A dedicated group of volunteers from the Class of 1978 rallied together with their classmates to establish the Class of 1978 Foreign Study Endowment in honor of their 45th reunion.
Clarke Austin ’25, an anthropology and sociology major from Los Angeles, was the inaugural beneficiary of this fund, which enabled her to study abroad in Cali, Columbia. She said, “The funding I received has gone toward my travel, cost of living incidentals such as groceries and meals, transportation and my overall ability to experience Colombia in its fullest.”
Through their contributions, alumni have expanded access to study abroad opportunities, allowing students like Clarke to immerse themselves in new cultures and gain invaluable global perspectives—exemplifying the ideal that education should know no borders.
The class of 1978 is one of 15 classes that have established new funds or added to existing funds during this campaign—collectively generating $3 million in endowed funds for scholarships or study abroad.
Click a button to jump to that decade’s class notes.
The Right Rev. Terry M. Brown ’66 was granted heraldic arms by the Canadian Heraldic Authority. Although the CHA has granted arms to many bishops and clergy of the Anglican Church of Canada, Bishop Brown may be the first to hold both American and Canadian citizenship. Born in Iowa, Terry was educated in Iowa and Michigan, receiving a B.A. at Kalamazoo College before beginning doctoral studies at Brandeis University that were interrupted by U.S. Army service in Japan in the late 1960s. He began a lifelong connection with the Anglican Church of Canada after his return from the military, and trained for ordination at Trinity College, Toronto. He was consecrated Bishop of Malaita, Melanesia, in 1996, retiring in 2008. In the 16 years since his retirement, Terry has served as assisting bishop in the Diocese of Niagara, as priest in charge of a local parish, as a participant in archival and historical work, and as a key figure in the Solomon Islands Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Terry Brown passed away in April 2024. He will be remembered in Fall LuxEsto.
Jim Cameron ’69 has been recognized by the Historical Society of Michigan as the winner of the 2023 History Hero Award. Jim incorporated oral histories into the curriculum of his classrooms during his 37 years teaching history at Saline High School. He has also conducted oral histories resulting in the 2005 book Voices over the Valley: An Oral History of Saline Valley Farms, which earned the Historical Society of Michigan’s Award of Merit in 2005. While earning a degree in economics and business at Kalamazoo College, he decided to get his social studies teaching certification. He earned his master’s degree from Eastern Michigan University. Jim was hired by Saline Area Schools to teach economics and U.S. history in the early 1970s, and his teaching skills earned him the 2010 Gilder Lehrman Teacher of the Year Award for Michigan. He has presented at more than 50 Teaching American History colloquia in 22 states, was co-creator of the Historical Society of Michigan’s Center for Teaching Michigan History, served as the social studies consultant for the Michigan Department of Education from 2011-2019, served on the board of trustees for the Historical Society of Michigan, judged at state and national History Day events, and chaired the historical society’s Education and Conference Committee. Jim also serves as the president of the Michigan Oral History Association and is a member of the Michigan Council for History Education, where he served as executive director for 12 years. Jim is expected to publish his second book in 2024, on the Bixby Marionettes. Jim’s next oral history endeavor is on the history of the J.W. Westcott Co., the only boat in the United States with its own ZIP code, 48222.
George Drake ’69 is enjoying retirement: spending time with his wife, Jeannine, with whom he shares tea every morning, engaging in wonderful discussions about the life of the spirit, family and the world; working outside to stay fit (and enjoying Jeannine’s wonderful vegan cooking); reading (especially about astronomy and trains); participating in two local astronomy clubs; and traveling to see friends.
Karen Stanley ’69 retired as a professor of Academic English as a Second Language in December 2023, after 39 years of teaching at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In 2023, Linda (Popp) Scholten ’71 retired from her 39-year profession as a certified quilt show judge. “It was my honor to judge quilts in shows ranging from national shows, regional shows, state fairs and local shows,” she said. In addition, her works have been published in magazines and books, the most recent of which was in the 2023 Quilt Art Engagement Calendar.
Leonard Pasek ’79 writes, “The end of 2023 was a great year, with me retiring from a 14-year second career as a Spanish and ESOL teacher for the City Schools of Decatur in Georgia. Not long after, I morphed myself into a content development role where I have contributed hundreds of articles on LinkedIn.” His post on dealing with toxic behavior has drawn close to 6 million views.
Scott Vance ’80 has been promoted to managing editor at The Washington Post. In his new role, he oversees The Post’s international, business, tech and sports coverage. Scott joined The Washington Post in 1995 and most recently served as a deputy managing editor, where he oversaw coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He was national security editor during the Iraq War, editing Pulitzer Prize-winning stories by Dana Priest that revealed the secret prisons run by the CIA and other unknown aspects of U.S. counterterrorism operations.
Mark H. Ebell ’83 recently retired from the University of Georgia after a long career as a primary care medical researcher and professor of epidemiology. In January, he learned that he was to receive the 2024 Curtis G. Hames Research Award from the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. The award is given to one individual each year whose career exemplifies dedication to research in family medicine over the years. Recipients are honored during the organization’s annual spring conference. Mark’s work has centered on improving patient and physician decision making, primarily around acute respiratory infections, end-of-life decisions and cancer screening. Mark was a Fulbright Scholar at Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 2019 and a member of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force from 2012 to 2015. He resides in Athens, Georgia.
Jack D. Buckley ’85 was recently named president of the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST). Jack is a pulmonologist and critical care physician and a professor of medical education at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine. Previously, he has served as pulmonary and critical care medicine (PCCM) program director at both Henry Ford Hospital and Indiana University, and he also held leadership positions in clinical care at Indiana University Health and as division head of PCCM at Henry Ford. Jack received his medical degree from Wayne State University and his Master of Public Health degree from Indiana University. Jack has been an active and engaged member of CHEST since 1997. He has served in leadership roles across many domains of the organization and currently serves on the CHEST SEEK Pulmonary Medicine Editorial Board. For Jack’s dedication to advancing PCCM education and faculty development, he received the CHEST Master Clinician Educator Award in 2016, and has been an annual Distinguished CHEST Educator recipient since the award’s inception in 2017. He was also the recipient of the Presidential Honor Lecture at CHEST 2022.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently appointed Diane Kreger ’87 to the LGBTQ+ Commission. Whitmer created the LGBTQ+ Commission in June 2023, to ensure that Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community is represented at all levels of government, including its executive branch. The first-ever appointments to the newly established commission are pioneers and leaders in advocacy, activism and education in the LGBTQ+ community. They, along with the structure of the commission, reflect the socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, cultural, gender identity, sexual orientation, occupational, political and geographic diversity of the state. Diane is a psychotherapist who works in private practice with the Arbor Wellness Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Kalamazoo College, a master’s in psychology of education from the University of Pennsylvania, and a post-master’s certification in family therapy from The Philadelphia Center. She was appointed to represent the private sector for a term commencing November 30, 2023, and expiring on November 29, 2027.
Gretchen Knapp ’90 was recently named deputy mayor of Bloomington, Indiana. The deputy mayor oversees daily operations at city hall. Gretchen was previously head of operations and marketing at The Mill, a coworking and business incubator space in Bloomington. After graduating from K, Gretchen earned a master’s degree from Indiana University.
Kimberly D. Osborne ’93 has been inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame at the University of Oklahoma. The Hall of Fame honors leaders in the fields of continuing education and adult learning and serves as a record of inspiration for the next generation of continuing education leaders. Kim was one of seven 2023 inductees into the Hall of Fame. Recognized as a national and international authority in strategic communications, Kim has been an advisor to senior leaders of U.S. and foreign militaries and governments, Fortune 500 companies, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations. She is also the founder and chief executive officer of an international management and communications consulting firm. Kim holds a Ph.D. in adult education from the University of Georgia, a master’s degree in communications management from the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and management from Kalamazoo College.
The Piston Group has announced the appointment of Bob Holloway ’95, previously the president of Piston Automotive, as the new chief operating officer. In his new role, Bob will oversee operations of the Piston Group’s companies. Bob’s career at Piston Automotive began in 2007, as director of program management. He quickly took on additional roles in business development and served in various capacities, including vice president and general manager, before being appointed president in 2019. Prior to joining the Piston Group, Bob worked for a decade at Ford Motor Company in roles spanning product engineering, program management, quality and customer service. Bob earned a bachelor’s degree in physics at Kalamazoo College, a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Michigan.
Joe Wicklander ’02 has joined Old National Bank as senior director of a newly created Financial Institutions Group. In this new role, Joe will be responsible for building a team to focus on providing credit, liquidity, treasury management and capital markets solutions to financial sponsors, hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, asset managers, broker dealers, futures commission merchants, financial exchanges, specialty finance companies and more. Joe brings more than 20 years of financial experience to Old National. For the past decade, he led the Financial Institutions Group for CIBC Bank in Chicago. Prior to that, he held several executive positions at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Joe earned his bachelor’s degree from K and studied accountancy at DePaul University. He also earned an M.B.A. from University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. He is active in his community where he has held—and currently holds—leadership roles for numerous civic and professional organizations.
Dia Bryant ’04 has joined the West Orange, New Jersey, Board of Education. The board unanimously voted to appoint Dia from among 15 applicants seeking to replace a board member who resigned in January. Dia will serve until November, when elections will be held for that seat and two others. Originally from Detroit, Dia holds a bachelor’s in economics from K, a master’s in math education from Brooklyn College, and a doctorate in educational leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She recently stepped down as the executive director at the Education Trust–New York to spend more time with her family. Prior to joining Ed Trust–NY, Dia worked with the New York City Department of Education in multiple capacities for over sixteen years. She was a teacher, school founder, and served as the special assistant to the first deputy chancellor. She has worked and supported system-level school leaders domestically and internationally advising on instructional approaches, school design, equitable school improvement, and change management. Her passions are education, research, data, equity and opportunity.
Benesch, an AmLaw 200 law firm, has further expanded its team in its Chicago office, welcoming Of Counsel Cole Hardy ’06 to the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. Cole is a seasoned technology transaction attorney. His career has been dedicated to helping businesses navigate the complex world of technology, intellectual property, and privacy, enabling them to thrive in a digital age. Over the years, he has had the privilege of representing a diverse array of clients, including startups and established e-commerce, retail, and pharmacy companies. His experience spans various sectors within the technology industry, including software and data licensing, e-commerce, telecommunications, data privacy and cybersecurity. Cole received his J.D. from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and his B.A. in economics with a mathematics minor from Kalamazoo College.
Thomas Cook ’21 recently joined the FOX 17 team as sports director. He will anchor sports on FOX 17 News at 6 and 10 p.m. A native Michigander, Thomas graduated from Kalamazoo College, where he was a four-year member of the men’s basketball team. While in college, Thomas worked on the FOX 17 Blitz team during the high school football season. Thomas went on to earn a Master of Science in broadcast and digital journalism with a focus in sports media and communication from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in Syracuse, New York, in May 2022. Since July 2022, Thomas worked in Lansing as a sports anchor and reporter, covering high school, collegiate and professional sports. While he loves being at the biggest games, Thomas also focuses on telling local stories that impact the community.
Brianna R. Flinkingshelt ’22 recently joined the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) as a research associate in the Systems Evaluation Division of IDA’s Systems and Analyses Center. Flinkingshelt earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Kalamazoo College. IDA is a nonprofit corporation that operates three federally funded research and development centers in the public interest. IDA answers the most challenging U.S. security and science policy questions with objective analysis leveraging extraordinary scientific, technical and analytic expertise.
Marco Savone ’22 was recently featured on a news segment for FOX 17 West Michigan to tell the story of his Italian family-inspired liqueur brand, Cráz Cello, based in Michigan and started in August 2020. With his uncle Dominic Savone and co-founder Jason Verbrugghe, Marco helped Cráz Cello expand to many liquor stores, bars and restaurants across Michigan. Marco serves as vice president of sales for the company. They use their family’s recipe from Italy to create three Italian liqueurs: LímonCello, OrángCello, and the world’s first LīmCello. Marco’s education at K influenced his professional pursuits in many ways.
WEDDINGS
Elizabeth Lamphier ’08 married Ron Patrick on August 3, 2023, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Fellow K grads joined the celebration. Pictured are (from left): Gwen Persons ’08, Elena Brooks-Perkins ’08, Elizabeth (Lamphier) Patrick ’08, and Ron Patrick.
Megan Loyer ’17 and David Lieber ’17 married on October 21, 2023, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They fell in love at Kalamazoo College while members of the Cirque du K club. Madison Perian ’17 was Megan’s maid of honor, and Eric Janowiak ’19, Marlon Gonzalez ’17 and Storm Hunter ’17 were also in the wedding party. In addition, alumni Madeline Woods ’18, Raoul Wadhwa ’17, Erica (Fiekowsky) Dodds ’12, Stephany Perez ’17, Jon Jerow ’17, Reid Blanchett ’16, Hannah (Mason) Storteboom ’18 and Hannah Lehker ’17 attended the wedding. Autumn Buhl ’21 and Liam Tait ’20 (not pictured) also were members of the wedding party.
Shannon Irvine ’18 and Nicholas Marsh ’16 were married in Dearborn, Michigan, on October 28, 2023. Seven other Kalamazoo College graduates were in the wedding party (Reshay Tanasse ’18, Gabrielle Shimko ’18, David Smith ’17, Jacob Scott ’17, Koji Vroom ’17, Riley Boyd ’17, and Zack Ray ’20. The wedding was officiated by William (Billy) Roberts ’16. Following graduation from K, Shannon obtained her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Tufts University in 2022 and currently attends Central Michigan University College of Medicine working toward her M.D. Nicholas Marsh worked on economic development in Detroit, before transitioning in 2022 to Momentus Capital, a national organization focused on investing in underserved communities.
52 vanderberg book
Elaine Vanderberg ’52 recently published her fourth children’s book in a series on overcoming challenges. Cora: An All Alone Girl (Readersmagnet, 2023) is her latest book to explore a common problem that children face and encourage readers to believe in themselves. Cora is an intelligent girl who feels trapped in her family’s poverty. She finds herself and a source of hope in books. Although Elaine grew up with a love of reading, books, stories and news, she never expected to write books. It started when a granddaughter asked for a bedtime story. She eventually published that first story as Chloe: The Left-Behind Angel, and it was followed by Timmy, the Timid Cloud and Sammie, The Sad Salamander.
71 Burkhart book
Brad Burkhart ’71 recently published a book of ekphrastic poetry (poems written about works of art) with Seattle poet Cheryl Latif. Cheryl chose 40 of Brad’s sculptures to write poems about. The book is called Reflexions: Sculpture & Poetry (2023) and is available through BookBaby Publishing. Brad’s art explores the collective, cultural calling many feel to reintegrate intuition with rationality. As an undergraduate art major at K, Brad traveled extensively in Europe, absorbing the profound influences of medieval and Renaissance artists. He was struck by the shift in the art from that period when human consciousness moved from a spiritual orientation to an intellectual orientation. Later, thinkers who addressed the value of integrating intuitive knowing with rational thought began to lend inspiration to Brad’s artistic concept and purpose. The artist’s relationship with nature and ecology led him to also study horticulture and landscape design. He eventually became a leader in native habitat restoration in Southern California. The healing influence of the natural world resonates in many of Brad’s sculptures. Brad began focusing exclusively on this artwork in 2012. He creates clay relief panels depicting mythic, intuitive scenes that seem to offer a story about how to address the deep sense of alienation from self, nature, and one another that many people experience today.
WINTER 2024 CORRECTIONS:
In the Winter 2024 article 50 Years of LandSea, we inadvertently missed mention of one of LandSea’s co-founders, the late Professor Emeritus of Physics David Winch. Winch took LandSea’s helm from 1976 to 1991 and was a pivotal figure for many alumni.
Madeline Costanza ’86 wrote us to say, “Professor Winch WAS the program in the late 1970s and 80s. In addition to his impressive work in science, Professor Winch trained the leaders, rappelled down huge cliff faces, and built LandSea into the institution that it is…There’s at least a generation of K grads who would know nothing of The Cremation of Sam McGee without Dave Winch.”
Pamela Harris Kaiser ’83 wrote, “I remember the dignity and encouragement that David Winch intentionally built into Land/Sea for every student. He deserves to be mentioned in any discussion of the valuable character-building aspects of LandSea.”
Professor Emeritus of Biology Paul Sotherland said, “One image of Dave that invariably comes to mind, not from first-hand experience but from many tales told to me by LandSea alums, is Winch appearing almost magically, and seemingly out of nowhere, to LandSea participants while they were engaged in their solo adventures… Whenever I think of Dave I think of LandSea; whenever LandSea comes to mind I immediately think of Dave.”
We updated our online story accordingly, and included these words from David Winch:
“Students go into LandSea anticipating the exciting individual experiences—the hiking, climbing and sailing. But most students come out with a sense that the biggest benefit is the people. There is an intensity to this experience that helps to develop bonds between us all.”
WHERE’S THE CLASS OF ’68?
Amid the whirlwind of nostalgia and rekindling of old friendships, we somehow misplaced a photo in last issue’s homecoming coverage. Fortunately, we found our photo from the Class of 1968 reunion dinner, and present it here. Hope to see you at Homecoming and Reunion Weekend again soon!
Have a ZooBit to Share?
Did you get married? Have a baby? Get a new job or move to a new city? Tell us about your recent travels, career developments, family updates, mini-reunions or anything else! Photos are welcome. Use our online form or email us to submit a note. If you email, please include your class year.
Constance (Newcomer) Griffith’47 on Nov. 5, 2023. While at Kalamazoo College, she shared the Hodge Prize in Philosophy with Donald Griffith’47. After time, a romance ensued, and she and Don married in 1949. They were happily married for 72 years until Don died in 2022. After marriage, Connie supported Don by working as a telephone operator while Don went to medical school. They had two children and moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in 1957, when Don started his career as a doctor. Connie was a stay-at-home mother and was active in volunteer organizations. She served as president of the American Association of University Women; president of the Women’s Auxiliary to the Eau Claire, Dunn and Pepin Medical Society; and as a board member of the YMCA, University of Wisconsin Foundation, and United Church of Christ. She was active in the League of Women Voters for many years and was a member of a chapter of the Philanthropic Educational Organization, serving as president from 1993–1995. Connie spent a number of years working as a bailiff for Eau Claire County, a job that she thoroughly enjoyed. Connie had a long, full and happy life. She enjoyed reading and decorating her home and loved observing things—people, nature and great-grandchildren, in particular. Even into her 90s, she was a whiz at cards and almost always won family card games. Connie was preceded in death by her husband, Don, and her son, Curt. She is survived by her daughter, four granddaughters, and three great-grandchildren.
Joan (Akerman) Millar’48 on June 11, 2023. Joan was active in speech and drama at K. She was the Christmas reader for the annual Christmas Carol Service in 1947 and co-starred with Jack Ragotzy ’48 in Maxwell Anderson’s The Star-Wagon, the senior play in 1948, presented at the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre. She did her student teaching under the direction of Howard Chenery, a well-known drama teacher at Kalamazoo Central High School for whom the present auditorium is named. Following graduation, Joan taught high school in Wisconsin and Illinois from 1948–1959. She earned her master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin in 1952. Joan stopped teaching to be a stay-at-home mother, yet stayed active in her community. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Alliance, Ohio; Riverside, Illinois; and Pittsburgh, where she was involved in programs assisting those in need. She was a former member of the League of Women Voters, a community theatre director in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and the “Story Lady” on TV in Meadville. Joan drove for Meals on Wheels for 29 years in Pittsburgh. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Millar. Those left to cherish her memory are her son, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, as well as her longtime friend and K roommate, Jackie (Buck) Mallinson ’48, with whom she maintained a close friendship for almost 79 years, from their arrival at K in the fall of 1944, until Joan’s passing.
Melisse Louise (Truitt) Kurtz ’49 on February 23, 2023. On September 6, 1947, she married the Rev. Gordon F. Kurtz ’48, who preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by one son, Stephen. Surviving are three sons, two daughters, including Margaret “Peg” Carroll ’74, four daughters-in-law, and one son-in-law, numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, as well as many other family members, including nieces Laura Kurtz DeBoer ’70 and Karen Kurtz Spielman ’70, nephew David Kurtz ’75, and grand-nephew Andrew Kurtz ’05.
Barbara (Schreiber) Hamlow’50 on October 28, 2023. Barbara graduated from Kalamazoo College and was employed as a feature writer and editor for the company magazine of The Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo. She married the love of her life, Eugene E. Hamlow, in 1954, and they moved to Evansville, Indiana, where she lovingly raised three children. She had six grandchildren. Her volunteer work supported the League of Women Voters, Evansville Deaf Social Services, the United Way, Great Expectations, and Republican Party politics. She will be remembered as an advocate for the homeless who championed a group of volunteers called Lutherans for Habitat and was proud of the many homes they funded and built through Habitat for Humanity of Evansville. Barbara was passionate about the decorative arts, especially needlepoint, and led the crafters who, over a period of several years, designed and created beautiful needlework cushions for the sanctuary of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, where she was an active member.
Barry Taylor Parsons ’52 on October 8, 2023. Barry was a proud graduate of Kalamazoo College. He worked as a bank manager in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and as an advertising manager for BBDO in Detroit. Barry served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was stationed at Madigan Army Hospital in Spokane, Washington. Barry and the love of his life, Lucille Greenwalt Parsons, were married for 63 years. They owned and operated Parsons’ Children’s Store, a very successful children’s clothing and gift store and a favorite of local residents for many decades. Barry was an icon in the community, working well into his 80s at several local banks, and a favorite to all who came in contact with him. Barry was deeply dedicated to his family and loved a good crossword puzzle and spending time in the sun. An avid gardener, he was always finding a unique tree, bush or plant which he would “stick in the yard” so all could enjoy. He was a knitter who produced beautiful sweaters and full-length coats along with countless pairs of mittens; he made amazing, intricate gold bracelets and necklaces; and he was famous for his Christmas peanut brittle and fruitcakes. In his later years, he provided around-the-clock care for Lucy when she became wheelchair-bound. They could often be seen walking outside their home or baking in the kitchen, with Barry doing the work while Lucy provided the instructions. Barry was preceded in death by his wife, Lucy, in April 2023. Barry is survived by his three children and their spouses, seven grandchildren and a great-grandson.
June (Studhalter) Whittaker’52 on March 5, 2023. June enjoyed swimming, boating, family get-togethers and spending time in Florida with her husband, Bill. June raised her daughters, by example, to be loving, caring and kind. All who knew June admired her warmth, grace and her beautiful handwriting. June was the beloved wife of the late William Whittaker, loving mother of three children, cherished grandmother of eight, and great-grandmother of four.
Zelda (Zook) Hittel ’53 on November 1, 2022.
Leslie Edwin Greene’54 on January 4, 2024, at his home in Three Rivers, Michigan. Les was a graduate of Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University after active duty in the Navy. He met his wife, Helen, at Kalamazoo Central High School, and proposed marriage over the phone while stationed in Guam—a short call due to the high international rates. He mailed her an engagement ring, and the couple wed in July 1955. They enjoyed traveling to Crystal Lake and being active at First Presbyterian Church of Three Rivers/Centreville. They raised two children and were blessed with two grandchildren—the lights of their lives. Les was a lifelong private pilot. He was a tinkerer who loved designing, building and fixing just about anything. He also loved cars, reading, music (especially big band and classical), singing, sweets and farming. Les will be remembered as a really good friend, always willing to help others. Les was a retired Navy commander and for three decades taught biology and aviation at Loy Norrix High School. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen. Remaining to cherish his memory are his son and daughter and two granddaughters.
David H. Brethauer ’55 on November 18, 2023, in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. A Kalamazoo College engineering graduate, he enjoyed a successful career as a regional manager for Press Steel Tank Co., earning respect for his work ethic. Beyond his professional life, Dave embraced adventure, from motorcycling to hunting, and was an avid motor home enthusiast. A skilled wood turner, golfer and family man, he was known for his generosity and community involvement. For 30 years, Dave was deeply involved with Alcoholics Anonymous and helped many find their sobriety as a sponsor and facilitator. He was very passionate about his commitment to the organization and how it provided positive changes in people’s lives. Dave is survived by his wife, Alma, two sons, three grandchildren, three step-grandchildren and a great-grandson.
Marion (Johns) Dodson’55 on September 29, 2023, in Longview, Washington. Marion was born in Benton Harbor, Michigan, to Vernon L. Johns and Betty Wykkel Johns ’29. At Kalamazoo College, Marion studied literature, participated in the student senate, and met her future husband, Arleigh Dodson ’55. Their marriage after graduation was the beginning of a 66-year partnership as they raised four energetic boys while exposing them to a world of books, education and adventures. Arleigh’s first, and only, teaching position brought the newlyweds to Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Marion enjoyed a rewarding 13 years with the L&C Institute for the Study of American Language and Culture, where she welcomed visitors, students, and staff, fixed everything from immigration problems to copy machines, and became a second mother to students from around the world. Marion and Arleigh spent their adult lives working to strengthen voting rights in America. In 1967, they moved their family to Greensborough, North Carolina, for a year so Arleigh could serve as a visiting professor at North Carolina A&T State University, a historically Black college. In 1972, Arleigh and Marion took their four sons and 24 brave Lewis and Clark students on an enriching six-month study abroad program to Ghana, West Africa. Marion was a voracious reader and she made sure that her kids and grandkids caught the reading bug. She also loved helping them with homework, attending sports games and taking them on road trips across America. Marion was an empathetic, vivacious woman with a quick wit and a great love for her family and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Arleigh. She is survived by four sons, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Irene T. Olson’55 on July 21, 2022, in Waukegan, Illinois.
Monica Evans ’56 on January 15, 2024, after a long illness. Monica graduated in 1956 with a bachelor’s in biological sciences from K, after having spent the summer of 1955 at the University of Michigan’s Biological Station in Pellston, Michigan. She later earned a Master of Science in 1958 from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Monica returned to Kalamazoo after her studies and worked in membership operations for the Michigan Audubon Society (MAS). In 1960, she began a career at the Kalamazoo Nature Center (KNC) that would span 39 years. She began as administrative assistant, was later promoted to executive assistant, and held the positions of secretary and treasurer. Monica served for 10 years as board secretary for the MAS. She was a lifetime member of the MAS as well as KNC and the Wilson Ornithological Society. For her decades of service, KNC named the Monica A. Evans Arboretum in her honor. Monica had deep empathy and kindness for people and was an avid animal lover. An adept record-keeper and archivist, she documented the feathered visitors to her birdfeeder and entered this data into KNC’s database as a volunteer. Upon retirement, Monica pursued her passion for world travel, as attested by numerous passport books filled with stamps from circumnavigating the globe. Monica visited nearly all the world’s countries, and every country in North and South America. Monica will be missed by many that shared her love of family, cats, friends, nature, travel and art.
JoAnne Elizabeth (Keller) DeVries’56 on October 27, 2023. JoAnne arrived at K in September 1953, on an honorary full-tuition scholarship. She quickly became a part of college life, editing the Boiling Pot yearbook in her junior year and meeting Duane DeVries ’55, who became her husband a few days after he graduated. They moved to East Lansing, where he earned his Ph.D. in English literature and she her B.A. and Master of Science degrees. They then moved to New York City, where JoAnne earned her Ph.D. in microbiology on a full-tuition fellowship from Columbia University while Duane taught in the English department of New York University. She completed post-doctoral work at New York University and worked her way up the executive ladder at Schering Plough Pharmaceutical Co. (now Merck) to become the director of one of its prestigious laboratories. JoAnne loved life and traveled all over the world for her company—and for pleasure, with her husband of 68 years, who survives her and wrote this brief summary of her very full life with tears in his eyes.
Paul Coash’57 on November 23, 2023. Paul attended the University of Notre Dame before transferring to Kalamazoo College, where he was captain of the football team in 1954. Paul received his bachelor’s degree in economics and political science in 1957. Paul met his wife of 66 years, Sue Mattes, on a blind date in 1954. They married in June 1957. Paul and Sue welcomed four children to their family: Todd, Julie, Patsy and Matt. Paul began as a personnel manager at Peter Echrich, then later owned the Budweiser Busch Distributorship in Kalamazoo from 1969 to 1985. He was also the owner of West Hills Athletic Club from 1974 until 1998, when he sold it to Western Michigan University. Paul served as the president of the Notre Dame Club of Kalamazoo and was the past president of the K-Club at Kalamazoo College. For over 50 years, Paul and his family enjoyed summer vacations on the waters of South Haven, Michigan, but his favorite spot was in Naples, Florida, where he and Sue spent over 25 years. They enjoyed many good friendships in Naples, all of whom truly made their winter retreat feel like home. They recently moved back to Westfield, Indiana, to be closer to their family. Paul is survived by his wife, Sue, four children, 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Linda Ann (Leeuw) Johnston’58 on November 30, 2023, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Despite health issues that manifested in the early ’70s, Linda remained as active as possible. She loved her charity work volunteering at the Portage Community Outreach Center, and since she was an avid reader, she enjoyed volunteering at the Portage Public Library. Linda also enjoyed many arts and crafts, including knitting, sewing and refinishing furniture. Her independence and ability to adapt to any situation was a strength Linda was very proud of, but she was most proud of the successes of her three sons. Linda is survived by three sons, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Judith (Pavia) McCabe’60 on November 24, 2023, in Louisville, Kentucky. Judy lived her constant encouragement of “Be nice” and “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Love all people. She lived thinking of others first and helping the less fortunate. She radiated kindness. She loved her family; they were so important to her. She worried enough, no one else needed to. Judy was a great cook, but favored painting, gardening and reading. Her artistic creativity extended from landscapes and seascapes on canvas to painting on silk to her personalized birthday, Christmas, and greeting cards to murals of Star Wars and the University of Louisville Cardinal mascot on basement walls and picturesque scenes on bathroom walls. She saw beauty in everything. Her passing was a blessing as obstacles in life increased and her abilities slowly diminished. Her complaints, if any, were soft. She is now at peace. Judy was a member of Harvey Browne Memorial Presbyterian Church, Louisville, and an affiliate member of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Beulah, Michigan. Beloved wife of James R. McCabe ’60 for 62 years, she was the mother of four children, grandmother of 13, including Nicholas McCabe ’19, and great-grandmother to five. Her sister-in-law, Barb Fowler’57, was the sister she never had.
Judith H. Cooper ’61 on June 2, 2023, at her home in Gustavus, Alaska, in the company of her beloved sled dogs. A biology major at K, Judy joined the Peace Corps in 1964 and served in Bolivia, where she was involved with public health programs. Judy worked in Ashville, North Carolina, for a year, serving disadvantaged Appalachian families. She would have stayed longer, but suffered an aneurism, prompting a move home to Wisconsin while recovering. She moved to Alaska in 1968 to take a job in Hoonah as director of the Parent Child Center. In the early 1970s, Judy took a job with a Juneau Parks and Recreation program for street children. She attended a workshop given by Dale DeArmond, a wood block artist. Leaving the workshop, she told a friend, “I’m going to do this for the rest of my life.” True to her word, she never stopped producing prints, specializing in linoleum block printing and displaying and selling her work in downtown Juneau at the Artists Co-op, which she co-founded. She joined the Laborers Union and went through their training program in Anchorage. She appealed to the union and was singlehandedly responsible for the rule change that allowed women to be flaggers. Soon, she joined the workers on the Alaska Pipeline. After pioneering as a woman on the pipeline, Judy took a cross-country ski trip in the Yukon and was introduced to skijoring and dog sledding. Judy bought a cabin in Tagish, Yukon Territory, becoming a true “snowbird,” leaving her home in Juneau during the winter months for Tagish with her dogs, skijoring then dog sledding. She then moved on to the “Mushing Capital of the World,” Two Rivers, outside of Fairbanks, where she maintained a dog lot, eventually tending to well over 50 sled dogs. She bred dogs for skills as well as color and named her kennel Earth Tone Huskies. Her neighbors on Starr Hill, where she lived for over 20 years, remember her as an active member of the community, including as a dancer and musician in the Juneau Folk Ensemble. Judy was known to initiate and pay for public artwork, including the Chicken Yard Park nun sculpture, and she also contributed funds and labor to the U.S. Forest Service Cabin at Eagle Glacier. One friend recalled that Judy successfully petitioned the Alaska Board of Game to limit trapping in the vicinity of Juneau’s main trail system, saving many local pets from unintentional harm. In 2013, she was welcomed into the community of Gustavus, Alaska, where she sold her cards at local markets, loved attending potlucks and community dances, and participated in virtually every parade with her closest pet, Osa. Judy’s was a good life, well lived. She was predeceased by her parents, Helen (Folsom) ’27 and Garrett Cooper.
Gerald Vernon ’63 on November 2, 2023. Jerry married his high school sweetheart, JoEtta (JoEy) in 1962. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Kalamazoo College and master’s degree in business from the University of Michigan. Jerry spent 18 years working in human resources for Pillsbury in Springfield, Illinois (where son David was born); Hamilton, Ohio (where Douglas was born); Brooklyn Park, Minnesota (where Kent was born); Grand Folks, North Dakota; and Deephaven, Minnesota. He moved on to Banquet Foods in St. Louis, in 1983, and then to ConAgra in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1985. Jerry was an active member of St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church in Elkhorn, Nebraska. He served as finance committee chair, member of the Legacy Society Team, garden volunteer in the lawn mower brigade, and part of the Friday morning men’s Bible study. Jerry especially enjoyed the Christian Outreach Program of Elkhorn Tuesday bread run group (aka Dough Boys) and coffee club that followed with lively conversations that solved the world’s problems. Jerry was loyal and put everyone else first. He was humble, generous, compassionate and never met a stranger. He is preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, JoEy Vernon, and son Douglas. Jerry is survived by sons David and Kent, and seven grandchildren.
Christopher Roy Jocius’65 on June 27, 2023 in Paxton, Illinois. He was a resident of Amber Glen Alzheimer’s Special Care Center, Urbana. Chris attended Kalamazoo College, where, in his junior year, he lived with a family in Münster, Germany, for three months while studying sociology and German. Chris started work on a master’s degree in Russian history at Northern Illinois University before opting to leave school and apply for conscientious objector status. As a conscientious objector, Chris served with the Church of the Brethren Volunteer Service program. He went to Poland for two years as an English language lecturer in the foreign language department of the Agricultural University of Warsaw. When he returned to the U.S., he completed a master’s degree in Russian history at the University of Kansas, then a master’s degree in library science at the University of Illinois, where he was the manager of the Information Service program in the Library Research Center for several years. Chris also managed a year-long special project for the State Library with two other librarians, reviewing library services in the prisons of Illinois. While at the University of Illinois, Chris became an active member of Urbana-Champaign Friends Meeting. In 1989, Chris moved to Aurora to become the reference librarian at Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. During his 14 years in the Chicago area, he was a much-loved member of Downers Grove Friends Meeting. In 2003, Chris became the head of the library reference department at the Missouri Institute of Science and Technology, a job he held for 10 years. When he retired, he moved back to Champaign and rejoined the Urbana-Champaign Friends Meeting. Chris is survived by his brother and sister-in-law and two nephews.
Harold G. Schuitmaker’65 on November 26, 2023. Harold attended Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University, attaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1965. He received a Juris Doctor degree at Wayne State University Law School in 1970. His dedication and legal acumen were recognized with the Region 8 (Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana) Outstanding Student Award from the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity. On a warm August day in 1966, he wove the threads of his destiny with Zoe Verhage, his beloved life partner. Harold’s professional career began selling real estate. Harold proudly served as the president of the State Bar of Michigan Probate Council. He clerked for the honorable Judge Marjorie Luna and then began working for the law office of Horace Adams. In 1980, Harold founded his own legal practice and also entered the political arena, running for Congress. His commitment to public service extended to his role as the longest-serving district chair of the Republican Party. He served as an elder of his church and taught Sunday School together with his wife for over 15 years. He was a member of the Paw Paw Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow, was involved in the incorporation of the Kal-Haven Trail and supported the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy and SLD Read in obtaining 501(c)(3) status. Harold was a kind, gentle and loving soul. His intelligence shone through, his optimism infectious, and his sense of humor, reflected in endless bad jokes, a source of shared laughter. Surviving are his loving and faithful wife, Zoe, his dear daughter and two grandchildren.
John Lansford Moore ’66 on November 19, 2023, at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland. John was a dedicated and accomplished individual with a profound interest in economics. John earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Kalamazoo College and later received his Ph.D. in natural resource economics from the University of Michigan. His intellectual curiosity and commitment to the field were evident in his numerous publications throughout his illustrious career. One of John’s most significant professional accomplishments and sources of pride was his over 30-year tenure at the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress. He served for many years as the director of the Resources, Science, and Industry Division and its predecessor division, where his expertise and insights made lasting contributions to the field of natural resource and environmental policy. Beyond the world of academia and his career, John found enjoyment in the simple pleasures of life. His love for sailing and golf was infectious, and he never missed an opportunity to invite others to share in these passions. Michigan held a special place in his heart, and he reveled in spending summers sailing at Beaver Island with his two daughters when they were children. Later, he enjoyed time on his beloved sailboat in Annapolis with family and friends, as well as playing chess with his grandchildren. John was preceded in death by his parents, Lansford “Bud” Moore ’40 and Jane Moore ’40. He is survived by his loving wife, Bela Moore, and his two daughters. His memory will live on through his four grandchildren.
Barbara King Paxson ’67 on January 19, 2024. Barbara was a lifelong artist and a lover and maker of lyric beauty. She studied arts and cultures at Kalamazoo College and went on to excel in graphic arts at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. Her master’s thesis spanned the connections between African art and South American traditions. She gained a second master’s degree in Seattle, with an emphasis on art history in Native American cultures. She made three extended trips to West Africa, serving in the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone and in the Vista program in the Virgin Islands, as a research assistant to an anthropologist, trekking into the bush to study Mende culture, and then once again in the Peace Corps. These efforts infused her art with energy, color and variety for the rest of her life. She was also a passionate advocate for peace and justice. Nature itself inspired her, from the seashells and leaves to the shaping of the seasons. She did freelance work as an illustrator for botanical and medical journals, as well as Parabola magazine. Much science informed her work. Barbara’s art has left its lasting blessing for many of us. Her delicate, detailed illustrations bloom in medical texts, cultural books, children’s magazines and art studies. Her watercolors, collages, mermaid figurines, decorations and prints grace galleries and walls all across our country. She illustrated works of craft from indigenous American people and worked with Potawatomi basket makers, going with them to the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., to demonstrate their art. Such bestowals are the legacy of a determined, industrious, illumined heart enraptured by life’s beauty.
Dana Sterling Getman ’68 on October 15, 2023. Dana was a dedicated businessman and leader who spent his professional career at Getman Corporation, a family business that under his leadership grew from a small, regional manufacturer of construction and mining equipment into one of the most recognizable brands in underground mining worldwide. Dana worked at Getman Corporation for over 45 years, joining the company in 1968, at age 22, and retiring from a full-time role in 2013. He remained chairman of the Board of Directors of Getman Corporation at the time of his death. Over the final 10 years of his life, Dana turned his attention more fully to his lifelong passions of community service and philanthropic work. He was a key contributor to multiple organizations and causes, including holding leadership roles with Youth Development Company, the Covert School Board and the South Haven Center for the Arts. He was instrumental in the creation of the South Haven Recreational Authority, contributed to the establishment of the Van Buren County Senior Services Center in South Haven, helped lead efforts for the funding and construction of the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven, and established the Getman Endowment for Equity in Women’s Athletics at his alma mater, Kalamazoo College. Dana touched the lives of many with his compassion, helped young entrepreneurs gain footing with new businesses, provided advice and counsel whenever asked, and had an open ear and an open mind for anybody who needed it. He raised his children to be their own selves, never judging, always supporting and encouraging, and he welcomed sons-in-law and daughters-in-law with the same love as his own children. He cherished his wife and their time spent together discussing countless things. Dana is survived by his wife, Teresa, eight children and 14 grandchildren.
Lee William Kaslander ’68 on December 6, 2023, on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada. His old lungs could not fight off the pneumonia that followed a bad bout of stomach flu. Lee attended Kalamazoo College, which included six months of foreign study in Erlangen, Germany. He and partner Chris (Owens) Ast ’68 then moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, where Lee earned a Master of Science in chemistry. Instead of continuing in chemistry, he decided to join the new computer center in the Saskatchewan government. He spent the next 25 or so years working in the IT industry in Saskatchewan, Yukon, British Columbia, Washington state, California and wherever else he was sent. Lee found his true calling when he took a motorcycle safety course and decided to become a certified motorcycle safety instructor in Washington state. Over the past 20 years, Lee taught about 9,000 students and worked with 171 other instructors. These were truly his people and this was his joy. Lee loved motorcycles – riding and owning them, teaching others to ride them, watching them race, following the riders and teams, visiting bike shops, talking to “like-minded fools” about them, taking solo motorcycle trips and trips with his wife, Bev, and the “bike gang.” Other fun facts about Lee: his favorite song was The Weight by the Band; his “backup plan” was Stevie Nicks; he kept stats on motorcycle racing, his motorcycle classes, baseball, books he’d read; he was a reader and read The New Yorker from cover to cover; he was a grammar and punctuation purist and believed in the Oxford comma. He loved a good “debate.” He was a smart, funny, good man, and he will be missed by so many people. He is survived by his wife, Bev Franks, two sons, and four grandchildren, as well as Chris Ast, the mother of his sons.
Kenneth Howard Quigley’69 on October 23, 2023, at home in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. He received his bachelor’s degree in English from Kalamazoo College. Ken started his own marketing and public relations firm, Quigley and Associates, in 1977, and ran it until 1995, when he became president and CEO of the Morehouse Group, a publisher serving the Episcopal Church. In 2002, Morehouse Publishing was acquired by Continuum International. Ken continued to serve as the U.S. CEO of Continuum International Publishing Group until 2005. Ken joined the Episcopal Church Foundation, New York City, in July 2005, as program director overseeing the growth and development of endowment management services. In his role, Ken counseled churches on defining purposes, building structure, growing endowment funds and business development. In addition, Ken has served in many capacities, including as the board president of the St. Vincent’s Center for Disabled Children in Haiti. Ken is survived by his loving wife, Patti, two daughters, three step-children, four grandchildren and four step-grandchildren.
Gail Hunt Henry ’70 on October 18, 2023.
Michael Schonfeld’70 on January 5, 2024, after a brief, gracefully walked journey with liver cancer. Born in Detroit in 1948 to Miriam (Hougom) and Jack Schonfeld, Mike grew up with his four siblings in Imlay City, Michigan. His German and Norwegian ancestors arrived in the Great Lakes region in the 1800s, a time when numerous land cessions and treaties were negotiated with or contested by tribal nations. His parents farmed muckland, taught piano and showed him to care for and love all people and the land. Mike loved sports and worked hard as a student, graduating from Wayne State Medical School in 1974, and completing residency at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing in 1977. A great joy was building a log cabin in remote Ontario with his brother Pete Schonfeld ’75 and friends Jim Clay ’70, Bill Struck ’70 and Jeff Fishel ’76. He and Lucy (D’Arcy) were married almost 50 years ago under a maple tree near Lucy’s family farm in Imlay City. They moved to Reedsburg, Wisconsin, where he practiced family medicine and they raised three children. It was his joy to serve and learn from his patients in their journey from early life through to meaningful death. He always wanted to hear your stories and share some of his, which, at least started with the truth. He was close to God in wild places and lived a life of love and adventure. Even last year, he spent many nights sleeping in wilderness areas, and he enjoyed passing on skills to the next generation as an archery and hunter safety teacher and devoted grandpa. Mike is survived by Lucy, their children, Darcy Schonfeld ’99, Sally, and Paul, their partners, five grandchildren, and beloved family and friends.
John H. Deming’75 on March 2, 2023. John did not want an obituary. His obituary rests with the memories of everyone in the Grand Ledge, Michigan, community whose lives he touched.
Paul Burkett ’78 on January 7, 2024, from sudden complications of acute myeloid leukemia. Paul attended K and received his Ph.D. in economics at Syracuse University. His teaching career began at Syracuse and took him to Auburn Correctional Facility in New York, the University of Miami, and Indiana State University, from which he retired in June 2020. An intellectual and scholar, Paul published many books, journal articles, notes, reviews and book chapters in his field. He felt his most important books were Marx and Nature: A Red And Green Perspective (1999) and Marxism and Ecological Economics (2006). He was passionate about his work, socialism, the planet, justice and jazz. He began playing the saxophone when his son Patrick died, as a way to cope with deep grief, and proceeded to bring to his study of the instrument, of jazz, and of music in general, the same focus and fierce dedication he brought to his academic work. Calling himself PapaPatty in honor of Patrick, he played in many venues all around the Terre Haute, Indiana, area for almost two decades. Paul was preceded in death by his youngest son, Patrick. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Suzanne, three children and two granddaughters.
Caroline Sue Vernia’82 on August 21, 2021, at her home in Raleigh, North Carolina. Carrie studied philosophy at Kalamazoo College, where she was editor of the school newspaper and earned the Henry and Inez Brown Award for outstanding participation in the college community. In 1982, she received a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship that provided the opportunity for her to spend nine months living in Thailand with Hmong refugees. She moved to Raleigh in 1992, and began working with Lutheran Family Services, where she continued her service with the refugee community in the triangle area. She later switched paths and achieved an M.S. in forestry at North Carolina State University, subsequently working as a research technician in the plant pathology department, where she authored and co-authored several articles with a focus on North Carolina fungal ecosystems. In 2005, she combined her desire to help others and her love for science by becoming a teacher at Sanderson High School, where she taught science, English as a Second Language, and night school before her retirement in 2017. After retirement, she continued to serve others through her work with P.E.O. International, the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, the JC Raulston Arboretum, and Brown Bag Ministries, among others. She was overjoyed to become a grandmother in 2020. Carrie had a gift for finding the good in everyone, and a passion for social justice and education. She was a dedicated educator who encouraged and inspired many. Above all, she will be remembered for her kindness and compassion. Carrie is survived by her daughter and grandson.
Edward Monovich’92 on December 27, 2023. Alongside a ready laugh and smile, Ed shared a love of people and an easy conversation style with his role models, his grandfather and namesake, Edward Peter Monovich, and father, Robert Edward Monovich. Ed valued family, tradition and connection, as well as exploration, adventure and experimentation. He was nimble with words and concepts and passionate about education, mountains, sports, dogs and art. He is remembered as a dear friend, devoted father and husband. Ed earned his Bachelor of Arts from Kalamazoo College with a double major in biology and studio art. After earning his Master of Fine Arts in painting and drawing from the University of Texas at Austin, Ed began his career as an artist with solo and group shows across the country. Ed’s early career work encouraged the viewer to interact with or contribute directly to the art, a theme he maintained through the rest of his life. Ed’s recent work showed locally in Boston, across the U.S., and internationally in South America and Europe and reflected his interest in additional media such as print making, bronze casting, mixed media, sculpture and performance. Collaborative and interdisciplinary projects with artists and scientists marked his later work. Since 2011, Ed enjoyed connecting with students and faculty as a dedicated and esteemed professor of art at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. He married Lauren Gilchrist ’93 on October 5, 1996, in Stetson Chapel at Kalamazoo College, and the pair lived in Texas, Colorado and New Jersey before settling in Belmont, Massachusetts, in 2004. In addition to his wife, Lauren, he leaves his three children and many other family members, including his brother Robert C. “Chris” Monovich ’87.
Meredith Metzler ’97 on July 21, 2023, after a courageous battle with cancer. Meredith double majored in mathematics and physics at K and went on to complete additional studies at Cornell University. In 1999, he married his wife, Kelly (Riley) Metzler ’97, and they welcomed two sons, Riley and Kieran, during their 24 years of marriage. Meredith worked in a variety of positions at the Cornell NanoScale Facility, the Quattrone Nanofabrication–Singh Center for Nanotechnology, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology over his professional career. He also participated in many working groups and planning teams in his scientific interest areas. Meredith enjoyed his time volunteering with scouting and his son’s robotics team. He was a car enthusiast and delighted in fixing cars, spectating at amateur rally racing and attending professional races. Meredith’s other hobbies included cycling (proudly completing two charity century races), tackling house projects, taking his sons to concerts and spending time with friends. He is survived by his wife, Kelly, two children, and many caring family members, colleagues and friends.
Mary Dawn Ponce Ramos ’97 on January 4, 2024. Dawn graduated from Mount Carmel School in Saipan, Kalamazoo College, and received her master’s degree from Emerson College in Boston. She worked as a senior biller for Barclay Damon. Dawn enjoyed reading and loved traveling and trying new foods. Dawn is survived by her partner, Timothy Diehl.
Edwin O. Salvatierra ’16 on September 15, 2023. Edwin majored in East Asian Studies at K and studied abroad in Hikone, Japan. He lived in Sylmar, California.
Faculty, Staff and Friends of the College
William Andrew (Andy) Reed on November 22, 2023. Andy spent many years in Kalamazoo, enjoying a career as sports information director at Kalamazoo College from April 1985 to February 1989 before relocating to Atlanta, Georgia. He spent much of his time in Atlanta coaching local high school swimmers and tutoring university students in English and philosophical studies when he wasn’t spending time farming or baking bread at home. Andy will be remembered for his dedication to his hobbies, his love of sports (from football to futbol), and his appreciation for and consumption of all fields of knowledge. He is survived by his longtime partner, Gail Zorn, and two sons.
When Tim Meier ’78 lived in Trowbridge Hall, just to the right of the stone etched, “The end of learning is gracious living,” he had a very particular vision of what gracious living meant to him at that time: “A veranda overlooking a body of water and having somebody on staff bring me fancy drinks.”
Meier acknowledges that this is not how his life turned out, and yet, “what I’ve found is that gracious can mean filled with grace. I’ve found a lot of grace in being able to witness, to accompany, to laugh with, and to cry with folks who would otherwise not have someone there.”
Supported by mindful self-care, that grace—along with other lessons learned at Kalamazoo College—has carried Meier through earning graduate degrees in philosophy, immunology, theology and molecular neuroscience as well as becoming a Jesuit priest, working in biological research, joining the military, and serving as a chaplain in a children’s hospital. He has studied the body and brain and journeyed alongside soldiers traumatized by war and families grieving sickness and death, all without losing his faith or his sense of humor.
Along the way, Meier has sung for a pope, played piano in a neuroscience lab, taught college students and organized weekend retreats for recovering addicts.
In conversation, Meier is dryly humorous and self-deprecating, full of entertaining stories, and matter-of-fact about his complicated history with alcohol and his tendency to distract himself with long tangents.
His email signature offers a glimpse into his many accomplishments: S.J., Ph.D., M.A., M.S., M.Div., Th.M.; Former Chaplain (Major), U.S. Army, California Army National Guard; The Order of California (2018).
Yet when asked how he prefers to be identified, Meier said, “At some point, people started calling me either Doctor Father or Father Doctor Tim. When I joined the military at 51, I decided, I’m Captain Doctor Father Tim. Then when I got promoted to major, I didn’t like the way Major Doctor Father Tim sounded, so I kept the captain. When I was in the army, people would call me Chaplain or Chappie. At the hospital, I’m usually addressed as Father Tim.
“But mostly, I’m just Tim.”
Meier first considered joining the Roman Catholic religious order the Society of Jesus when he was in high school at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy. A Jesuit teacher there advised him to go to college first—if he had a vocation, it would wait.
So, in summer 1974, Meier headed across the state to Kalamazoo College for a two-week orientation program. He had always loved science, and he planned to major in biology, his favorite subject area. Participants selected three possible areas of study for the orientation, and Meier chose math, history and music.
“It turns out that (Professor of Music) Russ Hammar took anybody who had put music in any spot, and he made a little orchestra and chorus to perform Mozart’s Misericordias Domini,” Meier said. “In two weeks, we were able to put this together and have a little concert, and I found that I really liked doing music. It hit me that if I could also major in music, I didn’t want to look back 40 years down the road and say, ’Oh, I wish I had done that.’ I don’t have the talent to make music my life’s work, but I knew that music was in my soul.”
Tim Meier ’78 recalled that as a student, “I gave my senior recital the first Monday of senior quarter. I invited the whole campus. I put a little invite in everybody’s box in the mail and my piano professor got really mad, because about 40 minutes before showtime, the recital hall was filled, and people were still coming. He said, ‘What is this?’ I told him, ‘Oh, I invited everybody on campus.’ He said, ‘But we’re going to have to do this in the theatre. You’ve not practiced in the theatre!’ He went into conniptions, but lot of people showed up, and I had a great party afterward.”
Meier appreciates that Kalamazoo College was a place where he could double major, study abroad in Spain, perform independent study in biblical Greek, and audit German classes simply because he was interested.
“I am so glad that I was able to major in music and in biology, and I think Kalamazoo College was one of the few places where I could get a really good education in both. I’m grateful that was not just a possibility, but that it became my reality.”
During study abroad, Meier began to get serious about the call he felt to the priesthood. When he returned, he contacted the Jesuits without telling any of his family or friends. Upon graduation, he received offers for a Heyl Graduate Fellowship to Yale (available to K graduates in certain fields) to study pharmacology, a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to study orchids in Colombia and Venezuela, and an invitation to the Jesuit order.
“I told my parents that I was going to become a Jesuit, and my dad said, ‘Don’t you think you should go to Yale first?’” Meier said. “It was an option, but I opted not to.”
On September 3, 1978, Meier joined the Jesuits. The formation of a Jesuit priest encompasses five stages and can last more than 15 years. For Meier, the process would span almost 30 years.
First, he spent two years in the Novitiate stage, learning about community, ministry, the Society of Jesus and Ignatian spirituality and making a 30-day silent retreat, the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, before pronouncing vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
For the second stage, First Studies, Jesuits at that time studied philosophy for two years. Meier enrolled in the Jesuit philosophy program at Loyola University Chicago, taking piano lessons at Mundelein College and singing countertenor each Sunday in the Episcopal Church a few blocks south of campus (the rest of the choristers sang in the Lyric Opera Chorus).
“I had never had philosophy as a course while I was at Kalamazoo College, so here I am doing a master’s degree in something I had never studied before,” Meier said.
The third stage of Jesuit formation, Regency, involves active ministry, often teaching. Meier wanted to teach biology, and in order to do so, his next step was to attend Georgetown University as a student, where he earned a master’s degree in immunology. He then taught biology for three years at John Carroll University in Cleveland.
The fourth stage, Theology Studies, is a final step toward priestly ordination. Meier proceeded from John Carroll to the Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he earned both a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology. While earning the second degree, Meier—who has been clean and sober since 1979—began assisting another Jesuit in giving weekend retreats to people in 12-step programs. He wrote a thesis reflecting on that experience, titled “Toward a Theology of Recovery from Addiction.”
Celebrating his doctorate in molecular neurobiology with Robert Sapolsky and his family. Meier worked in Sapolsky’s lab at Stanford.
Meier still wasn’t finished with his formal education. From Cambridge, he headed to Stanford University in California, where he intended to continue his study of immunology. Once he arrived, however, “There wasn’t anything going on there in immunology that caught my fancy.
“I heard this guy give one of the best lectures I’d ever heard, so I went to visit him, and from down the hall, I could see a studio upright piano in his lab. I decided, upon seeing the piano, I don’t care what this guy does, I need to work with him. And it turned out that he was doing molecular neuroscience, something I had not done. It was a fabulous experience in his lab.”
At the end of his second year at Stanford, Meier also organized a recital of biologists in music at Stanford, which started small, with 30 or so people, but grew quickly, with a crowd of more than 300 by the time of the sixth recital in the fall of Meier’s fifth year.
“We had spectacular music, and it was really, really fun, until the chair of my department, who was also on my doctoral thesis committee, put a kibosh to it,” Meier said. “He said, ‘You’re spending too much time doing that, not enough time doing your degree.’ I don’t know about the too much, but it’s true I was not rushing the degree because I knew I would have to go back to the Midwest, and I was really enjoying living in a place where some flowers bloom outside all year round. It took me seven years to finish my doctorate.”
Performing a voice recital at Xavier University in 2001—his first time taking voice lessons and performing since Kalamazoo College.
After a year of post-doctoral work at Stanford, Meier taught biology at Xavier University in Cincinnati, where he was able to take voice lessons and gave his first voice recital since college.
In 2002, Meier returned to Stanford as undergraduate research coordinator and director of the honors program in biological sciences.
“That was my dream job,” Meier said. “I was able to keep doing some research, I did some teaching, and I did administration—which is not my idea of a great thing to be doing, but it enabled me to do the other things. I was back in California, and I got to interact with amazing folks. It was fun that several of the folks in the department were unsettled by the fact that I am professionally religious, except they couldn’t gainsay my credentials to be there, because they had given me those credentials.”
While working at Stanford, Meier started the last phase of Jesuit formation, Tertianship, in 2005. (While Jesuits typically start this year of reflection and discernment about five years after ordination, Meier had been ordained 14 years prior.) A significant piece of Tertianship entails making the Spiritual Exercises again in another 30-day silent retreat.
“Much to my horror, in the midst of that silent retreat, it became clear to me that I was supposed to join the U.S. military,” Meier said. “I’m old enough to have had a draft number for Vietnam, which was really unsettling, despite the fact that by the time I got my draft number, the draft was effectively over. Still, I had wanted nothing whatsoever to do with the military, except that, in the summer of 2005, this comes up.”
Meier with a helicopter pilot during his service overseas as a military chaplain.
The call to service, Meier said, was incontestable.
“January of 2006, I actually wind up meeting with military chaplain recruiters. Then October 2006, all of a sudden, I’m G.I. Tim, and I had been accepted into the U.S. Army as a captain in the Chaplain Corps. No one was more surprised than me to find that going on.”
Meier spent June through August of 2007 in basic training at age 51.
“It was not my idea of a really good time,” Meier said. “Doing pushups on fire ant hills at five in the morning was not how I imagined my golden years were going to begin.”
In June 2008, Meier embarked on the first of four overseas deployments.
“I had a lot of reservations about joining the military; one of them was that I ‘have more degrees than a rectal thermometer,’ according to a friend whom I had trusted (at least up to that point),” Meier said. “I was afraid that would be a bar against junior enlisted personnel in particular being able to derive benefit from my being around. Ironically, junior enlisted got along with me really well. It was the officers who had trouble with the fact that I had so much education. I know a little about a lot of things—and I really am grateful to Kalamazoo College for nurturing that in me.”
In fact, Meier found he could lean on his molecular neurobiology knowledge to help service members understand what happens in the human brain in situations of stress and trauma. It also helped him develop coping strategies for himself, particularly to manage the traumatic stress of deployment and the 189 helicopter missions he went on.
“Not only do I not like war movies, I really don’t like roller coasters,” Meier said. “Too often, the aircraft would start doing—let’s say acrobatics. A couple of times, I learned after the fact that the acrobatics were the crew trying to get Chappie to barf. Other times they weren’t. And I found that, as this thing is doing its bucking bronco imitation, if I could force myself to take just three mindful breaths in a row, I could feel a teeny tiny bit less stress. The more I forced myself to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth slowly, it felt better for me.”
As everyone in the helicopters wore ear protection, and Meier was not usually connected to the intercom system, he found that he could sing without anyone hearing him, and that also helped him get through difficult flights.
“I made up a little ditty that I would sing based on the words from one of the songs that I sang at my senior recital at Kalamazoo College, Green Pastures. It’s kind of a riff on the 23rd Psalm, the Lord is my shepherd sort of thing. That helped a lot, too.”
On one mission in Iraq, Meier noticed a helicopter pilot “in the Darth Vader helmet” had a purple stuffed Beanie Baby attached to his uniform. “I just thought that was the best thing; it was so incongruous. I did not think I could get away with a purple Beanie Baby, but I wondered if I could find one that would be less immediately discernible.”
At the time, the Army was regularly confiscating stuffed animals because they were being used to disguise improvised explosive devices, so bags of them sat in the chaplain’s office.
“I went and emptied this box out on to a big table—there had to be 100 of them there,” Meier said. “I saw Mr. Bear, who was sort of brownish tan. I began putting him in one of the pockets on the body armor that I was wearing. Several noncommissioned officers would get a little aggravated, like, ‘I’m sure that’s not authorized.’ My response would be ‘Oh, thank you, sergeant,’ and I would just keep doing it. A lot of the junior enlisted soldiers thought that my having Mr. Bear was really funny. On my next three deployments, I decided to take him with me. I was never ordered not to have him with me, and I liked having him around.”
Meier sits on a chair believed to have belonged to Iraq’s late dictator, Saddam Hussein, at al-Faw palace in Baghdad.
Meier turned 60 on his fourth and final deployment, which ended in 2016. He worked for the State Military Department, overseeing chaplains from the Army National Guard, Air National Guard and California state militia, until April 2018. As Meier accompanied service members and veterans on their journeys from trauma toward healing, while simultaneously working to process his own experiences, he began to see how gracious living could mean offering grace to yourself and others.
From there, Meier moved to Los Angeles, where he helped at a Jesuit parish on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood for a few months before being assigned to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles as a chaplain in June 2019.
As the only Roman Catholic priest at one of the top pediatric facilities in the country, Meier was called on frequently to minister to families with extremely sick children.
“I meet families at some of the most difficult times they might ever have,” Meier said. “I’m really aware that Messiah is not part of my job. I physically cannot effect positive change in this situation. I cannot heal the child. I can’t take on or take away anybody’s pain. But what I’ve learned is, I’m good at accompanying people through at least part of this journey. I’m grateful that I have had the opportunity to journey with these folks.”
Sometimes an old friend did the journeying with Meier.
Meier reads the Gospel during Mass outside the Church of the Black Madonna in Letnica, Kosovo, in August 2013. Meier read the Gospel in English after it had been read in Albanian and Croatian to the large crowd gathered for the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“I’ll bring Mr. Bear around, and I’ll show the child pictures from deployment and mention that Mr. Bear didn’t really like flying on aircraft, but I liked having him with me,” Meier said. “I tell them that if Mr. Bear got scared, he would pull the cover of the pouch he was riding in over his head so he could hide, and he’d feel safer, and he’d still be with me, so I’d feel safe, too. The kids and even their parents seem to think that’s funny.”
At the hospital, Meier leaned on his K experiences in a way he never saw coming. His year in Spain, which had no direct connection to what he was studying, brought him to a point of fluency in Spanish that—with some work to re-establish proficiency—has helped him communicate with families whose primary language is Spanish.
“I’m really grateful that Kalamazoo College set me up—in a good way— for something I never would have imagined I would be drawing on 45 years later.”
There are good days and bad days at Children’s Hospital, times of grief and loss that brought Meier back to the trauma and powerlessness of deployment as well as “some spectacular, indescribably wonderful, joyful outcomes.
“Recently, there was a patient on the palliative care list and everybody was convinced this patient was at death’s door. Now it looks like the patient may go home this week. And everybody’s baffled except for the patient’s mom, who really believes that this was a miracle. There are wonderful outcomes and there are some that are really, really sad. I find it fraught because it takes a lot of psychic and spiritual energy for me to be able to detach with love and recognize that I can’t make things better. Working at the hospital takes a lot of emotional intentionality and a lot of self-care on my part.”
The mindful breathing he practiced on Black Hawk helicopters is an essential part of Meier’s self-care.
After four overseas deployments over 10 years as a chaplain, Meier also worked for the State Military Department, overseeing chaplains for two years.
“When I was in grad school, if the concept of mindfulness came up, the received wisdom among neuroscientists was that these people are claiming really spectacular benefits, and they must have a screw loose,” Meier said. “But since I left Stanford, there’s been a lot of research published in really excellent peer-reviewed journals indicating the benefits of simply breathing mindfully. It doesn’t need any sort of meditation component or religious or spiritual context; just the breathing itself leads to statistically significant drops in the levels of circulating glucocorticoids, which was, ironically, what most of the people in my lab at Stanford were looking at.
“Mindfulness has been a really important component of my program of self-care and of spiritual exercise, if you will. And that helps me to be able to go to work and be present to folks who need someone maybe just to be there in silence.”
In silence—and in grace. Always, for Meier, from the Kalamazoo campus, through classrooms and research labs, on the battlefield, to hospital rooms echoing with grief or joy, he finds and shares that grace with others.
And as for his own next chapter? The future is somewhat uncertain. During a recent medical evaluation of his traumatic stress injuries, Meier was surprised to receive a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, he was encouraged to leave employment at Children’s Hospital since the many stressors there were aggravating prior traumatic stress injuries. Whatever lies ahead for Meier, however, he is sure to lean on grace. As he has journeyed alongside so many others through difficulty and struggle, he now embarks on his own next journey with a lifetime of truly gracious living to accompany him.
“I am grateful beyond words for my time at Kalamazoo College, for the rich educational challenges and opportunities, and for lifelong friendships and satisfying memories. I continue to pray in thanksgiving, daily, for everyone associated with Kalamazoo College.”
Singing for the Pope
In 1982, Tim Meier ’78 spent a summer living in the Jesuit Community of the Papal Palace at Castel Gandolfo in Italy, headquarters of the Vatican Observatory, studying late-type red giant stars.
“At night I would go into the central spiral staircase of this palace that had been built in the 16th century and sing,” Meier said. “The acoustics were fabulous.”
One evening, a chance encounter with two young people who stopped to listen to Meier singing led to a connection with their grandmother, Herta Paczoska, who was a childhood neighbor of Pope John Paul II. Thanks to German classes he had audited just for fun at K, Meier was able to communicate with Herta, who spoke German in addition to the Polish her grandchildren spoke exclusively.
“They tried to teach me to count to 10 and to say the days of the week and the months of the year in Polish, and they would laugh their heads off at my inability to get it right,” Meier said. “Having audited German at K allowed me to interact with their grandmother, and long story short, she arranged for me to sing for the pope at a Mass in his private chapel.”
Meier only learned of the arrangements the night before he was to sing in the morning.
“I had not brought any sort of clerical garb with me,” Meier said. “So, then there’s this mad dash to find clerical garb, and longer story short, one of the guys had a polyester leisure suit and a clerical shirt that had been wadded up in a ball in a bag on the floor of his closet. So now it’s 1:30 in the morning, I have to be there at 5, and I am trying desperately to not melt the damn suit as I run an iron over it to try to get the wrinkles out.”
Meier sang Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life by Vaughan Williams and American hymn-turned-folksong How Can I Keep From Singing?
Afterward, L’Osservatore Romano, the official public affairs office for the Vatican, took photos of Pope John Paul II meeting Meier as well as each pilgrim in attendance. Meier later visited L’Osservatore Romano headquarters and bought prints of himself shaking hands with the pope.
“I got several prints,” Meier said. “I brought them back to the States, and I took one and had a negative made. With that, I made a photo Christmas card that said, ’Merry Christmas from the two of us.’ And that’s what I sent out that year.”
