Work on the Golden YearBook began nearly 18 months ago. Suggestions begat questions. Questions begat collections. Your memories flooded in, creating what might be an appropriate subtitle: Ode on a Distant Prospect of Knox College. It’s all there. Like Thomas Gray’s classic poem, your responses evoked emotions from our more innocent times filtered through wisdom’s lens. Life choices made then, and editorial choices made in your contributions now, reveal an unmistakable community arc in a half century of Knox values. Veritas, indeed.
Of course, we weren’t quite as ignorantly blissful as the Etonian undergrads from two centuries before. The world of the 1970s had a way of slipping into sleepy Galesburg. The Vietnam War and the Draft. The fight for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Earth Day and the solemn awareness of our responsibilities to our planet. We partied, but ours was not an unrestrained bliss. We were informed and resolute in facing a future that loomed as much as it beckoned.
So now, imagine you’re in your favorite campus hideaway — the Library, Old Main, Harbach, a bench on the Quad or a study carrel at the Science/Math Building — and journey back to where it was folly to be wise.
Respectfully,
The Golden YearBook Committee
Glenda Bailey-Mershon
Peter Bailley (Book Design and Photography)
Linda LaPuma Bial
Annie Reinke
Mark Stefanik
Betty Harpham Spieth Croll, Knox Class of 1974
50th Reunion Committee Co-Chair, Liaison
Terry Algren Bruner 3
Barbara Atwell Westerdale (Barb) 5
Debbie Axner (Nickname: Marya) 6
Glenda (Malone) Bailey-Mershon (Glenda or Gee) 7
Peter Bailley ............................................................. 10
Linda Baring Gutesha .............................................. 11
David Bauman (David) ............................................ 12
Margie Beers 9
Leonard Berg (Leonard) 13
Ed Brown 14
Linda Bruce Bucklin 15
Ernest Buck (Ernie).................................................. 16
David Clark (David) ................................................ 17
Classmates who have passed away prior to September 1, 2024 are listed on page 93.
Poem “out across the evening gray” by Glenda Bailey-Mershon, dedicated to the Class of 1974, page 102
Update classmates on your life and accomplishments by sending notes to your class correspondent, Monta Lee Dakin, mld780@aol.com, for inclusion in an upcoming Knox Magazine.
Acknowledgements: Front and back cover art by Andy Spieth. Photos from The Gale 1973, edited by Terry Algren Bruner, without whose work fifty years ago this book would not have been possible; also New Faces 1970, and the Knox College Archives. Siegal-Schwall concert photos by Evan Temchin ’10 at Homecoming 2014 performance sponsored by you, the Class of 1974.
TERRy ALGREn BRunER
My Knox Experience
American Studies/Education major. Pi Beta Phi. Whiting—freshman year; Post—sophomore and junior; Home—senior year. Managing Editor, Knox Student—sophomore year; Editor, The Gale—junior year
Favorite Professors: Dr. Rodney Davis—Rod the God was my favorite! I loved the stories he told when talking about American history. I could have taken classes with him all day long! Dr. Hermann Muelder—I only had [him] for two classes. But he was another great story teller who made history very interesting. Dr. Howard Wilson— what a witty, fun professor! Another storyteller, although I know I fell asleep in his class a lot.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Statistics. I failed it. I took it again during summer session at Monmouth College. There was one other person in the class and she was even worse in math than I was. I think the professor passed us both because we worked so hard and he didn’t ever want to see us again!
Post Knox Life
Masters Degree in Public Administration, Sangamon State University
I got married to my husband Stephen in 1973, my senior year, married more than 50 years now. We have two sons and a daughter. Our sons live in Florida with their wives and our [four] granddaughters. Our daughter lives in the Quad Cities.
All three of our kids attended Catholic School K-8. All three went off to college, and two graduated and got master’s degrees. Child #3 wishes he had not been a one-semester wonder at Western Illinois University. As our two oldest tell the story—he got away with everything, including not taking piano lessons, and not being a Mass-server. All three of our kids played basketball—being their Dad is 6’10 tall they had no choice! Our daughter played for classmate Evan Massey. Our oldest son followed in his dad’s footsteps and played college basketball. All three kids have made us so proud. They have done a great job for themselves!
My husband and I have always lived in Galesburg. We bought a little fixer-upper when we were first married, and in 1985 purchased one of those big houses on Cherry Street, across the street from Rodney and Norma Davis. [Now we] live on the farm that has been in my husband’s maternal family since 1855. We just have a house and an acre, and the rest is owned by cousins. It is heaven!
We also owned a condo in Seminole, Florida for 12 years, and we went there every winter to escape the Illinois temperatures and snow. [It] was a good way to avoid shoveling snow AND [to] attend school events for our granddaughters.
My plans to get a job teaching social studies in a high school fell apart immediately when I started looking for a teaching job. The problem was—I wasn’t able to coach football, or basketball, or track. So I found a job working for the State of Illlinois instead. I worked for the Illinois Department of Public Aid/Human Services for 32 years, retiring in 2024 as the regional administrator over 23 counties.
I then switched gears entirely, and taught at a local parochial school—social studies and English literature—and taught a couple of management courses for Carl Sandburg College’s extension program. I used my major every day because it helped me to formulate my political identity and beliefs. Teaching social studies for 5 years, I used my knowledge of American history daily.
Knox did not prepare me to have three kids and work full time at a super demanding job, but I guess it all worked out.
I have volunteered as a board member for Carver Community Action Agency, The United Way Allocations Committee, and was President of the Galesburg Public Library Foundation for 7 years. The Foundation and others put together the funds and plans for the brand new state of the art Galesburg Public Library which opened doors in April of 2024—a fantastic accomplishment for our community.
I am sorry I can’t be at the Reunion! We had planned a cruise in 2020 which we cancelled, and then we had to cancel it in 2021. So while my classmates are enjoying the Reunion, I will be cruising the St. Lawrence Seaway, and Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and down the Atlantic Coast to Florida! We would have lost a large amount of money if we had to cancel this cruise again. Therefore.....cruise won!
Current Activities: I am currently writing a history of Henderson Township in Knox County, where we live, as both my family and my husband’s were early settlers.
I write and read a lot! Sounds like Knox! I enjoy genealogy and have traced ancestors on my husband’s side to 1500 and my own to 1150. Arvid the Toothless was my ancestor! I also started crafting during the Pandemic in 2020. I make greeting cards and bookmarks which are sold in stores in Illinois, Iowa, and Florida.
Reading Then: Democracy in America by Alexis Henri C M Clerel Tocqueville; The Greening of America by Robert Reich; Notes on the State of Virginia by Thomas Jefferson; The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne; Missionaries and Muckrakers by Hermann R. Muelder; They Broke the Prairie by Earnest Elmo Calkins.
Reading Now: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver.
BARBARA ATWELL WESTERDALE (BARB)
My Knox Experience
Geology major. Whiting Hall and Post Hall
Favorite Professors: Larry Demott and Dewey Moore in geology and Dr. Rosic, my Russian professor
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Anthropology Post Knox Life
I moved to the Denver area after graduation and never left. I have a daughter and a son who also live in the Denver area.
I have worked in the oil and gas industry as a petroleum geologist for two oil companies, as a regulatory supervisor for the Colorado Oil & Gas Commission, and as a consulting geologist for several oil and gas clients.
My geology major has been instrumental in finding employment in an industry I have enjoyed. I have had the opportunity to travel to the North Slope, the coral reefs of the Bahamas, and to an offshore rig in California. I always learn about the geology on all my recreational trips.
Current Activities: Walking, gardening, reading, and traveling as often as possible. Becoming a mother to two wonderful children has been the most fulfilling role of my life.
DEBBiE AxnER (niCKnAME: MARyA)
My Knox Experience
Art major. Whiting Hall as a Freshman (Priscilla Inge); The Co-op as a Sophmore (Fran Ansell) and Junior; My own apartment as a Senior; Volleyball
Favorite Professor: Henry Joe was my ceramics professor. He encouraged me in art and he taught me to keep trying until I was able to create the vision I had. He cared deeply about his students.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: A Political Science class my Freshman year. It was taught by the whole Political Science staff. We got to hear differing views, and I loved the passion of the professors.
Post Knox Life
MFA from University of Oregon; MA in Education from Harvard. I am married and have one daughter.
I grew up in Chicago. I’ve lived in Eugene, Oregon, Portland, Oregon, and now in Somerville, MA, just outside of Boston.
I taught art for 12 years in Portland, Oregon. Then I moved to Boston and worked for a number of organizations: Everyday Democracy helped people across political views have discussions, I ran Parent programs for Somerville Public Schools, I created a list of multicultural resources for a network of school districts, I wrote curriculum for Jewish Women’s Archive, and I was the Director of the New England Jewish Labor Committee, organizing the Jewish community to support worker issues. I now lead workshops on anti-Semitism and I volunteer on Climate Issues. I also do peer counseling.
Current Activities: I play the ukulele in a band, I lead parent groups, I swim, I lead a climate group at my synagogue.
Doing peer counseling has helped me understand the goodness of humanity — even though we often do horrible things. My family has been so important to me—my husband and daughter bring me joy and hope. I enjoy my life and I love people. Sometimes I feel sad about the world situation, and I try to be an activist to make things better.
Reading Then: The Irony of Democracy
Reading Now: Martin Marten; My Promised Land; A Gentleman in Moscow
GLEnDA (MALOnE) BAiLEy-MERSHOn (GLEnDA OR GEE)
My Knox Experience
Anthropology/History Major. Williston Hall (Marcy) Sherwin (Joyce Mueller), Tompkins House (Jan Stechly); Layout Editor, Knox Student, Appalachian III Soc-Anthro Group
Favorite Professors: Philip Haring managed to both inform and harrow my mind at the same time. Henry Houser was always a kind man; I never left his office without a pile of books he loaned me to read. Jon Wagner taught me that anthropology does not have to be about dead people. Mikiso Hane’s love of learning was so infectious. Rodney Davis exemplified a kind of scholarship I aspired toward — questing, challenging, absolutely open to possibility. Herbert Priestley’s physics courses for non-science majors gave me a foundation I use and appreciate every time we see something important in space. How he must have loved the Hubble and Webb Space telescopes!
Post Knox Life
M.S. Human Ecology and Community Planning, Governors State University. Post-graduate work in History and Women’s Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago. A serious auto accident cut short my PhD Studies, but that’s okay—the long years of recovery reminded me that I am a writer.
My Husband, Ed, and my son, Ansel, mean the world to me.
Lived In: Greenville, South Carolina; Park Forest, Arlington Heights, and Palatine in Illinois; St. Augustine, Florida; Charlotte, North Carolina; Lawrence, Kansas; Columbia, South Carolina.
Immediately after Knox, I worked in retail for a while before I went to graduate school, became a Research Associate at Governors State University and Prairie State College, became a midlevel administrator, and eventually retired as Assistant Director of the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Public Policy Analysis PhD Program.
After severe arthritis set in from two accidents, I did a lot of volunteer work focusing on women’s rights, civil rights, indigenous rights, and politics. Became President of Illinois NOW and Chair of the Illinois Now PAC. I’ve tutored English for Romani youth and was an Associate Member of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture.
I use my Anthropology/History major every day. Because my family is multicultural, it took me some time to understand how other people see the concepts of race and ethnicity. Anthropology helped me with that. Most of my work chronicles not only my own Appalachian/Mixed Roma community, but the legacy of America’s freedom movements, and the process of forming identity.
Understanding as much about the world as I can and supporting the next generation are my main goals.
I’ve won an award or two and published eight books, and I’ve had an inside view of the civil rights, peace, and feminist movements, first as a witness and participant for SCLC and SNCC actions, and then as a leader in local and state feminist organizations. I have written and carried out several grant
programs for community history and literary organizations and received artist grants from the Illinois and Florida State Humanities Councils. I worked a lot on the history of the Black community of St. Augustine, Florida, one of the nation’s oldest, and on the civil rights of that region, forming with volunteers a basis for community archives.
Current Activities: I love writing, reading, gardening, walking as much as I can, traveling anytime I can manage. I discovered a deep appreciation for London and Edinburgh’s pubs.
I still write; I suppose I’ll be scribbling till the end. My newest book is poetry about the connections between generations and land. It’s called Weaver’s Knot: Poems. I also wrote a novel about three generations of Romani-American women, called Eve’s Garden, and have published several short collections, as well as a number of essays, stories, and poems. I edited a series of four anthologies by women writers for Jane’s Stories Press Foundation, which I founded.
Reading Then: The Greening of America by Charles Reich; Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown; The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir; Fear of Flying by Erica Jong; The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison; Go Tell it on the Mountain, James Baldwin; Laguna Women: Poems by Leslie Marmon Silko.
Reading Now: Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts by Crystal Wilkinson; Drawing Breath by Gayle Brandeis; Sarah Ghazal Aliâs’ Theophanies
MARGiE BEERS
My Knox Experience
PreMed, Elementary Education major. TriDelt. Whiting third floor, Joyce Smulkis; Post 1, Linda Bruce
Favorite Professor: Can’t remember names, the Art, Music (Whit something or other); Mrs. Granscog
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Art
Post Knox Life
Finally graduated summa cum laude from Northeastern Illinois University in 2019 in Interdisciplinary Studies. Married in 1978, divorced in 1990. Have three children and nine grandchildren. My honey, Mark, and I have been happily UNmarried for almost 31 years.
Lived In: I’m not much of a nomad. I’ve been living in Niles, same house, for almost 45 years.
I worked for Delta Airlines at O’Hare, a hospice, several banks/ mortgage companies, and retired from the IDCFS. I’ve applied a little bit of everything I’ve learned in college throughout my various careers.
My kids have grown up, have successful careers, have given me grandchildren, and for the most part are very happy. I met my honey, Mark. I now winter in Florida. I drive a 2009 blue Volkswagon EOS. I love the four seasons hard top convertible.
Current Activities: Gardening, traveling, pickleball, bocci, ballroom dancing, being Gramma.
Reading Then: Romance novels
Reading Now: Lots of James Patterson and David Baldacci
PETER BAiLLEy
My Knox Experience
Philosophy major. Roomates: FR Conger 3 - Phil Malkinson; SO Longden 2 - Rick Swartwout; JR, Seymour 3 - Norm Winick; SR, off campus with (at various times) Norm Winick, Ward Larkin, Dave Usher, Joe Wolfe, Bob Hunt, Paul Heine. Great guys on every floor, every year! Also, kudos to Bill Scanlon, a great freshman year RA.
Enjoyed working for The Gale, Photo Club, WVKC. Also had a campus job collecting and handing out bed sheets in Conger basement.
Favorite Professors: Lance Factor, Ken Pahel, Bill Ripperger, Bob Seibert. I also had the privilege of working with them and their colleagues, many of whom are pictured somewhere in this book. Every meeting was a challenge to think deeper, discover more.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: CS with Bill Ripperger. Also, a moment in freshman calculus: One day in 1970, in the computer center, Frank Young suggested that a buddy and I might be interested in studying hidden lines. Of course, I ignored it, but I never forgot it. That was five years before Apple, ten years before Adobe. That man was ahead of his time! Unrelated, I remember many of the idiotic things I said in class back then. Thankfully, that was long before everybody was recording everything.
Post Knox Life
Lived In: Before Knox: NYC and St. Louis. After Knox: Galesburg; world got smaller and flatter.
Continuing Education: On the job training! Joyfully married to Lori for 40+ years; two kids, both Knox grads.Jeff is in the military, Erica works in intellectual property law. I’ve worked as a janitor, bike mechanic, radio DJ, radio news reporter, newspaper reporter, 35 years as writer and photographer for Knox College.
I quit substances, was blessed with a family, came back to Knox, actually finished the BA degree in 1990, got regular haircuts and braces, kept the bike wheels under me.
The Now photo is a mosaic made from 4,000 photos, out of the estimated 200,000 I took while working at Knox. A 4K career: grad, employee, parent of two grads.
Current Activities: Keeping in touch with Phil Malkinson, Rick Swartwout, Bruce MacMurray, Mike Tweedle and Dave Usher. Biking. Grandkid-sitting. Researching interesting lacunae in Knox history: the mysterious map, secret code book, huge plaque, Lombard bell, Alumni Hall (not its real name!) I learn something new every day.
Reading Then: The Philosophical Writings of C.S. Peirce
Reading Now: Still reading one from Peirce, and 1,000 from www.gutenberg.org.
LinDA BARinG GuTESHA
My Knox Experience
Theatre/English Education major. Whiting Hall, Williston Hall; I was in plays—The Crucible, Blithe Spirit, Dark Lady of the Shadows, Come Blow your Horn; also stage managed and worked costumes.
Favorite Professors: Dr. Bob Whitlatch and Mr. Davidson, both theatre profs. They both expressed so much love for their students and love for theater. Mr. D directed two of the shows I was in and taught me costume design and creation.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Geology, especially the field trip to hunt in a muddy stream bed for fossils.
Post Knox Life
I married a Knox grad after two years at Knox. Finished my BS at Kansas State University. Earned an MA at George Mason University, VA. Still married 51 years to Knox college sweetheart. No children, but lots of nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and -nephews! Lots of Persian and Ragdoll kitties and Cavalier King Charles spaniels. My husband was a twenty-year Army officer, so we moved a lot. Lived in Germany, Italy, Indiana, Kansas, Virginia (7 years at the Pentagon) and since retiring from the Army we have lived in Colorado, where I grew up. On and off teaching, directing, acting in small regional and dinner theaters. Theater Specialist for US Army Recreation Dept. Also, Administrative Assistant at a churchbased nursing care facility. Lived three and a half years in Germany, three years in Italy. Directed some 30 plays. A lot of international travel. Earned my masters degree. Bought our small “dream” home on a lovely pond with a view of the Colorado foothills. We have been remodeling it to get it just the way we want it.
How I’ve Used My Major: Lots of directing and acting at small regional and community theatres. Worked as a seamstress and crew for Arlington County Costume Shop (VA). Taught and directed children’s theatre for years at many locations. I was Theatre specialist for Army Recreation dept. in Pirmasens, Germany.
Current Activities: Sewing, baking, gardening, dabbling in water colors, online courses in American history, training and walking our dogs, church involvement, family—great nephews and nieces, being an audience member at local theatre productions.
My fond memories of Knox seem to grow fonder as the years go by. I found my husband and my religion at Knox, both so precious to me today. I also learned how to learn which has helped to make me a life-long learner. I was truly blessed by my time at Knox.
Reading Then: Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy
Reading Now: Same on-going study. Also The 21: the True Story of the Youth who sued the US Government over Climate Change by Elizabeth Rusch (my nephew from AK is one of the 21 plaintiffs). And Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson
DAViD BAuMAn (DAViD)
My Knox Experience
Russian Area Studies major. Sigma Nu. Conger I— roommate Kevin Waite. Sigma Nu house—roommates Ed Brown, Steve Kaszynski.
Knox Galesburg Symphony, freshman year. Wrestling, freshman year. Soccer, four years.
Favorite Professors: Professor Rosic, who welcomed me into his home, and Professor Fiedorow, who talked me into attending graduate school in Seattle.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Professor Matthews’ class on religion
Post Knox Life
M.A. Slavic Languages & Literature, U. of Washington; MBA Foster School, U. of Washington
Wife Susan - a great partner for 40 years, who reminds me what’s important. A daughter Katherine and a son Ben, both now living in Seattle.
Lived In: Spent 1 year in Galesburg after graduation (painting houses with Mark Hall ’72!) then moved to Seattle for graduate school and never left.
Worked as company rep on Soviet fish processing ships in the Bering Sea in the early ‘80’s. Worked in corporate finance for Viacom in late ‘80’s and early ‘90’s.
Owned a factory trawler that fished in Alaska and Mexico in the ‘90’s and ‘00’s.
Owned a book publishing company from ‘00’s to the present.
Surviving a colossal business failure was transformative - I learned how to fail with grace.
How I’ve used my Major: Used my Russian Language as a teacher in the late ’70’s and as a company rep/translator on Russian ships in the 1980’s.
Current Activities: Travel, rowing crew with a local team, gardening, doing crosswords, playing duplicate bridge.
Reading Then: The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
Reading Now: Mostly non-fiction. Most recently: The Big Myth by Naomi Oreskes
LEOnARD BERG (LEOnARD)
My Knox Experience
Political Science/Business Administration major. Raub—Mike Schurr was my roommate. Suitemates included Jim Rybka, Bruce Roberts, and John Knoche. Sophomore through Senior year I lived at the Phi Delta Theta house. Roommates included Mike Smothers.
Duties at the Knox Student, including advertising and circulation; WVKC radio station; Phi Delta Theta; working on the college grounds crew; serving as an intern for the Better Government Association in Springfield during Spring term 1974.
Favorite Professors: Lane Sunderland—passion for the law and teaching complex topics. Wilbur Pillsbury —being a leader in bringing technology to accounting. Professor Davidson—for his willingness to accommodate a non-theater major into his classes. Rodney Davis for his deep love of American history.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Linear algebra—without the help of David Schultz I would not have gotten a B; I am still not sure if I can comprehend the concept of multiple dimensions.
Post Knox Life
Washington University School of Law, St. Louis, 1977
Married to Mary Frances Manion Berg (Fran) since 1985. No children
Lived In: Grew up in Steger, IL. After Knox, I lived in Springfield, Belleville, Alton, and Godfrey, Illinois. My practice as an attorney has been concentrated in Madison County, Illinois—one of the counties across from St. Louis. I have served as a prosecutor, defense attorney, municipal attorney, general practice, but my final area of focus has been helping the elderly and those with special needs. I have also taught through seminars and mentoring.
History, politics, economics, and business are essential concepts in the practice of law.
Besides being married, I appreciate being acknowledged by my peers and community for having a commitment to serve others, particularly the elderly and persons with disabilities.
Current Activities: Spending time with my wife. Attending a wide variety of online courses. Keeping in touch with family and friends. Continuing religious education. Traveling - day trips and further afield. Serving others in a variety of ways.
Reading Then: Several plays by George Bernard Shaw that served as the basis of my independent study course. A textbook on government finance, which still informs reports on how to calculate the national debt. The Underside of American History, which was part of the American Studies courses.
Reading Now: Books touching on aspects of disability, as recommended by the Special Needs Alliance. I also participate in a variety of online courses and lectures, including the Revolutionary War from the British perspective and Jesus of Nazareth by Pope Benedict XVI.
Success and fulfillment can happen to someone who was the last person to be in the top of the class. My class ranking on my transcript was 126 of 252.
ED BROWn
My Knox Experience
Political Science/International Relations major. Sigma Nu.
Played soccer and intramural sports at Sigma Nu.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Interpretations of History, Stephen Bailey. Almost died from the work and interpretations, but it was the best preparation for grad school.
Post Knox Life
MA, African Studies (UCLA); MA, Political Science (Indiana University)
Learning from my clients and co-workers in the disabilities field.
Married to Susan Spector, 1997. No children.
After graduating, I moved west to the Rockies and UCLA, then east to IU and I now live outside Boston since 1987, after escaping Indiana.
Since moving to Boston I have worked in human services as a service coordinator with the Commonwealth for the Dept. of Developmental Services, and since retiring, I am now a court-appointed guardian for the same population. I enjoy being a jack of all trades, master of none.
[I’ve used my major all] the time, to understand the world around me, and as a mentor to my human services co-workers, who had less formal education.
Diagnosis of depression and ADD and their management in the 90s sure improved my quality of life. I am only semi-retired, so I am still active in the disabilities field, and volunteer as a case-manager for a few complicated cases with the local elder services agency. Allows me to spend time in Wellfleet, Cape Cod.
Reading Now: Mostly current politics and the horror of the current political climate. When we meet in October, I hope it won’t be a dead heat in the battleground states.
LinDA BRuCE BuCKLin
My Knox Experience
Biology major. Whiting, first year; Post, second year
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Russian with Prof. Rosic Post Knox Life
BA, Governor’s State University, 1979; additional coursework, various subjects: College of DuPage, Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana University
My spouse, Lou, is deceased (1955-2006); I have 2 children, Sean (1989) and River (1991). No grandchildren.
Lived In: various Chicago suburbs, Bloomington IN, and rural Monroe County IN (the last since 1985)
Didn’t graduate from Knox; since leaving I worked as an administrative assistant at several organizations in Chicago’s Loop, as a program assistant for a pilot program on environmental mediation at U of I, and as an administrative secretary at Indiana University (1986 until retirement in 2020).
[Used my major] on a futurism program while working in Chicago and at the environmental mediation pilot at U of I; otherwise the knowledge has been integrated in to my daily life (gardening, orchard, bird watching, hiking, animal care).
Current Activities: Volunteering at our local Pride Center, knitting, and taking care of the orchard/ land and all the pets.
Favorite Professor: Billy Geer, Biology. Persuaded me to go to medical school.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Humanities
Post Knox Life
Rush Medical College, Chicago; Pediatric Residency, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX
Married Patricia. Had three children—Mark, Erin, Greg. Divorced. Married Fran Willms
Lived In: Corpus Christi, Texas. Vacation home—Canyon Lake, TX.
Practiced General Pediatrics, Became the Chief Medical Officer for the Driscoll Health Plan. Now a hospital administrator for Driscoll Children’s Hospital. My career led me to care for and befriend hundreds of families and children. The health plan job allowed me to improve the health and lives of children in South Texas. [My major is fully] interspersed in my career. I value the experiences we shared.
Current Activities: Golf and travel
Reading Then: The Whole Earth Catalog; The Electric Koolaid Acid Test; The Hobbit
Reading Now: The Body Keeps the Score; Robichaux
DAViD CLARK (DAViD)
My Knox Experience
Economics and Sociology major. McCall House, Dan Sapir.
Alcohol, marijuana, trying to date, pizza from that guy everyone knew (and I now can’t remember!), cribbage at the Downtown Lounge and playing the piano in the Fine Arts Center on Friday nights when no one was there. Biking along country roads. Going to listen to all the great guest speakers who visited classes as well.
Favorite Professor: Can’t remember his name, I think he may have been the department chair, but my sociology professor who mentored me and was very helpful.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Priestly’s Planets! Post Knox Life
University of Chicago Graduate School of Business MBA Marketing Concentration. Wife of 46 years, Janine. Son, Michael, 34. Daughter, Kelly, 30. Grandson, Mason, 3.
Executive in the food and drug retail business. I used statistics for my entire career. Macro and Micro economics served me well. Basic accounting was good as well. Sociology helped me work with people better.
Important events: Building a family. Having a career I enjoyed. Losing my father, mother, and sister too early.
I am a six-year auditor at University of Colorado, Boulder, taking a variety of courses. Took the piano back up in 2016. Road biking.
Reading Then: Economics, Paul Samuelson, The Academic Revolution, Jencks and Riesman.
Reading Now: The Search for Modern China, Chen, Cheng, and Lestz
GEORGE DOuGLAS COLE (DOuG)
My Knox Experience
Chemistry major. Started in Conger; always lived on campus. Michael Gallalee; Leigh Gignilliat. Activities included Knox Choir, KnoxGalesburg Symphony, College Democrats. Many small musical groups with other Knox students: Jeff Coombs, Richard D’Elia, Semenya McCord, Janet Howell, ‘Skip’ Sanders, etc.
Favorite Professor: Robert Kooser, who was my first Physical Chemistry prof. He also connected me to Kuhn’s Structure of Scientific Revolutions.
Most Memorable Class Outside of Major: Lane Sunderland’s Introduction to Philosophy Post Knox Life
MS Chemistry 1977, Purdue University; PhD Nuclear and Radiochemistry 1981, Purdue
Married Janet Davidson Howell in 1976. Two daughters: Audrey Jeanine (Gullotto), born 1983 in Oak Park; attended Illinois Wesleyan University, graduated 2005, BS Nursing; married with two children. Maureen Hunter (Beishir), born 1985 in Oak Park, married with two children. She graduated in 2007 from Knox, BA Education.
I’ve lived in Oak Park, Waukegan, and Downers Grove, Illinois.
I had a 40-year career in radiation and health physics, including radio-analytical chemistry, radwaste shipping, nuclear medicine consulting, emergency management and regulatory compliance. How I’ve used my Major: See above.
Current Activities: Musial performance and political activism.
Important Events: Marriage, graduate school, jobs, and having children; helping my children grow and become productive adults. Janet and I took a year off to work and travel, what would have been our junior year. That is why we are class of ’74 and ’73.
Reading Then: Childhood’s End by A.C. Clarke; The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Kuhn. Two books I still cherish from Knox: The Traditions of the Western World (J.H. Hexter editor, 1967, Rand McNally) and The Norton Anthology of Poetry (A.M. Eastman editor, 1970, W.W. Norton).
Reading Now: Our Ancient Faith: Lincoln, Democracy and the American Experiment by A.C. Guelzo; How to Stand Up to a Dictator by M. Ressa; On Having No Head by D.E. Harding; Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
DAViD COOnS (DAVE)
My Knox Experience
Political Science major. Sigma Nu.
Favorite Professor: Lane Sunderland. He was tuned in.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Priestley’s Planets.
Post Knox Life
JD from DePaul University College of Law.
Tax Lawyer and lobbyist
Wife, Jane, son Trevor, daughter Kate, grands, Tripp, Nora, Kaylin and Kieran.
Lived In: Elmwood Park, IL; Chesterfield, MO
How I’ve used my Major: Critical thinking
Current Activities: Cooking
Important Events: Having a wonderful family
CynTHiA COSTELLO (CinDy)
My Knox Experience
Major: Painting, French. I lived in Knox dormitories but do remember my roommates.
Enjoyed ice skating, art history, painting.
Favorite Professors: Mr. Goudie. I advanced quickly in figure drawing, also in painting. Mr. Minn, such a fun and funny French teacher, so very French.
Post Knox Life
Boston College, painting lessons; Art Students League, NYC painting lessons.
I am married to a Frenchman, Philippe Demure. We do not have children but he renovated our apartment, an Ancien relais Hotel. The clients hitched their horses downstairs and stayed in our apartment. In 2013, Philippe renovated the apartment next door and built a terrace adjoining the two apartments. We have a wonderful view of the maures Maurin behind us and all the pleasures of à petit village, Plande la Tour.
Since graduating, I lived on Cape Cod, Boston, Camden, Maine, New York, and now France, St. Tropez and currently in Plan de la Tour, a French Provencal village.
I worked for Pucker Safrai Gallery in Boston, also worked at Tufts New England Center as a unit secretary. I waitressed in Chatham on the Cape. In Maine, I worked for a hairdresser and in a children’s clothing shop. In New York, I attended Brooklyn College grad school and went on to the Fashion Institute of Technology, receiving an associate degree. I designed textiles for 15 years in New York. How I’ve used my Major: I painted textiles and wallpaper for Waverley and Schumacher in New York for 15 years. I was a Fashion designer for New York Graphics, in Greenwich, CT and worked as an assistant for a PBS producer in NYC. Since moving to France, I have taught children and adults painting during 25 years.
Current Activities: I continue to paint in oil and pastel. I like hiking in the hills here and swimming in the sea. I also love dance and music concerts as well as visiting galleries and museums.
I married a Frenchman and am living a beautiful life in the south of France. I love my home and my Atelier where I paint and teach. I have traveled in Italy, Austria, England, Portugal, and France. I took the Queen Mary to NY with Philippe, an amazing trip. I have met wonderful people here from all over the world. I think I have said it all!
Reading Then: Kahil Gibran
Reading Now: My Only Story, Monica Wood
Prof. Jay Minn and students in France
MOnTA LEE DAKin (MOnTA LEE)
My Knox Experience
Psychology major. Whiting Hall: Fran Ansel, Jo McNulty. Co-op, many roomies. Seymour 2–Mitch Owens. Off-campus houses.
Prelude, Co-founder. Birth Control Seminars for students. Shooting bottle rockets from Seymour 3. Viet Nam War Demonstrations
Favorite Professors: Doug Wilson and Rodney Davis. They showed me how relevant and interesting history can be. Their passion for history suggested to me that I could pursue it as a career. And I did. I applied my interest in history to museums and historic preservation. I’m still at this history thing, searching for ancestral sites, discovering family stories I never knew about and visiting the major capitals of the world.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: History of the 1950s; Tocqueville’s America
Post Knox Life
MA, American Studies. Post-grad work in American Decorative Arts, Historic Preservation, Genealogy. My son is James Dakin Owens. He is named after his father, James Michael “Mitch” Owens, and a 19th-century architect, James Dakin. My stepdaughter is Elizabeth Friesen, with my second husband, Steve Friesen.
I have worked in two fields: Historic Preservation and Museums (museum director, curator). I didn’t [use my major]. My interests switched to history in my Junior year, and I applied that interest to museums and historic preservation.
Traveling, visiting historic and ancient sites, and tracing my family’s migration history through research and onsite visits throughout Northern Europe and America.
I established Colorado’s Most Endangered Historic Places Program. I was director of Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, Colorado Preservation, and Mountain-Plains Museums Association for ten states. Also, I was Chief Curator at Strawbery Bank Museum and Assistant Curator at Mount Vernon (GW’s home). In retirement, I am researching my Northern European ancestry and working with museums as a consultant (exhibit design, object identification and strategic planning.)
I still swim. I still watch the Olympics. I am still political. And I’m partial to Lagavulin.
Reading Then: Steal This Book by Abbie Hoffman; The Best and the Brightest by David Halberstam; Our Bodies / Ourselves by Boston Women’s Health Book Collective; Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville; Future Shock by Alvin Toffler; The Pentagon Papers; Complete Book of Swimming by James E. Counsilman
Reading Now: The Children of Ash and Elm (History of the Vikings) by Neil Price; Collision of Power by Martin Baron (past editor, Washington Post); Cold Mountain Path by Tom Kizzia (McCarthy, Kennecott towns in Alaska.)
DEBORAH DECKER (DEBBiE)
My Knox Experience
Sociology major. Whiting; Post; Tompkins House; Kathy Krause, Helene Stanonick, Laura Kohl
Favorite Professor: Henry Houser-very fair, inspiring and kind teacher/mentor. I worked with him on a research project studying the use of emergency rooms. It was a unique opportunity to be able to work with him through all aspects of the project including conducting the surveys and analyzing the data.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Intro to Computer Science
Post Knox Life
Master of Social Work, 1987
Married once and divorced. One daughter and now I have brand new granddaughter. My sister also went to Knox and is married to a Knox alum. My niece and her husband both graduated from Knox.
Lived In: Lewistown, Canton, and Urbana, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana
Social work in the areas of juvenile justice and child welfare at the state and county level for about 15 years. Then medical social work in clinic and hospital settings, including working at one time in a large emergency department/trauma center.
How I’ve used my Major: My degree in Sociology enabled me to get some experience working with children and adolescents and their families which then led to getting my MSW.
Current Activities: For the last 20 years I have enjoyed training dogs and competing in various dog sports with my dogs. More recently, I started selling antiques and collectibles at an antique mall and online.
Important Events: Becoming a parent and now a grandparent. Moving to Indianapolis and now almost all of my family lives here. Several wonderful travel experiences both in the US and Europe.
Reading Now: Historical fiction, mysteries and thrillers
JAn DiLLOn RyBKA
My Knox Experience
Biology major. I lived in Whiting Hall for two years, Williston Hall one year, and one year in French House. My roommates were Jan Shelly Poppiti, Beth Kasai Collins, and Lin Yielding Bowie
Phi Mu sorority for three years, Puddles, and the Knox Choir
Favorite Professor: I learned so much from Bill Geer and loved his classes.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Chem 103 with Bob Kooser. He was an awesome professor (and friend) as well.
Post Knox Life
I received my MS in science education from Purdue University in 1989. My husband Jim and I were married right after Knox graduation. We have two sons; Mark, born in 1977 and Matthew, born in 1980. We have five grandchildren; Connor & Anelia Rybka in Fort Wayne Indiana, as well as Sofia, Adam & Kaleb Rybka in Flagstaff AZ.
Lived In: I grew up in Crystal Lake, Illinois. We lived in West Lafayette, Indiana from 1974-2018, then moved to Flagstaff, AZ, where we live currently.
My entire work history has been with teaching, starting as an instructor in chemistry at Purdue and adjunct faculty in science at Indiana Vocational College. I used [my major] in teaching.
I love getting together with friends, as well as walking, hiking, reading, and playing games.
I was very active in the Lafayette, Indiana community, doing a lot of volunteer work. I trained as a hospital chaplain and that was incredibly rewarding work. Currently I lead a caregiver support group at my church.
Moving to Flagstaff (where hippies go to die) reminds me a lot of my time at Knox. I feel very comfortable with the people here. I love the mountains after living in the midwest for so long. Jim and I started dating our freshmen year, married right after graduating, and are missing the reunion because we are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends and taking an anniversary trip to the Canadian Rockies.
Reading Then: It seems like all I did was study.
Reading Now: All kinds of books, favorite being historical fiction.
MARLEnE EGGER
My Knox Experience
Biology and Mathematics major. Whiting, Furrow, the French/ German house. My freshman year: Angie Rightnowar, Barb Lewis, and was there a fourth? Sophomore: Marilla Davis. Junior and Senior: oh, one year was Pepe (Linda) Hajic! And I cannot recall the other, not her fault, just my aging. Taking long walks.
Favorite Professors: I think my advisor was Billy Geer. But Rothwell Stephens meant everything to my later career.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Anthropology
Post Knox Life
Ms, PhD in Statistics at Stanford University. My husband is Larry Stewart. We married late. Both of us were near-oldest children in large families, who took care of our siblings, and we needed to be kids ourselves. And we have! So our family is cats.
Lived In: Michigan, Illinois, California, Utah.
I worked as a statistician for the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, between my Masters and PhD. I worked at the University of Utah for 42 years, and am now Professor Emeritus. Biology led to enjoyment of nature throughout my life. Math led to my lifetime career in medical statistics.
California counterculture in the 1970s was life-changing. Utah in the 1980s had outdoor opportunities and beautiful, remote places. I was an avid whitewater kayaker and skier for many years. I met my husband here too, on a skiing trip.
Knox professors had a vision of who I could become, which was larger than the vision I had for myself. California enhanced it. In Utah I was able to give back through teaching and medical research. Don’t wait too long to visit! We are not getting any younger!
Well, now I’m getting old! But I still hike and do amateur astronomy. I am quite a gardener, too! I do a little oil painting and sometimes write poetry. I am starting to have an interest in rockhounding.
Favorite Professor: Roy Andersen—good teacher, cares about his students.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: German Post Knox Life
M.A. Economics. Ph.D. Marine Studies. Spouse: Katherine King
Lived In: Newark, Delaware; Dover Delaware; Washington D.C; Seattle
Fisheries Economist, Foreign Affairs Officer, International Trade Specialist, Fisheries Manager. Used [my major] in all my career positions.
Completing Ph.D., getting married, Puerto Vallarta and Costa Rica fishing trips with my brother, hanging out with my best friend from the old neighborhood. Retirement is great!
Current Activities: Listening to music, reading, relearning guitar, fishing, Rotary/Community projects, watching the water go up and down at our Cabin on the Hood Canal.
Reading Then: American Economic History
Reading Now: Lincoln as He Really Was
DAViD FRiDOViCH (FRiDO)
My Knox Experience
International Relations major. TKE. Campbell 1, Jim Ryan; RA, Conger 2; TKE House. Tommy Kotz
Football; Army ROTC, TKE.
Favorite Professors: Dr Seibert, he always provided great insights. Harley Knosher, I can talk to him about anything. He is one of the most authentic people I’ve ever met. Al Reilly, Head Football Coach— youngest head Football Coach in America at the time. He listened with his whole being!
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: How to treat/avoid Sports injuries; Al Partin
Post Knox Life
MA, Tulane University; Post-Graduate program in Social Sciences, University of Chicago; Royal College of Defence Studies, Seaford House, London, UK; Kathy Kodl Fridovich (Knox ’76); Sarah Fridovich (daughter); Jason Henderson (son in law) Rose Naomi F-Henderson (granddaughter)
Lived In: Ft Benning, Ga; Ft Richardson, AK; Northfield, VT; Ft. Lewis, WA; Ft Leavenworth, KS; Seoul, Korea; Ft Chaffee, AR; Aiea, Hawaii; Ft Bragg, NC; London, England; Sarajevo, Bosnia; Ft Lewis, WA (2d time); Camp Navarro, Zamboanga, Rep of the Philippines; Honolulu. Was in the Army. Yes, [used my major] extensively in the countries I worked with as a Special Forces Officer.
Hiking, traveling, sailing, reading, and working out. Got married to a perfect partner who loves to travel, hike, etc. We have a wonderful daughter who gave us a fantastic granddaughter!
President Sharvy Umbeck
Reading Then: Message to Garcia
JEFFREy GARTnER (JEFF)
My Knox Experience
Political Science/Economics major. First three years on campus, but don’t recall dorm names; last year off campus in an old house close to campus with John Munchoff, Bob Tietz.
Intramural sports.
Favorite Professors: Roy Anderson, Bob Seibert, Lane
Sunderland
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Art History
Post Knox Life
Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management (MBA 1976)
Marketing planning, communications and research with advertising and marketing research firms, and then as an independent consultant since 1990. My wife Sue and I have been married since 1980. We have three daughters (and three son in-laws) and six grandsons.
Lived In: Evanston (1974-78), Madison (1978-85), Grand Rapids (1985-2018), Cincinnati (2018-today)
How I’ve Used My Major: To better understand the culture and behavior that contribute to and frame the decisions of organizations, workplaces and consumers
Important Events: First and foremost family, being a husband, father, and grandfather. Second, the good fortune to work at something I love to do as an independent marketing consultant for the past 30+ years. My wife and I (and our daughters and their families) are very active and have enjoyed the good health to be active. My experiences at Knox, Northwestern, and in my career have taught me the importance of doing pro bono work with nonprofit and civic organizations that build community and serve all people. I’m currently on the board of our local Farmers Market and a national organization promoting civil conversations.
Current Activities: Anything with our grandsons, neighborhood firepit socializing, traveling, and pickleball
Reading Then: Studs Terkel’s Working
Reading Now: Saul Bellow’s Humboldt’s Gift
MARGARET GiBSOn-WOLLiTz (MARGiE)
My Knox Experience
Psychology (Secondary Education, Social Studies) . Pi Beta Phi.
Whiting Hall, freshman year with Linda Stroebel. Post Hall, sophomore year was to live with Casey Reagan, but she did not return to Knox. Whiting Hall, junior year with Kathy Krause, we were RAs. Post Hall, senior year with Kathy Krause.
Cheerleading, freshman year (against my better judgment!); Secretary of the GGFC (Gary Gouskos Fan Club)
Favorite Professor: Professor Minn–-I took 4 French classes with him, and while I could never speak the language very well, he was a great teacher and made the class fun.
Post Knox Life
I married Gary Wollitz, class of ’75 in 1976. We have two children, Michael and Meghann.
Lived In: After graduation, I stayed in Galesburg for a couple of years. When UPS transferred Gary to Jacksonville, IL, we lived there until 1985, then another transfer took us to Decatur, IL, where we remain.
Initially, I worked at the Galesburg Clinic Pharmacy—nepotism from my brother-in-law, who was a physician at the clinic. I then worked at the Galesburg Mental Health Center as an educator. When we moved to Jacksonville, I worked as a caseworker in the Morgan County Department of Public Aid. When we moved to Decatur, I stayed home with Michael and Meghann for 8 years and then worked at the Decatur Public Library Reference Desk for 20 years until I retired in 2012.
I used my major in every job I ever had. If you’re working with people, you are using psychology, whether you realize it or not. I would like to think that the liberal arts education I received at Knox enabled me to know that I never stop learning.
Important Events: I imagine things I would deem important might not seem so to the rest of the world.
I have very fond memories of Knox, and sadly, some of my closest friends from there are no longer with us. Makes me very appreciative of those memories and grateful to still be making new ones.
Current Activities: I love books and reading, and am an armchair sports enthusiast. I love watching tennis, basketball, and baseball. We have season tickets to the Boston Celtics—even though we live in central IL. (Our kids went to school in Boston, and I have been a Celt fan ever since.)
Reading Then: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey; Spoon River Anthology, Edgar Lee Masters
Reading Now: The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey; The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir by Griffin Dunne
LinDA GuASTAFERRi GALLALEE
My Knox Experience
Theatre major. Whiting, Post, quad (Neifert?) with Marilla Davis, Sheryl Greve, Debby Vetter
Favorite Professors: Sam Moon—one time I showed up at his office for a meeting and he was learning Chinese off a record, just for fun. Robert Whitlatch—because he was Doc Bob. Rod Davis—See “One Last Thing.”
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: During Rep Term I did an Independent Study on American Literature from the 1950s with Rod Davis. Meeting with him on Tuesday afternoons was an oasis of calm in an otherwise drama-filled term.
Post Knox Life
Nothing formal. I’ve studied a few languages— currently learning Icelandic and Polish. Got my Chartered Property Casualty (CPCU) designation in 1984.
Husband Mike Gallalee ’74. Son Owen Gallalee. Son Jack Gallalee ’10—married to Caitlyn Thompson ’10. Grandson Arthur Louis Thompson Gallalee, going on 3 years old.
Lived In: Chicago; Rapid City, SD
I was a professional liability underwriter for Markel for 42 years. Retired 2018.
Theater gave me confidence in front of people, which was critical in my insurance career.
We have traveled a lot, mainly Europe and Canada. My job entailed a lot of travel throughout the U.S. I fell in love with South Dakota when I visited there and in 2019 we bought a retirement home in Rapid City. I struggle in social situations and initially I didn’t want to attend the reunion. Looking forward to spending time with Jack, Caitlyn and Artie, will be there for Homecoming, and also our good friends Doug and Janet Cole.
Current Activities: Knitting, reading, weaving, journaling
Reading Then: The Canon of Jean Anouilh
Reading Now: Larry McMurtry biography; An Incomplete Love Story by Doris Lessing
ELizABETH HARPHAM SPiETH CROLL (BETTy)
My Knox Experience
Modern Languages, French and Spanish major. Phi Beta Phi Sorority. Whiting Hall, Post Hall, and with Antonio and Pillar and family in Barcelona during the 1972/73 year. Eileen McKnight was my freshman roommate. Karen Zeches and other Pi Phis were my senior roommates in Post Hall. 1972/72 Barcelona Program
Favorite Professors: Jay Paul Minn, French, and Jorge Pratz. Both opened up new worlds for me and led me to spending a year in Barcelona.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Art history and practice classes. I originally thought I’d be an art major and when I went to Europe, I was thrilled to see so many of the artworks I’d studied at Knox.
Post Knox Life
Miscellaneous classes and certificates. Tim Croll and I have been married for 14 years and together we have three boys: Chris and Andy from my marriage to Jim Spieth (’74) and Jacob from his first marriage. We have three granddaughters—Rylie, Piper and Delilah—two of which live close by in Seattle. We visit Delilah in Southern California as often as we can. My three sisters— Barb, Joan (Knox class of ’75) and Nancy—all live on the west coast and we see each other often.
I led chambers of commerce in Seattle and East King County, then opened my own consulting practice with a fellow chamber colleague in 2002, doing government affairs consulting.
Despite total immersion and even dreaming in Spanish when I was in Barcelona, I am no longer fluent in either Spanish or French, and have never used either for work or life in general other than travel and reading a menu. That said, my major and living abroad taught me first-hand how language shapes [how] diverse cultures interact. We each ‘see’ the world differently through the words available to us in our language. I studied linguistics my senior year and should have continued that study after Knox. I love languages for the way they mirror and shape individuals and cultures. That insight gained from my Modern Languages major has been extraordinarily useful in my post Knox years.
Of all the things I’m most proud of over the past 50 years is having raised my two boys to be such wonderful men with families of their own. Working to strengthen local communities alongside other terrific people has been a satisfying career. And it’s been a blast reconnecting with Knox friends through this 50th Reunion work.
Life is good, and better because of Knox.
Current Activities: Traveling; playing with our new ‘retirement’ puppy; cooking and gardening; visiting family and friends; being involved in our church in Seattle.
Reading Then: Tao of Physics, Fritjof Capra (1975) and Dancing Wu Li Masters, Gary Zukav (1979), so just after Knox; Whole Earth Catalogue; Iberia and The Drifters, James Mitchner; Don Quixote, Miguel Cervantes (in Spanis at University of Barcelona); Love Story, Erich Segal
Reading Now: The Journey Home, Olaf Olafsson; Dessert Queen, Janet Wallach; Darwin among the Machines, George Dyson; High Endeavours, Miles Clark; Galloping Gourmet, Steve Friesen; Eve’s Garden, Glenda Bailey-Mershan; (and I recently reread Tao of Physics which made me love it all the more).
DAViD HAyES (DAViD)
My Knox Experience
Psychology major. Phi Delta Theta. The place I remember most is top floor Neifert Hall with Big Al, Greg Golemo, Bob Lump, Ed Kleitch (sp?), etc.
Favorite Professor: Probably Bob Harper. I just liked his demeanor.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Independent studies in public relations journalism with Kirby Holland. He was a tough grader but I really enjoyed it.
Post Knox Life
Ye gads. Thought I was through with school after Knox but never quit taking classes. An Associates from Tulsa Community College in Fire Protection Technology, the Tulsa Fire Academy, Tulsa Police Academy, National Fire Academy, and constant state and national classes. Finished with completing the Executive Fire Officer Program at The National Fire Academy.
Lived In: Moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma after graduation and still live just west of the city.
Married with one stepdaughter and one amazing granddaughter. After a short stint managing book stores I realized I didn’t like working inside. I got the opportunity to join the Tulsa Fire Department and retired after 32 years. During my 32 years on the Tulsa Fire Department I went from the bottom to the top. My career can basically be divided into thirds. First as a firefighter, second as a fire investigator and third in the administration. It was all great and I feel very fortunate to have had a career doing things I enjoyed.
How I’ve Used My Major: During my time as a fire investigator we interviewed and interrogated individuals. It was always interesting figuring out what made a person behave the way they did.
Current Activities: Being retired! Traveling, four wheeling, my old car (1930), spending time with friends. It’s been a great ride!
Reading Now: Mostly owners manuals! No one else seems to do that.
Chuck Berry, 1972
ViCTOR HEinTz (ViC)
My Knox Experience
Chemistry major. Freshman year I roomed with Al Kossoy, Mark Stefanik, David Igasaki, Paul Skelton and Ward Larkin in Neal 2. The next year I joined a bunch of the Conger 3 guys in Griffith 3. These included Gary Gouskos, Dave Kopf, Ed Johnson and Ron Krumm. Most of these same guys lived with me in Post where we lived on the balcony level and most of the downstairs rooms were occupied by the Able guys. After rooming with Dave Kopf at Argonne in the fall quarter, I rejoined some of the same guys in Griffith 3 again.
Mostly going to keggers (especially at ADE.) The guys I hung out with played cards a lot. Of course we went traying in the bowl. I swam laps a bit and rode a bike I had brought to Knox.
Favorite Professors: John Boyd was my freshman physics prof as well as a faculty advisor during my Argonne semester. His enthusiasm for his subject was infectious. Hal Sutton was an enthusiastic chemistry teacher and everyone loved Leland Harris for his humor and wit.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: I’d have to say freshman year expository writing class was memorable in that it was the real start of my liberal arts education. I vividly remember some of my essays written from the point of view of a recently graduated Catholic high school boy being ripped to shreds by my fellow classmates. It opened my mind.
Post Knox Life
MS in Chemistry at University of Illinois in Urbana. Graduate research in chemistry at U of I Chicago.
I married Barb Linden (’77) so I was on the 7-year plan at Knox while dating her. We married in ’78 at the beginning of her second year of medical school at U of I in Chicago. Our son, Eric, followed in her footsteps and is now an attending physician at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. Our daughter has worked in several school districts near our home in Pittsford, NY and is a PhD candidate in school psychology at Penn State.
I have lived in Chicago and in the Rochester, NY area and have a summer home on a lake in the Adirondacks. We moved from Chicago to Rochester, NY so I could take a job in materials design at Xerox and Barb could do her Pediatrics residency at the University of Rochester. I gradually switched my expertise from chemistry to software development at Xerox where I worked for twenty years. I later became an independent consultant in database software. After retiring, I became an amateur investor and have done quite well managing our retirement portfolios.
My chemistry degree and research experience at Argonne gave me a good basis for the research I did in graduate school resulting in several publications. It was a foot in the door at Xerox where the toner formulation I was doing was considered chemistry. I soon bored with this and utilized the fact I had taken the entire handful of computer science classes offered at
Knox and became a fairly proficient self-taught programmer.
I love spending time with my family at our Adirondack lake house where I hike, kayak and sail our Sunfish. (Years ago I spent time as a crew member in sailboat races on larger boats on Lake Ontario.) I also sometimes find time to get out on the golf course.
The biggest thing was meeting my wife and raising a family. She was also a chemistry major and I met her at the study carrels in the Math-Science library (kind of like Love Story). The years I spent at Knox and the people I met there provide some of my fondest memories.
Reading Then: I didn’t have a lot of time for recreational reading. I suppose my Chemistry books were important to me as I continued my education.
Reading Now: I have a Neil deGrasse Tyson book on my nightstand right now.
CHARLES HOPPin (CHuCK)
My Knox Experience
Chemistry major. Seymour Union (Freshman); ADE Fraternity
Intramural sports.
Favorite Professors: Hiebert, Kooser, Harris, Neumiller, Sutton. Inspired my interest and career in Chemistry.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: American History
Post Knox Life
PhD Chemistry, 1978 (Michigan State University)
Married to Bonnie (Ziarko) ’74. Children Tim (43), Dan (41). Grandchildren: Charlotte (15), Owen (12), Leo (9), Eleanor (7), Alice (5).
Lived In: East Lansing, MI (1974-1978); Naperville, IL (19781995); Johns Creek, GA (1995-present)
Became professional scientist. Fortunate to meet and work with scientists from around the world. [Worked as] Chemist with Amoco, BP, Georgia Tech, Solvay.
Important Events: Getting married, children, grandchildren. PhD in 1978 with Professor R. Grubbs who then won Nobel Prize in 2005. A dozen or so patents. I’ve been very fortunate!: Wife Bonnie, science career, health, proud father and grandfather.
Current Activities: Reading, gardening, grandchildren
ViCKi HunTMAn (TWA)
My Knox Experience
French and Art major. Whiting Hall, Freshman year, Sophmore year, Jr. Year abroad for Junior year, Off-campus Senior year with Cindy Costello and Sue Helms.
Horseback riding, making Doublemint Gum commercials, member of the Immature Assholes, fun stuff!!
Favorite Professor: Dr. Jay Paul Minn!!! Wahoo!
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Religion Post Knox Life
Astrology classes, Metals and Lapidary classes
31-year-old boy, Max, who is up in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, and 34 year old girl, Megan, who is in upper management at PCA Skin Care Company and has a little 20 month old girl, Poppy.
Lived In: Grew up in Staunton, IL and then St. Louis, MO through graduation; AFS Exchange Student Jr. year H.S. living with family in Caen, France; Jr. year college in Besançon, France; After graduation lived in Chicago for 5 years, Dallas for 2 years, and then Phoenix since the early 80’s. Looking to move to my final roosting place!
Retail at Marshall Fields in Chicago; Retail in Dallas; Sold radio advertising in Phoenix; Did Marketing/Advertising for Fry’s Food Stores in Phoenix; Stay at home mom; Director of Summer Art Camp for kids ages 9-12. Assistant to Director at A.R.E. Clinic which practiced Edgar Cayce therapies; Assistant Director at Hyatt Regency Phoenix. Retired now!! Phew! Assistant guide for Bike Tour through France after graduation; Touring France with my daughter for 2 weeks. Wowza! The French I remembered!
I’ve used Art creatively throughout my life. Been getting into making beads from rough stone and crystals, each bead its own sculpture.
Off the top of my head, without digging—let’s see: I’ve been blessed with a continuum of great careers, two awesome kids, two amazing husbands plus great family and friends! I’m kinda running dry here on material so let me just say I hope you all “Stay hungry, stay foolish” (Steve Jobs).
Current Activities: Very involved in Gem and Mineral Culture plus I’m a grandma now! I love hiking, short hikes but also major backpacking treks. Making beads!
Reading Then: Germinal by Emile Zola
Reading Now: Gem and Mineral magazines
DAViD iGASAKi (DAViD OR DAVE)
My Knox Experience
Political Science/History major. I lived in a number of dorms starting with Neal 2 for Freshman year and off campus part of my Senior Year. Paul Skelton, Patrick Hall.
I wrote for the Knox Student. Broadcast on WVKC. I was in the Student Senate Freshman year before it was dissolved.
Favorite Professors: Dr. Robert Seibert, my faculty advisor, was always helpful and available. Dr. Mikiso Hane gave me insights into Asian History (and it fascinated me that he wrote notes in Japanese.) And I appreciated Jim Nowlan, who gave practical observations on politics.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Behavioral Psychology. Post Knox Life
JD from IIT/ Chicago- Kent.
I have a gay partner, although we have not lived together, except for several sporadic periods. He is a retired insurance executive. No children. My brother and sister-in-law are, like me, retired attorneys who have worked in government.
Lived In: Chicago, except for a few years when I practiced law in Joliet, Illinois. I was once offered a job in New York City, which I turned down, and twice interviewed for jobs in San Francisco, which I didn’t get.
I was an attorney with a legal assistance office. I also had various positions working with the government, as an attorney with the Chicago Park District, with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds, and with the state professional licensing agency.
I have always had an appreciation and interest in history and in politics and government. I was a Delegate to the 1992 Democratic National Convention. I served on the Transition Committee for the new Cook County Assessor and drafted his Ethics Code for his employees.
Current Activities: I like travel. I am still engaged in political activity and have been Secretary of a political organization. I have become active with LGBTQ organizations.
Reading Then: I read Dune and a biography of John Peter Altgeld.
Reading Now: A biography of Carl Sandburg.
PRiSCiLLA inGE
My Knox Experience
French major. Tri-Delt. Freshman - Whiting 3, Debbie Axner; Sophomore - Post 4; Junior Year - Besancon, France; Senior - Post 1. Parties, boys, booze ... occasionally I would play my sheet music on pianos at the Fine Arts Center (Senior year), hanging out with friends (fun and important.)
Favorite Professors: Dr. Mikiso Hane, Dr. J. Paul Minn ... enjoyed their classes and knew Dr. Minn personally. Dr. Minn and his wife were a great support to a difficult Junior year in France.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Singing class
Post Knox Life
Masseuse certification at Applied Kinesiology Studies, Herndon, Virginia; educated myself in Metaphysical, spiritual, and health issues by reading many books and attending classes.
Husband Fred Bram, married 37 years; stepdaughter Heather Lived In: New York, Illinois, Florida, Ohio, France, Virginia
Teacher’s aide to special education children (FL); physical trainer at a Nautilus gym (OH); several health food stores (VA); masseuse (VA); grade school level tutor (VA); furniture refurbishing/upcycling business (VA, DC); taught French and English at Inlingua (OH). I wrote a story about a guinea fowl I encountered, and it was published in Backyard Poultry magazine in 2011. Now, when I look at LinkedIn, I’m listed as a “published author!” Occasionally speak French with foreigners, taught French at a language school (didn’t care to pursue the “French thing” any more).
Travel, numerous significant relationships, met spouse in ‘84, married in ‘86, took on stepdaughter, learned about myself and my needs through significant study and reflection. The picture one presents when one is young is incomplete. You knew me as a fun-loving, outgoing, chatty person; I’m a different person than the one you all knew—still outgoing and friendly, but there is much more to me than you realize. I believe in life after death, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, Earth is a schoolhouse, and it’s not the end. My life in college was service to self; my life now is service to others, while still taking care of my physical, mental and spiritual needs. Animal rights are extremely important to me. I am a vegetarian, but I acknowledge that others eat what they want, and that is their choice. No judgment on my part. I forgive as I am forgiven. Not easy to do. I have been saying mantras for myself and for the world since 2007 (Om mani padme hum, etc.) and I have been visualizing, for others and for myself and the Earth (love, healing, white light and more). I do all this realizing that Earth is an extremely difficult place to live. I am very politically knowledgeable; I do not belong to either political party.
Current Activities: Working out in my garage with weights and machines, going to thrift stores, walking, talking to people in public, cheering people up because things have been so awful, looking up topics of interest on the Internet (metaphysical, spiritual, health, political).
Reading Then: I read what was necessary to get my French degree. My Knox education did not just come from books; it came from ALL the experiences there. I was very naive when I first came to Knox and was too busy learning about life than to sit and read books at that
Reading Now: The Naked Bible by Mauro Biglino; Alien Interview by Lawrence R. Spencer, Ed.; Blue Blood, True Blood by Stewart A. Swerdlow.
STAnLEy JAWORSKi (STAn, A.K.A. STOSH)
My Knox Experience
Biology-Ecology / Economics Major.
Freshman & Sophomore in Seymour with Brian Howell & Greg Lopotko; Junior, RA in Seymour; Senior, Off campus with Gary Sprinkel Football, Freshman and part of Sophomore years (Once a Siwash, Always a Siwash!); Tau Kappa Epsilon, Brother in the Bond; Student Government, Class President Senior Year; WVKC DJ with Trapper and Bernie Hobson
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Peter Schramm’s classes at Green Oaks—he was demanding but fair. Wilbur Pillsbury’s Accounting courses prepared me for my MBA and a career in Healthcare Information Technology/ Financial Systems. Mikiso Hane in History was a fascinating lecturer. Art History Classes were always a welcome respite from science courses. Ms. Fox’s Mythology class was another way to understand other civilizations, history, cultures and religions.
Post Knox Life
MBA, Northeastern University, Boston MA
Married to Mary J for 34 years. A true joy to have her in my life, with her successful career in nursing and HC IT Systems. We have a son, Erik, 31 years old, who works in TV/movie production for NBC Universal, an avid photographer as a side gig. I have a daughter from previous marriage to Barbara Palm, named Alexis Jaworski, 44 years old. She’s a former marketing executive with Joffrey Ballet and an independent documentary film maker / producer. We live in or near Chicago and get together regularly. We all love to cook gourmet meals together three or four times a year, in addition to regular holiday meals.
I currently live outside of Chicago on a lake in Hinsdale IL. Previously in Clarendon Hills, IL; Wrigleyville / Lakeview, Chicago; Glenview, IL; Boston, MA; Natick, MA; Medfield, MA.
Biology and Ecology gave me an understanding of different systems that need to be in sync to be effective and efficient. Accounting courses provided a better understanding of how computers can support business.
Current Activities: I like reading, Tai Chi/Qi Gong, travel, being a Chicago sports fan (Cubs Season Ticketholder), boating, gardening, playing in a golf league, cooking/BBQ/baking; vintage motorcycles (1974 BMW R90S), concerts/plays/dance and finally learning bass guitar.
President, Chicago Health Executive Forum, American College of Healthcare Executives. I also serve as a Board Member /President for several local charities and the University of Illinois Health Data Sciences Program. Elected Park Commissioner here in Hinsdale (2022 - Present).
Thankful for the whole Knox Experience and for the close friendships that still bring me joy, laughs and great memories. Go Siwash!
Reading Then: Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five, Player Piano, Cat’s Cradle, Mother Night, Happy Birthday Wanda June, Breakfast of Champions; James Clavell, Tai Pan, King Rat; James Mitchner, Hawaii, Caravans, Centennial; Robert M Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance; The Last Whole Earth Catalog
Reading Now: all the books by Erik Larson and Christopher Moore; Ikigai: Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life; The Roots of Chinese Qi Gong; Elon Musk, by Walter Isaacson; The River Wars (v. 1- 2), by Winston Spenser Churchill; Prequel by Rachel Maddow; Oath and Honor by Liz Cheney
PAMELA JOSEPH (PAM)
My Knox Experience
Physics and Mathematics major. Phi Mu. Whiting, Post for 2 years, French House. Roommates included Linda Bruce, Marianne LaFave, Sheryl Greve.
Basketball. (photo with Coach Pedote)
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: The music listening classes on classical music and jazz Post Knox Life
Worked on a MS in Industrial Engineering/Operations Research at Purdue (did not complete). Earned a MS in Computer Science from Virginia Tech. Certificate of Advance Studies in Computer Science from St. Thomas University. Systems Analysis, Computer Programming, IT testing, IT Project Management. Also worked as a professional massage therapist. Certified as a Scrum Master.
Lived In: West Lafayette, IN; Arlington and Sterling, VA; St. Louis Park, Brooklyn Park, and St. Paul, MN; Leesburg, VA; Madison, WI.
How I Used My Major: Helped with problem solving and analysis, critical thinking and planning. Written and oral communications were quite helpful since there were always papers that had to be written.
I had a successful career in Information Technology. I had a successful run with senior sports, participating in the National Senior Games in softball, basketball, and bicycling; winning a number of gold medals in softball (equivalent to winning national championships.)
Current Activities: Watercolor painting, drawing, pen and ink, and colored pencils. Gardening with native plants and learning about them. Walking and bicycling. Birding. Traveling, especially overseas
Reading Now: Jennifer Ackerman, The Bird Way and What an Owl Knows; Doug Tallamy, Bringing Nature Home and The Nature of Oaks; Mary Oliver, Devotions; James Nardi, The Hidden Company that Trees Keep; Re-reading Helen MacInnes novels such as The Saltzburg Connection, Decision at Delphi.
DAniEL KEyES (DAn)
My Knox Experience
Physics/Business Administration. Phi Delt House. Intramural Basketball (B league) 1970-1973; Soccer Team 1971-1973 (1973 Championship)
Favorite Professors: Herb Priestly; Wilbur Pillsbury; Lane Sunderland. They all encouraged me in my somewhat unusual major and my plan for my future. Jorge Prats (soccer Coach). He helped everyone that he touched to be their best Post Knox Life
MBA Washington University (St Louis, MO) 1974-1976
I married a wonderful person, Dannette, in 1990. Yes, it was Danne and Dan. She was my best friend in this world. She was a Chemist. Her last job was as the head of the Drug Analysis Group at the State of New Mexico Forensic Lab in Santa Fe NM. We shared a love for the outdoors—hiking, camping, backpacking, fishing, gardening. Many of our vacations were spent in Rocky Mountain states, especially MT and NM. Including repeat visits to Glacier NP, Chico Hot Springs, White Sands NM/NP, and Chaco Canyon (NHP). Also spent 5 weeks on an eco-tour to New Zealand and Australia.
In 2011 Danne was diagnosed with ALS. She joined The Lord in 2013...she is in a wonderful place and I will see her again.
Lived In: Grew up in Nassau County, Long Island, NY; 2 years in Saint Louis, MO; 1976-1990 Kansas City, MO; 1991-present Hopkins, MI; 2007-present Santa Fe, NM.
1976-1990 Midwest Research Institute, Kansas City MO, Economics & Management Sciences Department—contract research.
1992 -2021 Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, MI, Workforce Traing. Non-credit activities working with business, industry, services, and government. Contract consulting, traning/facilitation of learning, program development and management (e.g., Lean Champion Program, 17 yrs).
I have been blessed in that I have enjoyed my work life. It was never boring, it was fun and I worked with great people. My combined major made it posible for me to have fun, enjoyable, and rewarding careers. I quickly learned that I had three core skills that could be used a lot of ways to help many different types of organizations. These core skills were the scientific method, ability to effectively conduct research, and systems thinking.
Important Events: Meeting and marrying Danne. Finding a wonderful church in Santa Fe—being able to be involved in benevolence and facilitating Bible Studies. Finding ways to share and help others.
Current Activities: Church activities, hiking, fishing, gardening. Meeting and talking with people along the trails.
Reading Now: The Water Keeper by Charles Martin; God’s Outrageous Claims by Lee Strobel
JOHn KnOCHE
My Knox Experience
Spanish, International Relations major.
Conger 1st & 2nd year, Residencia Ramon Llull 3rd yr, don’t recall senior year—someone forgot to save my spot with the Conger guys.
Football, Baseball, Student Paper (contributor)
Favorite Professors: Velma Powell, who convinced me to study in Barcelona, and Jorge Prats; also, Professors Hellenga and Metz for creative writing, John Houston for International Politics. I got to know JP Minn in Spain and was a lot of fun.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Creative writing with Prof. Hellenga. He’d occasionally have class at his home and his wife served us warm scones and sherry.
Post Knox Life
Some graduate work at Loyola Chicago, no degree.
One wonderful wife, three great kids, and three brilliant and beautiful grandkids.
Lived In: Mostly in or near Chicago. Old Town neighborhood for the majority of the time.
Exclusively worked in computing and data science. The Spanish came in handy when my company did business in Latin America.
I retired at 49 and have well mastered the fine art of mundane living. I like to write and travel. I’ve written and produced a couple plays and made a pilot for a cooking show, which I never shopped around (I think it’s still on Vimeo). We travel a lot to Europe and South America and I go to the grandkid’s sporting events. We spend winters split between a town in the high desert of central Mexico and Barcelona. I also do some fund raising for the Old Town not-for-profit organization.
I learned an important life lesson at around the age of 30. I found myself single and broke with full custody of two very young sons with no financial or family support available. Luckily, I had a good job. We lived in a drafty 3BR apartment along with a live-in helper from Belize. She’d spent time in prison and was the only person I could afford. She turned [out] to be great. I’d pay her every Friday and she’d go out and buy something like a new silk blouse and always lottery tickets for the boys. She could really cook fish. There was no furniture. The empty living room and dining room were a race track for the boys’ plastic 3 wheel bikes. I could only afford a folding table and chairs for eating and we only had three beds. I slept on the floor in a sleeping bag. The whole scenario really limited my dating prospects. And I was suspect of anyone signing up for that situation. It was an important lesson that I managed to navigate that. I learned that pretty much anything that came along I could handle.
I’m a big fan of low cost index funds. Especially the S&P500. I play a lot of basketball and am a terrible golfer—just ask Murphy, Fiedler, and Mikulich.
Reading Then: I enjoyed short stories in writing classes and work by Spanish authors of Generation of ’98: Pio Baroja, Valle-Inclan, Miguel de Unamuno.
Reading Now: Mostly mindless whodunnit novels with lots of plot.
WiLLiAM KEnyOn (WiLLiAM OR BiLL)
My Knox Experience
Political science major Post Knox Life
50 years in 50 words or less: Went back east. Life and career proceeded. Married Dione. Worked through grad school, earned a masters. Worked for hospitals and consulting firms. Became an avid sailor. Frequent traveler. Sports cars enthusiast. Retired full time work & began serving nonprofit boards. Learned photography. Survived cancer. Live in RI & Florida.
ALLEn KOSSOy
My Knox Experience
Biology major. Roommates: Vic Heinz; Rich McDugald; Bruce MacMurray; Rick Swartwout.
WVKC; Knox Student
Favorite Professors: Dr Bill Geer; Dr Leland Harris; Dr Allen Hiebert Post Knox Life
MS Agriculture Kansas State University; DO Kansas City University; Pediatrics William Beaumont Army Medical Center; Allergy/ Immunology, National Jewish Center for Respiratory Medicine. Board certified Pediatircian and Board certified Allergist/Immunologist.
Married 44 years. Wife, registered dietitian. Two Daughters, one Educator and two physicians. Two grandsons. Married to a loving, wonderful woman with two lovely daughters and sons-in-law, with two spectacular grandsons. I have enjoyed a fulfilling career in medicine, for which I still have a passion, which was kindled by Dr Lee Harris.
Sociology/anthropology major. Freshman: Whiting Hall, Fritz Nemetz; Sophomore: Campbell; Junior: Coop House, Nancy Bercos; Senior: Urban Studies in Chicago in the fall, Coop House in winter/ spring
Puddles (synchronized swimming), ballet/modern dance (began as extracurricular, later for credit), sociology/anthropology club, piano lessons (initially for personal enjoyment, later for credit)
Favorite Professor: Dr. Henry Houser, sociology, was my advisor and took an interest in me. His classes involved a lot of interesting discussion.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: I started out as a possible English major and especially enjoyed a modern English literature class. Post Knox Life
University of Chicago, AM in social work, 1982. I have been married to Ken Sezer, also Knox ’74, since 1987. We didn’t know each other at Knox but met at our ten-year reunion. We have a 33-year-old son, Matt, who lives in New York and works doing video production for Deutschbank.
Lived In: I lived briefly in Lombard, Illinois with my parents after graduation, then moved to Chicago. Ken and I have lived in Oak Park, Illinois, since 1988.
I retired in 2017 after eighteen years as an elementary school social worker in Cicero, Illinois. While my son was young, I was a full time mom, while also doing some part-time work as a preschool teacher. Prior to that I worked as a social worker for the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago, in a home visiting program for children and parents, and as a foster care social worker for the Jewish Children’s Bureau. Before getting my social work degree, I worked for the federal government, for the Health Care Financing Administration.
Sociology was a good foundation for pursuing a degree in social work and also for understanding the world.
Important Events: Meeting my future husband, Ken, at our ten-year Knox reunion in 1984, getting married in 1987, and the birth of our son Matthew in 1991.
Ken and I have enjoyed traveling. Some of our memorable trips include going to Italy, to a Spanish-immersion course in Costa Rica, and on a bike and barge tour in the Netherlands and Belgium. We took a road trip to Tucson to work on a political campaign in the 2018 midterms, as well as to see scenery along the way.
Current Activities: I began playing the piano again after an almost 30 year break just prior to the pandemic—great timing! When physical injuries, aches, and pains don’t interfere, I enjoy dance classes, walking and bike riding. I recently began volunteering as an assistant Girl Scout leader for a small troop in a group home for children in foster care.
LinDA LAPuMA BiAL
My Knox Experience
English literature major. Whiting (Dale Dembicki); Campbell I (Bonnie Albers); Campbell III (Nancy Ourach); Stayt House (Nancy Ourach)
Honor Board (1971-74). Student worker in Seymour Library (197074). Assistant editor, Catch magazine (1973-74). Winner of Bookfellow Award in Poetry (1974). Mortar Board.
Favorite Professor: Sam Moon, because he mentored and nurtured my poetry writing
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: I’d say maybe Greek Philosophy with Lance Factor Post Knox Life
M.A. (English) University of Iowa, 1977; M.S. (Library & Information Science) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1979
I met my husband, Raymond, when we both started library school at the University of Illinois in 1978. We married in August, 1979. Our first daughter, Anna, was born in 1980. Anna has a BFA in fashion design from Washington University in St. Louis. After moving to NYC in 2003, she’s now married to Jack Tsai, and they live in Verona, NJ with their two children, Sebastian (10) and Marina (8). Our younger daughter, Sarah, was born in 1987. She got her BA in German from UIUC, and later an MS in Library & Information Science, also from UIUC. She and her partner Siddhartha Nigam now live in Stamford CT, and Sarah works in the library at Yale. Our son, Luke, was born in 1992. He too graduated from UIUC, with a BFA in photography. In 2017, Luke moved to Hanoi, Vietnam, where he taught English for two years and met Tâm Dinh, whom he married in 2019. They now live here in Urbana. Luke got his M.Ed. from UIUC in 2022 and works at UIUC. My husband was primarily a photographer and author. He considered his long career as a librarian (director of the local community college library) as his “day job.” He became a noted and prolific author of nonfiction photo-essays for children on a variety of topics, as well as publishing several books of his photographs for adults. Sadly, Raymond died on New Year’s Day in 2021 after a long battle with heart failure.
Lived In: Palatine IL (hometown); Evanston IL; Iowa City IA; Champaign-Urbana IL
Immediately after Knox, I worked as a clerk at the Northwestern University Library, and then as a student worker at the University of Iowa Library. As a librarian, I’ve been a cataloger at the UIUC Main Library, and later a cataloger for the Lincoln Trail Library System. I taught cataloging for 15 years at the UIUC Graduate School of Library & Information Science; and, finally, I cataloged rare books for the UIUC Rare Book & Manuscript Library, which I consider the capstone of my career (also the most fun).
Current Activities: Caring for my two elderly rat terriers, my cat, my box turtle, and my ridiculously vast collection of houseplants (mainly orchids and hoyas); transporting dogs for a rescue organization based in Kentucky; and most of all, spending time whenever possible with my grown
children and my grandchildren, who’ve all turned out to be amazing individuals.
Reading Then: The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy; Gentleman by Laurence Sterne (possibly my favorite book of all time); The Wasteland by T.S. Eliot; Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
Reading Now: James by Percival Everett. Recently read favorites are A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles; Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel; Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. And the MaddAddam Trilogy by Margaret Atwood haunts me as climate change continues to devolve into crisis mode.
KATHRyn KRAuSE WinEGARnER (KATHy)
My Knox Experience
Music Education major. Pi Beta Phi. Whiting & Post; Debbie Decker; Margie Gibson
Favorite Professors: Charles Farley, Music Professor; Organ instructor; Professor who sponsored mini-term in London
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Art 101
Post Knox Life
Husband, Rod, married 26 yrs. Maggie, greyhound mix
Lived In: Sioux City, IA; Milwaukee, WI; Scottsdale, AZ; Rancho Cucamonga, CA; Bakersfield, CA; Sacramento, CA; Cave Creek, AZ
Briefly taught grade school music. Adm assistant to AEA 12 director in Sioux City, IA. Executive Ass’t to Mgr @ Arizona Biltmore Resort, Arizona in ????? August. Adm assistant to Dean of Peter Drucker Graduate School, Claremont, CA. Adm assistant to CFO of Claremont Graduate University. Art associate, Anticus Fine Arts Gallery & Books, Scottsdale. AZ. Sales associate, Flair Boutique, Cave Creek, AZ Books
How I’ve used my Major: Enjoy music
Important Events: Marrying Rod. I love meeting & interacting with the people who visit the gallery where I work.
Current Activities: Reading—participate in 2 book clubs.Book-related responsibilities @ the gallery where I currently work. Care for our dog. Wine tasting & pairing with food.
Reading Now: The Measure; Lessons in Chemistry; The Red Notebook; Code Name Helene; The Women
MARK LOETE
My Knox Experience
Experimental Psychology major. Seymour Hall Freshman, Sophomore, Junior years, then a shared apartment on Brooks Street. Roommates and suitemates were Bob (Trapper) Dawson, Larry Lawless, Jay Laramie, Mike Powell.
Photography, fishing and swimming in the Green Oaks lake, bicycling through endless corn fields.
Favorite Professors: Dr. Francois (Psychology Dept); Dr. Houser (Sociology Dept); because these professors humanized their disciplines.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Intro to Photography. Taught by a non-accredited recent Knox grad (Jimmy Rosenthal) who had recently returned from a workshop with the great American photographer Ansel Adams.
Post Knox Life
One post-graduate semester at the University of Iowa Film School. Married to a wonderful companion of thirty years, with no children.
Lived In: Grew up in Moline, Illinois, moved to New York City, September, 1974. Lived and worked in Manhattan until moving to a small mountain hamlet in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York in 2002, where I currently work and live. Spent most of my adult life as a professional photographer in New York City, specializing in ad illustration. Moved to the Catskill Mountains to be closer to my passion for fly fishing, and started a fly fishing guiding service (Catskill Mountain Angler) ten years ago, that has become successful.
I sometimes make the off-hand comment to fly fishing clients that I have the most worthless major possible—psychology. I occasionally get a response like, “As a fly fishing guide, you must use the insights you got from your psychology degree every day.” There is a grain of truth.
Guiding fly fishing clients on our famous Catskill trout streams, especially introducing beginners to the sport, tying trout flies, hand-building fly rods. Care and feeding of a 143 year old antique mountain home.
Building a successful professional photography career in the most competitive professional photography market on the planet. Meeting my wife, and leaving a strong enough impression to induce her to marry me.
To quote Oscar Wilde, It’s a shame youth is wasted on the young. My older self is trying to cut me some slack for being such a dumb, naive, arrogant, self-absorbed college student. Who knew?
Reading Then: Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung. The Complete Photographer by Andreas Feininger
Reading Now: The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer. (The modern parallels are alarming.)
BRuCE MAC MuRRAy
My Knox Experience
Philosophy/Sociology/Psychology major.
Neal 1 — Jeff Moore, Bill Pazoles, Bill Fiedler, Bill Kenyon, Todd Moore, John Siniawski, Rich Novar and RA — Steve Nardulli. Longden 2 & 3 — Phil Malkinson, Rick Swartwout, Mike Tweedle, Peter Bailley,Chi Hum, Rich McDougal and others. Off Campus Apartment — Rick Swartwout, Allen Kossoy
Anti-Vietnam War Protests. Playing in the band CATHARSIS (with classmates: Phil Malkinson, Rick Swartwout, & Paul Skelton, and fellow KNOX Alumn Tom Hurd; Photographer and Spiritual Advisor Extraordinaire Peter Bailley). Working as a DJ for WVKC (The Wadio Voice of KNOX College)
Favorite Professors: Lance Factor — A great teacher and my first true mentor — helped set my direction for further studies and career. Jack Fitzgerald — Great teacher and advisor. Helped me on my path to Graduate Work. Henry Houser — A very good teacher. Helped open the door for me to the links between Sociology and Psychology.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Computer Science — It seems elementary now with technology, but the early simple programming we did in that class was frustrating, challenging, and fun! Post Knox Life
University of Iowa (M.A., Ph.D. in Sociology) — specializations in Social Psychology, Crime and Social Deviance, Research Methods and Theory
I have been married to my wife, Sheila, for almost 20 years (though we have been together for almost 33 years). We have two children: Nick (41), who lives with his partner, Lorena Trevino, and teaches Sociology at Rockhurst University in Kansas City and Ben (37) who is a Materials Engineer. Ben and his wife, Heather, live in Minneapolis with our Grandson, Jonas (2). Both boys have several animals as well.
After completing my graduate work, I have worked entirely in the academic field. I have taught at a number of universities for a total of 40 years. Along with teaching, I have conducted research in Social Psychology and Criminal Justice and published a number of articles/book chapters on various topics. For most of my academic career, I also served as Chair of my home department and served in a number of roles on various committees at universities and local communities.
[Have used my major] Primarily and most directly in my work in the academic realm. My major and related work and experience after leaving Knox have also been helpful in various roles I have played as a member of our Condominium Association.
Important Events: Mostly the normal things that occur as we grow into adulthood and beyond. Forming relationships (personally and
professionally), getting married and having children, dealing with the successes and challenges of a professional career, etc. Of course, the many major historical events that have occurred since we left (the Challenger Disaster, 9/11, COVID and numerous domestic and world changes over the past halfcentury to note a few).
As with most of us I think, I was closer to some classmates and formed friendship groups, but didn’t really know most of my fellow classmates. I look forward to seeing some old friends and acquaintances from so many years ago and perhaps meeting and talking a bit with some I never interacted with during our Knox years. I greatly appreciate The KNOX Experience that I had and look forward to being with you and celebrating this anniversary of our time together oh so long ago now!
Current Activities: Spending time with my wife and family. Travel to familiar and new places. Listening to music. Walking outside.
Reading Then: Charles S. Peirce: Selected Writings; Stranger in a Strange Land – Heinlein; Slaughterhouse 5 – Vonnegut; Beyond Freedom and Dignity — Skinner
Reading Now: Good Days, Bad Days: The Self in Chronic Illness and Time – Charmaz; Einstein’s Dreams — Lightman; The Exchange – Grisham; America’s Privateer: Lynx and the War of 1812 — Robinson
JEAnnE MiyAKE CunEO
My Knox Experience
History major. Lived in Whiting 2 and then Post, Post, Post! Not really sure which ones. Debi Rose and I roomed together the first two years. Sophomore year I spent winter term away. Worked for Muskie in New Hampshire. That didn’t go very well. I think I had to make it up the next two summers. One at Colorado College. Roomed with Jessi Laffey. Last two years I lived in singles with fun suitemates.
Favorite Professor: Dr. Hane. Maybe I’m prejudiced?
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: I really enjoyed a couple of classes meant for music majors. Brass and woodwinds. I “played” trombone and clarinet. Quite painful to hear.
Post Knox Life
Married. Two kids. Four grandkids. My son is principal bassoon with the St. Louis Symphony, and I’m currently at the Sun Valley Music Festival listening to wonderful music.
I lived in Wilmette and worked as a programmer for 13 years. I didn’t do well in my computer class at Knox (I think it was first or second hour). Moved to Florida when work took us there. An opportunity to come back north arose, and we’ve been in Elmhurst since 1990. I’ve been working for District 205 at York High School since 2003, working with the student database. I spent too much time in the games room in the Union perfecting my pinball skills. Tsk, tsk. My current activities include gardening and taking a mathematical approach to shoveling my driveway.
PHiL MALKinSOn
My Knox Experience
Psychology major. Conger 3 (freshman year) —Peter Bailley (roommate). Longden 3 (sophomore year)—Bruce MacMurray (roommate). (Other years were spent off-campus.)
Played guitar in a rock band with other Knox students. Took part in antiwar protests, including going to Washington with other Knox students to participate in an antiwar demonstration with 500,000 people, and helped organize an antiwar demonstration in Galesburg. Taught Taekwondo classes. Taught Transcendental Meditation courses. Participated in extracurricular humanistic psychology programs and experiments.
Favorite Professors: Robert Shellenberger, Gary Isaacson. I liked their holistic, humanistic approach to philosophy and psychology.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: I enjoyed philosophy and physics classes.
Post Knox Life
Various investment classes (no degree). Tricia (McGuire) Malkinson (class of ’75) and I were married in 1977 and recently celebrated our 47th wedding anniversary.
Lived In: Chicago (our current home), Washington, D.C., Northern California, Iowa, and for a few months at a time in India, The Philippines, and Switzerland.
I spent 25 years in administration, project management, and conference planning for nonprofit organizations, and during this time I attended a dozen conferences in Europe and Asia, each lasting one to nine months. I also taught and coordinated medical research projects on meditation and alternative approaches to health. In the late 1990s, I worked as a freelance medical writer (NIH grants and journal papers) and editor for various publishers and other companies. From 2004 until I retired in 2021, I oversaw client projects as a senior managing editor for a marketing communications company.
My psychology major was generally aligned with pursuing a career as an instructor of consciousness-based technologies that promote health and well-being. I have also taken numerous courses on Indian philosophy.
I have developed a deeper appreciation of other perspectives and cultures by living in many locations and accumulating a variety of job experiences.
After a 35-year gap, I returned to a past hobby of playing guitar and have been organizing virtual musical collaborations with friends and relatives. For the past several years I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with friends I had not seen for many years (including several from my days at Knox) through frequent emails, texts, Zoom sessions, and in-person get-togethers.
Current Activities: Sports (swimming and cycling), playing guitar, following the markets, walking along the Chicago lakefront, listening to audiobooks and podcasts, taking photographs, and preparing healthy meals.
Reading Then: Gestalt Therapy by Fritz Perls
Reading Now: How Not to Age by Dr. Michael Greger
JOHn MAnOS
My Knox Experience
English Literature major. Seymour Hall - Jerry Borchers, Stu Harvey. Former Salvation Army building - Steve Schwartz, Jack McGuinn, Stu Harvey.
Softball, Catch magazine (editor, 1974)
Favorite Professors: Silly question—I liked a lot of my professors, starting with my freshman advisor, Bob Hellenga. Then his friend Bill Brady, my senior-project advisor Ed Niehus, Robin Metz, Howard Wilson— all English Dept. faculty. I also loved the professors I had in the sciences. The faculty was outstanding.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: French romantic poets Post Knox Life
University of Chicago, Baker School of Business, 1998.
Married to Leah Johnson-Manos since 1978.
Lived In: Chicago, Elgin, Illinois, and Evanston, Illinois.
In order: ranch hand, UPS driver, garage carpenter, forklift operator, writing-lab instructor in a high school, educational publishing editor, magazine editor, writer. My background in English helped in educational publishing. My major led to editing Catch magazine, and I eventually was the editor-in-chief of a large consumer magazine for 20 years. And the background in literature certainly helped as an author (two novels, four screenplays, and three documentary scripts) and selfemployed editor of fiction and nonfiction books.
Current Activities: Writing, editing books for other authors, and performing music with my band, Late Breaking News.
Important Events: In 50 years? Gee, let’s see, let’s see. Well ... I got married, my parents and many other people I loved have died, I had a fulfilling career, two of my novels were published, I got to perform music for audiences for the last 24 years, I was a witness to many beautiful sights and a visitor in many beautiful places, etc., etc.
[What would I like classmates to know about me?] I think this question should be reversed: What would I prefer my classmates did not know about me? Answering it would, of course, be an obvious mistake.
Reading Then: Far too many to list. The first two that pop into my head are The Tin Drum by Gunter Grass and Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon. I could list hundreds of others.
Reading Now: Again, too many to list. Two great recent books I’ve enjoyed are Foster by Claire Keegan and James: A Novel by Percival Everett.
JACQuELinE MARTin TOTSCH (JACKiE)
My Knox Experience
Music major. Freshman year, Whiting Hall, roommate Sally Smith. Sophomore year, Post Suite 1 with Jan Thompson and a host of fun suite-mates.
Activities included Bowling Team and ping-pong intramurals.
Favorite Professor: Charles Farley introduced me to Baroque music and the harpischord and was very encouraging. Jorge Prats made me reconsider my major, and had I not decided to leave Knox after sophomore year, I would have joined the group going to Barcelona in the fall of 1972. A Spanish literature class taught by Prats really moved me; I wish I could find that syllabus.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Anthropology – it was completely different than my other studies, and I found it fascinating.
Post Knox Life
Took accounting classes at DePaul University and Spanish classes at Oakton Community College. I withdrew from a piano performance degree at DePaul because I was playing as much as I wanted. I did end up studying privately with Melody Lord, which was immensely helpful in my work as an accompanist. In 2013, I began a program at the Chicago Botanic Garden Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School and earned certificates in Garden Design, Professional Gardening, and Ornamental Plant Materials.
I grew up in the Norwood Park neighborhood in Chicago, then Rogers Park after Knox. We spent five years in Appleton, Wisconsin and have been in Park Ridge, IL since the mid-1980s. Every year for the last 15 we live in Taos, New Mexico for a month or so.
I’ve worked secretarial and administrative day jobs with a medical association, a church, and a hospital. In addition to the musical work described below, I started a small garden design/consulting company in 2016, doing mostly residential renovations.
As a music major, I taught private piano lessons for 15 years, and I worked as a piano acompanist for middle and high school districts in the NW suburbs of Chicago. I was a substitute musician for Episcopal churches in the Chicago area, I sing in our church’s regular choir, and I have been organizing and playing for our gospel choir for 20 years.
Favorite activities now include cooking with and for friends, gardening, and I’m always knitting. I’m a word puzzle fanatic, and I walk, do aerobics, and yoga. I love to travel. Social justice issues are very important to me, and I do my best to fight for, well, pretty much all the issues in the Democratic platform currently. I’m the coordinator for a hot meal program in our community, and I was part of a tutor team to help high school students recover credits so they could graduate.
Important Things Since Leaving Knox: The typical profound things – marriage, the births of my children, the loss of my parents and grandparents and several close friends. I’ve had a healthy, fortunate, and eventful life, and I wish it were the same for everyone.
Cool story #1: Although I did not graduate from Knox myself, I got up at the crack of dawn to drive to Galesburg and attend the commencement in 2005. Our newly elected U.S. Senator Barack Obama gave the address. We had been following his career as he rose to the spotlight. His speech did
not disappoint (check out obamaspeeches.com) I brought along two copies of his first book on the off chance I could get him to autograph them for my kids. Sure enough, the graduation crowd dispersed with their families, and after a brief reception in Old Main, he came striding out and I asked him. “Absolutely,” he said, “but here, sit down with me for a minute first and tell me about your kids.”
#2: Through a fluke ancestry.com trial membership, I found I had many second cousins in New Zealand! My grandfather was always a bit elusive about his background and claimed to have been born in Sheffield, England. In truth, it was New Zealand – he left home with the merchant marines and never looked back. We have since had a few visits back and forth and are delighted with this (very far) extended family.
Reading Now: Waking Up White by Debby
Irving
The Madwoman of Chaillot, 1973
THOMAS MCBuRnEy (TOM)
My Knox Experience
History major. The ADE House, with roommate Dave Bernardi for three years.
All my extracurriculars were in and with the ADE House—intramural sports, social gatherings, various housekeeping functions etc.
Favorite Professor: It would have to be Stephen Bailey in History, for the way his eyes would light up when he was teaching something that really interested him—Bismarck’s Europe, the French Revolution and such. I found his enthusiasm infectious.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Boy, that’s a tough one. There was an English class I liked, on fiction or short fiction. And the classes on secondary education (the ed block?) were pretty challenging. But I never wound up teaching.
Post Knox Life
Married 42 years, four kids (all girls, now in their thirties and early forties); four grandkids (all boys, ages one to ten). Pretty standard stuff.
Lived In: I stayed in Chicago’s south suburbs, where I’d grown up, until I got married in 1982. For a year after that we rented an apartment in Milwaukee, and then we bought a house in Burlington, Wisconsin, where we’ve been for the last forty-one years. We’re pretty settled in, I guess.
I sold insurance (but not enough of it) for about a year, and then I worked for the Social Security Administration for thirty-five years or so. I’ve been retired for over ten years now.
How I’ve used my Major? As a conversation piece, once in awhile.
I seem to spend a lot of time walking and trying to train our dog, and once or twice I week I walk dogs at a local animal shelter. I like bicycling but don’t seem to get to it much. Same with travel. I still play a little guitar now and then, though I don’t advise listening. And the little bit of masochist in me still follows the White Sox.
The usual — marriage, kids and grandkids, work, retirement, some nice travel. In recent years a number of us from the ADE House have reconnected, and that’s been wonderful. Similarly I’ve reconnected with long-lost relatives, another wonderful adventure. I think of my life as dull but happy. I cherish my family, my friends and my memories.
Reading Then: I can’t really recall anything particular.
Reading Now: I most recently read Charles Bukowski’s Post Office, which a friend had recommended. I like to read (and re-read) Irish literature, especially short stories from Liam O’Flaherty, Seumas O’Kelly, and some others. For nonfiction I like just about anything from Bill Bryson.
ELizABETH MCinTyRE KAuFMAn (BETH)
My Knox Experience
Sociology major. Whiting Hall and others
Favorite Professors: Henry Houser, Jack Fitzgerald. They knew their subject and they knew me.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: My remedial math class, because I met my friend Kathy Pilcher there and we are friends to this day! Post Knox Life
MPH from University of Michigan
I married Joel Kaufman in 1977 and we had two sons, Daniel and Jeremy. Our lives were greatly shaped by Joel’s development of MS in 1984, his valiant struggle with the disease and his death in 2009. Daniel is married with one daughter, and Jeremy will marry this September! I have been with my partner Kevin since 2011.
Lived In: Cincinnati, Ohio; Saddle Brook and Oradell, New Jersey; Orange and West Haven, CT
Paid work for two health systems agencies (HSAs). Many volunteer jobs in the areas of child literacy, local theater, local libraries and refugee resettlement.
I grew up and had my life. My considerable health issues improved and I turned into a “normal” person, or close to it!
Current Activities: Volunteering with local refugee resettlement agency to support families from Tanzania, Afghanistan, Iraq and Ukraine. On the board of Friends of the Library in Orange, CT.
Reading Now: So many things—The Bee Sting, anything by Erik Larson and Amor Towles. I’m in two book groups with very different preferences so I get some duds and some really good ones too.
Student Senate President Rick Stablein with Pres. and Mrs Umbeck at Pumphandle, from The Gale, 1971
DAViD MCKiLLiP (DAVE, COACH MAC)
My Knox Experience
Econ and ROTC. Beta Theta Pi. Beta House, Mike Murphy
Football, Wrestling
Favorite Professor: Anderson (Economics) He changed a grade for me so I could graduate.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Leadership in ROTC Post Knox Life
Army Command and Staff College. Wife, Dia McKillip (52 years). Sons: Josh and Ryan McKillip.
Daughters: Jaime Simmons and Holly McKillip. Six granddaughters, one grandson, and one great-grandson.
Lived In: Kentucky, Tennessee, Germany, South Korea, Panama, Washington State, Illinois, California, Virginia, Alabama.
Army Aviation Officer (21 yrs); Government Civilian Operation and Plans (13 yrs); Defensive line and Linebacker Coach at Knox (17 yrs); Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Huddle Leader. Commanded at every level of US Army Aviation: Platoon, Company, and Battalion. Retired from the Army (21 yrs). Retired from Government Service. Retired from Coaching at Knox.
Current Favorite Activities: Volunteering, traveling, riding my Harley-Davidson motorcycle with my wife Reading Now: Prayer Partners by John Maxwell
SAnDEE MiCHAL WRiGHT
My Knox Experience
Mathematics major. Williston Hall for all four years. Bonnie Ziarko Hoppin, Kim Feyerbend, Gail Rolling, Linda Baring, Judy Sanford, Michele de Verteuil
Playing cards with friends, Phi Mu and ADE parties
Favorite Professors: Rothwell Stephens and Robert Bryan, who were both excellent Mathematics professors.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Priestly’s Planets
Post Knox Life
MBA. 48 years of marriage to Knox sweetheart, Ted Wright, MD (’72)
Lived In: Brookfield, IL, Oak Brook, IL
Prudential Insurance Management positions
MBA degree, becoming a certified Nitrox Advanced Scuba Diver with WW II wreck diving experience.
I fell in love with scuba diving. We have experienced the joy of diving in many parts of the world. In 2026 we plan to visit our seventh continent.
Current Activities: Scuba diving and traveling. Our favorite trips: Antarctica, Galapagos, Machu Picchu, Thailand, Tahiti, Fiji, scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, snorkeling with humpback whales. Gardening and bird watching.
Reading Then: Calculus books
Reading Now: Travel and scuba diving magazines, Seniors Guide to Medicare
LAuRA MOORE CASE
My Knox Experience
Sociology major. Freshman—Whiting; Sophomore—Williston; Junior—Post Suite; Senior—Simonds-Neifert. Roommates were Janet Koeber and Angie Rightnowar.
Mortar Board, Las Vegas night, Senior year Urban Studies
Favorite Professor: Dr Houser, just a great professor
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Philosophy—blew my mind Post Knox Life
Married to Harold Case for 48 years, and we have 2 children, Valerie Kelly and Brian Case.
Lived In: Illinois; Galveston, TX; College Station, TX; Oklahoma City, OK
State of Illinois Dept of Public Aid for 9 years, Secretary to the HS Counselor, grade school workroom manager, 14 years as insurance agent, and 9 years as a Recruitment and Admissions Advisor at OCCC in OK.
Current Activities: Family genealogy and scrapbooking; enjoying time with family and friends!
Reading Now: Bible, and Mitch Albom books.
Dick Gregory, 1973
JAMES MOTT (JiM)
My Knox Experience
History major. Sigma Nu. Conger (no roommate); Sigma Nu House (Eldon Carvey, Stan Hvostik, David Coons. Piano.
Favorite Professor: Rodney Davis. Professor Davis brought history alive for me. I took courses from him on the Civil War, Early American Republic, and Toqueville’s America. He was so interesting and always pushed me hard to do better. He certainly was not an easy A, at least not for me.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: 20th Century Russian Literature. Professor Rosic. I absolutely love Russian literature and Professor Rosic sure inspired me to read more of it. Eventually I did an independent study with him on Alexsandr Solzhenitsyn. A funny asidemy penmanship is so bad that he was unable to grade my first exam until I read it to him in his office. To avoid that happening again, I offered to take the rest of my exams on a typewriter in his office. He happily accepted my offer.
Post Knox Life
MA in United States History, U of Illinois, Chicago. Ph.D in 20th Century United States History, at U of Illlinois Chicago, with emphasis on Quantitative Methods
I am married and have two daughters (Liat and Liba) my wife and I adopted from China. Liat lives in Israel and is studying at Hebrew University. Liba just finished her second year at U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Lived In: Denver, Colorado; Chicago, Illinois.
I worked at SPSS (later IBM) in Chicago from 1984-2019. I was a Visiting Assistant Professor in United States History at U of Illinois, Chicago 1990-1996
Presented several papers at professional history conferences on Presidential Voting and on the Holocaust. In 1992 I helped found H-Net, which is still a major forum for scholarly discussion of History on the Internet. From 1993—2011 I was editor for H-Holocaust.
Adopting two lovely daughters from China is perhaps the most important event in my post-Knox life.
Current Activities: Playing classical piano.
Reading Then: Anything Dostoevsky, particularly Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamarzov. Also loved John Steinbeck, especially The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden
Reading Now: Various biographies of Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson
JOHn MunCHOFF
My Knox Experience
Chemistry major. Lived in dorms for three years and off-campus apartment fourth year. Roommates were Jeff Gartner & Bob Tietz
Basketball, live music enjoyment. Worked in the college cafeteria washing dishes for three year
Favorite Professor: Dr. Leland Harris; he had a great sense of humor and irreverence in his teaching style
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Art History
Post Knox Life
Univ. of Wisconsin, 1977 BS Pharm; UCLA, 1982 MBA.
In 1977 I married Carol Posey, my Knox sweetheart. We have raised a son and daughter and now have four grandchildren. My son and his family live in Columbus, OH and my daughter and her family live in Lenexa, KS. My father & brother continue to live in Western Springs, IL and my sister lives in Santa Monica, CA.
Lived In: Maywood and Western Springs, IL; Madison, WI; Los Angeles, CA; Lawrence, KS; London, UK
I worked as a Pharmacist in Madison for three years. Worked in marketing for an oil company in Los Angeles for three years. Marketing Director for Nestle in Los Angeles for eight years. Marketing Director for Colgate Palmolive in Lawrence, KS and London for eighteen years.
I’ve used my Major only an initial small amount. Dr. Leland Harris introduced me to the field of medicinal chemistry which led me to Univ. of Wisconsin and pharmacy. Left that for the business world.
Current Activities: Have been traveling a fair amount since retirement. In the US, travel is primarily to visit family and friends in Chicago, Columbus and West Coast. Overseas, have tried to visit Europe every year. Just returned from Burgundy, France and Florence, Italy.
Big picture: I have led a fun and fulfilling life with many challenges and rewards and many more to come.
I can’t believe it has been 50 years.
MiKE MuRPHy
My Knox Experience
International Relations major. Freshman—Conger I. Bernie Hobson was my roommate. Soph/junior—Beta house. Dave McKillip was my roomie. Senior—off campus apartment. Bob Berg was my roommate. Played football. IM sports. Beta House parties.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Philosophy
Post Knox Life
Married my high school sweetheart four months after graduation. We have one daughter, Jenni. My wife died after a long battle with MS. Remarried six years later.
Lived In: Evanston, Il., Park Forest, Il., Crete, Il, St John, IN, Crown Point, IN. Currently reside in Crete.
I worked 40 years at IBM in Sales and Consulting.
My major taught me how to create a concise, thoughtful document. Important Events: The birth of my daughter, the loss of my first wife, and meeting my current wife.
Current Activities: Golf, pickleball, live entertainment, and travel. Ain’t retirement great!?
MARGiE niERHOFF BRinGARDnER
My Knox Experience
Modern Languages major. Pi Beta Phi. Whiting—Nancy Ourach; Post—Barb Wales
Favorite Professors: Jay Paul Minn—he was supportive and kind, encouraged being a free spirit. He was our chaperone in Besancon, joining the fun, adventure and immersion in the culture. He and his wife, Nikki, were great mentors and friends. Herbert Priestley opened my world, introducing me to astronomy. He knew this was outside my comfort zone, but was always willing to answer my questions. He was a very kind man.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: I took a philosophy class in which I was introduced to Gestault Therapy. Funny how often I think of the basics learned in that class—and apply them out of the blue. I enjoyed the class—even at 8am Friday mornings. Post Knox Life
My son, Sam, works with Tony Etz ‘83 (Chair of the Knox Board of Trustees), at Creative Artists Agency. Small world!
Lived In: Currently in Southern California I enjoy life—being enriched by wonderful family and friends. I believe I’ve been able to pay that spirit forward to people I’ve met through the years. I’m looking forward to hearing about where life has taken everyone.
MARy ALiCE nEMETz KETCHuM (FRiTz)
My Knox Experience
Theatre major. Whiting Hall—Marcia Kreig; The Co-Op 1971-1973; Off Campus with Janet Howell Theatre, Improv
Favorite Professors: Ivan Davidson, Robin Metz, Lance Factor
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Robin Metz’s Writing Class Post Knox Life
M.F.A. University of Georgia, in Directing and Acting Husband of 37 years, David Ketchum. Children— Kevin (in Atlanta), Lauren (Washington DC) and Colleen (in Austin). My six siblings and many nieces/nephews in Athens and Atlanta, GA
23 years university teaching in Theatre: UT Arlington; UT Austin; Texas Christian University and University of Texas at Dallas. Also years in non-profit management. And consistently working in professional and academic theatres—mostly directing, with acting as well.
And, of course, raising three children.
I’ve used my Theatre major in almost all the professional work I have done, from teaching in higher education to professional directing and acting. Where do I start? Divorcing my first husband after a few unhappy years (haha). Meeting second husband and starting our family. Being selected as a Guest Artist at the Kennedy Center and working with Ming Cho Lee, one of the most influential American scene designers. Too much to tell.
Current Activities: Hiking, volunteering with horses, dog walking, gardening and waiting for grandchildren. I am continuing to seek creative opportunities in Theatre and other fields. I’m sort of retired now; but I am staying involved in my community, mostly, volunteering with Mane Gait, a therapeutic horsemanship center for young clients with disabilities.
Reading Then: Shakespeare (selected plays); Basis of Criticism in the Arts; any books that were part of Theatre, English and Writing classes
Reading Now: Several novels, including Lessons in Chemistry, Paper Palace, and The Method
KAREn OBERLAEnDER OERTLEy (RABBiT)
My Knox Experience
Art major. Whiting Hall, W Tompkins St, W Brooks St; David Dray, John Whisler, Martha Cleaveland
Aside from sex, drugs, and rock’n roll, just being with friends, ice skating on the Gizmo patio, photography, the Kazoo Band and the Me Kong Delta Fraority.
Favorite Professors: Isaac Peterson; Henry Joe; Gary Francois
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Physics—Light and Color, Physics and the Arts; Psych—Altered States of Conciousness
Post Knox Life
Post Knox Education: The real world. Still married to Chuck Oertley ’73. We have one daughter, Jennifer, who is married to Jay LeDuc, and they have a son, Remy, who is eight. They live nearby in Nashville.
Lived In: We moved to Nashville from Galesburg in 1974. I had an apartment in New York for a couple of years about twenty years ago for work and commuted.
I was the publisher and editor in chief for an international weekly newspaper which was spun out of Billboard magazine in the 60’s. We covered the live entertainment industry, which included the concert industry and stadiums and festivals throughout the world. We also covered the theme and amusement park industry worldwide. After 26 years there, I left to become the executive director of a nonprofit in the music industry and later, another nonprofit in the theme and amusement park industry.
Although I was a fine arts major, my first real job out of college was as a copywriter and layout artist. I’ve used my art education throughout my career and still enjoy working with clay as a potter.
I spent the summer of 1973 living in Galesburg, working as the foreman of a corn detassling crew for the DeKalb Corn Co. Each day, I rode my bike downtown before dawn to catch a bus to go to the cornfields. I loved that summer in Galesburg.
Important Events: I really don’t know how to answer this question!
Current Activities: In addition to working in clay, I enjoy being with my family and playing with my grandson, practicing French with my friends at countless happy hours, hiking in the woods, eating, visiting New York, and generally trying to stay fit.
Reading Then: A Fan’s Notes by Frederick Exley
Reading Now: Anything by Amor Towles
BiLL PAzOLES
My Knox Experience
Math major. Freshman year: Neal 1–Mark Van Raden, Bill Fiedler, Terry Warner, Bill Kenyon, Jeff Mangers, Jeff Moore, Todd Moore, Bruce Goodnow, Bruce MacMurray, Rich Novar, John Siniawski. Sophomore/ Junior years: Campbell 3–All of the above, minus Mark Van Raden, [and including] Bruce MacMurray, Rich Novar, Jeff Moore. Senior year–1066 S. Cedar St … three blocks south of the football field. With Ken Drost and Stacy Brown (Drost), both class of ’75.
DJ at WKVC for 3 years. First year had a classical program - because that’s all that was available. By senior year I had a mostly jazz program that I doubt anyone ever listened to. But I loved it.
Played in the student/faculty talent show with Bill Fiedler and Bruce Patzer. Intramural softball. Had a small part in the stage production of “Medea.”
Favorite Professors: Mathematics professor Bob Bryan.Third semester senior year I needed a ‘C’ on the final exam. I was struggling and I went to him–during the exam–and he helped get through a few problems. So kind of him! Education profs Walt Mickler and Carl Eisemann. Both encouraged me to pursue education as a career and it worked out very well for me.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: For me it was Introduction to Jazz, taught by Ron Kogen. I was already developing a love of jazz when I took this class. Learning it’s rich history as the only true American art form spring boarded me into a passion that has run deep for me to this day. A day hardly goes by without listening.
Post Knox Life
M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction St. Xavier University, Chicago
Stephanie is my wife of 44 years, having met in 1977. We have two wonderful children: Nicholas, 40, who is a software engineer for the website Baseball Reference. He and his wife Heather live in Palatine, IL and have given us Cody, six, and Jack, three, who bring us countless blessings and continuous joy. Also Alexandra, 38, single, lives in Arlington Heights, works for Outsell, an online automotive customer engagement platform
Lived In: I grew up in Oak Lawn IL until getting married in 1980. We briefly lived in Crestwood IL before settling in Oak Forest IL, where we have lived since 1982 in two locations.
I was hired in August, 1974 by School District 218 high schools Richards (my alma mater), Shepard and also Eisenhower HS in Blue Island, where I taught math for 34 very rewarding years. I also coached the boys and girls tennis teams for 37 years. Upon retirement in ’08, I tutored three days a week at Shepard during lunch periods. I also have been private tutoring math and continue to do so today.
Important Events: Getting hired right after Knox and having a long, rewarding teaching career, getting happily married, kids and grandkids.
Current Activities: My free time these days is filled with much golf and pickleball. And I listen to a lot of music—many genres. We also love to travel, as we have friends and family all across the country. Our overseas excursions feature multiple visits to Greece–our heritage. In fact, my wife was born there and adopted by a Greek family in the states. And of course we adore spending time with the grandkids.
CAROL POSEy MunCHOFF
My Knox Experience
Psychology major. Whiting Hall—Anita Bizzoto, roommate. Dorms I can’t recall names of sophomore/junior years—Liz Berman, roommate. State House senior year, solo room.
Having fun
Favorite Professor: Didn’t have one
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Art 101 Post Knox Life
Married to John Munchoff, who also graduated with our class. Have a daughter and son, both married with two young children each. I’m the grandmother of two girls and two boys.
Lived In: Greenwich, CT; Madison, WI; Los Angeles; Lawrence, KS
Primary career was selling advertising for technology publications and websites.
How I’ve used my Major: I can read your mind.
Current Activities: Family, travel, exercise, volunteering, wine
Important Events: Staying married for 47 yrs and raising a great family
I’m happy and healthy and that’s enough.
Reading Then: Piaget’s books on child cognitive development
Reading Now: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, James MacBride
JOHn PORTER (JP)
My Knox Experience
Psychology Major. Sigma Nu. In the quad, then at Sigma Nu— Richey Garay.
Mainly [lived in] California, and presently in North Carolina. Mostly an executive in the motorcycle industry.
Motorcycling is mostly an expression of one’s persona. A manifestation of one’s risky dreams. So my education helped me accept and assist those pursuing their happiness.
Current Activities: Spending time and adventures with my dog Delilah. Bicycling. Live Blues music. And cooking.
Important Events: Humbly speaking, not much.
Other Comments: That I am eager to see old friends at our reunion.
Reading Then: Vonnegut
Reading Now: Willian Gibson (Agency), Ian Frazier (Great Plains, Travels in Siberia)
Siegel-Schwall Band, Homecoming 2014
CAROL POWELL LOMBARDi
My Knox Experience
I lived in Whiting Hall for 3 years. Senior year I lived in what was called an “outhouse.” Jane Mullins was my roommate freshman year and part of sophomore year. After that I had a single.
Writer/Contributor to Knox Student and Catch
Favorite Professors: Ross Vander Meulen in freshman seminar. Ken Pahel—he was my advisor and put up with me.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Art History. I loved sitting in the dark theatre and being introduced to spectacular art.
Post Knox Life
MSW from the University of Illinois.
I married my husband Lou in 1976. He is a retired philosophy Professor at Lake Forest College. We have two children and 2 granddaughters. We all live within 20 minutes of each other.
Lived In: I moved from Galesburg to Champaign-Urbana to Lake Forest College housing to Libertyville. We have lived in the same house in Libertyville for 38 years.
As a school social worker, I organized and directed one of the state’s “At Risk” preschool programs for 27 years.
How I’ve used my major: I worked in a diverse, low income community. My liberal arts education with an emphasis on ethics heightened my sensitivity to others who are very different from me. I mentored several teachers and social workers to help them understand and interact well with the community.
Current Activities: Family first. We usually see everyone weekly. The eight of us traveled to Greece together in June 2024. I love reading fiction, sewing, walking, and being by large bodies of water.
Reading Then: The Peloponessian War. My father wrote me a letter calling my attention to a passage every 100 pages or so just to keep me going.
Reading Now: The Women by Kristin Hannah. Anything by Louise Penny and William Kent Krueger.
PHiLiP PuCEL (PHiL)
My Knox Experience
Physics major. First lived in a quad with roommates for one year: Ricky Panco, Kjeld Sorenson, Merlon Schunemann, Tony Lee, and Mike Moser (who taught us how to ignite zilches and often played Rod Stewart songs). Then I was persuaded to join Phi Delta Theta whose house was just across the street. They had great parties, everyone slept in the attic, even during the winter, and the home-cooked meals were wonderful.
Favorite Professor: Dr. Rosic taught Serbo-Croat which was similar to Slovene which was of particular interest because my grandparents emigrated from Slovenia around 1900. (They took me on a trip to Slovenia to meet relatives and familiarize myself with the culture.)
Most Memorable Class Outside of Major: Serbo-Croat and math with Richard Reno Post Knox Life
MS in Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering from Utah State University.
Career consisted of field research, establishing data collection sites, designing and constructing groundwater monitoring networks and surface water hydraulic structures, writing reports, and preparing environmental permit applications. Focused on assessing Superfund sites and Hazardous waste sites; groundwater contamination from tailings ponds, leaking underground storage tanks, hydrocarbon spills, unlined waste disposal ponds and pits at tie treating facilities, refineries and storage tank facilities.
My major helped tremendously in studying for my Masters Degree.
In 2003, I married Christine whom I met at “Ride the Rockies” bicycle tour and who somehow turns me into a better person as time goes on. Some of our most memorable off-duty adventures were bicycle tours in Wyoming, Colorado, and Europe which is ideally suited for bicycle touring.
Lived In: Joliet, IL; Grenoble, France; Galesburg, IL; Steamboat Springs, CO; Alta, UT; Logan, UT; Kodiak, AK; Amherst, VA; Holden Beach, NC; Wausau, WI; Pueblo, CO; Santa Maria, CA; Santa Rosa, CA; Ukiah, CA; Clear Lake, CA; Cheyenne, WY; Laramie, WY; Seal Beach, CA
Current Activities: studying Slovene and French. I’m preparing for a bicycle tour in France. Trying to prevent my body from falling apart too soon. Doing yard work, stacking firewood, maintaining irrigations system, managing rental units.
Important events: Junior year at Université de Grenoble; established lasting relationships with family and friends in Slovenia; bicycling La Route des Hautes Alpes, the Normandy Coast, the Pyrenees, the Ardeche, across Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Slovenia, and the Croatian coast.
Reading Then: textbooks
Reading Now: April 1865 by Jay Winik; Red Cloud: the Heart of Everything That Is by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin; Washington by Ron Chernow; The Counter-Revolution of 1776 by Gerald Horne
AnniE REinKE
My Knox Experience
English Literature major. Whiting Hall with Martha Randolph (freshman); Williston with Twa Huntman (sophomore); Quad with Jessi Laffey (junior and senior) where at night we could hear the steam engines in the often-visited train yards and someone playing the bagpipes in the Knox Bowl.
I spent all my free time savoring the three main food groups: sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll!
Favorite Professors: Robert Hellenga and Howard Wilson. Not only did I enjoy their classes, I was lucky enough to get to know both of them outside the lecture room. I babysat for Hellenga’s daughters and loved his bohemian lifestyle. Wilson entertained several of us at his apartment and would get the giggles telling us about memorable students, including one who gifted him with homemade mead which exploded in his closet. I felt very comfortable stopping by their offices in Old Main to chat about life, and they exuded kindness and warmth.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: A class on existentialism taught me the meaning of absurdity and awakened the agnostic living within.
Post Knox Life
After staying on another year in Galesburg in an apartment with Jessi Laffey, Jim Mott, and David Bauman while I worked with acquisitions in the Knox College Library, I went on to the University of Illinois for a Master’s in Library Science.
My two beloved sons, Jesse and Morgan, gifted me with four GRANDchildren.
I took a few years off after a stint as a public librarian before landing my dream job as a high school librarian. Volunteer work includes campaigning to elect Democratic candidates, teaching English language learners, and assisting at the local food bank.
How I use my major: I silently correct everyone’s grammar.
I sponsored the first Gay/Straight Alliance in the greater Richmond area in the face of strong opposition. The American Library Association named us the best high school library in the country because of inclusiveness (see above). I co-founded One City, One Book and kept it going for six years, meeting wonderful authors along the way.
My father would be pleased to know I honor his memory by driving with my knees, leaving my hands free for any number of tasks. My unparalleled parallel parking skills (again, thanks, Dad!) allow me to rock my car into the tightest spaces.
Current Activities: My favorite activities include travel, exercise, hiking, drinking Manhattans in Winnetka, honing my ethnic gourmet cooking skills, and feeling quite smug when I know the answer in Final Jeopardy as the contestants draw a blank.
Reading Then: 1970 Our Bodies, Ourselves; 1972 The Joy of Sex; 1973 Fear of Flying; The American Heritage Dictionary, 1969 edition (ask me why at Homecoming); all of D.H. Lawrence and Jane Austen
Reading Now: fiction: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar and James by Percival Everett; nonfiction: BoyMom by Ruth Whippman and working my way through all the audio books by Jon Meacham.
GEORGE ROSiC
My Knox Experience
Economics major. Lived at home in Galesburg, but I spent a lot of time at the Sigma Nu house as a social member. Soccer team.
Favorite Professors: Lane Sunderland, Bro White, Wilbur Pillsbury. All were so committed to our success.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Art History. Poli Sci 201, especially Rene Ballard’s portion of the teaching, because I realized how wrong he was about the Bill of Rights after I got to law school.
Post Knox Life
University of Chicago Law School 1977.
Married to Mary Marselus, class of ’76. Two sons and seven grandchildren, ages 1 to 10.
I’ve lived in Evanston, Illinois since 1979, but since 2023 we also live half the year in New Hampshire to be near one set of grandkids. We go back and forth between Illinois and NH several times a year. We also own a place in Breckenridge, Colorado and spend time there every year.
I still work part time as a lawyer because I enjoy it. My practice is business law.
How I’ve Used My Major: Very often. Many of the issues we addressed at Knox are central to my business law practice.
Current Activities: I still run but very slowly. A little bit of downhill skiing still.
Reading Then: Free to Choose by Milton Friedman; The New Class by Milovan Djilas.
Reading Now: The Fear Index by Robert Harris; Five-Carat Soul by James McBride.
GABRiEL ROTELLO (GABRiEL)
My Knox Experience
My freshman roommate was Rich Muniz on Conger 1. Sophomore year I roomed with the late Jeff Coombs, also in the quad, and then left for the London/Florence program. Junior year I roomed with Billy Lovell in Tompkins House, then left for the Nepal program.
My main activity was playing keyboards. I was also active in the antiwar Student Mobilization Committee, and I have dim memories of being involved in some fracas within the Knox student government that ultimately caused the student government to be disband.
Favorite Professors: My favorite professors were the historians John Stipp and Mikiso Hane. Dr. Stipp had a precision and gravitas that was the opposite of me at the time, yet somehow he became my de facto advisor and I became his research assistant. Dr. Hane survived internment camps in California in WWII and went on to become a very distinguished historian of Japanese civilization and a great inspiration to me. Stipp pushed me to go to Europe sophomore year and Hane pushed me to go to Nepal, so I have both of them to thank for two of the most important events of my life.
Post Knox Life
After Knox I moved to New York City and became a keyboard player, arranger, and music director for a wide variety of artists. In the mid-80s, I also began producing and directing live shows in NYC mega-clubs like the Limelight and the Palladium, which culminated in the Downtown Dukes and Divas revues. When my partner Hap Hatton died of AIDS in 1988, I joined the protest group ACT UP and became an AIDS activist. In 1989, I founded OutWeek Magazine, a lesbian and gay weekly, and served as its editor-in-chief for two years, during which it made quite a bit of news itself. In 1993 I became the first openly gay newspaper columnist for a major American daily, NY Newsday, mostly writing about LGBTQ issues. In 1997 I published the book Sexual Ecology: AIDS and the Destiny of Gay Men, which the Boston Globe called “the Silent Spring of the AIDS epidemic,” and the New Scientist called “a remarkable book and a breath of fresh air in the growing litany about the AIDS epidemic.” It was translated into several languages and remains on the syllabus of schools of public health in many countries.
When the AIDS crisis abated in the late 90s, I moved to LA and began writing, producing and directing television and theatrical documentaries. Some of the theatrical docs include “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” (recently made into a feature), “Party Monster” (also made into a feature), and “The Hidden Fuhrer.” I also did tons of entertainment-related TV docs for Bravo, VH1, AMC and others, such as “Movies That Shook the World” and “Hollywood Fashion Machine.” I worked on the first two seasons of Ru Paul’s Drag Race, but as reality shows began to take over the TV landscape, I became more dedicated to documentaries. Some of my faves include the History Channel series
“The Universe,” “America’s Secret Slang,” and “Life After People.” A couple of years ago I reduced my workload to six months per year, but I still enjoy making offbeat History Channel shows like “The UnXplained” and “Ancient Aliens,” as well as serious National Geographic docs like “Gender Revolution with Katie Couric” and “Deep Time History.”
I never thought about this before, but I would have to say that I’ve used my history and music majors in every aspect of my working life. As a musician, a writer and a documentary guy, it’s always been about either music or history. And sometimes it’s been both, as with shows like “Remastered: Who Shot the Sheriff,” and even the “100 Greatest Shows” on VH1.
ELLEn REMEnCHiK
My Knox Experience
[I] was only there one year. Sorry, I forget the name of the dorm and my room mates
Favorite Professor: There was a math teacher in calculus but don’t recall his name
Post Knox Life
Univ of Illinois Chicago Circle and Texas A&M Med School and Univ of Houston School of Public Health. Case manager, then a physician
Worked at Mayo clinic. Have worked abroad as a physician
Two children, one female, one male.
Lived In: Chicago, Houston TX, Austin TX, DFW TX, Tyler and Longview TX, and now San Antonio TX.
How I’ve used my Major: as above
Current Activities: Many
Reading Now: Paul Theroux on travel
JAMES RyBKA (JiM)
My Knox Experience
Chemistry (with Honors) major Freshman Year: Raub (Bruce Pick); Sophomore Year: Griffith?? (Dave Schulz); Junior year: Sigma NU House (Dave Schulz). Senior Year: Sigma Nu House (Stan Hvostik)
Knox Student business manager, 1975-76. Intramural sports. Various Sigma Nu activities
Favorite Professor: Dr. Robert Kooser (Chemistry) because he was able to explain very complex ideas and principles in an very understandable and relatable way. Even physical chemistry!
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: The class that I enjoyed the most was Intro to Music. Even though I listened to a lot of music, the class gave me a finer appreciation that has stayed with me through the years. Another class that has been useful over the years were the Econ classes that I took. I am amazed at how many times those ideas and concept became relevant again.
Post Knox Life
Purdue University, Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry working with Dr. Dale W. Margerum, 1979
Jan Dillon and I married soon after graduation and moved to West Lafayette, Indiana. We have two sons, Mark (1977) and Matthew (1980) who are now married with families of their own. Mark and his wife Gretchen have a son and a daughter and they reside in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Matthew and his wife Cassie, have a daughter and two sons and they reside in Flagstaff, Arizona. In total, we have five grandchildren and we enjoy each of them!
After graduation, Jan and I moved to Lafayette, Indiana, expecting that to be only a temporary location for graduate school. But I found a position with Eli Lilly & Company in Lafayette, so we actually resided in Lafayette for 44 years! In 2018, we moved to Flagstaff, Arizona and are there to this day.
After earning my Ph.D. from Purdue University, I worked for Eli Lilly & Company starting as a Senior Analytical Chemist in 1979. I worked for them for 27+ years and retired in 2007 as a Research Scientist. After retirement, I spent a couple of semesters teaching a chemistry lab course at Ivy Tech in Lafayette.
My chemistry major from Know was invaluable for my work at Purdue and as a professional Analytical Chemist working in the pharmaceutical industry.
The most important things were marrying Jan Dillon and having two sons and eventually five grandchildren! Other highlights include my time at Eli Lilly, where I spent about half of my career working as a chemist to support industrial hygiene projects, and the latter half doing analytical method development for compounds that were in clinical trials on their way to market approval. In that latter role, my job offered me the opportunity to travel and one project took me to Japan a dozen times. In our
later years, Jan and I have enjoyed traveling. We have visited Switzerland, Kenya, Peru, Honduras, and Russia. On this continent, we have visited Canada, Mexico, and many places in between. Lastly, moving from Indiana after 44 years to Arizona was a very worthwhile adventure that still continues today.
Jan and I are with you in spirit even if we are not present physically for our 50th Homecoming. This year is also our 50th Wedding Anniversary and to celebrate we have invited family from Illinois, Indiana, and other Midwestern locations to join us for a celebration in June. Besides planning this event, we are also planning a trip through the Canadian Rockies in a double-decked domed train car in July as our anniversary gift to ourselves. Unfortunately, we are not as energetic in 2024 as we were in 1974, and therefore do not have the energy and stamina for another cross country trip to Galesburg. We will be thinking of you all during Homecoming Weekend.
Currently, as a retiree, I enjoy various forms of volunteer work. I am active in our church and participate in several administrative activities as Treasurer and a member of the Board of Trustees. I also volunteer regularly at the local Food Pantry. I enjoy biking around Flagstaff and when that is not possible I try to work out at a fitness center three times a week. I started a new hobby making stained glass art after retirement; I have made dozens of pieces, many as gifts. I am also interested in astronomy; I have a telescope and enjoy looking at Saturn and Jupiter and its moons. I also enjoy working (and solving) puzzles—Sudoku, crosswords, and others.
Reading Then: Unfortunately, I was too busy reading for my classes to do any elective reading.
Reading Now: I enjoy historical biographies. One of my favorite authors is David McCullough.
ROBERT SAHM (BOB, SAMO)
My Knox Experience
History major. Lived in various places, Conger 1, Post 9, off campus rented from Knox grads Mike and Alexa Dimitriouh
Activities: College Democrats
Favorite Professor: Stephen Bailey, supportive and patient and had a love for the subject.
Most Memorable Class: Geology
Post Knox Life
Dual Masters, social work and public administration at Syracuse.
Married with two daughters, one went to Knox and other to Suny Plattsburgh.
I’ve lived in Chicago, Jacksonville Ill. Peoria Ill. (none for long). Rockland County N.Y., Syracuse N.Y., Albany NY (after finishing Syracuse 1981). Now live outside Albany and to the East, close to Vermont and Massachusetts.
My career has seen various jobs in restaurants, working in a kind of sleezy finance company, then left for New Jersey parental home, then Ramapo NY where I worked with kids in Residential setting about 3 years that set my course to Syracuse. After a stint in NY state commission for persons with disability, I was hired to try to make a domestic violence clergy-based group permanent agency, and I did it. Then about 15 years with Catholic Charities, Director of Housing agency, focused on developing projects to serve otherwise homeless population, then consulting and grant writing and 10 years in NYS Office of State Comptroller.
How I’ve used my Major: History teaches perspective on what you do and helps meet challenges, broad stroke, of the day. For example, housing models like boarding houses, SROs and residential hotels, etc that largely disappeared as we closed state residential centers.
Current Activities: Reading, indulging love of history and sci-fi fantasy. Volunteer work, not too much and nothing requiring much (see above) thought......stuff a lot of envelopes ??
I found my niche in my area of work. Some hard times and great times. Love my family. I am still a noted dufus with stupid times and mistakes to offset some success. Wife and daughters are to be commended. They make my life good.
Reading Then: Principles of Geology — Reading Now: a book by Christopher Clark
Favorite Professor: Rothwell Stephens, made me see the potential for action in the world with a Knox degree
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Western Civ with Hermann Muelder
Post Knox Life
Yale University, M.A., Economics. Yale Law School, J.D.
Married to Marc Miller (together 24 years, married four), no children
Lived In: New York City; New Haven
Practiced First Amendment and media law in New York since graduating from law school in 1978, representing journalists and news organizations. For the past fifteen years I have taught media law and run a First Amendment clinic at Yale Law School. Previously taught as an adjunct at Fordham and Columbia.
Analytic thinking is key to being a good lawyer.
Defended NY Times in defamation case by Sarah Palin; argued for press access to the Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay on behalf of major news organizations; served in leadership positions in the NY City Bar Assocation and the Intenational Bar Association; continue to serve on the Knox Board of Trustees.
Always happy for Knox visitors to our weekend place in the Hudson Valley!
Current Activities: Love my work. In off hours, I love to garden, travel, and get to the theater.
Reading Then: Industry & Empire. E.J. Hobsbawm; Altgeld’s America, Ray Ginger
Reading Now: Liar in a Crowded Theater, Jeff Kosseff; The Husband’s Secret, Liane Moriarty
LAWREnCE SEzER (KEn)
My Knox Experience
Political science major. Freshnan year I lived at Griffith 1. My roommate was Dick Lindburg. Dick was more interested in playing basketball than anything else, and Knox was not a good fit for him. He transferred to Western after the Fall term, and I had a single after that. My suite mates were Ted Jelen, Harvey Lipman, Mark Zuspan, Ed Ipema, and Dave Dyer.
In 1972, Ted Jelen and I volunteered to help with the McGovern for President committee in Knox County. We ended up running the entire get out the vote campaign. We had previously spent a week canvassing in Southern California for the primary. Four of us packed into a sub-compact and drove non-stop from Galesburg to L.A. Everything about this was positive, except the final vote tally.
Favorite Professor: Lane Sunderland. I had him for Con. Law and Jurisprudence. He taught his classes like a lawyer and a philosopher. He didn’t just teach, he took you through the pros and cons of various arguments. He later ended up being cited in the constitutional law casebook we were using. He also helped me get a scholarship to law school, which I would probably not otherwise have been able to afford.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Introduction to Computer Science. In those days, we had to program the computer by typing out punch cards and handing them to an operator. The next day (if you were lucky) you would receive a printout of your program. If it worked, it was magical. It was much more exciting than asking Siri for something on your phone.
Post Knox Life
J.D., 1977 (Washington University in St. Louis)
I married Marcia Krieg (’74) and we have a son, Matthew, who is 33. He lives in New York and does video production for Deutsche Bank.
I lived in St. Louis for 3 years in law school, including one of the hottest summers ever, working as a summer associate in 1976. After law school, I lived in Springfield, Illinois for 5 years. Then I lived in Chicago (near Wrigley Field) and in Oak Park, which is just west of Chicago.
My first job after law school was as an assistant attorney general for the State of Illinois. After that I worked as the general counsel for the Illinois Human Rights Commission. Following that, I went into private practice, specializing in labor and employment law.
How I’ve Used My Major: Probably the most useful course was statistics with Bruce Greenberg. In my legal career I ran into quite a few statisticians who made misleading statements. Having a little knowledge about statistics was really helpful. But just about anything can be helpful. I once wrote an official opinion for the Illinois Attorney General based, in part, on what I learned as a kid at the coal mine at the Museum of Science and Industry.
Important Events: My marriage to Marcia and the birth of my son. I also enjoyed helping to shape antidiscrimination law as the general counsel for the Illinois Human Rights Commission.
Current Activities: Books, movies, concerts, plays, long bike rides, ice skating at the local rink, and long walks.
Reading Then: Freshman year I ended up reading just about every book Kurt Vonnegut ever wrote. I especially liked Player Piano and Slaughter House Five. I liked how Vonnegut could express complex thoughts and humor with simple, short sentences.
Reading Now: Anatomy of a Murder, which is the fictionalized version of a real murder trial in Michigan, and it is the basis for the movie with Jimmy Stewart.
MARK STEFAniK (MOKE)
My Knox Experience
English Literature major. Frosh Year: Neal 2, Roomie—Rick Cheap Roth; Years 2-4: ADE House, Roomies—Dave Chief Bernardi, Bob Crusher Sypniewski, and a few liberated women.
See above:) Intramural Sports; House Social Chairman; Film-making.
Favorite Professors: Pretty much the entire English Department at the time: Metz, Niehus(?), Hellenga, Brady…
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Art History 101. In another life, I’d have loved being a Museum Curator.
Post Knox Life
Masters in Education Curriculum Design from National Louis University, 2002.
My late wife, Debbie, and I had two boys and two girls. I now have five grandchildren. I have a daughter in Seattle. A son in Long Beach. A son in Northfield. A daughter in Sydney.
Lived In: Born on the Southside of Chicago. Lived Downtown in early post-Knox years. Moved to Winnetka, Illinois in 1983. Remain there but downsized in 2021.
Fork-lift driver, carny worker, model, teacher, commodity trader, commercial fisherman, publisher, teacher union contract negotiator. In retirement, I write.
As mentioned above, I taught English and Social Studies. The reading habit I developed at Knox (the sheer amount we covered each term) provided me with a lifetime of perspectives and plenty of ammo for my addiction to humor.
I am a family guy, so my marriage, my children, and my grandchildren stand alone in this category. Careers, Adventures, Life-lessons? I’ve had my share. I have double-jointed thumbs.
Current Activities: Reading, traveling, exercise, movies—the usual ‘north of 70’ behaviors. I played basketball into my 50s and softball into my 70s. I golf, but it’s a social thing. The dimpled ball and I do not get on well together.
Reading Then: The Wizard of EarthSea; Tom Jones; The Rainbow; The Lord of the Rings
Reading Now: A Gentleman in Moscow
ALLySOn SHAFFER SAWTELL
My Knox Experience
Psychology major. I think it was Post Hall? I transferred to Knox for my Junior and Senior years, and had several roommates my first year at Knox. My Senior year I had Sue Bucholt (I don’t remember her last name well or how to spell it. I’m so sorry!) She was great! Choir; hanging out with my dorm friends.
Favorite Professor: Not sure who my favorite was back then.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Choir! It may not have been a class, but I had a ball with everyone there.
Post Knox Life
Master of Divinity, at what was formerly known as Andover Newton Theological School, Newton Centre MA. Master of Arts in Community Leadership, Regis University, Denver CO
My husband (a Colorado College graduate) Peter and I have been married 47 years. We have a terrific son, Geoff, who works in Denver in the local NBC-affiliate TV news station. We’ve had several great dogs over the years, too! Peter and I lived just outside of Boston for several years while in graduate school. Then we moved to Iowa for 10 years (Grinnell, Sioux City). In 1988 we moved to Denver, Colorado and have been there since. We never want to leave Denver!
I was ordained a United Church of Christ minister in 1978. Peter and I served as co-pastors for 10 years in Iowa. When we moved to Denver I worked several jobs—Christian Educator in a local church; Mentor Program developer for a local LGBTQ youth program; Deputy Director at Denver Urban Ministries (a social service agency), Assistant Director/Director of FaithTrek, a Lily Endowment grant youth program at the Iliff School of Theology, and Associate Pastor/Director of Seniors Program at the Denver Inner City Parish (a church-founded social service agency).
How I’ve used my Major: Not sure, except perhaps to look carefully at situations, ask questions, engage in critical thinking.
Important Events: Lots! Of course, marrying Peter and having Geoff, our son, are biggies! I’ve also begun writing poetry and liturgy for progressive churches. I have a website Not Ordinary Church (allyson.revsawtell. org) that highlights my liturgies around creation, justice, reframing how we view ourselves in relation to all creation, connected to each other. And I’ve self-published a book of some of my works, called We’re All In This Together: Not Ordinary Devotions. (available on Amazon!). Another big deal for me was in 2012, Peter and I hiked all the way down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon—took us three days, but we did it and had a blast. It was stunning.
Being at Knox—even for only my last two years of college—was one of the best things I ever did! It was a life-changer and I loved it all. It was everything college was supposed to be. I had good friends (still in touch with a few of them), and I am forever grateful to have been able to be at Knox.
Current Activities: Writing, volunteering in my progressive church and in an animal shelter, activism around environmental issues, Get Out the Vote work, reading, hiking.
Reading Then: OK, that was 50 years ago. I don’t have a clue what I read then. I may not have done a lot of reading other than coursework.
Reading Now: Lots of stuff—poetry by Amanda Gorman, Mary Oliver. Fiction by authors such as N.K. Jemisin, Yaa Gyasi, Terry Pratchett, Louise Penny. Non-fiction/theology: The Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggemann, See No Stranger by Valarie Kaur, Active Hope.
JAn THOMPSOn (JAn, THuMPER)
My Knox Experience
Political Science major; Minor - Parties and Good Times! Lived freshman year in Whiting, sophomore, junior, and senior years in Post Hall
I was a very active member of Delta Delta Delta sorority. I held several offices. Most memorable class: I took Music classes that were really geared to music majors. Jackie Martin, my roommate, suggested we take them. They were pass/fail. The classes were to get you familiar with different kinds of instruments. We took: Strings – violin; Brass - trumpet & trombone; Wind – oboe. The classes were so much fun! At the end of the term, we played in a Recital in Kresge. Mr. Wilson, the teacher, wore a tux with tails. Our friends were in the front row. We played Beethoven’s Ode to Joy and She’ll be Coming Around the Mountain. We were terrible, but we got a standing ovation!
Post Knox Life
After working for a year in Chicago, I went to graduate school at Western Illinois University for an MBA. I was an honor student at WIU and was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi national honor society and Sigma Iota Epsilon national Management honor society.
The job that brought me to Springfield IL was selling computerized equipment for the Burroughs Corporation. I then went to the Illinois Department of Revenue. I was in a staff position, a Program Analyst, and worked for several division and bureau managers. I did mostly project work, wrote user manuals, procedures, etc. I was on the Pilot Project team for Electronic Filing, as the user representative. I was at Revenue for 18 years and was in Tax Processing for most of the time.
I then moved to the IL Department of Human Services, division of Developmental Disabilities. I was a Program Specialist and managed two small state-wide programs for children and adults with Developmental Disabilities and Mental Illness. I also worked on a big program for adults with Developmental Disabilities. My mom was a Special Education teacher, and she would’ve been happy that I was doing this kind of work. I worked here for 10 1/2 years. I retired at the end of 2014. I’ve been volunteering for AARP for the last six years doing taxes for people for free.
As a Political Science major and working for State government, I used knowledge about State and Federal governments in all my jobs.
I’ve lived in the Springfield, IL area for 45 years. I played a lot of sports until I was 30 and my knees gave out. I played softball, bowled, broomball (which is a form of hockey), and golf.
My ex and I bought 20 acres and developed the land to meet our needs. We had three horses, built a house, and lived there for 11 years. The relationship ended. We sold the farm and horses, and I moved back to Springfield. My life partner, Denise, and I have been together for 28 years, married for 10 years. We’ve had many four-legged fur babies - dogs, cats, and horses over the years. They have made our lives whole. They have been our “children.” We bought a motorhome and plan to use it for camping, traveling, and making memories. Of course, our fur babies will go with us.
Current Activities: I am a big car person. I’ve had three Corvettes in the last 30 years. I belong to the local Corvette club. Most of the people in the club are empty nesters and retired people. We take drives where we can enjoy the scenery and end up eating lunch and end up at a winery. I usually skip the winery, as I stopped drinking a long time ago. We also take dinner cruises, where we drive to a restaurant in a different town and have a nice dinner. We also do fundraisers and donate the money to local charities.
I had such a good time at Knox. I made lifelong friends and managed to learn a lot. I believe it made me a much more rounded person than I would have been otherwise. We had such a feeling of togetherness at Knox. Knox is a very special place! I missed it so much after graduation.
KEVin WAiTE
My Knox Experience
History major. Sigma Nu. Conger I, Dave Bauman; Sigma Nu House, Rich Garay; Conger I, As RA; Sellew II, as RA.
Soccer. Worked at the desk in the Fine Arts Center. One of the Friars, but that’s stretching the definition of extracurricular activities quite a bit.
Favorite Professors: Jay Minn; Robin Metz; Steve Bailey; Rod Davis; Gene DeVita; Bill Urban (visiting from Monmouth—taught Medieval History).
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Freshman Seminar, Revolution; Russian Literature; French I-III with Jay Minn
Post Knox Life
J. D., University of Wisconsin. Married to Carol Hansen, ’75. Four children, Rachel (Paul), Sean (Amal), Ethan (fiancee, Shelby) and Zach. First two are twins. Tenmonth old grandson (Cedar), Rachel’s son. Amal is pregnant and due mid-October (girl) so depending on the timing we might not make it to Homecoming.
Lived In: Chad; Chicago; Madison; Coeur d’Alene, Idah; and Hayden, Idaho. Peace Corps volunteer in Chad. Attorney (Law Clerk for a federal judge; large firms in Chicago; sole practitioner in Idaho).
I continue to read a lot of history. History and law provide a good perspective on the craziness going on now.
Important Events: Marriage and children. We have built a couple houses. Now that our kids have grown and are out on their own, we have resumed some traveling (Hawaii and once to Puerto Rico). Still working. Thinking about retiring in about three to four years.
My then photo obviously is not from Knox. I couldn’t readily find one. I left for the Peace Corps shortly after graduation so my photos from that time are from that experience. The photo might be 1975; as can be seen, I had had enough time to go native. My now photo (now can be an expansive term) is with my wife, Carol Hansen.
No one should assume that everyone who lives in Idaho is a MAGA Republican.
Current Activities: Reading, following politics, hiking, boating, cross country skiiing, tennis, bocce
Reading Then: Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke; The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon
Reading Now: War And Peace (Everyone should be as well read as Snoopy.) Best novel I have ever read (although I haven’t finished it yet). I highly recommend it. See column by Peggy Noonan in WSJ summer 2023 recommending it, quoting Wm. F. Buckley, Jr. (about Moby Dick): To think I could have died without reading it.
ARDiTH WARD CORTES (ARDiE)
My Knox Experience
Biology major. Whiting Hall, roommate Yvonne Segalla; two OffCampus West Tompkins houses w/ Bob Dawson, first with Mitch & Monta Lee; then with Bruce Shaw and Jan, Lindy Glaser
Hiking, backpacking, dance, knitting
Favorite Professor: Larry DeMott for his passion for geology and paleontology, and his humility and kindness.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Geomorphology of the United States
Post Knox Life
Certification in Organizational Development
Married Carlos Cortes in 1997.
I’ve remained in Chicagoland area: Wheaton; Lakeview in Chicago; Algonquin since 2003
Before retiring in 2018, I worked in Human Resources for Chicago based retailers. As Principal of Leadership and Talent Development for Walgreens Corporate, I partnered with retail and pharmacy operations to develop enterprise-wide learning solutions.
My biology degree has given me a point of view for observing and appreciating the intricacies of God’s creation, from micro to macro.
Dancing in group fitness classes, water color painting class. In 1990 I gave my life to Jesus Christ and since then I have been on a lifelong journey of learning to walk with Him by faith and grace.
Reading Then: Philosophy
Reading Now: Around the World in 80 Birds
Life of Galileo, 1972
THOMAS WEST (TOM)
My Knox Experience
Philosophy major. Seymour for three years
WVKC, Knox Hockey Club
Favorite Professor: Lance Factor—a great logician who appreciates experience
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: A photography class at Colorado College Post Knox Life
Took some computer classes at a community college, then taught Fortran there
My Family: Only under Non-Disclosure
Lived In: A couple of places in Colorado
Over-The-Road trucker for a major common carrier for several years; taught truck-driving; worked many years with developing computer disk storage products (hardware, software, firmware); currently a co-chair of a Technical Work Group within a storage industry association Using logic to flip bits in software and hardware.
Important Events: Wife & daughter. And somewhere on the list a couple of U.S. patents.
Just here and now
Current Favorite Activities: Thinking about consciousness—and walking
Reading Then: Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus by Ludwig Wittgenstein
Reading Now: Pondering A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking, some of which now appears out of date
KATHERinE yAMASAKi (yAMA)
My Knox Experience
Art Studio major. Whiting Hall, Freshman—Diane Edelman; Post 1 and Post 9—Barbara Atwell, Lynette Landon.
Writer/Contributor to Knox Student and Catch
Favorite Professors: William Brady, who instilled his love of the English language in his students with his booming voice and sparkling eyes. Harland Goudie, for recognizing that creativity requires flexibility, fun, and being nuts. Dr. Rothwell Stephens, for recognizing that math calculus was not my thing and encouraging me to find my home in the Fine Arts Studio.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Sociology seminars—Play 1 and Play 2. Interesting class concept and I met some memorable Knox students—John Whistler and Nalani McClendon.
Post Knox Life
Keller MBA coursework, miscellaneous work related seminars, miscellaneous hobby related courses. No further degrees.
My family are wonderful people. Two of them graduated from Knox College and one from Monmouth College, IL.
Lived In: Chicago, IL in a variety of apartments; Galesburg, IL in Knox dorms; currently Gold Bar, WA, in an almostfinished rehabbed little house with a lovingly cared for garden, situated in the foothills of the Cascades.
I started working the week after graduation as an illustrator in the graphics department for a transportation engineering firm. Worked there until I retired 40+ years later as a manager.
How I’ve Used My Major: I used it every day when I was working, and still do now that I am retired. What I learned at Knox comes through in everything I do and say.
I visited Mexico and Japan. I survived breast cancer. I left Chicago.The physical body may be older but I still like to sing out loud (off-key, of course) and dance like no one is watching! Life is Good!
Current Activities: Gardening, cooking, sketching, writing, walking, photography, needlework, reading, visiting with friends and family, and sleeping—all the wonderful things that retirees do.
Reading Then: The Naked Ape; The Whole Earth Catalog; The Joy of Sex; Norton Anthology of Poetry; Art through the Ages; liberal arts focused, etc.
Reading Now: The Entangled Life; People with Dirty Hands; TamLin; PNW history and gardening books, transit, nature, architecture, and AARP magazines
LinTOn yEiLDinG BOWiE (Lin)
My Knox Experience
Biology major. Phi Mu. I still keep in touch with Beth Collins, Jan Rybka. Also Jan Poppiti. Started in Whiting Hall? Moved to the other dorms, as a 4-person group, until graduation.
Favorite Professor: Dr. Peter Schramm
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Chemistry
Post Knox Life
MS in Range Management, UC Berkeley School of Forestry
I have two children—Chris, who is a geologist, and Andrea, who is a speech therapist.
Moved to California after graduation. I live in Half Moon Bay, California.
U.S. Forest Service, UC Berkeley, local utility company: PG&E as a biologist, then research scientist. Worked for a start-up, Essex Environmental, in environmental compliance work and officer on large construction projects. Finished my career as a professor of horticulture, and then biology at the College of San Mateo.
I learned how to extend my education in a very interesting tapestry of jobs and projects. Looking back I am grateful for a career that was challenging yes, interesting, and fulfilling.
It has been a great career. I did lots of different roles and types of projects. My Knox biology training served me well. It was the highlight of my career to crack a basic biology book open and teach general biology at the end.
Current Activities: Gardening through Master Gardeners University of California. Landscape Liaison for my condominium association with 5 acres of trees and landscape. Work at a local community breakfast program. Active in my local church.
Reading Then: Sand County Almanac
Reading Now: Alaska by James Michener
KAREn zECHES HAWKinSOn
My Knox Experience
Political Science major. Pi Beta Phi. Freshman year I lived in Whiting Hall with Lynn Schaller as my roommate. Sophomore and Senior years I lived in Post with Lynn and Anita Bizzotto as my roommates, respectively.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Utopian Vision and Current Reality in the Midwest Post Knox Life
My husband and I have 2 daughters and 1 son, all of whom are married. We have 7 living grandchildren. My husband had a career in public service and I spent many years being the “anchor” at home. When our oldest daughter started college, I returned to Knox as an employee and worked there for a dozen or so years.
I never imagined when I selected Knox College that I would end up making my home in Galesburg. I have lived here since graduation and 40 of those years were in the same house.
In addition to raising a family, I have been involved in community organizations, administered a social service grant for our geographic area, did some contract work for the local school district writing grants and administering the Gale Scholar Program, worked at Knox in the Admissions Office in the late 70’s and early 80’s, and returned there in the late 90’s.
My husband was an elected official on the county and state level for nearly 30 years. The theories I studied at Knox took on new meaning as they played out in the reality of our lives. I also helped coordinate three successful school tax referenda. While I majored in Political Science, I also studied abroad my junior year. When I returned to Knox as an employee, I eventually became the Coordinator of the Center for Global Studies, which is the office that administers off-campus study programs. I was able to draw on my own experience in helping prepare students for their study away from Knox, as well as assist them in their reentry to the Knox community.
Raising a family and being an active member of the community have allowed me to grow in many ways. I am grateful for the time I was employed by Knox. In so many ways it enhanced my own educational experience. I was able to see the College through a different lens and understand it’s values from another perspective. I gained a greater appreciation for both the College and my education.
Current Activities: I am still involved in many community organizations, am serving in my 36th year on the Galesburg Public Schools Foundation Board, and continue with my commitment to improve the quality of life in Galesburg. Occasionally you can find me on the golf course.
Reading Then: Dag Hammarskjöld, Markings. Ernest Elmo Calkins, They Broke the Prairie Reading Now: Apeirogon by Colum McCann, Ask by Jeff Wetzler.
BOnniE ziARKO HOPPin
My Knox Experience
Political science; secondary education major. Williston Hall all 4 years: FR, Soph roommate, Barb Picha; JR, SR roommate, Sandee Michal
Post Knox Life
Married to Chuck Hoppin (Knox - 1974) for 50 years! Two sons (and two daughters-in-law), three granddaughters and 2 grandsons.
Lived In: East Lansing, MI (4 years); Naperville, IL (17 years); Johns Creek, GA (29 years
Taught high school mathematics. Used my education major, but returned to school to get certified to teach math rather than social studies. Tennis, pickleball, bridge, reading among others. Most important thing has been having a good family life. (Oh, and Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter served me birthday cake, but that’s a long story!)
SCOTT A. SiLzER
My Knox Experience
Mathematics; lived in Post Hall Suite 7 and off campus, with Sweeney, Gentile, Bolier, and Suite 8.
Wrestling, game room attendant and manager
Suite 7 with walls and ceiling painted black; patty melts at the Gizmo; bridge games for days on end; feeling that Suite 7 was THE PLACE to be on campus… and, of course, FLUNK DAY!!!!!!!!!
Favorite professor: Robert Bryan, made math, especially calculus, understandable, fun and interesting.
Most Memorable Class Outside Major: Witchcraft!!!!
I did not have a clue about life in the 70’s and don’t know much more now.
Post Knox Life
JD, DePaul; M.Ed., UI Chicago; LLM, Georgetown
Married three times, 3 children and 2 stepchildren; 7 grands and 9 greatgrand (pumpkin size).
I’ve had a solo immigration practice since 1996; Counsel for Universities before that. Member of the Bar of the United States Supreme Court. I survived and had my children and one grandchild graduate without debt. I use my major every time I go to the store, pay bills, or prepare an invoice. Also, great preparation for Law School (logical thinking). Best use: my kids’ homework.
Lived In: Chicago, Florida, Denver
Favorite activities: Working with people who are the best in the world at what they do (literally), many of whom are clowns (I actually do work with a bunch of clowns), golf, stained glass, and grandchildren (not necessarily in that order!)
Reading Then: Watership Down and The Power and the Glory
Reading Now: 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed
in MEMORiAM
Remembering our 1974 classmates no longer with us Listed by the name we knew them as at Knox, with (m. Married name)
Richard Jones ............................................ April 13, 1993
Sharon Farquer (m. Fox) ........................ August 22, 1994
Jeffrey Creek April 17, 1996
Susan Burkhead (m. Foreman) December 18, 1996
Michael Schurr ........................................... June 24, 2000
William Campbell .......................................July 12, 2002
Robert Berg ...................................... September 24, 2003
Nancy Molander (m. Price).............. November 23, 2003
Nancy Harris July 1, 2007
Gary Gouskos........................................ February 5, 2008
Harvey Lipman ...................................... August 30, 2009
Sally Nelson (m. Scott) .................... November 13, 2010
Norman Winick ................................. December 10, 2010
Jeffrey Coombs May 16, 2012
Mary Burbery (m. Siniawski) March 30, 2013
Christine Robinson...................................... April 6, 2013
Peggy Miles (m. Hutson) ................. November 15, 2013
Lynn Dorrough ................................. November 21, 2013
Lynn Schaller ........................................ January 21, 2014
Kathleen Hanlon August 29, 2014
Bruce Patzer .......................................... January 31, 2015
Linda Jaworski (m. Volonino) ........... December 20, 2015
Boyd Vieregge.................................. November 10, 2016
James Wetherbee ..................................... March 26, 2017
Ted Jelen November 21, 2017
Paul Skelton January 19, 2018
J. Owens ....................................................... June 4, 2018
Kimberly Feyerabend (m. Phelan) ... September 28, 2018
Glen Moberg .......................................... August 31, 2019
Paul Soper ............................................... March 23, 2021
Robert Sypniewski May 17, 2022
Ronald Krumm................................. September 16, 2022
Laura Kohl (m. Dare) ........................... October 12, 2022
Augustus Scott ................................. November 17, 2022
Jeffrey Frantz ...................................... December 4, 2022
David Kopf November 21, 2023
Bruce Roberts February 4, 2024
Angela Rightnowar ..................................... April 3, 2024
Judith Wright (m. Collazo) ....................... April 13, 2024
Frances Bradburn (m. Henley) ................... May 15, 2024
Kathryn Hayes (m. Guse)
Mark Zuspan
OnE LAST THinG
The Giz was my favorite place to meet with friends, and get a TAB. — Terry Algren Bruner
Hanging out with people in the co-op where I lived during my Sophomore and Junior Years was fun and wonderful. We talked late into the night. We cooked together. We played volleyball together after dinner. I got to know some people in a deep way. — Debbie Axner
It was late fall in 1971. My first roommate, Marcy, and I were taking a walk, because she had decided to leave Knox and we were talking it over. Marcy had incredibly beautiful, hiplength dark hair that took forever to dry and we were also walking so it would dry for an event that night. We were entering the quad in front of the library, and just as we stepped under a ginkgo tree, the tree released its leaves in one long cascade, which stuck in Marcy’s dark hair and turned her into a moving golden statue. We laughed about her being a ‘moving maidenhair’ (the tree’s old name). At that same moment, I looked to my right, where the library called with its roaring fire and its unexplored treasures, and to my left was Alumni Hall, where in the basement that day I’d sat through a stimulating discussion about what the people’s will meant to Plato. I realized that I was completely happy and in the right place, and, though I would miss Marcy, I would keep coming back as long as the college would let me. — Glenda Bailey-Mershon
I remember seeing an admission poster on campus one day. It said “Knox: The Best.” — Peter Bailley
Returning to Knox after a year off was sobering. I was much more serious about learning and avoiding the many distractions of my first two years. So many good things started at Knox or found encouragement there. — George Douglas Cole
The Gizmo, winter and just finishing a warm, melty, crunchy, and delicious Patty Melt sandwich, someone playing the guitar in the background, talking and laughing with girlfriends or maybe some guy I had a crush on, and outside the snow sparkled and soon we would go out and ice skate on the frozen Gizmo patio ice rink under the lights and the stars. Sweet! Another sweet memory was sitting on the empty, quiet stage of Harbach Theater, looking out at the empty seats, and just taking in the quiet, the warmth of the lights, and the smell of the theatre. — Linda Baring Gutesha
Fall road trips, with a nip in the air, and trees with their orange and yellow foliage were a delight. We often traveled in the Banana, a strange yellow vehicle with four rows of seats. Harvey Lipman or Gary Waxmonsky often drove and would crank up the volume to Smokey Robinson or other hits on WLS as we cruised through the Midwest. — David Bauman
Post One’s Blossom’s Hot House and parties! Some of the best times EVER! — Margie Beers
Walking among the many Victorian homes in Galesburg. — Leonard Berg
Arrival back at Knox in Nov. ‘73 after winning the Midwest Soccer Championship. We were SO stoned, and Harley Knosher had arranged a large meet and greet we knew nothing about. I remember the smoke following us as we exited the cars and him backing away. Don’t remember anything after that. DIII athletics!
— Ed Brown
Bell bottoms. Platform shoes. Great concerts. — Ernest Buck
Life at McCall House, watching Rawhide with friends on a B/W TV with pizza, gin and tonics in the warm night air. Sitting on the roof of McCall and taking it all in while the Allman Brothers, James Brown, Motown and Jimi Hendrix were blasting away. The luxury of a single room, a refuge and peaceful place. No air conditioning! Walking over to play the Honey pinball machine at the ADE house. — David Clark
Knox was a wonderful experience. I’m grateful for every moment. Cheers to y’all. — David Coons
Seymour 2 and Frisbees. It was in my sophomore year that I perfected my frisbee throwing. I had been flinging frisbees since high school and was considered good enough but needed improvement. When I became a resident of Seymour 2, however, improving my frisbee skills was the last thing on my mind.
My first impression of Seymour was how ugly the halls looked. The lighting was bad and the walls a dirty brown color (or so it seemed). Dark and dank, the halls were narrow and extremely long. But no one seemed to care. It was, after all, where we students spent time catching up on the latest news with everyone on “the block.” It was our community space: people were always coming and going. Often, someone was tossing a ball in the air or tossing out the latest news about a campus intrigue. And music relentlessly poured into the hall, often followed by drifts of curious smells. Rounding all of this out was an occasional frisbee flying by; you’d get hit if you didn’t jump out of the way. With so much activity going on, my appreciation of Seymour grew. And that is when it dawned on me that the hallway outside my room might be ugly, but it was long and narrow, perfect for frisbee throwing. The clincher came one day when I stepped out of my dorm room and realized its location was at one end of the hall. Immediately, the frisbee runway rose up as if to say, “Here I am.” Never did the possibilities of that hall look more enticing than on that day. Alas, my frisbee never made it to the other end of the runway. There was always some unsuspecting “dude” who suddenly appeared,
blocking the straight away; or the edge of the plastic saucer hitting the dark wooden surround of a dorm door, then falling flat on its back with a thud which quickly ended my flight of fancy. Hanging up my frisbee, I reluctantly admitted this Seymour dorm hall would see no more frisbee practices. But all was not lost for I had gained a two-fer: my frisbee throwing did improve, and I came away with lifelong friends.— Monta Lee Dakin
Two things I really enjoyed. First was the Gizmo. Jim and I would go over there every evening and enjoy a cherry-flavored Diet Coke almost every evening after studying. Second favorite was my study carrel in the math-science library where I could store all of my books and take exams. It was such a comfortable place and I loved the librarian, whose name I can’t remember.... — Jan Dillon Rybka
Most nights I was studying at the Science Center. But I remember climbing into the Knox Bowl to stargaze. We went up over the tallest part of the fence. I recall the feel of the chain link, as I climbed over the top and then down, and the coolness of grass. I don’t even recall the beauty of the sky, just the quiet. — Marlene Egger
The manuscript and map room at Seymour Hall — before the renovation - was my refuge. The library staff gave me a key to the room so I could dig into the Finley Collection for my research for the Honors Project on Bishop Hill. During the darkness of our final Winter Term, I could lose myself and the sense of present time in that sanctuary. There were no ghostly voices in the stillness of the night, just the dry musty smell of old manuscripts and maps, darkened leaded glass bookcases and windows, the creaking of the wood floor, and clanging radiator pipes. The room often lulled me to sleep, and I would awaken when the library came back to life in the morning. Locked in all night. No one bothered to kick me out! Not Once! It felt as if the room was mine to explore as needed. What a great gift to a stressed out undergrad. Thank you, Knox Librarians - my annual donations to Knox are ear-marked to you and your great work! — Eric Eisemann
I remember playing Rhymes and Reasons — Carole King over and over on my cheap plastic record player. I loved living in Whiting Hall freshman year. Such a cool old building. Knox was the perfect bridge between my past and my future. — Linda Guastaferri Gallalee
I ate my first patty melt in the Gizmo, haven’t stopped since.
I learned to drink espresso coffee and Cointreau and eat fresh croissants and grilled leeks in Spain and France, haven’t stopped.
Listened to Tommy while playing pinball in the student center.
I swooned seeing masterpieces in the Prado and Louvre that I’d seen in books back at Knox, writing postcards back to Prof. Minn saying ‘I saw David! I saw Guernica!’
I wandered around Galesburg with my camera in hand, photographing those lovely old Victorian houses.
I drove through cornfields and more cornfields on my way from Lockport to Galesburg, stopping occasionally to pull an ear to enjoy fresh off the stalk.
Knox opened up my life in ways I could never imagine, connecting me with places, ideas and people that changed my life. — Elizabeth Harpham Spieth Croll
I am dancing with my future wife in the Gizmo on Flunk Day to the music of Lonny and the Lugnuts. — Victor Heintz
I arrived at Knox in September 1970 in the rain. It rained all month. My room was in Seymour Hall and there were some weekends in the winter when I never went outside. My roommate spent most of his time at the bowling alley and rarely went to class (he flunked out). My first course in Chemistry was in the old Davis Science Hall where there was a moose head looking down at us in the top floor lecture room. During the 1971 winter term, we helped move equipment to the fantastic new Science-Math Center which became a frequent haunt until I graduated. During that same term I actually took a German Literature course which confirmed that I should stick with science; however, I also
noticed an attractive classmate. I had to wait until the 1971 Pumphandle to finally ask her out. And 50 years later … she is still with me! Sehr gut! — Charles Hoppin
I remember doing late nights at the Downtown Lounge with my close friends. It had atmosphere and was open late. — David Igasaki
Gizmo, the suites, frat houses, any party that was going on, my friends’ rooms. Before I went to France all the music was really good. When I came back some of the rock was still good, but I listened to a lot of soul music - Earth, Wind & Fire, TLC, Commodores etc. Lots of laughter and silly antics, staying up way too late, ordering in from Marty’s. Senior year, looking out the window to see who was streaking. Stereo music playing. Cleaves Maxfield had the best stereo, so we used hers to play her music and ours. What made it special was my friends and I hanging out together and laughing. In the beginning, innocence and naivete, learning about all different types of people and having to deal with that. At the end, no more innocence but stronger and wiser. — Priscilla Inge
I loved the winter because it meant it was basketball season and I could play during practice, play games against other colleges, and hang out with my basketball buddies. — Pamela Joseph
“long time gone” D. Crosby — Bill Kenyon
I recall always being hungry and tired at Knox. I think it came from playing two sports and not being a naturally brilliant student. And I probably played too much bridge when I should have been studying. Going to Barcelona to exclusively study Spanish was eye-opening. I learned what I could do when I focused on only one thing. — John Knoche
I found solitude studying in the bowels of the Umbeck Science and Math Center. There were rooms to be alone to study and also wonder what the future might have. — Allen Kossoy
My favorite hangout was, of all places, the cafeteria after dinner (or sometimes after lunch), where I would linger with a close friend over coffee, having long, deep, heartfelt conversations. Holding the warm cup in my hands while the late autumn darkness fell outside the windows and our conversation meandered from one topic to another was far more interesting and meaningful to me than the studying I should have been doing instead. My other main memory is of going for long, lonely, moody walks at night. — Linda LaPuma Bial
In 1969, at the height of the social and political turmoil over the Viet Nam War, the then popular Time Magazine ran a story about student protest on campus, in which they profiled both the U of California—Berkley and Knox College in the same article. In contrast to the violence at U Cal. Berkley, some rabble-rousers from the class of 1973 and before temporarily occupied the Knox President’s office, staged a peaceful sit-down demonstration, engaged in negotiations, and desisted without so much as breaking a window. I remember that Time Magazine article being a decisive factor in my decision to attend Knox College - an activist campus in sleepy rural Illinois! — Mark Loete
My favorite hangout was the dorm residence suites that we lived in on the upper floors of Longden Sophomore and Junior Years. Whether it was talking, playing cards, or just hanging out that is the place I most enjoyed at KNOX. Hard to say exactly what would be playing on the turntable - Santana, Spirit, Traffic, Hendrix, King Crimson, YES, Led Zeppelin, a large set of the popular Rock music of the time - certainly something good and something loud. It was a chaotic family atmosphere in my remembrance. Several different conversations often going on at a time about classes, the state of the world, dating and relationship issues, plans for the near future, philosophy and major life questions. The cast participating would vary depending on the time of day and day of the week, etc. Going and coming from classes, other activities, staying for the weekend or traveling home or elsewhere meant that a different set and number of friends would be present at any particular time. The
informality, the closeness of the friendships and the comradery of dealing with life individually but with the strong support from these friends is what I remember and appreciate most. We were growing up together, or at least moving through an important stage of our lives together, during these years at Knox. I treasure those experiences and the gift of their memory now 50 years on! — Bruce MacMurray
When not hanging out in the smoke-filled dorm listening to The Yes Album or other fine music with friends and roommates, I would recharge by heading over to the blistering hot top floor of the old gym where our rock band practiced. Our band was composed of bandmates Bruce MacMurray (guitar), Rick Swartwout (bass), Paul Skelton (drums), and Tom Hurd (vocals), along with our honorary spiritual advisor, Peter Bailley. We played everything from Jethro Tull to Grand Funk Railroad and Cream to Led Zeppelin—and we played it LOUD! — Phil Malkinson
It wasn’t a favorite, but the inside of the decrepit old Knox County jail on the day I was arrested in 1972 is pretty solidly etched in my mind. It was a Civil War-era facility and not much updated in the intervening century. The cells did not have toilets, for example. I gather the building has another use for the college now. — John Manos
Beta House. Knox Athletic facilities. — David McKillip
Taking a walk around campus invokes so many beautiful memories: Williston Hall where I roomed with friends for all four years, Standish Park with its stately trees, carefully climbing the worn stairs of Old Main, the white limestone Seymour library with all its books bursting with knowledge, math and computer science classes in the Science/Math center, celebrating my 21st birthday with cake, ice cream and presents with my future husband at Lake Storey, train whistles echoing throughout the silent night and dates in the cold winter ending with warm kisses. — Sandee Michal Wright
Fall. Changing leaves blowing all around. The Gizmo with the scent of Pattie melts and Tab. This felt like home for awhile in the early 70’s. — Laura Moore Case
I had two favorite hangouts, Old Main and the Fine Arts Center. I like to study in Fine Arts because during breaks I was able to practice the piano. It was always quiet there as well. As far as Old Main, I could think of no better place to take my exams than the lounge. Maybe I was inspired by the long history of the building, or just liked the solitude, but for some reason that is where I took most of my exams. — James Mott
Lasting friendships through football and the Beta house is the most enduring part of my Knox experience. — Mike Murphy
Favorite hangout was in rehearsals either in the Harbach main stage or in the Studio Theatre. Also working in the scene shop, learning to use power tools, smelling the fresh cut wood, freshly painted scenery and watching a massive set go up. I also loved living in the Co-Op for two years and always looked forward to the nights that Rich Blum would cook his Italian dishes. And I loved the first snows - coming from Georgia that first winter was a hard adjustment - but I grew to love the snow. And of course the Gizmo and playing in the Kazoo Band! — Mary Alice Nemetz Ketchum
I think the soundtrack of our freshman year opens a floodgate of memories for all of us. Just to mention a few: Crosby Stills Nash and Young; Tommy; The Grateful Dead; Firesign Theatre, Neil Young, A Beautiful Day…. — Karen Oberlaender Oertley
Knox was so unique. We hung out a lot in the suite. Spades, bridge and music played a prominent role. Second semester freshman year is when we, like many at Knox, were introduced to cannabis – for better or worse. Of course there was the Calico Cat and the Deluxe Café for those late night snacks. It was a great time to be into music! We listened hard to The Allman Brothers, The Who, (The original) Fleetwood Mac, Johnny Winter, Savoy Brown and so many more.
There was the ability to order a cab to pick up pizza we had ordered as well as beer and deliver it to the dorm. Junior year in Campbell 3 we had a pop machine that we filled with beer. We would drive to Iowa and pick up cases of beer for $3.29 /case and sell them for a quarter. Amazingly, classmates came from around the quad and would even return the bottles to us.
One last mention of another case of Know being special. A few of us took Intro to Film by Ed Niehus, but we missed the final exam! Amazingly, we went to his office and he showed the exam film just to us so we could complete the course. Only at Knox. — William Pazoles
Learning to smoke pot like an adult with some brothers at Sigma Nu. You guys know who you are.... — John Porter
When I went to Knox as a prospective student, there was construction, mud, and rain. My parents said, “No way is she going to want to come here!” I fell in love with the place immediately. I liked being on campus. — Carol Powell Lombardi
Playing second string soccer at Knox was lots of fun. Meeting geniuses in classes was a lesson in humility. — Phil Pucel
Solitude proved to be an elusive commodity at Knox and yet the second floor of Old Main provided me with a sanctuary. All of my classes in my major took place here, and on any given school day I could be found in this oak paneled room, either enveloped by a large leather chair while reading or sitting at the window bench, hands wrapped around a mug of Red Zinger tea, staring at the view facing south over the lawn and witnessing the changing seasons - the oranges and reds of autumn, the snow covered ground in the winter, and the spring greening of campus. Even now, stepping into that room transports me to this happy time. — Annie Reinke
One place that is a special memory is the study carrel I had reserved in the new (now Umbeck) Science-Math Center Library. It was not only a solitary refuge that I could go when I wanted or needed a quite study space, but also it
was also a social hangout because many friends had carrels nearby. I remember many nights after the SMC Library closed, we would migrate over to the Gizmo, or Jan and I would wander over to Sigma Nu or French House and find something for a late-night snack.
One other special memory was when the new (now Umbeck) Science-Math Center opened. As I recall, it was the spring of freshman year (1975) and I remember that I had to carry my chemistry drawer from George Davis Hall to the SMC. It was a beautiful spring day for a walk across campus and I recall being greatly relieved when I was finally able to put down the drawer that was getting a bit heavier with every step. —James Rybka
When my daughter went on a visit prior to choosing Knox and said there was a long line for the Belgian waffle maker, I flashed on our cafeteria offerings and uttered a loud obscenity. — Robert Sahm
My clearest memory is of pulling all-nighters at the Knox Student office to get the paper out, then watching the sunrise from the steps of Seymour Hall. — David Schulz
I remember sitting in the suite freshman year after dinner, avoiding homework and talking with my suitemates about the world and the future. For some reason, I remember that Ed Ipema had an 8-track player which did not work all that well unless you stuck the cover of a Bic pen in a gap to wedge the cassette into the right place. I remember how we discussed how we were going to change the world, while we listened to Led Zeppelin II, with a little assist from a Bic pen cap. — Kent Sezer
With friends at The Gizmo, eating patty melts. Sitting on the roof of our dorm with those same friends, the night before Flunk Day. Oh, yes, and watching a Streaker run through campus! Those were the days... — Allyson Shaffer Sawtell
On many warm Spring and Autumn evenings, you’d find me perched with many of my ADE brothers on the roof peak of the garage
attached to our fraternity house. Williston Hall was on our right and we shared a grassy courtyard with a number of white clapboard buildings, one of which was French House. We had quite a repertoire singing everything from current hits like Red Rubber Ball to your typically vulgar frat boy drinking songs. I had a bit of a rep for leading the lads in a rousing version of the French drinking song, Alouette. Get a few in me and maybe we can re-visit those nights at our reunion. — Mark Stefanik
My best memory from junior year is reserved for Flunk Day. I was a Friarette, the first and last year they had them. The night before Flunk Day, the Friarettes were in the basement of the women’s gym. At 5:00 am, we went to the Quad to wake people up. A guy cornered me in a stairwell and soaked me with a fire extinguisher. I had to go change clothes. Then there was a dance in the Gizmo with a band. Cleaves Maxfield and I went into the kitchen of the Gizmo, and I started cooking food for people. A Thumper burger was a double cheeseburger. The TKE drinking Olympics was a highlight for me. I was the only girl entered in any event. I entered the Quart chug, and I chugged a quart of beer in 13.6 seconds! All I can say is, “Damn! We had a great time at Knox.” It is a very special place, and is forever in my heart! — Jan Thompson
Flunk Day, any of them. The rainy, cold ones (2), and the sunny, warm ones (2). We all have memories of Flunk Day, so I am not going to try to describe mine here. — Kevin Waite
Lincoln Library. Stained glass colors comfort. Dark wood warms. History surrounds me. Solace, peace. — Ardith Ward Cortes
Sitting upon the front steps of Seymour Hall facing the bell from Lombard’s Old Main. Tossing a frisbee on occasion. Watching the flow of classmates. Striking up conversations with some passing by. Wondering - within a brief moment of awareness - what novelty might next occur within the floors above. — Thomas West
Siegel-Schwall Concert in Harbach with the gang from Post. Harmonica wailing on Hey Billie Jean and others. The other is the golden gingko leaves ringing around the trees in front of the library in the fall. Veritas. We Are Knox.
— Katherine Yamasaki
A memory that has stayed with me these many years is the feeling I had at the end of each term. It seemed like each term was a marathon with a sprint at the end and no amount of conditioning was sufficient preparation. There were always those last 72 hours of the term when the mountain of work yet to be completed seemed insurmountable and blocked any sight of the finish line. The campus took on a different tone during these days. The many voices of students and the frantic flurry of activity that accompanied each 10 week term were replaced with a deafening sense of quiet as students who had not already left campus, were sequestered in their rooms, the library or labs keenly focused on their academic work. When my last paper was slid under the professor’s office door and the final word written in the blue book, accompanied by either confidence or dread, there was always an overwhelming sense of relief. Having crossed the finish line and the heavy weight of assignments lifted I would walk back to the dorm with an incredible feeling of “lightness” which allowed me to see the campus through a different lens. On those quiet, solitary, stress free strolls I finally took the time to actually “see” the campus. There was great comfort in seeing those familiar buildings, grounds, and skyline, which represented years of academic rigor and community. And there was gratitude for my moment in time as a part of the Knox Community. —
Karen Zeches Hawkinson
Hanging out with Frat Brothers on house porch.
Football Saturday; pre-game prep is underway, on the turntable is the Theme from Exodus… Extremely positive atmosphere among players and coaches, something that hasn’t been here for several decades. We now know how to play to Win!
Having a good time, especially with impromptu get-togethers to party, play cards or tennis or touch football or basketball, etc. and still learning and doing well academically continuously coexisted.
My Knox experience was probably entirely different than other Knox students in my class. My parents did not support me emotionally or financially and I worked an on-campus job and an off-campus job to make money for tuition room and board which wasn’t covered by my loans and scholarships. College was very tough for me and failing was not an option because I never wanted to go home again. The library was my special place at Knox. I studied there every day, including a lot of Saturdays and Sundays. It was quiet, I was off by myself, and I could be myself there. I studied day and night. When I was not working, I studied. When I was working and on a break, I studied. I was not a fun person at Knox. I know now that I was terribly depressed and very, very stressed. I did not know how to get better and had to hide it from my parents or I would have to go home and be with them. But I persevered. The Giz was my favorite place to meet with friends and get a TAB.
I have many fond memories from Knox. They start with Pumphandles—it was such a novel idea, and I enjoyed those every single year. Gizmo breaks were always great—I think I minored in playing cards—spades and bridge were favorites! Traying in the bowl during winter term was always special. Did the cafeteria ladies really not notice us sneaking out the trays?! Flunk Days were great—sometimes even better than the anticipation of whether tomorrow would be the day or not!
I remember one spring day when the weather was absolutely beautiful. The quad area was alive with people. Everyone was enjoying reading, softball, etc. and one of the suites had the stereo speakers blaring an occasional This is World Control. It was wonderful.
Simon and Garfunkel; Cold Duck parties in Whiting Hall; Listening to ‘Kiss me in the Morning’ by Diana Ross in the Gizmo; Making PB&J sandwiches with Cottage Cheese; Donating blood at the Red Cross with 6-10 dorm mates....
Loved Pumphandle & Alice Cooper performing @ beginning of freshman year. Beautiful surroundings; the changing fall colors. Otis elevator in Whiting was the best.
It could have been the 1970’s, or the 1870’s for that matter, but what comes to my mind is Old Main. It could be a clear, crisp autumn morning, or a blustery afternoon under a dreary late-winter sky, but for about 165 years now that grand old edifice has welcomed us all, and it has told anyone who’s looking that we are Knox.
The Gizmo, and the incredible availability of 10-cent ice cream cones! I can see them now!
It was a time of great change and exposure to new things, academically and socially. Freshman year brought the reality of the draft lottery and the Viet Nam war very close. The dorm suites were a great environment to build and nurture friends. The Gizmo was always a great place to hang out. I had Knox friends who formed a bluegrass band that frequently played evenings at the Gizmo. Music then was Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers, Rolling Stones, The Who.
Walking from Whiting to campus - so freaking cold in the winter - so drenching wet in the rain - so dark in the night. Working the perfect job at the Post reception desk. I met some great people doing that. College kids sure ate a lot of pizza!
I can’t think of too much that won’t be a typical memory for everyone. The fantastic music of that time and my still-dear friends are prominent in my memories. I was so relieved to be away from high school and a lot of superficial friendships and activities; however, I was terribly homesick and lovesick and embarrassed about that. My parents were heading for divorce, and I was worried about my siblings. Freed to choose my own way academically, I was floundering and unfocused; I wish I’d been able to make more of my time at Knox. But let me close my eyes and conjure up positive images: The solace and beauty of the library. Bach. The trees in Standish Park and on campus. Walking home from the Burlington Northern station, dragging luggage on a winter night. “Ordering out” – there was this killer submarine sandwich that came on toasted garlic bread. Hours in the practice rooms and knowing it wasn’t enough. Deep and true friendships, lots of laughs, and uninhibited silliness. Double solitaire games. Incessant train whistles.
The Muelder Reading Room was a special place.
Out across the evening gray
our muscles taut, our minds at play, we lit our lamps across the quad, and settled down to study.
On breaks we might look out to see a friend’s silhouette, at work or carefree, or some unknown one’s gleaming zeal to do their best, survive the test. For a moment, we glowed in time, our hearts attuned in full.
You ask if I remember you. Oh, yes! Oh, yes, of course I do. You who sat beside the roar of fire in the lounge at Seymour, who wore yourself frantic making lists, writing poems, memorizing gist.
And I remember so much else —that heartbreak your junior year, your trip abroad, your spirits soared from dream to dream and brim to brim. Who’s to say who snapped the limb between adult and careless child?
Was it you who broke your arm on Flunk Day? Did I carry your trunk when graduation came? We waved,
and swore to meet soon, but life began anew, rush too vital to ignore: Reunions came, other tasks implored, while we sat up all night—kids or work, our lamps aglow. Our futures forked.
The years have tumbled on and yet always we come back to lights flickering across the evening gray,
beacons on the fields of play we all relinquish, must—one day. Still, other beacons shall be lit.
Other bodies, wiry, fit, will one day climb the Oaks, perhaps, glimpse the smokes
of fires we lit back in our day— awards, protests, triumphal glee. They’ll discern what we assayed, not always won. Still, we move on. Oh, come, let’s sing for evening gray, for lights that glimmer across the way.
Dedicated to the Knox College Class of 1974 ~ Glenda Bailey-Mershon
