of it forever! The Jazz Fest, the French Quarter Festival and each part of that city is a part of me. We do not have children, however we have six wonderful nieces and nephews— and a multitude of greats from them. They are all such individuals. I love watching them become who they are! Over the past 46 years we have been fortunate enough to have seven dogs who have shared our home with us at various times. The collection included a miniature schnauzer, a cocker spaniel, a corgi blend, and four whippets. Each of the seven has demanded different things of us and I think we have met their expectations. We have loved each one of them and now that we only have one dog it is hard to imagine ever having a life without a “dog boss.” Semi-retirement has given me the opportunity to return to my roots of painting. I have begun to do encaustic painting – which is a very old technique. It involves painting with hot, melted wax, building layers of color and texture and fusing each layer onto the previous one with a blow torch or heat gun. It has been wonderful to paint again. The one thing that creating jewelry could not do for me was give me the use of color I achieve by painting. I believe that my years at Otterbein studying with Earl Hassenpflug who taught me to reach and Lillian Frank who taught me the importance of the past helped to make me an artist. Those two, my high school art teacher, who taught me to always make sure I had time for my own creative life and my parents, my family, my husband, and now all of my friends, have let me become the person that I am today … a person who lives a life that is art!


Michael Grayem 2021 Destin Place, S Reynoldsburg, OH 43068

Spouse:

Jill Jenkins Grayem ‘66

Children:

Jason and Jeremy

Grandchildren:

Noah and Lily

After completing my education at Otterbein, I began teaching English and coaching basketball at Hamilton Township High School, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. I remained there for five years until I moved back to Westerville as an English teacher and basketball coach. After being there three years, I was asked to be the head basketball coach at Reynoldsburg High School in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. During my tenure in Reynoldsburg, I was fortunate to coach both my sons in basketball, who were both named First Team in the Ohio Capital Conference. While in Reynoldsburg, I taught English and a program for at-risk students. In February 2000, I retired after 32 years. After marrying Jill Jenkins in 1967, we lived in Westerville until we moved to Reynoldsburg to be closer to work. That is where we raised our two boys. While they were growing up, I coached them in several sports. They went on to earn six varsity letters each in baseball, basketball and golf. Now I enjoy watching my grandson, Noah, and my granddaughter, Lily, growing up and playing sports. After retiring, Jill and I spend the winter months in Hilton Head Island, SC. We bought a cottage there several years ago. While there, I worked at a a couple of golf courses to take advantage of free play. The winters have been fun, meeting new friend and exploring the warmer South! Otterbein has always been a source of joy for me. My days with Coach Tong were life changers. He helped define me as a person and coach. Otterbein was a special time in my life where I met life-long friends and earned an education that benefited me in life.


Jack S. Gruber 226 Wildcat Mountain Trail Sylva, NC 28779 Js.gruber@frontier.com

After graduating with a B.S. in biology, I attended and graduated from Ohio State Medical School in 1970, and began a rotating internship at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. A residency in obstetrics and gynecology followed at Miami Valley from 1971-1974. I completed a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, 1974-1976. I joined the faculty of the School of Medicine at Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, as an assistant professor, where I taught and practiced reproductive endocrinology and infertility for 30 years, moving up to associate professor, professor and professor emeritus upon retirement. While at Wright State, I served in a variety of roles including the School of Medicine Department of OB/ GYN’s division director for reproductive endocrinology and infertility, director of teaching associates, student clerkship director, and in the year prior to retirement, vice-chairman of the department. I also served on both the University’s and the hospital’s Institutional Review Boards for Human Research for 27 years, chairing the University’s for 25 and the hospital’s for the last nine years before retirement. I was also program chair for the Annual Nicholas J. Thompson Update of Women’s Health symposium for most of its first 25 years. Recognition during my tenure: the School of Medicine’s “No Dose” Teaching Excellence Award in 1983. The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Alumni Award in 2000. The Civilian Faculty Award and Council for Resident Education in Obstetrics & Gynecology Award in 2005. Best Doctors in America list for 2003-2004. Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals 2004-2005. The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology has endowed a scholarship in my honor to be given to a year VI medical student who is either from a rural area or plans to practice in a rural area. “This fund was established in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine in recognition of Dr. Gruber’s tremendous impact on the lives of patients he treated and the residents and medical students he educated.” I retired to Sylva, NC, in the Smoky Mountains with Charlene T. Luciani, my life partner of 32 years, who just recently passed away.


Brian Hajek 4500 Crompton Drive Columbus, OH 43220 15 Bluebill Avenue Unit 1104 Naples, FL 34108 Hajek.1@outlook.com and bysgrma@columbus.rr.com

Spouse:

Edith Sheets Hajek ‘66

Our personal life adventure began for the two of us at Otterbein College some 54 years ago when Brian spotted Edith across the street from the Administration Building and Towers Hall at the corner of College Avenue and Grove Street. This began a three-year quest on our parts (sometimes his and sometimes hers) that resulted in a lifetime commitment being made at the beginning of our senior year, and a marriage shortly after we graduated. In a vision of the future, Brian thought he had won the Super Bowl (the first of which only happened some six months later) and exclaimed “I’m going to Disney World!” Of course WDW didn’t open for another five years. Since then we’ve enjoyed the “happiest place on earth” together every year and every day of our lives, an experience that could only have started at Otterbein College. And so here we are 50 years after graduation typing on a tablet (a what?) while looking out over the Gulf of Mexico in Naples, Florida. While we live in Columbus, Ohio, most of the year, we enjoy the warmth of this tropical paradise in the winter months and the crispness of the Colorado mountains in late summer. This could only have occurred due to our experiences at Otterbein College. On the personal side we’ve enjoyed having two children, a daughter (Lisa ‘01) who also attended Otterbein and met her husband ( Matt ‘99) there, and now three grandchildren, the oldest of whom is considering Otterbein for next year after he graduates from high school this spring. We anxiously await his decision. The younger boys are working their way through little league baseball and football, and learning more about the world and nature than one could ever imagine, and challenging us with their embracement of technology. Why can’t Gramma and Grandpa better understand this stuff? On the professional side, Edith spent seven years teaching and then a lifetime raising our children and helping with the grandchildren. Brian, after finishing a physics major at Otterbein, was seduced by the eerie blue glow of a nuclear reactor core at Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus, and then after two years there, began a fulfilling 45 year career at The Ohio State University doing some pretty cutting edge research and teaching nuclear engineering, positively exciting and impacting the lives of a new generation of engineers. Today, as His Honor, he keeps professionally busy as a part time Federally appointed Administrative Judge with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Keeping in contact with Don Bulthaup and Phil Barnhart over the years made much of this career possible. Our time at Otterbein offered us a wonderful beginning for the rest of our lives. Dr. Kerr, Dr. Grissinger, Mr. Ray, Dr. Coulter and Dean Van are just a few who helped us become useful adults. Edith still has fond memories for her choir tours, especially the one to NY City. It was fun to be witness to the beginning of the Au Go -Go Singers, Buffalo Springfield and Poco.


Today, being on the beach together, spending time with grandchildren, getting out on the water in a kayak for Brian, hiking together in the mountains, and Edith bringing new life to her gardens every spring, keep life exciting and adventurous for us almost every day. Oh – and riding around in our 1967 MGB that has been with us for 49 years, including for a 10,000 mile camping trip in Canada and the western U.S. in 1969. These activities made possible through our learning at Otterbein, and our faculty mentors having become our good friends over the years, enable us to meet and enjoy so many interesting new friends and to continue to learn about the diversity in this great country of ours, to share these experiences with our grandchildren, and hopefully to create an even better world for our great-grandchildren and others. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion.


Ron Hanft 36 West Center Roade P O Box 21 West Stockbridge, MA 01266 rphanft@yahoo.com

Education after Otterbein: The American University, Washington, DC. M.A. in Sociology Career: Brethren Volunteer Service – three years as a volunteer in public housing of Houston, TX – three years as Director of Training for BVS at New Windsor, MD and Elgin, IL American University as graduate student (for about 50 years) while working for the Bureau of Social Science Research, American Public Health Assoc., Choir Director at Washington City Church of the Brethren, and God knows what else. Washington Social Policy Office of the Church of the Brethren -- two years as Associate, three years as Director of the office. American Friends Service Committee, New York Metropolitan Regional Office – four years as Program Director and then Development Officer. Stewart R. Mott and Associates – four years as Director of SRM’s New York Office, coordinating philanthropic giving through the SRM Charitable Trust, while working with the political action programs of SRM’s Washington Office. The Funding Exchange, a national network of community-based charitable grant-making foundations – four years as Administrative Director, 17 years as Associate Executive Director. Now, since 2011, and after 29 years working in New York City, I’m enjoying semi-retirement in rural West Stockbridge, MA. Two part-time jobs include Financial Secretary at the First Congregational Church, UCC, of Stockbridge, MA, and serving as a substitute organist for various churches throughout Berkshire County, MA.


Personal Stuff: After 30 years as ‘the best little boy in the world’, and a properly celibate church worker, I came out during graduate school and started to make up for lost time. I soon found a great guy and we shared a committed relationship for 23 years. Of course, some good things come to an end. But all that explains the lack of info about spouse and kiddies in this bio. I’ve been on my own since 2002 and I now enjoy many good friends through an ‘open & affirming’ church and with others throughout the larger community here in the Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts. Primary hobbies now include singing in the Berkshire Lyric Chorus and the Stockbridge Festival Chorus, in addition to ye ol’ church choir, and helping out with occasional community volunteer projects. Berkshire County, home of Tanglewood, the rural summer home of the Boston Symphony, is also home to an outstanding array of arts and entertainment venues throughout the year. Less jolly activities include keeping after an unruly acre of rural land surrounding my rather unkempt but comfy little home. And as we say around here: “If you’re lucky enough to live in the woods, you’re lucky enough.”


Kathleen Hobbs Layman 435 Tabor Ridge Road Stockport, OH 43787 740-554-7774 bakahola@yahoo.com Children:

Jennifer Kasten, Chris and Ted

Grandchildren:

Nate, Aaron, Piper, Isabel, Cooper and Edward

Thinking back to Otterbein and its reach through the years, I recall the last biology class senior year. The science professor introduced three of us to the newest study emerging—ecology. That kind offering directed my previous interests in plants and animals to develop a keen love of teaching environmental topics forever after. While I was raising my children, I planned nature outings for schools in the neighborhood. I taught one year before marrying into an Air Force life of travel, broadening my understanding of the world. We have three wonderful children and six grandchildren. They fill my life with joy. Coming home from an assignment in England in 1981, I found educators attending to children having more difficulty with learning. That was the work I wanted to pursue. For 19 years, I thrived on helping children recognize their talents. I became restless wondering what else was out there. I thought about an alternative school, but without business smarts and a team, that was a no go. I wandered into landscaping and landscaped in the Dayton area under the name, The Gardener Pixie. I wanted to save trees, so I purchased land in southeast Ohio, fell in love with the area, built, and moved in 11 years ago. This place is now a retreat center for groups to renew from a chaotic lifestyle. It is called Take Flight Retreat Center. A group interested in learning to build an earthbag house spent four days building a small adobe on the property. It is 11’ x 13’ with meditative energy about it. Come stay! You are most welcome to come visit. Find out more about the earthbag house, an Air BnB on my website, www.takeflightretreatcenter.com. I am presently moving on to exploring the propagation of native trees and shrubs.


Roger A. Hohn 264 Olde Post Road Niceville, FL 32578 rhohn@cox.net

Spouse:

Linda D. Hohn

Children:

Todd Hohn—graduate Florida State University, BA; master’s, aeronautical science; master’s, airpower art and science; master’s of science, national secure ty strategy; active duty Air Force Colonel, Commander 97th Air Mobility Wing at Altus AFB, OK. Kristin Davis—graduate University of West Florida, BA, MBA. Employed as a senior acquisition official at Eglin AFB, FL.

Grandchildren:

Logan (10) and Lauren (7) Davis, and Craig “Rock” (7) Hohn

After commissioning and graduation—received an Air Force educational delay and headed to the big city and The Ohio State University. Got a graduate assistantship in the athletic department working out of “the stadium”. Ouch! Woody had a bad year (for OSU), but (Yea) there was still a demand for tickets. Earned a masters in guidance and counseling which was used every day since but not officially until later. Before actual active duty, married my high school friend, girlfriend, and sweetheart, Linda, and we started a 23-year Air Force career. Three weeks after the wedding, we became Southerners at Eglin AFB, FL, (the Panhandle). Served five years there in three positions, living in seven different residences – after having our apartment demolished and our car destroyed in a tornado. Finished this assignment as aide-de-camp to the commander of the Armament Development and Test Center. Transitioned to a military contracting career with a cross-country move to the” lights and glamour” of the Los Angeles area for a year. Worked/studied as an Air Force Institute of Technology student in the Education With Industry program at the Northrop Corporation. Did get to see Elvis live in Vegas before he left the building. It was back to hometown, Dayton, and Wright-Patterson AFB for three years in the Research and Development arena . That’s where we helped obtain refrigerated storage space for those “little green men” from Roswell. Just kidding. While there the National Contract Management Association saw fit to recognize me as a Certified Professional Contract Manager. Also earned a masters in business and personnel management. After that, it was time to work with operational units. Spent three years with the Strategic Air Command at historic Plattsburgh AFB, NY. Also had some great winter sports (what else) skiing at the Lake Placid Olympic site. And because of great athletic prowess (and outstanding teammates) was able to get a hit off of Eddie Finger of the King and His Court (fast pitch softball for those who don’t know). Plattsburgh reminds me of a trip with Mike Clay, Tim Kinnison, and Gary Tiffany from Ohio to Plattsburgh for ROTC summer camp. Maybe a few stories there.


Europe then needed my help as commander of the Eifel Contracting Region located at Bitburg AB, Germany, supporting Bitburg, Spangdalem, Hahn, Camp New Amsterdam, and locations near Munich and in Belgium. Challenging work but great surroundings. We made it to 21 countries – and some are still there. We upset the kids when we sold the toboggan, skis, and ice skates to move to the New Orleans area. Became the commander of the Defense Logistics Agency Plant Representative Office working with NASA. We did quality assurance on all of the Space Shuttle External Fuel Tanks at the manufacturing plant in East New Orleans. We also performed hot fire testing on every Space Shuttle main engine at the National Space Technology Laboratories, MS before delivery to the cape for flight. It was finally “home” to Eglin AFB, FL, as director of Research and Development Contracting and then retiring as the director of contracting. It took some “help” to get back to Eglin in lieu of the Pentagon. We knew that Niceville was a nice place for nice kids to grow up and go to a nice high school. It worked out for our family. Even became a private pilot while on active duty. Linda kept on teaching a foreign language (English) at Niceville High School to support us while I worked on “transition”. While transition was enjoyable, it became time to return to my roots in education. I accepted an offer to be the director of guidance (actually the only counselor) at a middle school just outside Eglin AFB. Look for my book on middle school bullying and the American political system. After another retirement, Linda and I are professional travelers and grandparents. So far we’ve been to all of Europe, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. Also, Tibet, China, Tasmania, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina (Iguassu Falls), Chile (Cape Horn), and Peru (Machu Picchu). We’ve also made it to all 50 states. Oh – if anyone can guarantee us a way to visit Antarctica without getting seasick – please let us know. Otterbein College was the foundation to learn and explore the world with enthusiasm and confidence. People are amazed at the teacher/student ratio and the small class size of our QPV. Plus, it’s still fun to tell folks from the SEC that I played football at the “Big O” in Ohio. Yes – I do go on to explain that Otterbein really is the Big O – in all aspects.


Susan Hohnhorst Smolen 1125 Woodland Road Baden, PA 15005 724-935-6029 Rjsosu69@aol.com Spouse:

Richard Smolen

Children:

Jeffrey and Steven

Grandchildren:

Cameron, Evan and Mikayla

Where have those 50 years gone?.... After graduating from Otterbein as an Elementary Education major, I didn’t move too far as I had accepted a position as a 4th grade teacher in the Southwestern City Schools. For 3 years my days were kept busy with those active 10 year olds and eventually my two sons were named as a reminder of two of my favorite students. During my senior year at Otterbein, I had re-established my relationship with Richard, my high school boyfriend, who was entering The College of Veterinary Medicine at Ohio State, and we were married a year later. After Rich graduated from veterinary school, our lives took us to Louisville, Kentucky where we spent the next 3 years working in a small animal veterinary hospital and where both of our sons, Jeffrey and Steven, were born.

When a job opportunity allowed us to move closer to home, we accepted a position in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to work in a three-doctor small animal hospital. Eventually the entrepreneurial bug bit, and we started our own veterinary practice. After many years as a solo practice, the hospital grew to employ 5 veterinarians. I went from a very part-time employee to the full-time Hospital Manager. After 36 years of ownership, we sold the practice in 2009 and phased into retirement. In addition to being an active part of our veterinary hospital, I have served as President of the Auxiliary to the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association, President of Perry Highland Junior Woman’s Club, a preschool vision screening volunteer for the Pittsburgh Blind Association, an active Band Parent Board Member and on various committees in our church. These and other activities have kept life busy and involved. In addition to being an active part of our veterinary hospital, I have served as President of the Auxiliary to the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association, President of Perry Highland Junior Woman’s Club, a pre-school vision screening volunteer for the Pittsburgh Blind Association, an active Band Parent Board Member and on various committees in our church. These and other activities have kept life busy and involved. Rich and I both love to travel and have been fortunate to have traveled to many destinations around the world thanks to attending Veterinary meetings, as well as taking trips with the Otterbein College Alumni and Ohio State Alumni groups, and with family and friends. One of the best was a trip to Tanzania for the Great Migration!


After many visits to Green Valley, Arizona, where my parents had lived, we became “snowbirds� after our retirement and enjoy our time there. While here, we have discovered pickle ball (easier on the knees than tennis) and lapidary work. As a result of our lapidary work, we have become involved in a small handcrafted jewelry design business. Our son, Jeffrey, his wife Kristen and 3 children live in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. Both are graduates of Syracuse University. Jeff works for Century Resources and Kristen for Ford. Son, Steve, attended Bowling Green University and St. Kitts University for a degree in Veterinary Medicine. After working for our hospital and then as an emergency veterinarian in Pittsburgh, he has moved to Telluride, Colorado, and is awaiting the opening of his own veterinary hospital. He is also very artistic and has competed in several art and photography shows.


Ann Hutchins Whiteside 4573 Ridgebury Drive Kettering, OH 45440 Annewhiteside5@woh.rr.com

Spouse:

Bob Whiteside

Children:

Megan and Ryan

Grandchildren:

Cameran, Kendall, Connor, Madeline and Evan

I graduated with a B.S. in education and was fortunate to begin teaching in the fall of 1966 at Gahanna Lincoln Elementary School. My husband, Bob, and I settled into a new apartment and soon after, he was drafted into the Army. I quit my teaching position to spend time with him before he went to Vietnam. While he was in Vietnam, I lived in Hawaii and taught kindergarten. When my husband’s service time was complete, we moved to Columbus where he attended Ohio State and I taught second grade in the Southwestern City School District. When our daughter arrived in 1972, I enjoyed being a “stay-at-home” mom. We moved to Golden, Colorado, after my husband’s graduation and when he was offered a teaching position in Oakwood, a Dayton suburb, we moved to Kettering and have made that our home for 41 years.

I was an after-school reading tutor when our son was born in 1977 and continued to do that part time until our children were in school. I was a substitute teacher, worked for a clinical psychologist, and then as a secretary at David’s United Church of Christ. I have enjoyed all my employment opportunities and have met many good and interesting people along the way. Our daughter, Megan, and her husband, Jack, live in Philadelphia. They have two children, Madeline (8), and Evan (6). Megan is director of human resources for a school district and Jack is a university athletic director. Our son, Ryan, and his wife, Tara, live in Kansas City. They have three children, Cameran (11), Kendall (9), and Connor (3). Ryan works for 3M and Tara works in finance. Since my retirement in 2011, I have enjoyed volunteering at Hannah’s Treasure Chest, a non-profit organization that provides, through social agencies, clothing, books, and toys to children in need. I was recognized as volunteer of the year in 2015 but feel that what I receive from my time there far outweighs my contributions. In 1989, I accompanied my mother on her dream trip to England, Ireland, and Scotland. What a memorable time that was. Since Bob & I retired, we have spent lots of time on the road visiting our children and grandchildren. Through the years we have had wonderful times traveling in all 50 states. To celebrate our 50 th anniversary in 2015 we returned to Hawaii, Oahu, and Molokai to revisit memorable places and renew acquaintances from 1967-68. Life is good!



Jill Jenkins Grayem 2021 Destin Place, S Reynoldsburg, OH 43068

Spouse:

Michael Grayem ‘66

Children:

Jason and Jeremy

Grandchildren:

Noah and Lily

After graduating from Otterbein, I returned home to Cleveland, Ohio, and began teaching seventh and eighth grade physical education in Rocky River, Ohio. Even though I loved my job in Rocky River, I went on to Gahanna High School in Gahanna, Ohio, following my marriage to Mike Grayem in 1967. I taught at the high school for four more years, until I started my family. I had two amazing sons and was a stay-at-home mom for 10 more years while raising my family. Upon both my sons being in elementary school full time, it was my chance to earn a master’s degree in learning disabilities from Ashland University. Because we were living in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, I began tutoring in an elementary school there, moved up to the middle school, and finally moved on to the junior high school as an intervention specialist. That is where I ended my career in education in June 2000. In all, I taught 26 years. Our family consists of two sons, one a small business owner and the other a lawyer in central Ohio. Both boys graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. I have two wonderful daughters-in-law and two “perfect” grandchildren. Luckily both sons and their families live in central Ohio where we can enjoy watching them grow up. Mike and I spend our winters on Hilton Head Island, SC. We bought a cottage down there in the early ‘90s and have turned it into a short-term rental. It’s a great place to get away from the cold and snowy weather of Ohio, It’s hard to believe we have been out of college for 50 years! I still visit Westerville occasionally and love its quaint atmosphere. It’s no longer a “quiet, peaceful village,” but it is a jewel!


Rebecca Keister Carmer 845 Arbor Street Wooster, OH 44691 330-439-9326 rebeccacarmer@aol.com Spouse:

John Carmer

Children:

Taylor Carmer and Chris Schmitt

Grandchildren:

Lauren and Morgan

So, an autobiography should be easy to write, correct! For me, this wasn’t the case. I feel that my life has been very fulfilling, but as I sit down and write about it, I wonder who would be interested enough to read it! I didn’t finish college at Otterbein, but did return to college and graduate from the University of Akron. Before returning, I taught at a Head Start program for eight years, so I knew I wanted to obtain my teaching certificate and teach kindergarten. After graduating, I subbed in several school districts. I was then offered a job as director/teacher of Iris Saunders Preschool with the city of Wooster. This job was extremely rewarding: guiding other teachers, planning events and writing lesson plans, but most importantly, the daily interactions with children and their parents. I remained there for 15 years, and then retired to take care of my granddaughter, who has Celiac disease. During the years that I babysat for Morgan, I developed my own gluten free flour mixture and opened a gluten free bakery in my home, selling to loyal customers and local health food stores. After my husband retired, I decided to close the bakery. My husband, John, and I have a son, Taylor, who is a speech therapist living in Grand Junction, Colorado. My son, Chris Schmitt, from my first marriage, is a lawyer living in Wooster, Ohio. He and his wife, Michelle, have two daughters, Lauren and Morgan. My life is full with family, friends, Yoga, Zumba and travel. During the summer, I volunteer as a docent for the Wayne County Historical Society. If you plan to visit the Wooster area, please stop in. I would love to give you a tour.


Chris ’91, Becky, Susan Keister Julian’69, Taylor and John

Jack Keister, John, Becky, Chris ‘91, Lauren, Michelle and Morgan


Wayne Charles King 175 Glencoe Road Columbus, OH 43214 614-268-3355 wcking@netzero.net Spouse:

Mary Polis King

Children:

Nicole, Paula and Michael

Grandchildren:

Anna, Ryan, Caroline, Emily, Sarah and Jacob

Before graduating with a B.A. in comprehensive social studies and a minor in business administration, I experienced a “non-traditional” senior year; I wasn’t on campus! Instead, during the fall of 1965, I completed the remaining 12 credit hours that I needed to graduate from Otterbein on the campus of the University of Dayton (where I had been accepted for the graduate program in business administration). Then, beginning the winter term, I started the actual work on my M.B.A. at UD, which I completed in 1967. I was employed in finance and personnel positions in the Columbus area, for both profit and non-profit organizations, small and large, for 22 years. During that time, I married Mary Polis, also from Columbus, who was employed in personnel work , too. I became a certified administrative manager and supervised increasingly large numbers of people and budgets. I enjoyed the opportunity to work for a large retail organization, in higher education, and for a museum. It was particularly enjoyable to work with a wide variety of people, assist them with their careers, and observe their professional growth. Balancing budgets with organizational priorities can be fun, too. The next 22 years of my career was with several agencies of Franklin County (OH) government in administrative positions. In the Facilities Management agency, I worked with architects, engineers, and contractors to construct and renovate county buildings. Soon after the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, I was responsible for interpreting the Act and assessing its impact on all of the county’s facilities. I have written several facility articles about how to implement the ADA that were published in national magazines. During this time, I became a certified facilities manager. It was rewarding to work with teams of knowledgeable people to achieve the needed work environments (new or renewed) for county staff. Family and community have been very important aspects of my life and my marriage. This year, Mary and I will have been married for 48 years, during which time we have been blessed with three children and six grandchildren. We enjoy visiting our children and their families (who are in Oregon, northern Ohio, and Wisconsin), but it’s kind of nice that they seem to enjoy visiting us too; we are able to see each of them at least several times per year – that’s not nearly enough for us. Over the years, Mary and I have been involved with numerous school and church activities, plus fund raising activities for the St. Jude Research Hospital. Mary is also an active volunteer for Ronald McDonald House. My professors at Otterbein helped develop my interest in life-long education. I am especially thankful for the extremely positive influence of Dr. Koo, Dr. Laubach, Dr. Crane, and Prof. Thayer. Their guidance and support were particularly helpful to me.



Susan Klenk Creamer 9016 Pleasant Plain Rd. Brookville, OH 45309 937-833-4771/937-475-5220 susancreamer9016@gmail.com Spouse:

Dale Edward Creamer ‘66

Children:

Kimberly Sue Creamer Elling, BSN ‘92 graduate of Capital University; RN, Fidelity Home Health Care, Dayton, Ohio Kregg Edward Creamer, BS in education ‘96 Miami University; Athletic Director, Dixie High School, New Lebanon, Ohio

Grandchildren:

Devann, Tim, Sydney and Madelyn

After graduating from Otterbein College, I returned to my hometown of Mt. Healthy, Ohio, to begin my teaching career as an English teacher. I vividly remember being extremely nervous the first day of school as I entered the classroom with freshmen and sophomores. After deciding that my Otterbein classes had prepared me well and that I knew a lot more than those students, my teaching career was launched. In June 1967, Dale and I were married in my home church, Epworth United Methodist Church, and thus began 49 years of wedded bliss. I moved to Xenia, Ohio, where Dale had taught for one year, and we established our first home. I taught junior English for two years at Xenia High School before Dale took a new basketball coaching and teaching job at Miami Trace High School in Washington Court House, Ohio. While living there, daughter, Kim, was born, in 1970, and son, Kregg, in 1972. My teaching career was partially on hold as we decided my responsibilities lay at home with our two children. Dale’s career then took us to Mt. Gilead, Lewisburg and Brookville—all in Ohio—as he coached and then entered the administration ranks, first as assistant principal/athletic director and then as a high school principal. I did much substitute teaching, some long-term stints, during these years. When Kregg was in seventh grade, in 1985, his language arts teacher at Brookville was killed in an automobile accident on Valentine’s Day. I resumed my full-time teaching in his class at that time and remained at the seventh grade level until I retired in 2005. Guess I was a slow learner! Some highlights of my teaching career were: working with many excellent teachers; advising middle school Student Council; coaching students (one state winner) in Power of the Pen, an Ohio competition writing group; being chosen several times by high school National Honor Society students as their favorite and most influential teacher; and being nominated by a former student and chose for Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 2002.


I am proud of the fact that throughout my educational career, I did my job well and supported my students in their chosen activities in and out of school. Also, as the wife of a 25-year high school principal, I rarely missed an event at his schools. We entered our careers as a team, and operated in that mode always. Since retirement, I have become much more active in our church, in our community and in volunteer work. I love to read, to spend time with our children and grandchildren, to decorate our home and to travel. Dale and I have been blessed with good health, great families and friends and wonderful opportunities to broaden our horizons through travel at both home and abroad. My Otterbein years were great ones, and I will enjoy reconnecting with many of you at this special 50th reunion.


Roberta Jean Kobs Matt 12904 198th Avenue, E Bonney Lake, WA 98391

Spouse:

Vincent Matt, PhD , international forestry

Children:

Nicole Annette Allen, PhD, nuclear physics, works for Microsoft in Kirkland, WA, 3 children.

Sean Patrick Matt, PhD, astronomy, professor at Exeter University, England, 2 children. Howard Martin Matt, PhD, structural engineering, works at ATA Engineering, San Diego,CA , 2 children. News from the beanie queen, class of ‘66! After my senior year abroad in France, I went to the University of Wisconsin, Madison. There I earned my master’s degree in French literature. I met, Vince, my future husband, there. After I taught one year in Kettering, Ohio, he and I married and moved to Tacoma, WA, for two years while he worked for Weyerhauser and I taught in the nearby school district. We then moved to Syracuse, NY, where I had my first child and my husband worked on his doctorate. This work took us to Vicosa, Brazil, for one year and then back to Syracuse for a second year. When he finished his work, we once again went to Weyerhauser country (Federal Way, WA). I had my second child and we bought a 20 acre piece of property to build a home near Bonney Lake, WA. Three years later, we had a house and a third child. Were we settled? Nope! Three years more and we moved to Juneau, AK, for eight years while Vincent worked for SeaAlaska, a native corporation, and I taught at the high school and University of Alaska, Juneau. Eight years and no more kids later, we moved back home to Sumner. I taught in several school districts until I was able to get a job close to home in Federal Way. I retired from that job when I turned 60 and bought a horse. So, now we still live on our property, run a Christmas tree farm and have two dogs and two horses with which to play. We have one child in Washington state, one in San Diego and one in England with a total of seven grandchildren.


Raymond Leffler 17252 Tulip Poplar Road Beaverdam, VA 23015 rayleffler@embarqmail.com

Spouse:

Kim Hendrickson Leffler

Children:

Cheryl – graduate of Augustana College, MS from Northern Illinois University, employed as an at-risk pre-school teacher; two children

Katie – graduate of United States Naval Academy, retired, employed as a fitness trainer; two children Andrew – graduate of the University of Virginia, MBA from the University of Richmond, employed as a project manager; one child Christina – graduate of George Mason University, employed as an information technology security Officer Born: Columbus, Ohio Education after Otterbein:

University of Tennessee, physics Lynchburg College, MBA

Career: Project Engineer for Union Carbide in Oak Ridge, TN. Worked on the manufacture of nuclear weapons and some projects for NASA, which included the box that brought the rocks back from the moon. Project Engineer for Babcock & Wilcox in Lynchburg, VA. Worked on the manufacture of nuclear components for naval power plants. Designed and developed specialized automated testing equipment. OEM computer sales in Washington, DC. Division manager for new products and services for Jarvis Corp. a telecommunications company, in Richmond, VA Founder and president of OptiCom Inc., a telecommunications consulting firm in Richmond, VA Founder and publisher of Windborne Press, a book publishing company.


Other Interests:

Sports: Industrial and community league basketball (25 years), community league power volleyball (5 years), distance and marathon running (20 years), white water canoeing (4 years). Leisure: Plant clinic coordinator and lecturer for county Master Gardener Association


Jeanne M. Lord P O Box 1814 Espanola, NM 87532 505-753-2936

Spending four years at Otterbein was one of the high points in my life. Learning, expanding horizons and making friends with other students and professors served me well for my future life. I graduated with a B.S. in education and promptly left for the wilds of northern New Mexico. As a home missionary with the EUB Church, I began my teaching career at McCurdy Mission School in Santa Cruz, NM. Santa Cruz is about 20 miles north of Santa Fe in the Espanola Valley between the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez Mountain ranges. I began a new experience in a tri-culture and bilingual community. I had to be a fast learner as I was teaching high school students in a mission boarding school. They gave no mercy. My Otterbein theatre background helped me think on my feet and I survived with many students becoming life-long friends. I fell in love with the northern New Mexico community 5,000 feet above sea level with mountains, pinon, sage, juniper and mighty ponderosa pines at my back door. After teaching five years at McCurdy, I married an electrical engineer working at Los Alamos National Laboratory. We later divorced and I went about picking up various areas of expanding my life interests. I learned four-harness loom weaving, carding and spinning wool, macrame and inkle loom weaving. After learning these crafts, the love of them took me to teaching in the community for years. Later after taking a course in Red Cross first aid and CPR, I became a Red Cross instructor in Los Alamos. These activities, interspersed with a full-time job working at Los Alamos National Laboratory, were 25 miles up the mountain from Espanola. I spent 29 years working for the largest subcontractor at the “lab.” There were 1,500 craftsmen employed who helped maintain the 46 square mile facility. My path there took me through many positions where I had the pleasure of working with so many talented and diverse people. I have continued to work with the United Methodist Church at Valley View Church in Espanola, where I have spent many years in the choir and working with worship. My retirement days are filled with reading, working in numerous church projects, some ceramic work, and picking up bits and pieces of interesting things to do. My 50 years have also had their share of accolades and honors of importance to me and local interests. I have led my “extraordinary” life in the “Valley” with my share of ups and downs consistently filled with blessings and the presence of friends and family. As C. Fayne Porter so beautifully wrote in Santa Fe in Haiku when you come to this enchanting land— “Pause here a moment— the moment becomes a year, the year a lifetime.”



Muhammad Abdullah (Bob) Lowe 20 Fellowship Drive East Fallowfield, PA 19320 610-384-9582 m_abd@hotmail.com Otterbein My graduating class at Parma Senior High was over 950, so it was a pleasant shock when I followed one of my best friends, George Christ ’65, to Otterbein. I loved being at Otterbein, and I loved the small town feel of Westerville. There was a real sense of community I had never felt before. I followed George into Jonda, which was really a community within a community. I majored in English and education, and I went back to Parma to teach for a year. Then it was off to the University of Illinois Law School.

My Elemental Home Realizing law school was not for me, in the late winter of 1967-68, I applied for a teaching job in the Virgin Islands with Butch Williams ’65 and his wife. I also applied to the domestic Peace Corps, VISTA. Since I was the only one offered a teaching position, when VISTA called, I answered. Now it is important to realize I do not believe in chance. I see divine intervention over and over again in my life. VISTA sent me to the only spot on this planet that has ever really felt like “home”. MAINE. I spent five years in Maine. The first one on the Penobscot Nation Reservation outside Old Town. The second as a VISTA Leader up north in Aroostook County. The third and fourth years as a county director for the Maine Rural Youth Corps, a low-income youth program. The fifth year as a hippie dropout. What did I learn in Maine? That I could live at the poverty level, that community was very important to me. I lived communally with liked-minded people and for a short time on a commune in northern Maine. I also began a very deep spiritual journey which led me to…


My Spiritual Home Divine intervention struck again. I picked up a hitchhiker in the summer of 1972, and that winter I received two letters. One an invitation from the northern Maine commune who had moved to Montana and one from the hitchhiker, telling me her spiritual teacher was returning to Philadelphia in February. So in early March, I stuck out my thumb for Philadelphia. I stayed in the presence of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, may God be pleased with him, for five days, saw that he was a real holy man, returned to Maine, settled my affairs, and hitchhiked back to Philly. I spent thirteen years in his physical presence, both in Philly and Sri Lanka, and a year before he passed in 1986, he had my wife and me build a house adjoining our Sufi community property where he is buried. His Mazaar is a place of visitation for people of all religions from around the world. Thousands have come to pay their respects. I am the caretaker of his Mazaar and our community cemetery.

Family My best friend from Maine, Barbara, followed me to Philly, and we were married in 1975. Our first daughter, Bajeerah, was born in 1978, and our second daughter, Yasmeen, in 1989. Bajeerah graduated from West Chester University with a degree in journalism, and she works as an editor for legal newsletters. Yasmeen graduated from the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor with a degree in human ecology, emphasis on sustainable agriculture and business, and she has an on-line business. Both are married to good men, and Bajeerah has a daughter, Talia, and Yasmeen a son, Brian Lateef. My wife, Barbara, is the anchor of my life. She keeps me from drifting away and works part time at the local library. Teaching When Barbara and I returned from Sri Lanka in 1977, we moved to Penn State, and I got my master’s in developmental and remedial reading. We moved back to Philly for Bajeerah’s birth and my job hunt. I got a job finally as a reading specialist in West Chester, PA, twenty miles west of Philly. Then divine intervention struck again. At the end of my first year of teaching, a position as the language arts teacher in the district’s gifted program opened up, and I was hired. The elementary and middle school gifted programs were housed in an old elementary school, and the kids were bussed there for a whole day of gifted exploration. There were twelve teachers, and we collaborated developing and implementing curriculum. I taught creative writing, theater, video production, and photography for twenty-six of my thirty years in the district. I retired in 2009. Travel Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, England, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland.


Donna Lust Miles 2403 Oak Hill Drive Lisle, IL 60532 630-971-2416 George.miles@comcast.net Spouse:

George W. Miles ‘66

Children:

Lori K. Glud and husband, Todd, live in Tucson, AZ Michael W. Miles live in Houston, TX

Grandchildren:

Timothy and Kelsey Glud

Following graduation from Otterbein, marriage occurred in July of 1966 and life in Westerville continued for another 6 years. George worked in the financial industry during that time for Buckeye Federal Savings and Loan. Donna taught junior high home economics at Walnut Springs Jr. High in Westerville until starting their family. Career moves for George included Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City, Talman Home Federal and University Financial both in Chicago, Ashland Oil in Lexington, Ky; the Resolution Trust Corp, Chicago; and Fuji Futures/ Mizuho Securities USA in Chicago from which he has been retired for 6 years. Travel to many cities in the US and the countries of Australia, China, Singapore, Japan and England was required during his assignment as Managing Director, Deputy Head of Global Futures for these companies. Donna was able to be a stay at home mom for some time and volunteered a lot in the children’s schools. She took up tennis and very much enjoyed playing the sport and participating in team tennis events so much so she took a part time job at her tennis club which turned into a full time position running the office and reception desk for the club which lasted eight years. Donna left there to become the secretary at Immaculate Conception Church where she remained for 16 years before retiring last year. Being involved in our church has been a huge part of our lives for the 25 plus years we have attended. We are sacristans, ministers of care, lectors, Eucharistic ministers and are just there to help where needed. We were honored recently by the Archdiocese of Chicago with the Christifideles Award given to those offering generous service to their parish. Numerous trips to Tucson to visit with grandchildren continue to be a huge focus for us now that we both are retired. We both have family in Ohio so frequent trips “home” still are part of our lives as well.


Sally Maibach Brokken 5200 S. W. 136 Avenue Southwest Ranches, FL 33330

Spouse:

Thomas- University of Minnesota Veterinary School Equine practitioner (Teigland, Franklin & Brokken) Fort Lauderdale– race track practice

Children:

Todd-graduate of University of Florida in Japanese and business; worked for JP Morgan in New York and Tokyo; graduated from University of Minnesota Veterinary School; practices at several race tracks in California. Matthew-graduate of Baldwin Wallace University, Berea, Ohio; graduate of University of Florida Veterinary School; residency in equine surgery in Washington state; presently clinical professor at Ohio State School of Veterinary Medicine.

After graduation, I taught school (third grade) for five years in Stamford, CT. I moved to Florida and worked in publicity for two different race tracks. From there I moved on to Gust K. Newberg Construction Co., as a bookkeeper/secretary. This company was responsible for building Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami, FL.

I stopped working after being married and raised two wonderful boys. I volunteered in their schools until they graduated. Yes, even being in charge of the concession stand for all home basketball games. After the “nest” was empty, I continued to volunteer at various hospitals and our homeowner’s association. I was appointed to the Broward County Planning Council in 1999 and remained there until 2004. What a learning experience! In retirement, I enjoy traveling, snow skiing, gardening, golfing and being with the little grandchildren, Freya and Madelyn. What a wonderful life!



Rose Anna Mansfield Drewes 2514 E. Superior Street Duluth, MN 55812 100 2nd Street, NE Minneapolis, MN 55413 218-724-2982 radrewes@gmail.com Spouse:

Lester Drewes

Children:

Heidi M. Silton (Steve), attorney, Minneapolis, MN (www.locklaw.com/bio-hmsilton.html)

Kristina Werner (Christopher), panning manager, global sales, Polaris Industries (www.polaris.com), Medina, MN Jonathan Drewes (Senem), attorney, Minneapolis, MN (DrewesLaw.com) As a first generation college student it has been an interesting and in many ways a unique journey since leaving Otterbein College fifty years ago. I earned a B.S. degree in Elementary Education in 1966 that set me on a teaching path for close to 40 years. Also in the summer of 1966 I married the quiet farm boy from Deshler that I had dated in high school – Lester Drewes – who was working on his Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of Minnesota. So I moved to St. Paul/Minneapolis as a new teacher and became known as Mrs. Rose (Drew’ us). In 1970 we moved to Madison, WI where I continued to teach and where our two daughters were born (Heidi, 1970; Kristina, 1974). Our son Jonathan was born in 1981 in Duluth, MN where we had moved in 1976. Although we still say we are originally from a small town in Ohio, certainly Minnesota became our home and Duluth our community. With three children we were very active in musical activities, sports activities, charity events and First Lutheran Church. Somehow along the way I also earned my Master’s Degree in Education with an emphasis in Language Arts. Thus, I have been very active in literacy projects in the community for many years. Then in 2000 my name changed once again to Nana Rose as our first grandchild was born. We now have five wonderful, energetic grandchildren (Maddie, William, Lily, Lucy Rose and Charlie). While Lester continues as a professor doing a combination of research and teaching in the Medical School, I retired seven years ago. Having received numerous awards for excellence in teaching during my career I now have more time for my four book clubs and have been free to enjoy some unique travel experiences with Lester to scientific conferences. The beginning of our international experiences was back in 1982-83 when we lived in Copenhagen, Denmark and Cologne, Germany for the year. Since then we have been to many countries and to many several times. We do realize “It’s A Small World After All”.


One of my memories from Otterbein is when Cochran Hall dormitory residents (all female) were serenaded by upperclassmen. A friend grabbed my roommate’s panties and threw them out the window to the great delight of the singers! Another memory includes meeting with my academic advisor who advised me “Do not be a history teacher as men, especially coaches, get all of those jobs”. So, whether it has been a beautiful sunrise over Lake Superior or a glowing sunset in Namibia, it has made for an interesting 50 years since Otterbein. We look forward to reconnecting, reflecting and renewing old friendships. Community Service/Involvement: Former board member of the Duluth Children’s Museum Former President of Minnesota Arrowhead Reading Council-recognized by International Reading Association for leadership award Supporter of United Way and the Big Red Bookshelf Project AFS “Mom” – for a student from Turkey Duluth Branch AAUW, Scholarship Fundraiser Committee Active member of First Lutheran Church including being a representative to visit companion Ohaingu Parish in Namibia, Africa. Currently finishing eight years as a committee member for the One Book, One Community program sponsored by the Duluth Public Library.


Marilynn Marsch Hinder 1127 Smoke Burr Drive Westerville, OH 43081 614-891-2098 mhinder@earthlink.net

I came to Otterbein from a small, rural Ohio community totally unprepared for that first year. I had no idea what field of study I wanted to pursue. I’m sure we all remember the beanies, the night-time biology lab exams, blue books, the 9:00 curfew for freshman women, panty raids, white glove teas at Mrs. Clements and on and on. So many memories...And there were special professors like Dr. Hancock and his Delaware history, Dr. Thayer’s speech class that gave me confidence to speak before a group, Mr. Hassenpflug’s patience that guided a less than talented student through his art class, and Dr. Phinney and his hilarious biology labs, Mr. Raver and Dr. Young who insisted that I go to an interview at Grandview Heights High School. I wanted to teach in a small, rural school district, not a city school system. I reluctantly took the job and stayed over thirty years. Grandview was a mix of wonderful mentors and brand new teachers. The faculty became a close knit family and we remain close to this day. Students still communicate with us via social media. Otterbein continued to impact my life even after graduation. I married Larry Hinder, an Otterbein graduate, in June 1968. We were blessed with two children, Troy and Aimee. Troy graduated from Wright State, followed by an MBA program, then a master’s in education. He is currently an assistant principal finishing his Ph.D. and raising our 10 year old granddaughter, Taylor. Aimee graduated with a degree in business from OSU. She married Chad Pulliam and is living in Viera, Florida, raising our six grandchildren, Morgan (16), Kylie (14), Reese (12), Blake (10), Slade (7) and Brody (5). Mrs. Bert Horn taught both Troy and Aimee in elementary school. My Otterbein religion professor, Rev. Ellsworth, became my minister for over 30 years. He performed our daughter’s wedding, officiated at my parents’ funerals and baptized our grandchildren. My friends and roommate from old King Hall are still my friends today.


Thomas N. Martin 2290 Parrott Trace Greensboro, GA 30642 706-347-0189 tommartin@plantationcable.net After graduating in English and education, I taught school for a year in Upper Arlington. The following summer, we packed up everything we owned in a 5 x 10 U-Haul trailer and moved to Colorado simply because we had always wanted to live there. At that point we had no jobs or sources of income but I managed to get a job with Continental Oil Company as a district sales representative and was subsequently assigned to the Colorado Springs office. Realizing that a gold watch in 25 years within a corporate environment would never work for me, I obtained my first license and entered the world of real estate in early 1969. After a few years of successful selling, I was fortunate to be engaged by a growing sales and development company in need of building a sales operation in Steamboat Springs. Over the next decade, we collectively built, developed, managed, and created a flagship brokerage for all of Northwest Colorado. In the early 1980’s, our family moved to Colorado Springs after a partner and I organized a seven office commercial, residential and development real estate company on the western slopes of Colorado, concentrating the emerging energy impact areas within the state. Three and one-half years later, I added Tom Martin and Associates, a specialized real estate commercialinvestment and consulting firm also headquartered in Colorado Springs. During that time, I conferred both nationally and internationally with high-end planned unit ski, golf, and lake developments, specialized niche real estate companies, and large single and multi-office real estate brokerages. One of those consulting opportunities happened to be a real estate project in Florida. Liking the weather, we decided to move east and south in the mid-1990’s to the warmer climate of Georgia for a change of pace and my first attempt at retirement. Not being able to sit still and play golf or tennis every day, I accepted an offer to redesign the marketing and sales operation for the 7000 acre golf and lake development where we had moved and built a home. At the same time, I was privileged to be asked to be part of a team co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and National Association of Realtors to travel to Eastern Europe on numerous occasions to assist former satellite nations in learning how to operate real estate brokerages in a free enterprise system. In 2007, a Texas company, Coldwell Banker United Realtors, inquired whether I would consider re-structuring and rebuilding their 22 office Carolinas Region. That stint, over the next three years, was followed by my second attempt at retirement where, once again, I failed miserably. As I was heading back home to Georgia, a good friend and president of a local bank asked if I would partner with the bank and form a new real estate company in the lake country of Georgia where we still lived.


Most people thought we were crazy to undertake such a venture in 2011 during the heart of the economic downturn. We likely were but the opportunity was too good to pass up. We immediately purchased three other companies and built a commercial and residential real estate brokerage which continues today. To add to the mix, I always wanted to be a volunteer fireman and give back to our community so I signed up a couple of years ago and joined the crew. In addition, I feel very lucky to have able to travel, teach and speak in many corners of the world and throughout this marvelous country as well, using real estate as the vehicle. Through those experiences, we have met and been associated with so many fine people from diverse cultures and economic backgrounds who provided countless unique experiences for me and my family. The education and lifelong friends gained from these opportunities is immeasurable and has made the past 50 years since leaving the sanctity of Otterbein very rewarding. My wife, Linda, and I share four children and seven grandchildren. Chris, who lives in Seattle, is the port operations manager for Holland America and has three children. Jennifer has a home in Bend, Oregon, and is the head of the expedition leaders for Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic. Amy is the mother of four wonderful grandchildren in Utah. And Ryan is a maritime lawyer in New Orleans. We enjoy travel, sporting events (Denver Broncos fans since 1967), spending time with family and have a large assortment of animals (labradors and cats).


John E. McIntosh 4345 W. Darr Hopfinger Road Port Clinton, OH 43452

Born 6/13/1944 in Pittsburgh, PA, a week after D Day. Grew up in Forest Hills, a suburb of Pittsburgh. High School at Edgewood High School (walked two miles to school each day uphill both ways). Otterbein College 1962-1966 B.S. majors in economics and physics, minor in math. University of Michigan 1966-1967 majoring in quantitative methods M.B.A. program. May, 1967, Chased a special girl to Massena, N.Y., Got a job at ALCOA as an industrial engineer. Married Kay Weaver on 12/28/67. Completed a M.S. in industrial management in 1970 at Clarkson College. 1970 Moved to N.Y.C. (W. 25th St) to take a position with the N.Y. State Council of Economic Advisors serving under Governor Nelson Rockefeller, helped create annual State of the State reports and forecast State income. Office moved from West 44th Street to the 34th floor of the World Trade Center in 1971. Moved from 25th Street on Manhattan to Long Branch, New Jersey, a two hour commute, but it was a beachfront apartment on the Jersey Shore. Took a job as a statistical analyst at The Great Adventure Theme Park in Jackson, NJ, after the New York governor changed. Had a daughter, Heather, in 1975. Our only child, who graduated from University of Georgia in 2000. 1978 took a job in market research at American Greetings Corp. and moved the family to Bay Village, Ohio. Spent 20 years at A.G. in market research, retail testing, marketing administration and strategic planning. 1998 flunked a stress test and received four bypasses. Left A.G. and became a real estate agent. 2006 Kay and I retired and downsized to a manufactured home at Erie Islands Resort and Marina in Port Clinton, Ohio. Photos can be found on Facebook.

John, Kay and Heather


Since retiring, Kay and I have been enjoying summers in Port Clinton. I sail (crewing on sail boats racing out of Port Clinton Yacht Club and Sandusky Sailing Club) and am active in our local church. Kay plays piano at church and at Lakeside a local Chautauqua community (which allows us to attend their concert programs). We both enjoy traveling by RV, boat and train. Winters are spent RV’ing in warmer locations, pulling a 34-foot trailer behind our Expedition with a canoe on top. Sometimes we track down Heather who has performed cello and bass with several groups including Gnarles Barkey and rapper ‘Lil Wayne. We have also taken the train to Los Angeles twice, where Heather is now working on music for films. One of her latest scores can be heard in the movie Z for Zachariah. (http://www.heathermcintosh.com/) Last spring, Heather married Charlie Estes in an outdoor extravaganza/picnic in Athens, Georgia, at a natural amphitheater on “The Land,” a conservancy space Kay and I invested in several years ago.

Kay and I are having a blessed, wonderful, complete life, not rich nor famous, but we have our love and our health and are getting by quite well. Photos can be found on Facebook.

Jan. 3, 2016, in former President Jimmy Carter’s Sunday School class

Heather on Saturday Night Live


George W. Miles 2403 Oak Hill Drive Lisle, IL 60532 630-971-2416 George.miles@comcast.net Spouse:

Donna Lust Miles ‘66

Children:

Lori K. Glud and husband, Todd, live in Tucson, AZ Michael W. Miles live in Houston, TX

Grandchildren:

Timothy and Kelsey Glud

Following graduation from Otterbein, marriage occurred in July of 1966 and life in Westerville continued for another 6 years. George worked in the financial industry during that time for Buckeye Federal Savings and Loan. Donna taught junior high home economics at Walnut Springs Jr. High in Westerville until starting their family. Career moves for George included Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City, Talman Home Federal and University Financial both in Chicago, Ashland Oil in Lexington, Ky; the Resolution Trust Corp, Chicago; and Fuji Futures/ Mizuho Securities USA in Chicago from which he has been retired for 6 years. Travel to many cities in the US and the countries of Australia, China, Singapore, Japan and England was required during his assignment as Managing Director, Deputy Head of Global Futures for these companies. Donna was able to be a stay at home mom for some time and volunteered a lot in the children’s schools. She took up tennis and very much enjoyed playing the sport and participating in team tennis events so much so she took a part time job at her tennis club which turned into a full time position running the office and reception desk for the club which lasted eight years. Donna left there to become the secretary at Immaculate Conception Church where she remained for 16 years before retiring last year. Being involved in our church has been a huge part of our lives for the 25 plus years we have attended. We are sacristans, ministers of care, lectors, Eucharistic ministers and are just there to help where needed. We were honored recently by the Archdiocese of Chicago with the Christifideles Award given to those offering generous service to their parish. Numerous trips to Tucson to visit with grandchildren continue to be a huge focus for us now that we both are retired. We both have family in Ohio so frequent trips “home” still are part of our lives as well.


Gail L. Miller 4830 Scott Drive Hermitage, PA 16148 millergl@westminster.edu

Otterbein, to me, is both a place and a time, and no doubt all of us who contribute to the memory blog will reflect on that nexus. I had the pleasure, if that’s the right word, to have had two memory times: first as a student with all of you 66-ers, then from the late ‘70s to the mid-’80s as a faculty member, teaching and chairing the department of economics and business when, not openly realized, OC was beginning to make the changes that would allow it to become a small university. Both of these experiences have become a part of me, now a semi-retired college professor. After finishing OC, a brief sojourn at OSU established that I wasn’t serious about graduate school, and fortunately I was able to enter Air Force OTS and had a very good experience as an officer and gentlemen, getting an MBA from Georgia along the way and enough educational benefits to do a doctorate in business at Kentucky. My Otterbein education gave me the firewood, and I had to supply the match. As a child of the sixties, marriage by mid-20, children in regular intervals (three sons), job changes, career priorities were the tablet of life, and as we are now well into our AARP year, we dote over grandkids (nine and counting), enjoy the freedom of empty nest (just this year with the last of my wife’s two kids off to Pitt), and are saddened by the loss of many of those who we were close to. After forty some years in teaching, when everyone questions the value of education (it’s worth more than ignorance), it’s all about your cohorts, the friends you make, your classmates and the values they bring to the enterprise. Respect, work, dedication, and fun in good measure, along with the beer. The faculty and Dean Van were the guardians of that culture, and that was present in both of my ‘times’. I trust that the culture with change remains one where students can grow intellectually and have the experiences that make for an interesting and confident young man or woman. It was that kind of culture that encouraged me to teach at small colleges (Presbyterian of South Carolina, Otterbein, and Westminster). Memories that are worth mentioning and can be revealed! We history majors suffered through the voluminous readings issued by Dr. Holtermann – and her rather authoritarian style. In my second time, we had offices close by, and now Ursala was a truly delightful person, chatting about career advice and the latest administrative debacle. Many of the professors I had as a student, where I had not distinguished myself, were quite human and welcoming, not as a former grad, but as a colleague. As a student, I was involved in campus governance that was typical of colleges of that day. But, one of the changes that happened at OC after our graduation, was the creation of the college Senate with students having a huge voice in curriculum, policy, and budgetary matters. I wish that were the case in the ‘60s, not only for the “rights,” but for the effect it had on making students more


confident and informed. Many of the alumni trustees now had this experience and it has contributed greatly to understanding the realities of running an organization. There was a share of mischief and one of the highlights was the evening the pledges decided to cut a Monday evening “orientation” and hide-out in the President’s house when Bruce Turner was a pledge. The ever resourceful Jim Wacker, once we located them locked in the house, found a ladder and he and several enforcers entered through an unlocked upstairs window and ended the stand-off. I don’t think President Turner or any of the Deans learned of the break-in. I am grateful for the Otterbein that was. The education was much more complete than colleges require today, and if I could remember one-fourth of all the literature, religion, history, chemistry, biology, etc., I would be extremely successful on Jeopardy. I was able to do a study abroad semester in Lebanon, enjoy and lead Sigma Delta Phi as it was a relative newcomer on the Greek scene. It was a time and place to grow, develop relationships, experience successes and setbacks, and move on to the next stage. As you may have gathered, I haven’t authored the great American novel, founded a dot-com, or found a cure for the common cold. One possible achievement was the recent attempt to found a new political force: League of Women (and men) non -voters. Sadly the turnout was very low with some Russian emigres who wanted to have a monarchy. Otherwise, the path was into higher education, and it has been good. So, here we are at the half-century mark. Our collective experience isn’t all that different from those of similar age who went to Capital or Muskingum or any university, many have moved on from divorce, serious illness, and other life-changing events. My roommate from my first year passed on over ten years ago, as have others, and we all share that loss as a touchstone to our own living and mortality. As we read these, let’s all celebrate the good fortune we have experienced, enjoy the company of those who can attend (I hope I can make some of the events, but I have my step-daughter’s senior vocal recital at Duquesne this evening). I would like to think OC gave us the optimism to take on life large, not necessarily as Donald Trump, maybe more like Ben Carson. Best wishes to my old friends of ’66 – the Orbins, Tom Main, Ruth Barnes, other frat presidents, Sigma Delts, student government, classmates, and mediocre tennis players like me.


Steve Moeller 4332 Logsdon’s Woods Drive Liberty Township, OH 45011 513-383-5565 moellers722@fuse.net

Spouse:

Karen Gayle Fischer Moeller, deceased June 8, 2011

Children:

Katie Treherne, Ohio Dominican, business administration; Xavier, master’s in secondary education; seventh grade computer applications teacher, Lakota Hopewell Jr. High; husband, Brett Treherne; British literature and advanced composition teacher, Lakota West H.S. Kurt Moeller, Otterbein ‘97, business; master’s from Northern Kentucky University; director of development, Newport Central Catholic H.S.; wife, Jen; nurse anesthetist, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Grandchildren:

Paige A, (9) and Greyson Fischer(6) Treherne; Kasey Stephen (7), Mackenzie Catherine (5) and Hudson William (1) Moeller

1st Career: Columbus Public Schools, Walnut Ridge Jr./Sr. High Assistant football coach Head JV football coach Assistant basketball coach Head JV basketball coach Head track coach Biology, American history, health, PE, Driver’s Ed teacher Scioto Downs Race Track (night) Master’s degree OSU, thesis: Basketball History of Otterbein College (published) North High School Head basketball coach Assistant football coach Colerain High School (alma mater) Head basketball coach 2nd Career: Rice University, assistant basketball coach (1975-76) University of Texas, assistant basketball coach (1977-81) 1978 NIT Championship California State Bakersfield University (1982) From record of 0-26 to 26-5 Played for the National Championship University of Mississippi (1982-86) Akron University (1986-89) University of Cincinnati (1989-2001) Final Four in 1992 Assistant athletic director (1995-2001) 1st retirement


3rd Career: Athletic director, Norwood Jr./Sr. High School 2002-2004 4th Career: Basketball sport agent 2002-2012 Sports Plus International Europe/Asia/Far East NBA (Knicks/Golden State) 5th Career: Radio broadcaster 2013-present Color analyst for Northern Kentucky University basketball Other: Worked seven summers for Darrell Hedric, Miami, Ohio; Charlie Huggins, high school Hall of Fame coach; and Bobby Knight, Indiana University. Easter Seals board (15 years) President and founder of Sports Plus International President of Greater Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Fame—currently Founded Karen Moeller Memorial Scholarships with my family Recruited and coached nine former NBA players and two Super Bowl contestants


Judith Morison Thompson 7970 Outville Road, SW Pataskala, OH 43062 330-714-4907 jthompson18@neo.rr.com

Spouse:

William D. Thompson ‘64, deceased March 11, 2016

Children:

Barbara Callahan, graduate of Slippery Rock University in PA, athletic training. Master’s from University of Pittsburgh in exercise physiology and married to Matt Callahan, a physical therapist, own and operates Lawrence County Physical Therapy Institute. Grandchildren: Emma 1, Rachel 9. Eric- Graduate of The University of Dayton, mechanical engineering, employed by Ethicon Endo Surgery, a Johnson and Johnson Co. in Cincinnati, OH, research and development, married to Rachael Herman Thompson. Grandchildren, Ben 4, Luke 2, baby girl in April. Brian- Graduate of The University of Dayton, mechanical engineering, employed by Advanced Sterilization Products, a Johnson and Johnson Co. in Irvine, California, research and marketing. Married to Heather Bowman Thompson. Grandchildren Leila 7, Kai 5.

Born: Akron, Ohio Education after Otterbein: The University of Akron – M.S.P.R. degree (special education) Career: High school health and physical education teacherGranville High School, Granville, Ohio Wadsworth High School- Wadsworth, Ohio Northwestern High School- West Salem, Ohio Retirement: Soco Home in Wadsworth, Ohio. Built log home, 2015, on Thompson family farm. We have so many fond memories of our years at Otterbein. Now that we are in the Columbus area, we hope to renew old friendships.


Roy Palmer 250 Vine Street Logan, OH 43138 740-385-7741 royinlogan@gmail.com Spouse:

Esther Burgess ‘67

Children:

Marc, Seth, Whitney, Zachary

Grandchildren:

Paige, Isaac, Jack, Gwen, Ava, Zoey, Adalyn, Maya and Cora

I met Esther Burgess at Otterbein ’67 and just as they say, “that made all the difference.” We became teachers in Newark, Ohio, after being married in June 1967. I had taught in Frazeysburg, Ohio, during the 1966-67 school year and lived with my parents in Zanesville, Ohio, at least through the weekdays. Friday evenings would usually find me on the road to Westerville for the weekend…kind of an extra year of weekends at Otterbein. We taught (Esther 1st grade) in Newark until the fall of 1971. During those years I taught high school vocational business subjects and economics. In 1971, I was accepted into a State Department of Education Vocational Leadership program, which required participants to intern in a vocational education administration. In the fall of 1971, I began my internship at Tri-County Technical Institute in Nelsonville, Ohio. It appeared to me to be the edge of the earth. I thought, “I can last a year anywhere.” I retired from Hocking College in 2010 as senior vice president. Nelsonville became the home of my career. With a unique leadership team the college grew in enrollment from 50 students in the fall of 1971 to over 6,000 in the fall of 2010. It was the first two-year campus in the state to have on-campus student housing. While the college was perhaps best known for its natural resources programs, it offered many one of a kind academic areas of career study… an open-to-the-public hotel, restaurants, fish hatchery, industrial ceramics and others. In short, that year at the “edge of the earth” turned out to be my career at “the center of the universe.” I earned a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University along the way. Esther was pregnant with our first child when we moved to Logan, Ohio, in 1971. We have three sons and one daughter. They are all married with children. The oldest is an engineer for Honda in Raymond, Ohio. Next is a forester/investment banker for Prudential in Memphis. Our daughter runs an MRI for a large hospital system in Cincinnati. The youngest is a fire captain for the Federal Bureau of Land Management in Price, Utah. There are nine grandchildren with ages from 14 to 2.5. The youngest are twins in Utah. Throughout the years, we hosted students in our home. Two of whom are brother and sister from the same family in Costa Rica. We have exchanged many visits with the Costa Rica families. Retirement has been the best “job” yet (even better than Otterbein). Chasing grandchildren, traveling, spending time with friends, doing some writing, developing a gym routine, working on some family business interests, all rely on my (with Esther) personal prerogatives. Time with the grandchildren is now the top priority. My writing initiatives center on family history…my memories or writing that will cause today to be a little better remembered in the future. I had never stepped into a gym to work out until about 10 years ago. Once again, I lucked out. I met a trainer who opened his own gym and he’s now like a fourth son. He has trained me. Still, Otterbein enters our life nearly daily (not just the robo calls). My favorite golf outings each summer are with my fraternity brothers. We enjoy the home in which our children were raised in the Hocking Hills. When we are there, it is open to family and friends. Come on down.


Esther and I

Kari, Zoey and Marc

Whitney, Todd Jack, Ava and Adalyn

Zach, Karen, Cora and Maya

Seth, Britt, Paige, Isaac and Gwen


Jane Paugh Ewing 230 Marbrook Drive Kettering, OH 45429 937-435-2875 ewing.d@sbcglobal.net Spouse:

David Logan Ewing

Children:

Alice and John

Grandchildren:

Reid and Charlotte

After graduating with a B.S. in education, I began teaching third grade in the Kettering City School system. I taught in the same building for five years until the building was closed. For the next two years, I taught at another school in the Kettering system. After my third year of teaching, I married Dave Ewing. He was an electrical engineer graduate of the University of Cincinnati. At the time of our wedding, he was a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Dave left the Air Force as a Captain and took a job at Wright Patterson Air Force Base as an electrical engineer. Dave grew up in Kettering and I liked the area, so in 1972 we purchased a home here and still live in the same house. I loved teaching but after seven years we wanted to start a family. In 1973, our daughter, Alice Lynne, was born on our fourth wedding anniversary. She has been a joy, but each year her birthday seems to over shadow our anniversary. Alice had a few health problem so I decided not to return to teaching. In 1979, our son, John David, was born. I never had a brother so I did not know much about rearing a little boy, but he was a delight. As a family, we had many exciting vacation trips. We have visited in most of the states and really enjoyed our trips to Alaska and Hawaii. Dave had a business trip to England and I went along. It was a wonderful experience. Alice graduated from Wright State University with a business degree. She currently works for PNC Mortgage Company. She really loves her job. John graduated from Miami University with a degree in zoology. He then attended the Ohio State Medical School. He is currently an emergency room doctor in Kettering Health System. He and his wife, Meghan, have two children, Reid (6) and Charlotte (2). It is wonderful being a grandmother and I am so glad they live near us. Over the years, I have been active in our church, Christ United Methodist Church. For several years I worked, taught and directed our vacation Bible school. I have been active in the United Methodist Women by serving as a fellowship leader and president of the UMW. Church is an important part of our family. Both our children were active in the church. As the children grew, I decided I wanted to go back to work part time. I currently work as a substitute for the clerical staff in the Kettering City Schools. This is a perfect job because I work two to three days a week and still have time to do other things that I want. Dave is still working at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. My time at Otterbein holds many happy memories. Because of my years at Otterbein, I was well prepared for life after college.


Paul B. Paulus 910 Portofino Drive Arlington, TX 76012

Spouse:

Laurie Elwell ‘67, married Feb. 4, 1967

Children:

Christopher and Leigh

Ph.D. in Psychology University of Iowa, 1971 Psychology Department, University of Texas at Arlington, 1970- present Professor, Chair of Department, Associate Dean of Science, Dean of Science My career has provided me an opportunity to work with many bright colleagues, great students and international visitors. Visiting positions and travel to many foreign countries have been some of the side benefits. My students, colleagues and I have done research on environmental issues such as overcrowding in prisons and effects of housing quality on military families. Our prison research was influential in court cases and the development of new standards of prison housing. For the past 30 years, we have been evaluating creativity and innovation in groups and teams. Laurie earned a B.S. in Nursing at UT Arlington and had a rewarding career, including many years working in the medical department of American Airlines. We are both thankful for the great education we received at Otterbein and the professors who challenged and encouraged us. We were blessed with a son, Christopher, who became an engineer and a daughter, Leigh, who earned a Ph.D. in organizational psychology. Our six grandchildren are keeping us “young” and competing with our hobbies of traveling and my golf.


Sheryl “Sherry” Perlick Day 13929 Torch River Rd. Rapid City, MI 49676 231-322-2085 lazydays67@gmail.com Spouse:

Phillip Day

After graduating with a B.S. in education with a major in social studies and speech, I accepted a job teaching junior high social studies in London, Ohio. I shared an apartment with Aldine Rose in Worthington for that year. Before my teaching duties began in the fall, I met my future husband during the summer, while helping run my family’s cabin resort in Elk Rapids, Michigan. Phil and I were married in June of ’67. We lived in Elk Rapids and I began my 30-year teaching career with the Kalkaska Public Schools, teaching elementary grades—primarily fifth. Three years into our marriage, we bought 32 acres with an old farm house in the hills above Rapid City, Michigan. This “city” girl became quite the farm wife. Besides my teaching and Phil’s carpet installing career, we raised beef cattle and pigs. I grew a large garden, canned vegetables and fruit, drove tractor and helped make hay. In the summer, we roamed through the fields and woods in our ’46 Willys Jeep, picking mushrooms, wild strawberries and raspberries. In the winter, we snowmobiled. Phil completely remodeled the house, which had been built in the 1890s. Then in the early ‘80s, we bought a pontoon boat and discovered the resort life.

Our area of northern Michigan is known for its beautiful lakes and rivers. We soon exchanged our pontoon for a house boat and spent many nights on the water. Finally in 1988, we bought an old log cabin on Torch River, which Phil remodeled, and we spent summers there. Finally, we sold the farm in 1994 and moved to the river permanently. In 1997, I joined Phil in retirement and we’re enjoying the “Golden Years” of our lives. Summers are spent golfing, camping and boating in Michigan. Winters are spent at our home in Mesa, Arizona, where we enjoy golfing, traveling and roaming through the mountains in our ‘07 Jeep. I enjoy many pursuits such as piano playing, reading, painting, photography and genealogy. It’s hard to believe it’s been fifty years since my days at Otterbein. I enjoyed activities with my sorority, Kappa Phi Omega, as well as the speech department. We students in speech and theater were a close knit group. I’ve also remained life-long friends with my roommate, Linda Rote Arth. The nurturing atmosphere of a small campus like Otterbein was the perfect place for me to grow into adulthood and to prepare me for my career.



Memorial for

Patricia Price Keller 1943-1985

In the summer of 1962 I received via snail-mail a harbinger of what turned out to be the best thing about Otterbein for me. It was a handwritten letter, postmarked “Akron,” from my first roommate, Patty Price of Pickle Road. Her friendly, humorous letter let me know that college might not be scary after all. Anyone who met Pat knew right away that she was special. During my college years, she taught me many things, including how to laugh at mishaps, that independence is to be admired, and why not to wash a dark green dress with your underwear. She was what my mother called “a person of quality.” Pat had character, even at that age. She was unfailingly positive, even under pressure, and I never heard her say an unkind word about anyone. She sought out foreign exchange students to shower them with the kindness she extended to everyone she met. It was Pat who showed me what the expression “old soul” means: in every situation, she was wiser and more together than anyone I knew then—or since. But Pat was also a clown. One night, I’d had a setback with a boy I was crushing on. As I sat in the dorm room holding a pity party, Pat climbed up onto the top of the built-in dresser in Mayne Hall. She scratched her ribs, clambered around and made chimpanzee noises until I doubled over in laughter. We would scamper across campus like young colts, singing pop songs. The Night Has a Thousand Eyes was her favorite in sophomore year. One day we rode a public bus downtown, pretending to be foreign and speaking only the meager French we had learned so far. When boys arrived at our King Hall window demanding panties, we giggled as we poured water on them. After graduation, I was a bridesmaid at her wedding. To support her children after her divorce, she became a software salesperson and her personality made her successful: just seeing her come into their offices made people feel better. For all her intelligence, wisdom and skills, Pat was truly humble: self-promotion was not in her DNA. We remained friends over the years. She, too, fell in love with San Francisco after visiting me there, and we made plans to buy a house together, just before her early passing. A talented artist, she did a portrait of me, which hangs in my bedroom. Decades after her death, I still miss the painter. And I treasure my friendship with her amazing son.

If we’re lucky, we meet a few people in this life who show us what human beings can be. Pat was such a person. This world is a lesser place without Pat Keller in it, but I bet the folks in heaven are laughing their wings off. —Melinda Rickelman Mullen


I met Pat Price when we were freshmen at Otterbein, living at King Hall. We shared laughs, meals, and interests, became friends, and returned to King Hall as roommates and Junior Counselors two years later. We roomed together again as seniors, sharing a love of the arts, learning about other cultures from exchange students, and dancing to Motown hits, anytime, anywhere. When we graduated, I moved to Cleveland and we were able to stay in touch since she lived in Akron. Our friendship grew as we both began teaching and then were in each other's weddings. I always loved spending time with Pat and soon we were taking her boys, Matt and Sam, to Geauga Lake Park, to a beach or park, or to downtown Cleveland. Between visits, we'd have long, intimate talks by phone or write letters back and forth. For over 20 years Pat was my best friend, and I will always miss her. Painter, potter, playful friend Artful in all things

Teller of tales, both tall and true Resilient through life's ups and downs Insightful, sensitive and caring Creative thinker, enthusiastic learner Imaginative, inquisitive Always ready for adventure ——Charlene Zundel Nevans


Bonnie Reams Paul 10863 Bromwell Lane Montgomery, OH 45249

Spouse:

Thomas Paul

Children:

John and James

Grandchildren:

Elizabeth, Sarah, Nicholas, Jack and Katie

Shortly after graduating from Otterbein, I married Tom Paul. We have lived in different areas north of Cincinnati since then. I taught the fifth grade in the Finneytown School District. Tom earned an MBA degree from UC. I left teaching when our son, John, was born. A few years after our son, Jim, was born, I became Tom’s office manage in his residential home building company. When Tom retired from the residential home building company, I started working in a bank. Now, I have retired from that bank. Our son, John, earned his bachelor degrees and master’s of accountancy degree from Miami University. His wife, Jackie, earned her bachelor degree from Miami University. Our son, Jim, earned his bachelor degree and master’s of accountancy degree from Miami University. His wife, Stacey, earned her bachelor degree from Miami University. John, Jackie, and their children – Jack and Kate – live in New Jersey. Jim, Stacy, and their children – Elizabeth, Sarah, and Nicholas – live in the Columbus area. It is hard to believe that 50 years have flown by so quickly! It doesn’t seem possible that it has been 50 years since we were classmates at Otterbein! It will be fun to see everyone who can attend the reunion. Also, it will be fun to remember the classmates who cannot be at Otterbein for our 50th reunion.


Melinda Rickelman Mullen 2540 Maplewood Drive Columbus, OH 43231 designwrds@aol.com

For a shy Air Force brat in 1962, heading off to college was intimidating—but liberating. I remember the day soon after I arrived, when my mother called King Hall’s housemother, Mrs. Weber, to ask her to keep an eye on me. “She’s shy and socially inept” was the caution. At that exact moment, Mrs. Weber looked out the window and told my mother that I was walking up the sidewalk, holding hands with a boy (a former hubcap thief turned pre-theology student). Otterbein taught me some things I didn’t need to know: how to dissect a fetal pig (which possibly contributed to my vegetarianism); why one should take a large, plastic-lined purse to cafeterias; and why never to reread Beowulf. On the plus side, Dr. Coulter showed me the value of literature. Dr. Rosselot inspired a trip to France. Dr. Hassenpflug gave me an understanding of fine art that would enrich the rest of my life. Otterbein also taught me how to handle new situations, the meaning of existentialism, and why not to invite a boy I didn’t know to the Sadie Hawkins dance (his response: “I’m sorry, I have trench mouth”). Those times seem like a rosy vignette from another world—one in which women could stroll down any street at night without wondering if an ax murderer was lurking; in which people visited rather than texted; in which terrorism, ecological disaster, animal abuse and political corruption did not loom in one’s psyche. After grad school at Kent State, there was a brief stint teaching English at Ohio State and speechwriting for a state official. Then, without knowing why, I followed fate westward—home!—to San Francisco, a place that nourished and inspired me every day for 30 years. An English degree from Otterbein did little to advance my career in advertising and public relations there, since employers prefer big-name schools. However, my years at Otterbein did something more important: they added a depth and richness to my life that only a liberal arts education can. The college also instilled a fine set of values that would later give me, like many others, the confidence and righteous indignation that sent us into the streets and voting booths to improve women’s lives, gain footholds in the conquest of racial equality, change social mores, and end a war.

After three decades in the city I love, I returned to Columbus to care for my aging mom. The executive search firm said, “The median age for professionals in Columbus is 37—and you’re not.” It took two years to find a job as an editor at McGraw-Hill. Ageism being illegal but prevalent, I’m now a freelance writer/painter living in the Midwest with two dogs and four parrots. I have covered the walls of my house with paintings of the Bay Area, and when people ask if I miss San Francisco, I reply, “Only when I’m awake.” It’s a lie. The book I may never finish will be entitled Living W here Y ou Don’t.



Phil Roberts 4811 Marion Marysville Rd Prospect, OH 43342 740-494-2362 PhillipSharon2009@yahoo.com

Spouse: Children:

Sharon Blair Roberts, married 42 years Stephanie, graduate of Ashland College for both bachelor’s and master’s, teacher and early childhood director of Pioneer Career Center, Shelby, Ohio Rebecca, 20 years managing cosmetologist, Marion, Ohio Scott, owns an electrical, heating and cooling company, Radnor, Ohio

Grandchildren:

Hayden (10) and Gavin (5)

My life story is very unique. First, I graduated from a class of only 18 at Radnor, Ohio, in Delaware County which is now Buckeye Valley. So when I chose Otterbein, I had to step up to college life. I was quite bashful and hated to get up in front of class to speak or give reports. No one asked me to pledge a fraternity so I was considered one of the unpopular and that left a negative impression on me. My dad was a farmer and my mom was a school teacher who stayed home to take care of us three boys. But Otterbein was patient with me and taught me a lot. However, after my freshman year, I thought I wanted more fun and action. So I transferred to the “party school,” Ohio University. I spent the next two years there and did pick up a lot of interesting business courses. Then, I longed to come back to Otterbein for a better classroom experience and so I transferred back. I didn’t get to be in the 1966 graduation ceremony since I had a few credits to complete in summer school. I came back and took part in the 1967 graduation ceremony since they only had one per year. I still wanted to be considered a part of the 1966 class although probably few classmates remembered me. Otterbein did so much for me, so I give the school the credit for getting me a good start in life. I have tried to give back to Otterbein by being a part of the Joanne Van Sant Giving Society for some years. My working years included 32 years with the Ohio Department of Transportation in finance and accounting, and 12 years teaching in local school systems, while managing small family farms and working 15 years, seasonally, for the Ohio State Fair. My give back to the community includes an adult community basketball outreach program, doing nursing home services, coaching school programs of soccer, baseball, and basketball. Also serving my Lord and Savior as deacon, youth director, treasurer, and Prospect Lions club as president and other offices. One thing I learned, from motivation and Christian speakers like Tony Dungy, NFL winning coach and analyst, is that it pays to be yourself and dare to be different. I think this is me.


Our 45th Class Reunion in 2011


JoAnn Robinson James 920 Mill Stream Court Savannah, GA 31419 Jo_robinson_james@yahoo.com

My life has been one of service and concern for justice. Previously involved in several organizations in Massachusetts, I am a Life Member of the NAACP, a member of the Order of the Eastern Star (Springfield, MA), have been host parent and board member of A Better Chance (Amherst, MA), and have sung in church choirs.

I was employed as a referral specialist, connecting those in need with community resources for several years, a Head Start parenting coordinator, parent center director and registrar at The Community Music School of Springfield (MA). In Savannah, I have volunteered at a local nursing home, served as a Savannah Parks and Recreation Commissioner and am an officer with the Savannah Section of the National Council of Negro Women. My happiest moments have been spent traveling, learning about my Gullah Geechee heritage, crafting and taking walks.


Aldine (Deanie) Rose Ahl 1325 S. Goliad St. #3203 Rockwall, TX 75087 214-535-5956 deanieahl44@gmail.com

A million tomorrows may have passed away but I have not forgotten the joys that were mine for years at Otterbein. I hope The New Christy Minstrels don’t mind my paraphrase of a line from their song. “Today” was one of their hit songs in 1964 and became my personal theme song since it expressed so well how I was feeling as an Otterbein student. The joys of dorm life in Cochran, Clements, Cochran, and Mayne and my circle of friends in Tau Delta. My second year in Cochran as a junior counselor was similar to my freshman year since there was always someone sitting on my bed with me sharing their problems. Fifty years since graduation has left me a little short on some names but I can’t forget Edie Sheets Hajek or the fishnet and sea shells we used to decorate our room in Clements Hall. But we didn’t spend very much time in that room since Edie was out studying with Brian every evening and I was in the basement of Cowan Hall building sets. Sunday mornings I climbed out of bed early, put on my black dress, and took my place in the front seat of the college station wagon next to Professor Thayer. The Chancel Drama group that he started replaced the sermon with a religious drama in sanctuaries all over Ohio. The potluck lunches that were often held for us were a nice change from cafeteria food. We were also invited to perform at the E.U.B. Youth Convocation in Estes Park, Colorado. The station wagon with the rear seat facing backwards and no air conditioning created a dash for the showers at night and negotiations over whose turn it was to ride backwards. Our performance was appreciated and it was an incredible learning experience for us. After graduation, Sheryl Perlick and I shared an apartment for a year while we started teaching. I taught sophomore English and senior speech at West Jefferson High School. After my marriage to Bill Ahl in 1967, I continued to teach while he finished at Otterbein and performed his military service. His employment by a local phone company led us to live in Sidney, Ohio, for seven years. During that time, we had two sons and I started a community theater group. While I had enjoyed directing my students in class plays, directing adults with no theater experience has its own rewards. Fortunately, I had a pianist and a good singer when I directed The Fantasticks. Working out dance routines in my kitchen was unique. And I can still see my three year old son standing by the piano in the living room while I worked with cast members on Try to Remember. The Sunshine Boys was fun to direct and apparently stayed with me for years. Twenty years later at a theater in Texas we saw Jack Klugman and Tony Randall doing The Sunshine Boys. I was surprised at how many lines I thought of before they were spoken on stage.

The changing telecommunications business of the 1970’s took my family to Texas in 1979. The blizzard of 1978 may have made leaving Ohio a little easier. By the 1980s many were in a panic over a new virus with no cure. HIV had people spinning their heads and pointing fingers. Education seemed like a better approach to me. When the CDC asked the National PTA to help educate the public, I saw an opportunity. As a PTA council president in 1986, I was able to organize a seminar on HIV that the Texas Department of Education expected the superintendents and school nurses in Region X to attend. The Dallas Health Department nurse, lawyer, minister, and parents from a district that had just started an AIDS curriculum provided information and reassurance. Other than raising my sons I wonder if that AIDS seminar may have been one of the best things I’ve ever done.


Both of my sons are grown men with families of their own. David graduated from the University of Texas at Commerce and works in law enforcement. Michael has an associate degree and enjoys farming in California. My years at Otterbein prepared me for leadership in my family and my community.


James (Jim) R. Sells 137 S. Courtenay Parkway, #2416 Merritt Island, FL 32952-4843 jrsells@earthlink.net

I married Barbara E. Wellman, (who I graduated with from Marion Franklin High School, Columbus, Ohio), in June of 1966. We have two sons, nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren. In my junior year I was accepted into the AFROTC Flight Indoctrination Program where I learned to fly and obtain my pilot’s license.

I graduated from Otterbein as an AFROTC Distinguished Military Graduate and went to Pilot Training in Del Rio, Texas. Because of my long military service, we’ve lived in many places in the United States, to include; Ohio, California, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, Georgia, and Germany. While in Europe we traveled to England, Scotland, Austria, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Holland, and Switzerland. And in the U.S. we’ve been in nearly all fifty states. We even traveled to Alaska in our motor home in 2007. I served in all levels of command in the Air Force to include three years on the Air Staff and two years on the Joint Staff both in the Pentagon, and one year on President Reagan’s second Inaugural Committee. I also worked at the National Security Agency, National Computer Security Center for two years. I’ve flown all types of aircraft; fixed and rotary wing, propeller driven and jets, center line thrust and multiengine, and large and small. I’ve enjoyed all of them but like helicopter flying the most. After spending over 23 years in the Air Force and retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1989, we moved to Palm Bay, Florida, where I taught computer and accounting courses at Keiser College for two years. I then worked at Northrop Grumman Corporation, Melbourne, Florida, as a Technical Writer and a Software Test Engineer. I retired from Northrop Grumman in October of 2006. I enjoyed all four years at Otterbein. I majored in mathematics and I especially liked the class sizes that were small enough to get individual attention from the professors. The broad spectrum of students and activities kept my interest the entire time. I participated in both the Marching Band and Concert Band and was an active member in Kings Fraternity. Some of the mathematics concepts learned then I’ve used some 30 years later in the computer world that we all live in. Many of the friendships made in the 60’s still remain today, corresponding via e-mail, which of course didn’t exist back then. I thank all the Otterbein staff for all they did in helping me establish goals and work ethics that have come in handy and helped make my career successful.


Alvarene (Renie) Shank Massanova 6756 Cliffside Drive Vermilion, OH 44089

Spouse:

Jerry Massanova

Children:

Christina (Matthew) Becker and Jeffrey Massanova

Grandchildren:

Abigail Becker

After three years at Otterbein, I transferred to the Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA, and graduated with a B.S. in medical technology. I then worked two years at the West Virginia University Medical Center Laboratory. In 1968, I married and moved back to Ohio and worked a few years at St. Joseph Hospital Lab in Lorain, Ohio. In 1971, I became a stay at home mom for 16 years! I enjoyed every bit of that time and considered myself very lucky. With college costs looming, I went back to work and worked for 21 years at Amherst Hospital Lab, Amherst, Ohio. I retired in 2010. The light of our life is our granddaughter, Abigail, 9 years old. Unfortunately, she lives in Michigan. We look forward to hosting “Camp Abigail” each summer and enjoy seeing her though out the year. Jerry and I are both retired and have enjoyed good health. We have traveled to Europe five times, Hawaii, Alaska, Panama Canal, Caribbean, and the U.S. National Parks. We go to Florida each February. We hope to keep traveling. Happy trails to all…


Edith Sheets Hajek 4500 Crompton Drive Columbus, OH 43220 15 Bluebill Avenue Unit 1104 Naples, FL 34108 Hajek1@outlook.com and bysgrma@columbus.rr.com

Spouse:

Brian Hajek ‘66

Our personal life adventure began for the two of us at Otterbein College some 54 years ago when Brian spotted Edith across the street from the Administration Building and Towers Hall at the corner of College Avenue and Grove Street. This began a three-year quest on our parts (sometimes his and sometimes hers) that resulted in a lifetime commitment being made at the beginning of our senior year, and a marriage shortly after we graduated. In a vision of the future, Brian thought he had won the Super Bowl (the first of which only happened some six months later) and exclaimed “I’m going to Disney World!” Of course WDW didn’t open for another five years. Since then we’ve enjoyed the “happiest place on earth” together every year and every day of our lives, an experience that could only have started at Otterbein College. And so here we are 50 years after graduation typing on a tablet (a what?) while looking out over the Gulf of Mexico in Naples, Florida. While we live in Columbus, Ohio, most of the year, we enjoy the warmth of this tropical paradise in the winter months and the crispness of the Colorado mountains in late summer. This could only have occurred due to our experiences at Otterbein College. On the personal side we’ve enjoyed having two children, a daughter (Lisa ‘01) who also attended Otterbein and met her husband ( Matt ‘99) there, and now three grandchildren, the oldest of whom is considering Otterbein for next year after he graduates from high school this spring. We anxiously await his decision. The younger boys are working their way through little league baseball and football, and learning more about the world and nature than one could ever imagine, and challenging us with their embracement of technology. Why can’t Gramma and Grandpa better understand this stuff? On the professional side, Edith spent seven years teaching and then a lifetime raising our children and helping with the grandchildren. Brian, after finishing a physics major at Otterbein, was seduced by the eerie blue glow of a nuclear reactor core at Battelle Memorial Institute in Columbus, and then after two years there, began a fulfilling 45 year career at The Ohio State University doing some pretty cutting edge research and teaching nuclear engineering, positively exciting and impacting the lives of a new generation of engineers. Today, as His Honor, he keeps professionally busy as a part time Federally appointed Administrative Judge with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Keeping in contact with Don Bulthaup and Phil Barnhart over the years made much of this career possible. Our time at Otterbein offered us a wonderful beginning for the rest of our lives. Dr. Kerr, Dr. Grissinger, Mr. Ray, Dr. Coulter and Dean Van are just a few who helped us become useful adults. Edith still has fond memories for her choir tours, especially the one to NY City. It was fun to be witness to the beginning of the Au Go-Go Singers, Buffalo Springfield and Poco.


Today, being on the beach together, spending time with grandchildren, getting out on the water in a kayak for Brian, hiking together in the mountains, and Edith bringing new life to her gardens every spring, keep life exciting and adventurous for us almost every day. Oh – and riding around in our 1967 MGB that has been with us for 49 years, including for a 10,000 mile camping trip in Canada and the western U.S. in 1969. These activities made possible through our learning at Otterbein, and our faculty mentors having become our good friends over the years, enable us to meet and enjoy so many interesting new friends and to continue to learn about the diversity in this great country of ours, to share these experiences with our grandchildren, and hopefully to create an even better world for our great-grandchildren and others. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion.


Ellen Shipman Aiello 3401 Ledgestone Drive Austin, TX 78731 lesasr2003@yahoo.com

Spouse:

Les F. Aiello ‘68

Children:

Allison A. Stansel, Purdue ‘94, chemical engineer Les F. Aiello Jr., Duke ‘99, B.S. and M.S. in engineering

Grandchildren:

Taft, Burch and Emmett Stansel; Stephen and Lydia Aiello

After Otterbein, I taught six years in Plain City, Ohio, while Les finished at Otterbein and Ohio State University Medical School. We moved to Dallas, TX, for his internship and residency in pediatrics. On to Myrtle Beach, SC, for two years in the Air Force, then back to Austin, TX, to set up a pediatric practice. He just retired after 35 years. We now live in Oatmeal, TX, on a ranch we’ve had for 15 years, raising longhorn cattle, quarter horses, cats and dogs. We love the country. Our ranch, The Lazy 8XA, is almost “off the grid.” We do water conservation, have solar panels and are our own fire department with pumps and fire suppression tanks. Les keeps busy maintaining systems! I garden, veggies and herbs and flowers...having a constant battle with deer, rabbits, raccoons, not to mention pigs and armadillos!

While raising children, I was a contractor (built our house in town) and helped complete The Umlauf Sculpture Garden in Austin at Zilker Park. Charles Umlauf was a professor at the University of Texas (Farrah Fawcett was his student !!) and he is still pretty well known in Texas and the Southwest. I have been a realtor, in children’s books, volunteered with the medical auxiliary, PTA, Pioneer Farm, local art guilds...happiest interacting with my children. I have had many good times with Otterbein friends since graduation. Larry and Ruth Amstutz live in San Antonio and ranch close to us. Chuck Messmer and his family have always been Coloradoans, but he and Les and Larry were in Pi Sig together and that bond has been strong! We have kept up with Steve Moeller (he was basketball coach at University of Texas) and Gayle Greiser ( my freshman roommate). We look forward to reconnecting with classmates.


Thomas F. Shoaf 173 Farmwood Place Gahanna, OH 43230 614-471-2505 tshoaf01@gmail.com Spouse:

Sharon Banbury Shoaf ‘67

Children:

Lisa, Ohio State University, mechanical engineering Robert, Ohio State University, civil engineering Richard, Ohio State University, computer science engineering

Grandchildren:

Sylvia, Katrina, Gabi and Alexander Ore; Allyssa and Braden Shoaf; Sydney and Nicholas Shoaf

Advanced Education, Training and Special Awards after Otterbein: Jennings Scholar Lecture Series for Outstanding Teachers 1973 Xavier University, (Master’s in Secondary Administration) 1975 Columbus Police Academy (Police Officer Certification) 1976 Columbus Police Commendation (for Rescuing a Father and his two Sons from a rain swollen river) 1976 Career:

After graduating from Otterbein with a B.S. in education in 1967, I began teaching physical education at Mifflin Middle School until 1970. While at Mifflin Middle School, I coached junior high football, basketball and track. In 1970, Mifflin became part of the Columbus Public Schools and I worked as head teacher as well as assistant principal in Mifflin Middle/High School until 1976. During that time, I also coached as assistant high school football and girls high school basketball as well as becoming athletic director. From 1976 until 1979, I taught health and physical education at Mifflin High School. During those years, I also worked as a Marine Park Police Officer from early May through October. In 1979, Columbus Public Schools began desegregation and I was one of the 16 teachers chosen to become a school student safety specialist. I was assigned to the northeast quadrant of the city and I would be called to handle any problems concerning student safety that would occur on the school grounds, buses or during athletic events. I continued in that capacity until I retired, after 36 years of teaching, in 2003. The next school year, 2003-04, I became an administrative assistant at Linden Elementary School. From 2004-2007, I returned as a school student safety specialist for Columbus Public Schools until I retired for the second time in 2007.


Family: Sharon Banbury Shoaf ’67 and I recently celebrated our 50 th wedding anniversary. We are very fortunate that our three children and their families live around the Columbus area, so that we are able to be closely involved in our grandchildren’s lives. Sharon finished her education career at The Ohio State University and then stayed home with our three children for 10 years. She began teaching at Kae Ave. Elementary School in Whitehall City Schools for 15 years as a 2nd and 2nd/3rd grade teacher and then taught Reading Recovery at Beechwood Elementary for her last 15 years. She retired at the end of the 2006-2007 school year. Our daughter, Lisa, lives in Pickerington. She works at J.P. Morgan Chase. Her children are Sylvia, Katrina, Gabi and Alexander. Our son, Robert, and his wife, Ewa Byczek, live in Dublin. He works as vice president of Regional Water Treatment Technology at AECom in Columbus and our daughter-in –law is the orthodontist at Dublin Orthodontics. Their children are Allyssa and Braden. Our son, Richard, and his wife Lisa, live in Westerville. He is a senior research scientist at Battelle Memorial Institute and our daughter-in –law is a researcher for Ohio Criminal Justice Services. Their children are Sydney and Nicholas. Our retirement years find us traveling and spending lots of time with our children and grandchildren. We feel blessed to have met each other at Otterbein back in 1963 and to continue our “Cardinal Couples’ Love Story” more than 50 plus years later.


Emily Smith Curie 10630 Fox Lake Road Orrville, OH 44667 poemaday@yahoo.com Dear Ms. Coed, It may be hard for you to believe that you’ll retire from teaching language arts to seventh graders after the ‘96-’97 school year. A lot of good it did to resist theatre during college—you’ll end up directing fall and spring plays at Orrville Junior High from 1969 on. You will marry an actor and fellow teacher (life science) known to the students as Batman for his rescuing bats from people’s homes. Together you’ll spend many evenings and summers acting in local community theatres. Another pastime you’ll share is riding the rails with the Orrville Railroad Historical Society where you’ll be passenger attendants or roving entertainers on excursions. All your years of camping at Wanake will pay off as you hold Camp Curie for nieces, nephews and godsons for several days each summer, building a home-in-the-woods and cooking out. You and Don will become Unitarian Universalists in Akron, the Wooster. You’ll serve in Religious Exploration classes, Harry Potter Camp, as a worship associate, on several Ohio Meadville District committees, attend Summer Institute and sing in the church choir. When asked these days if I’ve had any surgeries, I reply, “Do you want a list chronologically or geographically?” Breast cancer will visit you twice—21 years apart. Besides becoming a member of Orrville Poetry Club, you will take classes at Wayne College (Akron University). Yes, you will always have cats and dogs, and an occasional bat or ‘possum. Most of all, enjoy life—it’s a great ride! Sincerely, Emily Smith Curie poemaday@yahoo.com P.S. Don’t worry—you’ll learn about email soon enough.


Carol Sockel Taylor 100 N. Cassingham Road Bexley, OH 43209 614-237-4312 CSockelTaylor@gmail.com Spouse:

Douglas Ray Taylor

Children:

Susan and James

Grandchildren:

Ava Rose, Violet, Henry, Joseph and Cora

Beagles:

Gracie and Zeke

After graduating from Otterbein with a degree in mathematics education, I went to work for Springfield Local schools near Mansfield, Ohio. I spent the next eight years teaching and learning from a wonderful group of seventh, eighth and ninth graders. During that time, I met my husband, the roommate of a cohort at the school. We married in 1969. Shortly after my son James was born, (and no, he doesn't sing), Doug was transferred to Columbus, Ohio. We spent a year in an apartment while looking for a permanent home. Soon I found I was again expecting a child. We named her Susan and moved to Bexley. I know, it's the wrong end of Alum Creek, but I liked the trees. I spent the next seven years working multiple part-time jobs and staying home with my kids. I wrote an answer manual for an algebra text book, was an inspector for a Taco restaurant (I called it taco tasting and toilet testing), and substituted at the local junior high schools. At nights, I went back to school as an adult degree student at Otterbein to get a degree in computer science. It was there that I ran into my old advisor and nemeses Roger Wiley. He was, at the time, writing software to manage registration and financial aid. All the computers (actually they were dumb terminals attached to 300 baud modems communicating with the software stored on the computers at Battelle) were in the old library area where Roger worked, so there was plenty of opportunity to renew my relationship with him. After completing my degree, he called me to ask if I would come to work with him. I took what I thought would be a temporary position, as I wished to go back into teaching, but it lasted 25 years. For the first few years Roger and I were the whole department. Then PC's became affordable, the internet opened to the public, the WWW was created and every aspect of computing exploded. In order to compete, we were forced to move computing from Battelle to Otterbein, wire the college and invest in an administrative system to manage the business side of the college. We went from a staff of two to a staff of 18. Information Technology became two separate departments, one for the student's side and one for the business end. When Roger retired, I spent the last eight years in his position as director of the Administrating Computing side of IT. I retired in 2005, and again in 2010, and I went back part time in 2013. As you can see, Otterbein has been a big part of my past. Both of our kids graduated from Bexley High School. Jim graduated from Ohio University and Susan from Marietta College. After a few years of freedom, they both married and returned to the Columbus area: Jim and Jodi to Worthington and Susan and Matt to Clintonville. The first grandchild was born in 2007 and by 2011 there were 5 of them. Susan's two boys were twins. I've been honored to have been able to have "grammie days" with each one from birth until the start of school. My last three will be going to kindergarten this fall. I am going to be lost! I may have to go back to get another degree at Otterbein!



Mary Jo Stuckman Black 1609 Bridgewater Way S Mansfield, OH 44906 419-756-9481 avblack@embarqmail.com I left Otterbein in 1966 with my bachelor of arts degree which allowed me to teach history/government and French. After securing a job at Madison Junior High in Mansfield, OH, I started the first year with eighth grade American history and ninth grade French 1. I survived that first year and went on to teach 29 more years at Madison. However, looking back, I think I probably should have paid the district that first year as it was a real eye opener to be in charge of educating students 13-15 years old! I stayed in that position for seven years, changed direction briefly as a 6th grade social studies teacher in the Madison system, and completed the last 19 years at Madison High School teaching French 2 – 4. In preparation for that big change, I studied at the UniversitÊ de Dijon in France. I was very grateful to Madison which allowed me to move within the system; I developed a deep appreciation for all teachers at these different levels. June 1978, completed my first year at the high school, and a huge change in my life developed. I met a wonderful man, Vin Black, also a teacher and new assistant principal in the Mansfield City School System. We became engaged the night of the football game between our two rival schools! Six months after meeting, we were married. I became stepmother to two girls, ages 8 and 10. Katherine, the older of the two, is married and lives in Candlewood Lake. She is the mother of our two grandchildren, Christa and Timothy. Sadly, in March of 1988, our other daughter, Margaret, was killed in a freak, tragic accident the day before her 18 th birthday. Tragedy tears some couples apart, but our commitment strengthened as we healed. Vin and I are both retired now, and like many teachers, continue to give back to the community by volunteering in schools, serving on various boards, and being active at our church. We enjoy traveling, but after an aborted cruise this past February due to my detached retina requiring immediateÊ surgery (but not in Jamaica), we are evaluating future travels. Word to the wise, travel insurance is worth it! Reading, writing, gardening, cooking, and numerous clubs and activities keep me busy these days. I try to keep up with technological advances, but continuously fall behind. I relish those years at Otterbein which provided the education I needed to succeed in my chosen career. Otterbein also offered opportunities to volunteer which I loved. It instilled in me the importance of commitment to community. A liberal arts education has served me well.


John Thurston 2026 Micanopy Trail Nokomis, FL 34275 wash12325@yahoo.com

Spouse:

Ella Mae Snyder Thurston ‘65

Children:

Barbara and Jack

Grandchildren:

5

In June 1966 immediately after graduation, I was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force. I was also granted a deferment from active duty to attend Virginia Tech to study for a master’s in statistics. This educational endeavor continued until March 1967 when I was told I would have to report for active duty, so I got married to Ella Mae Snyder ’65 to include her on my orders. My orders were to report to Bergstrom Air Force Base outside of Austin, Texas. Here I was to attend the University of Texas classes in meteorology at the College of Science and Engineering. These classes continued until June of 1968, when I received orders to report to RAF Alconbury outside of Huntington in England. Upon arrival at Alconbury on July 5th, my commander informed me I was out of uniform because I had been promoted to first lieutenant a month earlier. He also informed me we would have to stay in a motel for some time because our car and household belongings were being held up in a Houston dock strike. We overcame this set back by buying a new Volkswagen Beetle (in our motel room) from a dealer and moved into a rented house owned by an RAF officer, who shortly appeared, and requested us to find other living quarters. So Ella and I moved to a four bedroom “American style bungalow” for the next three years. After a year, I became chief forecaster and was promoted to captain six months later at Alconbury. While at Alconbury, I met three more Otterbein graduates for a total of five Otter’s there. Our daughter, Barbara, was born at RAF Lakenheath on December 24, 1968, and both Ella’s and my parents came to visit the next summer. Our most memorable leave was in May 1970 when Ella and I toured Holland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and France in our Beetle with Barbara in the back seat which was arranged as a play pen. In July of 1971, I left the Air Force and took a position as a shift forecaster at Central Weather Service. I remained at Central Weather Service near Chicago as a consulting meteorologist until April 1974. Here the work was developing forecasts for major construction such as the Sears Tower, private and corporate aviation, advertising, Chicago Sanitary District, major league baseball, radio stations from Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Fort Wayne, and Lafayette IN, and many other companies. In 1974, I changed career fields and became a rate analyst at Kemper Insurance using my statistical education. This job involved the analysis of insurance results for personal lines auto, homeowners, boats and inland marine on a state and territory level by class. This information was then turned into rate filings, for the various state insurance


departments, which I had to defend on their review. I took a number of insurance courses, the most important one granting me the designation of Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter in 1980. The Company sent Ella and I to Honolulu, Hawaii, to pick up my diploma. During the 25 years I worked at Kemper, I received a number of promotions and spent the last five years as the personal lines pricing manager. I was also active in the community as the YMCA chief for Indian Guides and Princes, Boy Scouts troop leader and other programs. Along the way I also got my pilot’s license and we owned a plane and traveled around the Midwest. In 1999, I was offered a retirement package that was impossible to turn down and was to be effective in November. Ultimately, it was the end of February 2000, but I acted as a consultant until July. In 2002, I took a consulting position with Harco Insurance, a spinoff of International Harvester Truck. In June 2003, Ella retired from teaching and we moved to Florida where there is no snow to shovel and it is warm year round. We were now able to pursue motor homing on a continuing basis. We had bought our first one in 1984 and continued this hobby until 2012. We have been in all the states in the U.S.A. and much of Canada, including Newfoundland and Labrador. In 1972, our son Jack was born. He is now a pilot for the U.S. Government and Barbara got her doctorate in chemistry and is a senior vice president at a biotech firm. Jack and Barbara have given us five grandchildren, ages eleven to twenty, whom we spend a lot of time with in our travels and at home. Christmas break 2015 they came to visit, fish, hunt, play at the beach and in the pool. I am also active in our church, its Men’s Club and Travel Group.


Geary C. Tiffany 11417 Fawn Creek Court Auburn, CA 95602

Spouse:

Marysue Camson Tiffany (Adelphi University Class of ‘65) Retired teacher and current Assistance League of Placer County volunteer

Children:

Ryan Tiffany, University of San Diego graduate, director of training, VA Hospital, Tucson, AZ, married to Sara Jessica Tiffany, American University graduate, captain, U.S. Air Force

Education after Otterbein: USAF pilot training, University of San Francisco, B. A. education Career: 5 years active duty, 3 years Travis AFB, CA, 2 years Southeast Asia (Thailand/Vietnam). 20 years California Air National Guard (U.S. Air Force Reserve), Mt. View, CA; coincidental with this reserve duty, I taught economics at the San Francisco School of Business, 5 years. Transamerica Airlines, assistant chief pilot, 7 years. NASA Ames Research Center, Mt. View, CA, pilot, chief pilot, director of flight operations, 20 years; coincidental with this, Appointed chief of the Inter-Center Operations Panel, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. (Last 3 years). Current: Consultant contractor with NASA, regarding Airworthiness Issues of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones),part time.

NASA Awards: U. S. Air Force One-Support Presidential Pilot (Col. Mark Donnely) Prime Minister of Australia Visit Support (Prime Minister and Mrs. Howard) NASA Support of the Return to Flight, STS October 26, 1988 Presidential/U.S. Marine Corps Support of Helicopter April 1, 2002 United States/United Kingdom, West Coast Scotland DOD Experiment Support



Memorial for

David Charles Trout 1944-2013

Dear Otterbein Friends in the Class of ’66, If you would ask people who knew Dave Trout what they remember most about him 50 years ago as an Otterbein student or through the years until today, the answer would probably be the same: his voice! God blessed Dave with a rich—and loud— bass voice that in turn blessed others throughout his life. As a vocal music major at Otterbein he sang in the A Cappella Choir and Men’s Glee Club. Also majoring in speech and theater, he could be heard on WOBN radio or on stage starring in various theater productions such as Annie Get Your Gun and Spoon River Anthology. After graduation, Dave enrolled in United Theological Seminary where he studied to begin a career using his voice in a new way: preaching. However, his singing talent was also utilized when he partnered with two other seminary students forming a trio called The Newcomers, singing mostly folk rock tunes of the day and playing piano and guitar. After graduation and ordination, the group reunited to sing professionally and called themselves The Light Company, travelling throughout the United States singing at churches, colleges, and community events. They recorded five albums. When the trio disbanded, Dave returned to serving as an ordained Elder in the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church and his passion for preaching. He served in various churches throughout Ohio with his last full time appointment bringing him back to Westerville to serve for ten years at Church of the Messiah just down the street from Otterbein’s campus. During those years he enjoyed taking part in some Otterbein activities and attending theater productions. Another cycle of life! However, even while serving churches, Dave never abandoned music or theater. He led youth music camps, sang solos and was in a variety of barbershop quartets and community choirs while also participating occasionally in local community or church theater productions. He was especially thrilled to work again with Dr. Chuck Dodrill, his Otterbein theater professor, on a smaller production of ­­Spoon River at Church of the Messiah where he was privileged to reprise some of his characters from the original Otterbein production. Throughout his life, Dave was also an ardent hobbyist, eager to learn—and collect— new things. He learned clock repair in his “spare” time, putting it to use often for friends and parishioners over the years. He was also fascinated with steam locomotives, photography, technology, mechanics, antiques, books and movies. While living in Oxford, he took great joy in riding his motorcycle around the country roads. He had tools for every need which led him to a part time job after retirement in a local hardware store in Gahanna, Ohio. Dave never lacked for a topic of conversation and thus also had a collection of friends he treasured. He was a hugger and a laugher, working hard to overcome any pastoral stereotype of being gloomy and boring!


As devoted as Dave was to the church and as occupied as he was with his hobbies and friends, he was committed first and foremost to his family. Dave and Pat (Tharp) met after his graduation from Otterbein and her graduation from Ohio State University and were married in 1967. Two children enriched the family: Mark in 1970 and Sharon in 1976. After the children married, the family expanded to include six grandchildren: Matthew, Jordan, Jack, Lincoln, Lydia and Jude. Dave was a loved and respected patriarch of our family. Unfortunately, Dave’s life was refocused when he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2011. He fought valiantly but his earthly voice was silenced on September 18, 2013. He is greatly missed. Dave will be remembered for his talents and his love for God, family, and friends. But to the end, his enthusiasm made it obvious to all: he loved life! Sincerely, Pat Trout 300 McCutcheon Rd. Gahanna, OH 43230 614-337-1570 ptrout16@columbus.rr.com


Charles “Knobby”Wall 17 E. 92nd Street Beach Haven, NJ 08008

Spouse:

Melissa “Missy” Hartzler ‘67

Children:

Matthew, married, owner of two restaurants Joshua, professional lifeguard in Sydney, Australia Andrew, married, Chief Warrant Officer 2, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands


John R. (Bob) Wardle 138 Hickory Lane Medford, NJ 08055 asi761@aol.com

Spouse:

Brenda, married 44 years

Children:

Hilary and Pamela

After graduating from Otterbein College with a degree in business administration, I spent the next 20 years proudly serving my country as a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. It was during this time that I added a master’s degree in public administration to my resume. My wife, Brenda, and I have been married for 44 years. We met when I was in the Air Force and were married in the Catholic Church at West Point Military Academy. We have two daughters, the oldest, Hilary, has a career in medicine and our youngest, Pamela, is an export director for a major corporation. After retiring from the Air Force in 1986, I was selected to teach Air Force Junior ROTC classes at Piscataway High School in Piscataway, New Jersey. During my 20 year career at the high school, I helped guide students from the 9th through 12th grades toward successful careers. The Air Force Junior ROTC program was not established to enlist young men and women in the military, but to develop their leadership and management skills. Some of my students went to a large number of colleges/universities and to management positions in local corporations. Others were selected to attend all three military academies or received Air Force Scholarships and a few did choose to enlist in military following graduation from high school. The courses I taught paralleled the subjects I completed while in the Air Force. They included classes in basic aeronautics, space travel, meteorology, and navigation, the history of flight, as well as leadership and management. A few of my students decided they wanted careers in civil aviation. They attended colleges that specialized in aviation and are now commercial pilots. Another student became a meteorologist and works for NOAA. Others concentrated their efforts in various career fields to become doctors and nurses. I also developed an award winning drill team and color guard that won many awards including a New Jersey State Championship. One of my former students returned to the high school as its choral director. Under his guidance Piscataway’s Junior ROTC had a highly talented chorus that performed at various high school functions and for visiting dignitaries. My unit was also subject to yearly Air Force inspections and with the invaluable assistance of my non-commissioned officer, we were awarded outstanding ratings each year for our management and leadership. In 1993, I was recognized by the Medford New Jersey Police Department with a citation that read, “Mr. Robert Wardle…observed a fire at a new vacant house and acted quickly to notify emergency services and then returned to extinguish the fire, thus preventing a large loss of property.”


I retired from teaching in 2006 and look back on this part of my life as one of the most satisfying. Since retirement, I became a Rotarian. It has fit exactly into what I wanted to do for the next part of my life. I helped the club raise money to assist families in need and for scholarships to assist graduating seniors who lacked the funds to attend college. When the economy took a downturn, many more of our graduating seniors needed scholarships. The Club could only afford to provide three scholarships each year. I found an international corporation that was willing to provide the Rotary Club with the funds for two additional scholarships. I wrote grants to justify the award of these funds and they have been provided for the last five years. This company’s financial assistance has been invaluable and has helped a number of high school students attend college. I was asked to be the clubs director of public affairs and worked closely with three local newspapers to publicize the efforts of my Rotary Club. In 2009, the club recognized my efforts with their Rotarian of the Year Award. Then I was asked to be their vice president, and the following year, their president. During my presidency, Hurricane Sandy hit the New Jersey coast and a great many communities were severely damaged. My Rotary Club made funds available to help. I visited the devastated areas, talked to various organizations that were assisting home owners to rebuild and I found three families that we could help. The club was also presented with three awards by our district council during my presidency that recognized our efforts to help others. I feel my time since graduation has been well spent in the Air Force, in my teaching profession, and in the community.


Martha Warthen Wolfe 10355 Winchester Southern Rd. Stoutsville, OH 43154 740-412-7986 (mobile) meanwolfe83@aol.com Spouse:

Arthur Wolfe

Stepchildren:

Kimberly, Layne, Lance Patrick and Polly

Grandchildren: Step-grandchildren: Great-grandchildren: Step-great-grandchildren

12 10 8 6

After Otterbein, I worked as a substitute teacher for about a year in Licking and Muskingum counties in Ohio. In 1968, I was hired by Circleville (OH) City Schools as a secondary social studies teacher. I was retired in 1993, on medical and physical disabilities. From 1978-1983, I served the Presbyterian Church of Circleville, where I was a member, as adult choir director. From 1991-1993, I served as ruling elder. Currently, I am vice-moderator of Presbyterian Women. In 1983, my life took a major turn. I married Arthur Wolfe and his five children, who at the time were 20, 19, 17, 14 and 12, and ranged from seventh grade to college freshman. Over the years, they have worked as rural mail carrier, truck drivers, petroleum sales and industrial designer. The boys served in the U.S. Army in infantry, artillery engineer and paratrooper (Desert Storm). There are three degrees in business and one in design. They participated in sports and music in school, church and summers, and they passed the love of those things on to their children. We lived in Circleville at the time we were married, but in 1991, we moved seven miles east to Stoutsville. By then, the nest was empty, and we had time and space to return to our farming roots. We grew and processed produce for our use, as well as for family and friends. After Art retired from construction/heavy equipment operator in 1994, we began spending winters in Tucson, AZ. We began attending Northminster Presbyterian Church and became participants in senior activities and Bible Studies. In 2005, I became an associate member. As part of the Pickaway County Community, I have participated in the Pumpkin Show and given financial support to Friends of the Library, Roundtown Conservancy and Partners for Paws. To keep my mind and hands busy over the years, I have enjoyed needlework, quilting, photography, puzzles of all kinds, non-fiction, and genealogy research, which I begin in 1970, and it never ends. An Otterbein education set me up with a broad-based education for the workplace and for living successfully and well. I am forever thankful to Otterbein.


John A. (Jack) Whalen 300 Oakwood Drive Hamilton, OH 45013

Spouse:

Karen Persson Whalen ‘67

Children:

Jon, attorney; Jared, chef; James, attorney

Grandchildren:

Jack, Anne, Kate, Tillie, Caroline and one to come

The highlight of my four years at Otterbein was meeting my life long partner of over 50 years, my wife, Karen. In December of this year, we will celebrate 50 years of marriage. One question—where did the time go? Upon graduating, I entered the U.S. Air Force and served from September 1966 until March 1970. After being discharged, we moved to Karen’s hometown of Hamilton, Ohio, and I enrolled in the M.B.A. program at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Needless to say, the return to a college campus was a culture shock after four years in the military. During my first week of classes, the Kent State confrontation occurred and they closed all of the state universities. After a brief career with Xerox Corporation, I was interviewed and hired by Ross Perot (yes—that Ross Perot) to work in the financial services industry. I retired in January 2013 after 41 wonderful and eventful years—experiencing numerous bull and bear markets. Most of my career was spent as the resident manager of the Cincinnati office of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Somewhere along the journey, I developed a passion for community service. I have been fortunate enough to serve as a board member of the YMCA, the local community hospital, our community foundation, the Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Rotary, Junior Achievement, and chaired the local school levy. In “retirement,” it is my pleasure to chair the county historical society, our community foundation investment committee and to be on the boards of our nationally renowned outdoor sculpture park and two organizations that encourage and support start-ups. As if we weren’t busy enough, about 18 months ago, we decided to buy an 1859 Federal-style home that is on the National Historic Register. Although this is not our primary residence, it fulfilled our long-time goal of owning an historic home. We now refer to it as our “hobby” house. It has been a lot of fun, but also a lot of work. We are asking ourselves this question: What happened to the concept of “downsizing” as one got older?


Besides community involvement, I enjoy traveling, occasional rounds of golf, woodworking, but most importantly, spending time with family. We are the proud parents of three sons, two local and one in Chicago, and grandparents of five, soon to be six. We both feel that we have been blessed and have a lot to be thankful for in our lives. We look forward to reconnecting with fellow Otterbein classmates at the reunion in April.


Michele Wilson Toney 15460 N. Old 3C Road Sunbury, OH 43074 mtoney4157@aol.com

Children:

Jessica Servick (Joe)

Grandchildren:

Mira (6), Joseph IV (4) and Charlotte (2)

I transferred to the Ohio State University School of Journalism in 1963, after my freshman year at Otterbein. The newspaper bug just wouldn’t leave me alone and I had already taken Otterbein’s lone journalism class -one credit, one semester. The decision was a tough one because I loved, loved, loved my year on the ground floor of King Hall and the lifelong friends I made there. The ideal solution, I felt, would have been a joint education at both schools. But, alas, such creative ideas were not a reality. Some of my Otterbein friendships, in fact, are the reasons I joined in helping with our 50th reunion. My first post-college job (1966) was at The Repository in Canton in the days of engagement and wedding announcements, club news, advice columns and features on 100-year-old ladies. I attended Westbrook Park United Methodist (EUB) Church there and met others with Otterbein connections. I discovered that this would happen wherever my life would take me.

After two years honing my skills in Canton, I snagged a job at The Columbus Dispatch and was able to return home. My plate was full during my 39 years at The Dispatch and I was blessed to enjoy the heyday of newspapers, becoming involved in professional organizations, picking up an award here and there and winning a few contests. I survived the “progress” from hot type to cold type, computers and the internet. I wish newspapers had survived as well. My first assignments were covering teen news and progressed to more general feature writing. A stint in sports in the mid to late ‘70s took me back to Otterbein while covering the Ohio Athletic Conference. That was a benefit and I was able to follow the Cardinals to the NCAA basketball playoffs. I also covered Ohio State non-revenue sports, the Memorial Golf Tournament, tennis, the MAC and various other events, including a Rose Bowl and Woody Hayes’ last game -- the Gator Bowl. I married a Dispatch printer and moved back to features when our daughter, Jessica, was born. (Sports assignments weren’t friendly to motherhood, at least in those days, when reporters not only covered games but laid out pages, edited copy and checked the early editions.) After a few years as features copy desk chief (and a divorce), I became the arts and entertainment editor, spending my final 20 years or so in that capacity. Again, back to Otterbein connections and the solid, quality arts programs the university continues to offer. Retirement came in 2007, and I was able to ease the transition by working on the features copy desk one day a week for six years. It was great to continue my craft and to interact with great, professional co-workers and friends.


These days my joy comes from good health and grandchildren. Daughter, Jessica, a division purchasing director for Aldi, and her family -- Joe, CPA with Ernst & Young; Mira, 6; Joseph, 4; and Charlotte, 2 -- live in Hinckley, Ohio. I visit every Thursday and Friday and am blessed to be able to help them out while stocking up on hugs and laughs. They are my delight. The highlight of each year is always a couple of weeks at Lakeside where all of us, including my sister and her family, and -- until a couple of years ago -- my dad, Harold “Meatball” Wilson (Otterbein class of 1943), wallow in the Lakeside lifestyle. Besides ice cream and doughnuts, we enjoy touching base with former OC (can’t get used to Otterbein University) folks. Dad was a real champ at making an Otterbein connection. Home the past 38 years has been rural Sunbury. It‘s where I have raised my daughter, become active in Sunbury United Methodist Church and savored a supportive, caring community. Many, many friends along the way -- and, yes, many Otterbein alums -- have helped anchor me in numerous ways.

All in all, I continue to be amazed at and thankful for how much God blesses me -- way, way more than I could ever deserve.


Memorial for

Mark L. Woodruff 1942-2014

Children:

Marceanne Lee Woodruff (Duane Hillerson, husband), Rosemount, MN, age 49 Zachary Mark Woodruff (Jennifer Leighton, wife), San Diego, CA, age 46

Grandchildren:

Dustin Hillerson MD, Ann Arbor, MI, age 30 Natalie Hillerson, Seattle, WA, college student, age 20 Charlie Leighton Woodruff, San Diego, CA, age 4 1/2 Sydney Leighton Woodruff, San Diego, CA, age 1 1/2

Mark L. Woodruff was born in 1942 in Plain City, OH. He attended elementary and high school in Columbus, OH, and attended Columbus Art School for three years before transferring to Otterbein College for his senior year, graduating in 1966. After graduation, Mark worked in the art department at the Ohio Highway Department, creating artwork and designing page layouts for the Highway Department’s magazine. In 1969, Mark and his family moved to the Phoenix, AZ, area where he lived for the rest of his life. In Phoenix, Mark honed his commercial art skills at a variety of local magazines, including Phoenix Magazine and Mesa Magazine. He also worked in the art department at local TV/radio station KTAR. Mark possessed incredible talent in hand drawing and lettering, and was sought out for his cartooning and illustrating abilities. He illustrated many books and crafted dozens of book covers. In the late 1970’s, he founded his own commercial art company, MenUnique. In this venture, he created restaurant menus, business cards, brochures, and logos. Mark retired from full-time commercial art pursuits in the 1990s, but continued to design products as a freelance artist for many of his clients. To keep busy in retirement, Mark also worked part-time as a custodian/handyman at two local churches. He was beloved by the congregations for his kind spirit, attention to detail, and his tendency to leave fun cartoons for church staff to find like little treasures. In June 2014, Mark arrived home from his church job early in the morning and was brutally murdered during an attempted robbery. His family misses him tremendously. Mark’s great passions were his family, art, music, and golf. He loved visiting his son’s family in San Diego and his daughter’s family in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. He adored his grandchildren and they loved his goofy jokes and attentive discussions. Mark spent the last two decades of his life with an adorable companion, Helen. Mark loved to paint and draw, and was especially drawn to the beautiful and varied landscapes of Arizona. He found great pleasure in music – throughout his life, he played the saxophone, harmonica, drums, and piano. Mark’s favorite pastime, though, was golf. He won many local amateur golf tournaments in the Phoenix area, and swung a club almost every day of his life. Mark would travel to Columbus, OH, each fall to visit his siblings and friends, and to play golf with his beloved identical twin brother, Mike. Mark spoke fondly of his time at Otterbein College. He was proud and honored to be a part of the Class of 1966. Submitted by Marcy Woodruff, daughter 13175 Danube Lane Rosemount, MN 55068-4378 rdrcontact@yahoo.com


Charlene Zundel Nevans 85 Greentree Road Moreland Hills, OH 44022 440-247-1926 Charlene_nevans@hotmail.com Spouse:

Marv Nevans ‘65

As I look back on my years as a student at Otterbein and the 50 years that have passed since then, I find the same themes that shaped my early life continue to influence my choices to this day. After graduation, I moved to Cleveland and taught K-2nd grade the Shaker Heights City Schools for 30 years, then with pre-schoolers for another 10 years. As a teacher and resident in Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, I participated in the racial integration of the schools throughout the '70s and '80s, and found that my passion for civil rights and equal opportunity for all suited me well for the challenges of school integration. Otterbein's Y-Seminars introduced me to civil rights efforts in Cleveland, and I became a part of the Summer Staff in the Inner City Protestant Parish following my freshman and sophomore years. During those formative years, amidst the tumult of the mid-60's, I was excited to be a part of the civil rights movement. I continue to seek ways to serve others through volunteer projects at my church and with other community organizations, i.e. working at a Hunger Center and tutoring students in a school in Cleveland. I met Marv Nevans '65 shortly after moving to Cleveland, and we were married in '68. We hadn't dated at Otterbein, but have a number of college friends in common, and it has been fun to maintain these friendships over the years. We are both lovers of the arts, and we also share a love of nature and photography. We like hiking in our local parks and I love gardening with herbs and native perennials. Travelling is another passion of ours, and we have visited all 50 states. Outside of the US, favorite destinations have been England, France, Germany, Japan, China, and Australia. This year we returned to Costa Rica and visited Machu Picchu, Peru, and the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador. We share a love of travel with my sister, Sharon, '64, and her husband, and enjoy meeting up with them in such places as New York City, Quebec City, Hawaii and Costa Rica. Becoming a life-long learner has been a natural outgrowth of my teaching career. After earning a Master's Degree in Education in 1971, I continued to take education courses throughout my teaching career. In retirement, I have enjoyed classes in writing, natural history, gardening and Tai Chi. Learning Tai Chi has deepened my spiritual practice and has also provided a new teaching opportunity-- I teach a Tai Chi class for adults at a program center for cancer patients. This challenges me to continue to learn about healing modalities such as Tai Chi and Qigong. A highlight of our trip to China in 2011 was practicing with a Tai Chi group in Beijing's historic Temple of Heaven Park. Marv is the eldest of five siblings, so my family circle has expanded considerably over the years. We have enjoyed attending our nieces and nephews sport and music events, and family gatherings at holiday times are always fun. Marv's sister, Kathy, attended Otterbein as a freshman in '62-63, and we met as Tau Delta pledges. I guess we're double sisters now!


My close friendship with Pat Price at Otterbein continued after we graduated since we lived near each other-me in Cleveland and Pat in Akron. Over the years, her family became part of our "intentional family" and we shared many summer, weekend, and holiday times with her and her sons, Matt and Sam. After Pat's death in '85, we continued to think of Matt and Sam as part of our family, becoming particularly close to our godson, Sam. He and his wife and two children now live near San Francisco, CA, and we have become honorary grandparents. We enjoy visiting them in Mill Valley regularly! I am excited to renew acquaintance with Otterbein classmates at our Golden Reunion and to share memories of the time we shared as college students 50 years ago!

Nevans family, Nov. 2015: back row—brothers-in-law and nephews; middle row—sisters-in-law and nieces; front row—nieces, nephew, brother-in-law’s mom; right side—Marv’s sister, Kathy, me and Marv


Class of 1966 Otterbein servicemen


VETERANS – SPIRIT OF '66 I doubt that many of us had deep and profound thoughts about joining the military as we approached the AFROTC table, set up with all the other department canopies, on the Towers Hall lawn on that fateful day in September 1962. Perhaps some of us had a military tradition in our families, or just liked the thought of wearing a uniform. Or even were intrigued by the prospect of getting paid during our third and fourth years. Regardless, many of us signed on and became part of what I was told was the only Air Force sub-detachment in ROTC, 655C, shared by Otterbein and two other Ohio colleges. Regardless, a number of us figured that we would someday be USAF officers in four years, although that was by no means a unique profession – at the time we graduated, there were almost 130,000 officers in the Air Force, a result of the cold war build up and the Vietnam requirements on the horizon. Of those who signed up for AFROTC, names of twenty-one graduates were listed on our commencement program (June 5, 1966). Some got their gold second lieutenant bars later, but all were eventually commissioned. Of course, some of our classmates went on active duty in other branches of the service, and some were called by the draft. But those who went through AFROTC must admit the corps was an integral part of our academic life. After all, we were subject to the mother hen oversight of Major Comstock, Capt. Rice, Sgts. Cromer and Page, and later, Capt. Spence. We met once a week (in uniform) in Cowan Hall at what was called Common Hour. There was also the Angel Flight, the Pep Band (which really livened up the basketball games in the old gym), the rifle team, Arnold Air Society, and the drill team, which traveled out of state for meets at such venues as Washington D.C. for the Cherry Blossom Festival. We also did the duty of flag raising and lowering in front of Towers Hall. Some of our veterans put in four years and some went all the way to retirement. Some went into the Air Guard and many stayed in the Reserves. Under all circumstances, we understood our responsibilities and duties, and served with distinction. Veterans were denigrated during the Vietnam era, and AFROTC was deleted from our curriculum during the period of unrest and student uprisings. It was eventually brought back, but then was removed permanently, due to no longer meeting the minimum number of commissioned graduates. I do not know of any 1966 graduates who paid the supreme sacrifice while on active duty, but will be very willing to mention such officers if anyone at this dinner knows of any. Meanwhile thanks to all the veterans who served our country in uniform, no matter which branch – Navy, Marines, Army, or non-AFROTC Air Force. And by the way, going back to the first paragraph, USAF active duty officer strength is now 62,000 and falling! Respectfully, Mike Fensler, '66


Lt. Col. Philip R. Dever 887 E. Anson Drive Cincinnati, OH 45245

USAF, MSC, Retired Years of Service: USAF 2Lt – Captain USAF Captain Ohio ANG Major-Lt Colonel Theaters:

Vietnam 1967-1969 Operation Desert Shield/Storm 1991

Duty Responsibilities:

Various Medical Administrative

Special Awards:

Chief, Health Services Admin. Badge Vietnam Service Medal Air Force Commendation Medal

Special item of interest: While stationed in Japan, my future wife joined a reserve group that was activated and assigned to my unit. We were engaged at Clark AB in the Philippines and married in 1969 in Cincinnati!


Capt. Mike Fensler 866 E. Michigan Avenue Grass Lake, MI 49240 517-522-5141 mjfensler@yahoo.com Like many Otterbein Air Force veterans, I entered USAF ROTC at the time of my college enrollment, in September 1962. During my four years, I was a member of the Arnold Air Society (Gen. William C. Lindley Squadron), an honorary Air Force organization. Two other AFROTC memories were the duties we had to raise and lower the flag at Towers Hall, an especially poignant requirement when it as at halfstaff for thirty days following President Kennedy’s assassination in November 1963. I was also a member of the AFROTC drill team for one semester in 1963, and the most enjoyable off-campus drill meet was taking part in the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C. in April 1963. Fifteen of us who had completed all the ROTC requirements were commissioned as second lieutenants on June 5, 1966 (graduation day). Six additional graduates got their commissions at their first active duty base. Having taken flight training at the Delaware County airport in 1965-1966, I was destined for Webb AFB, Texas, for USAF flight school in October 1966. However, a sinus condition eventually necessitated my leaving that program, and spending the next six years as a supply officer at three stateside bases (one was Guam, which was still considered a non-overseas tour). My last four years of active duty were spent as a Minuteman III missile crew commander at Minot AFB, ND. That’s the duty where a two-man crew (women are now permitted on these teams) spends twelve hours 75 feet underground in a launch control center on duty, overseeing ten scattered missile sites out on the prairie. With the end of the Vietnam War, promotions for many officers (me included) dried up, and I left active duty as a captain effective June 30, 1977, after close to eleven years. During those years, I earned two AF Commendation medals, and a Combat Readiness Medal, along with a Senior Missileman badge. Since I didn’t stay in the reserves, that ended my Air Force experience. One advantage of being at a missile base was that crew member schedules could be modified to permit taking master’s degree training by seminar. Professors from a college or university would spend a week at the base, and at Minot, the degree was an M.A. in public administration from the University of Oklahoma. Many of us ended up with that degree by the time we left the base for our next assignment or separation.


Lt. Col. Roger Hohn 264 Olde Post Rd Niceville, FL 32578 rhohn@cox.net

United States Air Force June 1966 – December 1990 June 1966 – Commissioned at graduation. Educational delay to attend Ohio State University on a graduate assistantship. Earned an MA in guidance and counseling. August 1967 – Eglin AFB, FL. Entered active duty Education Officer - Chief of Mission Education and Training. Personnel Officer – Chief of Quality Assurance. Aide-de-Camp to Commander, Armament Development and Test Center.

June 1972 – Student Air Force Institute of Technology, Education With Industry, Northrop Corporation, Hawthorne, CA. July 1973 – Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. Research and Development Procurement Officer. Research and Development Warranted Contracting Officer. Chief, Aeromedical Procurement Branch July 1976 – Plattsburgh AFB, NY Strategic Air Command Chief, Contracting Division, 380 Bomb Wing, April 1979 – Bitburg AB, Germany United States Air Force Europe Commander, Eifel Contracting Region Provided contracting support to Bitburg, Spangdalem, and Hahn AB and a small site near Munich Germany and Camp New Amsterdam in Holland and at a small site in Belgium.


April 1983 – New Orleans, LA Michoud Assembly Facility Commander, Defense Contract Administration Plant Representative Office. Provided Quality Assurance and contract administration for NASA on the Space Shuttle External Fuel Tank. Also provided quality assurance for the hot fire testing for all Space Shuttle Main Engines at the National Space Technologies Laboratory MS prior to the engines being shipped to the cape for launch. Awarded the Space Badge April 1986 –. Eglin AFB, FL Director of Research and Development Contracting Provided support to the Air Force Armament Laboratory at Eglin and units at Tyndall AFB, FL and Holloman AFB, NM. Director of Contracting December 1990 – Eglin AFB, FL – Niceville, FL area Retired - 23 plus years


Capt. Gail Miller 4830 Scott Drive Hermitage, PA 16148 millergl@westminster.edu

May 1967 to August 1967

Officer Training School, San Antonio, TX

August 1967 to July 1968

Communication Officer Training, Keesler AFB, MS

July 1968 to March 1971

Warner-Robins AFB, GA HQ Air Force Reserve as A communications evaluator, planner for Air Force Reserve units

March 1971

Released from active duty as a captain


Lt. Col. James R. Sells 137 S. Courtenay Parkway, #2416 Merritt Island, FL 32952-4843 jrsells@earthlink.net AFROTC Distinguished Military Graduate, Otterbein College,

June 1966

Air Force Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Del Rio, TX

September 1966 September 1967

KC-135 Tanker Training, Castle AFB, Merced, CA

October 1967 December 1967

KC-135 Copilot, Lockbourne AFB, Columbus, OH

January 1967 December 1969

Deployed Twice (Young Tiger) To U-Tapao, AB, Thailand Refueling fighters over Viet Nam Received Two Air Medals UH-1 Helicopter Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, TX

January 1970 March 1970

UH-1P Gunship Pilot Training, Hurlburt Field, Ft. Walton Beach, FL April 1970 Deployed to Tuy Hoa and Cam Rahn Bay AB, Vietnam

April 1970 January 1971

Received Seven Air Medals (One with Valor) Received One Distinguished Flying Cross UH-1P Gunnery Range Support Pilot, Luke AFB, Phoenix, AZ

February 1971June 1973

Air Force Human Resources Laboratory, Brooks AFB, TX

June 1973 June 1976

Air Force Computer Programming School, Sheppard AFB, TX March 1974 May 1974 Air Force Systems Command Staff Officer, Andrews AFB, MD

July 1976 September 1978

CH-53 Helicopter Pilot Training, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM

September 1978

601st Tactical Air Support Squadron, Sembach AB, Germany

October 1978 September 1981


Air Force Staff Officer, Air Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

October 1981 July 1983

Military Plans Officer, President Reagan’s 2nd Inaugural

August 1983 June 1984

Air Force Staff Officer, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

July 1974 July 1987

Air Force Staff Officer, National Computer Security Center, National Security Agency, Baltimore, MD

Retired as Lieutenant Colonel

August 1987 October 1989

October 1989


Capt. John Thurston 4830 Scott Drive Hermitage, PA 16148 millergl@westminster.edu

Officers Training Camp junior year: Maxwell AFB July and August 1965. The picture on the right is my flight introduction strap in. Most memorable moment of camp.

Commissioned Second Lieutenant June 1966 in United States Air Force immediately following Otterbein graduation. Pictured left, “pinning on of bars� immediately after taking oath. Ella and Mother.


Active Duty Assignments: Bergstrom Air Force Base, Austin Texas, one year – June 1967 to June 1968 to attend University of Texas with course concentration on meteorology. Pictured at right, releasing a weather balloon with two Air Force class mates.

RAF Alconbury in England - July 1968 to July 1971. Assigned to 2 Weather Wing in support of Vietnam air lift, NATO operations and Reconnaissance of Soviet boarders. Pictured below Officers Call in mess dress uniform with Ella.

Awards: Grad School Honor Roll College of Engineering – University of Texas, Standard four metals for active during Vietnam and Cold War in England. CPCU designation 1980.

Pictured in winter blues in spring in backyard with Ella and Barbara.


Lt. Col. Geary Tiffany 11417 Fawn Creek Court Auburn, CA 95602

U.S. Air Force/California Air National Guard A. U.S.A.F. active duty Sept. 1966– March 1971 B. California Air National Guard Oct. 1971-Sept. 1988 C. DCM (Deputy Commander of Maintenance) 129th ARRG

Theatre of Conflict 3 tours Thailand (VietnamWar) 1968-1970 (916th Air Refueling Squadron) 1 tour 360th TAC Elec. Warfare Sq. Tan Son Nhut (Saigon) 1970-1971 U.S. Air Force Aircraft qualified in: T-37, T-38 KFC-135, EC-47 C-130E, H, P NASA Aircraft Qualified in: C-141 (L-300), DC-8-72, C-130B (L-382), Lear Jet, T-38, F-104 King Air, YO3 Note: The L Designation for the C-141 and C130 is civilian Special Awards Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters Vietnam Service Medal with four campaign medals U.S.A.F. Outstanding Unit Award U.S.A.F. Combat Readiness Award California Governors Award U.S. Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Award


Sgt. Charles “Knobby” Wall 17 E. Cape Cod Lane Beach Haven, NJ 08008

Draftee 1969-1971

Infantry—Vietnam 1st 7th Cav Sgt. E-5 Fire Direction and Control 81 Mortar Free fire zone on Ho Chi Min Trail on the border of Cambodia Combat Infantry Badge


Capt. John Whalen 300 Oakwood Drive Hamilton, OH 45013

U. S. Air Force September 1966-March 1970 Rank: Captain Duty Stations: Moody AFB, Valdosta, GA Chanute AFB, Rantoul, IL Lockbourne AFB, Columbus, OH


Lt. Col. John R. Wardle 138 Hickory Lane Medford, NJ 08055 Asi761@aol.com

John R. Wardle is a decorated Air Force Officer that retired after 20 years of military service with the rank of Lt. Colonel. While in the Air Force, Colonel Wardle spent 13 months in Southeast Asia (1969-1970) during the Vietnam war. Later in his career, he was selected for a special duty assignment and spent 24 months in a Middle Eastern country as a senior advisor assigned to a Military Assistance Advisory Group. His other assignments included two tours of duty with the Tactical Air Command (TAC), planning live military exercises on the east coast of the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico that involved large numbers of Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force units. While assigned to this command, Colonel Wardle designed the air traffic control procedures used in the AWACS early warning tactical aircraft. He authored a History of Air Traffic Regulation Centers in Vietnam that can be found in the Air University Library at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Colonel Wardle spent four years as a member of an Air Force Inspection Team that took him to almost every state in the lower 48, to Alaska, Greenland and the Azores. His job was to evaluate air traffic control operations during inspection flights and from control towers and radar facilities. He was a Master Air Traffic control staff officer with ratings in a number of control towers and radar approach control facilities, flight time in T-41, T-37 and T-38 aircraft and was a crew member aboard F-4, F-5, and KC-707 and C-130 aircraft. Colonel Wardle also holds a private license and was qualified to fly Cessna 150 and 172 and Piper Cherokee 140 aircraft. He had three command assignments during his career in the Air Force and retired as a deputy group commander of a communications and air traffic control unit at McGuire Air Force Base, NJ. Colonel Wardle attended Squadron Officers School in residence, completed Air Command and Staff College and a number of other Air Force courses while on active duty. Colonel Wardle’s decorations include a Bronze Star Medal, a Meritorious Service Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, a Joint Service Commendation Medal, an Air Force Commendation Medal, an Outstanding Unit Award with one Oak Leaf Cluster and a V devise, an Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, a Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, an Air Force Overseas Short Tour Ribbon, an Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon, a National Defense Service Medal, a Viet Nam Service Medal with one Service Star, a Republic of Viet Nam Gallantry Cross with Palm, a Republic of Viet Nam Campaign Medal and an Air Force Excellence Award. Colonel Wardle feels the successes he experienced in the Air Force and after retirement are due in large measure to his family and to the education and guidance he received at Otterbein.



Otterbein Love Song Words by Celia Ihrig Grabill `1900 • Music by Glenn Grant Grabill `1900 In a quiet peaceful village, There’s one we love so true; She ever gives a welcome To her friends both old and new. She stands serene ‘mid tree-tops green, She’s our dear Otterbein.

Chorus: Old Otterbein, our college, We sing of thee today; Our mem’ries ‘round thee linger In a sweet and mystic way. O, Otterbein, we love thee! Our hearts are only thine; We pledge anew, we will be true,

Dear Otterbein.


Memory Book Acknowledgements The Class of 1966 Golden Reunion Planning Committee

Seated left to right: Mike Grayem, Judy Evans Walls, Marilynn Marsch Hinder, Jill Jenkins Grayem, Sherry Alford Robinson, Barbara Barnhouse Stephens Standing left to right: Melinda Rickelman Mullen, Charlene Zundel Nevans, Mike Fensler, Jan Lenahan Dwyer, Steve Moeller, Michele Wilson Toney, Mary Ellen Armentrout, Jack Whalen Missing from photo: Becky Keister Carmer, Suellen Cochrane Wassem

Becky Fickel Smith `81 Executive Director of Alumni Relations

Laurie Draper Administrative Assistant Office of Alumni Relations

Candace Brady

Stephen Grinch `98

Director of Development for Planned Giving

University Archivist

Lucy Henderson Cryan `86 Executive Director, Organizational Planning and Events

Becky Hill May `78 Memory Book Editor

Roger Routson Director of Publications


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