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WINTER 2013
THE COLLEGE OF WOOSTER
Creative vision takes flight Five Wooster photographers share their work
| WOOSTER MAGAZINE | WINTER 2013 |
Also inside
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VOLUME 127, NO. 1
1/9/13
The Sophomore Ret rea t: B r i dg i ng a gap
Last fall, my father—who has lived in central Iowa for the past 47 years—moved to Bluffton, Ohio, where he has deep roots. I’m going to brag right off the bat: He’s way cool. At 92, he’s still giving violin performances, riding his bike, and debating religion and politics. He’s also a meticulous aesthete who cares about every detail of home décor. I, my older sis, and brother-in-law helped him unpack, and if ever there were four different styles and approaches coming head-to-head, it was in the living room of his new retirement home apartment. Deadline oriented and convinced that we needed an overview before making any decision, I advocated unpacking all boxes as soon as possible. Dad, on the other hand, gave deep consideration to every item emerging from the bubble wrap. My nurturing older sister, with a goal of empowering, asked Dad’s opinion
My camera renders me exempt from a Sophomore Retreat game that involved mimicking a horse and buggy.
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on everything emerging from the bubble wrap. Brotherin-law analyzed the efficacy of most decisions. By mid-morning, it hit me: This was a scene from Wooster’s Sophomore Retreat. This is what we were talking about! You can read more about the retreat (which I was honored to attend) on pg. 24. But in a nutshell, here was a central mission: To challenge participants to intentionally experience and then evaluate problem solving, when many personality types intersect. As a springboard for discussion, participants used results of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator questionnaire, which they had been asked to take when they first arrived on campus to assist in roommate assignments. Participants saw research in action. (But Kurt Holmes, dean of students, was quick to point out that “specific personality type designations are much less important than recognizing that different types exist.”) Close interactions with our families occur almost in spite of ourselves, but on a college campus, “you have to be more purposeful about connections,” says Matt Broda, retreat director and assistant professor of education. “Even on a residential campus, it’s surprising how distant people can feel. Bridging that gap is a big job and an important one.” The Sophomore Retreat is such a bridge—one that is having measurable results. When I walk through campus these days, I look expectantly at the faces of students, searching for a sophomore I might have connected with during the retreat. And it’s surprising how many times my look of expectation elicits a smile from an approaching student, regardless of Sophomore Retreat status.
KAROL CROSBIE
Editor, Wooster magazine
I S S N 0 8 9 4 - 8 7 9 8 | W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 | V O LU M E 1 2 7 , N O . 1 | C O N T I N U I N G T H E W O O ST E R P O ST G R A D U AT E , F O U N D E D 1 8 8 6
Karol Crosbie E D ITO R IAL AS S I STANT
Brooke Skiba ’14 CAM P U S P H OTO G R AP H E R
Matt Dilyard DESIGNERS
Christina Ullman and Alix Northrup, Ullman Design
P R I NTE R Freeport Press, Freeport, Ohio
P R E S I D E NT Grant H. Cornwell
VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT AND COLLEGE RELATIONS Scott Friedhoff V I C E P R E S I D E NT F O R D EV E LO P M E NT AN D ALU M N I R E LAT I O N S Laurie Houck
WO O ST E R (USPS 691-220) is published fall,
winter, spring, and summer by The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio 44691. Periodical postage paid at Wooster, Ohio, and at additional mailing offices.
L. Hopkins
Send address changes to Wooster Magazine, 1220 Beall Avenue, Wooster, OH 44691-2393, 330-263-2327, and editorial comments to 330-263-2187. Campus switchboard: 330-263-2000
D I R E CTO R O F ALU M N I R E LAT I O N S AN D T H E WO O ST E R F U N D
Email: kcrosbie@wooster.edu, Class_Notes@wooster.edu
AS S O C IAT E VI C E P R E S I D E NT F O R C O LLE G E R E LAT I O N S AN D MAR K ET I N G John
Heidi McCormick ’86
Visit us on the web at www.woosteralumni.org
A Q U A R T E R LY MAGAZ I N E FO R A LU M N I & FRIENDS OF TH E C O LLEG E O F WO OSTE R
E D ITO R
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FAM I LY H ISTOR I ES & LEGACI ES
Family members enrich Wooster’s archived history with their own family legacies.
2 8 FIVE PHOTOG RAPH E R S Wooster alumni photographers share their diverse work and creative vision.
1 4 FINDING THE PERFECT FIT (AND KEEPING IT) Admissions and retention at The College of Wooster
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5 28 Departments
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2 OAK G ROVE
6 L E G ACY ST U D E N TS
61 O B I T U A R I E S
5 ALU M N I N EWS
36 C L A S S N O T E S
64 A W O O S T E R M O M E N T
C OVE R I MAG E:
Alix Northrup, Emma Powell’sUllman “Dusk”Design is part of her award-winning series, The Shadow Catcher’s Daughter.
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We welcome your feedback. Write to Karol Crosbie, editor, Wooster, Ebert Art Center, The College of Wooster, 1220 Beall Ave., Wooster, Ohio 44691 or kcrosbie@wooster.edu. We may edit letters for clarity and length.
LETTE RS FROM OU R READERS
Mailbox
The role of Christianity on campus
Prof. Gallagher’s music
Last year, in a Wooster feature, Gordon Tait (professor emeritus of religion) shared his recollections of his early Wooster days attending Memorial Chapel and it whetted my appetite for my 40th reunion, celebrated this past June 2012. I found Wooster as remarkable and special a place as ever. Memorial Chapel disappeared during the tumultuous years of 1968-1972 when I was a student. This past June, I was blessed to attend a wonderful worship service at the Westminster Church House where Pastor Coetzee welcomed all of us alumni. My classmates and I recalled the Wooster of old, when Christian faith was a foundation of campus life and education. The last thing I would ever advocate is a return to old ways, but in the midst of the current so-called cultural wars in the United States, Wooster is in a perfect position to promote a forthright faith compatible with reason, knowledge, tolerance, inclusion and change. Nobody would ever advocate proselytizing to nonChristian students. But I believe the challenges to mainstream Christianity today are as strong as those that martyred many believers in the first centuries and wore down the missionaries who traveled to remote regions during past centuries. Today, there need be no absolute schism between secular humanists and people of faith, if institutions such as The College of Wooster bridge the two by promoting an informed, rational Christianity to balance scriptural literalism and political litmus tests of faith. As we take great pride in the constant pool of splendid and diverse young people who attend Wooster and the demonstrably top notch education they receive, we should look for ways to foster Christian faith (as opposed to the generic secular humanism found on any campus), to encourage worship, to become a source of future leaders of an energized mainstream Christian faith community, and to help our students realize the joy and support found in a life in Christ.
I was a member of the Scot Bands (marching and symphonic) during my time in the ’80s at the College. Music became such an important part of my whole experience. I was moved by many of the pieces we performed, and really valued a couple of works by Jack Gallagher (Wooster professor of music) which were part of our repertoire. I want to plug his CD, “Jack Gallagher: Orchestral Music.” It is truly a wonderful CD in terms of music and performance. It balances between riveting and quiet, great tone colors, and a sense of what it’s like on days and nights in the Northeast. The emotional poignancy takes me back in a way to those college days. This is part of a tremendous cultural experience which I was offered and partook of at The College of Wooster.
JIM SENTMAN ’72, E . N O R T H P O R T, N . Y.
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MAR K FITZG E RALD ’88 P I T TS B U R G H , P E N N .
Where’s Abe? From the editor: The College’s stunning renovated library plaza includes new study areas and a handicapped accessible ramp. But a number of you have noticed that it doesn’t include the statue of Abraham Lincoln. Don’t worry, say library officials. He’ll soon be making his appearance inside the library. Among curious readers was Mary Dixon ’12, a former editorial assistant who wrote a feature for the Winter 2011 magazine (http://tinyurl.com/a5mtqgh) on Abe’s history on campus. To see an interview between Mary and the late Lee Culp, who died Oct. 29, 2012 (pg. 61) and who championed Abe’s presence on campus, go to http://youtu.be/idaEBOn6o6g.
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Oak Grove
HAPPE N I NGS AROU ND CAMPUS
Oak Grove
Moot Court continues to excel Wooster’s Moot Court team exceeded its already high record of excellence with a remarkable showing in regional competitions, capturing first place in three tournaments and also garnering top orator awards. Senior Rachel Shonebarger and junior Rachel Myers led the way at the Midwest Tournament, capturing first place as a team and finishing first and third, respectively, as individuals on the list of Top Orators. “Our success this year speaks volumes about the quality of our program,” said Shonebarger, a Spanish major from Gahanna, Ohio. “We start weekly practices at the beginning of the semester, and we have a course (Topics in Constitutional Law and Appellate Advocacy) that is a great resource in helping us learn how law students write. Together, the practices and the class help everyone to get better. Also, our coaches, Professors Mark Weaver and John Rudisill, give us great feedback, and that helps Wooster finish among the top programs in the United States each year.” Wooster’s top finishers advanced to the American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament at Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach on Jan. 18-19 (after the magazine went to press).
Members of the College’s Moot Court team huddle between deliberations at a regional competition at Kauke Hall in late October. In its 10th year, Moot Court is advised by Mark Weaver, professor of political science. Photo: Karol Crosbie
Professor Wooster
Bravo! Musicians of note
No, really. Robert Wooster III, assistant professor of mathematics, was one of six new tenure-track faculty members to join the College’s ranks this fall. Wooster, who comes to Wooster with degrees from the University of Connecticut and a post-doctorate stint at West Point, teaches calculus and differential equations. He is a descendant of the brother of General David Wooster—the city of Wooster’s namesake—who died leading his troops in the Civil War. “As far as we can tell,” says Wooster, “General Wooster never stepped foot on what is today Wooster.”
“Neo-Ragtime,” a CD by Brian Dykstra, the Neille O. and Gertrude M. Rowe Professor of Music Emeritus, was selected as one of Fanfare magazine’s favorites. The CD, available at Amazon.com and iTunes, features rags for piano solo and solo instruments with piano accompaniment. The CD also received rave reviews from Cleveland Plain Dealer music critic Donald Rosenberg for “moving from the boisterous to the poignant, with ample harmonic variety, melodic appeal, and even levity to keep the ears entranced.” Jungyoon Wie ’14, a junior composition major, was awarded honorable mention in the 2012 international Sejong Music Composition Competition for her piece for piano, violin, and cello. Wie based her composition “Chung-sung-gok” on a traditional Korean melody. She composed it while at home in Seoul last summer, with e-mail mentoring from adviser Jack Gallagher, the Olive Williams Kettering Professor of Music at Wooster.
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College hosts its first Scottish Games
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pproximately 125 bagpipers and drummers gathered on campus in mid-October to compete in the Eastern U.S. Pipe Band Association’s competition. Organized by student members of the Scot Pipers, the event was the first time the College has hosted a competition (also called Scottish Games). The purpose of hosting the competition, said Andrew Donlon ’14, lead piper of the Wooster pipe band, was unabashed recruitment of talented pipers. “Many other schools have piping programs, but they recruit more than we do. What better way to get pipers to come to school here than to get them on campus and see how awesome it is. That’s what brought me here!” Donlon, a bagpipe music major, won second in the Grade 1 solo competition. Grade 1 is the highest level in the amateur piping hierarchy, one step below professional. The Scot Pipers and drummers won the Grade 5 competition. Donlon’s goal for the band and the motivation behind his recruitment is for them to be ranked consistently at a Grade 3 level.
Wooster’s world class piper “These competitions are everything to us,” says Donlon, who annually competes in approximately 35 events. A recent designation as overall champion for Grade 1 soloist in the eastern U.S. has won him entry into invitation-only contests, including one in Glasgow, where he was the only American to compete in an event billed for the “top 16 of the best young players in the world.” “These top level contests are the final step to achieving rank as a professional player; they are the beginning of my farewell to amateur playing,” says Donlon, who hopes to go to graduate school at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow for a master’s degree in Scottish music. This summer, he will play in a pipe band in Scotland. Donlon, a recipient of The Herr Family Scottish Arts Scholarship, grew up in Germantown, Maryland, watching
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Andrew Donlon ’14 competes in the College’s first piping competition. Photo: Karol Crosbie
his father play snare drum in the Washington, D.C., fire department pipe band. He regularly studies (via Skype) with Scotland-based Willie McCallum, considered by many to be the best piper in the world. In addition to leading Wooster’s pipe band, Donlon writes music for the group, including a recent piece titled “Wooster Pipe Band Jubilee,” to commemorate the band’s 50th anniversary. The Scot Pipers began in the academic year 1962-63.
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ALUMNI BOARD NEWS Call for Distinguished Alumni Award To nominate an alumnus or alumna for a Distinguished Alumni Award for 2014, please complete and submit the nomination form found on http://woosteralumni.org/nomdaa or request a form from the Office of Alumni Relations. Nominations are confidential and are automatically reconsidered each year for up to three years. The award is presented annually to alumni who exemplify Wooster’s dedication to excellence and commitment to service and have distinguished themselves in one or more of the following areas: their professional career, service to humanity, and service to Wooster.
SCOT CENTER DONOR WALL Last fall, Bogner Construction Company installed 111 bricks in a new donor wall outside the Scot Center. Additional donor bricks will be installed on either side of the wall this year, according to Rebecca Schmidt, director of donor communications and stewardship. Photos: Karol Crosbie
New Board members The Alumni Board welcomed its newest members, who began their three-year terms in June 2012: (from left) James “Jamie” Haskins ’85 is managing director of The Wilma Theater Inc. in Philadelphia, Penn. Derek Longbrake ’96 is pastor at the Bell Memorial Presbyterian Church in Ellwood City, Penn. Courtney Young ’96 is associate librarian and and associate professor of women’s studies at the J. Clarence Kelly Library at Penn State Greater Allegheny, McKeesport, Penn. Margaux Day ’06 is an attorney at Jones Day in Columbus, Ohio. Susan Hartt ’70 is retired from corporate and private law practice. David Gilliss ’80, your Alumni Association President, will offer regular updates via the new Alumni Board Blog: http://alumniboard.scotblogs.wooster.edu.
Photo: Matt Dilyard
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LEGACY STUDENTS Class of 2016 Generations of families have a way of sticking with us. Here are first-year students who are descendants of Wooster alumni. Isabel Abarca Grandmother, Katharine Griswold ’56 Uncle, Stephen Bartlett ’80 Cousin, Mara Asenji Bartlett ’11 Cousin, Daniela Asenji Bartlett ’14 Great uncle, Lincoln Griswold ’52
Thomas Ames
S T U D E N T S Great grandmother ,*Martha Combrink Dowd ’27 Uncle, David D. Dowd ’51 Aunt, Laurel Dowd ’82
Alexander Hopkins
Andrea DeMarsh
Father, Thomas Hubbard ’77
Father, James DeMarsh ’79 Aunt, Elizabeth DeMarsh Smith ’76 Aunt, Kathleen Demarsh-Marzilli ’78
Brock Jones Jr.
Kristen Estabrook
Father, Patrick Ames ’76
Annelise Bay Grandfather, Gene Bay ’59 Grandmother, Jean Stobo Bay x’60 Uncle, Walt Bay ’85
Eda Bell Father, James Bell III ’78
Anna Claspy Grandmother, *Lois Hoffman Claspy ’56 Aunt, Jane Claspy Nesmith ’84
Margaret Connors Sister, Kristen Connors ’12 Mother, Laura Elder-Connors ’82 Grandmother, Joanne Slocum Elder ’54 Grandfather, Stewart Elder ’52 Great grandfather *N. Carl Elder ’23 Aunt, Ellen Elder–Joseph ’88 Uncle, Bruce Elder ’86 Great aunt, Eloise Elder Lindahl ’49
Claire Corcoran Grandfather, *John C. Dowd ’55 Grandmother, Paula Hykes Dowd ’55 Great grandfather, *David Dowd ’25
Grandfather, *William Havener ’44 Grandmother, Phyllis Johnson Havener ’44 Aunt, Amy Havener Spencer ’80 Uncle, Alan Spencer ’78
Julia Garcia Grandfather, Robert Tobey ’57 Cousin, Caitlin Tobey Sirois ’03 Cousin, Jamieson Tobey ’98 Great Uncle, William Fenniman ’60
Eric Hubbard Father, Brock Jones ’88 Mother, Elizabeth Fowerbaugh Jones ’88 McDowell Jones ’14 Uncle, Carl Schopf ’93
Gwendolyn Kuzmishin Father, John Kuzmishin ’88 Mother, Lauran Burden-Weber ’88 Sister, Lexie Kuzmishin ’13 Grandfather, George Kuzmishin ’52
Allan Latsch Grandmother, Wilma Schwandt McCurdy ’49
Christopher Logsdon
Evan Gilcrest Alexandra Haines
Mother, Katherine Vierow Logsdon ’89 Father, Kevin Logsdon ’88 Grandmother, *Jane Lusch Clevenger ’34
Mother, Julie Haines Ferguson ’86
Michael Long
Andrew Herst
Grandfather, *Winston van Dame ’49
Sister, Catherine Herst ’14 Grandmother, Jeanne Tuttle Herst ’49 Grandfather, Robert Herst ’49 Aunt, Deborah Herst-Hill ’73 Uncle, Richard Hill ’74 Cousin, Jeremy Hill ’98
Lauren McConnell
Father, Roger Gilcrest ’78
Father, Scott McConnell ’81
Dylan McCreary Great grandfather *Arnold H. Lowe 1916
Torger Miller Father, Paul B. Miller ’85 Uncle, David R. Miller ’83 *deceased Father, Mark Keeney ’86 Grandfather, Bill Keeney ’62 Grandmother, Nancy Pickersgill Keeney ’62 Great grandmother, *Ruth Minsel Pickersgill ’25 Uncle, Geoff Belz ’90 Aunt, Heather Keeney Belz ’90 Great Aunt, Sara Pickersgill Shaner ’67
The family of MATTHEW KEENEY Matt Keeney
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Father, David R. Hopkins ’70
Bill Keeney
Nancy Pickersgill
Ruth Minsel
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Calvin Milligan
Kassandra Reese
Grandfather, Patrick Milligan ’50 Grandmother, Carol Benson Milligan ’52
Stepfather, Christopher David ’89 Great great grandfather, *John Galloway ’17
Ian Murphy
Margaret Reiser
Mother, Nora Land Murphy ’86 Father, John S. Murphy ’86 Cousin, Julia Murphy ’12 Cousin, Patrick Murphy ’09 Uncle, Doug Murphy ’76 Aunt, Dana Vandenberg Murphy ’76 Uncle, Alec Land ’79 Uncle, David Land ’81 Uncle, James Land ’84 Cousin, Julie Land ’14
Father, Danny Reiser ’83
Kaelah Selby Father, Jay Selby Sr. ’83 Brother, Jay Selby Jr. ’15
Alizabeth Solomon Mother, Karla Thomas Solomon ’87
Nathan Sundheimer
Alexander Rentzepis
Grandfather, James Williams ’53 Grandmother, Marge Kurth Williams ’54 Great uncle, John R. Williams, Jr. ’53 Great uncle, Robert Kurth ’53
Father, R. Neil Sundheimer ’81
Lauren Swank
Father, Andrew Nicholson ’89 Uncle, H. Tim Nicholson ’88
Father, Damon R. Swank ’62 Mother, Susan Heigl Swank ’67 Grandfather, *Raynard C. Swank ’34 Grandmother, *Ethel (Mershon) Swank ’36
Colin Omilanowski
Joseph Whiston
Father, Chet Omilanowski ’81
Grandfather, Stan Galehouse ’58 Great grandmother, *Olive Galehouse ’34 Uncle, John Galehouse ’93 Aunt, Kathi Wallace Galehouse ’93
Brittany Nicholson
Jacob Priest Sister, Amanda Priest ’13 Mother, Joan Withers Priest ’84 Father, Jeffrey Priest ’85 Grandfather, *Bruce Withers ’54 Grandmother, Janet Bolgard Withers ’55 Aunt, Lynn Withers Cameron ’78 Great uncle, Dale Withers ’57
Kate Redding
The family of ALEXANDE R RE NTZ E PIS
James Williams
Marge Kurth
Clarissa Wildman Mother, Sally Smith Wildman ’85 Father, Thomas Wildman ’83
Leah Zavaleta Grandfather, *Wilbur L. Orme ’13 Uncle, *William C. Orme ’13
Sister, Hannah Redding ’15 Grandfather, David Redding ’46 Uncle, Peter Alward ’75 Aunt, Marion Telford Redding ’75 Cousin, Emily Ramirez ’06
The family of JONATHAN NUTT
The family of MARY R E I NTHAL
Jonathan Nutt Mary Reinthal
Carol Armstrong
JoAn Organ
Grandfather, *Gerald Smith ’60 Grandmother, *JoAn Organ Smith ’60 Great grandfather, *Richard G. Smith ’36 Uncle, Darrell Smith ’89 Aunt, Jennifer Smith Dayton ’88
Mother, Carol Armstrong Reinthal ’80 Father, William Reinthal ’81 Sister, Elizabeth Reinthal ’14 “Perhaps this photo isn’t too suitable, but it is from the year I Brother, Benjamin A. Reinthal ’16 graduated. I was out of the country (when Index senior phoAunt, Barbara L. Armstrong ’84 tos were taken). I graduated a quarter early and high-tailed it for New Zealand. If you do use it, it will bring a smile to a few faces.” — Bill Reinthal
Gerald Smith
Richard Smith
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story by KAROL CROSBIE
THEA ZIMMERMAN H ERBST ’18
HISTORIES & LEGACIES
RICHARD PAUL PO ETH IG ’49
Thea Zimmerman and Richard Poethig’s stories tell of two very different times on campus during the Great Wars. Thea was at Wooster as the curtains rose on World War I; Richard was here as the curtains fell on World War II.
ooster’s archived history is often enriched when family members contact us about their own family legacies. So is the case with the daughters of Thea Zimmerman and Richard Poethig. Nancy Herbst Monroe Sechrest ’50 brought letters written by her parents, Thea Zimmerman Herbst ’18 and Robert Herbst ’15 which Nancy annotated and published in 10 volumes. She also brought an overflowing scrapbook that her mother, Thea, kept while she was at Wooster. Thea’s scrapbook joins the ranks of about 60 other scrapbooks compiled by students of yesteryear and housed at the library’s Special Collections. But Thea’s takes the prize for being jampacked with mementos, including corsages,
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invitations, party decorations, a portentous peanut in its shell, and a mysteriously meaningful stick of BeachNut chewing gum. Margaret Poethig ’83 brought news of a memoir, On the Sidewalks of New York, written by her father, Richard Paul Poethig ’49. Margaret recorded her father reading aloud the memoir, added music and photos, and posted it on the Internet (www.onthesidewalksofnewyork.com).
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hea Zimmerman, the only child of Lillie and Samuel Zimmerman of Canton, wrote weekly to her parents, long letters full of affection, confidences, and news of her new home first at Hoover Cottage and then Holden. Sometimes reading like a diary, the letters include detailed accounts of menus, financial ledgers (The Wooster Handbook, for example, costs ten cents; graham crackers cost five cents), parties, formal dinners, and boys, boys, boys. (On campus for only four months, she writes home that “only three people have asked for dates this week.”) There is ongoing reference to sending home laundry, as there were no washers or dryers for student use. There are also many references to writing letters in the dark, as lights went out at 9:30 on weekdays. For each volume, Thea’s daughter, Nancy Sechrest, provides definitions, historical context, and summaries. She makes note of her mother’s references to the Youngstown labor riots in January 1914, the flood of February 1915, women’s voting rights, World War I, and scarlet fever on campus. She writes, “In 1914, the college did not allow dancing, drinking alcohol, or smoking. No one dreamed a woman could expect to wear trousers, so no one ruled against them. Thirty years later, when I was a Wooster student myself, dancing was pervasive, smoking was allowed in small basement rooms called “smokers,” and women wanting to wear trousers were limited to Saturday mornings when they cleaned their rooms and carried out the trash.” Thea’s letters are voluminous; following are a few excerpts:
THEA ZIMMERMAN 1914-1918
September 1914 Thea arrives on campus and emerges as fun-loving, popular, and rambunctious: “Just think, Lucy told me when I came in Tuesday evening that a gentleman called for me. I wonder who. Merrell is in my French class. I was to “the Shack” with Martha yesterday. I simply must study because tomorrow is a pretty big day and I told Jack I would go with them to the band concert tonight. Friday evening the boys serenaded us. Oh, but it was pretty. They sang songs and yelled. Then they filed in line and came inside and had a snake dance all around the big hall downstairs. It was crowded, but they kept in line and sang while they walked around. We girls were ready for bed, but you know the stair railing goes around, so you can see from third floor down? Well, we girls lined up along the railing from the landing above first floor up in our kimonos with our hair down our backs and clapped them. Thursday evening the girls danced over at Holden so I went over there and danced and didn’t get home until a little late and Mrs. Crawford was after me again. Teddy Baird says I am keeping up Canton’s reputation and they are very proud of the amount of stunts I get into over here. We sure do have some circus.”
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November 1914 “Tomorrow night begin our prayer meetings. We have them every night this week and all of next. If it would assist me in my Bible lessons, I think I would appreciate it more. It seems to me it would have been a good plan to have had some of the meetings before Ohio went wet. Last night when Mr. Scott and I were coming from church, we were figuring out just where the saloons would be located in Wooster.” The girls are having a circus downstairs. They are singing ‘There is no place like Home’ or ‘Home Sweet Home’ and each verse is slower than the others and between each one they break down and cry and some break into crying before and the last verse is a wail. Now they are laughing and singing, ‘Weep no more my ladies.’”
April 1915
“Of course you wonder why I didn’t write on Sunday? Well I was too much occupied! On Sunday?!!! Now I am going to put in a plea first and I don’t In which Thea skips church for a country picnic know but what you’ll have to forgive me the crime committed yesterday. You and proudly pastes her letter of reprimand from know what a perfectly wonderful day it was, well, we couldn’t stand it. So the College’s disciplinarian into her scrapbook Merell and Gene got a Sunday dinner packed into Merell’s little bag, then they took their Kodaks and went about two miles into the country, in other words page titled “All on a Sunday’s morn.” to the bridge beyond Highland. Tish and I dressed to look dressed up. We walked out big as life and twice as natural . . . Until we came out of sight of Hoover, then redoubled and went out a country road.”
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April 1915 Thea’s letters to her father reflect a love for nature that appears to serve as a strong connection between them. “Saturday morning we had a long walk and there is the dearest little winding creek that just rambles all over the country around here. In the woods, one hillside will be white with bloodroots and another delicate pink with spring beauties and the denser woods is blue with hepaticas, which are larger and finer than those at home. Then on the meadow along the creek were patches and patches of little bluets, and on the bank back of an old deserted house yesterday we saw that it was just blue with violets. Papa, they were as big as pansies and just as velvety. I just wish you were here some beautiful, sunshiny day; we’d take our lunch and I’d tramp with you over miles, for I know this country rather far now. You should see me; even though I am in school, the back of my neck and a v-shaped place in front is burned and my freckles! Oh daddy-man!”
May 1915 Thea’s first reference to the man she would marry, a senior. “I went for a walk with Bob Herbst yesterday. I tell you, I think too much of him for my own good because he is grand to everyone alike and too popular to pay much attention to poor little me and I’m going to quit.”
October 1916 In which Thea tries voodoo as a Scots victory strategy: “Friday night a bunch of us sophomore girls decided to at least pave the way to victory. So we took a square of white cheesecloth and painted in black “jinx” on it. Then we put it in a coffin, which was a candy box. We all took candles and solemnly marched to the old athletic field. There we dug a grave and from the box pulled the “jinx” and cremated it until there was hardly any ashes left. We turned it over and over and while it burned we walked around singing “Wooster Jinx lies a burning in the grave, while football marches on.” With due regard and gravity, we buried the remaining ashes and placed the burning candles around on the grave, and erected an epitaph. Then we gave a lot of yells and came home. Saturday came the game. We lost. I wept.”
In her junior year, 1916-17, Thea works hard as a staff member on the Index, is initiated into the Franklin Literary Society, and writes to her parents about the measles epidemic. In her introduction to this volume of letters, Thea’s daughter writes: “War was declared in April. On campus, as compulsory military training began, students watched the fellows drill nightly until 8:30 p.m. Dean Compton gave permission to leave college to the male students who wanted to go home for the purpose of farming. On May 11, classes were dismissed for all students to go to the railroad station to bid farewell to the men leaving for military service.” In Thea’s senior year, 1917-19, Sechrest writes that the College is winding down: “Thea writes that Bob Herbst and other friends have been drafted into military service. In late winter letters are full of dinners, dates, clothes, and several war weddings. As there is no hot water in the dorm, Thea heats wash water in a basin on the radiator for an hour or so. Few men are left on campus. She is petrified at the prospect of teaching. “School affairs wind down, students take final exams; Thea is elected for the Honor Society. Bob is ready to ‘move out’ to France. Against the backdrop of the war, the college graduation ceremony on June 2, 1918, appears to be an anti-climax.”
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Arriving at Wooster In late January 1945, Richard Paul Poethig climbs off the train that has taken him from his hometown of New York City and sets foot in Wooster for the first time. After unsuccessfully attempting night classes, against stiff odds he has decided to enroll at The College of Wooster to begin a course of study that will prepare him for seminary. Dick leaves behind his father, who works two jobs in the food industry to support the family, a mother who is terminally ill with tuberculosis, and a younger sister.
RICHARD POETHIG 1945-1949
ummary and excerpts from “The Sidewalks of New York,” by Richard Poethig, who went on from Wooster to a lifetime of spiritual leadership, retired as director of the Institute on the Church in Urban-Industrial Society, and lives in Chicago.
“There was no joy in leave-taking. I felt burdened by my decision to head off to Wooster. My father had been raised in a working class family. He saw his responsibility to meet all his family’s needs. His life was to be the provider. And he expected the same from me. Leaving New York in the middle of winter to begin a new venture was a sober undertaking. It was an agony for me. But I knew what I wanted to do with my life. The Broadway Limited arrived in the Wooster station in the early afternoon. The skies were gray with snow filled
Balancing Work and College Dick takes a job in the kitchen at Holden Hall (by the end of his sophomore year he will be working five jobs) and lives in the private home of an elderly widow. An academically successful first year leads to his return to Wooster for his second semester. After spending time with his family over the summer, he continues to be conflicted as he resumes his studies. “I left New York in the fall, unsettled in spirit. I felt a sense of foreboding. I had to keep looking forward. The very act of getting on the train and heading west was an act of breaking with the past.
students that the possibility of being drafted into military service was less pressing. Women students could look forward to friendships, which were not suddenly broken by the departure of boy friends.
If any uncertainty existed it was soon lost in the excitement of arriving on campus in September. The campus was vibrant with the joy of the sudden end of the war. For four years everyone’s attention was on the daily reports from the theatres of war. Now people could think and plan for the future. It was a unique time to return to a college campus. There was relief among the incoming men
I became more aware of the different social backgrounds of fellow students. They had come from suburban or small town high schools. They lived in family homes with fathers who held professional, business, or white-collar positions. The politics of most of my classmates was Republican. Within this larger context, my democratic leanings became the flash point for heated discussions.”
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clouds. The station and the town were white. I was the only passenger to get off in Wooster. I caught the attention of the stationmaster as he headed back into his office. ‘Which direction is The College of Wooster?’ He looked down at my large valise and pointed to a street, which headed uphill: ‘Up that street about a mile. You want a taxi?’ ‘No, I think I can make it. I’ve been sitting a long time,’ I told him. So I began my journey. The hill was long and my overpacked valise was heavy. The footing was precarious. But I hauled my way up Beall Avenue with more than a few stops along the way.”
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Deepening Commitment Dick finds a welcome similarity between his minister back home and the College’s president, Howard Lowry.
Changing the World By the time he graduates, Dick is elected to several leadership positions in which he successfully organizes student Democrats and liberals. By 1949, he is no longer a liberal oddity. The inner turmoil of pursing a profession in the ministry as his family struggles, deepens when his father suffers a fall, resulting in lifetime epilepsy. In April of his sophomore year, his mother dies. Dick declares history as his major, continues his work in political organization, and strengthens his resolve to continue pursuit of a profession in the ministry. “Becoming an active part of the League for Industrial Democracy with its history of struggle for the rights of working people added to that sense of who I was and what I believed in. This, I thought, is what education should be about. It was not in personal academic pursuits, in competing for grades, or in establishing oneself as a professional. It was to be equipped to take part of the movement for change in the world. That change for me was related to justice for working people around the world, and for opening up society to those who had been shut out. Education meant to learn what you need to know to bring justice and greater equity in the world. This I came to believe, was my calling. It was the center of my religious commitment.”
“The preaching of Rev. George Buttrick had deepened my commitment to the Christian faith. Buttrick made the connection between faith and living a meaningful life in the world. Lowry was now making the connection between education and life. Life was a continuing learning process—one which never ended. Whenever Lowry spoke in chapel, he always laid down a challenge. The same commitment Buttrick called for in his preaching, Lowry conveyed in how you were to develop your education. Education was for service in the world. It was not only for your own development, it was to be beneficial to the larger world. It was also apparent in Lowry’s thinking that education was a tool for deepening and broadening your faith. In my first religious course at Wooster, the Bible was explored from all angles, as literature, as history as archaeology, as politics, as the faith journey of a particular people. It was dissected and critically assessed. This disturbed some students who had come from more conservative backgrounds. It was no threat to my faith perspective. It only deepened my appreciation of the quest for an illuminated life. Scientific inquiry was to go hand in hand with religious inquiry to provide foundations for the understanding and living of life. With each passing week, I was finding the prospect of a liberal education more exciting. I knew I had made the right decision.”
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T H E
PERFECT
FIT and keeping it
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ADMISSIONS AND RETENTION AT T H E C O L L E G E O F WO O S T E R Story by K A R O L
C R O S B I E
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From its pool of more than 5,000 applications, how does Wooster identify and enroll a class of 560 first-year students with attributes that reflect who we are and shape who we will become? What is the best way to ensure that the demographics of the class of 2018 come close to a mix of recent years: 15-20 percent domestic students of color, 5-10 percent international students, a relatively equal mix of men and women, all ranges of socioeconomic status, and nearly every state of the nation? I The admissions process is about timed mailings, strategic messaging, a unique selling proposition, and the competitive edge. But mostly it’s about people and the connections they make.
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ADMI SS IONS PROFE SS IONALS
WEAR THREE
H ATS dean of admissions
Those connections are far from simple. “Admissions professionals really wear three hats,” says Jennifer Winge, dean of admissions. “We’re marketers, educators, and counselors.” And if admissions skills are diverse, the venues in which they are wielded are equally so—in an e-mail, text or phone message, a roomful of people, or a small table at a coffee shop. The goal of all this is simultaneously simple and difficult: The match must meet the needs of both the student and of the institution. The process of arriving at that honest assessment was one of the things that attracted associate director of admissions Charles Laube ’01 to his profession. “I was tired of people making promises about education, and consumers relying on misinformation,” he says. With due respect to the marketing and communications efforts behind the simple act of showing up (the metaphor of the swan’s energetic and propellant feet hidden under her serene, gliding body come to mind), Woody Allen may well have been describing higher education admissions.
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S
S
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“EIGHTY PERCENT OF SUCCESS IS SHOWING UP.” — WOODY ALLE N
S H OW I N G U P
S
howing up showcases the key to Wooster’s success: its people. The family who shows up at the inviting Gault Admissions Center is efficiently and warmly greeted by campus visit coordinator and receptionist Melanie Schultz and by student admissions assistants. The high school student who uses a free period to show up at a meeting with a Wooster admissions counselor who is visiting her school gets remembered. The alumnus who shows up at a coffee shop to interview a prospective student makes a difference. The Wooster student who shows up to give a tour to a high school student becomes the College’s most effective voice.
[ above ] Charlie Laube ’01 meets with a prospective student at Bay Village, Ohio.
The Campus Visit On a day in mid-November, Charlie Laube ’01 pulls into the parking lot of a high school in Bay Village, Ohio. Bay High School is one of approximately 500 high schools in 30 states that eleven admissions staff members will visit in the course of the year. “Flexibility is important,” says Laube, in his sixth year in his position at Wooster. “ You never know exactly who will be waiting for you. I still get nervous before I go into an interview. It’s the human condition—two strangers coming together to talk about what could be some pretty neat things. That can be scary!” Only one student—a serious and slightly nervous junior named Katie—shows up, and she and Laube head for a table in the lunchroom. Laube notices that Katie is carrying a French book and begins the conversation by asking her about the course. What he doesn’t ask is as important as what he does, reflecting an important Wooster philosophy: “I’ll never ask students what they think they’d like to major in,” he says. “The fastest way to put students back on their heels is to expect them to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives.” He asks Katie how she feels about academic competition. She shrugs. “I used to care more than I do now. It gets old.”
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“IN ONE WEEKEND, IN JUST ONE COUNTRY OF THE DOZEN DURING MY TRAVELS THIS YEAR, I’LL VISIT HIGH SCHOOLS, TALK TO COUNSELORS, AND INTERVIEW STUDENTS.” — J.P. YATES, DI RECTOR OF I NTE RNATIONAL ADMISSIONS
International Recruitment
Katie’s reaction is typical and revealing, says Laube. “In many high visibility, prestigious boarding schools and even in some public schools, there is this drive towards getting the highest grade, getting the highest GPA, having the highest test scores. Many students are disillusioned with this constant pressure. I tell them that at Wooster they can have all the academic challenge that they want, but at no point feel as if they are trying to out-do their fellow students. People who come here want to learn in a supportive and collaborative environment.” Katie has visited the Wooster campus with a friend (“It was cute,” she says, and then hurriedly reassures, “but in a good way!”). Again, her experience is typical, says Laube. “The college admissions process is a series of peaks and valleys. A person might visit the campus and they’ll be beaming from that experience and really enjoy it. But some time goes by, and that memory begins to fade. The high school visit can rekindle some of that excitement.” Katie’s showing up for Laube’s visit will result in her getting remembered. (And in a good way, assures Laube.)
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If domestic enrollment recruitment has the luxury of peaks and valleys, contacts abroad must be at an almost constant peak, says J.P. Yates, who began as director of international admissions last summer. “The process is compressed. In one weekend, in just one country of the dozen during my travels this year, I’ll visit high schools, talk to counselors, and interview students.” Invariably, the international educational communities hold undergraduate research in high regard and understand its value, says Yates. “The only concept I sometimes need to clarify is the word ‘college,’ which in many cultures means ‘high school.’” Wooster is continuing its centuries-old relationship with India with outreach that includes visits from India-born Shila Garg, William F. Harn Professor of Physics, President Grant Cornwell and Peg Cornwell, and Scott Friedhoff, vice president for enrollment and college relations. While a visit to a high school in Kolkata, a city that Garg describes as “a Wooster stronghold” may result in an assembly with the entire junior class, visits to Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore are more likely to be informal one-on-one lunchroom visits or participation in a college fair. “In recent years, college recruiters have descended on India and China and if you don’t have connections, a presence at the institution is more difficult,” says Garg.
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[ left ] Students at the sophomore retreat participate in a team-building game. Optimally, each class will include approximately 15-20 percent domestic students of color and 5-10 percent international students. [ above ] Barry Eisenberg ’85, an Alumni Admissions Advocate, reconnects with Katherine Tuttle ’15, whom he interviewed when she was an applicant.
Flexibility and creativity are essential to the process. For example, Ragav Munuswamy ’16 from Chennai, India, remembers receiving an e-mail from Garg, who had found his name in a database of students potentially interested in Wooster. She was visiting her hometown of Chennai to see her mother, and would Ragav like to meet for a cup of coffee and a chat? Ragav had completed one year of college and was looking for a college with a smaller professor-to-student ratio and one where he could major in neuroscience. Today, Ragav honestly admits that while Wooster wasn’t originally his first choice, the creative environment of inquiry (the cricket club also didn’t hurt) has convinced him this is where he was meant to be.
The Aumni Interview More than 200 alumni serve as Alumni Admissions Advocates and in that role interview prospective students throughout the world. Coordinated by Landre McCloud ’05, assistant director of alumni volunteers and alumni relations, the program allows prospects and alumni to talk about a common interest: The College of Wooster. For example, in December of 2010, advocate and Alumni Board member Barry Eisenberg ’85 met Katherine Tuttle at Starbucks in Rockville, Md. The senior from Reservoir High School shared her interests and successes
(soccer, her research on déjà vu for a psychology class), and Eisenberg listened and shared about his experience as an English major at Wooster. Later, in an e-mail to McCloud, Eisenberg wrote, “Wow! . . . Katherine came across as highly intelligent, enthusiastic, and confident.” After her interview with Eisenberg, Katherine returned to campus for her second visit, including an overnight stay in the residence halls hosted by a member of the soccer team (a successful strategy used to good advantage by athletic department staff members). Today, Katherine Tuttle ’15 is a member of the soccer team and recently declared English as her major, with a minor in Russian studies. (She and her sister were adopted from Russia.) She and Eisenberg recently met on campus when he was in town for an Alumni Board meeting, and she made a shy confession. “I had really already decided on Wooster when I met you for our interview.” Although interviews are conducted throughout the year, admissions staff and alumni volunteers pull out all the stops on National Interview Day in early December to offer prospects an opportunity to drop in at coffee shops and offices in 32 U.S. and five international cities to visit with alumni. National Interview Day, in its second year, has resulted in over 200 interviews, says McCloud.
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[ 1 ] Guests at Scot Saturday visit laboratories at Severance Hall, where they are greeted by Student Government Association president and admissions intern Kathryn Sullivan’13, , and then proceed to Kauke Hall, where Ngozi Cole ’15 [ 2 ] describes campus traditions. The event allows prospective students to learn about both the places and people of Wooster. [ 3 ] Ngozi Cole ’15 explains Kauke Arch traditions to visitors during Scot Saturday and leads them to their next venue.
Touring Campus If you eavesdrop on any of the approximately 5,000 tours given on campus every year, you invariably hear visitors say the same thing. As they follow their guide down brick paths and through wooded groves, a mother, father, son, or daughter will say, “This is how a college is supposed to look.” Ongoing exploration reveals that Wooster is not just a pretty face. No event does it better than Scot Saturday.
Scot Saturday While the campus tour is a staple at most colleges and universities, the format of Scot Saturday is more unique and one that Wooster is particularly proud of, says Scott Friedhoff, vice president for enrollment and college relations. On a Saturday in late October, approximately 85 prospective students and family members grab a muffin and head for the Wilson Governance Room in the new Scot Center. Large, plentiful windows look out on early preparations for the football game, scheduled later that day. Members of the Scot Band, in full MacLeod tartan regalia, have begun practicing, unaware that they are part of a very successful and vibrant advertisement. The visitors are divided into four groups and a student guide takes them to four locations, where additional students and staff hosts are stationed to greet them and talk about the College’s places, people, and programs. For example, one group—led by Ngozi Cole ’15 and
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Anders Moller ’14—stops first at Babcock Hall, where Deja Moss ’14, a history major/multicultural studies minor and president of the Black Student Association, talks to them about Wooster’s culture—everything from flex dollars, to COW cards, to the Civility Pledge. Next stop is the new APEX Center in Andrews Library, where Alex Harmony ’13, anthropology major/chemistry minor, explains the College’s integrated student services and Independent Study. Like the other student guides, Alex’s address is modestly and elegantly constructed to reveal just enough personal experience: “When I went to Nairobi to study gender roles,” she says purposefully, “my mentor and I were in constant touch.” Senior associate admissions director Cathy Finks greets the guests at the Severance Chemistry building, where the group settles into a classroom, introduces themselves, and responds to Finks’ question, “How many of you are nervous about the cost of attending here?” Her explanation of scholarships includes a persuasive point: “Our endowment allows students to keep scholarships throughout their four years here. It isn’t dependent on a GPA. This is an intentional philosophical decision. We want to push you to explore and not worry about how many A’s and B’s you’re making.” When they return to the Scot Center, they are again welcomed by a beaming Scott Friedhoff, who observes the interactions between staff members and guests. “There’s just so much to be proud of,” he says.
A
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“THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF STUDENT SERVICES, RESOURCES, AND FACILITIES HAS GROWN DRAMATICALLY.” — ROBYN LADITKA ’01
R E T E N T I O N – F R O M A R C H TO A R C H
A
lison Schmidt ’75, associate dean for academic advising and associate professor of education, remembers the intervention that kept her from transferring from Wooster during her sophomore year. It was Fall 1973, and she had already applied to and been accepted at a large Midwestern university and was fully intending to transfer the following quarter. She attended an awards ceremony and sat beside the late Ray Day, professor of sociology and director of the College’s off-campus urban studies program. The disenchanted student and dynamic professor had not met before, but they quickly connected.
“Ray said to me, ‘Would you do me a favor? Before you transfer, would you spend a quarter off-campus in the urban studies program?’ I said, ‘Why not?’ “I went to Birmingham, Ala., and worked with autistic and challenged children. I came back to campus knowing that I wanted to be a teacher. I finished happily and with focus, thanks to Ray Day.” But the intervention was serendipitous rather than intentional. “Back then, the College wasn’t so interested in retention,” says Schmidt. Today, increasing and/or stabilizing retention rates is an important goal, as evidenced by the appointment of an associate dean-level position dedicated to the effort in 2010, the first year the College achieved a 90 percent retention rate. This fall, Robyn Laditka ’01, who has worked in Wooster student services for the past nine years, was appointed associate dean of students for retention and academic engagement. She was joined in her effort by two staff members— MartTeze Hammonds, assistant dean of students for retention and academic engagement, and Ben Hancock, assistant dean of students and director of special programs. The quality and quantity of student services, resources, and facilities has grown dramatically since she was a student here 15 years ago, says Laditka. “It’s amazing, really.”
I N 2010 TH E COLLEG E
ACHIEVED A
90
%
retention rate
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WHY WE CARE Intervening in the complex and interrelated reasons that contribute to a student dropping out or transferring isn’t about saving tuition dollars. And it isn’t even about remaining competitive with peers in the “Ohio Five” top-ranked liberal arts colleges. (Although Laditka vows that “there’s absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t have retention rates as high as Oberlin, Kenyon, and Denison.”) The reason retention matters, say faculty and staff involved in the effort, is because it is the most visible, tangible, and meaningful measurement of the holistic health of the institution. “It’s a measure of how well we’re serving our students,” says Hank Kreuzman, dean for curriculum and academic engagement. When the nature of interconnected services—from academic, to social, to health, emotional, and financial support—is understood and coordinated, students graduate with a sense of purpose. Before 2010-11, Wooster’s retention rates were in the mid to high 80 percent range. The 90 percent retention rate that the College currently maintains is a good place to be, says Laditka. “A ninety-percent retention rate is the marker that a program is functioning effectively. The hard part is that our rates aren’t at the 50-60 percent level that many large institutions are seeing. When your goal is to move from 89 percent to 90 percent, literally every student matters.” HOW WE DO IT There are two important elements, say Wooster’s retention team members. The first is intensive one-on-one work with individual students. “It’s labor intensive,” says Laditka, whose team devotes much of its energies to case management and intervention. “But we think if a student is in the middle of a crisis, that’s the best way of working.” The second is collaboration among all corners of the campus—from health care professionals, to coaches, to faculty, to residential life staff members. “Everybody is working towards the same goal,” says Laditka. “One of the biggest reasons that students leave is because they’re not involved; they go to class, they study, they go back to their rooms,” says Laditka. “They’re not engaged. We’re constantly looking for methods and programs to increase and enhance levels of involvement.” With a full understanding that almost any effort that serves students could be considered a retention effort, a few representative and key programs have been identified.
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“THE ARCH PROGRAM HELPS TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS WILL BE WALKING THROUGH THE ARCH TO GRADUATE IN FOUR YEARS.” — ALISON SCHMIDT, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ACADE M IC ADVISI NG AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF E DUCATION
Early Expectations: From ARCH to Arch Successful retention begins with recruiting and admitting the right student and clearly outlining expectations during the summer program for incoming students, Academic Registration Creative Horizons (ARCH), and during the four-day orientation. “The ARCH program helps to ensure that students will be walking through the arch to graduate in four years,” says Schmidt. “From the moment they set foot here, they receive a clear picture of what to expect and our hopes for them.” The three-year-old ARCH program, which involves teams of faculty, staff, and upperclassmen from varied corners of campus, yielded an unexpected benefit, says Kreuzman: “Everyone ended up with a higher degree of understanding and respect for what others on campus are doing.” [ right ] When she was a first-year student, Casey Wade ’15, left, had regular meetings with Celeste Tannenbaum ’13, a religious studies major and education minor with years of experience as a camp counselor, as part of the Peer Mentoring program.
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Early Intervention: First Watch Every Monday at 3:00 p.m., a committee of faculty and staff representing academic and student services meets to share notes about students who are experiencing difficulty. Launched approximately 10 years ago, First Watch successfully “breaks down barriers between offices and lets us talk about individuals,” says Kreuzman. One committee member is designated as a point person for each student in First Watch, coordinating the response from the entire College’s student support system.
Peer Mentoring It was fall semester 2011, and first-year student Casey Wade was not having a good year. “There was stress between some of the women on my floor, and I wasn’t enjoying some of my classes. I didn’t know what my major should be and I thought, oh my gosh, things are rolling out of control!” Her adviser was Cathy McConnell, associate director of advising and experiential learning, who coordinates the Peer Mentoring program. She recommended that Casey connect with an upper-class student, trained to mentor. Every week, Casey met with Celeste Tannenbaum ’13, a religious studies major and education minor with years of experience as a camp counselor. “Celeste did a lot of listening and helped me put things into perspective,” says Casey. “She told me, ‘A lot of people go through this. Be calm.’ It was great to connect with somebody who was outside my friend group.”
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Casey, who teaches swimming to children with cerebral palsy, came to Wooster thinking she wanted to study neuroscience to prepare for medical school. “But I found that my interests were really in political science and that my desire to help children with disabilities could be served through working with policy; it was a better fit for me. Celeste gave me a lot of reassurance as I worked through this.”
Global Envoys A team of students who have studied off campus advise younger students interested in the experience, through formal and informal avenues, including speaking to classes, student groups, and athletic teams; connecting through Facebook; and holding open office hours at central campus locations. Reentry to campus after studying abroad can be challenging, and global envoys help as travelers reorient themselves.
Developing Skill Sets : COW 101 Informal workshops allow first-year students to drop in every Tuesday at APEX—the College’s newly created center devoted to advising, planning, and experiential learning. First-semester classes range from reading, writing, and research skills to how to study for a mid-term or write a resume. During spring semester, students can learn about choosing a major, how to take effective notes, how to communicate with faculty, and summer internships.
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Sophomore Retreat On a golden fall day in mid-September, 83 sophomores, 15 staff and administrators, six upper class student mentors, and 10 faculty gathered at an outdoor educational retreat in the Mohican State Forest. The weekend began auspiciously with the bus breaking down less than a quarter of a mile from the retreat center. As everyone pitched in to haul supplies up the hill, we wondered if this was part of a plan, devised to test our skills. But no, sometimes a broken bus is just a broken bus. The games and exercises that were devised to teach and reveal began almost immediately. Could a circle of 100 people form itself into the shape of the United States within seconds? (How about without speaking?) Could small teams of people lower a hula hoop to the ground without lifting their fingers from the hoop? Could teams stand on a clunky, graceless teeter-totter and make it level long enough to sing “Row, row, row your boat?” Could participant pairs figure out a new way to greet each other, or devise a new dance step, or shake hands with their feet? Metaphors came to life as retreat director Matt Broda, assistant professor of education who specializes in experiential learning, shouted out instructions. The goals of the retreat, in its third year, are multi-faceted: to connect meaningfully with others from the campus community; to understand what that community has to offer outside of the classroom; to use problem-solving as a way to illuminate different personality types and different ways of teaching and learning; to watch attitudes towards success and failure being played out. “The goal with experiential learning,” says Broda, “is to end in a different place than where you started. “You unfreeze an old idea, change, and then refreeze within a new reality. Chances are that you won’t ever go back to being exactly who you were before.” AT LEFT The sophomore retreat is characterized by dozens of team-building games and problem-solving tasks, including Helium Hoops (bottom right): A group is asked to slowly lower a hula hoop to within four feet of the ground, with the hoop resting on just two fingers of each participant. Each player must remain connected to the hoop at all times. But the more players conscientiously remain connected with outstretched fingers, the more likely the hoop will slowly rise (thus the name of the game), not go down. Players quickly learn that if they cheat and remove a finger (no one will know), they can achieve the common purpose and the collective goal. They can win. In unison, they can crow “Oh yeaaah!” the sophomore retreat victory cry. “It’s a great way to talk about integrity and ethics—the kinds of things embodied in the Wooster Ethic,” says retreat coordinator Matt Broda. AT RIGHT MarTeze Hammonds leads a Hump Night discussion.
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“DEAN HAMMONDS BRINGS US TOGETHER, HE’S THE KEY. HE COMES AND CHILLS WITH US. HE’S BEEN WHERE I’VE COME FROM, AND ARRIVED AT WHERE I WANT TO GO” — HE N RY PH ILLI PS ’14
The 24 hours spent at the camp were fast-paced and diverse, including an examination of Myers-Briggs personality assessment, a high-spirited contra dance, and a night walk in the woods, culminating in a candle-lit meditation held in the center of a dark meadow. Sunday was devoted to the kind of high adventure that illuminates real-life challenges. For example, when a kayak tipped over, spilling its non-swimming sophomore into the lake, everyone pitched in to rescue and encourage. “It was great to see us working together,” said Celeste Tannenbaum ’13, a peer mentor. And Ray Tucker, counselor at the Student Wellness Center who is afraid of heights, may have screamed loudly as he plunged across the zip line, but he did it! “The whole point is to be more intentional about knowing yourself,” says Broda. When students return to campus, they relate to their retreat comrades in a different way, says Broda. “There is a shared experience, a kind of institutional mythology that makes the campus smaller and their networks bigger.” The retreat experience also affects how attendees support and understand students who didn’t attend, he says. “At any one time, there are about 300 students on campus who have attended the retreat. They are a powerful core.”
Targeting Populations: Hump Night Every Wednesday evening, 15-20 students come to study for two hours in the Lowry Center’s Tartan Room. But if the image of a stuffy study hall comes to mind, banish it. While the evening really is about studying (the students identified the need and suggested it themselves), it also turns out to fill another need that is just as important: building community. The first hour is spent quietly studying, the second in freeranging conversation—from discussions about politics to graduate school opportunities. MarTeze Hammonds, assistant dean of students for retention and academic engagement, arrived on campus this fall in a newly created position. While the goals of his position are straight-forward (retain minorities and first-generation students), strategies can be as informal as Hump Night. “It’s a consistent time and place where brothers and sisters can come together and tell their stories,” he says. “I’ve had conversations about finances, emotional matters, and future plans. These are connections that happen best when you go out to the students, rather than asking them to come to you.” As with most of the programs, Hump Night’s success comes from people power, say the students. “Dean Hammonds brings us together,” says Henry Phillips ’14. “He’s the key. He comes and chills with us. He’s been where I’ve come from, and arrived at where I want to go.”
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PHOTOGRAPHERS T H E C R E AT I V E V I S I O N O F WO OSTE R P H OTO G R AP H E R S
CLI NT
THAYE R R O BYN
PERRIN
’96
FO CAL F LAM E P HOTO G RAP HY
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’08 ’91 ’78 FINE ART
SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY
EMMA
P OW E LL
MICHAEL
FAGA N S
Emma Powell Photography
M AT T
DILYARD College of Wooster
P HOTOJOU R NALI ST
JOAN
B LAN CHA R D D O C U M E N TARY P H OTO G R A P H Y
CAM PUS PHOTOG RAPH E R
STO RY BY KAROL CROSBIE
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CLI NT
R O BYN
T H AY E R
PERRIN
’96
FO CAL F LAM E P HOTO G RAP HY
arried for 14 years, Clint Thayer and Robyn Perrin met on their first day at Wooster at band practice (they both played bass drum) and never looked back. Their unique product and client service model is possible because of their interdisciplinary skills, they say. Robyn, who studied biology at Wooster and also is a technical writer and marketing professional in the life science industry, and Clint, who studied art and computer science and is also a web developer, founded Focal Flame Photography in 2010. “Our liberal arts education helps us to blur the boundaries between disciplines,” says Robyn.
M
Focused on the intensity of competition, a cyclocross racer careens through the U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross Planet Bike Cup in Sun Prairie, Wis. Portrait: Nick Wilkes
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PHOTOGRAPHERS C LI NT THAYE R | R O BYN P E R R I N
The couple offers amateur athletes not only photographs of a milestone race (Clint) but also the story of the event (Robyn), bound into a 120-page hardcover book. To tell a story, Robyn interviews the athlete and his or her coach, trainer, and family members. “It’s very intense,” she says. “Athletes are motivated to take on a big challenge because of something that has happened in their life—they turned 40, or survived cancer, or are honoring a loved one.” Clint’s unique style is a departure from the typical freeze-frame photo documentary photograph that answers questions of ‘who, what, when, where, and why?’ “When you’re not constrained by those questions—when you want to capture how an athlete is feeling, you can add layers of symbolism and evoke layers of meaning,” he says. Clint’s abstract, sometimes impressionistic style wins him awards as well as clients. His work has been exhibited at the Second Annual International Fine Arts Competition: Commitment to Excellence in Art and Sport at the National Art Museum of Sport, and at the Center for Photography at Madison, Wis. He has also been published in arts and sports magazines.
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A cyclocross racer measures
WWW.FOCALFLAME.COM
an upcoming corner during the USGP Planet Bike Cup in Sun Prairie, Wis. A competitor's fervor is captured during the Madison Capital Criterium, the final stage of the Tour of America’s Dairyland cycling race. At the swim start of IronMan Wisconsin, thousands of athletes kick and claw past each other in open water, jockeying for position.
“When you’re not constrained by those questions— when you want to capture how an athlete is feeling, you can add layers of symbolism and evoke layers of meaning.” — CLI NT THAYE R
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MICHAEL
FAG A N S
’91 P H O T O J O U R N A L I S T
The Bakersfield high school choir and alumni prepare to rehearse. Soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division from Fort Drum, N.Y., play a game of Risk as they wait to fly into Afghanistan, September 2003.
WWW.MICHAELFAGANS.COM
“Photojournalism pays the bills. The other outlets allow me to give back to society.” — M ICHAE L FAGANS
W
ith both an undergraduate and a graduate degree in political science, Michael Fagans was well poised to launch a successful career, which he promptly did by securing a position as legislative aide to a New York state senator. And then one day after a difficult legislative session ended, he found himself on a solo hike in the Adirondack Mountains, taking photographs and loving it very much. “I said to myself, ‘I could make a living doing this. Or I could go back to the office.’” He decided on the former.
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PHOTOGRAPHERS M I C HAE L FAGAN S
A degree in photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology led him to a position as photographer with the Watertown Daily Times, a northern New York newspaper whose beat includes the country’s most deployed army unit—the 10th Mountain Division in Fort Drum. Fagans says his understanding of politics (his I.S. was on the role of the military in Israeli politics) helped him when he photographed deployments in Afghanistan. These days, his nonprofit community and volunteer work is as important to him as his job as the assistant photo editor of the Bakersfield Californian, says Fagans. For example, he is collaborating with the Arts Council of Kern to mentor special needs adults to create a video documentary about their challenges and successes in the community. Volunteering with the Presbyterian Church (his wife is an ordained Presbyterian minister), with a leadership role in the Self-Development of People committee, he has used his skills in multimedia to make a difference. Visits to the Dominican Republican, Malawi, and India have allowed him to both teach and learn, he says. “Photojournalism pays the bills. The other outlets allow me to give back to society.”
Salem Palmer, 10, receives the Mayor's Medal of Appreciation for saving the life of a classmate in the cafeteria at Highland Elementary School.
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“See how the bark is rubbed off? You can see how much time she spends on this branch.” — Joan Blanchard “The trip was one moment of awe after another.”
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JOAN
B L AN C H A R D
’78
D O C U M E N TA R Y P H O T O G R A P H Y
oan Blanchard’s love affair with photography began when she was about eight years old. Her mother presented her with a Brownie camera, ordered from an advertisement on the back of a laundry detergent box. Her next significant camera purchase came in 1974, when Prof. Fred Cropp told his budding geology majors that they should purchase their own 35-mm cameras.
J
Directly following graduation from Wooster, a job with American Airlines sent her traveling throughout the world. Since then, she has never stopped taking pictures, as a freelance photographer, mother, and non-profit advocate. In the spring of 2012, Blanchard went to Africa with two documentary purposes in mind: to photograph the work being done by Lift Up Africa, an NGO co-founded in 2004 by fellow-trustee Bill Longbrake ’65 to help create sustainable development in Kenya and Tanzania, and to photograph the wildlife of the Ngorongoro conservation area and the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. “It was 11 days of one moment of awe after another,” she says. “As I looked through the lens, finger poised on the shutter, it was like watching the best documentary I’ve ever seen, but with a difference: I felt like I had a great purpose to see, capture, and share the experience with others.” As she photographed the stories unfolding before her, she found herself thinking about returning home and showing the photographs to her 85-year-old mother. “My intent was to make the stories easy to follow and understand. “It was unforgettable; it changed me forever. It was almost as if I could see evolution playing out before me and as if time stood still.”
JOANBLANCHARD.ZENFOLIO.COM
“My intent was to make the stories easy to follow and understand. It was unforgettable; it changed me forever.”
A cheetah mother protects, watches, and waits. African elephant herds populate the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
— JOAN B LANCHARD
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EMMA
P OW E LL E mm a Po w el l P h otog raphy
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’08 FINE ART
E
mma Powell, who used a bygone photographic process and technique for her Independent Study, is inspiring a new generation of students in the art of the darkroom. In her second year as visiting lecturer and artist at Iowa State University, Powell says she thinks back to her Wooster experiences as she plans her courses. “Bridget (Milligan) was a major influence. I find myself rethinking how I learned the topic and what was exciting to me at the time. “With digital photography, you lose connection with how light reacts to photo sensitive material. I really believe the hands-on processes of the darkroom are important. Plus it’s more fun. Students really enjoy it.” Powell, who earned an MFA in photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology, has already accrued five exhibitions since leaving Wooster. Included is an exhibit with former Wooster adviser Bridget Milligan, professor of studio art and film studies, titled “Spirits, Dreams, and HalfRemembered Tales.” Powell’s ephemeral otherworldly style and subject choices have caught the attention of judges and editors, garnering her awards and publications in dozens of journal and art magazines. For her Independent Study, Powell used wet-plate collodion photography to create images inspired by spirit photography, which used transparent ghostlike images so convincingly that it was a major influence in the spiritualist movement of the years following the Civil War.
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Powell continues the theme in her current work, including the award-winning Shadow Catcher’s Daughter, which she says “balances the fine line between reality and dream.” In the series, she uses self-portraiture and animal images in settings created with the blue cyanotype process and toned with tea and wine. “I choose these substances for the acidic effect on the chemistry, as well as their influence on communication and memory,” she writes in her artist’s statement. “Although photography is normally considered a medium that represents the present, visible world, in my work I attempt to make visual what cannot be seen in place or time.”
Doubt, from The Shadow Catcher’s Daughter.
WWW.EMMAPOWELLPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
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(clockwise) Whispers, the Key, Against the Storm, and Bear. Reviewers call Powell’s photographic psychodramas “timeless yet distinctly contemporary.”
From the Kat Kiernan Gallery Juror’s Choice Award: “Bear asks more questions than it provides answers. The female figure in the image appears confident yet vulnerable, trusting but guarded. Bear is an image rife with dualities . . .” Ken Rosenthal, 2012
“Although photography is normally considered a medium that represents the present, visible world, in my work I attempt to make visual what cannot be seen in place or time.” — E M MA POWE LL
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M AT T
DILYARD College of
Wo o s t e r C A M P U S
P H O T O G R A P H E R
HTTP://UNDERTHEKILT.SCOTBLOGS.WOOSTER.EDU WWW.MATTDILYARD.PHOTOSHELTER.COM
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M
att Dilyard, beginning his 26th year as the College’s photographer, has had a finely focused view of the digital revolution. He said goodbye to the darkroom at Scovel Hall by making a ceremonial print, and while he believes learning traditional photography makes students more “reverent to the aesthetic process,” he has few romantic memories of the chemical drudgery of bygone darkroom days.
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THE IMAGE UNFOLDS Unbowed: As the championship slipped away, Matt Dilyard stayed with Scot pitcher Mark Miller ’09 to see how he might react. “He didn’t crumple, he didn’t fall, he just walked off with a lot of pride.”
On the front lines of the imagery revolution, he is witness to both its power and limitations. For example, automatic focus, a 400-meter lens, and the ability to take 11 frames every second helped him to take a photo that has been seen around the world. His photo of Scot pitcher Mark Miller ’09 walking off the field, as the 2009 national championship slipped away, was picked up by Sports Illustrated in both their magazine and their recently published coffee-table book of photograph standouts, The Baseball Book. But to find that photo, Dilyard reviewed more than 400 photos of the game. And there’s the rub. The seduction of documenting every second means not only the burden of review (Dilyard calls it “paralysis by analysis”) but also the responsibility of preserving hundreds of thousands of images as a historic record. “The images we preserve will be how people perceive this place,” says Dilyard. “It’s heady stuff and it’s intimidating.” At heart, Dilyard is a photojournalist always vigilant for those rare, defining moments that reflect the human condition. He calls them “pieces-of-real”—scenes that daily elude photographers, as humans pose and ham for today’s omnipresent camera. But he remembers and takes note of photographs that have made a difference and have created a connection. For example, the photo he took of a Scot lacrosse player only months before she died became precious to her family, and a valued friendship resulted. “I hope that something I do will resonate down the line with someone. And if you can be a force for happiness—that’s nice to know.”
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“The images we preserve will be how people perceive this place. It’s heady stuff and it’s intimidating.” — MATT DI LYAR D
The Fighting Scot prepares for an appearance at Progressive Field prior to a Cleveland Indians game while an elevator operator takes him where he wants to go.
September 11, 2001: Dilyard captures the reactions of students as they watch the news at Lowry Center. “I was struck with how protective she appears. The affection and caring are clear.”
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Class Notes 100 years ago MEN’S GLEE CLUB
In early 1913, the club gave concerts in eight cities in Ohio, South Carolina, and Washington, D.C. “The spring trip was undoubedly the best ever taken by the Club.”
The 1913 Index Participating were: Prof. Harold G. Hutchins, director; A. M. Cunningham ’14, O. F. Deetz ’15, R. D. Markert ’15, V. P. Minier ’13, C. E. Cunard ’15, E. J. Freed ’12, F. E. Hyde ’13, C. P. McNeil ’12, E. R. St. Clair ’14, C. E. Weisell ’13, R. W. Miller ’15, J. R. Dunlap ’13, C. N. Frazier ’15, W. L. Lawrence ’15, W. F. Orbison ’15, J. B. Weir ’13, H. G. Vance ’12, J. G. Loy ’13, R. D McIntire ’12, C. O. Smith ’15, L. E. Sperry ’12, C. V. Weygandt, ’12, J. A. Pierce ’14.
1934 1935
Viola "Vi" Startzman Robertson 4533 Hunters Chase Lane, Wooster, OH 44691 330-345-5733
1936 1937
Martha “Mollie” Tilock Van Bolt 420 Brookside Drive Ann Arbor, Mich.
Since the last report, five of our 23 living classmates have had birthdays. Both Bob Andrews and Norvin Hein, born in 1914, celebrated their 98th birthdays in August. Bob’s hearing prevents him from using a telephone, so I sent him a card. (We spent a day in June together at our 75th class reunion in Wooster). Norvin’s family celebrated his birthday a week early, so he was a bit surprised to pick up the phone and hear me singing “Happy Birthday” on the actual day. He is well, but developing hearing problems. Realizing how close Bob and Norvin are to the century mark, I went through my card file of our classmates and discovered that both Otis Heldman and Violet South Tolly had reached the 98-year landmark in April. Several 36 Wooster W I N T E R 2 0 1 3
years ago, Violet had said she expected to live to be 100, so I called her in late September to tell her that three other classmates are also closing in on the century mark. Violet has limited mobility, but thanks to her daughter, Mary, with whom she lives, Violet leads an active social life, with weekly guests for lunch, frequent visits from relatives and friends. Violet is an avid follower of the fall college football games and keeps up to date with current events. I talked with both Betty (Lisa) Panetta and Betty Clepper Reyer on their September birthdays. Lisa is now in the medical building at Rydal Park Retirement Center in Philadelphia. Betty Reyer celebrated the day with her son, who lives with her in the house she and her husband acquired early in his career. Betty still drives, and she “keeps house” as she has done since the death of her husband. Esther Amstutz Edeburn, who lives in Ashtabula, Ohio, had a busy summer. In June, her sister from Rittman, Ohio, drove to Ashtabula for Esther’s birthday, and they spent some time visiting members of the Edeburn family who live in western Pennsylvania, whom Esther had not seen since Raymond’s death. In August, her sister and a cousin made the round-trip from Rittman to Ashtabula so Esther could attend her sister’s 90th birthday party, and again in September, they made it possible for her to attend a family reunion in Rittman. Esther lives alone in the house she
shared with Raymond and she still drives, but only locally. I am saddened to report that I received a phone call from the wife of Ralph Immel. Ralph passed away Sept. 29, 2012. We extend our sympathies to Ralph’s family. I (Mollie) continue to enjoy a busy life in Ann Arbor. Summer gardening was a challenge because of the 90-degree days and the lack of rain, but September was devoted to landscaping the east border of the back yard, so there were many trips to neighboring nurseries in my 2002 Chevrolet Tracker, and much time devoted to digging holes from nine to 13 inches deep to accommodate the plants I purchased. I can now handle the plants in five-gallon containers by myself. In September, activities at the Turner Senior Center, about five minutes from my house, were in full swing. I went to an exercise class two days a week, began a class which meets weekly until mid-December to improve balance, and next week began a six-week class in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute program sponsored by the University of Michigan on “The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles.” I spend a good deal of time watching the DVD programs of “The Great Courses” offered by the Teaching Company. Currently, I am about halfway through the 84 lectures on “Great Minds of the Western Intellectual Tradition,” and the 32 lectures on “The 30 Greatest Orchestral Works.” The DVD drive on my five-year old pc could
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handle the older editions of “The Great Courses,” but the latest ones required newer equipment, so I bought a new computer, a Mac, which I decided I’d better get now while my brain can still handle the challenge. Life is good.
1938 1939 1940
Florence Dunbar Kerr 2128 NE 81st Place, Seattle, Wash. 98115 FDK05@hotmail.com
1941
Mary Wilcox Hughes 3880 Eastway Road South Euclid, Ohio 44118 mwoohughes@msn.com Laura Snyder Whinery 614 Cherokee Rd., Chillicothe, OH 45601
1942
Jerry Stryker 2310 Sherwood Hall Lane Alexandria, Virg. 22306 jstryker@fox.net
1943 1944
Russell “Russ” Haley 653 Medford Leas, Medford, NJ 08055 609-654-3653 elderguy44@yahoo.com
Bill Foxx reports that last May he and Pat flew to Tucson to see a grandson graduate after four years studying pharmacy at the University of Arizona. Three of their four kids were there, and they enjoyed the family reunion in and around the motel pool. Another grandson graduated from nursing at Thomas Jefferson in Philly and was then accepted at Penn for nurse practitioner training for the next three years. They’ll be traveling again in early October, this time by air to Columbus, Ohio, for Bill’s 60th reunion of his Ohio State med school Class of ’52. Frank Knorr will pick them up and drive them to Wooster for a visit. Then they’ll fly home from Cleveland. Impressive doin’s for anyone in our age group!
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Edith Stockton (‘Ekey’ to old friends like us) made a trip to Florida in June with one of her daughters to visit her son and his wife and her kid brother Richard. (She calls him “kid” because he’s only 82.) She’s expecting four more great-grandchildren, including a set of twins. So, Lord willing, she’ll have an even dozen by the end of February. Very impressive, especially to a class secretary who’s still waiting for his first! Al Linnell reports that the last week of June a group of about 40 — all five of his kids and four of Ann’s five kids, along with families — gathered at a resort south of Cancun and celebrated his 90th birthday. Then on July 14 the University of Washington astronomy department held a one-day symposium called “Al-fest” for our guy. Congratulations are in order. Then Al went in for a left hip replacement. The rehab process is reportedly going well, and he is now walking without a walking stick. Eloise Van Niel, from beautiful Hawaii, says she’s continuing to downsize, as reported in the last issue of our Class Notes. She’s still in her big house and has added two Tongan ladies for part-time home care in addition to her faithful Brazilian cleaning crew and Filipino yardmen. The next step is likely to be a senior residence, perhaps in the Boston area where her son Anthony and two grandchildren live. Her daughter is now in Hong Kong. Eloise is a bit limited by her walker these days but does still get out for courses at the university’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. As the last person in both her and her husband Bob’s family, she has inherited the task of family memoirs, from both England and Holland. Don Coates, too, has celebrated his 90th year with a family reunion. Included were all three of his children and “associated progeny of in-laws, grandkids, and great grandkids.” He has also been visited by a prominent New York lawyer (for whom he had consulted), by his Chinese ‘son’ and by some Geological Society of America officials. He says his body and soul continue to be nourished with lots of good food, exercise, reading, and social activities. He worries some about the future of our country, as do we all. Phid Burger notes that her life is never dull. Last Halloween, her condo was in the way of a huge pine tree. That one managed to destroy her bedroom and master bath. So she spent five months at the Residence Inn while others fought with the insurance company. Happily she is now back where she belongs, with the mess back in order. “Not easy to uproot old ladies, nor much fun,” she says. Phid also says hello to her many friends.
Jim Smucker, as you may recall, is living in Seattle at Horizon House. He turned 90 on April 6 and had a wonderful party with family and friends. He has four daughters and seven grandchildren, all of whom he loves dearly and sees often. He is doing well but would love to hear from old friends. He suggests the best mode of communication is mail. He can be reached at: Jim Smucker, Room 324, Horizon House, 900 University Street, Seattle, WA 98101. His phone number is 206-774-6668 and email is jimsmucker@aol.com. He sends “peace and love to all of you.” Barb Grenert, daughter of Shirley Grenert who passed away, sends this message: “HELP ME FIND MY LONG-LOST OWNER!! Small unique ring found outside the music department building (currently the Alumni Building) in the mid to late 70s. I inherited the ring and the story behind it when my mother-in-law passed away a couple of years ago. She had been the secretary to the music department head and found it on the ground outside the building. At that time she tried to find the owner but was not successful, so she kept it. I wanted to make one more effort to find it's owner, as I too lost a ring years ago and know how it feels to lose something which has personal meaning. If you think this might be yours, please contact me by email with a description of the ring. My email address is bgrenert58@hotmail.com, or call the college alumni office at 330-263-2187 and ask to speak to Karol Crosbie.” Hope you’re all coping successfully with life in the 90s, or thereabouts, and that you continue to do so.
1945
Jeanne “Swanee” Swan Garnett 5310 Loruth Terr., Madison, WI 53711-2630 608-271-4943 jeannesgarnett@yahoo.com
I, “Swanee,” got a letter from June Morse saying that her husband Stanley “Mouse” Morse died on Sunday, June 10, 2012. It was a shock to learn of his death, for on May 9 he had sent me an email telling of their 65th wedding anniversary. June and Mouse’s three sons, four grandchildren, and one great-grandson survive him. She says, “We are filled with gratitude for the joy he brought to all of us and what an inspiration and role model he has been for our children and grandchildren.” She says also that their 65 years together were fabulous. June adds, “Wooster has always been such an important part of his life.” Margie Goldsmith Hydorn and I were unable to have our annual lunch together this summer. Margie has had severe lumbar back pain and, even if I had been able to get a ride,
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ClassNotes she would have been unable to travel. She is looking forward to back surgery on Oct. 4, which she hopes will do away with her back pain. We’ll be thinking of you, Margie. I had a nice telephone visit with Jean Ann Pierce Gow. She is home after her hip replacement surgery and rehab, but finds it takes longer to heal at our age. Jean was very upbeat about her recovery and hoped to be back to normal soon. She and Jim have a daughter who lives about a mile away and looks in on them often. I had a quiet, restful summer in Maine. I was alone and had no company, but I have wonderful neighbors who can help when needed. I went to numerous fundraisers in various places—a lobster picnic on the coast at the summer solstice celebration, a pig roast at a nearby chapel, a spaghetti supper at the fire station, a fish chowder supper at the little one room red school house (mid-1800s to mid1900s), another lobster dinner on the shore at an historical society building and, of course, the annual blueberry festival for three days in August in Machias, Maine. I ate well! The weather was great—my high on the coast was 83 degrees. My son and his wife drove me home on Labor Day weekend, so I’m nicely settled in for the winter. It’s good to be home with my family. I have a new great-granddaughter! Lenne Hannah Kerver was born Aug. 13 to my grandson Emile and his wife Hanneke in Amsterdam, Netherlands. She is my 14th great-grandchild. How blessed I am.
Smithsonian’s Look Back to the FDR Years, National public Radio’s “All Things Considered,” and other such programs. The book is $15 and CD is $10 via mail (postage included). Send your check or money order to: Debi Smith, 3304 Surrey Lane, Falls Church, Va. 22042. The CD is by Debi, their daughter, a professional musician who interspersed short writings from the book with her original music. It is beautifully done.
1946
1948
4209 Hoffman Dr., Woodbridge, VA 22193 oleysally@aol.com, 703-590-3465
802 S. 15th St., #1839, Sebring, OH 44672 evelynhewett@gmail.com
Sally Wade Olson
1947
Doris Buchanan dbuchananone@bex.net 1 Callaway Green, Sylvania OH 43560
Look up at the Hawks is a true story about Vivian Smith’s husband, David’s, family on the Nebraska prairies, during the dust, drought, and depression years of the 1930s. The story is seen through the eyes, ears, and heart of Viv’s mother-in-law, Ruth Morgan Smith. She wrote on whatever scraps of paper she could find, secretly journaling her thoughts and feelings about the difficulties during those harsh times. Its an amazing and inspiring story and astounding how Ruth’s family survived through such faith in God. Thanks to a close friend of Vivian’s, the book found its way to the public via such programs as the 38 Wooster W I N T E R 2 0 1 3
WEDDING OF HANNALORI BATES FRICK '03 AND MATT FRICK, DETROIT, MICH.
Front: Jim Bates ’68, Suzanne Getz Bates ’68, bride, groom, Elise Bates Russell ’95 Back: Casey Henderson ’02, Kristen (Chapin) Pugh ’02, Meris Mandernach ’01, Liz Farina Markel ’02, Julie (Gruber) Delezenne ’03 (Photo: Tipping Point Photography)
Evelyn Fischer Hewett Our class president, Jean Boggs, is hard at work to give us a great 65th class reunion this coming June. Yes, it is that time again to make plans for a trip to the old alma mater, to see old friends and all the improvements and additions to the campus. There is a new gym/activity building (the Scot Center) and Beall Avenue has a lovely tree-lined center island all through campus, just to mention a few. A thank you was given to Stan and Flo Kurtz Gault who were awarded the Sara L. Patton Stewardship Award. The presenter, Buck Smith ’56, commented, “Colleges are built by people (like the Gaults) who believe in them.” See their pictures on pages eight and 15 in the summer issue. Pat Culp loves living in Maine and encourages everyone to visit her. She recently sold her antique shop and is even selling some of her own antiques. “Simplify, simplify.” On the off-
season she visits the beaches when they aren't so crowded. Her involvement with sports is now changed to just watching them on TV. Jean Horn Smith, who lives in Columbus, is fortunate to have her two sons living in Ohio, one in Columbus and one in Cleveland. Sad to say, her daughter died some time ago from breast cancer. Jean lives in an apartment, takes trips, and says, “Life is good.” Jane Sedgwick Sperry writes that her husband, Elwood “Pop” ’52, retired in 1993 from American Uniform Company in Tennessee. In 1996, they built a “farm” home five miles west of Etowah, Tenn., overlooking the foothills of the Smokies. Etoway, a Creek Indian word for “town,” is 40 miles north east of Chattanooga. Janie and Pop have the reunion in their hopeful plans, but report, “These days we plan day by day.” Another Wooster connection here at Copeland Oaks (where I live) is with Carol Swegan Cross ’51. She only studied at Wooster for one year (1947-8) before marrying Tom Cross of the Air Force. (Tom died in 1995.) Avis Bird Myers ’51 sang at their wedding. In years past, Carol has been a very busy person with quilting, sewing, singing, impersonating famous people, and traveling (Alaska this year). She has two children and will become a great-grandmother this fall. Carol has lived at Copeland Oaks for 20 years and is the sister of Don Swegan ’47. On a sad note, Ruth Neff Daniels lost her husband of 60 years last Oct. 2011. But on a happier note, her granddaughter, Kim, presented Ruth with her first great-granddaughter, Charlotte, in May.
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WEDDING OF JENNY KELLYMASLOSKI ’97 AND SCOTT MASLOSKI.
Amy Blanchard ’97, groom, bride, John Kelly ’02
Elizabeth (Birdie) Lawrence Frey reported very sad news that their 52-year-old son is dying of an inoperable brain tumor. In addition, Birdie's husband, Dick, who has Parkinson’s, fell and broke a hip. We pray that next year will be kinder to her family. Our sympathy goes out to Elizabeth (Betty) James Burge on the death of her husband, Don, in September. Have you ever noticed how many Wooster names appear in columns other than in their respective class column? You would do well to read more than just our 1948 news and perhaps see our news in adjacent ones. This is especially true of the 1940’s as so many had their college years interrupted by the war. See you in Wooster in June!
1949
Evelynn Cheadle Thomas 6505 Sorrento Court, Dayton, OH 45459 eethomas@mailbug.com, Phone (937) 439-0260
1950
Janice “Jay” Wilson George 19476 N. Coyote Lakes Pkwy., Surprise, AZ 85374
I want to share the tale of my (Jay’s) special July weekend with all friends. The event was my sister, Lois Wilson Scott’s, 90th birthday celebration in Denver. Thanks to some maneuvering through the daunting Denver airport, my 94-year-old sister, Doris Wilson Blanchard ’40, was also able to attend. Doris, deaf since birth, and Lois were very close growing up, and it was great to see them still conversing by lip reading as I recall from my childhood. My brother-in-law, Tom Schmied, planned a wonderful weekend. Three of Lois’ four daughters came, and 31 attended her birthday dinner. Lois’ daughter, Vicki Miles Yuen, graduated from COW in 1970, Lois graduated in 1943 and Doris in 1940, so we had a mini COW reunion, too!
My September birthday prompted a letter and call from “roomie,” Ike, in the summer. She says her game has improved some, thanks to a GPS gizmo she uses, and she stays competitive. Despite Ohio’s drought and heat her garden fared well, so she’s enjoyed sharing produce with elderly neighbors who think she’s nutty to still be doing it! The highlight was the May wedding of a Cincy area grandson. The rehearsal dinner had 100 guests – imagine the wedding! We decided that we are fortunate to be in pretty good shape for our age, mourning the loss of many friends and determined to stay positive. Keep on “keepin’ on,” make new friends and have new experiences. It’s a theme echoed in many letters I receive. Another Ohioan recently heard from is Jean Ellsworth Snyder. Jean must have been doing some “stuff sorting” that many of us are doing these days, as she sent me a color copy of the COW chapel mailed to her grandmother in 1914! It was already ivy-covered then, but the elms were mere saplings. I was able to send her back a card from the ’50s with the elms full grown. Jean was planning some short local trips, golf when it wasn’t too hot, and bridge when it was. I have been running a monthly bridge group at my Sun City church for 14 years, and this summer is the first we’ve continued to play from May through September as more friends are giving up summer places “up north.” My third Ohio correspondent is Kay Shamp who continues to enjoy life in her retirement complex near University Circle with its classes, exercise and interesting jaunts in northern Ohio plus many activities at her nearby church. Keep on truckin’ ’50 classmates and DO write!
1951
Arthur Merrill arthurmerrill51@gmail.com Carol Hansen Carlson carlsonjc51@hotmail.com
One of Susan Shie’s ’81 sketchbook drawings of impressions of her July trip teaching and exhibiting in Girona, Spain.
We are sorry to report the deaths of Bruce Kauffman (his wife is Nancy White who he dated for several years at Woo) who lived in Waverly, Ohio, and Harold Amsbaugh (who didn't graduate). We send our prayers and sympathy to their families. Bruce lived in Pittsburgh before coming to Woo and majored in poli sci. He was business manager of the 1951 Voice and had two pictures in ads (one with Nancy looking at silver and china patterns) and one selling shoes. He was in First Section and was vice president of our junior class. Sally ’52 and I (Bill Aber) are just back from a whirlwind visit to London, our favorite city. We made a trip to Canterbury with Evensong in the Cathedral, which was very special. Our local great-grandsons (13 and 16) keep us connected to the younger generation, we even attend middle school and high school sporting events. Any Albuquerque visitors should give us a call. Joel and Ruth Ann Davis, along with few thousand “friends” were at Tangelwood to wish John Williams a happy 80th birthday on Saturday, Aug. 18. “There were some surprise well-wishers. With the playing of the “ET” theme Steven Spielberg walked on stage and told of their early collaboration. Later, James Taylor appeared and played “You've Got A Friend.” President Obama sent a message displayed on an overhead screen. We spent the rest of the week with friends at our condo in Lenox and participated in a Road Scholar Program, which included museum visits, theatre, and a Joffrey Ballet program at Jacob’s Pillow.” Jim and Jane Wallace Anderson report: “Summerhill Farm, seven miles south of Wooster, and overlooking the Killbuck Valley, was the location for two of our grandchildren's weddings this summer. John Driscoll ’00, our daughter’s son, married his Canadian sweetheart, Emma, on July 28. Our son's daughter Marybeth married Marc Leblonc two weeks later. Both of these W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 Wooster 39
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WEDDING OF JAYNA HANSON JOSEFSON ’06 AND BEN JOSEFSON.
Back: Brian Dudley ’04, Hannah Bierlien ’06, Alison Inderfurth ’06, Andrea Porter ’05, Alison Bongiovanni Bosch ’06, Tyler Bosch ’06, Adam Milligan ’05, Christopher Hanson ’12, Anne Krawiec ’06, Collette Smith Honsowetz ’06. Middle Row: Colleen Brooks Dudley ’04, Courtney Holmes ’05, Elizabeth Bowker ’06, Bethany Skelton ’05, Emily Parsons ’06, Sarah Hamerstone ’06, Jenifer Powers Fruit ’06, Melissa Levenger ’06. Front: groom and bride.
events have reinforced our initial decision to buy a farm when we retired in the hopes it would serve as a way to keep our family together.” “Aquem E Alem Do Cerebro" is Portuguese for “Behind and Beyond the Brain,” a biannual symposium sponsored by the Bial Foundation in Porto, Portugal, during which, in March 2012, Sara Rhine Feather Hendrickson was one of 19 participants exploring this year's special study, “Sleep and Dreams.” Others participating including scientists and academics from many U.S. universities, as well as academics from Europe and Britain. The Foundation originated from Bial Pharma, a large pharmaceutical company that develops and manufactures drugs sold in Europe, Africa, and Asia. The host foundation allowed a participant to have an accompanying partner along gratis, so Sara’s husband Bill Hendrickson took advantage of the travel, the hospitality, and the lectures and panels. From John Carol Carson: Harriet Hall Deer is well and busy volunteering. She is a retired English professor from the University of South Florida in Tampa. She is currently teaching “Classical Films” to senior citizens. While she was at the university, she taught some classes on popular culture. This is a course that Dr. Lowell Coolidge once advocated. Not only has she taught such classes, but she also collaborated with her husband, writing four books on drama. Harriet and I, Carol, had a good laugh about an incident 40 Wooster W I N T E R 2 0 1 3
during one performance of “Our Town” at Wooster. Harriet had difficulty staying in character as she spied your class secretary audibly sobbing in the first row. You may recall that the author, Thornton Wilder, was the narrator. Harriet says that most of the pictures, even today, which grace Wilder’s manuscripts, books, etc., were taken at Wooster. A very pleasant conversation was held with Jerri Mitchell Bolvin. She and John live in Oakmont Retirement Home in Pennsylvania. Such living provides many diverse activities ( Jerri and John had just returned from a profitable session of Bingo when we talked). They are both in good health and are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary this year. Carol Rustemeyer Talbot enjoys her retirement living as well. She sends greetings to all. Winter approaches, so perhaps a fire in the fireplace and good reading are in order. Here are some excellent reads— Two AmericansTruman and Eisenhower by William Lee Miller, The Presidents’ Club by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy, “Bonheoffer” by Erik Metaxas, and “In the Garden of Beasts” by Erik Larson.
1952
Warren M. Swager Jr. P.O. Box 555, Sheridan, MT 59749-0555 wcswager@3rivers.net
In Portland, Ore., Tina Hair has moved into a retirement center near her daughter
Deb. She no longer has to cook or vacuum. Bill and Noreen McGraw recently enjoyed a voyage to Europe over and back on the Queen Mary II. As hoped for, the dining was outstanding, as was the entertainment, furnished in part by graduates of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Upon arriving, much of their time was spent in Ireland where they undertook ancestor searching for both families. On one search, Bill had to slog (literally) through a peat bog to photograph an edifice still standing after centuries of weathering. The house had survived because of an Irish law which forbids dismantling certain types of structures. The trip was memorable for many reasons, not the least of which was that it rained only one day! Another highlight was touching base with a friend, Christopher Fitz-Simon, long a director/manager for the Abbey Theatre. Christopher has written many plays for Irish Radio Television and also several books on noted theatrical personages, including the Abbey. The McGraws’ visit was capped off by witnessing a very strong production of “The Plough and the Stars” by the Abbey players.
1953 Nona S.Taylor 110 Echo Way, Statesboro, GA 30458 nst3c@nctv.com
Don Orr 13460 Marlette Dr., La Mirada, Calif. 90638 dorrscot@verizon.net
The toasty family snow sweatshirt that feels so good today reminds me that winter issue news is due for Wooster. So here we go! I (Nona) called Jo and Don Leber in Cape Cod, but found them in Naples, Fa., at their long-time winter condo in a small golfing community. They will be enjoying golf from mid-October until May, except for occasional important interruptions. For Thanksgiving, they return to the Cape for a holiday feast with their children and grandchildren. When they married each other after Jan Wysham and Reed Barnard’s ’52 passing, their new family had seven children: Jo’s three and Don’s four, a group Jo characterizes as interesting, challenging, and fascinating. Eighteen grandchildren, aged 10 to 25, are now busy in schools that include eight or nine colleges and grad school. At Christmas, Jo and Don expect to celebrate in Denver with family out West, far from the Cape. Jo, laughing, assured me every family member is “very well remembered” come Christmas. Imagine the Christmas shopping! Following the celebrations, the Lebers return to Naples and the golf course, where Jo modestly claims their scores
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CLASS OF ’62 HAS LUNCH IN NEW YORK
CLASS OF ’62 HAS LUNCH IN MYSTIC, CONN.
L to R: Broeck Wahl Blumberg, Mary Behling Browne, Emily McQueen, Beverly Bowie Aubrey and Carolyn Childs Shadle
L to R (sitting) Deedee deRoode, Mayli Boname Chutjian (standing) Jane Arndt Chittick, Marilyn Morrill Wallace, Beth Davis Rickman
are satisfying but not necessarily stellar. Rich Doerbaum’s nom-de-plume for the stories he writes and illustrates is Dr. Dee. A pastor emeritus in Florida, Rich sent me a copy of his recent book, Saving Terros, A Parable, that creates a timeless new setting for the old story of a fallen world. There are many biblical echoes in the story, for which Dr. Dee has invented an imaginative and etymologically accurate vocabulary. As the story unfolds, readers will enjoy rolling the strange new words off their tongues. I liked the sounds of Ugloon and Drugalug, Merihope and Kaioophus, Moolah-Kohanim and Nephesh Hayah, and I found them and their proper pronunciations in the glossary, an excellent addition. The book’s tone is creative and hopeful; it is a beautiful, thought-provoking story, yet it is neither cute nor condescending, therefore appealing to a wide readership. Dr. Dee’s careful, sensitive illustrations are perfect for the book, for which Rich thanks his family and also his “college classmates for their interest and encouragement.” Since her husband Bill’s death in August, Carolyn Ruby Murray wrote that she is keeping busy with as many good people as possible in the quiet created after years of faithfully caring for Bill. They moved to Cooperstown, N.Y., a dozen years ago and now many church friends are watching over her. College friends Mary and Bob Archibald stopped for a luncheon visit and Carolyn and Pris Allen plan a get-together soon. Visiting her hometown, East Aurora, N.Y., Carolyn caught up with her childhood friend, Ann Strause Fox ’52. She also hopes to visit her son and daughter-in-law at a home they recently
bought at Chautauqua. It would be a treat for the rest of us to visit with Carolyn and share our affection at our 60th reunion June 6-9. Sally Pomeroy Trabulsi keeps busy around home in little Allegan, not far from big Lake Michigan. Her husband Don died in Aug. 2010 following several years of failing health. Sally is a lover of books, old ones especially, but after 17 years of helping with library book sales, she now plans marketing and community events at the library. At Allegan’s small Presbyterian church, Sally works as treasurer with both legacy and personnel committees, recently helping to greet a new young minister to the congregation. When asked if she still creates her complicated computer projects, she replied airily, “Oh yeah!” (Ask me that and I’d have answered grumpily, “Oh, yuck!”) Outdoors, you might find Sally feeding a new love, her dahlias. Inside, she’s downsizing, having jettisoned stuff like nests of useless computer cords and wires, old stationery, ancient family letters and photos mined out by now for genealogic accuracy. Check out her “unstuffing” blog: blog:unstuffingthehouse.blogspot.com. Before he retired, our class president Dick Martin repaired his human patients with a scalpel and sutures; these days he is frequently off to an ailing Habitat for Humanity site with his hammer and screwdriver. He continues to advise nearby Hood Theological Seminary on their growth projects and to sing in his Episcopal church choir. At home, he and Pennie celebrate their many beautiful cats, who stayed home while their two humans happily noted their 28th wedding anniversary. For that they traveled to Charlotte, where they enjoyed
a sumptuous feast and two fabulous museums. Dick and I chatted recently about our coming 60th reunion. It begins Thursday, June 6 and concludes Sunday, the 9th. If 80 is the new 70 (I just made that up!), let’s all be there, perhaps arriving in time on Thursday for a relaxing reunion supper together before the major weekend events begin.
1954
Sylvia Buttrey Huning-Tillotson 99 Ascension Dr., Apt. J107, Asheville, NC 28806 sylhuning@yahoo.com
1955
Nancy Mutch Donald 161 Lake Breeze Park Rochester N.Y. 14622 nomodonald@yahoo.com
Frances “Fran” Bauer Parker 715 S. Webster St., Jackson, MI 49203 fparker99@comcast.net
1956
Pat Young 464 E. Highland Ave., Wooster, OH 44691-9249 Pjyoung52@sssnet.com
1957
Will Lange willem.lange@comcast.net
Anne Johnson just forwarded me a great opportunity for a computer-literate (don’t be bashful) class member: At our last reunion we found out that the class could have a web page
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CLASS OF ’75 MINI REUNION
FAMILY LEGACY
Back: Jeff Requarth, Nancy Willig Henty, Billy Taber, Carolyn Clark Middle: Charlie Ferguson, B. A. Rettew, Michael Henty Front: Janet Peregrim Luken, Jeff Luken, Pam Pepper (holding a photo of Mark Oakley who was not able to attend.)
Back: Susan Daniels ’83, Joe Neff ’92, John Wick ’70, Jennifer Wick ’82 Front: Ruth Neff Daniels ’48, Betty Bristol Wick ’44
which would be maintained by someone in the alumni office. If this is something you think our class should have, please let us know. Also, if anyone would like to gather items to add to the web page, the job could be yours! Is there a volunteer out there? Jim Gwynne, the official painter for the long-ago Night Climbers, was recently presented with the Painting Award at the Westmoreland Art Nationals Juried Exhibition in Greensburg, Pa., for his oil painting Sky Dance III. You can see it and more of his work at www.absolutearts.com/portfolios/j/gwynne. David Cartmell chides us all for not showing up at the Boston clambake: “Where were you all when the CLAMBAKE was held at the house of Trustee Joan Blanchard ’78? This was a great affair with alumni attending from 1941-present with the best clams and lobster in New England! I was sure there were members of ’57 living in the Northeast, but I was the only one. And there was this tall man wandering around (with no badge); yep, it was the president of Wooster. So keep it in mind for next summer and we can have a ’57 minireunion eating clams!” Ida and I remain ready to entertain classmates in Montpelier, where we’ll show you around the capital of the second-most-liberal state in the Union. My big news is that my TV show won an Emmy a couple of months ago in Boston. Next week Ida leaves for a month in France: her dream vacation. I’ll join her in Nice at the end of the month for a few days of hiking the hills on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage trail and hanging out 42 Wooster W I N T E R 2 0 1 3
on the topless beach. All is well.
1958
Nana Newberry Landgraf 2927 Weymouth Rd., Shaker Heights, OH 44120 nwl9@sbcglobal.net Dennis Barnes 12 Gildersleeve Wood, Charlottsville, Virg. 22903 dennis_barnes@mindspring.com
From class President Paul Randall: “Of course our 55th Class Reunion is on during Alumni Weekend, June 6-9, 2013.” Four of us (Paul Hanke, Bill Moats, Bev Stockard and I) met in June with Sharon Rice from the Alumni Office. In late August, the College sent save-the-date postcards. Details: * Housing will be available to us in Gault Manor on a first-come first-served basis. Another class may be using it as well. Of course, folks may choose to stay elsewhere. * We'll be invited to the Scots Forever Dinner Friday night, followed by dessert and a coffee reception in a pleasant lounge space (you do realize that post-50th we are “Scots Forever”?). *We have settled on a Class of ’58 Saturday luncheon on the tented patio of the Wooster Inn — something casual. That will be the one event exclusively for our class. We’ll elect new class officers then, and more. If you have other thoughts you’d like brought up to the group, please tell someone on the committee: Nana, Dennis and Janet Gabrielsen Ehlers as well as the four listed above. * We discussed having a space in Lowry
Center open as a “hang out” gathering spot for ’58-ers through the weekend, but we’re not sure how well that will work. Beyond the above, all the other events during Alumni Weekend will be ours to enjoy as well, beginning Friday and extending through Sunday morning. Belated acknowledgment of deaths of classmates Sue Marsh Totten (May 21, 2012) and Anne Marsh Hoenig (Feb. 8, 2012) and sympathy extended to Stan Totten, who survives Sue. We will miss them at our 55th. The Tottens attended our 50th. Anne did not, though I (Nana) had high hopes there. She and I had talked rewardingly about music. Sympathy, too, to Donna Musser Slater on the death of her brother, Judge Virgil L. Musser ’56 (Nov. 17, 2011). Sally Dunn Springett reports that her son, Simon Springett ’90, is the new UN resident coordinator and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) resident representative for Mauritius. She sent photos of him presenting his credentials to the prime minister on Aug. 6. Paul and Rachel Reeder spent four days in August visiting Don and Becky Custis at their temporary home in Estes Park, Colo. Highlights included several high-altitude hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park, two concerts by the Rocky Mountain Opry, and Becky’s great cooking. I received a wonderful publicity postcard with a photo for Janet Agnew DeBar. Her hair is styled, and she holds a mic to her lips, looking incredibly single-minded. The blurb
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more details to include! Later! Dee Farkas Parker, Lillie Trent and I are going to France Sept. 9-29 and will visit with Manou Alquier Martinot during part of that time. Manou, French assistant at Wooster 1956-7, lived in the French House with us to help improve our French. She and her husband, since deceased, attended our 50th reunion. More later.
1959
Phil & Winnie Myers Rohrbaugh 1916 Maplewood Drive, Cedar Falls, Ia 50613 philwin@cfu.net
Front: Sarah L. Baranoff ’03, Susan Mueller Baranoff ’77, Sally McComas Mueller '55, Jane A. Hull '80 Back: Anne Woodland McComas ’74, Jonathan Cohen, and Arthur Baranoff, James H. McComas ’74, at a recent wedding.
reads: “Janet DeBar exudes a strong spirit while performing her poems, a quintessential, political and passionate writer whose work contains that same feeling and depth of Slam poetry. For more than 10 years, Janet has also developed and played the didjeridu in a language-based manner.” She explains “language-based”: “Yes, incomprehensively impressive, but it actually does mean something. With didj you get tonal variations by changing mouth shape. Australian aboriginal tribes’ didj playing is based on the language of the particular tribe – the way vowels and consonants are pronounced. I think of English words when I play. I especially am fond of Yeats, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Poe.” I reread a June 2000 email from Dale Bailey, wherein he summarized travel deals for seniors. He had solicited ideas from you (perhaps only the emailers). Maybe he would still welcome knowledgeable ideas on this subject, but I’ve learned of another aspect of Dale’s proactive interaction with the world: “How to Be Grandpa to a Neighborhood.” He writes, “At the end of February, Phyllis and I were on our morning walk when we came across an intriguing hobbit house which inspired me to put one on the tree in front of our house. And because it received such fascination from the neighborhood children and those children on their way to and from the preschool down the block, I was inspired to do more. My creation has been very gratifying, and because it has been garnering appreciative responses from children and parents alike, I am now sharing it with you.” There are so many
Our condolences to Tom Ward and the family for the loss of his wife, Judy. Those of us who have known her over the years will miss her grace and kindness. Young Jo Kim and his wife report that they went on a two-week cruise of the Baltic from Copenhagen, Rostock, Germany, Tallinn, Estonia, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, and Stockholm. He says the vacation was very pleasant.
1960
Vicky Fritschi 16 King Philip Tr., Norfolk, MA 02056-1406 vickyfritschi@gmail.com
Pat Murray Wiedner wrote about a fun weekend she and husband Joe had in Washington, D.C., in July. The former pastor at her church in Glen Ellyn, Doug Learned, went to the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, where Ellie Elson Heginbotham is an elder. He received a call to pastor at the Moorings Presbyterian Church in Naples, Fla., so Ellie planned a small dinner party in his honor. She called Pat to see if she and Joe would like to metaphorically “jump out of the cake” and surprise Doug and his wife, Cindy. She of course accepted and everyone had a great time. Joe had double by-pass open-heart surgery in the beginning of Dec. 2011 and has recovered quite well. Three of Pat’s grandchildren graduated from high school in May. Her daughter, Cheryl Trautmann Boop ’85, and her husband, David Boop ’85, have moved from Athens, Ga., to Rensselaer, Ind., close enough to drop by for shopping or a meal. Pat says it’s wonderful having them so close after 25+ years of being a distance away. She continues to volunteer with CNS Hospice and was happy to fill in as interim director of music/organist at her church from February through April. Claire Collins writes that she is very pleased with the direction her life has taken:
“At our 50th reunion, I was celebrating retirement, and now I report that I have reentered the work force! A new dental school has opened just down the road from where I live, and after volunteering with the admissions process for several months, I accepted a position and am teaching again! The curriculum is innovative and my mind is being stretched wonderfully. Part of the deal, however, was that I would be able to travel with our Key Chorale to Ireland and Scotland in July, and I even extended the trip. A highlight was visiting Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye, home of the Chief of the Clan MacLeod. I felt right at home. Another was singing at the noontime prayer service at St. Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.” For those of you who did not receive the blast email, I am very sorry to report to you that we lost Carole Smith Augenstein on Aug. 5 after a long period of illness with Alzheimer’s disease. Pat Carson Mordecai lost her husband Don on July 23, only two months after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. They had moved from Castine, Maine, to Scarborough, Maine, less than a year earlier and were a long way from their friends and family, but Pat received tremendous support from everyone. Their daughter was married in Boston just a few weeks after Don’s death. Ruth Parsons Martin sent me a fascinating account of a windmill project she and her husband, Aaron, undertook to come to the assistance of a tribe in Papua, New Guinea. The tribe had been forcibly removed from their ancestral lands by an Exxon natural gas project. They were “unceremoniously dumped into a fetid slum outside Port Moresby, where they had no place to raise their food and no decent supply of water,” she relates. When Ruth learned about their desperate situation, she decided to use the inheritance she received from her Uncle John to purchase and install a windmill to supply the tribe with a source of water. She, Aaron, and a small group traveled to Papua, New Guinea, to lend their support and personalize the gift. Installing the windmill was an enormous challenge, but the enthusiasm, resourcefulness, and hard labor of the tribe’s people made it all possible. When the crane was not able to make it to the site, they raised the tower by hand using large trees for lifting and a dump truck bed for pulling a rope fastened to the windmill. As the tower was raised into place, a rainbow appeared and formed a perfect arch over the tower, which everyone felt was a sign of blessing and promise, a confirmation that “when we have done all we can, the Lord does what we can’t.” The celebration when the installation was complete W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 Wooster 43
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ClassNotes WEDDING OF JEFFREY WRIGHT '05 AND KATE DILLEY '06, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH., AUG. 18, 2012.
Beth Skelton '05, Sarah Hamerstone '06, Bill Wright '84, Kim (Chambers) Fox '06, Wil Burton '05, Sue (Wright) Carlson '82, Margaux Day '06, bride, groom, Patrick Bourke '05, Jeff Maceyko '05, Drew Hillyer '05, Sue Nickel-Schindewolf ’82. Not Picture: Eric Seling ’05.
and the water began to flow was attended by hundreds of people, many in their traditional tribal dress. Ruth writes “I will treasure the scene when the water came out, as long as I live. The crowd literally erupted – laughing, crying, shouting, singing, dancing, hugging, kissing, and jumping around. It was beautiful beyond belief.” Ruth was deeply moved by the love, appreciation, generosity, and joy everyone expressed during her stay and by the beauty, creativity, and simplicity of their lives. Her dream of doing a special project for people in need was fulfilled; she views the project as a gift from the Lord, as only He could supply the wind, water, and his divine guidance.
1961
Larry Vodra 51 High Ridge Rd., Brookfield, CT 06804-3517 JLVodra@aol.com
Here’s a mini-biography from Bill Hoppes: “After Wooster, I went to Western Reserve University (Now Case) Medical School, graduating in ’65. I married Dorrie in ’64. I interned at Cleveland Metro Health, and did my residency and fellowship in Infectious Diseases at the Cleveland VA, Metro, and University Hospitals. This was interrupted by two years as an army doctor in Vietnam (eight months in the jungle with a field artillery unit keeping myself alive, and four months at a hospital treating malaria and all sorts of tropical diseases), and the second year at Ft. Lewis, Wash. I then joined the infectious disease faculty at Indiana University ’73-’78, before coming back to Ohio, at NEOMED, in Canton, Ohio, teaching and practicing infectious diseases, especially HIV/AIDS, begin44 Wooster W I N T E R 2 0 1 3
ning in ’81 with the first case in Ohio, a hemophiliac. I am now retired from patient care, but I still do some teaching. Dorrie and I have three kids, two boys, one girl, the first boy born when I was in Vietnam, and two granddaughters. We enjoyed skiing, golf, and tennis, now down to golf at our age, and going to professional sports events. I'm Fellow of ACP and IDSA, have several publications, but can't beat my wife in golf. We travel to see the kids/grandkids as often as possible.” Last summer, Anne (Clausen) Whitney sold her house in Pittsford, N.Y., and moved to a summer cottage in Henderson Harbor, N.Y. Then, her four children and 11 of 12 grandchildren came to visit during July and August. By the time you read this, she will be at her winter home in Naples, Fla. Tressa (Mahy) Mangum still works at the University of Northern Colorado, so she is limited to summers for her vacation. Last summer, she and her family escaped the hot Colorado weather for a week’s vacation at Zephyr Point, Nev., which is on the southeast corner of Lake Tahoe. She said that the water was as cold as she remembered it from her first visit there some 42 years ago! When she returned to Greeley, she had the largest crop of apples on her trees than ever before. Thankfully, the summer wildfires didn’t affect her home. Last summer Donald and Karen (Kinkel) Barnes relived their eight years in China by returning to their previous postings in Beijing and Nanning. In addition, they delivered four lectures on U.S. environmental policy at three universities, took in sights that they had missed before, and spent three weeks in Inner Mongolia teaching oral English to Chinese middle school English teachers from the
countryside. Now back in the U.S., they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, even as they continue to assist (via e-mail) various Chinese scholars with publications in English, on topics as far ranging as pre-diabetic conditions, the history of WWII, educational reform, and nuclear physics—all with Chinese characteristics. In September, Hewett Mulford went on a cruise for his 25th Anniversary with Mary Ann down the Rhine River and visited Chamonix (where he climbed Mont Blanc in 1983). Mary Ann was an Army “brat” who had logged some 32 different addresses before settling down in Lebanon, Ohio, where they now live. Hewett is retired, but it very active with social media. You can view his website by Googling “Fortune Cookie Haiku.” This gives him another pulpit where he can put his education at Wooster and Union Theological Seminary (NYC) to work.
1962
Jane Arndt Chittick 192 Valencia Lakes Dr., Venice, Fl. 34292 jachits@sbcglobal.net
Genie Henson Hatch 1337 Hampton Rd., St. Charles, MO 63303 hatch_d@sbcglobal.net
Born and raised in New York City, Marilyn Morrill Wallace and her husband of two years, Lee, decided to move to rural Vermont in 1969 before starting a family. Marilyn continued her career as a social worker until her children entered school, when she became interested in education. In her early 40s, she returned to school for a master’s degree and a teaching license. One fond memory she has from her first position as a Chapter One (as it was then named) reading specialist concerns “an enthusiastic student returning to her classroom to announce that she had been successful completing chapter one and that tomorrow she would tackle chapter two.” Marilyn then moved into the classroom and taught fifth grade for 20 years. In retirement, Marilyn has put this background to use as a tour guide at the State House and a docent at the Vermont Historical Society Museum. She also tutors adults through the adult education program. The Wallaces enjoy the outdoors, which is the reason they moved to Montpelier in the first place. They canoe often, hike, and share their love of nature with their grandchildren. Remember the guy with the hearse our freshman year? Shortly after he left Wooster after the first semester of our sophomore year, its owner, George Weisenbach, was drafted and earned a commission in the National Guard. Following his service in the armed
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forces, he worked for Gulf Oil, then for a REIT in Cleveland specializing in equity management, and later still for an industrial builder, also in Cleveland. For the past 32 years he has owned Devco Inc. as a licensed general real estate appraiser and real estate broker. He has a special interest in public land preservation trusts and farm preservation, along with waterfront development. George and his wife, Sharon, live in the western basin of Lake Erie on Middle Bass Island, accessible only by plane or ferry boat. More on the hearse: George now believes that the statute of limitations have run out so it’s safe to discuss some of the heretofore secrets of the “Great Manolete” (funeral car), named after Manolete, a great Spanish bull fighter of the late 1950’s. When George left Wooster, the “Manolete” remained behind, primarily since his mother’s still recovering from its appearance the previous year during Christmas break. George remembers the neighbors calling to see who had passed on, and the local police (Lake Bluff and Lake Forest, Ill.) stopping him due to the Ohio plates. Connie Copeland Wullschleger left Wooster during our senior year to marry her high school sweetheart, a widower with two small boys. By 25, Connie was the mother of four children. By age 29 her “hair had turned completely white.” Fifteen years later she returned to college to finish her undergraduate degree and two master’s degrees. Connie began her career as a school psychologist in Ohio in 1979. Two years later, she joined the Department of Defense School System, which provides educational services to schools on military bases worldwide. Two of her children joined her, the other two attending stateside colleges. During her first assignment in Heidelberg, Germany, NATO headquarters, she experienced a memorable side trip to Berlin when the wall was still standing. Her last assignment overseas took her to Naples, Italy. There she regularly visited schools on the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, and LaMaddelana, frequently using military flights, distinguished by sitting in a net seat with a parachute packed in behind. Remember when Mt. Etna, the Sicilian volcano, erupted? Connie watched the flow from the school. A car accident in 1998 left Connie with Traumatic Brain Injury. She retired on disability, and she and her husband moved to Catawba Island, Ohio, now home. “I enjoy this slow-moving retirement life as much as I did the zestful one. I can now attend to those things I always wanted to do in the visual arts. We continue to travel, being wandering souls, but with more attention to the requirements of mind and body.” Connie’s children chose
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WEDDING OF ROBYN DROTHLER ROMANO ’95 AND BOB ROMANO, MAY 28, 2011, CUMMING, GA.
Martha Lange ’92, Matthew Sherrick ’97, Cathy Hansen Sherrick ’95, groom, bride, Meg Wood Berling ’95, Allison Hightshoe Bescak ’95.
careers in law and business, and she delights in her 10 grandchildren and two great-grandsons scattered from Florida to Ohio to Seattle. Besides our class’s big 50th reunion at Wooster this past June, we are aware of at least a couple of mini-reunions held later in the summer. Do take a look at the photos elsewhere in the Class Notes! From Genie Henson Hatch: After their wonderful long weekend at the 50th Class Reunion, Bill and Nancy (Pickersgill) Keeney visited with their daughter Heather ’90 and family for a few days in Strongsville, Ohio, before driving to Weston, Conn., for their oldest grandson’s (Matt Keeney) high school graduation. Matt accepted the College of Wooster’s invitation to be a freshman, receiving an offer of a sizable four-year grant and a spot on the Fighting Scots Football team as a defensive end (#53). Matt is the fourth generation to attend Wooster. After visiting in Weston, Conn., Bill and Nancy returned to Newburgh, Ind., in order to prepare for a fantasy trip to Europe to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. The first stop was four days in Basel, Switzerland. Then it was eight fabulous days sailing down the Rhine River on Viking River Cruises Helvetia with several exciting stops. After disembarking in Amsterdam, Bill and Nancy spent a week exploring the alleys, canals and museums of that fascinating city. Time was spent with Vermeer and Rembrandt in the Rijksmuseum; Van Gogh in the Van Gogh Museum; the “secret annex” at the Anne Frank House, the Coster Diamond Museum and the “Floating Flower Market.” One of the additional pleasures of Amsterdam was the “bistro street cafes” offering outstanding cuisine from around the world. Five days after they returned home, their
children, grandchildren and great-grandchild gave them a “joyful celebration of life” 50th wedding anniversary party at the Rolling Hills Country Club. Eighty-five guests attended, including three generations of COW grads. Of course there was a roast and many toasts. Members of the Class of ‘62 also met for two mini lunch reunions. Deedee deRoode, Mayli Boname Chutjan, Jane Arndt Chittick, Marilyn Morrill Wallace, and Beth Davis Rickman met up in Mystic, Conn., for lunch. Broeck Wahl Blumberg, Mary Behling Browne, Emily McQueen, Beverly Bowie Aubrey, and Carolyn Childs Shadle met in New York. Beth Davis Rickman sent in photos of the groups edited to include their school photos from Wooster. Unfortunately, the photos were not able to be printed in the magazine, but it’s clear that though much has changed over time, friendships have lasted the years!
1963
Ron Eggleston 5932 Vienna Way, Lansing, MI 48917 reggleston41@gmail.com
1964
Bill, “Chainsaw,” McCullough 44 Fairvale Drive Penfield, N.Y. 14526 bill.mccullough68@gmail.com
Nancy Braund-Boruch has seen many classmates this year. In March, former roommate Barb Watts Pfeifer visited Nancy in Chicago. At her cabin in Pennsylvania this summer, Nancy had visits from Pat Maher and wife Marty ’65, and Cousin Mary Lou McCorkel Rozdilsky. Bob Beckmann, now W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 Wooster 45
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ClassNotes doing his art from Las Vegas, stopped in Chicago for a week and Bob, Alice Jones Dan and Nancy got together down in Hyde Park where Alice lives. In September, while on a trip to Santa Fe, Nancy hooked up with Linda Seese who retired from her landscape architecture business and is now making and selling pottery. Nancy also visited with Lib O'Brien ’66 and Elizabeth (Betsy Byers) Roghair ’65. When you are in Chicago, connect with Nancy at nlbb_615@yahoo.com. Alice Jones Dan also reported on her visit with Nancy Braund-Boruch and Bob Beckman adding that they toured Wooded Isle in Jackson Park near Alice’s home, where Bob “the birder” pointed out Cormorants, Great Blue Herons, a Kingfisher and more. Alice reports serving as “the token Buddhist” member on the local interfaith council in Hyde Park, and she spent time this summer on a program she’s coordinating, Sharing Sacred Spaces, which focuses on how different faiths view space differently, and express faith in their art and architecture. Tours will be offered during the year. Bill Hunter lives in Fort Collins, Colo., where he grew up. He spends about half his time facilitating monthly meetings of CEOs and providing coaching services. Much of the rest is spent traveling. Last year, it was a bike trip in Provence and a week in Paris along with a number of other more local trips. Next up, a fall bike trip in Vermont with wife Margie’s family, and a possible summer tour in the lakes region of Italy. If you are interested in bike tours connect with Bill at mpghunter@gmail.com. Ann Taylor Lehman is excited about the prospect of becoming a first-time grandmother in March. She is retired from teaching social studies and science combined with art and music at a drug and alcohol rehab center. She is busy preparing for another photography show at a local Harrisburg area gallery. Ann loves hearing from Wooster friends and had recent visits from Maida McIlroy Wedell and Caroline Heindel Swain. Contact her at ataylorlehman@verizon.net. Linda White Lindert hiked Point Reyes National Sea Shore in the summer with a person who went to high school with Claudia Robinson Boatwright in Santa Rosa, Calif.
Small world. William Quick is retired in North Charleston, S.C., after a career in endocrinology and then in pharmacovigilance, in the pharmaceutical industry. He also has written about diabetes on the Internet since 1995 and is the editor of a new diabetes website, www.D-is-for-Diabetes.com. His hobbies are throwing Frisbees for his dogs, writing about diabetes, and sailing Charleston Harbor with his wife, Steph. Chris Tindall married his childhood sweetheart ( Jean Reed) after leaving Wooster, earned a Ph.D. in chemistry at Ohio State, which he followed with a post doc at the ICN Nucleic Acid Research Institute in Irvine, Calif., and a 26-year career as a forensic scientist with the New Jersey State Police, retiring in 1998 as the chief forensic scientist. Afterwards, Chris accepted a faculty position in the chemistry department of Metropolitan State College of Denver. He retired as a professor and department chair in 2010. He and Jean love the skiing and hiking in Colorado. They have three children and seven grandchildren, worship at Rockland Community Church and are committed to missions in Tanzania and Romania. Doug Witters attended and graduated from Vanderbilt Law School after finishing at Wooster and then went to work for the General Motors Corp. in Detroit, his hometown. He left GM in 1971 and joined a small law firm in Birmingham, Mich., where he specialized in Labor and Employment law until retiring in 2003. Retirement has allowed Doug to pursue his childhood passion for automobiles. Doug tinkered with cars as a teen. Now he’s always building, maintaining, or driving one of the vintage or high performance vehicles in his collection.
1965
Chuck & Lill Richeson Templeton 925 Alvarado Terr., Walla Walla, Wash. 99362, (509) 525-6746, templeton@whitman.edu
We received exciting news from Gretchen Meister (meister.gretchen@gmail.com). As of July 21, she is now Mrs. Gretchen Meister Brand! She and Dave (davidebrand@me.com)
With a CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY, you can help grow Woosterʼs endowment and receive income for life.
For more information on your specific requirements, including rates and benefits, contact: The Office of Development, The College of Wooster Laurie Houck 330-263-2080 development@wooster.edu
46 Wooster
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were married in Buffalo’s Westminster Presbyterian Church, with their three siblings and spouses, five children and spouses, five grandchildren, and Marcia King Reichard present. Congratulations Gretchen and Dave! Bob Upton (revcranky@hotmail.com) shared his experience from the 2012 Alumni Awards ceremony, “Tom Welty’s receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award was a fantastic experience. I’m so glad I drove the three hours from Wheeling to attend. Looking from the terrace of the Scheide Music building is a view right into the backyard of 1023 Beall Ave. where I lived the last two years at Woo with Bruce Dundon and Dick Allen (who died several years ago). I walked back to look at the gardens. Bruce’s younger son, Tom, is getting married in Charlotte at the end of October and I plan to attend, so it will be fun to catch up. Karelisa (Voelker) Hartigan (karelisa43@yahoo.com) writes that she has “advanced” to being an on-stage actress, having done improvisation for years. She was in two shows at her local theatre this past spring. Her latest project is using improv in a rehabilitation program for formerly homeless veterans. “I’ve been talking about this project at various venues for the past year or so—it sort of falls under the new field of applied improvisation. I’m sure I reported the publication of my book last summer: (Re)making Tragedy: Charles Mee and Greek Drama. From Betty (Odell) Gibson (bgibson@fscj.edu): “I have been named an ambassador for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation for this year (end of June to June 2013). There is a small group of us nationwide whose duty is to go out and speak to groups about this rotten condition. I have been doing that anyway, so now I have a title for a year! Gail and I are still trying to move to our “retirement” home in the Villages, Fla. We have been too busy with online courses, the MS Society and Foundation, and life in general to make much progress, but it will happen!” Bill Paton (wapaton.sr@gmail.com) writes: “Carrie and I are doing well raising Dylan, our adoptive 13-year-old grandson as well as our 11-year-old twins Buzz and Lisa.” Bill retired last November from full-time orthopedic practice, but continues to work part-time at the Native Hospital in Anchorage. They are still planning a one-year 49-state motor home tour, home-schooling their children and learning about the nation’s historic sites and geography, starting in July 2013. Elizabeth (Betsy) Byers Roghair (eroghair@eroghair.interaccess.com) reports: “Jim and I were passing through Denver in June and met Betsy Bedient and John
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WEDDING OF SYBIL WILLIAMS ROBERSON ’07 AND CHRISTOPHER ROBERSON
Samathryn Witham Cleveland ’06, Marcus Cleveland, Jennifer Culver ’07, bride, groom, Jessica Jones ’10, Ashley Blackwell ’10, Ian Richards ’11
Lathrop ’64 for dinner. Betsy’s work in immigration and John’s with native peoples are relevant to their lives in Santa Fe, where they have now lived for two years. Betsy has been teaching ESL to Spanish-speaking people from Mexico and Central America—even one from Peru. Betsy has also developed a philanthropic advisory practice, serving local professional advisors, non-profits, and individuals with charitable gift planning, especially where complex assets such as art collections are involved. She is also is taking classes at the Española Valley Fiber Arts Center and making rugs and mats on her “Mighty Wolf ” loom. John ( Jack) W. Travis (jwtravis@mindspring.com) recently visited Wooster with his wife, Yvonne, and stopped in at 121 E. Pine Street to visit with Pat Quigley, the daughter of his landlady when Jack, Dave Tomb ’66 (david.tomb@hsc.utah.edu), Ken Newhams (knewhams@duluthshippingnews.com), and Chuck lived there during their sophomore, junior, and senior years at COW. Jack writes, “After Niagara Falls and a sunset tour of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, we had a lovely visit with Pat.” Marcella Kerr (mak9015@nyp.org) retired on Sept. 7. Her new email address is MarcellaKerr@aol.com. We, Chuck and Lill, are celebrating Lill’s health holding steady, thanks to daily oral chemotherapy. We are grateful for two recent trips back to St. Louis and one to Ohio to visit
families. Our 50th reunion is now less than three years away. Keep the news coming so our class can stay in touch.
1966
Elizabeth “Libby” Westhafer O’Brien 6557 S. Richards Ave. Santa Fe, NM 87508, libobrien66@gmail.com
Sept. 4-7 brought 16 of your classmates to Wooster to begin the planning for our 50th reunion, a mere four years away. The Core Committee is as follows: Gerry Meyer and Gail Nesbitt Jones, co-chairs. Walt Hopkins and Lib Westhafer O'Brien, support staff. Members: David Arscott, Linda Hager Bailey, Bruce Bigelow, Ginny Keim Brooks, Lee Corbett, Carol Holley Elder, Ken Fischer, Will Johnson, Sara Wright Lawrence, Kathy Rowland Matsushima, Ron Neill, Bonnie Beveridge Poff, Dave Twining, and Sandi Weaver Weckesser. Our goal is to reach all members of our class, no matter how short a time they were with us, so all of us are encouraged to make calls from friends you may not have heard from in years, urging them to save the second weekend of June 2016! If you know of “lost” folks or need your information updated, please email it to gerrymeyer1966@gmail.com. The College was most generous in hosting us and sharing information about the College and reunion planning. It promises to be a remarkable event. Please send your ideas to any of the committee
members; we look forward to connecting with all of you. Janet Kern writes: “I still reside in both the Little Italy neighborhood of Manhattan, and in an 1882 farmhouse on the Shawangunk Ridge in upstate New York, where I am involved in local politics and our Environmental Conservation Commission. In NYC, I continue work in the NYC film community, as a technician-for-hire and as an independent documentary producer. My current project is a feature documentary about the Nez Perce and their horses in Idaho, which is on the festival “circuit.” “Horse Tribe” just won Best Native American Film in the Montana Film Festival, where it was screened several times during the week of Oct. 22-27.” Bill Chittick graduated from Wooster after spending two years abroad; one year was at the American University in Beirut. He discovered Rumi, the Persian Poet and wrote his I.S. about him. After graduation, he immediately studied Persian and enrolled at Tehran University in Iran and received his Ph.D. in Persian Literature in 1973. He left Iran in 1979 on the same day as the Shah of Iran. Since 1983, he has been on the religious studies faculty at Stony Brook University on Long Island. He has written over 30 books focused Islamic intellectual history, concentrating on the interface between Sufism and philosophy. One of the books is “The Sufi Doctrine of Rumi,” which was Bill’s I.S. published in 1973 (republished in 2005) on the occasion of the seven hundredth anniversary of Rumi’s death. Bill presented to the Wooster Forum, which focuses on the Middle East, in Sept. 2012. His presentation was on Islam and was called “A Religion of Love?” The talk focused on the concept of love in Islam in the thirteenth century and was well received by a large group of students and community members. Bill can be contacted at William.chittick@stonybrook.edu.
1967
Rosemary “Rosie” Capps Merchant 32 Binnacle Hill, Oakland, CA 94618-2532, rosienjohn@aol.com Carol Myers Allison 11 Grace Way Morristown, N.J. 07960
From Carol Myers Allison: We have quite a few reports from reunion attendees and will be relaying them in the next few issues. Fresh from his recent graduation from seminary, Chuck Webb inspired us with the evolution of his career path. After our Wooster W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 Wooster 47
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ClassNotes years, Chuck was in the Peace Corps in Cameroon and following that was a caseworker in Chicago. He decided to go to medical school and spent three years at Ohio State and three more at the University of Florida before returning to Peace Corps work in Niger. He practiced internal medicine at the VA in Hampton, Va., and taught at the med school in Norfolk, specializing in geriatrics. There, he started a hospice and rekindled his interest in the spiritual dynamics associated with the end of life. Since high school, Chuck had felt a call to the ministry, and when most of us were retiring from careers, he entered seminary and completed his course a week before our June reunion. Chuck’s wife, Kathy, has just retired as city planner in Newport News, Va. The Webbs have a daughter who has two adopted children from South Africa and China. She developed a weighted blanket (cuddlebugkids.com) for use by children with Asperger’s syndrome. Their son cooks and manages the kitchen at Virginia Commonwealth University campus eatery, is married and is father to a two-year-old. Betty Wilson Fonfara may not have traveled the farthest to reunion, but she probably spent the longest time getting there. En route from Detroit, her car broke down on I-75 causing a six-hour delay. Betty retired in 2010 from teaching chemistry in high school and college. She has three children—two daughters in New Mexico and Detroit and a son near Tampa. Betty is a breast cancer survivor and is most proud of her eight grandchildren. John Mann has retired from teaching writing at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill. He has moved to Iowa City with his wife, Tama Baldwin, who is also a writer. John’s book of poetry, “Able, Baker, Charlie,” came out this past August and was named the National Poetry Book Pick of 2011. John and Tama have two grown daughters and one grandchild. Their daughter, Jenny, at 33 is an assistant professor of English at Cornell and her sister, Annika, age 30, holds the same title at Arizona State University. Pat Rott Kane taught sciences at the junior and senior high levels and has retired with her husband, Art, to Crossville, Tenn., about an hour west of Knoxville on the Cumberland Plateau. After many years of raising and training her own horses, she is now enjoys being a “horse sitter” for others. It’s sort of like being a grandparent! Kathy Woods Wolken retired after 30 years working in biomedical research. She ran the Core Microscopy Research Lab at The Ohio State University. She has a married daughter with two children near Madison, Wis., and a son in Denver. Her pursuits in retirement include working in food pantries 48 Wooster W I N T E R 2 0 1 3
WEDDING OF BRITTANY WELLNER JAMES ’05 AND SAMUEL JAMES.
Back: Kristen Veblen McArthur ’05, Andrew Womack ’05, Melissa Malone ’05, bride, groom, Meaghin Kennedy Reidy ’05, Xiaoou Li (’04-’05 China exchange), Front: Kathryn Anderson ’05, Kacie Harold ’05.
and doing water aerobics. Tracy Hetrick did not make the reunion but shares the following: “Retirement is great when you live in the ‘Friendliest Hometown in America’! After 33 years in corporate America and 10 years of teaching and coaching on all levels of education, my wife, Suze Paddock ’70, and I are living in the Villages, Fla. Every day we have opportunities to enjoy numerous activities, clubs, and classes in a Life Long Learning College. We met at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where we both completed master’s degrees. At the time we were both teaching, and I was also coaching on the intercollegiate level. We moved to North Carolina where I completed my doctoral studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and then moved to Southern California, where I taught at California State University, Fullerton. While at CSUF, I made a career change into corporate human resource development. Career opportunities brought about another move to South Florida, where we completed our careers and retired. Suze retired from Nova Southeastern University School as an associate director of the Lower School. We love retirement in the Villages and enjoy traveling to San Francisco to see our two daughters and to go on ocean and river cruises in Europe.” Dave Morse (geology and chemisty) writes: “Retired from the University of Illinois, Illinois State Geological Survey, on July 1st has moved to Ft. Collins, Colo., to live near family. He was section head of the coal, oil and gas section at ISGS. His research included carbon sequestration, coal bed methane, natural gas storage, hydrocarbon source rocks and reservoirs. Previously, he worked for the Chevron Corporation in oil field research and Rocky Mtn. expoloration. New email is dbmorse54@gmail.com. Say hello if in the area.”
Please let us know what is going on in your life so that we can relay it to our classmates!
1968
Jim & Jean Adair Mayer 35038 Carnation Ln., Ft. Mill, SC 29707 jeanmayer@hotmail.com, goscots@comporium.net
From Kathleen Fair: After living in Dartmouth, Mass., for 37 years and residing in New England for a total of 44 years, I packed up my stuff, sold my house and moved to the Myrtle Beach, S.C., area. I have a great guest room and am close to the beach. While I don't golf, I do live on a golf course. My new address is 6640 Greenslake Pt. Myrtle Beach, SC 29588. I am enjoying getting to know a new area, and meeting new people — new experiences are terrific!
1969
Judy Simkins Haines 2643 Brook Valley Rd., Frederick, MD 21701 JudyHaines1@hotmail.com”
1970
Laura Wolfson Likavec 1702 Mendelssohn Dr., Westlake, OH 44145 lauralikavec@yahoo.com
1971
Carlile Marshall 155 Maple St., Summit, NJ 07901 tom.marshall@yahoo.com
1972
Jay Yutzey 1254 Norwell Dr., Columbus, OH 43220 yutzey.2@osu.edu
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WEDDING OF KIMBERLY CHAMBERS FOX '06 AND ROBERT FOX, SEPT.1, 2012 IN CAPE COD, MASS.
Back: David Whitney '06, Corey Maras '06, Kate (Dilley) Wright '06, Nicole Greene '05 Middle: David Brumbaugh '06, Milena Mauric '08, Jeffrey Wright '05, Groom, Bride, Patricia Ross '06, Noel Wells '06, Kathryn Lehner '07, Hannah Graff '06 Front: Steve Graff '68, Janet (Hall) Graff '75, Courtney Lee '06, Abby Adams '05.
From Jim Sentman: Before Alumni Weekend in June 2012, I hadn’t been to Wooster in five years. Back in 2007, I told Jay Yutzey that if I made it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa later that summer, I’d write about it for our class notes, and I did. So now I’m recalling the happy weekend this past June that I spent celebrating our 40th reunion with a group of old and new friends from our class. A small coterie of ’72 grads always makes it to the reunions, so now I’ve become friends with classmates that I wasn’t close to back in the day. Having the chance to chat with my favorite professor, Gordon Collins, was enough to make my weekend. Also, it was great to reconnect after all these years with Willie Jones. I had a great time getting to know Lynn Allison, Kacy McClelland, and Roger Reiman, and I hope all of you will stay in touch with me (sentmanj@aol.com). Anyone seeing me savoring drinks at Friday’s Wooster Inn Party on the patio or chowing down on Coccia House pizza Saturday night would not have believed that a couple days later I’d start severely dieting for a June 30th bodybuilding competition in New York City. Yes, that’s the latest news from me. Anyone who recalls the skinny, geeky Jim Sentman of the 70s would be surprised at the guy who now has a post retirement “career” as a bodybuilder. While I was teaching public high school for 34 years, I always found the most important aspect of my job was to be a role model for my students, and surprisingly, in retirement I find
myself once again a role model – this time at the gym. While teaching, I never had time for the stress and demands of competitive bodybuilding, but at age 57, five years ago, I did my first show. If you’re envisioning the steroided-up bodybuilders of the grocery store magazines, that’s not me at all. I only compete in natural leagues, where we are forbidden to use steroids, diet drugs, or cosmetic surgery. It’s all about symmetry, muscularity, and vascularity rather than sheer size. I’ve been very successful in the competitions, but more importantly, now at the gym I can offer all kinds of advice about training and nutrition. Older gym members see my grey hair and feel comfortable asking me questions while they would be less willing to talk to the buff and wrinkle-free personal trainers. The young people realize that aging does not mean a flaccid or energy-less life, and frequently want to know how I do it. It’s great to develop new relationships with so many of them. Now if I could only find a way to turn the role modeling into real modeling for some vitamin or fitness chain to supplement my income.
1973
Suzanne Schluederberg 3385 Carl Ct., Ann Arbor, MI 48105 suz@umich.edu
1974
Kim Tapie 5511 Canaan Center Rd., Wooster, OH 44691-9611 kimtapie@gmail.com
Jeff Durbin writes that he and his sons Luke and Ted spent a week in June hiking the mountains of southwestern Colorado. Joining the Durbins was ’74 Wooster alum and fellow Phi Delta, Quinten “Jumbo” Dillon. Jeff currently resides in North Canton with his wife Teresa. He is recently retired from his job as principal of Lake Middle School, but he continues to coach football for Lake High School.
1975
Andrea J. Steenburg Simmers 2121 Breeds Rd., Owings Mills, MD 21117-1646 ajsbeagles@me.com
From Nancy (Willig) Henty: Michael and I enjoyed a fantastic minireunion this past July with a number of our classmates. We flew to Phoenix to meet up with Billy Taber, Pam Pepper and her husband Bill Kreider, Carrie Clark, and Jeff and Janet (Peregrim) Luken. We rented a van and trekked northward, following our wonderful guide Billy in his red truck. We had a great adventure. We stopped at various locations along the way, Montezuma's Castle, Jerome and Sedona, Ariz., the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park. We enjoyed overnight stays in Flagstaff, Ariz., and Kanab, Utah. We eventually met Charlie Ferguson and his wife, Ramona, in Park City, Utah. After spending W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 Wooster 49
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ClassNotes WEDDING OF KATE THOMAS ’02 AND SUJAN REDDY, OCT. 2, 2010.
Back: Mark DeWine ’09, David Thomas ’07, Elizabeth (Wojtowicz) Thomas ’07, Virginia (Miraldi) Utz ’03, Nate Wilkinson ’99, Libby (Price) Thomas ’75, Roy Thomas ’75, John Thomas ’69, Will Thomas ’04, Rianna (Planisek) Thomas ’04, Andy South ’95, Chuck Nusbaum ’02 Middle: Neha Sahgal ’02, Sarah Thomas ’05, Betsy (Warner) Thomas ’45, Rebecca Thomas ’09, Bride, Groom, Kit Price ’13, Mary (Thomas) South ’96, Emily Welty ’00, Jen Telischak ‘02 Front: Bill Price ’81, Meghan Wills ’02, Darla French ’02, Elizabeth Kriynovich ’02, Sarah Bellet ’02, Jennifer Petkovsek ’02, Beth Todd ’02.
the night there, we moved on to join our Utah hosts, Jeff and Karen Requarth at their fabulous mountain home in Eden (near Ogden), Utah. We were also joined there by B. A. Rettew. It has always been a pleasure to be able to enjoy each other’s company, and this trip was no exception! We were able to come together from various locations in the United States: Maine, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas and Arizona. Although some of us have been able to see each other in recent years, it has been almost twenty years since we were all together at the same time! Yes, we're older, but the fact is that we made lifelong friends those many years ago at Wooster! It's a wonderful thing!
1976
Dana Vandenberg Murphy 3175 Warrington Rd., Shaker Heights, OH 44120-2428, dmurphy1@sbcglobal.net
From Jen Longsworth: Tom Gibian, father of Nathan ’15, finds his life coming full circle in more ways than one. He sends this update: “I am currently in my third year as the head of Sandy Spring Friends School, a pre-K through 12th grade Quaker school located near Washington, D.C., in the town where I grew up. This job, one that I enjoy immensely, puts me in the center of the discussion about how we educate children for the 21st century, how to encourage lifelong learners and what it means to have a life well-lived. After graduation and a few years of working at a community action agency and with mental health providers in Wooster, I received an M.B.A. from Wharton. I moved to Wall Street and joined Salomon Brothers in the municipal bond department and, a few 50 Wooster W I N T E R 2 0 1 3
years later, crossed the street to Goldman Sachs. In the early ’90s, I found myself managing a group of investment bankers in Hong Kong and traveling throughout Asia. I caught the emerging market bug, so when Tina (my incredibly artistic wife) and our two kids (Kiah, now age 22 and pursuing adventures in Africa, and Nathan, who currently resides in the Holden Annex) returned to the States, I joined a private equity firm in D.C. focused on infrastructure investments in Asia. A couple years later, I jumped at the chance to start a private equity business for Africa. We raised a good bit of money and made a lot of investments in cell phones, logistics and other entrepreneurial-led businesses. While all of this was a lot of fun and my passport kept getting fatter and fatter, I could never completely shake my interest in schools, kids, and community. So when the opportunity presented itself to return to the little town where I grew up to become head of the local Friends school, I happily moved back to the slippery part of the learning curve.” Contact Tom at Tom.Gibian@ssfs.org.
1977
Beth Dickson Linvill peeps77@sbcglobal.net I heard from Larry Ackerman who has been busy as the office and programs coordinator in NAMI Michigan. In addition, he is in his third year of presidency of the 74year-old Lansing Poetry Club. They are in the process of developing unique greeting cards to sell in the Lansing, Michigan area. He is on the committee for the “Burning Desires (Valentines) Poetry Reading Event” and contest. He is working on a book project
with 173 pages so far, on Haiku and Senryu called “Poems from the Haiku Factory on Riley Street.” He still has time to play blues guitar and participates in the Blues Fest and Jazz Fest each year. He would love to hear from old Wooster friends like Rod Kennedy and Dave Kordalski. You can reach Larry at 201 Riley St. Lansing, Michigan 48910 Cell: (517) 614-782. Email:Lackerman@namimi.org. Nelson Smith and his wife Gerry Craig are now working in the department of art at Kansas State University. Nelson has some exhibitions coming up next year which are currently updated in his website: www.nelsonsmithart.com. His art is being exhibited at Lock Haven University in Lock Haven, Pa., from Feb. 4 – March 1, 2013 and at the Kansas City Artist Coalition from May 3 - 31 in Kansas City, Mo., this coming year. Nelson would love to see any alumni who would be able to stop by either event! Over the years, Gretchen L. Schwenker has authored or co-authored a series of books on spirituality: Simple Graces: Poems for Meditation and Prayer; Liguori, 2008; Hidden Graces: Poems for Crisis, Struggle and Renewal; Liguori, 2010; Every Tear Will Be Wiped Away: Prayers for Comfort in Times of Grief, Liguori, 2011.
1978
Ken & Laurie Williams Gifford 6 Alicia Cir., Sinking Spring, PA 19608 giffkr@aol.com, lgifford@firstenergycorp.com
Helen Wilson 7031 Villa Dr., Waterford, MI 48327-3323 hewil2000@yahoo.com
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WEDDING OF STEPHEN IFEDUBA ’94 AND TERRILYN W. IFEDUBA.
James Separd ’94, Tiffin Ross-Shepard ’96, Sean Harris ’93, Alfred Thompson ’93, Timeka Rashid ’99, Abdul Rashid ’94, James Weaver ’94, bride, groom, Mark Pickett ’91, Quinton Massey ’92, Sherrie Clayborne-Massey ’92, Shaun Woods ’93, and James Cleamons ’97.
Stuart & Robin Light Thomas 2801 Edgewood Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55426 (952) 925-5028, rsthomas78@comcast.net
1979
Jay Keller 324 Lincoln Ave., Takoma Park, MD 20912-5704 jayktoakoma@gmail.com
Jen Jones here. I am literally at mile marker 72.7 of the C and O canal on my way to Pittsburgh from Washington, D.C. Walking. I hope to reach Pittsburgh by the 25th of September, but nature and blisters seem to control my arrival. (I started on Labor Day at MM 0 in Georgetown-D.C.). It has been a fascinating experience; I have met incredible people doing this, although all the rest are on bikes. What a country we live in! A 55-year-old woman can walk along a beautifully kept part of history, camping along the way, with no problems. Well, except for blisters. Tonight I am staying over in Shepherdstown, W.V., to replenish the moleskin and protein bar stash. Liz Barker Brandt writes: “I am thrilled to report that my husband Tom and I are both on sabbatical this year. I have completed my service as associate dean for faculty and am looking forward to returning to being a plain vanilla law professor. We were in Cleveland until Dec. 31—working hard and trying to finish our sabbatical projects (I am working on a textbook in the area of marital property law and Tom is finishing up a graduate degree). In January, we head to London for three months. In April, we plan to walk the Camino de Santiago (If you haven’t seen the movie “The Way,” do so!) After that we are off to France,
Scotland and Denmark. Our two kids both graduated from college this spring and are both employed in D.C., so we are feeling pretty footloose and fancy-free!” Write Liz at: ebrandt@uidaho.edu. Jen and Liz will give a presentation on “Hiking after 55” at our 35th Reunion in 2014. Carol Skowron writes: “I just returned from a month in Beirut, Lebanon, where I was temporarily deployed as part of my work for Mercy Corps. We were focused on assessing the Syrian refugees situation there and planning humanitarian assistance. The situation was complicated by the fact that in Lebanon, the refugees are mostly staying with other families and are dispersed throughout cities and villages in many parts of the country. As more people cross the border, finding shelter for all of these people is increasingly difficult. Despite the challenging situation that exists there, I found Lebanon to be a fascinating place, with so many layers of history and culture. I am now back in Portland, Ore., where I have resumed my desk job at Mercy Corps.” Write Carol at: cskowron@comcast.net. Dan Treadwell writes: “I continue to run my own one-man consultancy working with companies on management and project management issues. I've been lucky to have some great clients ( Johnson & Johnson, Verizon Wireless) and seem to do particularly well with technical, engineering, and scientific populations. I still travel quite a bit, mostly in the U.S., but Europe and Asia as well. I’ve been thinking more and more about retirement and how I want to use my energy when that happens. I'm very interested in working with returning veterans, helping them transition into the business and work-a-day world.
If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them. A quick shout-out to the great folks who worked with me on my Senior IS production of “You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown” in 1979. I've digitized a recording I made of the show and would be happy to share it with anyone who worked on it and is interested. Just drop me a line at my new email address: dantreadwell@me.com. I celebrated 30 years with my dear wife, Priscilla, and I have two grown kids, a new rescue dog, and full days. Best wishes to all!” Ellen McKnight recently found out that her novel, Just Kate, was a semi-finalist for the 2012 Faulkner-Wisdom Writing Competition. This is the same one that was short-listed as a novel-in-progress in the competition last year. I also had the chance to reconnect with Professor Carolyn Durham in France this summer, when we both attended the wedding anniversary of a friend whom I originally met through Wooster’s study abroad program over 30 years ago. Jim Wilkins took an end-of-summer family trip—a few days in San Francisco, then backpacking in Yosemite with his three daughters. He checked hiking up the cables on the backside of Half Dome off his bucket list. They’re also renting a houseboat (another checkmark on their bucket list) on Lake Don Pedro in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. Get Half Dome hiking tips from Jim at jwilkins@kwwlaborlaw.com. Mary Beidler Gearen writes: “We are looking forward to a September researchrelated trip to Poland and Armenia with University of St. Thomas. We will visit Auschwitz in Krakow and the Armenian genocide memorial in Yerevan. Not too cheery, but important. A stark reminder of what misguided horrors can happen when one group of people stands in judgment of another.” Write Mary at mbgearen@aol.com. Ann Vesey Burton reports: “My oldest son is off to the University of Michigan this fall. I also have a daughter who is a high school senior this year. Looking forward to an empty nest!” Contact Ann at ann.e.burton@sbcglobal.net. Devin Sanborn writes: “I enjoy living in Hopkinton, Mass. I run my own firm that provides sales/marketing services to manufacturers in the interior decor industry. Sadly my husband of 10 years, Darius Arbabi, passed away last year from a rare brain disease. He was a treasure of a man, loved and now missed by so many. Thank goodness for my family, pets, and many hobbies that fill my life. I would love to hear from Wooster friends!” W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 Wooster 51
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ClassNotes
Jeff Durbin ’74 and Junbo Dillon atop Handies Peak, Col.
Our hearts go out to Devin. Write her at devinsanborn1@gmail.com. Send your updates to Jay Keller and Don Bordine c/o Jay at Jayktakoma@gmail.com.
1980
Susan Estill 1817 Keller Lake Dr., Burnsville, MN 55306-6378 sestill58@comcast.net
Don Leake 300 High Gables Dr., Apt. 208, Gaithersburg, MD 20878-7428
Jenny Watson 1551 Oakmount Rd., South Euclid, OH 44121 jlwatson395@sbcglobal.net
1981
Jennifer Longsworth wheelinjen@aol.com Martha McKee writes that she has been practicing law in Durham, N.C. for 10 years in solo practice. “I moved to a beautiful restored tobacco building this past summer (that's our thing in Durham). My son is now ordained and the associate pastor in Calvary Presbyterian in Tallahassee with two young kids. Daughter Meredith ’08 is in her last year at Case Western Law School (she’ll be sitting for the Ohio Bar summer of 2013, if anyone knows of an Ohio job please let me know!) My youngest, Anastassia ’09, just started Princeton Theological Seminary. Finally, an empty nest and time to use it to the hilt. Woo alumni are always welcome at my house.” Chester Omilanowski has some wonderful news to report: “My son, Colin, decided to enroll at Wooster in the class of ’16 and is planning to be a history major. I'd like to think I had ‘some’ influence in his final decision. After all, he was raised a Fighting Scot. You can't miss him on campus in Hawaiian 52 Wooster W I N T E R 2 0 1 3
Piper Annese ’08 and Allison Rubin ’08 at the field hockey field at the Summer 2012 London Olympics.
shirts and his hat with many concert/band pins. My wife Ellen and I are very proud. As for me, I guess I accomplished my lifelong goal—to send my child to Wooster. But seriously, I have been busy running in anything from a 5K to a 10 miler with hopes of conquering a half marathon. I also really enjoy practicing yoga and going to Tribe games. Our family had a great vacation at Hilton Head, S.C., and I even have a jellyfish sting as a souvenir to boot!” Susan Shie took a trip for career work this July, to have a solo exhibition of her art quilts (soft paintings) and to teach classes at the new expo called “Interquilt” in the city of Girona, Spain. In 2010 she was in Birmingham, England, to have a show and teach and is slated to return there next year. Aside from these shows, her shows and workshops are much more often in the U.S. Her website is turtlemoon.com, and she is on Facebook. After 20 years in the private sector (and two years teaching at Denison), LuAnn McClernan Duffus is excited to report she will be teaching economics at Wooster next year (2012-13). If that wasn't cool enough, she’s filling in for her Woo advisor, Barbara Burnell who will be on leave! She writes, “I'm looking forward to being back on campus and getting to know all the fabulous changes that have occurred since we were there. I’d love it if folks would stop by Morgan Hall to see me if they are visiting campus.” Alkis Papademetriou is living and working in Greece in the city of Kavala, located in the northern part of the country and of course thousands of miles away from beautiful Wooster. “Mary Vlahos Muster checking in! This was a monumental August for us. We have an empty nest! Both of our children are in boarding school now. Danielle is a junior at Linsly School and Zachary is a freshman at
Kiski School. The house is so quiet. I also have four former students attending COW. I am so proud! My husband and I are biking a lot together now and are starting our training for a 350+ mile ride from Pittsburgh to Washington D.C. next spring.” Susan Reed Rowell writes: “In the last two years, I have had a number of transitions. First, the company that both my husband Rob and I worked for was sold. As a result, I left my position as VP of human resources and am weighing my options for the next step. After getting married in June, our daughter started medical school in September. With our son also in college, we are now empty nesters! We purchased our dream home—a circa 1780 Cape with three working hearths set on 80 acres of land. Lastly, we celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary! Would love to hear from others surowell@yahoo.com” Looks like it’s “empty nesting” time for the class of ’81! Congratulations for all the success with your kids! (and grandkids – hmm – can’t believe I am saying that!)
1982
Susan Lancaster Toner 11593 Westbury Pl., Carmel, IN 46032 susan_toner@hotmail.com
1983
David Martin Collierville, TN, dkmboater@hotmail.com or david.martin2@ipaper.com
Way to go class of ’83! Thanks for the quick response to my request for an update. Based on the response from a few of you, I will make sure to include COW class of ’83 secretary in my subject line to clue you in. It has been a busy summer and in case any of you need reminding, we are approaching our 30th reunion. More on that in a bit. John Sichenze wonders where the time has gone. “I’m still working for Morgan Stanley and traveling as much as I can. I have put well over 200,000 miles on my motor home to see the country. I have six grandchildren now. The newest are twin boys who are six months old. Twins and adoptions sure make the numbers explode. I am living outside of D.C. in the valley of Virginia and look at the mountains every day. I have taken up photography and love to shoot portraits as well as landscapes and of course grandkids. I am thinking about returning next summer, but will need to work on a parking place for the motor home — it is a bus! A friend’s daughter went to Wooster, and I saw some of
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the pictures of campus. Some changes, and some things looked the same. I can’t believe it has been 30 years.” Susan Kramer-Mills reports: “Mid-life is hard work, college bill paying, and the struggle not to gain too much weight because we are all desk monkeys, right?! Anyway, I'm thankful that I do have a job, am able to still pay bills, and my health is fine. That’s all a blessing. I hope and pray others are doing well, too.” Doug Kier is living in Pennsylvania and working for URS Corporation. It turns out that Doug did some work in the past for International Paper, which means that our paths likely crossed and we never knew it. Just goes to show that you never know where your classmates may be hiding. Hugh Crowell is also doing environmental work. His growing staff of field biologists and regulatory experts at Hull & Associates, Inc. are spending a lot of time in the unconventional natural gas fields of eastern Ohio, helping natural gas companies comply with Clean Water Act and Ohio regulations for installation of well pads and pipelines. Hugh and Julie Cronk’s son, Seth Crowell, is a senior at Whetstone High School in Columbus, and the search for a college is on. Nancy Houck Martin reports: “Since graduation from Wooster, I've been living in Cleveland. For the last 15 years, I've worked for Beech Brook, a social service agency with a myriad of services to families and children, in several different positions but currently as the executive assistant. My three children are grown. My son, Derek, works in accounting in Michigan. My daughter, Kaela, is a Medicaid eligibility specialist at a Cleveland health care agency. My youngest, Abbey, is studying education at Kent State University. My husband, Tony, is also in social work. Meg Wehrly Moore lives fairly close to my parents in western New York, a short drive from Cleveland, so I enjoy seeing her on and off.” Pam Holland has been riding her bicycle! She reports, “This was my sixth year riding my bicycle in the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge in August. The two-day, 160-mile ride raises money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. I am proud to say I have put over 10,000 miles on my bicycle and have raised over $27,000 in the past six years. It all started because my neighbor’s daughter died of a brain tumor, and every year there is another story that gets me back on my bike to do it again.” Sue Mertz has left the skies! Sue reports, “After 22 years in aviation, as a pilot, and taking a few years off, I am now back in Columbus, Ohio, and working at Walmart. My CD, “Van de Kirk-After All”, can be previewed at http://www.cdbaby.com/.” Sue can be reached at svmertz@Yahoo.com.
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Annette (Wire) and Steve Williams, Rob Wheatcroft ’81, and Michael Rendina ’81, along with 12 other friends, took an epic 16day raft trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Annette explains, “Our son Rowan, now 15, was the perfect age to paddle an inflatable kayak through many of the medium size rapids. We were fortunate to have four experienced boatman. So that left only one of our five boats rowed by a neophyte. Michael Rendina took the leap. His boat proceeded to flip in the first rapid at mile eight of 226 with Mike, Rob and our son Rowan taking a freezing swim. Mike soon became an amazing boatman with Steve and others rowing some of the smaller rapids to give him a break. We thought we were home free, but day six, just before the even more challenging rapids one of our boatman injured his shoulder on a side hike and we had a problem. Another newbie had to step up. Who else but another Woo graduate, Steve, took on the daunting task. Mike made it through all the rest of the river with nary another flip and Steve almost had a clean sweep except for the final wave off the infamous ‘black rock,’ which sent him and his fearless first mate into the drink. So don’t let anyone tell you you’re too old for an adventure. Made us feel fortunate to have such wonderful friends from Wooster to share the challenges and the triumphs. Any curious takers, we can give you some pointers, contact us tikakofi@pacbell.net.” Tom Forster reports: “I am busy teaching science at the Thaddeus Stevens School in Lyndonville Vt. It’s a first through eighth grade school, and I get to teach outdoor science for eight weeks in the fall and four weeks in the spring. In the winter, I run the recreational ski program, teach outdoor leadership and indoor science. I have been coaching my own kids in soccer and lacrosse since they were little. Ethan is now a 14-year-old freshman and Emma a 12-year-old seventh grader. I have also coached a high school lacrosse team for the last nine years, and they were finally undefeated this spring. My wife, Dana Kraus, is a very busy family doctor in nearby Saint Johnsbury, Vt. We enjoy camping in Maine, hiking in New Hampshire and mountain biking and alpine skiing at Burke Mountain. I miss my Wooster friends-and would love to hear from them!” Tyler Shores sent this cryptogram: “OK. Life in a nutshell. I have two kids, one graduated from high school and the other graduated from college. We still live in Arnold, Md. I am teaching in an alternative high school for my fifth year. This year was a big one for graduations. My wife earned her bachelor’s, my daughter earned her bachelor’s, my son earned his high school diploma, and I earned my
master’s. Busy home.” Jennie Saliers had a mini reunion in August this year, with Lissa Beatty, Mary Neagoy and their families at Rehoboth Beach, Del. It was a great chance for the potential next generation of Woosterites to meet each other and hang out at the beach. Also, Bill Levisay is now working for Bolthouse Farms which was sold in July and is now a division of the Campbell’s Soup Company.” Dan Howes has a daughter at Wooster. “Hard to believe that our daughter, Isabelle, is halfway through her final season playing field hockey for the Fighting Scots and is hip-deep in senior I.S. We're either on campus or schlepping to a rival school every weekend in the fall, and each pass reinforces what a great place Wooster is for her. She loves it, the academics, the athletics, the social life, the spring semester she spent studying in Paris. And so do we. My wife, Margarite, and I are deeply involved in the school’s Parents Leadership Council, which aims to marshal the skills, enthusiasm and, yes, financial support of current parents. “I am still columnizing for The Detroit News, nearly 10 years after ending my tour as a foreign correspondent. Detroit continues to be one of the best news towns in America, even if a lot of the news isn't so good. Hope to see a lot of classmates at the reunion in June; those who haven't been to campus in some time will be pleased to see how great it looks.” Meg Moore has a sales management position with Ingram Micro (a global IT distributor) as of April 2011. “I’ve been going through the college search process this year with my 17-year-old son. I will still proudly display a Wooster alumni sticker on my car window next to a yet to be decided new college.” And finally, this note for all of you from our class presidents: Chris Thomas and Jennie Saliers are looking forward to seeing you at our 30th reunion June 7-9, 2013. “We have a great committee - Jeff Berichon, Mark Ferguson, Julie Klein, Dave Martin, Mary Neagoy and Jennifer Smith – who met in September to organize some fun events both on and off campus for our class. Stay tuned for a class web page, Facebook page and other electronic communications. Mark your calendars. You won’t want to miss it!” I agree with Jennie and offer you this thought as you head into the holiday season. I was on campus with Jennie for the meeting and there are a number of new buildings, limestone walls on Beall and paved pathways through the Oak Grove. Mom’s is still selling burgers, the Scot Center is worth the trip alone. I hope all of you will think about making the trip back to Wooster. Too often we wait for the “big one” which will be 50 years W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 Wooster 53
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ClassNotes
IMPROMPTU MEETING IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRG. IN MAY.
Members of the Class of 2003 celebrate their 9th annual reunion by white water rafting the New River in West Virginia. Matt Dreyfus, Kerry Petersen, Andi Engel
now for us. Come to Wooster in June to see the changes on campus, in town and reconnect with your classmates. You will be glad you came; the things that made Wooster special to you 30 years ago are still special today. Enjoy the winter and I look forward to seeing you June.
1984
Elizabeth “Beth” Novak Wiggall 3636 Lake Albert Way, Grove City OH 14450 bawraw@att.net
Cheryl Lower Coonahan 2 Brookside Lane, Sterling, Mass. 01564 cheryl@coonahan.com
1985
Barry Eisenberg 15736 Buena Vista Dr., Rockville, MD 208552656, beyesn@aol.com
This year some of us have hit a certain chronological round number milestone that shall go unnamed by me in this space. Some take such milestones in stride; your class secretary does not! Just because the date on our driver’s licenses doesn’t compute to the “right” demographic for TV executives, marketing suits and other media hipsters…Well, forget them – we should all plan on rocking out for a long, long time. Case in point: Marseille, France’s own Anne Pourreau Eouzan. “The least interesting news to report is that I turned 50 in August. My birthday gift was a bright red 1985 Mini Austin Cooper that goes so well with my stilettos!” After a short, challenging mission as English recruiter for EADS (a global leader in aerospace and related services), 54 Wooster W I N T E R 2 0 1 3
Anne switched jobs in August. She was chosen from 96 other candidates, after four months of tests and interviews, to take a position at Fongecif association as projects and team director. Fongecif provides training and career counseling services to the public. Anne and her husband have two kids: Clémentine (18) and Aymeric (16). “In addition, I'm actively working on the renovation of our apartment in Nîmes,” she writes. “It should turn out to be the perfect place to rent out when I'm done with it.” Need a rental in Nîmes? Contact Anne at acpourreau@free.fr. “Turning 50 in Minnesota,” writes Maryland native, Robin Heginbotham. “I don't know how I managed to turn THAT age or end up HERE. On the occasion of transitioning into Life Part Two, I decided to buy a condo to settle down in St. Paul (sans a suitable career, sans children/husband, sans a clue about winter in Minnesota), cut my hair short and am trying to figure out life.” Robin reports that she has recently reconnected with many Wooster friends on Facebook. “I have lost several friends in recent years (sad), but gained many new ones and reconnected with many old ones in cyberspace (happy),” writes Robin, who keeps in touch with Lorraine and Arun Ranchod regularly. “If anyone is ever in St. Paul, please look me up (robin.c.heginbotham@gt-cs.com). I will take you to A Prairie Home Companion – the live radio variety show which originates here. I’ve actually met host Garrison Keillor, who advises, “Pace yourself through any mid-life crisis as there will be several.” While Elizabeth Dakin (ebd123@comcast.net) had no idea I (Barry) would tie her contribution to a theme built around a certain chronological round number
Nick Knodt '10, Keli Horton '10, Hannah Matthews ’10, Noah Hartley-Shepherd ’11, Erin Palombi '10, Lindsey Becker '10.
milestone, I thought it would be fun to place it here. Betsy writes, “If anyone is interested in warding off cognitive decline, I highly recommend staying mentally active. I work as a senior social worker for a continuing care retirement community in Northern Virginia, and am motivated to take measures to preserve my own memory and am now playing Words with Friends on Facebook with Barry Eisenberg.” Moving right along…Tracey Kotouch (calicocircus@gmail.com) lives in Hilton Head, S.C., and has worked as a freelance artist after earning a double major in art history and illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in 1995. “When I graduated, the computer boom for art had just begun, so I am now returning to SCAD to upgrade my computer experience with an eye toward teaching figurative and medical illustration.” Tracey has received a returning student scholarship from SCAD and eventually hopes to teach undergraduates figurative drawing “the right way, the way I was taught,” she says. “Catch them young, become a mentor.” Don Sandford (dks.esq1@me.com) checks in from New York: “After leaving Wooster I had a brief but sparkling two-year career in radio, working my way up from intern to news director for stations in suburban New York,” reports Don. Then he transitioned to a decade in the Westchester County government, first as speechwriter and traveling assistant to the County Executive and then as chief of staff for the County Board of Legislators. “I earned my law degree and Certificate of Environmental Law by going to the Pace University School of Law at night,” reports Don, who has been in practice since 2000 and recently served as
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24-YEAR TRADITION
Members of the class of ’88 meet in Pittsburgh. Karen Cook; Anita (Homily) Weise; Lisa (Vendel) Ladd; Carolyn (Reierson) Princic and Michelle Pagano Heck.
Don ’58 and Becky Custis at the high point of a four-mile hike in Rocky Mountain.
president of the Westchester County Bar Association. “For fun, I’ve spent 20 years racing triathlons, marathons and Ironmans,” he says. “I was married for 10 years and have a 10-yearold son. I still miss Wooster, the place that shaped me into the man I am today." “My husband and I have lived in the Chicago area (Downers Grove) for 19 years,” writes Gretchen Shearer. She has worked as a research chemist for McCrone Associates for 17 years. “Most of my work is consulting for companies who have particle contamination problems— mainly pharmaceutical companies.” Gretchen’s husband is a physics professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and they have two daughters, Anna (13) and Karin (10). “In my spare time, I run a taxi service for our two girls. We do the usual things: soccer, band, piano, girl scouts, church choir, etc.,” reports Gretchen. “I try to volunteer when I can. I have done some chemistry outreach the last few years, teaching some Saturday sciences classes about microscopy. It is a lot of fun to watch children look through a microscope for the first time.” This summer, Gretchen and her family vacationed in Yellowstone and Grand Teton. “I was reminded of Professor Fred Cropp’s geology lectures as we watched the geysers blow.” She would love to hear from Wooster friends! (gretchen1339@gmail.com). “We're launched into another school year deep into high school life,” says Jane Budd Maloney (jbmaloney@optonline.net) from her home in Warren, N.J. “Erin, our junior, has earned a starting spot on the varsity field hockey team (surprise, surprise—I produced an athletic child!) and will soon have her driver’s license. For this taxi driver, that day can’t come soon enough!” Jane’s other daughter, Megan (sophomore), has joined the color guard in the
marching band and takes Irish dance lessons. Her son, Michael (seventh grade), “ducks the older-sister chaos whenever he can, focusing his energies on soccer and video games,” reports Jane. “I'm still busy with local Girl Scouting and try to make frequent visits to see my mom in Cincinnati. But I'm beginning to cast about for something meaningful and financially fruitful to do once the girls graduate. I keep something Cheryl Troutman Boop said at our 25th reunion close to my heart: “I'm a liberal arts grad - I can learn anything!’” Did someone say Boop? “Dave (Davidboop@hotmail.com) and I (cherylboop@gmail.com) are now fully Hoosiers!” writes Cheryl. “Our house in Georgia finally sold and all our personal belongings are together in one place for the first time in seven years.” Dave is director of career services at St. Joseph College in Rensselaer, Ind., and Cheryl is an occupational therapist for Cooperative School Services. “I work in the preschools in eight school districts (both public and private) and with an intermediate school,” she says. “Half of my districts are in the Eastern time zone and the other half are in Central. It makes for interesting planning!” The Boops have had a few Wooster minireunions this year. Dave recently went to Market Garden Brewery in Cleveland to see Beta brother Andy Tveekrem, and Donna Rice Waggener visited the Boops in Indiana in June. “Dave and I also helped host the Chicago I.S. Monday event in March at Revolution Brewery,” writes Cheryl. “Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin are so close to where we live in Indiana, so there are lots of great breweries, wineries and local culture to explore! We’d love to hear from anyone living or visiting around here.”
Did someone say brewery or Beta? Yes, in fact, the words are often said together. Doug Dantzer sent this quick note: “My partner and I, after many years and beers, are investing in a new Brew Pub to open in Zelienople, Pa. It is going to be a small operation, brewing on a one-barrel Sabco system. We expect to have four regular offerings, plus a seasonal beer available. Assuming we get through all the state liquor laws, the pub, to be named ShuBrew, is targeted to open Feb. 2013.” Bill Pazos (wpazos@yahoo.com) sends word from Singapore that this has been a year of change for him and his wife, Shelby. “Our middle son, William, went off to college at Penn State. He is playing rugby there and pursuing an education on the side. Morgan started middle school and seems to be settling in nicely. Andres, our oldest, will be graduating from Boston University in December. I'm still in climate change finance. It keeps me busy and on a plane. One of the added perks is meeting my Beta brothers on my occasional trips to Washington, D.C.” At the last such gathering held in August, Bill met up with Fred Chalfant ’86, Roscoe Possidente ’86, Bill
We’re glad you asked Why aren’t Class Notes included in the online magazine (http://woosteralumni.org)? The virtual magazine is open to everyone, not just the Wooster community. We want to protect your personal information, particularly contact details. Remember that you can always post news on the secure online site at the above address, under “Stay Connected.” (You’ll need a password.)
W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 Wooster 55
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ClassNotes St. John ’83 and current Beta Jeremy Edmund Burke ’14. Kim Patton (kpatton@tcco.com), and the gorgeous Kentucky home he and Sarah Mortensen Patton ’84 live in, were recently featured in Best Magazine Cincinnati. Kim, who now works as business development manager for Turner Construction, designed the house in 1994 using green building techniques he learned at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Architecture. Situated on a high bluff, the house has more than 60 windows – most showcasing panoramic views of the Ohio River. Several of the interior doors were salvaged from old homes from the 1800s. The article also says that Kim makes a mean bowl of gumbo soup! Musical divas with dogs: Deanna Peden (speechless.deanna@yahoo.com), or “Miss Peden” as her vocal students (and, I imagine, class secretaries who misbehave) call her, has moved from Houston to Utah. Now living in Salt Lake City, Deanna and her partner Patrice have adopted Roman Theodore, an American Cocker Spaniel. Over five years in the suburbs of Houston, Deanna had built her own nonprofit music and theatre company. She produced and directed several shows, including The Pirates of Penzance and Grease, and her vocal students went on to conservatories such as Oberlin, Cincinnati and San Francisco. Beginning anew in Utah, Deanna says she is “busy building a new empire!” Another songstress, Sarah McGraw Krushinski (Mcgrawactor1@aol.com), reports from the Pittsburgh area that, after much brow-beating from her children, she and her husband “bit the bullet and adopted a puppy, Flurry, a Maltipoo. He has won our hearts.” Sarah is busy with her Wexford Acting Studio fall show The Wizard of Oz, as well as directing the North Allegheny High School spring musical. “It's so fun to see Wooster posts on Facebook,” says Sarah, “Let's be friends there!” Marie Caterini Choppin (mchoppin@counselingforcontentment.com)
Deadlines Send news, obituaries, & photographs to class_notes@wooster.edu 108 Ebert Art Center The College of Wooster, 1220 Beall Ave. Wooster, OH 44691 phone: (330) 263-2187 fax: (330) 263-2592
UPCOMING DEADLINES Spring issue: Jan. 20 Summer issue: Apr. 20
56 Wooster
WI NTE R 2013
and Carolyn Caskey Lisbon got together with Laura Chambers Monter to celebrate Laura’s birthday in September. The three friends went to GoApe!, which Marie described in the technical jargon of her calling as a licensed clinical psychotherapist: “It's a thrilling, exhilarating and scary ropes course in Rockville, Md. We had a wonderful time, overcame some fears and loved bonding with each other.” As a non-technical human with a sick mind, I (Barry) love Laura’s job title. She’s ScrumMaster at AdRem Systems Incorporated, an information technology services provider in Virginia. (Scrum, of course, is an iterative and incremental process used in agile software development. Thanks Wikipedia!) Meanwhile, Carolyn has served as database manager for a variety of D.C.-area nonprofits, including the Lupus Foundation of America. That’s the news! Remember to burn your AARP card when it arrives, and stay classy.
1986
Leslie Winter Gordon lesliegordon@comcast.net
Andy Moir andym12@gmail.com
Doug Hart sends greetings from Maryland: “I got married on July 21 to a native Ohioan...Becky Blakely (Hart). My daughter, Maddie, graduated from Wooster in May and is currently student teaching in Wooster. My son, Max, just started his freshman year at Lynchburg College in Virginia. I’m in my 26th year of teaching, still playing tennis (even with my new hip replacement), and I need to drop a few pounds!” Doug can be reached at dhartteach@comcast.net or his address, 1214 N. Market St. Frederick MD. Libby Turner (Eturner27@aol.com ) sends this update: “Since ‘coming off the road’ (see Linkedin bio for info on my musical endeavors over the years) I got married in 2009. My husband Evans Opanga and I live in St. Paul, Minn., with our cockatiel and turtle (no kids so far!). Evans is from Kenya, so I am excited to identify as an international family. We have built a house there, and I expect we will maintain activities on two continents within a few years! I have spent the last several years enjoying my dual career as an administrator and a professional singer and music teacher. In my administrative roles I generally work for nonprofit agencies providing social services, housing and legal assistance. In my ‘other world’ I am still a professional singer, teaching and coaching all manner of students from young school kids to amateur and aspiring singers to national-level recording artists. I work with
church and community choirs, and still do my share of studio. I have done some fun musical work with composer Elizabeth Alexander ’85 who also has a great and active musical career here in St. Paul! I send greetings to Pat Gorman of course, and also a shout out to any COW music alums, like Tyrone Williams and Ed Ridley ’87 (where are you guys?) and my old constant musical companion Salvatore Midolo. And all the best to you as well! Barikiwa Sana!” Lisa Dordal writes: “I live in Nashville, Tenn., with my partner, Laurie, and our two retired greyhounds. I received a Master of Fine Arts in poetry in 2011 and a Master of Divinity in 2005 from Vanderbilt University. I currently teach poetry in the English Department at Vanderbilt and am happy to announce the publication of my chapbook, Commemoration (available from Finishing Line Press and Amazon). Commemoration is a collection of poems that explores issues of psychological confinement arising from damaging and restrictive societal expectations for women, focusing on the specific experience of a closeted lesbian trying to fit her life into the prescribed script of heterosexuality and on the deep points of interconnection between the speaker’s life and that of her mother. I hope people will consider buying a copy!” We are always looking for news from our classmates. Please email or Facebook us with information. No detail is too small! There is someone out there who is thinking of YOU!
1987
Kim Todd Sayers ksayers87@alumnimail.wooster.edu Although no new updates came in over the last two months, we have plenty to share from the brief bios and updates classmates provided in response to our 25th reunion questionnaire. What follows is random sample of what some ’87s shared. Brian Bodenbender lives with his wife, Janice, along with a son and daughter. Brian says: “At this point, my family life could not be better, and as a geology professor, I’ve done more and more varied professional activities than I ever imagined.” Kevin Burns, his wife, Lori, and their 13month-old son joined in on the Alumni Weekend fun last June. It was great to see such youth and energy at our 25th reunion. Kevin has become an avid scuba diver and says there are several places he’d like to dive on his bucket list. Karen Johnson, class president, splits her time living with Kahlua, her cat, in Chicago
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and with Jake and Sarah, the most amazing dogs ever, in Phoenix. She travels between the two as vice president of Midwestern University, responsible for admissions, marketing and communications, and development and alumni relations. Karen recently completed a term as board president of the YWCA Maricopa County, a service near and dear to her heart. Ruth Heldman Klee is hoping to visit South America, as she and Drew have already stepped foot on the other six continents! Ruth had planned on getting her master’s in social work and living in Columbus, Ohio. But they found themselves traveling the world and now live in Australia, where Ruth continues to serve the public as a social worker. Tobias Magan has already accomplished anything that would have been on his bucket list. He writes: “Since leaving Wooster, I’ve had the philosophy that life may end suddenly, so there’s no reason to put off great desires until later. I spent 27 years in the Army, did deployments to five war zones, traveled across Europe, rode motorcycles, jumped out of airplanes, went to Mardi Gras, married the love of my life, owned houses, made investments, and now own my own business.” Tobias is taking suggestions for new bucket list items! Rob Montgomery shares: “I'm happily married. I have great kids. I enjoy my job as an actuary; something I use my Wooster math degree to do. I hold local political office and also serve on a private foundation board. I even became a parent of the next generation at Wooster!” Rob’s daughter, Susannah, is a member of the College of Wooster Class of 2015. Winnie Williams and husband, Jerry ’88, live with their two daughters in Woodbury, Minn., where she is a freelance computer consultant. Winnie comments: “I had a great career, got to further my education, and had an opportunity to focus my time almost exclusively on parenting and homeschooling. Today I’m rebuilding my career freelancing while still being very available to my kids, and I spend a ton of my time giving back to the community because I’m able to. My greatest joy of late is that I give each week to our local food shelf. Each week I come away with at least one little miracle that affects me deeply. I'm grateful to be able to work and be available to my kids after school.” Please send updates to: KSayers87@alumnimail.wooster.edu. Or you can find me on Facebook at Kimberly Todd Sayers, or LinkedIn at Kim Todd Sayers.
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1988
Susan Friedman 2858 Highview Ave. Altadena, Calif. 91001 susanlfriedman@yahoo.com
Liz Sweney Decker 16 Lugrin St., Westbrook, ME 04092 liz.decker@goodwillnne.org
From Liz: Patrick Schmitz writes: “I visited Andy Tweekrem’s ’85 Market Garden Brewery in Cleveland with some non-Wooster friends. Andy was out of town, but the beer was great. I am encouraging other First Section members to return for our 25th reunion and make a mini-road trip to Market Garden part of the weekend.” Wil Porter reported: “The year 2012 has been great, except for that end of the world stuff that is supposed to happen. My wife Susan and my son Theo volunteered for the Jimmy Fund Walk on Sept. 9 and look forward to that being a great annual family event. I attended the annual Wooster clambake in Scituate with Jeff Bacon ’87 and met up with Jeff and Patrick Schmitz ’88 at Fenway Park for a tour and helped Pat schmooze a client with a pair of Red Sox tickets while he was in town for a conference. Looking forward to coming back to Wooster for our 25th reunion!” Stephen Young is manager of risk at JoAnn Stores in Hudson, Ohio. Stephen and Diane Brown-Young M.D. ’87 celebrated 22 years of marriage in March. Diane is an OB/GYN physician at Cleveland Clinic. Their oldest daughter is a sophomore biochemistry/pre-med major and track runner at the University of Richmond in Virginia and their youngest daughter is a sophomore in high school playing first singles for the girls varsity team. Stephen still loves football and researching cars. Megan (Anfang) Faust reports, “My daughter Anna was named the Walk Hero for the Fall Arthritis Walk in Northeastern Ohio. Anna is eight years old and has lived with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since she was two-years-old. She is a marvelous advocate for the Foundation. She has appeared on TV talking about her disease and treatment and had helped other kids through their treatments at the hospital. If anyone wants to join her team (Anna’s Bananas) for the walk or donate to find a cure they can do so at www.arthritis.org under the events button. John ’86 and I are doing well in Hudson, Ohio and would love to hear from classmates.” Lisa (McFadden) McClatchy writes: “Things have been going great this year. My
husband just graduated with his MFA from Ohio State and is now a lecturer for the theater department. Fellow central Ohio alum – you can see him on stage this fall as well. He has been cast in the next CATCO production of Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo. I've been busy working still for Random House and Disney as an author appearance coordinator. My children’s book, Dear Tyrannosaurus Rex is now also available for Kindle – hope you can check it out.” Kathleen Smythe is still happily teaching at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. “I became a full professor three years ago and in January begin a new position working under the provost to develop new academic programs, community outreach and research opportunities around sustainability. I will continue to teach a few courses every year. I have just completed a new book manuscript, Why We Need African History. If all goes well, it might even be published not too long from now. My husband, John Fanselow ’87 continues to work as a project developer for Third Sun Solar based in Athens, Ohio. He works from home. Our children, Colin (15) and Cora (11) continue to educate us about parenting, technology, cool music, and kinesthetic learning. Colin tolerates school but loves kayaking, biking, and building things. Cora loves school and gymnastics.” Adrienne (Ebert) LeBlanc writes: “I am still living in Memphis with my husband Chris. I have been teaching Spanish in a Catholic school for the past nine years. We have two daughters in college - Yikes! One attends the University of Alabama and the other is attending the College of Charleston. Two daughters are seniors in high school, our son is in seventh grade and the ‘baby girl’ is 10. We are all healthy and happy, so life is good and busy! We had a wonderful summer playing at the lake and traveling to the Florida Keys. We are planning a European vacation next summer with our two older daughters. I keep up with Dave Cook, John Taylor, Dave Brown, Billy Simms and Pete Burrus via Facebook. I would love to catch up with any Wooster friends who might be passing through Memphis.” Becky (Sturpe) Hatfield reports that life is good: “Rob Hatfield ’85 and I will be married 23 years this September. I am thankful to The College of Wooster for bringing us together. We continue to enjoy life on Lake Norman in Mooresville, N.C., and are adjusting to seeing the mug of Donald Trump everywhere (literally—on water bottles, wine, books, etc.) as he has recently taken over as owner of our golf course. Anyone wanting to play Trump National Charlotte, come visit! I remain W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 Wooster 57
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ClassNotes
WEDDING OF ALLISON (KOVACS) NEPTUNE ’05 AND THOMAS NEPTUNE, JULY 2010.
Back: Ryan Snyder ’04, P.J. McCloud ’04 Middle: Kyle Rooker ’01, Jen Rooker ’04, Brian Kight ’05, Liz Lucarelli ’05, groom, bride, Molly Rallo Zaluski ’05, Landre Kiser McCloud ’05, and Steve Kovacs (COW football coach 2001-2005), Front: Kait Remenaric ’05 and Kathy Powell ’05.
employed with Aon Hewitt and enjoy my job and our continuing growth in the Talent (Compensation, Learning, and Performance Management) practice. The most exciting parts of my life, however, occur on the racetrack. We keep extremely busy with our 13year-old son, Sam, and his quarter-midget car racing. With one race left to go in the United States Auto Club (USAC) National Series he is currently tied for second place nationally and is the 2012 Mid-Atlantic Regional Champion. Those interested can follow him on Facebook at Sam Hatfield Racing. Otherwise we are looking forward to taking our first cruise this spring with my parents and siblings to celebrate my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. I have so many fond memories of campus life and hope that our schedule will allow us to join you all for reunion next summer.” Rob McKean and wife Ann are living near Boston with their two kids: “Paige is a junior and Jack is a freshman in high school. Ann is a preschool director in Melrose, Mass., and I work in the building materials supply/distribution business in Boston. The only real use I get out of my econ degree is a basic understanding of the supply/demand concept but it does help at times. I just changed jobs after 13 years and am learning what Boston traffic is really like after working outside of town all this time. We can be reached at robmckean@comcast.net. I stay in touch with Chris Hedges who lives in Saratoga Springs with his wife and two kids— both in high school—and runs a small ski and bike shop there; he bailed out of the financial world a few years ago in pursuit of some peace and quiet. His wife trains race horses and they have had some nice success in the past few years on the horse racing circuit. I also see Glen ‘Tim’ Dorr from time to time around 58 Wooster W I N T E R 2 0 1 3
Beantown; he lives here with his wife Ellie and their three kids. Tim is killing it in the insurance business and is doing some overseas work in London, Moscow, and Berlin.” Andy Heath (our class president) writes: “I just received a hold the date e-mail for Alumni Weekend 2013, June 6 – June 9, 2013. We are one of the feature classes of the weekend celebrating our 25th Class Reunion. This is a big deal, and you do not want to miss this weekend. Mark your calendar and start making plans to return to campus. You’ll be impressed the many changes that have transformed the campus, and rewarded with a fun, memorable weekend getting reacquainted with classmates, faculty, and staff. The reunion committee and I will be reaching out to influence a big turnout for this momentous event. “So what’s going on with me? Well, I focus a lot of time at work (Bath & Body Works) on our stores in Chicago so I’m in the Chicago area frequently. In between travel I continue to enjoy triathlon training and on Sept. 9 I finished Ironman Wisconsin (along with my wife (Kathleen ’90) who was waiting patiently at the finish line when I finished). Jen (Frank) Raymond: “Our family spent three weeks camping in Cape Breton. We stopped in Niagara Falls for the Fourth of July and rode the Maid of the Mist and did all the touristy things. We had a great time hiking and exploring the wilds of Nova Scotia. Everyone is getting back in the swing of school. My oldest, Izzy, is in seventh grade, Al is in fourth, Stella is in second and Ruby is in pre-K. Lacrosse, wrestling and Girl Scouts are back in full force!” Linda Stevenson was in Cuernavaca, Mexico again for the presidential elections in June 2012. She and several of her West Chester University students and other
colleagues heard many political voices through a fantastic eight-day seminar with the Center for Global Education (the same program she worked for back in the early 90s). This marks her fifth election observation in Mexico since our graduation in 1988! Conclusions!? Although democratic institutions and electoral laws have improved, well, it’s tough to maintain without a justice system that works. She’s working on a paper to discuss that in more detail to present at the Northeast Political Science Association in November. For June 2013, she hopes to take a larger group of students, colleagues and interested folks (any takers? be in touch! lstevenson@wcupa.edu ) for another CGE seminar focusing on political economy and social justice issues. So if you don't see her at the next reunion, you will know why. On a lighter note, her spouse Esteban, and sons Camilo (9) and Miguel (7) accompanied her, and had a great time with old friends, playing soccer (futbol!) and eating taquitos.
1989
Daphne Daugherty Cody Glencoe, Il. cody@steglencoe.org
1990
Sharon Coursey Rice srice@wooster.edu Josh McKain jmckain@fisher.edu
1991
Susan Kacerek Burlage 33061 Linden Drive, Solon, OH 44139 tennischick1268@gmail.com
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Katie Jones McClelland Sykesville, MD, katievjones@aim.com
1992
Kathleen Quinn Highland Heights, KY KQuinn92@alumnimail.wooster.edu
1993
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1999
2004
Lyndhurst, OH, wooster1999@aol.com
Lakewood, OH, sarahksiebert@yahoo.com
2000
2005
170 Parkfel Ave., Pitts, PA 15237 NAtwell00@alumnimail.wooster.edu
ngreene83@gmail.com
Katherine Varney Ritchie
35 Park Place, Apt. 3 Brooklyn, N.Y. 11217, awhillyer@gmail.com
Deborah Krudwig Gutowski
Niccole Cook Atwell
Nancy Hunter Mycka nmycka@yahoo.com
3271 Longspur Dr., Col., OH 43228 kvritchie@sbcglobal.net
1994
2001
1875 Autumn Run, Wooster, OH 44691 Nichols_145@yahoo.com
cpow7@yahoo.com 517 Robineau, Syracuse, N.Y.
Stephen S. Nichols
1995
Bradley “Brad” Dixon Cincinnati, OH, ppageno@aol.com
Sarah (Fuller) Klyberg wrote in with an update that at 10:20 p.m. on May 5, 2012, she saved the final draft of her doctoral dissertation, and headed to the hospital two hours later with her husband Kevin Klyberg ’92, to welcome their son William Alden shortly thereafter. She writes, “He's a very sweet and happy baby. We're hoping that he'll be a fourth-generation Woosterite!” Sarah went on to say that she successfully defended her dissertation at Penn State on June 4, and Kevin, Will, her parents, and her brother joined her at graduation on Aug. 11. She reports that she is doing freelance editing work at the moment, which keeps her connected to the field of higher education, but also is convenient for a stay-at-home mom. That is all the news that is fit to print, folks. Keep sending me your updates!
1996
Chris Powers This year, Sarah Nichols Kohrs made her fifth hair donation. She sent 15 inches to Locks for Love last April. During the time she grew her hair, Sarah had her second son, Ezra, began working in the pottery studio again, started a blog at http://sunsplashedwindow.blogspot.com/, joined a local writers’ group, and continued working on a book of poetry. In June, she graduated from the Master Gardener’s Program for the Northern Shenandoah Valley area. Classmates, don't forget to check out and like The College of Wooster Class of 2001 Facebook page!
2002
Liz Farina Markel Chicago, IL, liz.farina@gmail.com
Mary Nienaber maryjnf@gmail.com
2003
Hannah Russell Brooklyn, NY, hwr203@nyu.edu
Michelle Perrigo
Kendra Heffelbower
Kalamazoo, MI, meesch@stratos.net
Washington, D.C. kheffelbower@yahoo.com
Emilie McLarnan
Marta Zaborowski Ukropina
Moscow, ID, emmclarnan@yahoo.com
Grapevine, TX, mzabu2@gmail.com
1997
Michele Widmer Malley mwidmer4@yahoo.com
1998
Terah Robbin Webb 3145 McCammon Chase Dr., Lewis Center, OH 43035, twebb@medvetohio.com
I, Marta Zaborowski Ukropina, and my husband, David, welcomed our second child, Audrey Christine on March 6, 2012. She joins big brother Eric (four). Caleb Jackson Davis happily married Kristina Ann Sukup on July 28, 2012 in Fort Jennings, Ohio. The couple recently relocated to Chattanooga, Tenn., where Caleb is employed by the Volkswagen Group of America. Caleb would love to hear from Woo folks: alebjdavis@hotmail.com.
Sarah Siebert
Nicole Greene Andrew Hillyer From Kristen Senior: Kristen Senior just completed her first year as a managing director at CRA, Inc., a communication consultancy based out of Radnor, Pa. Kristen started there in 2008 after receiving her master’s at Purdue University in public relations. At CRA, Kristen helps leaders communicate more effectively with their employees across a variety of industries. Currently, she is helping to implement an electronic health record system in the nation's largest, nonprofit healthcare organization. Kristen lives in Center City Philadelphia and welcomes Wooster visitors (ksenior@crainc.com). From Andrew: Meaghin Kennedy reports: “After a lifetime of living on the East Coast, my husband Justin and I moved to Portland, Ore., in March. We’re loving the city's amazing food, culture, and lifestyle. If there are any Wooster alumni in the area, please feel free to message me to grab a beer or coffee!” meaghin@gmail.com. Sarah Romorini accepted the post of technical advisor of Population Services International/El Salvador in early 2012. She is based in San Salvador and enjoying work and living in Central America and would enjoy being in touch with Wooster people living in or passing through the region. Kate Keller writes: “Josh Keller ’07 and I welcomed Addison Henley Keller to our COW family on June 12, 2012.” Emily Pickett reports: “My husband, Dustin, and I welcomed our daughter, Juniper Wren on Sept. 3, 2012. She joins her twoyear-old brother, River (born Aug. 13, 2010). We moved from Boulder, Colo., to Louisville, Ken. (after a brief time in Chicago), where I have started my own business as a birth doula and lactation counselor. I also blog about childbirth and parenting on my website: birthwalk.com. Looking forward to reconnecting with more Wooster folks now that we’re back in the region!” Allison Neptune writes: “Hello fellow Wooster grads. I am currently living in West Hollywood, Calif. My husband (Thomas Neptune, a Wooster native) and I have lived here for the past seven years. We just W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 Wooster 59
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ClassNotes celebrated our second wedding anniversary this past summer. I am currently teaching kindergarten at The Curtis School in Bel Air, Calif. In 2010, I obtained my masters of arts in education from Pepperdine University. We continue to love the beautiful weather, but do miss seeing the trees surrounding the campus in the fall.” Melissa Malone is in the midst of her final year at Emerson College (Boston, Mass.), where she is earning her master’s in publishing and writing. She is putting all of that literary education to good use; in July, she started working as a contracts administrator for the Perseus Books Group, an independent publishing company. She also had the joy of attending two beautiful Wooster weddings this summer: Maggie Popadiak’s in Chicago and Brittany Wellner’s in Cambridge, England. Tracy DiBiasio Noga and Stephen Noga had a daughter, Hailey Marie, born Sept. 21, 2011. Paul Hiller writes: “I left my job at Captain Nemo's last year to pursue a career in the high-end condiment industry. My aspirations took me to Dijon, France where I studied the mustard seed growing and distillation process. I'm now working at Mustard’s Last Stand on Chicago's north side as their mustard connoisseur.” Brittany Wellner-James reports: “I completed my Ph.D. in Chinese studies from the University of Cambridge in June. Although my graduate courses in the UK are now officially complete, I won’t be moving home to Boston anytime soon; Aug. 31 I got married at the Chapel of Jesus College, Cambridge and I am so pleased to say that
many Wooster friends were able to join my husband and me in England to celebrate. My new husband, Samuel, is a British citizen and we met while completing our doctorates; we will remain in Cambridge for at least a couple years while Sam completes a post-doctoral fellowship at the university.”
2006 Kim Chambers kimberly.m.chambers@gmail.com
From Kate (Dilley) Wright: Jeffrey Wright ’05 and Kate Dilley were married in Grand Rapids, Mich. on Aug. 18, 2012. “We live in Boston, Mass., and Jeff continues working for Liberty Mutual Insurance as a director of state operations. Kate works for the international health nonprofit organization Management Sciences for Health (MSH), as a technical officer. “We loved watching both of our Aunt Susies discover at our wedding that not only did they graduate the same year, but that they had so many mutual friends who they made sure to call over the course of the weekend!” Kim Chambers reports: “Anne Guthrie has been in workforce development for five years at Goodwill Industries in Eugene, Ore. She piloted and directed the Prosperity Center, which helps low-income families secure living wages and develop assets. This program received an award by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Goodwill Industries International for its results and family strengthening approach. Anne has just accepted a job at the Local Initiatives Support Corporation in Indianapolis, Ind., and is
Honor a special person and support Wooster students through The WOOSTER FUND ENDOWMENT Recognize a milestone: A gift to The Wooster Fund Endowment is a wonderful way to honor a friend or family memberʼs birthday, graduation, retirement, or other special accomplishment. It can also be a meaningful way to mark the passing of a loved one. Every Wooster student has benefitted from the generosity of others because tuition does not cover the full cost of a Wooster education. A gift to The Wooster Fund simultaneously honors an individual and supports our students. For more information about making a gift to The Wooster Fund Endowment, contact: Heidi McCormick ʼ86 giving@wooster.edu 330-263-2533
60 Wooster W I N T E R 2 0 1 3
pursuing master’s degrees in public affairs and philanthropic studies at Indiana UniversityPerdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). She would love to hear from you (guthrie.anne@gmail.com) and misses the Wooster community greatly!"
2007
Beth Greive 156 Greemont Lane Cary, N.C. 27511, beth.greive@gmail.com
Kelly Fredrickson Trevithick and Joe Trevithick were married on Oct. 10, 2010, near Washington, D.C. Over half of Kelly’s bridal party was made up of Wooster graduates, and one of Joe’s groomsmen attended Wooster as well. It was a fun-filled college reunion! Elizabeth Wojtowicz Thomas writes: “I would like to announce the birth of our first baby. My husband, David Thomas, and I (Elizabeth) gave birth to Penelope January Thomas on May 1, 2012.” Beth Greive moved to 156 Greenmont Lane, Cary, NC 27511 and is working as a research associate in the elementary education department at North Carolina State University. Jon Rosch recently completed his Ph.D. in optics from the University of Central Florida and is working at Intel in Phoenix, Ariz. Sibyl Williams Roberson married Christopher Roberson on June 30, 2012 in Coshocton, Ohio. They now reside at 5911 Richmond Road #4302 Texarkana, Texas 75503. Jim and Britton Witter are expecting a baby on March 20! They already got a Wooster onesie and a Tootsie Roll baby Halloween costume! Kathryn Graham married Pablo Cortes on Sept. 22, 2012. The happy couple will return to their home in the Santiago, Chile, after their honeymoon in Aruba.
2008
Carolyn Ciriegio Columbus, OH cciriegeio@wooster.edu
Kofi Yankey Accra, Ghana, kyankey08@wooster.edu
2009
Kabir Banerjee 9454 Seven Locks Rd., Bethesda, MD banerjee.kabir@gmail.com
Wyattt Shimeall 121 W. Southington Ave., Worthington, OH 43085 wyatt.shimeall@gmail.com
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2010
Kaitlyn Evans 2301 41st St., N.W. Apt. 301 Washington, D.C. evans.kaitlynl@gmail.com
Meret Nahas meret.nahas@gmail.com.
The class of 2010 has accomplished quite a bit since our graduation day nearly two and a half years ago. Jonah Comstock earned his master’s from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in May 2011, and since has been doing internships with Newsday, The Tampa Bay Times, and Psychology Today. You can see his bylines in the September/October and November/December issues of Psychology Today. Sarah Lorch started a master’s of science in speech language pathology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in fall 2012; her expected graduation is in 2014. Her updated mailing address is: 2107 Fairfax Ave #103, Nashville, Tenn. 37212. Robert Melick sent an update on a new job: Tableau Software sales area manager. His updated mailing address is: 2600 Franklin Ave East, Seattle, Wash. 98102. Alisha (Fengzhi) Chen is running her own sports media business in China. After graduating, she did broadcasting for the 2010 Asian Olympic Games. Jeanne Simons is teaching second grade in New Canaan, Conn., at New Canaan Country School. Simone DiSalvo is a group sales account executive for the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer. Kaitlyn Evans and Alexander Jue are living in Washington, D.C. Kaitlyn is teaching preschool and finishing up her master’s degree in education and human development (she will graduate from George Washington University in May 2013). Alex is working side by side with Aneeb Sharif at the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) doing healthcare research. They often run into Lexie DeGrandchamp, whose updated e-mail address is: adegrandchamp@gmail.com. The Class of 2010 has also had quite a few engagements and weddings over the past few years! Kim Krall was engaged on Dec. 2011 to Matthew Gibson. Their wedding date is set for May 26, 2013. Amanda Perry and Greg Miller (Bowling Green grad) got engaged Valentine's Day 2010 and have set a date: Oct. 19, 2013. They met at Wooster when Greg drove down to meet her after a friend
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introduced them. That was the end of our freshman year at Wooster, and now five and half years later they are going to tie the knot. They are very excited and wish to share the news with all their Wooster friends, especially the ones they have lost touch with in the past couple of years. Lauren (Kosanovich) Nelson got married on June 2, 2012 on Jekyll Island, Ga., to Dan Nelson. Kelly Aughenbaugh was her maid of honor. They now live at 389 East Tuscarawas Avenue Barberton, Ohio 44203. Allison Smith and Paul Stechschulte are getting married on Dec. 28, 2012. The wedding will take place in Columbus, Ohio. The couple plans to reside in Columbus for a few years. Julie Perry would like to give a shout out to Kaitlin Krister and Colleen Goodwillie – both will be having weddings next year. I (Meret Nahas) am currently living in Hartford, Conn., working at Loomis Chaffee as the director of annual fund leadership giving and Eric Babbitt is also living in Hartford, Conn., working in Wallingford at Burns and McDonnell as an assistant project controls manager.
2011
Kyle Thomas
IN MEMORIAM R E T I R E D S TA F F, A L U M N I T R U S T E E
’41 William “Lee” Culp, Wooster, Ohio, Oct. 29, 2012. Lee served the College of Wooster for more than 30 years. When he attended the College in the Class of ’41, Lee majored in physics and math, and he served as president of his class. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving in the Pacific with distinction and earning both the Silver and Bronze Stars. He returned to Wooster in 1947 and held a variety of positions at the College, such as the director of admissions, alumni trustee, director of development, and registrar. During his time at the College, Lee was commissioned by Professor Karl Ver Steeg to draw a map of campus and the College used it for many years thereafter. He also sketched a design for the first study carrels in Andrews Library and resurrected the severely damaged bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln from a dust heap inside the old football stadium. Lee is perhaps best known today for beginning the tootsie roll tradition for seniors upon their completion of I.S. As registrar, he felt that seniors deserved something beyond just a completion receipt, so he started handing out candy, an act that has continued ever since. Lee’s two children, Joel Culp ’71 and Cheryl Dixon ’76, two grandchildren, and one stepgrandchild survive him.
2801 Edgewood Ave. S St. Louis Park, MN 55426 kylerobert.thomas@gmail.com
Nana Boamah-Acheampong
ALUMNI
3035 Hollybank Rd., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 nana.boamaha@gmail.com
’37 Ralph W. Immel, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Sept. 29, 2012. At Wooster, Ralph was an English major. Ralph’s wife, children, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren survive him.
Colby Mills reports that she is living in Portland, Ore., and working as the marketing intern at a non-profit organization called Mercy Corps.
2012 Kristen Schwartz schwartz.kris@gmail.com Robert West r.zuber.west@gmail.com
This summer, Ben Bellamy married Claire Lewis ’11. Courtney Foster and Derek Greeley ’11 are engaged as of July 3, 2012 and have relocated to Denver, Colo. Courtney will be traveling to Phalaborwa, South Africa, in September for two months to work at a Baboon sanctuary and nursery (C.A.R.E). Ned Weakland married Leah Inglis ’11 on July 21, 2012.
’39 Helen M. Bucy, Helena, Mon., Oct. 14, 2012. At Wooster, Helen was a French major. Helen’s daughter sister, three grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and one greatgreat-grandchild survive her. ’41 Fern P. Diaquila, Cleveland, Ohio, Oct. 1, 2012. At Wooster, Fern was an English major. She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Pembroke and Education Club. Fern’s three children, granddaughter, Chloe R. McFayden ’15, and nine other grandchildren survive her. ’43 Elizabeth V. Hanks, Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 16, 2012. Elizabeth was an active Wooster alumna. She believed Wooster gave her the ability to provide a well-rounded life for her family. Elizabeth’s three children, cousin, Megan W. Stypczynski ’00, eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren survive her. W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 Wooster 61
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ClassNotes ’43 David R. Lanning, New Orleans, La., July 17, 2012. David’s three children, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren survive him. ’44 Ruth E. Crist, Erie, Pa., Sept. 23, 2012. At Wooster, Ruth was a math major. She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Kappa Mu Epsilon, choir, Girls’ Glee Club, and Arrows Social Club. Ruth’s husband, two children, and four grandchildren survive her. ’44 Alfred C. Spreng, Rolla, Mo., Oct. 19, 2012. At Wooster, Alfred was a geology major. He participated in football, Geology Club, and German Club. Alfred’s wife and three children survive him. ’46 Betty L. Stead, Addison, Texas, Sept. 26, 2012. At Wooster, Betty majored in psychology and philosophy. She was a member of Kappa Theta Gamma, Psychology Club, and Philosophy Club. Betty’s husband, Frederick L. Stead, Sr. ’45, four children, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren survive her. ’48 Helen S. Landis, Norton, Mass., Sept. 19, 2012. At Wooster, Helen majored in physics. Helen’s five children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren survive her. ’48 Carolyn G. Lundgren, Pentwater, Mich., Oct. 3, 2012. At Wooster, Carolyn was a psychology major. She was a member of Phi Delta Theta and Phi Beta Kappa. Carolyn’s three children and grandson survive her. ’49 Lothar F. Frank, West Hartford, Conn., Sept. 11, 2011. Lothar was a geology major. He was a member of Section I, Delta Phi Alpha, Geology Club, and German Club. Lothar’s wife and three children survive him.
Obituaries In order to publish news of alumni deaths in a timely way, the magazine provides abbreviated obituaries—information about life events that relate to College experiences. More complete obituaries are published online at www.woosteralumni.org/obituaries.
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’49 Paulie S. Johnson, Mount Desert, Maine, Oct. 2, 2012. At Wooster, Paulie was an art major with a minor in geology. She was a member of the Peanuts and women’s varsity teams. Paulie’s husband, three children, five stepchildren, ex-husband, Deane W. Fern ’49, nine grandchildren, 14 stepgrandchildren, and three step-great-grandchildren survive her.
’62 David P. Shriver, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Oct. 6, 2012. David met his wife, Elizabeth A. Shriver ’62, while attending Wooster. He was a four-year letterman in varsity gold, vice president of the First Section, and manager of the girls’ chorus. David’s wife, Elizabeth A. Shriver ’62, four children, including Kirsten E. Delambo ’98, 11 grandchildren, and brother survive him.
’50 Ruth R. Weirich, Sagamore Hills, Ohio, Oct. 13, 2012. At Wooster, Ruth was a speech major. She was a member of Freshman Apprentices, the German club, symphony orchestra, and Pyramids. She met her husband at Wooster during the first week of classes. Ruth’s husband, Richard B. Weirich ’50, two children, including Richard T. Weirich ’78, and three grandchildren survive her.
’63 Edwin John Kingsley, Carmel, Calif., Oct. 23, 2012. At Wooster, Edwin was an economics major. Edwin’ wife, Susan D. Kingsley ’64, two children, two sisters, two brothers, and three grandchildren survive him.
’53 Gwendolen W. Kiefer, Glenside, Pa., May 23, 2010. At Wooster, Gwen was an English major. She was a member of Sigma Gamma Nu, the Index, and the Voice staff. Gwen’s four children, five grandchildren, and four greatgrandchildren survive her. ’53 Harris C. McClaskey, Ocean Park, Wash., Sept. 21, 2012. At Wooster, Harris was a philosophy major. He was a member of the philosophy club and Classics Club. Harris’ wife survives him. ’53 William H. Newman, Geneva, N.Y., Feb. 14, 2011. At Wooster, William was a chemistry major. William’s wife, two children, three sisters, and three grandchildren survive him. ’53 Donald A. Orr, La Miranda, Calif., Sept. 15, 2012. At Wooster, Donald was a history major. He played the tuba in the marching band and was a member of the Second Section, Glee Club, Gumshoe Hop, and History Club. Donald’s wife, Marcia K. Orr ’53, two children, three grandchildren, brother, and brother-in-law, William P. Klerekoper x’55, survive him. ’54 Alice Joanne Holloway, Frankfort, Miss., Sept. 3, 2012. Alice was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the 1954 class valedictorian. At graduation, she received the Jonas O. Notestein Prize and a Gilpin prize for general excellence in college work. She was a psychology major (she changed her major her senior year). Alice’s sister, niece, Elizabeth Westhafer O’Brien ’66, nephew, William H. Westhafer ’76, and greatnephew Geoffrey J. O’Brien ’92 survive her.
x’68 James A. Durbin, Mahomet, Ill., May 29, 2012. James’ wife, two children, two step-children, brother, and one grandchild survive him. ’70 Oscar W. Alonso, Miami, Fla., Aug. 25, 2012. Oscar was a four-year letterman in varsity football at the College. Oscar’s four siblings survive him. ’71 Ada H. Jaquet, Santa Cruz, Calif., Sept. 19, 2012. Ada received her master’s degee in fine arts from Wooster. Ada’s three children, including Jane T. Malin’67, three stepchildren, and four grandchildren survive her. ’73 Jeffrey A. Bergen, South Euclid, Ohio Sept. 21, 2012. Jeffrey’s daughter and brother survive him. ’74 Wendy S. Tisch, Pound Ridge, N.Y., Sept. 5, 2012. Wendy’s husband, father, Raymond M. Jolie ’50, son, and sisters, including Patricia L. Jolie ’79 and Judyth J. Branson ’71, survive her. ’80 Martha A. Kallstrom, Streetsboro, Ohio, Sept. 5, 2012. At Wooster, Martha majored in Greek and Latin. She was the president of Eta Sigma Phi and treasurer of Pi Kappa. Martha’s brother survives her. x’81 John L. Yergin, Summit, Miss., Sept. 29, 2012. John’s wife, daughter, mother, brother, William H. Yergin ’71, sister, Linda R. Nesbit ’73, aunt, Helen V. Brown ’39, and five nieces survive him. ’96 Robert J. Barends, Buffalo, N.Y., Oct. 19, 2012. At Wooster, Robert majored in Spanish. He was a member of GLBA, Wooster Chorus, Wooster Choral Union, and Sigma Delta Phi. Robert’s partner, mother, brother, and two sisters survive him.
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The parade of classes, Alumni Weekend 2012 Photo: Matt Dilyard
Join the crowd! ALUMNI WEEKEND, JUNE 6-9 Return. Renew. Reunite.
W
hen were you last on campus? Has it been five, 10, 25, or even 50 years? Start planning now to join us. Reunion committees are working hard to ensure a wonderful experience for you and your classmates. This is also the time to consider making your reunion gift. Classes ending with the numbers “3” and “8” will be celebrating reunions, but all alumni are invited to return to campus and enjoy the variety of activities planned. A preliminary schedule will be available online soon, along with specific information about each classes’ activities. In the meantime, let us know of your plans to attend, even if they’re tentative, by going to http://tinyurl.com/cmww2vq.
W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 Wooster 63
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a Wooster moment
STUDYING with MARIGOLDS
T Photo: Karol Crosbie
64 Wooster SUMMER 2012
he “Wooster Marigolds” art quilt, created by Wooster trustee Lynne McCreight ’66, is a backdrop to many study sessions in the Kauke Commons. McCreight designed the quilt at the request of Sally Patton ’67, former vice president for development, for the newly renovated Kauke Hall. Installed in the summer of 2009, the quilt took about a year to complete. McCreight creates her art at her home in Moscow, Idaho and her images are of the things she loves—a bowl of oranges, Polish pottery, bees in their honeycomb, and zinnias in her garden.
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Why Wooster?
WOOSTER CHANGES LIVES.
A Wooster education changes lives. Through our focus on Independent Study, experiential learning, and personalized, research-driven coursework, a Wooster education challenges students and shapes who they become. More than three-fourths of current Wooster students receive scholarship support. Your gift to The Wooster Fund provides access to this premier education and the resources that make a Wooster education possible.
M ARGARET (P EGGY ) M AC K ELLER
“I was fortunate to receive almost a full scholarship that enabled me to attend
Wooster. I felt the least I can do is give
something, even as little as $25, when I first
graduated in 1980. I don't think I've missed a year giving to The Wooster Fund."
Make a gift to
The Wooster Fund
today and change lives. Give securely online at www.wooster.edu/givenow Return a gift in the attached envelope. Call
330.263.2533
Maria Alderman ’14 learns through real-life experience when she assists at the Wooster Nursery School.
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I N D E P E N D E NT M I N D S, WO R K I N G TO G ETH E R
The College of Wooster | 108 Ebert Art Center 1220 Beall Avenue | Wooster, OH 44691-2393
Scot piper jubilee I n C l o s i n g Andrew Blaikie ’13 warms up at for a competition of the Eastern U.S. Piper Band Association on campus in mid-October. The event marked the first time the College has hosted a competition (also called Scottish Games). This academic year marks the 50th anniversary of the Scot Pipers, which were formally organized during the 1962-63 academic year. Although there was informal piping on campus since about 1940, it wasn’t until 1962 that serious training of band members began. Photo: Karol Crosbie