Culver Spring 2017
Alumni Magazine
The Spirit of Culver
Photos Mo Morales.
SARAH GEORGE ’17 (SPIRITUAL LIFE CHAIR):
“My role as Spiritual Life chair incentivized me to make living beyond reproach my mantra.”
FRO M THE E D I T O R
Leading From the Inside Out In the fall of 1973, my first year as a Culver teacher, I had a habit
Minerva’s owl, a sword held in one hand, blade down, a shield with
of walking around campus in late afternoon, which is when I first
the Culver C and an eagle with outstretched wings sitting astride it.
saw Minerva, the “Spirit of Culver.” She was located to the right
As a young teacher, I felt a strong connection with Minerva, as if her
of the Pershing stairs, set on a concrete base looking to the west,
wisdom, strength, temperance and courage could be mine too if I
and below her was a water fountain, powered by an underground
had the determination and resilience to earn them. I visited Minerva
spring. She was stately, even with the toll that time had taken, cov-
for the next 40 years whenever I needed to stop, pause and reflect
ered from helmet to sandals with long green streaks. Immediately,
on my journey as a teacher and later as Dean of Faculty. She was a
I stopped, then stepped back to admire her.
steady reminder to me that wisdom is never gained without struggle.
A student of mythology, I remembered Ovid’s description of her as
The “Spirit of Culver” that Minerva symbolizes develops and
“a goddess of a thousand works,” representing traits such as
matures in all students as they make their journey through Culver.
wisdom, strength, courage, champion of causes and war. Culver’s
They learn to be leaders “from the inside out,” first from learning
Minerva looked like a guardian crafted for Culver, an eagle replacing
how to be followers. They experience the incremental steps of
NICK CEFALU ’17:
“Being able to explore my faith gave me the ability to accept different points of view.”
listening, observing, practicing and reflecting, much of which
‘outside,’ through word and deed.” The first is the Troopers’ and
entail learning how to process frustration and disappointment and
Equestriennes’ preparation for and participation in the Inaugural
turn it into forward progress. They cultivate the virtues of moder-
Parade, which began months before and involved commitment to
ation, strength and courage to earn hard fought knowledge, and
mission, sacrifice, and teamwork. The second is a closer look at the
ultimately, wisdom. All of these “process” moments lead to a fuller
broadened offerings in Spiritual Life, which focus on the integrated
sense of not only who they are but how they can contribute to the
mind, body, and spirit model in which students’ sense of leadership
“common weal” by becoming leaders themselves, performance
is sharpened through their beliefs, which in turn determine their
models of the “Spirit of Culver” for others to follow.
actions and example.
In this issue, we are highlighting two areas in which Culver stu-
What does the “Spirit of Culver” mean to you? Share your story
dents exhibit the “Spirit of Culver” and the process of “leading
on the Culver blog at news.culver.org or send me an email at
from the inside out,” which Dr. Sam Boys defines as “to discover
kathy.lintner@culver.org
and articulate beliefs and values and then radiate these values
— Kathy Lintner
Culver Alumni Magazine
CONTENTS ADVANCEMENT OFFICE Chief Advancement Officer Holly Johnson
ALUMNI RELATIONS Director Alan Loehr Jr. Legion President Dr. Anna Kantzer Wildermuth ‘83 LaFayette, Indiana CSSAA President E. "Ted" Foster W'89 Columbus, Ohio
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COMMUNICATIONS Director/Strategic Marketing Bill Hargraves III ’77 Editor/Culver Alumni Magazine Kathy Lintner Asst. Director/Publications Jan Garrison Website Manager Trent Miles Publications Manager/ Museum Curator Jeff Kenney
DEVELOPMENT Director Mike Hogan Director/Annual Fund Thomas Mayo ’75
A dash of Culver
A LEGACY OF Culver’s 17th LEADERSHIP appearance in the
The opening of a new restaurant in Culver, the Lucrezia, is actually a multilayered convergence of Academies-related service, inspiration and a touch of Serbian royalty.
presidential inaugural parade was a high honor, but for the students, the performance moment of riding down Pennsylvania Avenue was much more than that. It was the result of months of grueling training, team-building, and rebounding from frustration and failure. It was learning to lead from the inside out.
INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR Tony Giraldi ’75
MAGAZINE DESIGN Scott Adams Design Associates
PHOTOGRAPHY Lew Kopp and Mo Morales
PRINTING AND MAILING West-Camp Press
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On Our Cover Students admiring the 1929 “Spirit of Culver” sculpture, Culver’s version of the Roman goddess Minerva, the only campus sculpture created by a woman, Helen Doft. Cover photo by Lew Kopp
Culver (USPS 139-740) is published by The Culver Educational Foundation, 1300 Academy Road, Culver, Indiana 46511-1291. Opinions are those of the authors, and no material may be reproduced without the editor’s written consent. Postmaster, please send change of address notice to Culver Alumni Office, 1300 Academy Road #132, Culver, Indiana 46511-1291.
Volume 93 / Issue 2 / Spring 2017
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Culver After Dark: A Look at Campus Life After Dark What do Culver students do to pass the time during the bleak midwinter nights that stretch from December through March? It turns out — plenty!
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Gen. Gignilliat In Context When one hears the name General Leigh R. Gignilliat, images arise of his connections with the Black Horse Troop, inaugural parades, the Logansport Flood and Culver Legion. But his work in developing an expansive and progressive educational program for young men has stood the test of time and earned him the rightful title of educational leader.
Departments 1 From the Editor 6 Views & Perspectives 32 Alumni Class News 36 Our Sporting Alumni 38 Culver Clubs International 40 In Memoriam 52 The Final Word
Spirituality at Culver: A Personal Oasis Culver takes the word ‘spirit’ in its mission statement very seriously by providing a variety of integrated programs, traditional services and contemplative practices that allow students to explore life’s most important questions about faith, meaning and purpose.
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MISSION
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Culver educates its students for leadership and responsible citizenship in society by developing and nurturing the whole individual – mind, spirit, body – through an integrated curriculum that emphasizes the cultivation of character.
Your Letters Dear Kathy, The magazine arrived today. As usual, it is the first item in the mailbox that I open. And, as may be typical of those of us “of a certain age,” I begin at the In Memoriam section. Thanks for taking on the task as Editor and for continuing the tradition of excellence with your own long and distinguished career at Culver. I continue to look forward to every issue.
Dear Editor, I noted with some sadness the passing of Mr. Firari — Culver’s great quiet hero of life and theatre. If you asked my classmates which teachers at Culver impacted my life most, they would quickly list Dr. Bayless, Mr. Haase, Mr. Davies, and Mr. Samuelson. (And, there is also a more covert list of the wonderful staff members who helped type my news articles and a few papers. Unfortunately for me, they ethically kept to my original spelling and grammar.) Few would know the amazing impact that Mr. Firari had and continues to have on my life as a man, educator and appreciator of theater. This is because I was terrible in the one play he cast me in — a play he wrote. Speaks to his generosity and kindness that he never held that disappointment against me. I will never forget when I learned decades after my graduation that the impact was certainly not equal, but mutual. I may have spent far less time with Mr. Firari than most of my Culver mentors, but the fruit has been disproportional. Good-bye, great Culver man. Patrick Moynihan ’83 Troop B
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I was unable to attend my 70th class reunion after having previously missed only two of them. “Back, back to Culver days...” John Cook, 1946 Brother of Edwin Cook, 1948 Uncle of Judy Cook Albright, 1976 (deceased) We are a proud Culver family.
the article concerning our new Head of Schools, Jim Power. I thank you for your efforts and look forward to future issues. Kevin Danti, Senior Instructor in Humanities
Dear Kathy; Hi Kathy, The most recent alumni magazine seemed as though it took a quantum leap into the future. The layouts were far more sophisticated, rivaling those I have grown accustomed to seeing within my University of Pennsylvania Alumni publication. The quality or selection of imagery created a complement to the text that had not always been as prevalent within previous publications. Lastly, the most recent publication’s content invited us into life at Culver, creating a greater sense of belonging. Specifically, the stories seemed to be selected with an eye toward re-enforcing the notion of Culver as a family. The best example of this notion could be seen by both the format, images, and levity within
What a shock to flip open the cover of the Winter Alumni Magazine and see that striking picture of the crew members! It brought back memories of my very favorite Woodcraft class activity picture: Major Jack Spencer, fishing instructor, leading a class of Chipmunk campers, long, bamboo poles upraised on their way to The Lake. They, too, were in a long line. Thank you for bringing back that 1970s memory! Enjoyed the issue very much! Nice layout, nice variety of activities, well-written articles. You have done a great job on this issue! Continued success for the forthcoming ones! Dick Zimmerman WC Indian Lore
MARKYOUR YOUR CALENDARS! CALENDARS! MARK
Summer Homecoming Weekend
July 14 - 16, 2017 Honoring all 50-year Alumni
Go to Culver.org/Alumnievents to register now, or call the Alumni office at 574-842-7200.
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Put on your plaid and book your space , at the 70s Bash
Join the Culver classes of the 1970s for the ’70s Bash 2017 in Music City, Nashville, Tennessee!
Oct. 20-22, 2017
At the Renaissance Nashville Hotel 611 Commerce St., Nashville, TN Call Marriott Reservations, 888-236-2427 and reference the GROUP NAME Culver Academy ’70 s Bash Room Block, and the dates 10/20 -22/17, to reserve your room today!
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V I E W S A N D P E R S P E C T IVE S
To Serve Them All My Days
Thirty years ago, I stumbled upon a book called “To Serve Them All My Days” written by R.F. Delderfield. It’s the story of a young British soldier, Powlett Jones, who after World War I returns to England shattered, suffering from what we today would call “PTSD” — post traumatic stress disorder. Powlett Jones manages to land a position as a history teacher at a rural boarding school, and he throws himself completely into the life of the school, into the lives of the students. In the process of giving so utterly of himself, he is gradually healed; over time, through the countless interactions with students and colleagues and the relationships that developed as a result, he slowly becomes the teacher and the man he was meant to be. Delderfield strikes a theme that is often hidden in plain sight: to find ourselves we need to lose ourselves in the service of others. After reading “To Serve Them All My Days,” it hit me that no educational institution has quite the same impact as does a boarding school, and as a result, I’ve been fortunate enough to live and work at boarding schools of one stripe or another for most of the past three decades.
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Yet, even relay runners who run the middle legs do so with the end in mind, and so I’d like to offer a few thoughts about what our ends are, about what success might look like at Culver, since even at first glance, notions of success are so deeply built in to the DNA of the School: We don’t want our students to pass school and fail life. So what will the students in this chapel, students who may well be working in the year 2070, what will they need to flourish in that future world beyond Logansport Gate? This evening, on our first gathering together, I offer three suggestions: First, our students will need social as well as academic skills. It is a bit unsettling to remember that we share 97% of our DNA with baboons. Social scientists are quick to point out that it is not the biggest or strongest baboon who succeeds. The most successful baboon is the biggest and strongest “coalition builder.” If the same holds true for us as well, how then, do we teach “emotional intelligence”? How can we help you become good partners, parents, leaders, spouses, and difference-makers? Second, we need values. No institution is more intentional about trying to inculcate these qualities than Culver is. The Cardinal virtue that demands particular attention is courage. I keep a picture of the “Cowardly Lion” in my office as a daily reminder that, “It’s what makes the muskrat guard his musk!” Aristotle understood that courage is more like a muscle than an intellectual activity; it needs to be worked in order to develop, and that means we can’t wait until we are 42 to develop our courage muscles. We have to ride the bike of courage every day, especially at Culver, where leadership development is so central to our identity and to our mission.
Photo by Jan Garrison
Head of Schools, Jim Power, was installed on August 23rd. The following is a segment of his Speech:
Leadership roles, like so much in life, are transitory. While the baton is within our grasp, we give it our very best, knowing that in the fullness of time, we, in turn, will pass it along to another runner. Tonight’s Installation ritual, while bringing together today’s community, is also a recognition of those great runners who have put us where we are today.
It’s easy to sing about the importance of academic and social skills, about values, and about fostering a positive world view. The tougher question to ask is, “How do we do this?”
Third, we need to help you develop a positive, affirming world view, so that you recognize the truth that you each have a role to play in making things better — whether it is as presidents, accountants, teachers, community builders, or little league coaches. We want you to be “weather-makers,” as Mr. Battersby might put it. The positive world view acknowledges that while the world is fast, flat, fluid, it is
I offer two approaches: First, everything, everything, everything is about relationships, and that means we have to focus on the individual.That is not as easy as it sounds in a school of our size. When the now retired NBA star Allen Iverson was first being recruited by high schools, the then fatherless 13 year old asked one question of each of the admissions officers who hounded him, “Who is going to look out for me?” Iverson offered a question that usually gets asked wordlessly in schools, but we need to listen for it; we need to look for it in the faces of one another. Second, stories are key. As an English teacher, I know that stories are a great way to promote values, skills, and world views. We all have our own stories, stories we have enjoyed, stories that have made us cry, stories that have shaped or influenced us in countless ways. I hope we will have the chance to share our stories with one another, as we together become a part of the larger story of Culver, which is in itself a part of the ever expanding narrative of hope. As Isaiah points out in this evening’s reading, “...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles...” Like Eagles...
NOT only a dog-eat-dog environment; that each of us is called to live a life of service and purpose, however we may define that service; that we will never lead great lives if we are willing to settle for just the good life. It’s easy to sing about the importance of academic and social skills, about values, and about fostering a positive world view. The tougher question to ask is, “How do we do this?”
I will end this evening with heartfelt thanks to everyone here, but especially to the Powlett Joneses in our midst, those who have served and who continue to serve dutifully among us, the folks who have that vocational sense that allows them to thrive in a rural boarding school. I am profoundly grateful to all of the dedicated souls, whose sense of devotion to the girls and boys of Culver reminds me of the power and of the impact of Delderfield’s novel, and of the existential importance of “serving all our days.”
PS: I am looking forward to meeting many of you at the One Culver events, reunions, and
parents’ weekends. I also encourage you to stay connected to news.culver.org, where you will find many great Culver stories. If you have thoughts, suggestions, or comments about this, or anything else, please feel free to share those on the blog or email me at jim.power@culver.org
A delicious blend of Culver service — with a dash of royalty
Lucrezia Culver’s renovated interior, with a focus on more open spaces and light.
The opening of a new restaurant in downtown Culver by parents of a 2010 grad is noteworthy in itself, but it turns out the genesis of Lucrezia Culver is actually a multi-layered convergence of Culver Academies-related service and inspiration...and even some literal Culver royalty. Nada and Michael Karas, parents of Nina Aleksandra Karas ’10 had no intentions of opening a third iteration of their highlyregarded Italian eateries. Back in 1998, the couple traded long commutes and lucrative-but-hectic-careers for something of a gamble: that the small Indiana city of Chesterton could support a quality dining establishment, previously lacking there. Despite having no restaurant background, the Karases opened Lucrezia Cafe in 1998, followed by a second locale, Lucrezia Italian Ristorante, in Crown Point, Ind., five years later.
Crown Prince Alexander Karadjordjevic´ of Serbia photographed while attending Culver.
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In the meantime, the Karases became involved in the Chicago branch of the Lifeline Humanitarian Organization,
which supports the work of HRH Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia. The princess’ husband is Crown Prince (then of Yugoslavia, today’s Serbia) Alexander Karadjordjevic´, who attended Culver in 1959-60. While at a dinner with the royal family in Serbia, Nada learned from the prince of a Serbian boy slated to attend Culver Summer Schools later that year. Tony Giraldi ’75, Culver’s Chief International Officer, notes Culver’s ongoing sponsorship of Serbian youth attending CSSC grew from his friendship with the prince, which dates back over 30 years. Culver, explains Giraldi, works with Prince Alexander to select the students and pays all costs for their attendance, with the exception of airfare. When Nada Karas learned the latter, she told the prince, “We’ve got you covered.” And when Nina Karas heard of the need, she raised the needed airfare funds in just one day, through co-workers at Coyote Logistics in Chicago. While in Serbia, Nada also met young Vladimir Vasiljčin’s mother, who tearfully expressed worries regarding her son’s well-being in a new, foreign country for summer camp. “I explained that my daughter went to Culver and it’s a wonderful place, that he would have nothing to fear, and that Culver will be a great experience for him,” says Nada.
“I promised because we live only an hour away, we would be his pseudo-parents.”
Vladimir Vasiljčin visiting the Culver stables.
True to their word, Nada and Mike Karas picked up Vladimir at the airport and made frequent visits during his summer at Culver last year. One day, taking him out on permit, the couple found a favorite Culver restaurant, the popular Corndance Cafe, permanently shuttered.
News of a new fine dining establishment in Culver was welcomed by members of the Culver Academies community and the local and lake communities as well. Culver has long been known for its dining establishments, and losing two major ones — Corndance and its sister eatery and brew pub, Evil Czech, whose site is now being developed by a Culver graduate into a new brewery — left a significant dearth. “The people in the community have been so gracious and kind,” says Nada. “People have been coming up and thanking
On a whim they called the realtor handling the building and were surprised at how reasonable the price was, says Mike. “We negotiated a price with (the former owners) and about eight weeks later closed on the loan and got the keys.” Michael and Nada Karas, owners of the new Lucrezia Restaurant in Culver. Between them is their daughter Nina Aleksandra Karas `10.
us for opening the restaurant...I got tears in my eyes; that’s so special to us.” Themselves former members of the Culver Parents Board, the Karases acknowledge some unfamiliar with the community might find it a risky prospect for a restaurant. “I tell people, we get Culver as parents to a Culver student,” Nada adds. “We get what goes on with the Academy: the sporting events, the social events, the big parents’ weekends. We understood the ebbs and flow of Culver.” That said, the couple never expected to open a restaurant here, and there’s no question they wouldn’t have, had it not been for their daughter’s experience as a CGA student and their relationship with the school as a result. The new Lucrezia Cafe casts a warm glow on downtown Culver.
Lucrezia Culver opened in December, 2016, just a handful of months after the Karases purchased it. They say they plan to add rooftop, outdoor dining to the building at 117 S. Main Street.
“I hated to see Nina graduate,” notes Mike. “It meant we didn’t need to go to Culver anymore!” Nada concurs. “There’s something very mystical, very magical about being in Culver; it has always felt very calm and soothing every time I’ve come here.” — Story and photos by Jeff Kenney
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The drop down ‘Experiences’ Menu explains Culver’s three schools
The drop down Menu contains much of the basic information pertinent to potential students, faculty, and staff
Planning for the new site was done in collaboration with a committee of some 30 Culver constituents, and response from students, faculty, and staff to test
The year 2016 saw 551,000 site visits with an average length of three minutes per visit. “At an institution like Culver, we consider it a responsibility to tell the Culver story in a way that helps people connect and engage with the school,” says Trent Miles, Culver’s Website/Digital Media Manager. Part of that responsibility is also responsiveness of the site’s design; roughly half of its users access Culver.org from mobile devices such as tablets and phones.
Such is the driving principle behind the brand-new Culver.org, some two years in the planning, design, and execution.
It’s well known to all who have set foot on campus that when it comes to Culver, seeing is truly believing.
Take a “Tour” of the new Culver.org!
Attractive lifestyle photos are in abundance throughout the site to visually tell the Culver story
The My Culver drop down menu is the entrance to a robust integration of information tailored to the individual user, whether alum, student, staff, or faculty member
“With our best ambassadors being our alumni, they now have a excellent online resource to share their story with interested families and friends. Culver Academies’ online presence is the gateway to people globally connecting with our school, says Culver’s Director, Strategic Communications, Bill Hargraves’77.
versions of the new site have been overwhelmingly positive. This is the first phase of Culver’s online redesign. Culver’s mobile app is getting a revamp with a robust integration of information tailored to the individual user, whether alum, student, staff, or faculty member. Also, for those alums concerned about losing the current alumni portal need not worry. It will stay in place, with plans to enhance and strengthen it already in the works.
Seeing is Believing...Our New Culver.org
The footer celebrates our location behind the corn silk curtain while providing quick access to the most trafficked areas of the website
Calls to action are included throughout the site
Content was rewritten to connect better with prospective students and parents. Basic information is front & center resulting in an enjoyable user experience
Colorful video and still images conveying not only the beauty of the campus, but especially the dynamism of its students, faculty, and programs
PLACING G EN ER AL G IGNILLIAT ‘IN C ONTEXT’
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Culver instructors tour European World War I sites in preparation for a new course and centennial commemoration.
Former commandant Col. Kelly Jordan (2008-2013) discusses the importance of Gen. Leigh Gignilliat’s book, “Arms and the Boy,” to Culver and beyond as the United States began to prepare for war in 1916. Here is a look at how Jordan became fascinated with Gignilliat.
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When Culver alumni hear Gen. Leigh Robinson Gignilliat’s name, larger than life images come to mind. The Black Horse Troop, presidential inaugural parades, the Logansport flood, the Veterans Day Ceremony, and the creation of the Culver Legion as the official alumni organization are just a few.
Instead Culver developed a program that was positive and constructive; showing that, by giving adolescent boys responsibility, along with the proper direction and guidance, they could become effective young men and leaders by the time they graduated at age 18.
But classifying Gignilliat as an educational leader does not enter the conversation. But it should, according to Kelly Jordan, a former commandant of cadets. Jordan believes Gignilliat’s biggest contribution to Culver may be his development of an educational program that was — and still is —“progressive, expansive, and has stood the test of time.”
It is what Gignilliat wrote about as early as 1911, Jordan said, and went into greater detail in his book “Arms and the Boy,” speaking at a major educational conference in Milwaukee. In fact, his research shows that Gignilliat probably wrote more about Culver’s educational philosophy than his two successors, Col. W.E. Gregory and Gen. Delmar T. Spivey, did combined.
Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood and Gignilliat watch the Culver cadets during a training session. Wood visited campus to see Culver’s preparedness system in action.
Jordan said his interest in Gignilliat began when he asked Head of Schools John Buxton if there was something he could read to help him understand Culver better. Buxton gave him the second edition of “Arms and the Boy,” which had been reprinted in 2003. Jordan quickly read the book before the 2008-09 school year started. Kelly Jordan talked to Troopers and Equestriennes during a special ceremony honoring Gignilliat in the fall of 2016.
Jordan has spent the better part of a year researching Gignilliat. What he has found is that Gignilliat went against the conventional wisdom of the early 1900s that advised “sitting on” teenage boys (the term adolescence was coined in 1904 as part of this philosophy) until they grew out of their reckless stage.
“After the first 100 pages, I was hooked,” Jordan said. He was also working with John Yeager, the director of Culver’s Center for Character Excellence. Jordan, who is also a history professor, said he discovered through Yeager’s strength finder test that he prefers to have things “in context.” And putting Gignilliat and “Arms in the Boy” in context became his mission. Ironically, he wasn’t able to start his research until he left Culver to take the position of vice president of student affairs at Holy Cross College at Notre Dame.
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What he has found is a treasure trove of documents and letters in the archives of Indiana University, University of Wisconsin, Wabash College, and Harvard, among other sources.
Culver developed a program that was positive and constructive; showing that, by giving adolescent boys responsibility, along with the proper direction and guidance, they could become effective young men and leaders by the time they graduated at age 18.
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Jordan said he found it interesting that the first section of “Arms and the Boy” lays out Gignilliat’s philosophy in elegant prose. But the rest of the book becomes more programmatic and somewhat disjointed. He believes this is because Gignilliat asked one of Culver’s English instructors, possibly Capt. F. L. Hunt, to assist him with either writing or editing the opening section, which was originally intended to be one chapter in another book about educating adolescent boys. Gignilliat originally submitted an earlier draft, which the editor of the book, University of Wisconsin education professor Michael O’Shea, and the publisher, Bobs-Merrill of Indianapolis, were not happy with. Jordan found letters between those parties picking Gignilliat’s first draft apart. But, Jordan said, O’Shea did a masterful job of asking Gignilliat to rewrite the piece. And Gignilliat humbly admitted his first offering was not very good. He took to the task again and the second draft, which was longer than O’Shea intended, was so well-crafted that both the editor and publisher did not ask for any changes after that. But “Arms and the Boy” was not Gignilliat’s first attempt at explaining Culver’s philosophy. Jordan found two articles on Culver written by Gignilliat for Scientific American as early as 1905, one covering the military academy and the other summer camp. These articles were “workmanlike,” Jordan said. But then he wrote an “eloquent” piece on the education of boys in 1911. Four years after that article, Gignilliat was presented with an honorary master’s degree in education by the president of Trinity College, Flavel Sweeten Luther. That honor helped validate Gignilliat’s educational philosophy publicly and privately. “You have to remember that he had only been superintendent for five years,” Jordan said. Luther visited Culver several times during this period and must have liked what he saw, heard, and experienced. Jordan believes that Gignilliat, who received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Virginia Military Institute before coming to Culver in 1897 at the age of 22, honed his educational philosophy while serving as commandant under Col. Alexander Fleet. Fleet would later become his father-in-law, and Capt. William A. Fleet, his brother-in-law, became his aide.
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Jordan (center) with the first seven graduates to earn Holy Cross College’s minor in Leadership & Management, a program he designed and directs.
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The younger Fleet is a key player, Jordan believes, because Gignilliat may have been more of an introvert than most people think. Known as soft-spoken, Gignilliat sent Fleet to Washington, D.C., when it came time to do the personal sales pitch for the 1913 Inaugural Parade. Fleet was the first person to go to Washington to help sell Culver’s role in the preparedness movement. A Congressional battle was brewing over which institutions should handle the training of the troops — of whether to just rely on the service academies or to allow state militias to assist. The Culver family and Gignilliat were strong believers in the state militia concept, going so far as to privately fund a training program on campus, which received praise from military personnel like Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood. Gignilliat sent Fleet to Washington with galley proofs of “Arms and the Boy” to distribute to select members of the military and Congress. That resulted in the book’s introduction being written by the Secretary of War Newton D. Baker in 1916. Gignilliat knew “Arms and the Boy” would fit right into the preparedness debate. And he wanted the Culver educational
philosophy out for everyone to read. But the original chapter he had written for O’Shea was languishing while the editor waited for authors of the other chapters to finish. He asked Bobs-Merrill to print his chapter as a stand-alone piece. The publisher was interested, but asked him to expand it. He quickly did so, sometimes working 18-hour days, finishing the rest of the book in just three months. This is when the change in the writing style occurs, Jordan said. But the book never becomes the best-seller Gignilliat had hoped. But “Arms and the Boy” did raise the stature of the school as a leader in education and military training. That, in turn, increased Culver Military Academy’s enrollment during a time when other military schools were struggling. And it also raised Gignilliat’s stature, as he became a familiar name in both the educational and military circles for the next 20 years, and he carried the torch for Culver, the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), the American Legion, and its international counterpart, the Interallied Federation of Veterans. He also eventually rose to the rank of brigadier general in the reserves. Not bad for a soft-spoken gentleman from Savannah, Ga. — Jan Garrison
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Ryan Smith Photography
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pirituality at Culver:
A Personal Oasis As with so many aspects of its leadership
model, Culver in recent years was faced with a critical choice regarding its approach to spiritual life on campus: to take the easier, simpler route, or embrace the challenge of fostering a robust, effective, but more complex integration towards a fuller “whole person education.” As Academic Dean Kevin MacNeil notes, Culver chose the latter. “Even church schools don’t do what we do,” MacNeil points out, adding that Culver’s expanded and assimilated current approach to spiritual life grew from examination several years ago of Culver’s mission statement. That statement focused on “mind, character, spirit, and body,” says MacNeil, which gave the school an opportunity to hone in on growing a cross-pollinization of those elements towards “an integrated, holistic person,” in developing its revised mission statement. The easiest route would be to simply make religious observance an optional matter left to Sunday morning sleep-ins.The slightly more challenging route: continuing to require students attend some sort of religious event — generally Protestant chapel or Catholic Mass — each week.
The path requiring the most labor, but ostensibly with the greatest “payoff ” in terms of authentically holistic education? Fostering a truly integrated Spiritual Life model.
“Culver takes the ‘spirit’ in its mind, spirit, body mission very, very seriously,” explains Head of Schools Dr. Jim Power, “and we do this by giving our students a chance to explore life’s most important questions, questions about faith, meaning, and purpose. While we don’t in any way indoctrinate our students, we do want them to explore and perhaps even grapple with the existential issues life throws at us in a safe and supportive environment.” The mission of Culver’s Spiritual Life program is reflective of that commitment. It reads, in part, that the program “supports Culver’s mission by providing a variety of integrated programs, traditional religious services, and contemplative practices to help students develop their spirit, define their values, and demonstrate their character in relationship with the global community.”
Culver Leadership: Flowing from the Inside Out Today’s reconstituted mission has taken into account the changing face of spirit and religious life in the world today, something welcomed by the Rev. Dr. Sam Boys, Culver’s Director of Spiritual Life and the center of a department unprecedented in its offerings and support of students’ spiritual needs. “Spirit is not just, ‘I go to chapel for 45 minutes a week and I can check off my box,” says Boys. “Even now it’s starting in the classroom. Religion is part of spirit, but spirit is something much deeper; it’s the core of our authentic selves.” Leadership, explains Boys, “flows from the inside out, and Spiritual Life at Culver helps students connect with this ‘inside’ — to discover and articulate their beliefs and values — and then radiate these values ‘outside,’ demonstrating these values through word and deed.”
“I see a direct correlation between our cadets who do well here and their strong sense of faith,” he says. “I believe that this belief in something bigger than themselves helps them to deal with challenges and serves as a reminder that everything happens for a reason.”
An array of new options, supporting staff Molly Singewald ’17 says that Spiritual Life at Culver “offers a facilitated but yet independent system for students to find themselves and what spirit may mean to them.” And, she adds, “The faculty and other adult volunteers that help with spiritual life are the best. I have developed some great relationships.” Among positions added at Culver in recent years are those of Catholic Youth Minister, Protestant Youth Minister, and Associate Youth Minister. And while options to attend Interdenominational Christian Chapel and Roman Catholic Mass are longstanding on Sunday mornings at Culver, regular offerings of the student-led Philosophers’ Café (which allows students to dialog through the beliefs of various religious and philosophical traditions) and Constructive Meditation join regular Jewish Shabbat Services, Islamic Studies, Hindu Service, and the Seekers’ Service. The Seekers’ Service, a 16-week program, involves attendance at each tradition reflected on campus, with follow-up reflection and discussion of the experience, with the goal of participants’ formulating their own Statement of Belief.
A cadet reading siddur, a Jewish prayer book
“Our beliefs shape our identity, which, in turn, determines our actions, choices and decisions as global leaders.”
Boys believes that students’ authentic engagement in whichever stream of belief, or spirit, in which they are immersed only reinforces their engagement with the core tenants of Culver’s leadership model.
Leading from the inside out
Regimental Aide to the Chaplain Angelo Pecorelli ’17 echoes these sentiments: “Our leadership style and ideals come from our core values and our values come from our beliefs, from our spiritual life. There you find your core values and what you stand for. Those same values are the ones that you use to lead and be an example for others.”
Culver’s Commandant of Cadets, Capt. Mike Neller, makes the observation that a number of recent and current student leaders in CMA are also individuals active in pursuit of their own spiritual development.
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Ryan Smith Photography
Culver’s expanding sense of Spiritual Life also informs the character of students holding leadership positions.
An Oasis in Culver Life First classman Tommy Schacht arrived at Culver an atheist, and for his first three years as a student, attended Philosopher’s Cafe. “I liked that it allowed you to grow, but not necessarily in confined ways,” he says of the program. Eventually, Schacht’s conversations with other students in the program convinced him that the existence of God is not an unreasonable proposition. Earlier this school year, he was baptized a Christian. Along the way, he began attending Constructive Meditation, he explains, which includes discussion of the backgrounds of various types of meditation, though he notes that, “For the most part the goal in terms of meditation is to reflect and to be an oasis in the busyness of Culver life.”
Making time to pause and reflect
Providing that “oasis” is an important goal of the Spiritual Life program’s integration into the flow of life at Culver, Sam Boys emphasizes, and has become part of Culver’s regular, integrated Wellness offerings, aimed at circumventing some of the stress of academic and athletic pressures and freeing students to grow into the fully realized leadership opportunities offered at Culver.
A worldwide model for religious diversity The increasing intentionality and growth of Culver’s Spiritual Life programs has also led to a new entry in Culver’s “Forge Your Future” series of videos. “Lighting the Way” was developed to showcase the philosophy behind the program, and its application in the lives of students, faculty, and staff. The video is available online at vimeo.com/channels/forgeyourfuture/195455000. Mike Turnbull, Culver’s Director of Admissions, welcomes the video and the growth it reflects. “People first come to campus and see the chapel and think we may be a religious school,” he says, “And I say, ‘No, but we are open and accepting of people from all religious traditions.’ It’s good that the video is student-centered and...reflects the spectrum of belief at Culver.”
Culver’s cultural and religious diversity — and the plethora of opportunities for students to immerse themselves in it in a learningoriented, dialog-centered manner — provides a truly unique experience for students of all faiths, and none at all. First classman Nick Cefalu’s journey through a variety of Spiritual Life offerings at Culver, particularly including the Muslim service, embodies lessons learned from that diversity in action. “The ability to accept and learn different point of views — to see the bigger picture — is a leadership quality that I have been able to learn through Culver’s amazing Spiritual Life program,” he says. Hallin Burgan ’17 calls the diversity of services “crucial” and emphasizes it provides an important service for students in their post-Culver life. “Stereotypes can be very powerful in communities that don’t have as much exposure (to religious and cultural diversity),” he says. “Having this exposure to different religious traditions definitely helps in the outside world.” “Every one of us will eventually come face to face with experiences that will challenge our faith and our world view,” adds Power, “and we want to do everything we can to prepare our students for this step in their journey.” — By Jeff Kenney
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A LEGACY OF LEAD
Marking the 104th anniversary o the Troop’s first Inaugural appearance in
Jeff Scudder ’81
A
S SHE TURNED THE CORNER onto Pennsylvania Avenue, Jordan Parker ’17 sat astride her horse, feet in the stirrups, heels down, back straight, chin up. In the lowering light of a late winter afternoon, mist hung heavy in the air. Streetlights and spotlights illuminated the foggy scene. Even over the cheering crowd, Parker could hear the clip-clop on pavement of four score of horses in front and behind her, and the loudspeakers announcing the appearance of Culver Academies’ Black Horse Troop and Equestriennes. “It was surreal,” the Equestriennes co-captain recalled. “We all caught our breath, realizing what we were about to do. Every trivial pain, every coldness, it just left. How I felt wasn’t important. I was just so taken with the magic of the moment.” It is a magic moment, the culmination of seemingly endless hours of work and preparation to participate in the peaceful transition of power from one president of the United States to another.
DERSHIP
On Jan. 20, 2017, Culver Academies proudly upheld this esteemed tradition, as 96 boys and girls along with their 80 horses marched in the inaugural parade of the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
Photo by Jeff Scudder
of n 1913
There on Pennsylvania Avenue, they knew, too, that by virtue of working toward and participating in the parade, they had themselves grown as people and leaders — developing substance over style.
LEADERSHIP – FROM THE INSIDE OUT Leadership at every level is a defining quality of the Culver experience, as noted in the Culver Code of Conduct: “My aim in life is…to lead by example and take care of those I lead.” This quality came into play not only during the public execution of riding down Pennsylvania Avenue, but in the small steps that a cadet or a co-ed had to take every day in preparing for the performance.
“One cadet had practiced with the same horse for four months, and then the day we were leaving, his horse came up lame. He had never ridden the spare horse, but he remained calm throughout the day. Although not comfortable with the situation, he finished on a positive note and with a big smile on his face.” Mark Waller, Director of Horsemanship Instruction
Adams Photography
“The spirit of leadership actually began four months prior,” said Mark Waller, Director of Horsemanship Instruction. “First, the students had to commit to the event. They all understood what it
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Culver Equestriennes are “eyes left” as they pass the presidential viewing stand.
meant to make this commitment and the sacrifices they might have to make.” In this way, they were learning that, to lead others, they first had to lead themselves. Horses and riders were then matched not only in partnership but in their position within the formation. The horses were exposed to ever-increasing levels of noise and commotion to get them ready for the parade experience. At various times, there were smoke machines, the Culver band playing nearby, and other distractions. The riders and their mounts also made practice walks through the town of Culver to partially simulate the upcoming event. “Horses are the best leadership aid on campus,” said Ed Little, Director of Horsemanship Operations. “It takes a lot of courage to walk up to a horse, pick up his feet, and groom, saddle, and bridle. If there is a weakness in your courage or confidence, the horse will make all the decisions.You cannot fake it with a horse, and the same is true for managing people.”
The Equestriennes pause for a group photo during students’ visits to the monuments and iconic buildings of Washington, D.C.
Equestrienne Co-Captain Parker ’17 acknowledged that being a leader isn’t as easy as some people may think.
Tim Montgomery, Mentor Counselor CMA, Student Life and Counselor, Black Horse Troop B, agreed.
“We held our teammates to a very high standard and sometimes they fell a little short during practice,” she said. “We would have to talk to each girl, ask her to improve in a particular way, and of course offer to help. It’s not a great feeling to tell someone they’re not meeting the standards.You feel for them on a personal level yet at the same time, these are the standards we have and they have to be upheld. But on the flip side, being a leader is super rewarding. I feel so grateful that I’m able to support my team.”
“This is a time where our students can really shine,” he said. “This whole experience is about as close as you can get as a student to actually employing the leadership lessons learned at Culver.”
Michelle Weeks ’05 witnessed a particular instance of leadership in 2005 that has stayed firmly in her memory: “On the day of the inauguration, Bree Gomez’s ’05 horse, a big-bodied chestnut Holsteiner named Al with a mind of his own, just could not handle all that was going on during our 14-hour wait prior to the start of the parade. He began acting up at a security checkpoint, bucking and crow hopping.” After much discussion, Gomez accepted the reality of the situation. She and Al were not going to be able to ride in the parade. “Despite what must have been a devastating moment, I remember her continuing the rest of that long day as a positive and supportive member of our team,” said Weeks. “On that day, Bree exemplified not only what it meant to be an Equestrienne, but what it meant to be a leader.”
NO GUARANTEES A reality of Culver’s long-standing inaugural parade participation is that the invitation to attend isn’t certain until the month before the event. Based on just the possibility of going to Washington, D.C., the students spend hours preparing themselves and their horses for what might never come to pass. Except for 1993, when an invitation was not extended by the incoming administration, Culver has been invited to every presidential inaugural parade since 1957.
The 1985 inaugural’s inclement weather precluded Culver from participation.
Yet being invited still isn’t a guarantee of individual, or collective, participation.
Jesus Palazuelos ’17
Kevin Tai ’17
“The thing that stands out the most in my mind is the power of the Culver family. Alumni, faculty, staff and students played an important role on the journey. In Washington D.C., I was able to see the true power and support from the Culver family by seeing them in the stands, the alumni dinner and throughout the whole experience. The work of many made this whole experience possible, and I am truly grateful for all those that supported Culver along the way.”
“This was my horse’s fourth time leading in the inaugural. Right before we hit the live TV area, his head stood up and his strides started marching in rhythm. Clearly, he knew it was an important moment, and I was very thankful that he made this moment look so good and special for me.”
Jordan Parker ’17 “There is so much history at our school. At the One Culver dinner, as I listened to Harry Crisp ‘53 talk about riding in the parade, I thought, ‘This is why I did this.’ Because I want to be a part of the history of this institution that I love. Nobody may remember my name, but I can come back in 40 years and say, ‘Yes, I did that.’”
“To be honest, the moment that stands out the most to me wasn’t passing the president, or making a speech during the One Culver event. It was before the parade, when my executive officer told me that he placed the nameplate of his favorite horse, who had recently passed away, in his uniform so he would go through the inaugural with him. It was such a touching moment for me because that’s when I realized that we are not doing this parade for ourselves, but for all of the people who cared, who supported us and encouraged us in this process. We had to make them proud.”
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Toughness and a willingness to sacrifice for the greater good are admirable traits of a leader. In the 2013 parade, Rasch witnessed a selfless act that touched her heart and brought her to tears: “An Equestrienne who was riding on the outside, her horse began acting up just prior to going on the parade route. We were worried the military personnel assigned Adams Photography
“I am honored to coach a group of girls that represent Culver on the world stage. Seeing the culmination of hours of hard work, dedication, and personal sacrifice excellently displayed by a successful walk down Pennsylvania Avenue is worth more than can be quantified.They are the leaders of tomorrow and their ability to successfully navigate any and all challenges is beautiful to behold.” Savannah Kranich ’05, Assistant Director, Admissions, CGA Polo Coach and Head Equestriennes Coach
Consider 1985. Howling winds, near zero visibility, thirty-below windchill. By the time the announcement came that the parade was being cancelled, Culver students and horses had already spent hours in a freezing barn and outside in the elements, grooming, tacking, walking their mounts, and just waiting. But it was the right call. Adams Photography
Lynn Rasch ’76 vividly remembered that day. Now Dean of Girls, she was the Equestriennes Head Coach in 1985, and was leading the girls in what was to be their first-ever appearance at an inaugural parade. “It was impossible to see the barns or A familiar scene to all student participants: anything else,” she an Equestrienne walks her horse in the staging area before the parade begins. said. “I just hunched against the wind, following my horse, Sarge. Eventually, my hands stopped working. When I finally got inside, the hot air nauseated me. I felt faint and began to shake uncontrollably. I was very embarrassed because I have always prided myself on being mentally tough. But mental toughness could not defeat that cold.”
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Culver cadets at Arlington National Cemetery honor William Lee Owen Jr. ‘62. Owen’s nephew, Christopher Owen ‘19, stands nearest the grave, with his parents, Thomas and Kathleen Owen, standing to the right.
to us would pull the horse from the parade, which I had seen happen before. But another Equestrienne, this one on the inside, volunteered to switch her calmer horse with the cranky one.” This second Equestrienne took the more difficult horse, allowing the first Equestrienne to continue riding in the more prestigious position on the outside. “This young lady demonstrated leadership, compassion and pure selflessness as she put the well-being of another rider above herself,” Rasch said.
HIGHS AND LOWS For all the highs of the actual parade, there are innumerable moments in the preparation and execution that challenge a student’s resolve and determination, that compel one to dig deep and draw on a source of inner strength. Michelle Weeks ’05 recalled the intense effort of practice after practice, not to mention the rigors of the actual day itself.
“When it came time to start preparing for the inauguration, we had to practice sometimes twice a day for a period of three or more months on top of our normal academics and sports-related responsibilities,” she said. “Finally, on the actual day, we had to wake up at 3 a.m., wait on the bus for a couple hours after we arrived at our first security checkpoint, wait outside for about four or more hours with our horses, who we had taken off the trailers and tacked up, and then progress through more checkpoints for the next six hours or so until the start of the parade.” That year, in 2005, while it wasn’t as cold as in some previous years, it was still Washington, D.C., in the middle of January and the temperature throughout the day hovered in the 20s.
ever ridden harder in my life, attempting to not make an idiot out of myself on national TV.” With the passage of time, Greene reflected, “Life gives you unexpected challenges and you just have to adapt and overcome. It would have been great to ride the horse I had practiced with, but there were no other options. Was it ideal? No, but that is life. It is not always going to go as planned and you have to roll with the situation you are given and make the best of it.” Squadron Commander Mike O’Connell ’89 remembered the difficulty of balancing additional practice time with all the other requirements of being a Culver student.
Adams Photography
“Even though I tell the students months ahead of time that the parade day will be one of the worst and best experiences they will have at Culver, they don’t seem to believe me.The parade is a grueling event from the time they take their horse off the trailer until they put it back on.They put about eight to ten miles in just walking their horse and another three to four hours in the saddle before ever seeing the president and vice president.” Tim Montgomery, Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, ’83, speaks to Culver students in Washington, D.C.
“It was a lot of waiting in the cold with horses that would have rather been somewhere else,” Weeks added. “Patience and focus helped me do what I could to keep my horse calm, support my teammates, and make it through what was ultimately a once-in- a-lifetime experience.” For Victoria Greene ’03, after practicing on the same horse for several months, she wound up having to ride a backup mount, as hers was injured on the trailer. “He was not as well trained,” she recalled of the substitute. “Watching on TV, my parents were able to tell which rider I was because my horse was going sideways and perpendicular to everyone else. But I knew I had to make it work. I don’t think I have
Mentor Counselor CMA, Student Life, Counselor Black Horse Troop B
“I had to prioritize what was important and focus on those things,” he said. “I also learned that I can step up when called upon. The SEALs have a saying, ‘Ready to lead, ready to follow.’ Culver put me in a position to follow and to lead.” That philosophy isn’t lost on Pamela Flanagan ’08. “Each rider had to be a leader to their horse and a follower to their captain,” she said. “You had to play both roles at once. Horses are sensitive animals, if you are nervous, they are nervous.You had to learn to put your own nerves aside for the benefit of your horse.” More recently, in the 2017 parade,Yixuan “Sherry” Wu ’17 rode in the far right of her line, and since the riders were dressing left,
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it was her responsibility to let the other Equestriennes in her line know if they were out of position. “Ordinarily, I am not the type of person who likes to tell others what to do,” she said, “but during the parade, I was the only one who could see if our line was dressed or not. I thought I became a better leader because of having to do that.”
PRIDE AND NO PREJUDICE Culver’s focus in a presidential inaugural parade isn’t on the person newly elected to the office, but to the office itself and what it represents. Since he joined the Black Horse Troop as a cadet, Jud Little ’65 has been a significant force in the growth of the Horsemanship Program. As a conservative Oklahoman, he wasn’t entirely thrilled with the outcome of the election. Still, “We were celebrating a peaceful change of power, and I think that’s the greatest lesson I got out of it. It made me very, very proud to be a part of that.” John Feighner ’69, agreed saying that …“for Culver to be there, regardless if it’s a Democrat or a Republican, is a really symbolic
and important role for Culver to play because we have such a long history. I hope the horsemanship tradition continues to be a vibrant part of Culver. It certainly was a highlight of my life.” For the students, however, the pride of being a part of the Inaugural Parade resides not only in that performance moment of riding down Pennsylvania Avenue but also in those months of training in understanding the mission, trust-building, and adjusting to unforeseen difficulties — forming a strong team by learning to lead from the inside out. It is also about feeling proud of their school and the people who have served and sacrificed. As part of their preparation, the students rode their horses through the town of Culver to the Masonic cemetery, to pay homage to General Leigh Gignilliat, the Culver Superintendent who was influential in the Troop’s first invitation to the 1913 Inaugural parade. At Arlington Cemetery, they honored the service of Culver graduates who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, laying wreaths on the graves of Alexander Mathews ’14, a pilot who died in Amien, France in WWI, and William Owen, Jr. ’62, who died in Vietnam in 1969 and whose nephew, Christopher B. Owen ’19, is in Troop B.
Denis Drysdale ’57
Michelle Weeks ’05
“Out of the blue, just before the parade started, we were told we needed to attach our sabers to our wrists so we wouldn’t drop them during the parade. We were on our own to come up with an attachment, in short order, that would work. I used a shoulder braid, needle, thread, and black dye to create a lanyard that worked. It had some pizzazz, and it is still on my saber today.”
“Through the months of preparation, which involved several early morning and late evening practices in single digit temperatures, it was important to maintain a positive attitude, volunteer to do anything extra that needed to be done, and make sure we put our horses first by treating them with kindness and patience. I was so lucky to be a part of a team of young women who felt the same way and showed up to every practice ready to work hard.”
John Feighner ’69 “Everything I did that year was an opportunity for me to personally grow and learn the traits of leadership that Culver has taught many men and women for many, many years.”
Suzan Hadaway ’99 “Despite being cold, despite being tired and nervous and scared that something will spook your horse, you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.”
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Pamela Flanagan ’08 “No matter how experienced of a horseman you are, you can always learn something new from your horse and from others. In my mind, riding a wide variety of horses and exploring different disciplines is the best way to learn. It certainly keeps you humble. Right when you think you have mastered one discipline or one horse, you’re on to the next, back to square one. It’s a fantastic way for beginners to learn and grow.”
coming from different backgrounds, speaking different languages, and practicing different religions and customs. For many, Culver has completely changed their lives and was a huge culture shock, but when I looked back at the Troop yesterday, I saw all of those differences merged into ideas we call honor, service, and tradition. That’s what makes us special.”
– Written by Kathe Brunton
Adams Photography
2017 Squadron Commander Tai perhaps summed up the experience best when he explained to the 600 guests at the One Culver dinner what the parade meant to him: “Sometimes I can’t help but wonder, how did I make it this far? How did we make it this far? And the answer is that we are different and we are unique. We are the most diverse battalion on campus with 60 percent international students from nine countries. Each student is inimitable,
“The boys carrying American flags and the girls looking equally sharp; every time I see it, it’s like the first time.We had more than 200 cheering parents and our seats were right next to the presidential box. I don’t think anyone associated with Culver could watch that parade and not have it be one of the proudest moments of their life.” Tony Giraldi ’75 Co-Chair of Culver 2017 Inaugural Committee
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Culver After Dark
A look at the lively campus life after the sun goes down
Photos by Camilo Morales, Lew Kopp, and Jan Garrison
Roping a ‘steer’ during a weekend fun fair in Steinbrenner.
The Friday Night Throw Down pottery class with instructor Jaime Ball is a popular evening venue.
Playing pool is always a popular activity at the Shack.
The Dancevision concert featured a traditional Chinese dance.
Art instructor Jaime Ball volunteered to do face-painting at the Winter Carnival.
A special home match against St. Joseph featured spo
One last rep before heading off to Closed Quarters to study.
Cornhole tournaments can help pass the time on the cold winter nights.
Cards and conversation have been a staple in the Shack.
otlights following the wrestlers on the mat.
‘Hamilton: An American Tragedy’ was the fall play. It was written by Director of Theatre Richard Coven.
ALUMNI CLASS NEWS
From left to right, Adam Homan ’97, his father Leon Homan and classmate Rich Slater ’97 recently traveled to Amman, Jordan to visit classmate Lt. Col. Geoff Brasse ’97, who is currently on assignment with the State department.
1940s John L. McCallister W’36, ’40 was the focus of a lengthy feature in the Nov. 11, 2016 Stillwater Gazette of Stillwater, MN. The article, which may be read online (stillwatergazette. com) features a photo of John in his Culver uniform and details his status as part of the G-2 military intelligence unit during World War II cracking the German Enigma code, which the Axis used to transmit secret battlefield information. Allied use of information from the codes was key to victory in the war. John and his wife Sylvia live in Oak Park Heights, MN.
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Tom C. Casey ’47 reports that he’s “70 years (out of Culver) and still working 9 to 5.” He and his wife, Suzanne, live in Newport Coast, CA. Peter McKay Jr. ’47 says Culver is “better than ever” after a recent trip with Stuart Dickson ’47 and Greg “Barney” Poole ‘53 for the rededication of Culver’s restored golf course. Peter and his wife Lillian live in Charlotte, NC.
their four grandsons and one great-grandson. Chuck reports that he is permanently disabled as of August and misses his Culver contacts, but hopes all his Culver friends had happy holidays. Bob Clements Jr. W’52, ’57 has sold the Cayman Hotel and, he says, is “running equity funds, learning golf, lucky to be fairly healthy.” He and his wife, Marjorie, live in La Quinta, CA.
1950s
1960s
Chuck Stanwyck ’52, and his wife Brigitte are residing in Woonsocket, SD, and enjoying
Ralph Fritzsch N’61, ’62 writes that he will be taking his grandchildren to England
in May and will be unable to attend his Culver reunion. Ralph was a member of the Falcon program in 1961‑62, one of six (five were listed in the Roll Call: Ron Daskevich, Mark Grunze, Rich Heater, Norm Rathje and Ralph). The sixth, not listed, was Gary Cleveland Potter, who recently passed away.
1970s Bill Dryden ’71 writes that he’s “starting to wind down my 36 years at the Scant Law Firm in Boise, ID.” Bill and his wife Debhra live in Boise.
ALUMNI CLASS NEWS Nelson Abbey W’65, ’72 and his wife Christine celebrated the arrival of two new grandsons, Greyson and Sebastian, in October. They join grandson Torin. The Abbeys have three sons, Sean (Lisa), Matt (Amanda), and Kevin (Jenna), and live in Canton, OH. Alan Glombicki ’73, was elected to the presidency of the Houston Academy of Medicine, the largest medical society in the US, last year. Alan, also Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Texas and founding president of
the American Liver Foundation of Texas, will oversee the Houston Academy’s medical library. He also reports his son Michael A’06 is now directing recruitment as Senior Extended Reality Engineer at Microsoft, and son Stephen, a former Woodcrafter, is now entering medical school to study DaVinci Robotic Surgery. Trey Ludford III ’75 is the Graphics Director for Flogon Inc. He and his wife, Colleen Ludford, live in Cary, IL. and have three sons and three grandaughters.
The legacy of the late Richard ‘Dan’ Maxson ’41, an inductee into Culver’s 1997 Athletic Hall of Fame, was stewarded by his wife, Wanda, when she donated his Culver letter sweater to the Culver Academies Museum in January. Regimental commander during his first class year, Dan served in the US Navy and retired from a long career at Humble/ Exxon, passing away in 2013. The Culver Academies Museum is home to a new rarity in the donation of a circa 1925 drum (with sticks) from the Culver Woodcraft Camp’s Drum & Bugle Corps, as used by Paul Mabley N’25 during that summer. Charles Mabley N ’56 shared the Culver treasure with the museum along with a number of photos of both his and his father’s Culver summers. Charles writes that his daughter, Michelle, also attended several summers of Culver Specialty Camps and is now a naval architect working for the Department of Defense. The family of Chet Marshall ’73 recently shared one of the more unusual Culver treasures the staff of the Culver Academies Museum have seen: a 1920s-era Culver “Snuggle Rug.” Made in Goshen, IN., the item represented one of the early uses of the zipper, and was a baby robe — something of a precursor to today’s “Snuggie” — manufactured in Culver maroon with the Culver “C” and logo affixed. The item had been in the collection of the late Glenda Marshall, wife of former Culver Athletic Director Chet Marshall Sr.. Glenda passed Dec. 24, 2016.
1990s Following a 2014 spinal cord injury, Eric Sisley W’85, ’90 suffers from paralysis and total dependence on caregivers, as well as severe chronic neuropathic pain. Writes his sister, Christine Sisley, “Eric recalls very fondly Mr. and Mrs. Duff from the art department who were especially encouraging, as well as Mr. Horvath from history...Eric’s love of history continues as he is always drawn to documentaries and is very knowledgeable. Sgt. Mark Click will be forever a memorable character of the Culver years. “Eric’s body may be broken, but certainly not his mind.The Culver years were very good years which we will not forget.” Eric lives in South Pasadena, CA. John D. Schurz ’91 has been elected president of the Southwest Cable Communications Association and to the Schurz Communications, Inc. board of directors. President and General Manager of Orbitel Communications, he also serves as the Treasurer of the Maricopa Economic Development Alliance and on the Cerritos Elementary Site Council. Lee Freeman ’92 is the Batallion Commander at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX. Son Brooks ’20 is currently attending Culver and daughter Lillian, 6th grade, enjoys gymnastics. Matthew Ulm ’92 and his wife, Nuria, added a new member to their family with the birth last year of Beatriz Annie McNeal Ulm, who joins sister
Laura “Lolly” Goodwin ’74 has been at work in her Nambe Glass Studio in Sante Fe, NM., making original glass artwork for classmates from 1974. A past donor to Culver’s Parents Auction, Lolly recently presented her class with a challenge, offering unique artworks to any donor from that year donating to The Culver Fund or The Herb White Class of 1974 Scholarship Fund up to June 30. Lolly, who apprenticed with master craftsman Craig Zweifel, holds a Master of Fine Arts in Glass from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
Elena McNeal Ulm, born 2012. The family lives in Chicago. Alejandro Hinojosa ’93, took office as governor of the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, on Dec. 1, 2016. Serving as his chief of staff is Raul Bolaños ’06, and as his senior advisor, Alvaro Prandini ’08. Culver’s Chief International Officer Tony Giraldi ’75 and Associate Director Karla Hernandez, founders of Culver’s Mexico Building Bridges team, are working with the three in support of the team’s spring break trip to build homes for five families in the Puerto Escondido area of Mexico in March. In all, 51 team members, the largest
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ALUMNI CLASS NEWS
Message from Legion, CSSAA, and CCI Presidents With each passing year, the school develops more opportunities for us to engage and connect with Culver. The event summaries, photos, and ads in the pages accompanying this message, and throughout this issue, provide for you an overview of some, but not all, of those offerings. Four years ago, the alumni office began tracking the number of unique guests attending selected major on- and offcampus events. A unique guest is a constituent who is counted only one time, even though they may attend several events per year. The baseline number was 2,500. Four years later, and using the same metrics, we expect 4,100 unique guests at major events. Events are one example by which alumni, parents, and friends can connect with Culver. We hope you will share your time, energy, and resources with Culver, and in doing so, you strengthen your engagement with our great institution. Meg Anna Kantzer Edward M. Dinwiddie Wildermuth “Ted” Foster Burk ’83 W’ 89 L’ 89, CGA’ 91
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spring break mission team in Culver’s history, will make the journey for this 13th year of the program, which has to date built more than 50 homes. Anthony Hadaway ’96 and his wife, Suzan Celeboglu Hadaway W’ 92, S ’96, ’99, welcomed son Hudson Lee Hadaway, born Dec. 10, 2016.
2000s This year’s Super Bowl was extra special for Lauren Corcia ’01, a brand manager for Wonderful Almonds at Roll Global in Louisiana. Lauren helped lead the team responsible for the company’s two commercials aired during the February game, for its Wonderful brand Pistachios and FIJI Water, respectively. Brett Scheffers ’01 was lead author, along with a large international team, of a study published in 2016 in Science magazine and online journal discussing evidence “that climate change impacts have already been observed across more than 80 (percent) of all the ecological processes that underpin all life on Earth.” Brett is an assistant professor in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida in Gainesville. In November, 2016 Max Rosenthal ’02 joined the staff of The Washington Post as an assignment editor on Foreign, where he oversees the World Views team and coordinates production of a new daily news-
Jocelyn Kinsey ’08, a senior associate at DFJ (Draper Fisher Jurvetson) in San Francisco, was recently named to the 30 Under 30 — Venture Capital list by Forbes Magazine. A Stanford University graduate, Kinsey joined DFJ after spending two years at JP Morgan’s Alternative Investments Group in New York.
For the full story, go to news.culver.org letter. Rosenthal had written for Mother Jones, the Associated Press, and the Huffington Post and as an editor in Boston for Public Radio International. Marina Myers Small ’10 married Justin Small in Lizton, IN., on Dec. 3, 2016, with many Culver friends among the guests. The couple lives in Indianapolis. United States Naval Academy Midshipmen First Class Alex Dodane ’12 selected the USS Gunston Hall LSD-44, an amphibious dock landing ship, out of Little Creek,VA, as his first duty station and ship on Jan. 26. A Naval Academy senior, Dodane was among nearly 250 Surface Warfare selects making the selection at the Academy’s annual Ship Selection night, which is the culmination of a four year process in which Midshipmen
Art Hebbeler III W’75, ’79, Right Eminent Grand Commander of the York Rite Masons of Maryland, flew south along I‑95 from Baltimore to Hinesville, GA under the cover of darkness, arriving about noon to help install Jim Arnold ’81, as Worshipful Master of Hinesville Masonic Lodge #271, F & AM. Art and Jim haven’t seen each other in ten years, and this was a great reunion. Art and his wife Deborah live in Catonsville, MD. Jim and his wife Barbara live in Hinesville.
A record number of 92 alumni and parents participated in the Culver Connections Weekend March 17-18, to discuss ethical leadership in the workplace with seniors and first-classmen.
spend time on two different Navy ships over the span of two summers. While many First Class Midshipmen are easing into graduation with more relaxed semesters, Dodane was chosen to serve as the commander of the 15th Company during the spring semester. “The role of a company commander is challenging,” says Dodane, but he adds he is “leaning on the leadership foundation I built during four years at Culver to guide me to success. He is responsible for 145 Midshipmen on a daily basis.
2010s Andrew Valentino A’16 is one of Sterling (IL.) High School’s November Students of the Month. His parents are Anthony and Kelly, and his brothers are Matthew, 15, and Luke, 12. In his student bio, Andrew listed Culver Summer School among civic, church, volunteer or other activities in which he participates. He plans to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy to study aeronautical engineering.
Anna Haldewang ’11 recently made national news with her Plan Bee drone. An industrial design major at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia, Haldewang developed the personal robotic bee to mimic how bees pollinate plants.
For the full story, go to news.culver.org
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OUR SPO RT I N G A L U MN I Suter in NHL All-Star Game Minnesota Wild defenseman Ryan Suter ’01 skated in his third all-star game on January 29. It was another highlight for a year that sees the Wild already qualified for the Western Conference playoffs. Suter is leading the Wild with a +31 and once again is leading the Wild in minutes played (more than 28 per game). He has totaled 9 goals and 28 assists for 37 points after 75 games.
Pomeroy sits on Honor Committee
Above: Five former Eagles got together when the University of Notre Dame hosted Michigan in men’s lacrosse. After the game Harry Bogle, Jacob Kanak, P.J. Bogle, Pierre Byrne, and Ryan Prior got together to talk and take a photo.
Pete Hamm leading Baylor
Remembering his roots
Pete Hamm ’13 is the captain and 8-man for the Baylor Bears rugby team, which won the Red River Conference with a 25-22 win over LSU on April 1. Baylor, 8-1 in the conference, has won six in a row. The 42-15 win over Texas Tech was the final home game for Hamm, whom rugby writer Alex Goff called “a force, dragging Tech defenders along for the ride. He was named Man of the Match.”
Culver plays a part in Dartmouth freshman Dean Shatzer’s goalie mask. On the back of his helmet is an emblem featuring Culver Military Academy. The logo shares space with a tribute to Odessa, Texas, where he played junior hockey, and Hershey, Pa., where he was born.
Hamm has been one of the top performers in the Red River Conference. According to D1a Rugby, Hamm “typically shoulders the responsibility of making the hard meters necessary to put defenses on their back foot and open up scoring opportunities for teammates.”
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Honor Committee members follow constitutionally mandated procedures to investigate and adjudicate alleged Honor Code violations. Stuart applied and was appointed to the committee in the spring of his freshman year after he had his interest peaked from his exposure to the honor code system at Culver Academies.
The two sides of the helmet features the Colorado Rockies to represent his home state, and the Appalachians, symbolizing the area around Dartmouth. The Dartmouth D adorns the chin and Dartmouth is inscribed above the cage.
A two-time ECAC All-Academic Team selection, Pomeroy is the first Princeton hockey player whose father (Lindsay Pomeroy) and mother (Carol Brown) both played hockey at Princeton.
“It was important for me to honor where I come from because everywhere I have been and the people there are the reason why I am here today,” Shatzer, a 2015 graduate, said. “It is a good reminder of what I am thankful for and remembering my roots.”
Neer running professionally
Left: Culver rugby coaches Joel Ferguson (left) and Darrell Knowlton (right) got the chance to watch Pete Hamm ’13 play for Baylor against Oklahoma earlier this season. Hamm is the captain of the team, which is preparing for the Red River Conference championship game on April 1.
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Stuart Pomeroy ’13, a junior on the Princeton men’s hockey team, also serves as a senior member of the Undergraduate Honor Committee, a group of 12 elected or appointed members of the student body, which is responsible for upholding the Honor Code.
Waverly Neer ’11 is now running professionally with the New Jersey-New York Track Club, based in Piscataway, N.J. She signed a shoe contract with Hoka One One, which is also a sponsor of the NJNYT. She will be focusing on the 5K and 10K events with a focus on the Olympic Trials. Neer graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016. The Ducks won the NCAA women’s track and field championship in 2015 and were runners-up in 2016. She spent her first two years at Columbia, so she is no stranger to running in the New York area.
High Praise
Reaching new heights
Settling in nicely
Princeton basketball coach Mitch Henderson ’94 received high praise from ESPN.com’s Men’s College Basketball staff. Henderson’s coaching job this season earned him the top slot in the Best mid-major coaching jobs list earlier this season. The post said:
When the University of Albany men’s basketball team was searching for some answers after going 0-3 in America East play, the Great Danes turned to Devonte Campbell ’14. The 6-foot, 6-inch swingman worked his way into the starting five, and finished the season averaging 7 points and 4.8 rebounds. Against University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), he scored a career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds.
Denver attack Ethan Walker ’16 didn’t wait very long to make an impact on the No. 1-ranked Pioneers’ lacrosse team. In his first two games, Walker – who started for the defending national champs – scored three goals each against Air Force and traditional power Duke. He also had three assists in the first two contests for a total of 9 points. His fast start resulted in a feature article in the Denver Post.
Making the list, checking in twice Johns Hopkins midfielder Joel Tinney ’14 has already made ESPN’s Sports Center’s Top 10 Plays of the Day twice this lacrosse season. Both plays involved a hidden ball trick that proved to be decisive plays in each game.
Above: Mitch Henderson
“The former Princeton star was a key cog on the teams in the mid- to late-90’s and is trying to return Princeton to Ivy League supremacy. The Tigers (19-6, 12-0) have a two-game lead over Harvard and Yale and have that without two projected starters, Hans Brase and Henry Caruso, who both suffered season-ending injuries. Caruso was an all-first-team guy a year ago, and Brase averaged 11.5 points and 7.5 boards two years ago.” Princeton finished with 23-7 record after losing to Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Tigers were 14-0 in the Ivy League, won the first-ever Ivy League tournament, and finished the regular season on a 19-game winning streak. Henderson was the unanimous pick as the Ivy League Coach of the Year on March 8. In his sixth season, Henderson became the third-winningest coach in Princeton history at 117 victories. He has guided Princeton to a top-three Ivy League finish in each of his six seasons.
Against Navy on February 7, Tinney’s ball fake and subsequent 40-yard rocket broke a 7-7 deadlock in the third quarter. That garnered a No. 6 on the Top Plays list. On February 18, the fake pass and goal beat Loyola in overtime, 14-13. That play garnered a No. 2 on that night’s Top 10. Tinney and Princeton middie Zach Currier ’13 are both on the Tewaaraton Award watch list.
Walker was named the High School Player of the Year by USA Today after scoring 108 goals and handing out 53 assists during the 2016 season. He finished his Culver career with 316 goals and 105 assists.
Surowiec leads Norwich Austin Surowiec ’12 led Norwich University to its fourth NCAA Division III Ice Hockey National Championship March 25. The Cadets defeated Trinity (Conn.), 4-1, for the title. Norwich finished the season 27-1-3. Surowiec served as a team co-captain his senior and junior years. The forward played in every game and finished the year with three goals and five assists. He is majoring in accounting/management.
Hickory Classic fans Displaying their Culver pride at the Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, Ind., were (from right) John ’59 and Amelia DePrez and Pam and Pete ’66 DePrez. They came to watch the CMA basketball team defeat Indian Creek, 8445, in the first game of the Hickory Classic on February 11. The gym served as the home court for the Hickory Huskers in the 1986 movie “Hoosiers.”
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C U LV E R C L U B S I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Photos by Chris Adams – Adams Family Photography
The second-largest gathering of Culver constituents on record (with 552 in attendance) took place in January when the Capital City Culver Club hosted an event on Jan. 21 — the day after Culver rode in the presidential inaugural parade — at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle,VA. Sponsored by Harry L. Crisp II ’53 N ’49, the dinner event featured a presentation by Head of Schools Dr. Jim Power, Equestriennes co-captain Ashley Dillard ’17 (left), Black Horse Troop squadron commander Kevin Tai ’17 (right), and club president Pete Collins ’77.
Members of the South Florida Culver Club gathered to receive a Culver update from Head of Schools Jim Power at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach, FL, in February.
Past BHT and Equestrian Riders gathered for a photo and reminisced about their experiences representing Culver in past Presidential Inaugural Parades at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach in February. Pictured (top left to bottom right) are John R. Penn IV ’98, Head of Schools Jim Power, Bradley Scherer ’76, John Nicols ’65, Gregory Gingery N’62, Dale Schwetz ’81, Laura Smith Nicholson ’86, Paul Clifford ’83.
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Upcoming ONE Culver events A turnout of over 150 guests made for a festive event at the Casino Club in downtown Chicago in December when the Culver Club of Chicago hosted its annual Holiday Party.
Saturday, May 6 Derby Day at Arlington Friday, May 19 Reunion Weekend Friday, June 30 Day at the South Bend Cubs
We are Active in: Indianapolis Detroit Chicago South and Central Florida Denver San Diego San Francisco Los Angeles New York City Washington D.C. …and many more places. Please contact the Alumni Office for information on Clubs in your area!
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Adam Cash ’02, Penn Little ’02, and Jeffery Kuhns ’02, are pictured at the Naples ONE Culver Reception in February.
Interested in being involved in the planning of Culver Club Events?
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Members of the Culver Club of Houston gathered for a casual lunch at Luling BBQ in February. Pictured, from left to right, are Garrett Gish ’04, Joe McCluan ’64, John Thomas ’86, Antonio Orendain ’86, Kirby Albright ’06, Zaid Husain ’05, Guido Giovannini ’78, Phillip Knox ’66, Shawn Pickens ’88, and Kent Woodard ’68.
Saturday, July 22 Annual D.C. Pool Party
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Culver’s Director of Alumni Relations Alan Loehr, left, visits with Louisa Elder ’83 and Karl Urban ’83 at the Culver Club of Chicago’s annual Holiday Party in December.
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All photos by Lew Kopp.
IN MEMORIAM
Maurice Palmer Avery, Jr. N’26 passed away on February 18, 2015 in Great Falls, MT, a place very special to his late wife, Catherine, and him, where they had a cabin. Born in Kentland, IN, he grew up in Gary, IN, graduated from the Chicago College of Dental Surgery and spent the next 48 years practicing in the Gary area. Maurice was well known for his dedication to public service, including Junior Chamber of Commerce, Gary Rotary Club, University Club and YMCA, which he served as President. He was also President of the Gary Crime Commission and
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served on the Portage Township School Board for 12 years. After retiring in 1979, he and his wife split their time between homes in Arizona and Montana. Maurice will be remembered for his sense of humor, infectious laugh and incredible memory. He played golf with his son at age 90 and “shot his age.” He lived independently until he was 101. Maurice is survived by his sons, John N’59 and David N’63, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Charles L. Covault W’36 died on January 11, 2017 in Westlake, OH. After high
school graduation, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps for three years, then earned a BS in Business Administration from Kent State University. He worked for National Tube, Personal Finance and the Covault & Brobst Insurance Company before moving to California and starting another career as a postal letter carrier that lasted until his retirement in 1987, taking him to assignments at the Washington, DC Headquarters, Bethesda, MD NYC, Chicago, IL Memphis, TN and LA. He also toured post offices around the world, including Singapore, Hong Kong and
Hawaii. Charles was very active in community service on the Lorain, OH Junior Chamber of Commerce, Lorain Jaycees, and Rotary International. He loved the performing arts, travel, cooking, and cultivating his grapes and figs and ornamental roses. He is survived by one daughter, one stepson, and four stepdaughters and their children. Merton Miles DeLancey ’37 (Band) of Venice, FL died on November 17, 2016. He is survived by his wife and two sons.
IN MEMORIAM Paul Thomas Beeghly N’38 of Santa Ana, CA died on February 5, 2016. He attended Ohio Wesleyan University before and after his service in WWII, where he served with the 96th Infantry Division, which fought through the Leyte Island battles (Philippines) and the war-ending battles across the island of Okinawa. He and his first wife moved to California right after the war ended and were residents for over 61 years. Tom was fortunate to start and lead two companies — National Chloride Company of America and International Carbonic — for 50 years. He also started Liberty Manufacturing, Inc. in south Texas and later helped reorganize Control Beverage in Ohio. He is survived by his second wife, three daughters and three sons, fifteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Patrick Conley ’38 (Company B) died on December 13, 2016 in Chapel Hill, NC. Born in Roby, TX, as a boy he built and operated a shortwave radio and earned an operator’s license, transmitting in Morse code throughout the country and internationally. A class valedictorian at age 15, he attended Culver Military Academy for a post-grad year and became the first post-grad at Culver ever to be inducted into the Cum Laude Society. He declined a scholarship to MIT and opted for the William Marsh Rice Institute (later Rice University) to study electrical engineering. When WWII began, he accepted a commission in the Navy as an ensign,
serving in the Pacific theater and teaching at the Naval Training School at Harvard. After the war, he earned a master’s degree in Communications Engineering and a PhD in Applied Physics, then accepted a position with the Westinghouse Research Laboratory, where he was promoted to Corporate Vice President. This 14 year job took his family and him to Baltimore, Key West and Pittsburgh on different assignments, and he also earned a Harvard MBA. Patrick left Westinghouse to work in the Office of Science and Technology under President Lyndon Johnson’s tenure. In 1967 he became a founding member of the Boston Consulting Group, which was a pioneer in the field of management consulting and executive strategy, and he spent the next 20 years traveling throughout the world to meet with executives of leading global companies. He and his wife had a passion for sailing and raced for many years. They also cultivated hundreds of orchids in their two greenhouses. Patrick is survived by one son, one daughter, and nine grandchildren. Philip Busby ’40 (Company C) of Ada, OK, a wellknown rancher and longtime advocate of Ada’s water supply, died on November 19, 2016. He attended both Oklahoma A&M and the University of Oklahoma. During WWII, he was commissioned as an officer, serving as a Army drill instructor at Officer Candidate School. After the war, he returned home to take over the management of the family’s
4B Ranch and later established his own adjacent Lone-B ranch. For 40 years he spent his life outdoors enjoying quail hunting, fishing and sharing his ranches with family, friends, and local organizations like the Boy Scouts,Young Democrats and various church groups. He was a lifelong advocate of water conservation and founded and served as first chairman of the Upper Muddy Boggy Creek Watershed Association, which built 41 upstream watershed control lakes. He lived to see the achievement of his dream of every acre in Oklahoma under upstream flood control. Philip was committed to several civic boards and church activities, including mission work, which took him to Haiti, Bolivia, Canada, Mexico and Uganda. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, one son, twelve grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Walter V. Flood N’42 of Farmington Hills, MI died on January 16, 2015. He attended The Ohio State University prior to serving two years with the Navy in the Asian Theatre. His entire career was spent in the steel castings industry where he received many awards for his unique services in sales and initiatives with the Metropolitan Metals Corporation. Prior to his retirement, Walter was employed as a Vice President, following his appointment as President and Director of The Society of Die Casting Engineers. He is survived by his wife Jean, brother Jack N ’43, one sister, two daughters, one son and one granddaughter.
Loren Edward Bullock ’43 (Company D) of Tucson, AZ, passed away on December 21, 2016. A native of Mishawaka, IN, he served in the Army as a mortar gunner in Europe during WWII under General Patton Upon returning to the States after the war, he completed a Chemical Engineering degree at the University of Notre Dame and an MBA degree at the University of Utah. Loren was very active in the Michiana (Ind.) business community, first as part owner of Osceola Lumber Company in Osceola, IN, then with several smaller business ventures, also in the southern Michigan/ Northern Indiana area. Loren was an avid sportsman all of his life, engaging in sailing (racing C class scows on Eagle Lake, Edwardsburg, MI and traveling to regattas throughout the Midwest. He was passionate about snow skiing, tennis and water skiing. Loren was an active member of “the Wild Old Bunch” at Alta for 40 years, last year being the only season he missed. He also was a member of the CMA ’43 alumni crew that traveled to England in 2000 to compete in the Henley Veterans Regatta. Preceded in death by his first wife, he is survived by Marlene, his wife of 36 years, daughter Suzanne ’72 (North Lodge) and son Lawrence ’74 (Company B), three of Marlene’s four children, eighteen grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. Robert David Busby ’44 B (Battery A) of Washington DC passed away on December 21, 2016. He graduated from
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IN MEMORIAM
Yale University and then the University of Oklahoma Law School. During WWII he served in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps at Mississippi College and Duke University. Returning to his hometown of Ada, OK, he practiced law and served as a City Judge before receiving an appointment as Counsel to Oklahoma Senator Monroney’s Subcommittee, in a first ever Congressional investigation of the auto industry. He left Ada to go to New York and be a founding partner of a law firm with offices in New York, Washington and Paris. He specialized in customs laws, and helped form and represented an association of auto importers. President Johnson appointed him to the National Motor Vehicle Safety Advisory Committee. In 1978 David was the lead defense counsel on the largest case ever brought to the US International Trade Commission. He was always on the side of expanding international trade, which brought him several controversial clients. After his retirement in 1994, the US Department of Commerce, World Bank and the Soros Foundation sent him to Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, Uganda, and Moldova to consult on customs and teach World Trade Organization law. He served on many Boards, both political and personal, during his long career, but in retirement, he and his wife devoted their time to finding a treatment and cure for Fragile X, the most common cause of inherited intellectual disabilities, which afflicted their sons. David is survived by his
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wife, two sons, two daughters, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. A brother, Philip, ’40 predeceased him. Stanley G. Krempp NB’44 of Jasper, IN, died on December 14, 2016. He studied Mechanical Engineering at Purdue but graduated from Indiana University with a degree in business production. He served in the Navy during World War II and then returned to Jasper to found United Cabinet Incorporated, which became Aristokraft and finally Masterbrand Cabinet Corporation. He was a three time President of the National Kitchen Cabinet Association, and under his leadership, achieved certification for national standards for the production and testing of kitchen cabinets. Stanley was instrumental in the development of an ultraviolet curing process for cabinet finishes, as well as other modern patented finishing processes. He also headed the United Cabinet Foundation, which provided philanthropy for local religious institutions and the arts.Very involved in the Jasper community, he was one of the founders of the Jasper Precious Blood Catholic Church, member of the Knights of Columbus, and Board member on the Jasper Memorial Hospital and St. Benedict College Boards. For his lifelong dedication to his community, he received the prestigious Sagamore of the Wabash award, conferred by the Governor of Indiana. Stanley is survived by his wife, two daughters and one son, Michael ’N 64, ’68 (Company D).
Henry George Laub ’44 (Battery A) of Bay Village, OH passed away November 8, 2016. He worked at Merrill Lynch as an account executive and consultant for 50 years. He was a lifelong traveler, voracious reader and enjoyed hiking, boating, and skiing. He was also an accomplished artist and a sports car afficionado. Henry is survived by his wife, two daughters, one son Dr. Curtis H. Laub ’69 (Battery B), and eight grandchildren. William H. Ball, Jr. ’45 (Battery A) of Indianapolis, IN died on January 27, 2017. He led a full life from dating Elizabeth Taylor at age 19 to climbing Mount Ararat on an expedition to find Noah’s Ark after age 50. His grandfather, William C. Ball, was one of the five Ball brothers who started the Ball jar empire. Bill loved the Ball cottage on Lake Maxinkuckee, where he learned to ski, entertain and enjoy the social life and lake culture and later owned it. He enlisted in the Navy Air Corps, trained as a radio gunner but did not serve in action before WWII ended. He returned to Indiana University, where he earned a degree and began a lifelong passion for IU football and basketball After graduation he worked as a purser for a luxury liner and then returned to work for his brother-in-law at a silver manufacturing plant in Mexico City. He formed and operated the Huddle restaurants and then the popular Embers Supper Club in Indianapolis, which attracted many notable citizens. Eventually he opened another successful restaurant in Chicago
named Luciano’s. Bill became interested in politics and was a member of the Indiana Council on Foreign Relations and the Council for National Policy, which required annual meetings in Washington, DC. Bill is survived by his second wife, the four children from his first marriage, three stepchildren, eleven grandchildren, two great grandchildren and seven stepgrandchildren. Lynn Stagg Ridgway H’43, ’45 (Company C) passed away in Lakeridge, CT on December 12, 2016. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he joined the Army Air Corp. After WWII ended, he enrolled at Syracuse University and earned a business degree with a minor in Latin American Studies. Lynn then served in the Korean War as a special agent for counter intelligence in Weisbaden, Germany. His business career began with ESSO, with management positions in Honduras, Puerto Rico and Nicaragua. Eventually he returned to the United States and worked for Merrill Lynch, E.F. Hutton and Smith Barney, retiring as a Vice President in 1992. His interest in investment continued as a partner in Torrington Super Fund and as principal for Lakeridge Associates. He also became very involved in community charities, including the Warner Theatre, Heritage Land Trust, Salvation Army and the AIDS Project. He was a committed volunteer with the United Way, a Rotarian, and went to Nicaragua as a volunteer with Optometry Serving Humanity. Lynn is survived by his wife, three children and eight grandchildren.
RE M EM BE R I N G T H E FA MI LY Rosemary Weaver, 89, passed away on July 14, 2016 after a short battle with colon cancer. She worked at the Academies’ for many years, starting in the laundry and after three years, transferring to the Uniform department, where she worked her way up to head seamstress. She worked in the time period when almost all of the uniform clothing was made by hand: Dress A’s, full dress, pants, kilts, slacks and blazers along with a lot of the Summer School uniform items. She, along with only a handful of other people, were also responsible for sewing all ranks, awards, varsity sweater letters in both winter and summer school. The Summer School Drum & Bugle Corps. still uses the flags that she made by hand. She was married for 59 years to Allen Weaver, who proceeded her in death in 2005. Together they raised four children, including Bobbi Schrimsher ’74. She had twelve grandchildren, twenty-one great-grandchildren and one great-greatgrandson, many of whom attended the summer camps or Winter School. Richard D. Stirling passed away on October 26, 2016. He was a Retired US Army Colonel and Vietnam Veteran, a Fulbright Scholar and a Kentucky Colonel. A native of Cincinnati, he sandwiched a tour of duty in Vietnam between degrees at The University of Cincinnati (BA ’60 and MA ’66). After completing his MA, he began his chosen career, teaching French, first at College Preparatory School/ The Seven Hills School and at Culver Academies for two years (1990-1992). He also took photos for Communications and continued in that role after he left Culver. He made his passion for photography a second career until his retirement. Jennie Roback, 93, of Culver, Indiana, died on November 26, 2016 in Mishawaka, Indiana. She worked for 18 years as a custodian at the Academies and her husband Bernard, who preceded her in death, worked for 19 years as a carpenter and painter. She enjoyed gardening, crocheting and spending time with her family. She is survived by a sister and a son-in-law.
L.B. Montgomery, 79, of Culver, formerly from Kentucky, passed away on December 2, 2016. He enlisted in the US Army in 1955 and served in Korea. He was a longtime member of the Horsemanship department until his retirement in 1998. L.B. was a life member and Past Commander of the Finney-Shilling VFW Post 6919 of Culver. He is survived by his children with Sherrill Little and also Betty Armstrong’s children, Chuck, Joe and Kimberly Dilts. Charles “Charlie” R. Johnson, Col. U.S. Army (Ret.) passed away January 12, 2017 with family by his side. In 1981, after nearly 27 years in the US Army, he retired out of Fort Devens as the deputy post commander. He served as Commandant of Cadets at Culver Military Academy, Senior Army Instructor and Development Officer. His wife, Trudy Hall, served as CGA counselor, Dean of Girls and was the first Dean of Faculty. Charlie moved to Troy, NY in 1999, accompanying his wife, Trudy, as she took the helm of Emma Willard School. Charlie truly left his mark on everyone and everything he touched during his long and productive life. One of his favorite quotes was “there’s no greater feeling of self-satisfaction than to serve your country and know you served it well.” And that he did. A memorial service and celebration will be held at West Point on June 9, 2017. In addition to Trudy Hall, his wife of 33 years, Charlie is survived by his first wife, Carol Norden, and their three children. A full obituary is available at www.hillandwood.com. Richard Charles Skrine Sr., US Army Chief Warrant Officer, Retired, of Louisville, KY, passed away on January 13, 2017. He was a tactical officer on the CMA military staff from 1983-1989. He served 27 years on active duty. In addition to Culver, his post-army career included work at Cardinal Carrier and as a civil servant at Brown and Root while stationed in Turkey. He is survived by his wife, five children, twelve grandchildren and twenty-six great-grandchildren.
Marshall Loren Brown died peacefully on March 3, 2017 in Noblesville, IN. He taught at Culver from 1955 to 1976, and again from 1978 until 1988. He was appointed Master Instructor in 1970 and served as English Department Chairman in 1975-76. He was the author of several books on English grammar, particularly transformational grammar, and graded English Advanced Placement exams for a number of years. He was particularly proud to have been among the early supporters of high school hockey at Culver, serving as assistant varsity hockey coach to teams that traveled to international tournaments and to Indiana State championships, including the first three state championships for Culver. He also served as intramural soccer official and sponsor of the bicycle club. A New Hampshire native, he joined the US Army Air Corps in October 1942 and served as navigator/bombardier in B-25 Mitchell medium bombers for the 490th Bomb Squadron operating in the China-Burma-India Theater, attaining the rank of 1st Lieutenant. Nearsightedness in one eye prevented him from becoming a military pilot, but later in life he was proud to have obtained his private pilot’s license and to teach ground school at Culver Summer School’s Aviation Department in the early 1980s. He received his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in English literature and languages from the University of New Hampshire in 1949, where he was elected to the Phi Kappa Phi honorary society, and a master’s degree in English from Harvard University in 1951. Marshall, or “Brownie,” as he was affectionately called, was a gentle spirit and mentor to many students and colleagues. He is survived by his wife, Emily, and by sons Marshall L. Brown Jr (CMA ’67) of Ferney-Voltaire, France, Richard A. Brown (CMA ’70) of Carmel IN, and daughter Catherine Brown Abrams (CGA ’77) of Charleston, SC, and eight grandchildren, including CDR Nathaniel H. Brown (CMA ’94) of Virginia Beach VA. A spring burial will be in Farmington, New Hampshire.
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Robert Uhle Goodman ’46 (Troop 1) passed away on January 10, 2017. He received his BA from Washington and Lee and his JSD from the LSU Law School. After service in the Air Force, he returned to his hometown of Shreveport, LA and began a 50 year career in corporate, business and banking law. He was also involved in civic and social affairs. Robert is survived by his wife, three daughters, one grandson and three granddaughters. Charles Gordon Mendelson W’41, H’42, ’46 (Band) of Santa Barbara, CA died on December 11, 2016. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a bachelor’s degree before earning his MD at Ohio State University. He went on to specialize in Dermatology and worked at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Syntex Corporation in Palo Alto, CA and in private practice in San Francisco. He loved people, college sports, politics and live Dixieland jazz. He is survived by his three children, including Michael W ’66, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Paul Walworth “Wally” Purmort, Jr. ’46 (Company C) died on December 2, 2016 in Van Wert, OH. A lifelong resident of Van Wert, he graduated from Miami University and the Wharton Graduate School, University of Pennsylvania He was an Army veteran of the Korean War, where he served as a general’s aide. Wally was a member and elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Van Wert. He was a retired senior
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vice president with Central Insurance Company of Van Wert and had also been an agent and co-owner at Purmort Brothers Insurance Company. He also had a passion for the children at the Marsh Foundation, for which he served as a trustee for 28 years. He was a former trustee with the Van Wert County Foundation; a member of Phi Eta Sigma, Sigma Delta Phi and Sigma Chi fraternities; Van Wert Rotary and Masonic Lodge. In addition to his wife of 61 years, Laurie, he is survived by a son, daughter, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A brother Wells ’54 also survives, while another brother Al ’51, preceded him in death.
University of Michigan. He served in the Korean War and later retired as a First Lieutenant in the Army. James then pursued his vocation of real estate development and built the first condominium in Aspen, as well as numerous buildings in the Denver metro area. Jim served on the City council in Cherry Hills Village and was later appointed to a seat on both the CHV Planning Board and Board of Adjustment. He was President of the Mansfield Heights Water & Sanitation District for 38 years, serving a total of 47 years. Jim is survived by his wife, one son, one daughter and three grandchildren. A brother, William ’45, preceded him in death.
John William Judd H’47 of Elkhart, IN, died on January 7, 2017. Following graduation, he enlisted in the Navy, where he served at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital. He attended Purdue but graduated with a degree in Pharmacy from Ferris State University. He eventually became Vice-President of Judd Drugs, founded by his father Charles. He retired after 55 years of dedicated service to the company. John was a member of the Elkhart Chamber of Commerce, Indiana Pharmacy Association and American Pharmacists Association. He is survived by his wife, three daughters, one son, ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Kevin MacKenzie Moller ’47 (Company C) of Hagerstown, MD, died on December 20, 2016. He attended Washington and Lee University before enlisting in the Air Force and serving in the Korean War. He was employed with M.P. Moller Pipe Organs for over thirty years before joining his wife in operating Carol and Company, a gift shop. He is survived by his wife, one daughter, one son and five grandchildren.
James Waddell Manning ’47 (Company A) passed away on December 8, 2016 in Colorado. After graduation he earned BA and MBA degrees from the
Carroll Allen Ellis T’48 died on December 18, 2016. He was born in Valparaiso, Chile and grew up in Mexico City. Highlights of his Culver career included election to the Cum Laude Society and chief editor of the Vedette. At Princeton he was elected the president and the most respected member of his senior class. He was also voted president of the Ivy Club, chairman of the Undergraduate
Interclub Committee, as well as captain of the polo team, which he led to an intercollegiate championship. An artilleryman in the Army, he was a forward observer, battery commander and general’s aide, serving as a Lieutenant from 1952-1954, followed by graduation from Harvard Law School. Allen went on to a successful investment banking career with First Boston Corporation. He led a $620 million financing for an agency of the Mexican government, a $250 million commercial bank financing for the republic of Colombia and a $20 million loan for a housing project in Lima, Peru. Allen also had his own business providing governmental advisory and corporate finance services in the United States and Mexico; he was a personal confidant and friend of Miguel de a Madrid, who was Mexico’s President from 1982-1988. He lived a full life, loved traveling and road trips, respected all cultures and was a voracious reader and intellectually curious man. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, two sons and six grandchildren. Jonas Kisber, Jr. ’48 (Battery B), a lifelong resident of Jackson, TN, passed away on November 2, 2016. He attended Tulane University and Babson College and served as a lieutenant in the Army during the Korean War. Returning home to Jackson, he joined Kisber’s Department Stores, which was founded in 1905 by his grandfather Louis Kisber. Jonas became President of the company in 1974 and repre-
JACK WAR N E R : A G R E AT CULVE R MAN R E ME MB E R E D Jack Warner was a “larger than life” figure for Culver as well. A horse lover, he was a member of Troop I. Yet he also found time to join the varsity swim team, break a school pool record and play varsity football. He was a graduate of Washington and Lee University and a WWII veteran of the US Army. He was named Man of the Year in 1973 for his career accomplishments. He joined the Culver Board of Trustees in 1977 and served for 18 years, becoming an Emeritus Trustee in 1995. In 2002 he was inducted into the Horsemanship Hall of Fame.
with over thirty Culver collectors lending their precious works. He loved that this exhibit showed an important part of a Culver education that the casual observer would not know or appreciate.”
Two of Jack Warner’s friends and Board members offered their thoughts on Jack Warner’s Culver impact: Jack Warner was named Culver’s Man of the Year in 1972.
In the early morning hours of February 18, 2017, a giant of Tuscaloosa, Ala. who literally, figuratively and aesthetically shaped the land, Jonathan Westervelt “Jack” Warner died, surrounded by his favorite artworks and wife, five months shy of his 100th birthday. He was known as a “larger than life” figure — Jack the storyteller, Jack the art lover, Jack the philanthropist, and Jack the savvy businessman. Warner’s grandfather, Herbert Westervelt Warner, founded the Prairie States Paper Corporation in 1884 in Illinois and Indiana but moved it to Tuscaloosa in 1927, where it became one of the South’s largest landowners and employers, making Jack Warner the foremost industrialist and philanthropist in Alabama history.
Jim Henderson ’52 (Company C) remembers Jack Warner as “a man with a great zest for life. One of his passions was clearly Culver, and as an eighteen-year active Trustee, he advised us consistently to remember that we are different from other schools in our tradition of emphasis on leadership, character, optimism, self-reliance and patriotism — all traits that made this country great — and we should never lose our uniqueness. Jack’s overriding passion was collecting the finest of American Art. He chaired a Trustee Committee to commemorate Culver’s Centennial in 1994 and suggested an exhibit of American art from the collections of Culver alumni as the centerpiece of our celebration. He saw in this art the same traits that made the country and Culver great. Jack’s own collection formed the backbone of the exhibit, which was an overwhelming success
During his 50 year tenure as CEO and President of Gulf States Paper Co., he amassed one of the greatest privately held collections of American art, furnishings, and antiques in the world, with work by Albert Bierstadt, Edward Hicks, Thomas Moran, Edward Hopper, James McNeill Whistler, Andrew Wyeth, Mary Cassatt, James Peale and Paul Revere. He also supported young painters in developing their skills by providing space, classes and supplies to foster inspiration (Facts according to a story by Mark Hughes Cobb in The Tuscaloosa News.) Jack and his wife, Elizabeth, greet cadets at the Man of the Year reception.
Jim Henderson ’52 with Jack at his induction into the Horsemanship Hall of Fame in 2002.
Jim Dicke ’64 (Troop B) recalls fondly that “Jack and I initially shared a bond of both having had the Colonel Whitney experience as cadets, even though our graduating classes were many years apart. When we both served as Culver trustees, we bonded over our shared “Troop” experience and love of art. It was Jack who influenced my wife Janet and me to collect American art at a time when we had been more primarily studying European art, and it was Jack who provided much of the amazing art from Culver alumni that made up the 1994 Culver centennial art exhibit. There is a strong Culver tradition in the art collecting world and Jack was one of the centerpieces of that tradition. I will miss his kind and generous spirit. He was a life force.” Jack is survived by his wife, Susan, a son, three grandchildren and two stepsons. He was predeceased by his first wife, Elizabeth, whose name is on the Most Valuable Player award for CGA Tennis. Many of his nieces and nephews attended the summer camps and Academies.
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sented the stores at the state and national level, including a term as President of the Tennessee Retail Merchants Association. His interest in education led to his being appointed as a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents. He was also a founding director of the Episcopal Day School in Jackson
(later the University School of Jackson). Jonas was tireless in his service to Jackson as a member of the Chamber of Commerce, vice-chairman of the Jackson Madison County Library Foundation and the Jackson Area Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. He is survived by his three children and four grandchildren, as well as nephew Michael Schornstein ’73. A brother, Stuart, predeceased him.
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Robert Bruce Weathers W44,’48 (Band) LTC (Ret.) Robert Bruce Weathers passed away December 31, 2016 at his home. He graduated from Indiana University before leaving for the Korean War, where he earned a Silver Star. He also served in Vietnam, retiring in 1975 and then
enrolling in St. Mary’s University, where he earned a law degree. Robert practiced law for 18 years in Corpus Christi and San Antonio, Texas. He is survived by his wife, two sons, including David ’80 (Battery C) and two grandchildren, including Muriel ’15 (Linden). Gerald Arden Peabody, Jr. ’50 (Troop II) of Mercer Island, WA passed away on December 10, 2016. A born traveler, he moved to Guam with his family at age 4 and in 1941, his family took the last
boat out of Guam just before the Japanese attacked both Pearl Harbor and Guam, moving to the Chesapeake Bay area in Virginia. A move back to Bainbridge Island in 1944 cemented his lifelong love of the Northwest, except for his three years at Culver. Drafted into the Army three years into his college
career, he quickly moved up the ranks to officer’s school with the Corps of Engineers and became an accomplished fixed wing and helicopter pilot. After discharge from the US Army, he finished his Civil Engineering degree at the University of Washington and went to work for Standard Oil, then Boeing, while remaining active in the reserves at Sand Point Naval Station. Jerry founded his own successful cement company, Pozzolanic, which he ran for 20 years until his retirement. He and his wife traveled extensively
around the globe. Jerry’s love of fishing and hunting led to his buying a boat and a commercial flying license so he could take people up the Inside Passage to Alaska or into Canada. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and four grandchildren, three of whom, Madeline ’07, Douglas ’08, and Helen ’12 attended Culver. A brother, Terry ’58 of Brisbane, Australia, also survives. Kenneth Merle Lloyd II W’45, ’51 (Company D) passed away on November 4, 2016 in Ohio. He attended college and medical school at the University of Michigan, receiving his medical degree in 1959. After completing residencies in Internal Medicine at Youngstown Hospital Association and the Henry Ford Hospital, he finished his Fellowship in Dermatology at Duke University and opened his practice in 1964. He entered the Navy as a Lt. Commander and served as Chief of Dermatology at the US Naval Hospital in Chelsea, MA before his return to private practice in 1968. Dr. Lloyd held academic positions as Chief of Dermatology at Northside Medical Center, Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Case Western Reserve University and Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at NEOMED. He contributed to numerous academic publications and was credited for identifying several dermatologic syndromes, including Cowden’s disease, which ultimately led to identifying the gene for breast cancer. In 1991 his daughter, Dr. Jenifer R. Lloyd, joined his practice and
AL AN BUN N E R : C U LV E R ’ S RE NAIS S ANC E MAN conversations hinging on Culver, current affairs, travel, the arts, and his current reading. He introduced us to so much we might have otherwise overlooked — especially the arts, music, and travel. “Where shall we go next?” was his mantra as “the Ever-Ready Bunner,” anxious to be the knowledgeable tour guide, and “go” we did, ranging from Shakespeare Festivals, MacMaster University seminars, state and national parks to Germany and Austria.
Patiently explaining a math problem to a cadet.
H
ow does one distill a life so well-lived as Alan Bunner’s? His was one as full and varied as any could be. In essence, a man for all seasons, whether it be math, computers, literature, music, art, theater, travel, camping
Waiting for a student response to a complicated equation.
— you name it — he was interested and involved, being one of the brightest we’ve ever known. His wide-ranging interests, along with his quick wit, drew students, as well as us, to him as he served as a popular math instructor and in due course department chairman. He directed the national testing, was instrumental in introducing the Academy to the computer age, yet found time to involve himself in a plethora of campus activities, including track and assistant counselor of C Company. Later when he decided to build a house, we chose lots side by side in West Terrace, afterwards sharing many hours together, our
His free-wheeling lifestyle abruptly changed when his widowed mother was incapacitated with Alzheimer’s the last decade of her life. Though he hired help to be with her while he was in the classroom, being the good son, he provided her primary care, away from home only two nights during those many years. Still, never did we ever hear him complain. After her passing, he was raring to go again, both domestically and internationally, taking in symphonies, theater, museums, and exhibits, hopping the South Shore into Chicago or off to Notre Dame’s DeBartolo. Even so, he found time to serve on the town board, tutor town students at his church, even spend a day weekly with an ailing older brother, or taking Bob Hartman out for shopping and lunch periodically — all the while teaching as an adjunct at Ancilla College.
Once the cruelty of genetics robbed Alan of his independence, confining him to assisted living away from his beloved Culver, we maintained our camaraderie to the end. As a final commitment to education, he donated his remains to Indiana University’s School of Medicine, quipping to his executor, “What’s one more year in the classroom?” Norm and Dee Wagner Retired Culver Faculty
Al Bunner was very bright, possessing both a sharp mind and wit. He loved math, problem solving and teaching. He was demanding but fair and connected easily with people because he cared. He recognized differences and strengths in people, whether they were students in his class or teachers in his department, and was able to motivate them and bring out their best. Without question, he was one of the most respected, liked and highly thought of members of the Culver faculty by both his students and colleagues. Al Clark Master Instructor Emeritus
Al was always at the cutting edge of technology and mathematics curricula. He led, pushed, and inspired everyone in the department to improve and excel. Al pushed me to learn to use a word processor, which helped a great deal when I started to write professionally. He also encouraged me to get a Master’s degree in Math. However, the thing I remember most about Al was the atmosphere he created in the Math department, which was the most relaxed and congenial place to work when he was in charge. Experimenting was encouraged and complaining, especially about a colleague, was gently but firmly discouraged. We also knew we would be treated fairly and that Al “had our backs.” Martin Engelbrecht Mentor Instructor
Proudly standing next to one of Culver’s first IBM computers.
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IN MEMORIAM together they established the Lloyd Dermatology and Laser Center. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and five grandchildren. His brother Luther “Luke” ’50, also survives. Jules Norman Stiffel ’51 (Troop), a lifelong Chicagoan, died on November 11, 2016. After graduation from Culver Military Academy, Jules attended Duke University and then served in the Navy. For the majority of his career, he worked with the Stiffel Lamp Company before starting his own company, Jules Stiffel Concepts. His love of Chicago with its arts, food, and culture spurred him on to devote himself to the city’s betterment through his tireless work as benefactor of several arts and civic organizations, including the Art Institute of Chicago, Newberry Library, and the Executive Service Corps. He will be remembered as having a keen intellect and a generous spirit. Jules is survived by one daughter. Brothers Robert ’63 and Scott ’65, also survive. Charles Andrew Pate, Jr. W’47, ’52 (Company C) died on June 9, 2016. George Lynn Virden ’52 (Battery B) of Leland, MS died on November 27, 2016. After graduation from Culver, Lynn attended Tulane University in the Army ROTC program, earned a bachelor’s degree and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Army. In 1958 he joined Battery A of the 114th battalion in the National Guard, where he served for the next 26 years before retiring as a
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Colonel. He returned to Leland and became President of M. L. Virden Lumber Company until its closing in 1989. He then became a computer consultant for lumber management throughout the South, including Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi and Arkansas. The last 21 years of his career he served as the office manager and accountant for Greenville Metal Works and Green Steel Shop. Active in civic affairs, George served as President of the Leland Chamber of Commerce and the Greenville Home Builders Association, and was on the Board of Directors of the Mississippi National Guard and a member of the Civil Air Patrol. George is survived by his wife, two daughters, one grandson and two great-grandchildren. His father, Huron Wilkerson Virden ’30 (Company E) was also a Culver graduate. Charles Langdon Rutherford, Jr. N’53 of Mobile, AL passed away on December 29, 2016. He graduated from the McCallie School, Davidson College and the University of Alabama School of Medicine. Following medical school, he enlisted in the Air Force for two years of service. He then returned to Mobile and practiced medicine with the Mobile Urology Group, P.A. until his retirement in 1992. Dr. Rutherford was a past president of the Alabama Urological Association and the Alabama Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. He was a founding director of the Bank of Mobile and also served on the Boards of The Julius T.
Wright School for Girls, Boy Scouts of America, and the University of South Alabama Medical School, where he was a Clinical Professor early in his career. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and six grandchildren. Durbin L.Yeager NB’55 died on January 8, 2017. A former Naval Band commander, Durbin graduated from Amo High School where he was class president. He served for two years in the Army and then joined his father in the oil business, eventually becoming the owner and operator of the Yeager Petroleum Company. After many years he sold the company and worked for Taylor Oil. Durbin is survived by his wife, one son and two grandsons. Shelby Gibson Carr, Jr. ’56 (Troop) of Dallas, TX, died on October 2, 2016. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, one son and one stepdaughter. Robert Edward Peck, Jr. H’53, ’56 (Troop B) died on November 22, 2016 in London, England at age 78. His love of languages, history and scholarship began at Culver. After graduating from UC Berkeley, Bob continued his studies in Germany, earning his doctorate from the Free University of Berlin. He served as a volunteer police officer in Berlin, undertook anthropological field research in Iran and traveled extensively in Europe and the Middle East. In 1970 Bob settled in London and served as a professor at the University of Westminster, where he taught
courses in film and journalism. A lifelong student of military history and cinema, much of his academic research explored film propaganda during WWII. After retiring in 2004, he pursued a longstanding interest in genealogy, which led to scholarly research in medieval heraldry. Bob is survived by his wife and three children. George Van Price Clevenger N’57 (Company D) of El Cajon, CA, passed away on April 26, 2014. Theodore Larned Eastmond II ’58 (Battery A) passed away on June 30, 2016 in Clifton, Kansas. He attended the US Military Academy and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Southwest Texas University and a Master of Science in Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics from the University of Texas. He served in the Army National Guard. He is survived by his wife, Belinda, two daughters, and two sons. A brother, Tony ’61, also survives. John “Jack” Flannery H’59 died March 24, 2016 in New Castle, PA. Jack spent three summers in the Summer School of Horsemanship and later graduated from Ohio Wesleyan and the Dickinson School of Law. His legal career including work with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Sky Trust, and the First National Bank of Lawrence County. He later was in private practice specializing in trust, and estate planning, administration, and orphans court litigation with Nicolls, Flannery & Palmer. He was president of the Lawrence
County Bar Association from 1998-2000. A community leader, he served as president of the New Castle YMCA, the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, and the Lawrence County United Way. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Nancy, sons Brian N’91 and Bill, daughter Jennifer, three grandchildren, twin brother Richard H’59, and another brother Harry N’64. He was preceded in death by an older brother, Charles N’48. Edward George Bauer N’58, ’60 (Band) died on January 5, 2017 in Longwood, FL. A member of the Culver Band, he played trombone and was the leader of the Dance band. He graduated from the Carnegie Institute of Technology and went to work for General Motors, Chevrolet Division. In 1967 he began working for the United Engineering and Foundry Company where he held the positons of Plant Metallurgist, Foundry Superintendent, Plant Manager and eventually Vice President and General Manager of Foundries. He then became one of three owners of United Foundries, Inc. serving as the Chief Operating Officer until 1998, when he and his partners acquired Dorbyl Roll Works in South Africa. Edward was involved in many professional organizations, including the American Society of Metals, the American Foundrymen’s Society and President of the Roll Manufacturers. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Catherine, four sons, including Brian ’84, Bruce ’83, and six grandchildren. A brother, Richard NB’54, also survives.
Ralph Richards Culbertson N’59, ’60 (Company C) passed away in Chocowinity, NC on January 5, 2017. He attended Sewickly Academy before entering Culver, then went on to Penn State University. Ralph spent most of his career as a manufacturer’s representative, first in New Jersey and then in California. He and his wife enjoyed global traveling and went to Africa, Southeast Asia, Russia, and the Greek Islands. He is survived by his wife and multiple nieces and nephews.
He furthered his education by graduating from the Colorado School of Banking and the Harvard Institute for Financial Management. John also served two tours of duty in the US Navy as a Lieutenant about the USS Canberra and USS Sterett during the Vietnam War. After his discharge in 1971, he and his family settled in Nebraska where he began his career as a third generation banker, serving as Board Secretary at First National Bank and then as President of Chase County Bank and Trust Company.
Lions President, Jaycees President, Board of Trustees member at the University of Nebraska and the Board of Directors serving Greeley and Weld County. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, one son and six grandchildren.
John Bricker Adams N’61 of Greeley, CO died on December 12, 2016. Born in Texas, he grew up in Nebraska, where he loved the meandering Platte River and Lake McConaughey. He was an ROTC student at the University of Nebraska, where he earned both a bachelor´s degree in Business Administration and a master’s degree in Finance.
Moving to Greeley, CO, John became Vice President at Paine Webber, Jackson and Curtis Investments. He merged two companies to form Dairy Specialists and served as CEO and President from 1991 until his retirement in 2009. Equally dedicated to diverse civic interests, he gave 50 years of service to the Boy Scouts of America, and served as Rotary President,
ration. He enjoyed cultivating relationships with his customers, who often became lifelong friends. James and his wife and family enjoyed their traditional yearly vacations to Hilton Head, Pawley’s Island and Phoenix. Strong in his faith, he was very involved in his church and neighborhood Bible studies. James is survived by his wife, three sons and ten grandchildren.
James Stephen Davies N’62 of Delaware, OH passed away on December 9, 2016. He graduated from The Citadel in 1966 and served in the Army in Vietnam, after which he entered a successful career in sales with Westinghouse Electric Corpo-
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IN MEMORIAM Ben Douglas Goff III W’52, ’62 (Battery A) of Winchester, KY, where he was a lifelong farmer, passed away on January 27, 2017. He is survived by three sons and three grandchildren. David Guilbert Zahniser H’62 of Everett, WA passed away on November 13, 2016. He served in the US Navy for four years on a submarine and salvage ship, then returned to
earn an Associate of Arts degree in Computer Programming and became certified as a Harley Davidson mechanic. He loved Harleys, horses, birds, his HO scale trains, oil paintings and his guitar. He is survived by his wife, five children and twelve grandchildren.
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Walter L. Schafer, Jr. NB’63, ’65 passed away on January 27, 2017 in Dunedin, Florida. He received a BA in history and chemistry from Florida State University before earning his law degree from Capital University Law School in Columbus, OH. He later earned his master’s in law degree in taxation from the University of Miami. After passing the Florida bar, Walter worked for nearly 30 years practicing
community foundations. He is survived by three sons, including Kurt ’97 and Kyle W’98, N’01, CMA’02.
mostly in tax law. In 2005 then Governor Jeb Bush appointed him as a judge in the 6th judicial circuit, where he served Pinellas-Pasco counties for more than a decade. He presided over civil cases ranging from companies suing one another to people seeking damages in car accidents. In addition to being a lawyer and judge, Walter served on the boards of various
the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. A graduate of the University of Virginia and the University of Virginia Law School, he practiced law in Charlottesville,Virginia before relocating to Washington, D.C., where he served in a number of positions in the Justice Department of the Reagan Administration. While at Justice, Jim formed the Center for
James Mayfield Wootton ’67 (Troop A) of Dillwyn,VA died on August 22, 2016. He was the son of Air Force Brigadier General Bernard Mayfield Wootton and Lillie Frances Harris Wootton, who served the nation in the Army Air Corps at Hickam Field, Hawaii during
Missing and Exploited Children. Following a distinguished career in government service, Jim founded the Safe Streets Alliance, an organization dedicated to the passage of truth-in-sentencing laws in all 50 states, designed to make America safer by insuring that habitual criminals serve the majority of sentences imposed on them. Jim served as the President of Institute of Legal Reform, an activity of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to strengthen the rule of law. After leaving the Chamber, Jim became a partner in the Washington Office of Mayer Brown LLP, a national law firm, and later dedicated his efforts to advancing legal reform with the creation of Nations Court, an initiative to expand legal reform internationally. Most recently Jim focused on developing The Jesus TimelineTM, a unique tool to enable people of all ages to easily comprehend the Biblical view of creation, time and eternity. A memorial foundation, The James Wootton Foundation, is being established to continue the work he began. He is survived by his wife, his three children by marriage, and three grandchildren. John William Etsweiler ’70 of Ann Arbor, MI died on December 5, 2016. He graduated from the University of Michigan and then worked as a secretary at Eastern Michigan University. John is survived by his partner of 21 years, Merrill Squiers. Andrew Francis Pearce N’74 of Irving, TX died on October 19, 2016. He earned
a B.A. degree from Columbia University and then moved back to New Orleans, where he grew up. After Hurricane Katrina devastated the city, he moved to Irving, TX. Andrew was a pipe and cigar aficionado, collected antique guns and loved hunting. He also had a passion for history and was a member of The Society of Mayflower Descendants and The Sons of the American Revolution. He is survived by a brother and sister, as well as one niece and one nephew. Carl Stephen Snedden ’74 died on February 14, 2017 in Windom, MN. He attended Butler University briefly before enlisting in the Air Force, where he served for four years as a Russian linguist and flew over 100 missions in a reconnaissance plane. He earned his doctor of veterinary medicine at Iowa State University. While attending classes, Carl was active in the Air Force and Army Reserves, and after graduation was commissioned in the Army Veterinary Corps. He was stationed in North Dakota and Germany and designated an Expert Field Medic and Diplomat of the College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. After leaving active duty in 1994, Carl worked for the Department of Agriculture in South Dakota, Colorado and Windom, while maintaining his status in the Army Reserves, from which he retired in 2010 with the rank of major. Carl could speak seven languages and was fluent in four of them. He taught English in Khazakstan for many years and volunteered his translation services for former hostages of
the Moscow Theatre and Beslan school sieges, which allowed survivors of these attacks to present their suits to the European Court of Human Rights. Carl is survived by his wife, three sons and one daughter. Fernando J. Maiz Garza H’76 passed away on January 21, 2017 as the result of a helicopter accident. He was the President and CEO of a large construction company, Maiz Transforma. A philanthropist and community leader, his death garnered public condolences from the President of Mexico and the State Governor. Thousands attended his visitation. He is survived by his wife, one son, Fernando ’09, and one daughter, Roberta, Deck 2 ’09. Nancy Michelle Conway ’82 (Benson) passed away on November 11, 2016. Peggy Susan Herrington W’77, Deck 1’80, ’83 (Court) passed away on January 7, 2017 in Laguna Beach, CA. She came to Culver from Highland Park High School in Dallas and later attended Chapman University and the University of Arkansas. She lived in both Laguna Beach and New Orleans, but she spent more time in New Orleans, which she considered home. Peggy will be remembered as a kind and caring person who touched many people’s lives, a wonderful legacy. She is survived by her son, two brothers, including James Campbell ’77, a sister Mimi SSG’87 and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her uncle, H. Ward
Lay, Jr. ’64 and her cousin, H. Ward Lay III ’84. Fritz Musser ’93 (Battery A) died on August 12, 2016, the victim of a murder while on a hiking trip from the Caspian Sea in Azerbaijan to the Black Sea in Georgia, a trio he called the top to tail Caucasus mountain trail. Through the leadership of Culver friends and classmates, Fritz’s body was expeditiously returned to Chicago and a memorial service in Maine was held three weeks after his passing. Fritz attended Skidmore College and later graduated from the University of Arizona. At one time he worked in Security at
the U.S. Embassy and finally as a program officer for an American NGO, which administers educational exchange programs between the United States and Russia. After a brief stint in Alaska helping train sled dogs for the Iditarod, Fritz returned to his hometown of Chicago, where he worked for the outdoor clothing company Patagonia. He is survived by his wife, mother Erika, brother Siegfried NB’83 and sister, Dr. Ursula Harkness ’89. Fritz’ killer was apprehended shortly after he was killed, has been tried and is currently serving his prison sentence. All ‘In Memoriam’ photos by Lew Kopp
T O E R R IS HUMAN Keith Elmund The fall/winter 2016 issue of the Culver Alumni Magazine incorrectly listed George Keith Elmund as a 1963 graduate. He was a member of the Class of 1964. Elmund passed away on September 19, 2016. Kacie Hermanson In the summer 2016 issue, the Class News section incorrectly stated that Kacie Hermanson ’12 was working at Nickelodeon Animation Studios, where she did her internship. Kacie landed a full time job with Cartoon Network, as the Character Designer for the final season of Regular Show. She is currently working at Warner Brothers Studios as a storyboard revisionist. Ted Field ’37 The fall/winter issue did not include the name of grandson William “Billy” Field ’95. James D. “Buddy” Doenges The Fall/Winter issue incorrectly listed James’ wife’s name as Pearl, which is her middle name. The correct first name is Mary.
CULVER ALUMNI MAGAZINE
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THE FINAL WORD
Motel Memories? The last of Culver’s 64 motel rooms have been torn down on the far west end of campus. The motel units, constructed in 1959, were fabricated by the National Homes Corp. and erected by Price and Price of Lafayette, Ind. According to the story written at the time, the pre-fabricated construction “has permitted the Academy to raise the new motel in a record breaking time of three months.” The motel units served as housing for summer staff, Indian Trail Lodge when CGA (CAG) was established in 1971, as cadet rooms during the Argonne renovation, housing for alumni and guests, and as emergency housing for Band after a fire in South Barrack. For more on the motels, go to the Culver Academies History Facebook page. If you have a special (or not so special) memory of the motel units, please tell us about it. Go to news.culver.org and click on the Share Your Story button to send us a message.
The late Poncet ’48 and Astra
Davis lived quiet, private lives, but their actions continue to speak volumes. Culver is one of the places that continues to benefit from their character and introspection. “I was Captain of the Black Horse Troop more than half a century ago, but still find my Culver Black Horse Troop training is helping me. May the same be true in your case,” Ponce wrote to recipients of the Poncet and Astra Davis Endowed Horsemanship Fund at the turn of this century. While the Davises lived in Alabama, Astra led efforts to repurpose an Alabama rubber plant that was close to shutting down. Instead of seeing the plant close, Astra worked to ensure that new products were developed and manufactured at the facility, saving numerous jobs and, by extension, family livelihoods. As shown through their many charitable interests, servant leadership was a passion of both Ponce and Astra. They found a way to build on Culver’s legacy of leadership, even after they both had passed, through the Eugene C. Eppley Club, Culver’s planned giving society. As a result, the Black Horse Troop continues to benefit today. In the next Culver Perspectives newsletter, you will learn more about their remarkable lives and legacy.
Pamela Christiansen Director of Planned Giving pamela.christiansen@culver.org (574) 842-8181
What are your passions? Are you interested in building your own legacy of leadership at Culver? If you are considering a planned gift to Culver, please contact Director of Planned Giving Pamela Christiansen at 574-842-8181 or pamela.christiansen@culver.org.
Culver Alumni Magazine
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“The Spirit of Culver” was created by Helen Doft, who worked in Midway studios in Chicago. She submitted a proposal to the Culver Class of 1929, which wanted a sculpture as its class gift, and it was accepted. The Culver Minerva was dedicated November 16th during the 1929 Alumni Festivities. The Culver Minerva was Helen Doft’s first important commission and always remained precious to her. To learn more about Helen Doft Crunelle, visit our blog at news.culver.org