Passionate Educator

John Cogley, a professor who left an indelible mark on students’ lives and careers, died on Dec. 31.

With his “vivid smile” and “infectious laugh,” John Cogley never failed to lift spirits and light up classrooms during his long tenure as a professor and department chair of therapeutic recreation at EWU. With his support and guidance, Cogley also fired up the career prospects of his students: Today hundreds are making their mark in what we now refer to as “wellness and movement sciences,” a professional field he was instrumental in advancing.

Cogley arrived at Eastern in 1978, and immediately set about making the therapeutic recreation program at EWU among the nation’s best. From 2005 until his retirement in 2011 he served as chair of the Department of Physical Education, Health and Recreation, which was renamed the Department of Wellness and

2010s

’18 Joel Teats, age 31, died May 5, 2023.

’14 Rick Dandurand, age 65, died Dec. 19, 2022.

’10 Ellen Holland, age 51, died March 12, 2023.

2000s

’07 Amanda Ward, age 38, died Jan. 7, 2023.

1990s

’92 Terri Quinlivan, age 63, died April 30, 2023.

Movement Sciences in 2019. “He made our department what it is today,” says Alan Coelho, a former colleague and professor of exercise science at EWU. “He had high standards, and held his students and faculty to those standards.”

Throughout his 33 years of service, those standards were evident both in the esteem Cogley earned from both colleagues — Cogley, for example, was tasked with contributing questions for the national certification exam used by colleges nationwide — and students, many of whom recently shared memories with Coelho.

Pam Young is one of those students. Young credits Cogley with providing incredible support after she, when pregnant, transferred to EWU as a junior. “Because of the kindness, grace, encouragement and support given by Dr. Cogley, I graduated on time,” Young said, adding that

1980s even after graduation Cogley’s assistance meant the world to her. “It catapulted my professional experience and confidence,” she says.

’87 Kerry Rodeen, age 57, died March 8, 2023.

’84 Kevin Carson, age 62, died Feb. 12, 2023.

’84 Christa Richardson, age 79, died Feb. 23, 2023.

’84 Betty Sansom, age 88, died Feb. 25, 2023.

’83 Jeanne Tomlin, age 91, died April 3, 2023.

’82 Gary W. Pierce, age 72, died March 1, 2023.

’81 Dorothy Pierce, age 90, died March 22, 2023.

Alongside his academic and professional contributions, Cogley, a lover of all things outdoors, also assisted with programming for the adapted ski program on Mt. Spokane. In addition, he and his wife, Patty, were instrumental in creating the reading garden located outside EWU’s One Room School House.

Professor John Philip Cogley was 77 years old.

’81 David Sullivan, age 66, died March 3, 2023.

’80 Nicholas Fenno, age 67, died April 11, 2023.

1970s

’77 Hosey Ray Horton, age 86, died Aug. 22, 2022.

’74 John Clark, age 81, died Feb. 22, 2023.

’74 Jocelyn Moore, age 73, died Feb. 8, 2023.

’72 James Nimnicht, age 74, died Dec. 7, 2022.

’71 Michael Angelo, age 74, died April 22, 2023.

’71 Richard Martin, age 75, died April 2, 2023.

’70 Raymond Fox, age 76, died March 17, 2023.

’70 Reese Hinthorne, age 76, died March 23, 2023.

1960s

’69 Jean Huber, age 84, died April 6, 2023.

’67 Don Harwood, age 82, died Feb. 27, 2023.

’67 William Hachman, age 84, died March 6, 2023.

’66 Richard Bretthauer, age 86, died April 4, 2023.

’68 Albert Kissler, age 78, died Jan 21, 2023.

’66, ’74 Larry Peterson, age 78, died Jan. 21, 2023.

’64 Leroy Faling, age 87, died Jan. 15, 2023.

’64 Leslie Francis, age 85, died Feb. 3, 2023.

’63 Mary Ritchie, age 82, died March 19, 2023.

’60 Leroy Lowdon, age 91, died March 6, 2023.

1950s

’59 Duane Colvin, age 88, died April 10, 2023.

’55 Jeannine Sigler, age 90, died April 5, 2023.

Faculty and Staff

Jack Benson, died Dec. 29, 2022. Benson ’62 coached EWU men’s gymnastics team while serving as a faculty member in health and physical education. He retired in 1999 after 34 years of service, and was inducted into the EWU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.

John Cogley, died Dec. 31, 2022. During his long tenure at EWU, Cogley served as a professor and department chair of therapeutic recreation. (See story Page 33.)

Michael Dietrich, died Dec. 19, 2022. Dietrich, a talented drummer who left his mark on the Spokane music scene, retired from EWU Dining Services in August 2007 after 27 years of service.

Michael Green, died Feb. 23, 2023. Green ’60 served as a professor and department chair of history before retiring in 2001. Over the course of his 33-year career at Eastern, Green specialized in U.S. diplomatic history as well as that of the Pacific Northwest.

Bill Greene, died Jan 1, 2023. Greene served for 34 years as an EWU professor of psychology. Green, a widely published researcher, helped to advance forms of biofeedback therapies that are widely practiced today. He retired in 1998.

Frank Ide, died April 23, 2023. A U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam, Ide worked in various communications and technologysupport services at EWU for 15 years. He retired in 1997.

Jerry Krause, died May 24, 2023. Krause was EWU’s men’s basketball head coach for 17 seasons from 1967-85, compiling a 262-195 record. He was inducted into the EWU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.

Jamie Manson, died June 7, 2023. Malone ’94, a nationally prominent researcher and fellow of the American Physical Society, was a professor of chemistry. (Story to follow in Fall/Winter.)

Robert Salsbury, died Feb. 5, 2023. Salsbury ’58, ’61 served as a professor of education at EWU for 31 years. As both an educator and researcher, Salsbury worked to ensure that remote learning became accepted as part of the university experience. He was named Alumnus of the Year in 2002.

Beverly Siegel, died Dec. 26, 2022. An avid reader, Siegel assisted students and university community members at the University Bookstore (now the Eagle Store) for 17 years before retiring in 2009.

Carrie Yerty, died January 24, 2023. Yerty served as an assistant women’s volleyball coach at EWU in the early 1990s.

• Establish an endowed scholarship in your name

• Provide funds for the program — or team — that changed your life

• Support student activities to enrich campus life

Celebrating Home: The origins of Homecoming, that football-centered rite of return that brings alumni back to their collegiate alma maters, is shrouded in mystery, with several American universities making competing claims to having hosted the first one. Eastern makes no such assertion, but our own century of celebrating Homecoming an anniversary itself to be celebrated this fall has seldom failed to deliver on the pomp and pageantry. While images from EWU’s earliest fall gatherings are rare, photos from later events including these from Eastern’s 25th Homecoming in 1948 demonstrate the enduring appeal of living on, and returning to, the Eastern Washington University campus.