Roanoke College Magazine 2018, Issue 2 by Roanoke College

ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE ISSUE TWO 2018

Table of Contents

7 D EPARTMEN TS 2

PRESIDENT’S PEN BOARD OF TRUSTEES

SNAPSHOTS

WE HEARD FROM YOU...

COLLEGE NEWS • Antrim Chapel organ dedication • A very special First Lady • Faculty books

28 ATHLETICS NEWS • Swim team success • Season highlights 32 ALUMNI NEWS • Class Notes • Weddings, Families • In Memoriam 42 COLLEGE ARCHIVES The story of Monterey 44 RELIC

10 FEATURES

10 The Restaurateurs With a great love — and knack — for the business of preparing, serving and selling food, Roanoke College alumni have found success in restaurant operation and ownership.

20 History-Maker An interview with the first African-American to enroll at Roanoke College as a full-time student. BY LES LI E TAY LOR

24 Taking care of Roanoke Gordon and Juanita Lee devoted a combined 59 years making sure that, to students, Roanoke felt like home. BY K ELS EA P I ET ERS ’1 3

26 Campaign News College celebrates Roanoke Rising Campaign success!

AT LEFT: The Roanoke Valley experienced a rare event in January 2018 — two blue moons in the same month. The moon’s bluish cast is caused by a rare type of dust particles in the atmosphere. Photo by Sam Dean, taken on Jan. 31, 2018. (NASA actually billed the Jan. 31 moon a “super blue blood moon.”)

ON THE COVER: Roger Neel ’85, owner and co-owner of seven restaurants in Virginia’s Roanoke and New River valleys. Photo by Don Petersen. (Editor’s note about “restaurateur”: The variant spelling —“restauranteur,” influenced by the more familiar English word “restaurant”— is gaining some currency, but has traditionally been considered erroneous. Source: Dictionary.com. Also preferred Associated Press Stylebook spelling.)

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PRESIDENT’S PEN

Roanoke College Magazine

oanoke College is fortunate to have resources given to us in honor of one of our most distinguished alumni, Henry H. Fowler ’29, former U.S. Secretary of Treasury. He was the perfect example of someone whose career served both the public and private sectors. He also was someone who never forgot where he came from. Fowler wanted to acquaint the campus and the larger community with statesmen, stateswomen and public intellectuals who can help us better understand national and world events. The Fowler lecture program serves as an open forum on public affairs. In addition to classroom sessions with students, guest lecturers give public addresses, free of charge, to the community. This fall, on the night of Nov. 14, the Fowler program featured Peter Beinart and Jonah Goldberg, two of the nation’s most talented political speakers, who discussed results of the 2018 midterm election. One a liberal, the other a conservative, they offered contrasting views on the topic, but did so with civility and respect, demonstrating that people can disagree without being disagreeable — President Maxey with Peter Beinart (seated, at left) and Jonah Goldberg (seated, at right) at a book-signing following the a lost art, some might say. Fowler lecture on Nov. 14. At Roanoke College, we don’t tell students what to think; we teach them how to think. Central to that commitment to students, and society, is to expose them to diverse ideas. Civility in discussing those ideas is the gateway to thinking independently. Open and civil discourse from speakers on a variety of topics and political viewpoints is a responsibility that Roanoke regards with great seriousness. We welcome speakers from across the political spectrum, recognizing that respecting different — even conflicting — points of view is vital in a democratic society. The absence today of efforts to enhance understanding, Goldberg told us, has resulted in “a larger breakdown of civil society.” My hope is that we can commit strongly enough to the survival of civil conversation to counter that breakdown. A functional society depends upon it. Go Maroons!

Editor Leslie Taylor Contributing Editors Teresa Gereaux ’87 Kelsea Pieters ’13 Alumni News Linda Lindsay Archives Dr. Mark Miller Contributors Karen Doss Bowman James France Gene Marrano Rebecca Marsh ’21 Sharon Nanz ’09 Kelsea Pieters ’13 Photography Sam Dean Carissa Szuch Divant Keegan Divant Ashley Eagleson ’20 Pete Emerson ’80 Ryan Hunt ’18 Don Petersen Natalee Waters Design & Production Mikula-Harris Printing Bison Printing

Roanoke College does not discriminate against students, employees or applicants on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, national or ethnic origin, disability or veteran status. Roanoke College Magazine is published twice a year by the Office of Public Relations for alumni, students, parents, staff and friends of Roanoke College. Editorial rights are reserved. Questions, comments and corrections may be sent to: Magazine Editor Roanoke College Office of Public Relations 221 College Lane Salem, VA 24153-3794 rcmagazine@roanoke.edu

Michael Creed Maxey

2018 – 2019 | board of trustees Mr. Morris M. Cregger, Jr. ’64, chair Ms. Kathryn Snell Harkness ’73, vice chair Mr. James S. Frantz, Jr., secretary Mr. David B. Mowen, treasurer Mr. Michael C. Maxey, president of the College Mr. Kenneth J. Belton, Sr. ’81 Mr. Kirk Howard Betts Dr. Paris D. Butler ’00 Ms. Pamela L. Cabalka ’76 Dr. M. Paul Capp ’52 Mr. Joseph H. Carpenter, IV ’99

Ms. Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo ’78 Mr. W. Morgan Churchman ’65 Mr. Malon W. Courts ’92 Mr. David L. Guy ’75 Mr. Michael P. Haley ’73 Ms. Judith B. Hall ’69 Mr. Richard S. Hathaway ’73 Ms. Peggy Fintel Horn ’78 The Reverend Robert F. Humphrey Mr. John E. Lang ’73 Mr. Patrick R. Leardo Mr. Michael A. Martino ’79

Ms. Nancy B. Mulheren ’72 Mr. Timothy J. O’Donnell Mr. Roger A. Petersen ’81 Mr. J. Tyler Pugh ’70 Ms. Margaret Lynn Jacobs Reichenbach The Reverend Dr. Theodore F. Schneider ’56 Mr. Thomas A. Stevens ’90 Mr. Andrew K. Teeter ’71 Dr. Patrice M. Weiss Ms. Helen Twohy Whittemore ’80 Mr. Chiming Tse and Mrs. Jennifer Tse (Ex-officio, Co-Chairs of the Parent Leadership Council)

221 College Lane | Salem, VA 24153-3794 | www.roanoke.edu

College Switchboard ....................................(540) 375-2500 Admissions Local .........................................(540) 375-2270 Admissions Toll-free......................................(800) 388-2276 Alumni/Parent Relations................................(540) 375-2238 Alumni E-mail .......................................alumni@roanoke.edu Church Relations ..........................................(540) 375-4958 Colket Center ...............................................(540) 378-5125 Intercollegiate Athletics .................................(540) 375-2338 Olin Box Office..............................................(540) 375-2333

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snapshots Roanoke Valley alumni kicked off 2018-19 at Party in Elmwood Park in downtown Roanoke (top left, continuing clockwise). • President Mike Maxey at his State of the College broadcast on WRKE. • Roanoke College marked the 17th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks with a “Memorial Moment” at the Bell Tower. The ceremony included the dedication of a memorial honoring victims, in particular, Steve LaMantia ’85. • Selfie at the Fall FOTQ and Activities Fair. • Lindsey Nanz ’18, a winner of the 2018 Morehead Award, offers a kind curtsy before delivering her speech at Fall Convocation. • Karaoke fun at the [Class of 20]22 Take Over, held during Orientation.

Roanoke College retweeted: Phi Beta Kappa @PhiBetaKappa

Only 10% of U.S. colleges and universities have Phi Beta Kappa chapters, and these chapters select only 10% of their top arts and sciences graduates to join. We’re proud to have a chapter at @RoanokeCollege! #PBKPride Roanoke College retweeted: Habitat for Humanity @MidlandsHabitat

These @RoanokeCollege students could have spent their Fall Break at the beach, but instead they are in Columbia [South Carolina] helping rebuild a house destroyed by fire! Love these leaders! Thank you! #Habitat #volunteers

WE HEARD FROM YOU LE TT ER S, TW EETS & FAC E BO OK POST S

Roanoke College

Yesterday’s intense rainfall and flooding reminded us a lot of what happened in 1985. Fortunately, the water has now completely receded and the sun is out. EDITOR’S NOTE: On Oct. 11, 2018, heavy rain from Hurricane Michael caused flash flooding through parts of the Roanoke Valley, including the Roanoke College campus.

VIDEO

LETTERS I am late in congratulating you for the 2018 issue of RC magazine. Interesting profiles on Coach Green and Inez Good, both of whom were very active in the early ’80s when I was at Roanoke. I also enjoyed reading about the Paper Blooms Project and used the HOT MIC article for a discussion while teaching English here in Argentina. I look forward to the next issue. Sandra Coggins ’83 Buenos Aires, Argentina

SOCIAL MEDIA President Maxey always responds so well to current events whether they be local, national, or global. I often find myself thinking he should be POTUS. Holly Morrison ’18

The law enforcement Lip Sync Challenge certainly heated up this summer. In July, Roanoke College decided to get in on the act, with a twist. Not only was Campus Safety and law enforcement involved, but the whole College community — faculty, students, staff, alumni, even a few dogs. The City of Salem — including Salem Police, Fire and EMS and the Salem Sheriff’s Office — joined us on campus for what became one big ol’ dance party. It was a fun, light-hearted way to show off our beautiful campus and the wonderful people that make the Roanoke College community special. Watch the video at roanoke.edu/lipsync

We want to hear from you! Roanoke magazine welcomes letters and emails about what you read in this publication. Mail letters to: Magazine Editor, Department of Public Relations, Roanoke College, 221 College Lane, Salem, VA 24153, or send an email to: rcmagazine@roanoke.edu. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and may be edited for content.

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4 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2018

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collegenews

“ ” Never in my wildest dreams did I think that would happen. — Dr. Donald Moe

Dr. Don Moe returned to the Antrim Chapel organ on Nov. 9 for a rededication ceremony.

Beautiful music, once again THE RESTORED PIPE ORGAN in Roanoke College’s Antrim Chapel was dedicated on Nov. 9 in honor of the man who first played the instrument nearly 50 years before. Dr. Donald Moe, professor emeritus of music at the College, was at the console of the Casavant organ during the dedication of the newly constructed Antrim Chapel in 1970. Moe, who taught at Roanoke from 1968-1996, also served as College organist. Moe’s recital on Nov. 9 featured works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Horatio Parker and Petr Eben, interspersed with a number of hymns and chorales. Moe shared with guests that the performance was in memory of his daughter, Suzanne Moe Kettler ’80, who died in 1989. The restoration of the organ was made possible through the generosity of private donations. The pipes of the 27-rank organ were cleaned, revoiced and tuned, and the wind chests re-leathered as part of the restoration process. During the recital and ceremony, President Michael Maxey read from a plaque that is now mounted on the organ. “Antrim Chapel Organ, Restored and dedicated in the glory of God and in honor of Dr. Donald G. Moe, Associate Professor of Music, Emeritus, 1968-1996, November 9, 2018,” the plaque reads. “I really have to thank President Maxey because I understand it was his idea about dedicating the organ,” Moe said. “That’s amazing, having something named after you. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that would happen.”

Dr. Donald Moe playing the Antrim Chapel organ at the chapel dedication in 1970.

ROANOKE.EDU

collegenews WELL R E A D

FAC ULT Y B OO K S “Asian/American Scholars of Education: 21st Century Pedagogies, Perspectives and Experiences” By Dr. Daisy Ball, editor (with co-editors Nicholas D. Hartlep and Amardeep K. Kahlon) assistant professor of criminal justice Publisher: Peter Lang Inc., International Academic Publishers Overview: “‘Asian/American Scholars of Education’… shares the knowledge and travails of Asian-American luminaries in the field of education. This unique collection of essays acknowledges the struggle that Asian-American Education scholars have faced when it comes to being regarded as legitimate scholars deserving of endowed or distinguished status. The chapter contributors in this volume include former doctoral students, children, protégés, and colleagues of the Asian-American endowed and distinguished professors featured in the book.”

“How She Died, How I Lived” By Mary Crockett Hill ’91, assistant professor, English and Communication Studies Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Overview: “A poignant and thought-provoking novel about a girl who must overcome her survivor’s guilt after a fellow classmate is brutally murdered.

“Creating Wicked Students: Designing Courses for a Complex World” By Dr. Paul Hanstedt, professor, English and Communication Studies Publisher: Stylus Publishing Overview: “In ‘Creating Wicked Students,’ Paul Hanstedt argues that courses can and should be designed to present students with what are known as ‘wicked problems’ because the skills of dealing with such knotty problems are what will best prepare them for life after college. As the author puts it, ‘this book begins with the assumption that what we all want for our students is that they be capable of changing the world… When a student leaves college, we want them to enter the world not as drones participating mindlessly in activities to which they’ve been appointed, but as thinking, deliberative beings who add something to society.’”

“Beyond Hawai‘i: Native Labor in the Pacific World” By Dr. Gregory Rosenthal, assistant professor of history Publisher: University of California Press Overview: “In the century from the death of Captain James Cook in 1779 to the rise of the sugar plantations in the 1870s, thousands of Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) men left Hawai‘i to work on ships at sea and in na ‘aina ‘e (foreign lands) — on the Arctic Ocean and throughout the Pacific Ocean, and in the equatorial islands and California. ‘Beyond Hawai‘i’ tells the stories of these forgotten indigenous workers and how their labor shaped the Pacific World, the global economy, and the environment.”

“Meade: The Price of Command, 1863–1865” By Dr. John G. Selby, professor of history; former John R. Turbyfill Professor of History Publisher: The Kent State University Press Overview: This book “seeks to challenge the prevailing view of George Gordon Meade by offering readers a fresh reevaluation of the general’s lengthy tenure at the head of the Army of the Potomac. Victorious at Gettysburg, the biggest battle of the American Civil War, Meade was the longest-serving commander of the Army of the Potomac, leading his army through the brutal Overland Campaign and on to the surrender of Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox.” 6 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2018

R EMEMB R A NCE

“She was Norm’s ‘secret weapon’” community will mourn the loss of a beloved friend and leader... I pray that the community and other individuals who Mrs. Fintel touched along the way keep their heads up in a time like this... I send my sincerest condolences to the Fintel family.” Jo Fintel’s obituary contained the following about her and the man she married in 1953: “Jo and Norm both were teachers. And inspirers. And visionaries. And faithful. She had a low tolerance of snobbery, but at the same time was able to move elegantly amongst any setting of people. She was Norm’s ‘secret weapon’ as he led Roanoke College in the 1970s and 80s.” “Perhaps her finest trait was that of friendship with nearly everyone whose life intersected with her own.” A memorial service for Jo Fintel was held Oct. 27 in Antrim Chapel. Surviving family include children Peggy Fintel Horn ’78 and her husband, Douglas ’78; Barbara Fintel Collins and her husband, William; and Dr. William Fintel and his wife, Connie; as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Jo Fintel visiting the Fintel Library in 2017.

THE ROANOKE COLLEGE COMMUNITY mourned the Aug. 30 passing of Jo Fintel, former first lady of Roanoke College. Jo Fintel was the wife of Dr. Norman Fintel, Roanoke’s eighth president, who died on April 7, 2017, the first day of Alumni Weekend. On that day, the Fintels were honored — along with former RC President and First Lady David and

The Roanoke College Board of Trustees honored the Fintels with honorary degrees at Commencement in 1989.

Susan Gring — as College Medalists. “Jo bravely, lovingly and eloquently paid tribute to Norm and the College at the ceremony,” President Michael C. Maxey wrote in an announcement informing the College community of Jo Fintel’s death. “Jo added much life to Roanoke College and we mourn the loss of this special member of the Roanoke College family. Condolences were expressed by a number of alumni, students and friends. “She was a great lady, so gracious, generous and outgoing,” Irene Hills Basore ’84 wrote in an email. “[She] was like a second Mother during my time at Roanoke College. She was always there to share the good times and walk with me through the more difficult times. I remember a few times after a big reception hosted by [the Fintels] at the President’s House when, after the last guest departed, Norm, Jo, Jack [Hills] and I kicked off our shoes and sat back to relax together. They always made that big house feel so much like a home. I am forever grateful for the years [they] were in my life.” It is “a sad time for our College and for all who knew the Fintels,” Dr. John Scherer IV ’62 wrote from his home in Warsaw, Poland. “They were both what we in Virginia would call ‘good people’.” Current student Kaitlyn Evernham ’22, expressed thoughtful condolences in an email. “The

“Perhaps her finest trait was that of friendship with nearly everyone whose life intersected with her own.”

The late Dr. Esther Clarke Brown ’42, seated, with Jo Fintel at an Honor Guard breakfast in 2009.

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collegenews

Cover worthy… Carrie Spencer ’20 grabbed this glorious rainbow, perfectly stretched across the Maroon Athletic Quad, on Sept. 14, 2018. “I captured this picture that morning when I was working in the Athletic Center in Cregger,” she says. “I was sitting at the desk and I looked out and saw the gloomy fog and rain. Then about 3 minutes later I looked out and saw sun coming out and the beautiful rainbow stretching over the campus. I jumped up and tried to get the full picture of it. It was only around for about 4 minutes before another shower came. I just happened to be in the right spot at the right time!”

The Restaurateurs With a great love for the business of preparing, serving and selling food, these Roanoke College alumni have found success in restaurant operation and ownership.

Roger Neel in front of the restaurant that launched an empire: Corned Beef & Co.

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Building an empire by Leslie Taylor t the corner of East Main Street and College Avenue in downtown Salem, Virginia, stands the old Salem Theatre building, converted over the decades into a rotating mish-mash of businesses — a hot dog eatery, a handbag and accessories shop, a lawyer’s office, an Italian ice stand, a pizzeria. In 2017, the three-story, circa-1930s building was purchased by Roger Neel ’85, known throughout Southwest Virginia for the popular restaurants he owns and co-owns in the city of Roanoke, town of Christiansburg and Roanoke County. Their names are as varied as the fare offered and clientele they cater to: Corned Beef & Co., Frankie Rowland’s Steakhouse, 419 West, 202 Social House, The Farmhouse, Billy’s. The number of establishments under Neel’s wing — six total — might seem daunting, conjuring an image of a juggler perched atop a three-legged stool on one foot, balls airborne. Neel won’t pretend that the juggling act is complete myth, that there aren’t days when overseeing the operation of six restaurants employing a total of 300 people takes its toll. “The operations side can beat you up pretty good, but when you have some success, not in terms of revenue but in terms of people saying ‘Listen, I had a great steak,’ or ‘I went down there, you had a band and I had a great time’ — that is motivating,” he says. “That, for me, works.” Neel is firm in the belief that the success hasn’t been a one-man feat. He says he has been fortunate to have, at all levels of the businesses, good people. “I have been surrounded by really good people who had a desire for success, some who have gone on to open up their own restaurants” Neel says. “It’s not about ‘I’.” As Neel prepares to open his seventh business, he is thrilled to see his vision for the future of his growing restaurant empire taking shape. “It’s difficult, but it’s exceeded where I thought it would go,” he says, reflecting on managing restaurant growth that, honestly, has surprised him. “And I don’t think it’s really slowing down.” That suits him just fine. To slow down would mean to be satisfied with the “what is.” Neel has his sights on the “what can be.”

ROGER NEEL PHOTOS BY DON PETERSEN

“I have been surrounded by really good people who had a desire for success...”

Business beginnings The roots of Neel’s foray into the restaurant business can be traced back to the Roanoke College chapter of

Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. Neel, a member, decided to explore business opportunities with a few of his fraternity brothers in downtown Roanoke, which was in the midst of revitalization. In 1986, Neel joined two Pi Lam brothers, Al Pollard ’82 and Brian Snediker ’82, in the opening of a full-service Corned Beef & Co. restaurant in a corner space of the Roanoke City Market Building. The new restaurant was an expansion of a small food stall Pollard and Snediker had founded and operated inside the City Market building. Eventually, the restaurant outgrew the corner City Market space, and in 1991, Neel and Pollard moved the restaurant into its current home at the corner of Jefferson Street and Campbell Avenue in downtown Roanoke. (Snediker, by then, had left the business and moved to Alexandria, Virginia.) In 2001, across from Corned Beef on Jefferson Street, Neel and Pollard opened Frankie Rowland’s Steakhouse, an upscale kind of place with leather banquettes, silver flatware and rich mahogany décor reminiscent of the high-end steakhouses found in New York City. The opening of the 419 West restaurant in Roanoke County followed in 2002. In 2005, Neel and Pollard opened a second Frankie Rowland’s in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, identical in décor and menu to the Frankie’s in Roanoke. But Corned Beef remained Neel and Pollard’s flagship, once credited with drawing a younger night-life crowd to downtown

Roger Neel, right, with architect Derek Cundiff at the property on East Main Street in Salem.

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The Restaurateurs

Roger Neel and business partner Neal Keesee in front of the Farmhouse restaurant in Christiansburg.

Roger Neel at the E. Main Street-College Avenue corner of his new restaurant and boutique hotel in downtown Salem.

Roanoke and earning the restaurant a Small Business of the Year award from the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce. In 2006, Pollard died in his sleep. Neel still feels the loss, still misses Pollard’s presence in the businesses they co-founded and shared a genuine delight in planning, developing and operating. “Al was the food guy. He loved the back of the house,” Neel says. “I always liked the front of the house with the customers or the bartending or doing financial stuff. He was the recipe guy. I would have an idea and I would express it to him — maybe a bone-in pork chop with chutney — and he would have a way to move it forward.” “It’s kind of funny, bizarre. Some of us talk all the time: ‘You know if Al were here, I could find out what to do.’ He was really good in certain capacities,” Neel says. “He was kind of like ‘I’ll go figure it out. I’ll go fix it,’ especially when it came to the back of the house.” Months after Pollard’s passing, an early-morning fire heavily damaged the Frankie Rowland’s in Winston-Salem. An emergencylight box had malfunctioned. Neel wanted to salvage the property. But he didn’t in that bleak economic climate, coupled with waning interest and “a lot of uncertainty with [Pollard] not being involved,” Neel says. He sold the property. “I wish I had it today,” he laments. “You know how the name came about?” Neel asks, referring the steakhouse’s semi-eponymous name. “Rowland is my middle name and Al’s full name was Frank Alan Pollard. So we took his first name and my middle name. We thought it sounded really cool.”

Way forward Billy’s Ritz was a popular downtown Roanoke restaurant. Founded in 1979, its owner closed the restaurant in December 2007, the month the Great Recession commenced. 12 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2018

Neel and Neal Keesee, a Roanoke lawyer who worked with Neel on previous real estate projects, had been patrons of the restaurant over the years. It was a City Market fixture and they didn’t want to see downtown lose one of its cherished dining landmarks. So they bought the Billy’s Ritz property in early 2008. In 2012, the property emerged anew, completely renovated, as “Billy’s” restaurant on the first floor and 12 apartments on the upper floors. “It took a while to get that off the ground because of the banking crisis,” Neel says. “Lending stopped; there was no financing to be made. And we’re sitting here with a property that’s only half-finished. But it worked out. We were able to get it finished.” The duo has since purchased, renovated and reopened two other restaurants — 202 Social House, also in downtown Roanoke, and The Farmhouse in Christiansburg, Virginia, like Billy’s, a popular, established business. As a business partner, Neel is “very knowledgeable and strives to understand all facets of the issue before making a decision. He never gets excited or rushed and maintains a steady head,” Keesee says. As a restaurateur, Keesee says Neel “thrives because he always sticks to the basic principle of sticking to your core values and doing what it takes to make the guest’s experience memorable.” The Salem property encapsulates what Neel envisions as the way forward — a combination restaurant/boutique hotel in the heart of the city that is home to his alma mater. That the building is located in a downtown experiencing a revitalization is a definite plus, Neel says. Currently, the businesses he owns solely, and with Keesee, are concentrated in the heart of downtown Roanoke. “That’s why I’m kind of excited over in Salem,” Neel says. “Even though it’s still in the Roanoke Valley, it feels different over there. Salem is its own little program, and it’s really unique.”

Real-world learning inspires restaurant career ichael Caudill ’93 got his start in the restaurant business as a student at Roanoke College, working for Al Pollard ’82, of Corned Beef & Co. fame. In 1999, Caudill moved to Hyde Park, New York, to attend The Culinary Institute of America. Upon returning to the Roanoke Valley, he worked in many local kitchens and was executive chef at Frankie Rowland’s Steakhouse, co-owned by Pollard and Roger Neel ’83, and The Library restaurant. In 2006, Caudill left Frankie Rowland’s and started construction of Table 50 restaurant in downtown Roanoke with business partner Eric DiLauro, former general manager at Frankie Rowland’s. Caudill also taught international cuisine as an adjunct professor at the former Culinary School of Western Virginia, now the Al Pollard Culinary Arts Program at Virginia Western Community College. (The school was renamed after Pollard’s death in 2006.) “During my time at Frankie Rowland’s I gained valuable lessons and experiences in managing ‘kitchens,’ not just people. And I was able to apply learned skills such as inventory control, food preparation, menu development and cost control,” Caudill says. “The hard work motivated me to want to continue and evolve, to have a restaurant of my own that showed my vision and the love of the foods and style of foods that I enjoy preparing and sharing.” table50roanoke.com

Page Moir, former men’s basketball coach at Roanoke, now works as director of corporate development for Neel’s restaurant corporation, the Jeﬀerson Street Management Group, Inc. Moir, who has known Neel since high school, has been impressed with Neel’s gift for envisioning, then executing. “It’s been cool watching how really good he is,” says Moir, who refers to the Salem property as Neel’s “CrossFit project,” a reference to the high-intensity ﬁtness regimen. “His ability to get the menu right, get the people right, is proven. But watching him rebuild a place has given me a new appreciation for his talents.” Talents he believes were honed at Roanoke, Moir says. “At Roanoke College, you get something special, that ‘critical thinking,’ that one-on-one with professors that’s not readily available

Michael Caudill, co-owner of Table 50.

at larger schools,” Moir says. “It makes of huge difference. Roger is an example of that.” Neel looks forward to co-existing in a downtown that is wellpopulated with eating establishments. It’s all good, he insists. “I think it all kind of fits. We all do something different,” Neel says of fellow restaurateurs in Salem. “You know, there are two things they say if you want to open a restaurant: ‘Go next to the busiest restaurant. Cluster, because when you cluster, people can go from place to place; you offer variety.” Then he laughs. “You know the other thing they say in the restaurant business, about how to make $1 million in this business?” He pauses, then jokes, “Start with $2 million.”

Food for Thought from Roger Neel “ In this business, there’s certain things you have to do:

“ It’s fun to win; it just is.

manage your costs, control your payroll and keep driving for sales. But most importantly, you have to figure out what people want and get it to them and get it in front of them.”

But I think people sometimes get too caught up in the end result.”

“ It feels good to be successful,

“ You have to figure out how to persevere, have to find

but don’t gauge success by how much money to you make.”

something you enjoy doing, which is really important. But work on the inner workings of yourself.” ROANOKE.EDU

The Restaurateurs

Emily Baran is head chef and part owner at Morelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tavern in Washington, D.C.

14 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2018

“Do what you love” by Karen Doss Bowman

or Emily Baran ’04, the tragic loss of a beloved older brother “My job is not just about cooking and creating things — it’s very was inspiration to live life to the fullest. much a numbers game.” When Baran’s brother Matthew died in a skiing accident at At Moreland’s Tavern, Baran is solely in charge of the kitchen, the age of 34, it was a wake-up call for her to pursue something she where she hires all of the staff, develops work schedules, orders loved. After working four years as a government contractor, she food and supplies, and creates menu items. She encourages her took a sharp turn in her career team members to grow professionally, encouraging them to create path and enrolled in culinary school. their own dishes and present them to her to see if their ideas can “My older brother was my biggest be incorporated into the restaurant menu. inspiration because he did what Baran was a standout field hockey player at Roanoke, and she he loved — skiing — and died doing draws from that experience to create a work environment where it,” says Baran, who majored in busiteamwork is valued. ness and minored in Spanish. “He “That teamwork mentality, that you get a job done together — inspired me to do what I loved, and that’s huge for me,” she says. “And my success depends on my team. in his memory, I did just that. I They’re executing my ideas, so I rely heavily on them.” went to culinary school because I Her advice to current Roanoke students: Find your passion and loved cooking and making somego for it. thing out of nothing.” “The biggest thing is, don’t get hung up on whatever degree you’re Baran had cooked for herself pursuing — it doesn’t have to limit you to one field,” she says. “You and her roommates in college, “and can translate what you’ve learned and apply it to something else it developed into a bit of a passion,” that will make you a successful business person.” Baran says. “Food has a way of “And make sure you’re having fun. It may take some time, but bringing people together. Something magical happens while a group you can find your passion.” sits at a dinner table. I love watching the way meals or good food morelandstavern.com can transform groups of people.” Baran trained at L’Academie de Cuisine in Maryland, entering a yearlong, intensive program geared toward career changers. After graduating in 2009, she worked for the Harth Restaurant at a Hilton hotel in McLean, Virginia. Next, she worked for Matchbox Food Group, followed by Clyde’s Restaurant Group. “Culinary school was a great time, and I don’t look back for a second [and regret] my choice,” Baran says. “I love what I do. I get to play with food, and people pay me to do it. It’s a very social job too, so it’s awesome.” A year ago, Baran became head chef and part owner at Moreland’s Tavern in Washington, D.C. — a neighborhood bar where the staff know the names of regular customers. She compares the atmosphere to that of Mac and Bob’s in Salem, a popular hangout of the Roanoke College faithful. Baran has found the business education she received at Roanoke to be helpful. The job of a head chef is all about numbers, she says. “I’m always working on spreadsheets, I do invenEmily Baran says her job is not just about cooking and creating things; it’s very much a numbers game — spreadsheets, inventory, monitoring labor and watching portions. tory, I monitor labor, I watch portions,” she says.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMILY BARAN

“Something magical happens while a group sits at a dinner table. I love watching the way meals or good food can transform groups of people.”

ROANOKE.EDU

The Restaurateurs

Brendan Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnell, co-operator of La Forge Casino Restaurant in Newport, Rhode Island, with customers at his new brewery, Newport Craft Brewing and Distilling Company.

16 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2018

A heart for hospitality by Karen Doss Bowman

rendan O’Donnell ’09 began a promising career on Wall Street to the property to build an event venue. after graduating from Roanoke College, impressing his bosses “Craft brewing is a business where you’re always having to make and getting promotions. But his heart wasn’t in it. yourself new and create something that sets you apart from the From the time O’Donnell served as social chair for the Sigma Chi competition,” says O’Donnell, who continues to operate La Forge as fraternity as a student at Roanoke, he felt drawn to the hospitality well. “For me, it’s exciting to make a product that makes people industry. happy. Craft brewing is a very competitive field, but the environment “When I first started planning events and throwing parties for is always changing, and the possibilities are endless.” my fraternity, I fell in love with the idea that this type of work was O’Donnell credits his business courses, and in particular the creative and made people happy,” business policy class he took as a senior, with helping them understand says O’Donnell. “I began to dream the “ins and outs” of running a restaurant. of being in hospitality, but I didn’t “That class, and my final project that was focused on running a think it was possible.” bagel shop, fascinated me,” O’Donnell says. “It was all about numbers After working as an insurance that I could completely understand. It came naturally to me. I still underwriter in Manhattan for have my business policy project in my office, and I have used it as a six years — and living for several reference in my current work. Roanoke College fostered an environment years in his parents’ New Jersey for creativity.” home to save money — O’Donnell O’Donnell is grateful for Roanoke professors who instilled quit his job in 2014 to become a confidence and helped him believe that anyone could become an founding partner of the 310 entrepreneur if they worked hard enough. He advises current Bowery Bar. The restaurant, locatstudents to trust their instincts as they consider potential careers. ed in Manhattan’s Soho district, “Trust your gut,” O’Donnell says. “Even as a student at Roanoke, became one of New York City’s top 10 bars during his three years as I felt a magnetic draw to hospitality work. I always liked entertaining a co-owner. O’Donnell also met his future bride, Tessa, there. They and having people around me. Even though I started out in a different married this year, on Sept. 22. career, I always felt pulled back to that. So accept your interests Last spring, O’Donnell relocated to Rhode Island, where he is a and what you’re good at. If you like a particular field and work hard co-operator of the La Forge Casino Restaurant in Newport. The enough, you’ll be successful.” restaurant — established, owned and operated by one family for laforgenewport.com newportcraft.com more than 50 years — is located on the same grounds as the International Tennis Hall of Fame. It has been the site of countless high-profile gatherings for the Hall of Fame and other organizations such as the Miss Rhode Island Pageant and the Newport Rugby Club. O’Donnell’s latest venture was becoming owner/operator of the Newport Craft Brewing and Distilling Company. Founded in 1999, it was the first original production craft brewery in Rhode Island and is the largest brewery/distillery in the state. The brewery has created more than 100 beers, and the distillery produces a wide range of spirits, including single barrel rum, gin and moonshine. About 55,000 people visit the brewery each year. O’Donnell especially enjoys the creativity of owning a brewery. This summer, for example, he collaborated with the co-owner of a local ice cream shop to make a Frosty Stout, combining a special brew with soft serve ice cream. Future plans for the brewing company include the purchase of five additional acres adjacent O’Donnell is co-operator of La Forge Casino Restaurant in Newport, Rhode Island.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRENDAN O’DONNELL

“Even as a student at Roanoke, I felt a magnetic draw to hospitality work. I always liked entertaining and having people around me.”

ROANOKE.EDU

The Restaurateurs

A kitschy family business by Gene Marrano hile pursuing his business administration degree at Roanoke College, Matt Bullington ’97 thought about becoming a lawyer. At the same time, he began managing the family business — the Texas Tavern in downtown Roanoke, Virginia — where enough lawyers who patron the iconic counter-only, 10-stool, no-table, cash-only diner told him to “do something else,” perhaps half-jokingly. But “I fell in love with the business,” says Bullington, who likes to see diners leave happy after they eat. Bullington learned the business from his father, the late Jim Bullington, after running a lawn care service while in high school in Roanoke County. He credits his dad for lessons learned about the value of a dollar and honoring promises made to customers. The Texas Tavern legacy dates back to a great-grandfather with a background in vaudeville and the circus who opened the first eatery near Indianapolis before re-establishing it in Roanoke in 1930. (A second Texas Tavern in Lynchburg was sold off decades ago.) Bullington says the liberal arts curriculum at Roanoke Matt Bullington, owner of the iconic Texas Tavern in Roanoke, Virginia. College made him well-rounded, helping to develop the soft skills needed for a “people” business like Texas Tavern, skills menu,” not advertised. he says “are needed today more than ever.” What he gleaned from And not just any tourists drop in: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, four years at Roanoke helped prepare him for “all walks of life,” that actor Kevin Costner, crooner Harry Connick Jr. and rock legend Rod now come through the door at the restaurant. Stewart have all come through the door of the Church Avenue “I always say white collar, blue collar, no collar,” Bullington says. eatery. Not to mention U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, of Virginia, “and a lot “You can have a judge sitting next of politicians, over the years,” says Bullington. Texas Tavern has also to a homeless guy, a little old lady been in all sorts of magazines and newspapers. USA Today named and a couple of kids next to a it one of the Mid-Atlantic’s coolest vintage restaurants. An episode Harley biker — all kinds rubbing of the “Salvage Dawgs” reality television show on the DIY Network elbows.” Bullington labels that a featured a vintage sign from the eatery that was “rescued” and then “cultural mooring,” a comfortable sold to raise money for a nonprofit. place people like to come back When he’s not at the Tavern, Bullington is often out on local trails to. There’s sort of a “museum or greenways training for his next ultramarathon footrace. He’s nature” to the Tavern, he notes; run them in places as far away as South Africa but jokes that he some years ago patrons even “hasn’t been out of the country in 10 years,” since he and wife Molly objected to a fancy coffee brewing Stout Bullington became parents. (They have a 9-year-old son and system that had been installed. a 7-year-old daughter.) He went back to the old triedThe world — and Roanoke — has changed plenty since 1930, but and-true urn they were used to Texas Tavern’s countertop, wall menus, neon signage and very cozy seeing from their counter seats. atmosphere is sort of frozen in time. It’s a small comfort for many, It’s not just downtown workers says Bullington. There are more dining options in downtown Roanoke looking for a quick, inexpensive lunch or bleary-eyed late- nighters than there were 10, 20 years ago, but the Tavern has thrived despite that frequent the iconic Texas Tavern. Out-of-towners who have that, due to the loyalty of its patrons. heard about the landmark drop in for a Cheesy Western, a bowl of “It’s quirky, it’s just a little different, and people like that,” Bullington “chile” (not “chili”) or a hot dog. The Cheesy Western — a cheeseburger says of the eatery. “We don’t want to be like everyone else.” with scrambled egg on top, a mustard-based relish, pickles and texastavern-inc.com onions — is a favorite. Regular patrons also know about a “secret

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, actor Kevin Costner, crooner Harry Connick Jr. and rock legend Rod Stewart have all come through the door of this landmark eatery.

18 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2018

GENE MARRANO

More RC restaurateurs unter Johnson ’95 opened Lucky restaurant on Kirk Avenue in downtown Roanoke, Virginia with friend and bandmate J. P. Powell in 2010, “drawing inspiration from the establishments they visited while on the road playing in their band, My Radio,” according to the Lucky website. In 2015, Johnson and Powell, with a third co-owner, opened a second restaurant on Kirk Avenue, Fortunato, described as “the region’s only traditional Italian kitchen and Neapolitan style pizzeria.” fortunatoroanoke.com eatatlucky.com

ROANOKE COLLEGE FILE PHOTO

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID FINK

Hunter Johnson at Fortunato.

edy Jarras ’97 opened Sweet Tomatoes Pizza in Newton, Massachusetts in 1998. Described as a “groovy pizzeria,” the restaurant has since opened three more locations — in West Newton and Needham, Massachusetts, and Northeastern University in Boston — and operates a food truck. sweettomatoespizza.com

David Fink, who founded the Relais & Châteaux GourmetFest in 2014.

avid Fink ’79 is CEO of the Mirabel Hotel & Restaurant Group, based in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Fink, who is passionate about food and wine, has been associated with some of Northern California’s ﬁnest luxury resorts, hotels and restaurants. For more than 30 years, the Mirabel Group has managed a growing list of properties that include hotels, award-winning restaurants, an authentic Italian deli, bakery and gourmet market, and the Fink Family Estate Vineyard. Mirabel also presents the annual Relais & Châteaux GourmetFest (in 2019, to be held March 14-17). www.mirabelgroup.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF HEDY JARRAS

Hedy Jarras, as she appeared on the cover of Pizza Today magazine.

he story of Mac and Bob’s restaurant is the stuﬀ of Roanoke College lore. In August 1980, two New Yorkers and Roanoke College roommates, Bob Rotanz ’78 and Jim “Mac” McEnerney ’78, opened a small “sub pub” on Main Street, right across from campus in downtown Salem, Virginia. (The restaurant was NOT the product of a senior seminar project, as College lore has proclaimed). Though his nickname stuck, McEnerney soon sold his shares to move home. Joe Dishaw ’78 and Keith “Grizz” Griswold ’79 — both Rotanz’s lacrosse teammates and both also from New York — joined Rotanz in his venture. One move and a few expansions later, Mac and Bob’s has grown from a 10-stool sandwich shop to a 330-seat, 80-tap, full-ﬂedged restaurant that has become a Salem landmark. — Kelsea Pieters ’13 macandbobs.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAC AND BOB’S

From left to right: Keith Griswold, general manager; Bob Rotanz, co-owner; and Joe Dishaw, co-owner, in 1980.

ROANOKE.EDU

HistoryMaker b y L e s l i e Tay l o r

In 2019, Maxine Fitzgerald ’69, the first African-American to enroll at Roanoke College as a full-time student, will observe the 50th anniversary of her graduation from the College.

Portrait of a young Maxine Fitzgerald.

in Antarctica. “First Negro student admitted for Fall,” the headline read. Below it, a four-paragraph story, no photo: Virginia Maxine Fitzgerald of Vinton, who ranked first in her graduating class at Carver High School in Salem this year, has been accepted as the first full-time Negro student to enroll at Roanoke College. She intends to major in biology and will begin classes in September as a day student. Leonard G. Muse, vice president of the Board of Trustees, noted “her application was discussed… and both the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee of the College had considered fully the admissions policies of the College…that all applications for admission should be considered according to the College’s present standing of admission. She has met those standards in full measure.” The Rev. J. Luther Mauney, president of the Virginia synod of the Lutheran Church in America, noted that the Lutheran Church is eager to see all of its institutions open without benefit of race and said, “It seems good that Roanoke College is making this move.” And quietly, history was made at Roanoke College — the same year as the signing of the U.S. Civil Rights Act and a year before the signing of >

ASHLEY EAGLESON ’20

20 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2018

he news appeared in the Roanoke Collegian, Summer 1964 edition, below an article about a biology professor who had won a National Science Foundation grant to study

the Higher Education Act of 1965, which aimed to strengthen the educational resources of the nation’s colleges and universities. Fitzgerald’s enrollment at Roanoke came during a national era marked by the gradual opening of higher education doors to African Americans. She was among the first African Americans to enroll at a private college in Virginia. Fitzgerald “is so qualified…meeting all our standards,” then newly inaugurated Roanoke College President Dr. Perry F. Kendig told The Roanoke Times. “I knew it was inevitable when I became president, although I didn’t know when it might happen.” itzgerald entered Roanoke College unceremoniously, absent the great tumult of college and university integration that occurred deeper south. There were no cameras rolling on Sept. 13, 1964, no shouting mobs, no riots. Fitzgerald’s acceptance into Roanoke certainly was no secret. The Roanoke Times had come to the Vinton, Virginia house where she, her parents and three siblings lived, to interview the 18-year-old, would-be historymaker. “College May Get Full-Time Negro Student,” the headline of the April 29, 1964 article read. The historical significance was not lost on Fitzgerald but was almost secondary to her educational pursuits. She was a bright, driven young woman with a desire to further her education — and to do so close to home. Valedictorian of the G.W. Carver High School Class of 1964, Fitzgerald was one of five African-American students to apply to Roanoke. She was the only one accepted. Fitzgerald had been offered a scholarship to Bennett College in Greensboro,

Maxine Fitzgerald was a member of the Roanoke College Choir, serving at one time as its vice president.

“Roanoke College had everything to do with who I am today.” — Maxine Fitzgerald ’69 N.C. and had been accepted to Virginia State College (now Virginia State University) — both among the family of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. But Roanoke College was her “ﬁrst choice,” she told The Roanoke Times in 1964, because it oﬀered some courses not available at other schools. “I want to major in biology,” she told the

newspaper, and said she hoped to “teach a few years” after graduation from college then return to school and become a psychologist. ernice Gaither guides her sister, Virginia Maxine Fitzgerald ’69, to a couch in the living room of Gaither’s Roanoke home. Gaither is caretaker now of her older sister, whose mobility and speech were impaired by a debilitating stroke in 1995. Gaither speaks proudly of Fitzgerald, who was the ﬁrst of the family of six — mother, father and four children — to attend college. She proudly remarks how her sister “took college courses while she

A story from The Roanoke Times about Maxine Fitzgerald’s possible enrollment at Roanoke College. She had been accepted then but had not yet decided to attend the College.

CARISSA SZUCH DIVANT

Olivia Kitt ’20, at left, Maxine Fitzgerald ’69, center and Ken Belton ’81, at right — Roanoke’s past and present.

was still at Carver” and could “make an A on an exam even when she didn’t study.” Fitzgerald settles into the couch in preparation for questions from an interviewer, Olivia Kitt ’20, president of the Roanoke College Student Government Association, only the second black student elected to the position. As a video camera records, Fitzgerald responds to a series of questions, struggling at times for words. Gaither assists — correcting, reminding, ﬁlling in forgotten details. And then, the words tumble. “Roanoke College had everything to do with who I am today,” Fitzgerald tells Kitt. ay 2019. A milestone. A turning point. Fifty years prior, Virginia Maxine Fitzgerald graduated from Roanoke College. She recalls a pleasant arrival on campus in 1964. “People were so friendly,” she remembers. “That meant a lot to me.” Fitzgerald was a commuter student, choosing to live at home rather than on campus. (“She had the option to stay on campus, and had she wanted to, but Maxine was a homebody,” her sister says.) She was a member of the Women’s Athletic Association and the Roanoke College Choir, serving at one time as its vice

She went on to earn a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Radford College (now Radford University). For 29 years, she worked as a psychology technician at the Veterans Administration Medical in Salem before retiring in 1995. Now 73, Fitzgerald doesn’t dwell on the history-making nature of her years at Roanoke but acknowledges its door-opening impact on the generations of students who followed in her path. Students like Olivia Kitt. “I was inspired by [Fitzgerald’s] story and the love that she was able to express as she spoke of her time being a part of the Roanoke College community,” says Kitt, a political science major with a concentration in legal studies. “This is a community that was welcoming and supportive 50 years ago, and that testament still holds true today.” Fitzgerald, Kitt says, “paved the way for African-American students like myself, so we could immerse ourselves in the oppor-

“This is a community that was welcoming and supportive 50 years ago, and that testament still holds true today.” — Olivia Kitt ’20 president. She worked in the bookstore. A psychology major, she was a participant in Upward Bound, a national, federally-funded program that aims to this day, to provide certain categories of high school students with better opportunities to attend college. At Roanoke, she appreciated the small class size and nurturing environment. There was no racially-tinged trouble, she says, but remembers one occasion when a professor told her “he wasn’t sure what kind of blood ran through black people’s veins.” She left Roanoke in the 1965-66 academic year, taking a gap year and moving to Philadelphia to work. The yearlong break was, in part, for ﬁnancial reasons “in that our parents were not able to pay out of pocket and it was even harder to obtain loans,” her sister says. Fitzgerald returned in the 1966-67 academic year, determined to graduate. She completed her course work and in 1969, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

tunities and experiences that Roanoke College provides.” Ken Belton ’81 a member of the Roanoke College Board of Trustees who has been instrumental in developing diversity initiatives at the College, calls Fitzgerald “a true, outstanding pioneer of the times.” Fitzgerald “stood up and stood out in an era where there was segregation and desegregation,” Belton says. “Her courage and determination have created much opportunity for many African Americans and other minority student enrollment.” “As Roanoke College continues its mission to develop the whole person, we elevate the diversity and inclusion of all students. RC To view a video about Maxine Fitzgerald, visit roanoke.edu/maxineﬁtzgerald

ROANOKE.EDU

ABOUT US

Gordon and Juanita Lee, who retired after working a combined 59 years as members of the Housekeeping staff.

Caring for Roanoke BY KE LS E A P IETE R S ’13

“

We not only tried to keep the dorms clean, we also tried to care for the students as well, as if we were a family member. — Gordon Lee

”

uanita and Gordon Lee retired in August 2018 with more than 59 years of service, combined, to the Roanoke College campus community. As members of the Housekeeping staff, years of Roanoke students got to know and love the couple at their home away from home. The Lees worked all over campus, from the Resource Development building to the old Cavern. They have an abundance of stories, memories and connections that they cherish from their time at the College. There were the guys in the Bowman basement who liked to play guitar in the nude. There were the secret pets on campus that only the Lees knew about — a rabbit, an iguana, a Boa constrictor — that went missing. (The Boa constrictor was located, wrapped in the coils of a mattress.) There were the students in Fox Hall who knew of Juanita Lee’s affinity for country music singer/songwriter Travis Tritt and bought Lee tickets to a Tritt concert when he was performing in the Roanoke Valley. The Lees would also share pranks and leave students messages, evidence that they took their jobs beyond their day-to-day duties. “We not only tried to keep the dorms clean, we also tried to care for the students as well, as if we were a family member,” Gordon Lee says. What’s most notable about their careers, however, is that they did it together. The Lees are childhood sweethearts. They grew up a block away from each other until Juanita Lee’s father’s job took her family to Indiana. They corresponded with letters and gifts for a while, but broke it off when they weren’t sure when — or if — Juanita’s family would return. The family did return, and a few years later — two years after Juanita graduated from high school and two years before she began working at Roanoke College — they were married. Juanita began in Dining Services in 1980, where she honed her creativity carving animals out of fruit and decorating cakes. She transferred to Housekeeping a few years later, and Gordon joined her in 1997. “We go to the laundromat together, we go to the grocery store together — we do everything together.

And if one of us is in the hospital, the other one stays right there,” Juanita says. “I don’t think we’ve ever spent a night apart, except for when I had our daughter.” They celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in July 2018. At Roanoke, sometimes they were placed in the same building, but often they were stationed in different dorms. Together, they covered most of campus. The care they showed for students was noticed and reciprocated. One year, the students of Augusta Hall made a DVD slideshow of the rooms for them. Gordon fondly remembers cleaning the Sigma Chi house on Market Street before it was torn down in 2012. They’d give Christmas gifts to Gordon, and Juanita would make them fudge. They’d insist Gordon sit and chat with them on Friday afternoons to take a break from cleaning. A College email announcing the Lees’ retirement contained this: “Gordon and Juanita were high school sweethearts who have made a life together for 40 years, both on and off campus…Juanita has touched the lives of many students, some of whom work for the College today…Gordon has assisted with numerous events in Colket, providing fast, meticulous service and great communication to assist with keeping things running smoothly, touching the lives of many students and parents.” When asked what they miss most about working at the College, the Lees don’t hesitate in their response. “The students,” Juanita says. “I always called them my kids, you know. Back when I first started here, I was young when I worked in Commons. I was 19-20 years old, around their age.” The couple keep in touch with various students, too, and are often greeted by alumni out in public. Though they say they miss the students most, they surely won’t miss those early mornings, arriving at work around 5:00 a.m. Or cleaning up the glitter in Chesapeake after sorority bids day. RC In this issue of Roanoke magazine, we launch “About Us,” an occasional series that introduce readers to members of the Roanoke College family.

ROANOKE.EDU

campaignnews President Michael Maxey and Board of Trustees Chair Morris Cregger “high-five” after announcing the Roanoke Rising Campaign total.

“

Roanoke College is better and stronger today than it has ever been.

— Michael Maxey, president of Roanoke College

A “phenomenal achievement” t the Oct. 26 President’s Evening, Roanoke College announced the record-breaking conclusion of our Roanoke Rising Campaign. Publicly launched in April 2013, the campaign had a goal of $200 million. The total — $204,047,431 — exceeded expectations. As President Michael C. Maxey told a crowd of more than 400 who attended the event, held at the Cregger Center, “through efforts of so many people, we gather here tonight to celebrate the success of the Roanoke Rising Campaign and the important and collective beliefs that we hold dear. Roanoke College is better and stronger today than it has ever been.”

The grand reveal in the Kerr-Cregger Fieldhouse, with some assistance from Rooney.

” The a cappella group Roanotes closed the program with “Walking on Sunshine.” 26

Following the campaign closing program, receiving lines of student athletes and scholars offered “thank yous” to President’s Evening attendees.

campaignnews

“A great day to be a Maroon” n his campaign closing program remarks, President Maxey recognized the hard work and vision of the Campaign Steering Committee — led by Morris Cregger ’64, Nancy Mulheren ’72, Donald Kerr ’60 and Robert Wortmann ’60 — and nearly 250 regional campaign volunteers. “We are here because of their leadership, their commitment, their willingness to go beyond what we even thought was possible,” Maxey said.

“ President Michael Maxey with First Lady Terri Maxey.

Remarks...

Roanoke Rising changed the trajectory and complexion of Roanoke College. From increasing the number of scholarships to building the Cregger Center, The Roanoke Rising Campaign lifted the College to heights that make us all very proud. — President Michael Maxey

”

Morris Cregger ’64, chair, Roanoke College Board of Trustees

“We decided to put in a stretch goal and go for $200 million. We thought we could accomplish it — you don’t want to set a goal that is unrealistic — but we also recognized that Maroon Nation could come together and make that happen. We knew this would be transformational and would take all Maroons to make it a success. To have exceeded our goal is unbelievable. We want to thank everyone who made this campaign possible.” Anna Ford ’19 international relations major from Hampton, Virginia, and a recipient of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship and the Freeman Awards for Study in Asia scholarship.

“I am here at Roanoke because I have received much-needed support through scholarships. Roanoke has provided me with many opportunities that I have been grasping at since my freshman year here at Roanoke...I know the story I will tell one day about my time at Roanoke will be rich. It will be one I will share with pride. I also know it happened because so many [people] believed in students like me. From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of students here at Roanoke, I want to say ‘Thank you.’” Scott Allison ’79, Roanoke College director of athletics

“In my role as athletics director, I see every day how the Roanoke Rising Campaign has made its impact on the College. Certainly the crowning jewel is the Cregger Center. Roanoke College, with the City of Salem, is now a destination for Virginia High School League and NCAA championship events. We’ve proudly shared the [Kerr-Cregger Fieldhouse] with thousands of visiting high school and college student athletes, their families and their fan bases. In addition, we’ve expanded our offerings by adding sports and increasing squad sizes. I’m proud to report that now, each September, 425-plus student athletes vie for positions on Maroons teams. Thank you for your belief in Roanoke College, where students find themselves, formulate their dreams and develop their courage to pursue excellence.” Nancy Mulheren ’72, member, Roanoke College Board of Trustees

“I just want to say ‘Wow.’ How amazing is this campus now? Take a look around; we have really made remarkable changes. The campus has transformed over the past five years. It is truly one of the most beautiful campuses around and remains an incredible learning environment. This campus is now a place where students want to come to study, a place where they can participate in sports and other activities, and place where they feel welcome. Thank you for helping to make this campus have the ‘wow’ factor.”

F I N A L CA M PA I G N T OTA L :

$204,047,431

SUCCESS! This total makes Roanoke Rising the largest campaign in the College’s 176-year history. More than 28,000 donors contributed to the campaign, coming from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as 35 other countries.

ROANOKE.EDU

athleticsnews

Head Coach Scott Thacker addresses men’s and women’s swim teams at a meet on Oct. 28, 2018 in Salem. Four school records fell in the teams’ wins over William Peace University. RYAN HUNT ’18

“

Being the top new program, beating established programs... was hugely rewarding. — Assistant Coach Brandon Ress

” 28

A swimming success After exceeding all expectations in their first season, Maroons swimmers continue to excel in season two. WHEN MAROONS SWIMMERS took to the blocks at the 2017 season-opening meet against William Peace University and were instructed to “take your mark,” they weren’t poised just for the start of a swim race; they were poised to dive into the first season of Maroons swimming in 35 years. It was a season that exceeded all expectations, starting with resounding wins that day for both the men’s and women’s teams. The history of swimming at Roanoke College is one of an onagain, off-again sport that has floated back and forth between official NCAA Division III status and club sport. A men’s team, led by Coach Fran Ramser, is featured in a 1947 Rawenoch yearbook, and the last officially recognized team was the 1982 women’s squad, under Head Coach Brian Snediker ’82. In between is a history of winning seasons, losing seasons and non-existent seasons. In 2016, the College announced that it was reintroducing both men’s and women’s swim teams and that Scott Thacker — a graduate of Florida State University and a member of its 2007 ACC championship swim team — would head up both programs. Thacker was an individual ACC champion in 2010 in the 100 breaststroke and a 2012 Olympic trials qualifier. He came to Roanoke from the Shenandoah Marlins Aquatic Club in Waynesboro, Virginia, where he was the director and head coach of the program. Thacker hired 2017 Towson University graduate and former

Thacker, left, with Assistant Coach Brandon Ress at the ODAC Championships in February 2018 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

swim team captain Brandon Ress as assistant coach for the Maroons. The two quickly went to work building the program. “We had five months to identify, recruit and find the young men and women who would make up our first roster,” Thacker says. In the world of collegiate sports, which generally works at least two years ahead on their recruiting classes, it was not much time. “Finding the right avenues and the best, most efficient avenues, for recruiting was definitely the most challenging part,” the head coach says.

Ethan Gordon ’22

Caylyn McNaul ’21

Reilly Bird ’21, who was named First-Team All-ODAC in 2017-18, the new swimming program’s inaugural season.

rewarding,” Ress says. “When I was applying for the [assisNot surprisingly, the first roster was lean. NCAA rules do tant coaching] job, I was just thinking how cool it would be not cap a team’s total roster, but it does cap conference to build a new program. Just to see the team grow, from and NCAA scoring rosters at 18 men and 18 women. The two years ago, from zero…is just amazing.” total Maroons swim team roster for its first season had The current season is well underway and, with the ad22 names on it — 11 men and 11 women. The teams vantage of a little more time to recruit, Thacker and Ress were not even large enough to enter a full slate in each have put together a roster of 20 men and 19 women, which event at the meets. Thacker calls “very, very exciting.” Fourteen are returning Expectations by others were modest for the Maroons, swimmers, including each of the All-ODAC honorees, and perhaps eighth place in the ODAC conference, Ress said. 25 are newly-recruited freshmen. But he and Thacker approached the season optimistically The coaches anticipate that, for the next few years, they and worked strategically to maximize the scoring potential. will cut off overall team size at about 50 swimmers. The “We figured out how to win with a very undersized roster,” Maroons split their training sessions between the small Thacker says. “You have to have the right people in the Alumni Gym pool — affectionately known as “The Tank,” right ‘seats.’ It’s possible.” and the eight-lane Salem YMCA pool, which also hosts the Thacker’s finesse in meet strategy yielded impressive Maroons’ home meets. “The Y has been an incredible partresults and blew expectations out of the water. The men’s — Head Coach Scott Thacker ner,” says Thacker, “And the school is very supportive. We team finished fourth of 10 ODAC teams and the women can’t do it without a lot of support.” garnered a fifth place berth in a 12-team field. The combined A new campus pool facility would be in the “distant future,” if at all, Thacker dual meet win-loss record was 25-7. Four Maroons swimmers, all freshmen, said, but it would allow the team to grow to 60 or 70 swimmers. For now, both earned All-ODAC honors. On the women’s side, freshman Reilly Bird ’21 was he and Ress are just excited about this season and the next. They’ve been renamed to the First Team; she also won the league title in the 100-yard backcruiting for 2019 throughout the fall and are already working on the 2020 restroke. Freshman Sarah Virginia Scott ’21 was named to the Third Team. On cruiting list. the men’s side, freshmen Nick McGrath ’21 and Ethan Gordon ’21 earned And what are their expectations for this season? Second Team and Third Team honors, respectively. “Definitely just want to make noise,” says Ress. “Top three for both programs,” “We’re definitely excited to be part of the rebirth of the program,” says says Thacker. “We’re definitely looking to establish our presence and make Thacker. “It’s been exciting and challenging and very rewarding.” He points to noise,” Thacker adds. “I think we did that last year. I think that people were team successes such as winning their first meet, beating Hampden-Sydney in definitely aware that something was brewing here and that we’re on to somea men’s dual meet, placing well at the ODAC championships and having a thing.” — Sharon Nanz ’09 conference champion the first year as “very memorable.” “Being the top new program, beating established programs…was hugely

“We’re definitely looking to establish our presence and make noise. I think that people were definitely aware that something was brewing here.”

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athleticsnews AC C OL A D ES

VA Hall of Fame honors RC team

PHOTO COURTESY OF DALE SARJEANT ’74

ROANOKE COLLEGE’S 1972 Men’s Basketball National Championship team was honored by the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in August. The Maroons were among a group of NCAA championship teams recognized this year as either the first or most recent NCAA National Champions from the state of Virginia at the college and university levels. William “Dickie” Adams ’74, Henry Kleinknecht ’74, Larry Osborne ’74 and Ron Reed ’74, members of the 1972 championship team, attended the Hall of Fame reception at Armada Hoffler Tower in Virginia Beach on Aug. 29. Also in attendance were Charlie Moir, head men’s basketball coach at Roanoke from 1967–73, and his son, Page Moir, head men’s basketball coach at Roanoke from 1989–2016. The Hall of Fame has on display the Roanoke College National Championship Team photo and the original 1972 NCAA Division II Championship Trophy, along with exhibits from the 1947 William & Mary Men’s Tennis team, the 2018 James Madison Women’s Lacrosse team, and the 2017 and 2018 Virginia Wesleyan Softball teams.

Team members, from left to right, Ron Reed, Larry Osborne, Dickie Adams and Henry Kleinknecht, at the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

“LE GE ND S O F TH E G A ME ”

THE ROANOKE STAR

Sports Club pays tribute to lacrosse champions

Division II National Championship men’s lacrosse team members, left to right, Joe Dishaw, Keith Griswold, Scott Allison and Bob Rotanz, who received the Roanoke Valley Sports Club “Legends of the Game” award on Oct. 15.

30 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2018

THE ROANOKE VALLEY SPORTS CLUB on Oct. 15 honored four members of Roanoke College’s 1978 National Championship men’s lacrosse team. The team, which captured the Division II National Championship 40 years ago, received the club’s prestigious “Legends of the Game” award. Long-time broadcaster and recent recipient of the Virginia High School League’s Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award, Dave Ross, made the presentation in front of a packed house at the Salem Civic Center. Joe Dishaw ’78, Bob Rotanz ’78, Roanoke College Director of Athletics Scott Allison ’79 and Keith Griswold ’79 received recognition as key members of the team. In 1978, the Maroons captured the title in a 14-13 win over Hobart College, winning the College’s second national championship in six years. Just seven years into program-history, Roanoke finished 12-2 in 1978, the most single-season wins in program history, which stood for 27 seasons. The team opened its season with seven-straight victories, including wins over Division I opponents Duke (9-7), UMBC (8-4) and N.C. State (15-11). The Maroons knocked off Adelphi, 13-8 in the NCAA quarterfinals and UMBC for a second time, 12-7, in the national semifinals to enter the programs’ first national title game. Hobart, the two-time defending national champions, was the favorite. The Statesmen had appeared in the national championship game over the previous five years, eliminating the Maroons in two of the previous three tournaments. But this time Roanoke got the last laugh as defender and team captain, Rotanz, scored his second goal of the year, which was the game-winner as the Maroons claimed the NCAA Div. II/III National Title. Five of the team members were named United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association All-Americans after that magical season, including Rotanz, who was named both the USILA National Defenseman and National Player of the Year. Head Coach Paul Griffin, who coached the Maroons from 1973-81, was named USILA National Coach of the Year. Some information for this story was provided by William “Bill” Turner ’74.

S CO R EB OA R D

RC|highlights

WOMEN’S SOCCER 7-6-4 (6-2-2 ODAC)

MEN’S SOCCER 10-5-3 (5-2-3 ODAC)

FIELD HOCKEY 12-4 (5-3 ODAC)

VOLLEYBALL 17-10 (8-4 ODAC)

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY 7th in the ODAC Championships

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY 4th in the ODAC Championships Linsey Bailey ’22, named All-American by the AVCA.

MEN’S & WOMEN’S SWIMMING The Roanoke Swimming teams each earned ODAC wins on Nov. 17. The men defeated Emory and Henry College 213-45, while the women topped Emory and Henry 185-65 and Hollins University 197-53. RC men won each of the 14 events on the day to come away with the win. The RC women won 10 of the 14 events to pick up a pair of wins over conference foes. NOTE: As of Nov. 19, 2018

Chris Martin ’20, 2018 ODAC All-Conference first team.

• Linsey Bailey ’22 has been named an Honorable Mention All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). Bailey becomes the first Maroon in program history to earn this honor. Bailey’s All-American recognition caps a postseason that saw her named AVCA All-Region, the ODAC Rookie of the Year and FirstTeam All-ODAC. The Fincastle, Virginia, native made an immediate impact for RC by leading the ODAC in kills with 418 and kills per game with 4.45. Her .255 hitting percentage ranks ninth best in the ODAC. • Four Women’s Soccer standouts were named to the 2018 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) AllConference team as the league announced its yearly awards on Nov. 7. Goalkeeper Chris Martin ’20 was a first-team choice, while Lucy Perry ’21 earned second-team accolades and Erin Flamm ’22 and Jillian Barnard ’19 were both named to the third-team. • Four Men’s Soccer standouts were named to the 2018 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) All-Conference team on Nov. 8. Atticus Cooke ’20, Philani Mlotshwa ’21 and Tim Leuenberger ’22 were all named Second-Team All-ODAC, while Liam Camilleri ’22 was a third-team choice. • Four standout student-athletes were named to the 2018 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Field Hockey All-Conference Team on Nov. 6. Goalkeeper Emma Clark ’20, defender Kaylin Stenson ’19 and forward Emilee Wooten ’21 were all named to the first-team, while Kestrel Thorne-Kaunelis ’19 was named to the third-team. • Josh Freund ’19 has been named a Preseason All-American by D3hoops.com. Freund, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was named to the fourth-team by D3hoops.com, and it marks the second such honor, as he was named one of the best 24 players in the nation by DIII News. The 2017-18 ODAC Player of the Year, Freund finished second in the conference in both scoring (18.4) and rebounding (10.7), helping him to a league-high 15 double-doubles.

For the latest scores, go to

• Roanoke College Women’s Soccer was named a Team Academic Award Winner for the 2017-18 academic year, the United Soccer Coaches announced in October. A total of 778 college teams, 291 men and 487 women, earned the Team Academic Award. Roanoke has earned this achievement for six consecutive years and seven times total (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018).

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You can write to us at: Office of Alumni Relations, Roanoke College, 221 College Lane, Salem, VA 24153-3794; call us toll-free at 1-866-RCALUMS; fax us at 540-375-2398; email us at alumni@roanoke.edu or update your record online at www.roanoke.edu/maroonsonline. Due to space constraints and time between issues, submissions might appear in an upcoming issue. Editorial contributions are welcome but subject to editing. Photographs may be used as space permits, submitted in print or digital format. Digital photos must be 1 MB in size or larger. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee return of contributed materials. We look forward to hearing from you!

The late John P. Fishwick ’37, one of Roanoke College’s most distinguished alumni, was honored in July when the Roanoke City School Board voted to rename a middle school after him. The school, formerly Stonewall Jackson Middle School, now bears the name of John P. Fishwick, who served as president of Norfolk & Western Railway from 1970 to 1981. Fishwick’s son, John P. Fishwick Jr., told The Roanoke Times that his father would have been honored by the school board’s decision. “I think it’s the greatest accomplishment of his life,” he said. An English major at Roanoke, Fishwick Sr. went on to earn a law degree from Harvard Law School. He served in the U.S. Navy for three years during World War II, advancing to lieutenant commander. In 1945, Fishwick joined the legal department at Norfolk & Western, and rose through the ranks to become its president and CEO until his retirement in 1981. Fishwick’s foresight paved the way for Norfolk & Western’s merger with Southern Railway in the early 1980s. The resulting Norfolk Southern Corporation is now one of the nation’s largest rail companies. Fishwick served on the Roanoke College Board of Trustees from

class notes 1960s Paul Dellinger ’60 has published a new novel — “a western this time,” he says. Paul has previously written several science fiction works and co-authored a young adult novel. The Hon. Richard L. Price ’61 retired after 37 years on the bench. His judicial experience includes serving as Supreme Court justice, Bronx County, New York; and judge, Civil Court of the City of New York. A Roanoke College Alumni Medalist, he is currently serving as a judicial hearing officer. Carl F. Pattison ’68 is the intentional interim pastor with Scotch Presbyterian Church in Chipman, New York.

1970s RJ “Bob” Konner ’73 was recognized in RC’s Maroon Spotlight Artist category. He has appeared in over 70 feature films and TV series, including “Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps” and “The Adjustment Bureau.” He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild/Ameri32

1964 to 1972. He was awarded the College’s Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters the year he retired. Norfolk & Western honored Fishwick, that same year with a large contribution to the College, which was used to establish the John P. Fishwick Professor of English endowed chair. Fishwick, a Roanoke College Medalist, died in 2010 at the age of 93.

can Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Actors Equity Association. Bruce Ingram ’74 recently published “Tenth Grade Angst,” his second young adult fiction novel in a four-book series. Overall, Bruce has written eight books and nearly 2,400 magazine articles. Francis Plowman Jr. ’74 retired from Rogue Creamery in Central Point, Oregon, after 12 years. He was director of marketing, and corporate secretary. Linda Efird Hershey ’75, of Waynesboro, Virginia, was appointed chair of the Mary Baldwin University Advisory Board of Visitors. She and her husband, Burk, were voted Valley District Distinguished Citizens of the Year. Linda also received the Community Excellence Award from the Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce. Roby Hurley ’75 is the principal planner of Teton County Planning Department in Jackson, Wyoming. Kathleen A. Meenehan ’75 retired to sunny South Carolina and enjoys keeping up with friends via Facebook. Joseph P. Hall, Ph.D. ’77 is professor of chemistry and director of the Center of Biotechnology and Biomedical Sciences at Norfolk State University. He holds an M.S. in biology/biolog-

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Roanoke College magazine

ical sciences, general from Old Dominion University and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Kent State University. David J. Nangle ’79 has been promoted to executive vice president of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. David’s new position is in addition to his role as president of Lincoln’s Harris Products Group segment. David, a business administration major at Roanoke, holds an MBA from California State University, Fresno. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Lincoln has 63 manufacturing locations, including operations and joint ventures in 23 countries and a worldwide network of distributors and sales offices covering more than 160 countries.

1980s Elizabeth Coggin Diggs ’82 has completed her new book, “Menopausal Master,” described as a “defining narrative dedicated to readers seeking the answers to questions of faith, belief and opinions in the individual and societal scale.” Elizabeth is a former science, music, and taekwondo instructor; a world-certified fourth-degree black belt in taekwondo; and a wildlife and nature photographer. A biology major at

Roanoke, she currently is a graduate student at Northern Michigan University. Her book is published by Covenant Books of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. Elizabeth Douglas Medcalf ’82 earned a Master of Business Administration degree in December 2017 from Frostburg State University in Maryland. Andy Carr ’85, a track and field coach at Milton High School in Georgia, won his first State High School Cross County Championship, guiding the school to its first state title in its 96-year old history. Andy was also selected Boys Georgia Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track and Cross Country Coaches Association and the Georgia Track and Cross County Coaches Association. Kenny Wingfield ’88 is a board member of the Multiple Sclerosis Alliance of Virginia and is involved with numerous multiple sclerosis groups.

1990s Andrew McKnight ’92 is director of Technology-Performance Fuel with INNOSPEC, a German petroleum company. In March, he attended a conference in Peru and was able to utilize the Spanish he learned at Roanoke to present to his Peru-

A July luncheon in Baltimore with old RC friends — including three Kappa Alpha brothers! Left to right: Gary ’67 and Dutch Trageser ’67; Don ’67 and Sherry ’67 Pyles; Beth ’72 and Terry Purvis ’69.

Mary Lou Stoutamire ’70 celebrated her 100th birthday on Aug. 7, 2018. Family members hosted a birthday celebration for Stoutamire at Brandon Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Aug. 5, the Sunday before her birthday. Family and special friends helped Stoutamire celebrate her milestone birthday with photo displays, shared memories and delicious food. Stoutamire is a Roanoke College retiree, having worked for a number of years in Fintel Library. She completed her degree while working at the library.

Michele Hively Moldenhauer ’70 and her husband, Joey, participated in the 25th reunion of the Class of 1993 in memory of their son, Conrad Moldenhauer ’93, during Alumni Weekend 2018. Conrad’s graduation photo was included in his class’s alumni reunion photo. After his death in 1997, an ongoing Roanoke College endowed scholarship was created and continues to make it possible for RC students to participate in the Oxford Summer Scholars Program that Conrad enjoyed as a history major the summer before his senior year. Michele retired as longtime art director of the University Relations Publications at Virginia Tech. She and her husband live in Salem, Virginia.

vian colleagues. He said he had the good fortune to visit Machu Picchu and found it to be an “amazing place.” A chemistry and Spanish major at Roanoke, Andrew holds a doctorate in Inorganic Chemistry from Stanford University. Mary Gardner Mitchell ’93 was named Teacher of the Year at Russell O. Brackman Middle School in Barnegat, New Jersey. She has taught a variety of math classes over the past 13 years, including basic skills, 6th- and 7th-grade math, test preparation and STEM. She also is an advisor of the school’s Leaders in Training and DART club and chairs the professional development committee. Cox Media has named Scott Burton ’95 as vice president of sales for its Louisiana markets. Burton was vice president of sales for Cox Media in Florida and Georgia. He will lead a team of sales professionals in Cox’s Acadiana, Baton Rouge and New Orleans markets.

Melanie Tomlin Camden ’96 is principal at Harrington Waddell Elementary School in Lexington, Virginia.

2000s Andy Bonasera ’03 is the new Head Varsity Boys Lacrosse coach for the 20182019 season at Notre Dame High School in Los Angeles. Bonasera is played lacrosse at Roanoke, where he was a four-time Division III All American Attackman and received Division III First-Team All-American honors in 2003 as well as being Conference Player of the Year. Bonasera founded lacrosse programs at Mt. St. Joseph University, BirminghamSouthern College and Cornell College. Ryan Burrows ’03 is a vice president with the Baltimore, Maryland office of the

Eighteen Pi Lambda Phi members got together at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, North Carolina April 19 – 22 to enjoy white water rafting, zip lining, mountain biking, golf and more. Attendees included: Keith Harper ’95, Read Carter ’94, Mark Palmer ’97, Joe Sachetti ’97, Scott Pevenstein ’97, Chris Joy ’94, Todd Confer ’95, Aaron Webb ’95, Mark Maloney ’95, Clay Courts ’96, Scott Zimmerman ’94, Bob Minutoli ’95, Kevin Massi ’95, Dave McDonald ’96, Dave Browning ’97, Rick Oglesbee ’95, James Shiftan ’95 and Eric Wright ’96.

JLL Mid-Atlantic Industrial Practice Group, a commercial real estate firm. Ryan is responsible for providing real estate advisory and transaction services to institutional owners and corporate occupiers throughout the industrial sector in the Grater Baltimore region. A business administration major at Roanoke, Ryan holds an M.S. in real estate from the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School. He also is a licensed real estate salesman in Maryland. Kristen Kibler Moldenhauer ’03 resides in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, with her husband and three children, Owen, Ellery and Hazel. Kristen is a tutor and Charleston area leader of the Be SMART for Kids campaign. Be SMART is a part of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a gun violence prevention movement. During the day, she is a chef, teacher, psychologist, nurse, vet tech and housekeeper. continued on page 35

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A L U M N I

P R O F I L E

Mother, daughter share passion for the care of animals school and both chose Roanoke College for their undergraduate studies, although mother majored in chemistry and daughter in biology. When it was time to apply to vet schools, Sara Farthing was more than a little anxious. “I was terriﬁed,” she says. But thanks to an abundance of hands-on experience while at Roanoke, she had a very strong vet school application. Four years of undergraduate research, several conference presentations and a threeweek stint at a veterinary clinic in Mérida, Mexico, gave her a well-rounded resume.

“My mom is my hero, my inspiration, probably the best veterinarian I know.”

NATALEE WATERS

— Sara Farthing ’18

Veterinary student Sara Farthing ’18 and her mother Dr. Lisa Wilson Farthing ’84, owner of Brandon Animal Hospital in Roanoke.

ara Farthing ’18 has no “Plan B” for her career path, no desire other than to be a veterinarian like her mother, Dr. Lisa Wilson Farthing ’84. Sara chose this path when she was just 6 years old, a young age for such a firm decision, but by then she had already spent hours of her childhood at the animal hospital where her mother worked. “[My mother] would bring me in on her back as she was checking the animals at night,” says Sara, describing her first visits as a baby. “And it was a bus stop for me in elementary school…It’s kind of like a second home for me. I got to see everything, and I absolutely fell in love with it.” Lisa Farthing has worked at Brandon Animal Hospital in Roanoke, Virginia, since graduating from vet school and is now its owner. She insists that she didn’t try to influence her daughter’s career aspirations in veterinary medicine. Instead, she made sure that her daughter saw all aspects of it — not just the cute animals in the exam rooms. When Sara was old enough to work at the hospital, her job included cleaning kennels, dealing with pet owners in the reception area and witnessing euthanasia. None of that dissuaded her. Lisa recognized in her daughter the same passion and drive that she has for the care of animals. However, neither expected such parallel educational paths. The two attended the same high

34 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2018

Sara was accepted into two vet programs and is now attending the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia, which is not only her “dream school,” but her mother’s alma mater. When the academic year opened with a “white coat ceremony,” it was her mother who had the privilege of presenting Sara with her lab coat. “My mom, who is my hero, my inspiration, probably the best veterinarian I know — she gave me my coat,” Sara Farthing says. “That just meant the world to me, because I’ve always looked up to her.” Lisa Farthing recalled how she felt that day. “It was surreal… I just thought, ‘Wow. Wow. Sara’s actually doing this.’” Her hope is that someday she’ll be in practice with her daughter. This mother-daughter duo is just part of a three-generation Roanoke College legacy with interests in science and medicine. Lisa Farthing’s mother, Mabel “Jo” Umberger Wilson ’60, was a biology major and began her career as a biology teacher. Lisa’s father, Wayne Wilson ’60, is a retired military surgeon whose career includes serving as assistant chief of surgery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and chief of surgery at the Salem Veteran Aﬀairs Medical Center. Wilson Farthing ’16, a biology major, and Lisa’s son and Sara’s brother, is a clinical research coordinator at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute. He will be facilitating an upcoming collaboration between the medical school and Roanoke College students who want to do clinical research in the Emergency Medicine Department. As she contemplated her chosen path, Sara Farthing says that the typically disparaging joke, “I’m turning into my mother,” holds a diﬀerent meaning for her. “That’s the biggest compliment you can give me,” she says, “because I think my mom is just absolutely an incredible person.” — Sharon Nanz ’09

Khaled El-Nemr ’05 has been promoted to an assistant principal position at Floyd T. Binns Middle School in Culpeper County, Virginia. Khaled, who had been a math teach at the school, holds bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and physics with minors in computer science and statistics, and a master’s degree in materials science from the University of Alabama. He and his wife, Christie Vanpelt ’05 have three children. Andrew Forrest ’06 has been named general manager, business operations for the new El Paso USL (United Soccer League) organization that will kick off its inaugural season in the USL in 2019. Forrest previously worked at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he was most recently employed as general manager for Learfield Sports. Prior to that, he worked for the San Antonio Scorpions Professional Soccer Team as director of sponsorship, and vice president and assistant general manager. Andrew held previous positions with Playbook Management International, the San Antonio Scorpions and FC Edmonton, a Canadian professional soccer club, as well as positions in the cities of Baltimore and Dallas. Andrew holds an M.S. in Kinesiology– Sport Leadership from James Madison University. Molly Festa McMillin ’07 was named

chief financial officer with Wells Fargo Asset Management. She has been with the company for over 11 years, serving in a variety of senior finance roles. Molly holds an M.B.A. from Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina. Nola Causey ’08 is teaching fifth grade math at W.E. Cundiff Elementary School in Vinton, Virginia. Fellow alumna Rebecca Bays ’11 is also at Cundiff, where she serves as the Special Education coordinator, working with all special education teachers throughout the school. Marian Levinson ’08 is a sixth-grade English teacher at William Byrd Middle School in Roanoke County, Virginia. A sociology major at Roanoke, Marian has been an educator for nine years. She and her husband have two sons. Susanna K. Bonig ’10 received a Master’s in Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona, Spain, in June. Paulus Alan Moore ’10 is an assistant principal at William Byrd High School in Roanoke County, Virginia. Since 2011, he has worked in Roanoke County Public Schools as a high school math teacher and most recently as a testing coordinator at William Byrd. Alan holds a Master of Science degree in educational leadership from Radford University. Alexa Broadbent ’12 participated in Miami University’s Earth Expeditions global field course in Namibia this past summer. She studied ongoing research projects such as radio tracking, cheetah conservation and ecosystem management, as well as the design of school and community

Blaire Conner ’08, a mathematics teacher at Liberty High School in Fauquier County, Virginia, has been selected as the Fauquier County Superintendent’s Innovator of the Year for 2018. This first-time $1,000 award, funded through a grant from Apple Federal Credit Union Educational Foundation, recognizes the outstanding efforts of a teacher who incorporates innovation into instruction. She was praised as a teacher willing to take risks and try new things. Fauquier County Superintendent David Jeck described Blaire as deserving of the Superintendent’s Innovator Award because she is “a teacher who demonstrates innovation, a true growth mindset, and a 21st century approach to instruction.” A mathematics major at Roanoke, Blaire, shown here with a group of her students, is a few classes away from earning a master’s degree in mathematics education from James Madison University.

programs in Namibia. Alexa, a low-country naturalist guide at Outside Hilton Head, lives in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and is a graduate student in Miami University’s Global Field Program. Zachary Hottel ’12 received the Virginia Library Association Outstanding Program Award and the Shenandoah County Historical Society Preservation Award in recognition of his work with digital collections as the archivist with the Shenandoah County Library. Nikolaos W. Kantanas ’14 has worked in Russia since 2015 as an English instructor with English First, a global education corporation. He has had assignments in Sochi, Novosibirsk, the capital of Siberia, and is currently in Kazan in the Russian Republic of Tatarstan, where he lectures primarily to Russian professionals and graduate students. In addition to classroom instruction, Nikolaos manages and participates, on behalf of English First, in marketing and promotional events including television and radio advertisements and appearances at sporting events. His recent work has related to the FIFA 2018 World Cup games held in Russia. Former Roanoke College lacrosse standout Will Pilat ’16, now an assistant men’s lacrosse coach at Wesleyan University, returned to Roanoke in March for the first lacrosse match between the two schools. Roanoke, coached by Will’s father, Bill Pilat ’85, fell to Wesleyan 18-5. Morgan Routt ’16 has been promoted to senior consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, an information technology consulting company. The firm does work in consulting, analytics, digital solutions, engineering and cyber with industries ranging from defense and health to energy and international development. Cary Beahm ’17 has joined the U.S. Capitol Police Department. She earned a Master of Science in criminal justice/law enforcement administration this fall. Kate Citrone ’17 lives in Washington, D.C., where she is working for Humane Rescue Alliance. Kellie Jasinski ’17 is assistant field hockey coach at Denison University. Kellie, an athletic training major at Roanoke, was a member of the field hockey team during her years at the College, receiving AllODAC honors several of those years.

marriages Katherine B. Henderson ’07 was wed Dec. 16, 2017, to Justin E. Cail from Dayton, Ohio. Jed Curtis ’13 and Hannah Cline ’15 were married Oct. 21, 2017, in Staunton,

Virginia. A number of Roanoke alumni were in attendance. Laura Zdziarski ’13 wed Robert Horodyski on Aug. 4, 2017 in Crozet, Virginia. The couple live in Salt Lake City, Utah. Laura, who holds a Ph.D. in rehabilitation science from the University of Florida, is assistant professor, Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training; Clinical Outreach and Development Coordinator Department of Orthopaedics at University of Utah Health. Her husband is director of basketball operations at Utah Valley University. Wedding attendees included parents of the bride, Eugene Zdziarski (former vice president of student affairs at Roanoke) and Catherine Romeo Zdziarski ’94 (former regional officer in Roanoke’s Resource Development office); Dru Shepherd ’94; Erin Lanni ’13; and Dr. Liz Ackley (professor of health and human performance at Roanoke). Casey Miller ’15 joined hands in marriage with Grace Thompson ’15 on Nov. 18, 2017, at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Best man was Chad Hill ’15 and maid of honor was Madison Bennett ’15. Daniel Creel ’15 and Zachary Folger ’14 were groomsmen. Mark Manthe ’14 and Cameron Holshouser ’15 served as ushers. Bridesmaids were Brianna Carroll ’15, Mackenzie Slater Rhodes ’15, Emily Parker ’15, Julie Gonsalves ’14 and Lydia Cox ’16. Nearly 20 other alums from classes 2014-2017 were in attendance. Sarah Palmer ’15 married Jody Adair on July 3, 2016, in Madison, Connecticut. Among the wedding guests were Shelby Duchow ’13, Megan Hickey ’15, Kristen Kelly ’15, Elizabeth Hord ’14, Anna Lewis ’15 and Kelli Bush ’13. The couple live in Staunton, Virginia. Ramey Ferrell ’16 and Johanna Noelk ’16 celebrated their wedding day Nov. 18, 2017, with several Roanoke alumni in attendance. Roanoke College Chaplin Chris Bowen presided over the nuptials at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Roanoke, Virginia. The newlyweds live in downtown Roanoke.

families Geoff Wolfe ’92 and his wife Laura French Wolfe ’96, of Highland Park, Texas, and their 6-year-old son, Atticus Adlai Ethan Wolfe, welcomed to their family a girl, Vesper Elin Wolfe, born June 5, 2017. Laura is a senior designer-design director with San Francisco-based EDG Design, a leading innovator in hospitality, restaurant, and commercial design. Geoff is a litigation and trial attorney (AtlantaDallas) and author specializing in student loan law and litigation.

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alumninews

Miller-Thompson wedding

Ferrell-Noelk wedding

Curtis-Cline wedding

Zdziarski-Horodyski wedding

Charles David “Chase” Churchill ’05 and his wife, Megan, are parents of Brooks David Churchill who was born Oct. 8, 2017. Proud relatives are grandparents John ’75 and Alison Barger Churchill ’76 and uncles John Churchill Jr. ’03 and Matthew Churchill ’07. Jennifer Buch Quitiquit ’05 and her husband, Tony, are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Dane Alexander. He was born Dec. 22, 2017, and was welcomed by his brother, Whit Kilcoyne. The family resides in Rockville, Virginia. Liza Higgins Reifsnyder ’06 and husband Joshua, welcomed Emmeline Rose Reifsnyder on Monday, June 25, 2018. Big sister Christina Lynne, age 4, was thrilled! Mary Stewart Malone ’07 and her husband, Brian Schneider, were blessed with the arrival of twin girls in May 2018. The family resides in New York City. Michael Martin ’09 and Lauren Price Martin ’10 are happy to announce the birth of their daughter, Lily Rachel Martin, on June 24, 2018. Lily and her parents

Henderson-Cail wedding

live in Roanoke, VA, where Michael is a teacher and Lauren is a social worker. Catherine Kohler Fletcher ’10 and Will Fletcher ’11 welcomed Elizabeth Avery Fletcher on Dec. 2, 2017. Casey and Will now live in New Orleans.

in memoriam Margaret Litch Lang ’43, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, passed away Oct. 23, 2017. She was 97. Betty C. Keith ’44, age 95, died March 29, 2018, in Fincastle, Virginia. Marguerite Joyce Lane ’44, age 97, died July 13, 2018, in Salem, Virginia. Genevieve Thomas, M.D. ’45 passed away March 20, 2018, in Roanoke, Virginia. After graduating from Roanoke, she earned degrees from the University of Virginia and the Medical College of Virginia. She first practiced medicine at the Melrose Clinic in Roanoke, Virginia, and then opened an independent general practice. Dr. Thomas specialized in child and ado-

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lescent psychiatric care. She was a lifetime member of St. Andrew’s Catholic Church. Annie Godbey Wampler ’45, a resident of Ellicott City, Maryland, died July 11, 2018, at age 95. During World War II, she worked as a civilian in the Military Intelligence Division, and later the U.S. State Department. While in the Signal Corps, she copied Chinese lettering as part of U.S. military support information. During her time in Washington, D.C., Wampler found an outlet for her singing talent with the National Choral Society. Carlene Vaughan Gregory ’46 died June 26, 2018, in Greensboro, North Carolina. She was 93. Gregory retired as vice

president of Wells Fargo. She was committed to rescuing and caring for lost and abandoned animals. Peggy Ott Hackler ’47, age 91, passed away March 29, 2018. She was a graduate of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and spent her career in Baptist denominational work. After her retirement, she remained active in broadcasting, writing, volunteering and her church. Mary Branch Cline ’48 died at age 97 on July 18, 2018. She was employed with the Salem Veterans Administration Hospital before starting a family and becoming a homemaker. Cline was a longtime member of College Lutheran Church, where she was a pianist. Surviving her is a

Melville S. “Buster” Carico ’40, one of the most celebrated journalists in Virginia, died May 26, 2018 in Botetourt County, Virginia. He was 101. Carico, whose specialty was state politics, retired in 1981 after 45 years in the news department of The Roanoke Times. Carico was recognized among the Roanoke College Distinguished Alumni and was awarded the Roanoke College Medal in 1977. His wife of 58 years, Anne Cole Carico ’74 preceded him in death.

Elizabeth Avery Fletcher

Emmeline Reifsnyder

daughter, Lucy Cline Weiss ’72 and son, Marvin A. Cline ’80. James B. Kegley, M.D. ’48 passed away in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on Aug. 6, 2018, at the age of 91. After earning a degree at Roanoke, he graduated from the Medical College of Virginia and served in the U.S. Navy on the U.S.S. Tarawa as a medical corpsman. His

Vesper Elin Wolfe

Atticus Adlai Ethan Wolfe

Whit Kilcoyne and Dane Quitiquit

residency training was at Norfolk General Hospital and Lewis Gale Hospital in Salem, Virginia. He practiced family medicine in Chincoteague, Virginia and Wytheville, Virginia. Dr. Kegley received a master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University and served as the Public Health Director in Wythe County for several years before becoming the Southwest Virginia

Lily Rachel Martin

The Montalvo family gathered for a photo during a visit to the Roanoke College campus in May. Pictured, left to right, are Joseph Montalvo II (father), Catherine Montalvo ’22, Joseph Montalvo III ’20, Angela Montalvo ’16 and Christine Montalvo (mother).

(now Mount Rogers) Regional Public Health Director. He subsequently worked at Southwestern Virginia State Mental Health Institute in Marion, Virginia, until his retirement. A dedicated family physician, he was one of the last to make house calls. Survivors include his two daughters, Dr. Anne Kegley ’76 and Dr. Susan Kegley ’78.

Frances “Billie” M. Richardson ’43 died in Raleigh, North Carolina, on April 19, 2017, at age 94. She earned a Master of Science degree in chemistry in 1947 from the University of Cincinnati and pursued additional graduate work at Columbia University. Richardson became the first female faculty member of the School of Engineering at North Carolina State College in 1950. Her 42-year academic career included research focused on fluid mechanics, infrared imaging thermography, radioactive tracing and respiratory physiology. Based on her research, she received the international honor society of science and engineering Sigma Xi Research Award. She was also named the Society of Women Engineers Outstanding Woman Engineer. In 1970, Richardson was awarded the Roanoke College Medal and was the recipient of the Roanoke College’s Distinguished Alumni Award for her responsible leadership, professional accomplishments and service to her alma mater and community.

DeWitt R. Petterson ’48, a U.S. Army veteran, died June 21, 2018, in Southern Pines, North Carolina, at the age of 90. After graduating from Roanoke, he earned a master’s degree in engineering from the Institute of Textile Technology. He worked for Johnson & Johnson and Albany International. Robert L. Fagg ’49, a World War II U.S. Army veteran, died Feb. 24, 2018, in Richmond, Virginia, at the age of 93. He worked in the insurance business, starting with the Grain Dealers Mutual Insurance Company and continuing in his career until he retired from the Maryland Casualty Company after 30 years of service. He received his Certified Property Casualty Underwriter designation in 1977 and served as a past president of the Southern 1752 Club, the Mariner’s Club of Virginia and the Insurance Association of Virginia. In 1975, Fagg was inducted into the Roanoke College Athletic Hall of Fame. He was a devoted member of All Saints Episcopal Church and the Masons. Harvey D. Shelburne Sr. ’49, age 93,

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Alfred L. Peery ’48, a resident of Burlington, Vermont, died April 30, 2018, at age 91. Originally hired as a physicist with General Electric nuclear power, he worked in a variety of positions and jobs around the country. Many of his activities revolved around his deeply held commitment to economic and racial justice. In the early 1950s, he was involved with the Congress of Racial Equality, organizing community sit-ins. He was a volunteer with American Friends Service Committee, repairing housing for the Passamaquoddy Indian tribe in Maine and constructing self-help housing with African-American veterans in a slum clearance project in Indianapolis. He also worked for the Catholic Worker movement in Staten Island and the New York City Bowery. He and his wife worked as sharecroppers, taught at an African-American boarding school and were engaged with the civil rights actions, first working with Martin Luther King, Jr., and then joining peace marches against the Vietnam War.

of Radford, Virginia, passed away June 23, 2018. He was a successful salesman with Conagra Foods (Armour) for 39 years. He was a member of a local Masonic Lodge, the Lions Club and the Grove United Methodist Church. Frank E. Williamson ’49, a 95-year old U.S. Army veteran, passed away May 1, 2018, in Seaford, Delaware. Ted O. Kinser ’50, a resident of Greenville, Tennessee, died May 11, 2018. He retired as a purchasing agent with Ball Metal Corp. Kinser was a 40-year member of the Kiwanis Club and a member of Asbury United Methodist Church. He was predeceased by a brother, William E. Kinser ’48. Cynthia Dunn Weeks ’50 died March 18, 2018, in West Palm Beach, Florida. She worked at Tiffany & Co. in Parsippany, New Jersey, before retiring to Florida where she was active in the Pines Episcopal Church. She was predeceased by her father, Clarence Dunn 1916, and her husband, Philip Weeks ’54. Among her survivors is a son Dan Weeks ’78, and sister and brother-in-law, Helen Dunn Henrichs ’55 and George Henrichs ’55. Richard W. Gott ’51 passed away March 21, 2018, in Jacksonville, Florida. He was 91. Richard W. Graves ’51, U.S. Navy veteran of Burke, Virginia, died March 20, 2018. He was athletic director at Langley High School until he retired in 1987. His passions were golfing, bowling, swimming and helping others. His volunteer involvement included the Lamb Center, the National Lutheran Home and Dulles Airport Traveler’s Aid. He was a longtime member of Christ Lutheran Church, the American Legion, the Elks Lodge, and the Northern Virginia Athletic Directors, Administrators, and Coaches Association. William T. Norris Jr., M.D. ’51, age 90, passed away Feb. 22, 2018, in Salem, Virginia. Alice Laughlin Richardson ’51, of

Huntington, New York, died May 28, 2018. After earning a Master of Arts degree, she was employed with South Huntington School District as an elementary teacher. During her retirement, she remained active in golfing, bowling, playing bridge and attending movies. She also volunteered with Meals on Wheels for nearly 20 years. Leo L. Snarr Jr. ’51, U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War, died in Woodstock, Virginia, on April 2, 2018. He was president of Valley Builders Supply for 35 years until its closure in 1984. Passionate about politics, he became a legislative aide for Del. Al Smith and worked in Winchester and Richmond, Virginia, for 10 years. A lifelong Democrat, he served as Shenandoah County Chairman and on the State Central Committee for years. He also managed the campaign of U.S. Congressman Jack Marsh. In addition, Snarr served with many community organizations, including his roles of charter president of the Woodstock Jaycees, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Little League manager and umpire, Scoutmaster, and docent of Woodstock Museum. He served in many capacities with Emanuel Lutheran Church. Jack D. Owen ’52, U.S. Army veteran

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of World War II, passed away April 13, 2018, in Venice, Florida. He worked briefly for Sperry Corporation before joining General Electric in Lynchburg, Virginia, where he developed five patents and eventually became vice president of marketing for the Mobile Radio Division. After retiring, he was called back by General Electric to work in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Tampa, Florida; and Tallahassee, Florida. Owen had a lifelong love of learning. He enjoyed volunteering in the churches where he lived and serving as a tutor. Frank J. Whorley Jr. ’52 died May 16, 2018, in Palm Bay, Florida. He served in the Marine Corps from 1946-1951 and was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. A disabled veteran, he was a member of the Disabled American Veterans, American Legion and Paralyzed Veterans of America. Whorley was a procurement analyst with the federal government at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida, and during his career was awarded the Federal Employee of the Year, the Handicapped Federal Employee of the Year and the employee who made the outstanding contribution to equal opportunity. Ira (Ox) Hurt Jr. ’53, a U.S. Army vet-

eran of the Korean War, died June 28, 2018. He retired from Paine-Webber as a stockbroker. Athletic by nature, he loved helping others, listening to music and traveling the world with his wife. Among his survivors is a sister, Phyllis Hurt Marshall ’47. He was predeceased by two nieces, Dr. Cynthia Marshall ’77 and Susan Marshall Godwin ’72. Glenn N. Will ’54 passed away in Quebec City, Canada, on April 9, 2018. He was a science teacher at Annapolis Junior High School in Annapolis, Maryland, and at Irving and Cooper intermediate schools in Fairfax County, Virginia. His sister, Sylvia Will ’60, survives him. Nancy Litz Wood ’55 died May 10, 2018, in Newport News, Virginia. She was active in the lives of her three daughters and volunteered at their schools, led Girl Scout troops and served as a role model of kindness and empathy. Her love of adventure and culture inspired her to become a travel agent. Among her survivors is her husband, Dr. George Wood ’55, a retired NASA scientist. Yvonne Perry Pellett Boggio ’58, a resident of Chandler, Arizona, passed away March 3, 2018. She taught high school at Ramapo High School and Ramsey High School, both in New Jersey. As a field hockey coach at Ramsey, she was recognized as Bergen County Coach of the Year. While there, she coached boys and girls varsity bowling, and girls varsity tennis. She also coached girls varsity tennis at Ramapo. Boggio volunteered at Eva’s Village Soup Kitchen in Paterson, New Jersey, and was the recipient of the 1993 Northern New Jersey YMCA Service to Youth Award. Joseph W. Hatcher ’59 died June 22, 2018, in The Villages, Florida. He earned a master’s degree from Virginia Tech and began his career with Prentice-Hall publishers in Virginia and New York City as an continued on page 40

Sidney White Rhyne ’52 passed away Feb. 28, 2018. While attending Roanoke, he was admitted to Blue Key Honor Society and Phi Honor Society. He served on Honor Council, was editor-in-chief of the Brackety-Ack student newspaper, and ran track. After graduating from Roanoke, he attended the University of Pennsylvania Law School where he was editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. Rhyne started his career as an instructor at the U.S. Army Signal School in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. From 1957-2005, he practiced law in Washington, D.C., and was a member and managing attorney for 25 years with Mullin, Rhyne, Emmons & Topel. He was a sole practitioner from 1997-2005. During his legal career, he was also adjunct professor at the Georgetown Law Center, was president of the Federal Communications Bar Association and the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, and served on several Bar Associations. In addition, he was the principal author of briefs in seven cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. He was listed from 2002-2009 in Marquis Who’s Who in American Law, Who Who’s in America and Who Who’s in the World. Rhyne was predeceased by his father, Sidney White Rhyne Sr., class of 1918. His survivors include a grandson, Kendall Sidney Rhyne Jr. class of 2018.

M E M O R I A M

Roanoke loses two great talents n early 2018, the greater Roanoke Valley region lost two of its most colorful members, both Roanoke College alumni. Eddie Wiggins ’41, the Valley’s elder statesman of jazz, died March 24, at age 96. Days later, on March 27, Ben S. Beagle Jr. ’52, best known for his humor column that ran in The Roanoke Times from 1957 to 2010, died at the age of 90. Wiggins was president of a musician’s union, played clarinet and saxophone in bands and rounded up musicians for events and other performers who visited Roanoke, including famed entertainers Liberace and Engelbert Humperdinck. The popular Wiggins, a Roanoke native and World War II Navy veteran, was perhaps best known for leading the Northwest Jazz Band, a group comprised of amateur and experienced musicians. The group played big band and Broadway tunes and raised money for nonproﬁts. One of its missions was to allow young musicians to learn from older, experienced ones.

Eddie Wiggins was known as the Roanoke Valley’s elder statesman of jazz.

I N

Music, Wiggins said in 2013, “was just a part of me ever since I could remember.” Beagle was best known for his humor column that ran for more than 50 years in The Roanoke Times. His obituary described him as a “‘long-suﬀering’” Redskins fan with an aﬃnity for dogs and woodpiles,” a man who enjoyed writing satirical spoofs on Hemingway works. Beagle served in the United States Army at the end of World War II. He worked for the Radford News Journal and the Staunton News Leader before joining The Roanoke Times in 1954. His way with words was legendary, his popular column beloved. One of his best friends and newsroom colleagues, George Kegley ’49, told The Roanoke Times that Beagle “blazed the trail for column writing.” Among Beagle’s survivors is daughter Ann Beagle Beheler ’84.

Ben Beagle’s humor column ran for more than 50 years in The Roanoke Times.

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alumninews educational book salesman. He worked for several other publishers as a marketing executive and ended his career with McGraw-Hall as vice president in its international division. Hatcher traveled frequently to Europe and Asia as part of his work responsibilities. His wife, Ginny Cross Hatcher ’62, survives him. John L. Starkey Jr. ’59 died March 11, 2018, in Mooresville, North Carolina. He enjoyed reading, fishing, target shooting, playing guitar, and spending time with his family. He held an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University, Malibu, California. Raymond W. Davis ’60 passed away May 3, 2018, in Salisbury, Maryland. Influenced by his father’s marine transportation business, he was founder of his own C&P Tug and Barge Company, which he operated for over 46 years. Pamela Martin Ogden ’60 passed away June 1, 2018, in Salem, Virginia. Inspired by her artist aunt, the late Harriet Martin Stokes ’35, Ogden began showing her own work in local art shows and became an award-winning artist with her works in worldwide collections. She traveled the globe and loved camping and outdoor sports. Gardening was a lifelong passion and she became a Master Gardener

to share her knowledge. Robert E. Mentzinger ’61, a resident of Waynesboro, Virginia, died March 21, 2018. He headed his family’s business, C.F. Mentzinger and Sons Plumbing in Plainview, New York. After retiring to Virginia, he enjoyed hiking, biking and traveling with his wife. Mentzinger was a member of the Lions Club of Crozet, Virginia. Charles (Joe) Dickey ’65 died April 2, 2018, in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he worked in the family’s textile company, William A. Dickey & Company, in Ellicott City, Maryland. Dickey was a member of the American Legion, Baltimore Junior Chamber of Commerce and national director of the Appaloosa Horse Club. In addition, he was founder of several fundraising runs for community organizations. Passionate about motorcycling, he served as an instructor, was founder and director of a motorcycle rights group, and state coordinator of a motorcycle driver education group. During his lifetime, Dickey rode his motorcycle in 48 states and four provinces, accumulating over 500,000 miles. Floyd N. Bailey Jr. ’66, of Wirtz, Virginia, passed away March 5, 2018. He started his career with Eaton Corporation,

and after it closed in 1985, he opened his own business, Eurosport, in Rocky Mount, Virginia. His passion was rebuilding BMWs for his customers. William G. “Bill” Mangus Jr. ’67, a Roanoke Valley Realtor for over 40 years, passed away July 25, 2018. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he proudly served in Vietnam. Among his survivors is a brother, Cary Mangus ’68. Harriet Krug Miner ’67 passed away March 22, 2018, in Arlington, Virginia. William W. Cates ’68, of Charlottesville, Virginia, died March 25, 2018. He held a master’s degree in theatre from Hollins University. Described as a brilliant philosopher, photographer, writer, husband, father, winemaker and entrepreneur, he also was an active environmentalist, organic farmer and supporter of holistic medicine. Cates was a part of the group of parents who started Community School in Roanoke. He wrote many books, including a novel, “The Growing Season,” which won the fiction category of the Los Angeles Book Festival in 2015. His last novel, “A Wine to Die For,” was recently published. In the 1990s, he and his artist wife moved to California where they started the Tantara Winery. The company was featured in

National Geographic’s “The Ten Best of Everything.” As a celebrated winemaker, Cates continued to act as a wine consultant after he retired and returned to Virginia. Dale F. Houston ’68 died June 27, 2018, in Farmington, New Mexico. He proudly served in the U.S. Navy and was a member of the NRA and Elks. Deborah Ostheimer Nees ’69 died May 13, 2018. After retiring in 1995 from Warren Memorial Hospital, where she was a social worker, she took up her love of painting and won various medals and ribbons for her artwork. Debra Roop Smrchek ’70, of Longs, South Carolina, passed away on July 10, 2018. Smrchek, who held an M.S. from Virginia Tech, taught biology at the Academy of the Holy Cross in Kensington, Maryland, and was chairperson of the Science Department. During her 33-year teaching career, she was the school’s coach in the annual Chesapeake Bay Bowls, a competition in marine science for high school students. The Sigma Xi Outstanding Teacher Award was presented to her in 2000. Anne Moore Biser ’73, a longtime Baltimore County educator, died July 30, 2018. She received graduate degrees in

In Loving Memory Jane Curran Zehringer, a proud 1977 graduate of Roanoke College, enjoyed a distinguished career as an educator. While she was known for her vocabulary and grammatical precision, everyone who knew her enjoyed her infectious laughter and terrific sense of humor. She used her creative and artistic talents to benefit those around her, and by her sheer presence, she made the world a better place. In loving memory of Jane, who died on Jan. 21, 2018, the Jane Curran Zehringer ’77 Endowed Student Scholarship has been created. A value of $25,000 is required to endow the fund.

Jane Curran Zehringer, second from the left, with dear friends Pam Cabalka ’76 and Joanne Cassullo ’78, both members of the Roanoke College Board of Trustees, and husband, Bob Zehringer, at a College event in 2016.

Once funded, the scholarship, awarded annually, will provide financial assistance for a deserving female Roanoke College student. Renewable for four years, it will be awarded to a young woman of strong character who demonstrates need for financial assistance beyond her ability to pay for college expenses, and who is pursuing a major in Literary Studies with priority given to a student who is also pursuing teacher licensure. The College is accepting pledges and gifts to this endowment. Those who would like to participate may do so by visiting roanoke.edu/give, or by mailing contributions to: Roanoke College, Office of Resource Development, 221 College Lane, Salem, VA 24153. Please note that the gift is for the Jane Curran Zehringer ’77 Endowed Student Scholarship.

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both special education and counseling from Johns Hopkins University and Loyola College, respectively. During her career, she served as a teacher, special educator, counselor, tutor and reading specialist. Biser was an active member of the Towson United Methodist Church and with the Assistance Center of Towson Churches, which provides emergency help for people in need. Among her survivors are her husband, Doug Biser ’74 and son, Jordy Biser ’09. William Scott Allison ’75 passed away on Feb. 26, 2018, in Old Lyme, Connecticut. He worked off Broadway at the American Place Theater and was the stage manager for a Bill Irwin production at Lincoln Center. He went on to work as the business manager for a Madison Avenue interior decorating firm and later obtained his master’s degree in social work from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Allison worked for 16 years as a social worker for the State of New York in Albany. Thomas C. Davenport ’75 died April 23, 2018, in Millersville, Maryland. As a U.S. Army warrant officer during the Vietnam War, he flew medivac helicopters. After his military service, he was employed with Tate Access Flooring and Irvine Access Flooring Inc., where he thrived in a long career as a sales executive. Davenport was a world traveler and an avid golfer. Lori Smith Davidson ’80 died June 27, 2018, in Christiansburg, Virginia. Timothy R. Archie ’82, of Alexandria, Virginia, died March 19, 2018. After graduating from Roanoke, Archie moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked with the College Republican National Committee. He worked many years in Republican politics, for U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole at the Department of Transportation, for President Ronald Reagan in the Office of Public Liaison at the White House, and for the 1988 presidential primary campaign of U.S. Sen. Robert Dole. In 1990, Archie embarked on a second successful career in interior design. William G. deWindt ’82, of Vinton, Virginia, passed away Aug. 14, 2018. After 10 years of employment as the finance manager at Shelton-Witt Equipment Corp., deWindt spent most of his career working as a credit/finance manager at Carter Machinery. He retired in 2012 after 30 years at the Salem office. John M. Browning ’84, of Frederick, Maryland, passed away April 8, 2018. During his years at Roanoke, he was an All-American soccer goalkeeper. Browning worked for several years in various operations management jobs before enrolling at Frederick Community College to launch a

Christine Lambros Dimitroff ’02, a Coast Guard lieutenant who was involved in follow-up investigations of those affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig disaster, died Aug. 12, 2018 at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, of a brain tumor. After graduating from Roanoke with a B.S. in criminal justice, she served a year in AmeriCorps, building houses for Habitat for Humanity. She later began a career in the U.S. Coast Guard by attending Officer Candidate School at the Academy in New London, Conn. After graduation, Dimitroff was posted in San Diego, where she served on the USCG Cutter Chase, interdicting seaborne drug traffickers and helping boaters in distress. She was then stationed in New Orleans, where she inspected vessels and created collision prevention policy for harbor traffic, then hit her stride when she was assigned to the Office of Investigations. She took on the huge task of completing the investigation of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. Determined, she was still working on her laptop the night before her first surgery. The Coast Guard later stationed her in Baltimore so that she could be close to specialized treatment and family. It was during a church mission trip in March 2017 to put a new roof on a clinic in Haiti that she experienced a seizure, starting a chain of events that included two brain surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy. In keeping with her lifetime of service to others, she donated her body to science in the hope of advancing cancer research. Among her survivors is sister Valerie Lambros Coughanour ’98. Donations may be made in Dimitroff’s name to Compassion International, through which she sponsored a child, at: Compassion International, 12290 Voyager Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO 80921. Photo and obituary courtesy of Valerie L. Coughanour.

career as a respiratory therapist. He worked in that profession for 20 years, first with Johns Hopkins Hospital and then with the Veterans Administration Hospital in Washington, D.C. Browning coached numerous youth and college soccer teams throughout the years and volunteered with the Mental Health Association of Frederick County. His wife, Jill Ashbury Browning ’83, is among his survivors. Michael E. Stanley ’91, of Vinton, Virginia, died May 23, 2018. He was retired from the Virginia Department of Corrections with 25 years of service. Michael A. Cooper ’92 passed away July 19, 2018. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he was employed with the Roanoke City Fire Department in the Fire Inspection Division, and with Roanoke City Schools as a teacher and middle school principal. Cooper was a passionate model railroad enthusiast.

Marilyn Wines Holman ’95 died June 22, 2018, in Frederick, Maryland. She taught elementary art, from kindergarten through the fifth grade, for over 10 years at several Frederick County schools. Holman was a member of Damascus Road Community Church, where she taught Sunday school. She also helped establish the IASLC (International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer) Care Award, a global award that recognizes outstanding patient care and honors multi-disciplinary teams working together to provide the highest quality cancer care. Her husband of 22 years, Matthew Holman ’95, survives her. Sandra M. Londono ’97, a resident of Miami, Florida, died June 5, 2018. During her college career, she was a member of

Delta Gamma, played field hockey and formed lifelong friendships. She earned a Master of Arts degree in social work from Florida International University and was licensed in clinical social work. Joshua G. Ferrier ’13 passed away May 23, 2018, in Bryan, Texas. He was married to Emily Herron Ferrier ’15, and was passionate about politics, poetry, music, singing and cooking. During his time at Roanoke, he was a member of the College choir as well as Looking for an Echo, a men’s a capella group. Ferrier served as the Southwest Virginia campaign manager for President Barack Obama’s second term. Ferrier is survived by his wife, their son and his sister, Rebekkah Ferrier Corkey ’12. RC

April L. Saul ’13, Phi Beta Kappa inductee and salutatorian of her Roanoke College graduating class, died March 26, 2018, of natural causes in Blacksburg, Virginia. During her years at Roanoke, she was a member of Pi Mu Epsilon, a national collegiate mathematics honor society; Alpha Chi, a national academic honor society; and Alpha Epsilon Delta, the national health pre-professional honor society. As an undergraduate, she developed extensive research experience involving nonlinear dynamics with applications to biological systems. She earned a master’s degree in mathematics from Virginia Tech in 2015, and was pursuing a second undergraduate degree in economics from Roanoke. Saul loved learning, traveling, cooking, decorating and competing in races. She was an accomplished author who published under the nom de plume, “A.S. VonDilzer.” Her works included “Martinis with a Twist,” “Enchanted Knights,” and “A Spy’s Guide to Martinis.” Her last novel, “Hot Passion, Cold Chills,” is soon to be published. At the time of her death, she was working in the family business, Physics Associates, LLC in Roanoke, Virginia.

ROANOKE.EDU

COLLEGE ARCHIVES B Y D R. M AR K M ILLER

A Look Back at Historic Monterey

One of the earliest photographs of Monterey is from 1889 featuring W.A.R. Goodwin and his fraternity brothers on the front porch.

EdIToR’S NoTE: For the past seven years, dr. Mark Miller, david F. Bittle College Historian and professor of history at Roanoke College, has oﬀered remarks — stories really — to the College’s Board of Trustees. These “Board Minutes,” delivered informally over dinners and receptions, have been compiled into a book, titled “Board Talks.” What follows is dr. Miller’s most recent talk, a retelling of the history of Monterey Guest House, whose renovation was unveiled in october of this year. owell Huﬀ was a man about town. Born in the late 18th century, he had served in the War of 1812 and was later involved in town politics, businesses and speculation. As early as 1833, he began buying tracts on the town’s most prominent hill, and almost 20 years later, was ready to begin construction on his most proper home. Salem was prospering in the early 1850s. The town population had dou-

42 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2018

bled to almost 4,000. The railroad had arrived in 1852. The town had ordered two new streets to be laid out. And if there was any question about where Salem’s loyalties lay, they honored two departed Southern political icons, Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun, with Clay and Calhoun streets, which are alive and well today. The town’s academy had just received its new charter from the state and Roanoke College opened for business. Huﬀ hired J.C. Deyerle and his crew to begin construction on his

The house was truly a social center of Salem for most of the 20th century; family members recalled how the back door was always unlocked; everyone used it for coming and going. new home. Deyerle was among the first in western Virginia to build in brick. To be able to do so, he had gone to Richmond some years before to literally “buy” a crew. These enslaved brick workers had built numerous structures around the Roanoke Valley, including the College’s Administration Building and the future Miller Hall. Along with the main house, the rear slave quarters and the Clay Street House were all finished around 1853. Yet despite decades of planning and the realization of his dream house, Powell Huff fell on hard times just a few years later, and he had to sell off his house on the hill. It changed hands a few times but by 1860, Col. Henry and Nancy Chapman moved in. The Chapmans had a pedigree as long as Powell Huff’s, and their time

in the house would be almost as short as Huff’s. Although the Chapmans had 10 children, five would not survive infancy and three others died as young adults, including son Thomas, a Roanoke student who was killed by Union troops moving into Salem and defended by the College company. The house had a commanding view of the only other major Civil War action in Salem. A column of retreating Union troops raced into town from the east and turned up Craig Road (Craig Ave today) in their attempt to flee to West Virginia. Colonel Chapman died in December 1862 and his wife just four months later. The two surviving daughters struggled to hold onto the property until 1871. The house would pass into other hands between 1871 and 1885. But life changed for the property after that. Two sisters acquired it and “Monterey” was born. They opened the Hotel Monterey (why they chose that name is not known), which was a combination hotel/boarding house/sanitarium. One of the earliest photographs of Monterey is from 1889 featuring W.A.R. Goodwin and his fraternity brothers on the front porch. Goodwin would go on to become “the Father of Colonial Williamsburg,” with John D. Rockefeller’s help, in the 1920s and 1930s. The hotel’s heyday ran from 1890 to 1915 when it featured guests “from around the country” staying at this mountain resort to escape the heat and disease of the Southern low country. The hotel advertised routinely in newspapers from Florida to New Orleans in its efforts to attract tourists to the “Switzerland of the South.” The property added a carriage house in 1898, a covered walkway connecting the main building to the Quarters, and a new porch on the back building. In a final note, the hotel hosted an elegant dinner for Lutheran dignitaries in 1910 during which they considered the question

Monterey today.

of coeducation for Roanoke, the proposed relocation of Marion College, and the possibility of a new college for women in Salem. The outcome would eventually result in the establishment of Elizabeth College, our sister school, in 1912. Boarding house days would end in 1922 with the arrival of the Albert family. Charles and Emma Albert and their three daughters would keep Monterey in the family for the next 80 years. Charles Albert amassed his fortune through his construction business specializing in highway building. He was the principal contractor for the Blue Ridge Parkway and countless other projects, including Civilian Conservation Corps camps during FDR’s New Deal and the early stages of the Appalachian Trail. Albert refurbished the back house —our “Quarters”—and turned it into his company oﬃce. He added

An Alumni Weekend class reunion at Monterey in 2013.

the little side door facing High Street and the phantom steps across from Chalmers that offered a path up to his office. The main house had major renovations: new plumbing, new electric service, a rebuilt portico and a sunroom addition. The Alberts also reacquired the Clay Street House and used it to house their African-American yard and handy man, John Herbert. The family cook, Lottie Abbott, lived above the office in the back house. The house was truly a social center of Salem for most of the 20th century; family members recalled how the back door was always unlocked; everyone used it for coming and going. The College had always quietly coveted the house, but it became a lot less quiet when the Roanoke newspaper published a trustee planning document in 1959 with the caption “Future Presidents Home” over Monterey. Katherine and Richard Burke, who inherited the property from her parents, were not amused. In a sense, the College got part of its wish in 1985 when Katherine Burke agreed to sell what was known as the Cross House, built nearby by Charles Albert for a younger daughter. The College rededicated it as the Fowler House shortly thereafter. Then, in their “Back to Campus” move, Dr. Norman Fintel, the College’s eighth president, and his wife, Jo, moved into the Cross House in 1986 and stayed there through the end of his presidency in 1989. So at least part of Monterey did become the President’s Home after all. I can remember one other College run-in with Katherine Burke, a redoubtable woman. After Roanoke County sold the old county courthouse to the College, a new one was built, with a jail in back that faced Monterey. Burke tried her best to defeat the project but ultimately failed. To try and cover the view, she planted a row of trees across the top of the hill along the wall

above Clay Street. All was well until the freshman recruits of the men’s lacrosse team were assigned certain campus improvement tasks. One freshman, who happened to be my advisee, was directed to cut down those trees. The student wasn’t hugely gifted with a saw and ax, so he only managed to cut down one down and mangle another. Mrs. Burke appeared behind him at 2 a.m. As my student reported, he was happy to see the police arrive! The College acquired the property in 2002 and has been busy with maintenance and upkeep ever since. Dr. Sabine O’Hara, the College’s 10th president, proposed picking up Monterey, pivoting it up and back to the right, and then building two ﬂanking rows of buildings extending down the lawn to High Street. It was imagined as a conference/seminar facility. A lot of time has been spent researching and studying. Archaeological digs have taken place out back for more than a decade, and that work has only begun. The yard is a treasure trove of 19th- century material, and we still haven’t located the outbuildings, such as the wellhouse, smokehouse, privies, kitchen, and the coops, pens and compounds. History students, too, have been working in the courthouse identifying property books, census data, tax lists, wills and probates, and much more. This journey has only begun, too. The College’s Public History program is excited to interpret these properties. The Clay Street House is newly furnished, and the Quarters renovation is just underway. Landscaping plans are on the board as well. Along with the majestic new Monterey itself, this living history site aﬀords our students a resource almost unmatched anywhere in the country. Soon, our costumed interns will welcome school groups, clubs and societies as we open these properties to the public. RC ROANOKE.EDU

relic:

noun. An object surviving from an earlier time, especially one of historical or sentimental interest; an artifact having interest by reason of its age or its association with the past.

First Student Handbook 1898 Published by the YMCA, this pocket-sized edition is Roanoke Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest known student handbook. It included a variety of informational tidbits deemed useful for surviving college life, including a laundry list for keeping track of clothes, college colors and cheers, advertisements promoting local business, Bible verses scrolled atop each page, and the obligatory school calendar.

44 ROANOKE COLLEGE MAGAZINE | ISSUE TWO 2018

ichael Haley ’73 didn’t grow up in a family of means. A native of Henry County, Virginia, he was the youngest of eight children. His father died when Haley was 3. Hardship followed, deepened by the family house burning to the ground when he was 6. “We were poor but didn’t know it,” Haley says. “But I had a mother who was just outstanding. I had a lot of self-confidence.” And a strong work ethic. “Work didn’t scare me,” says Haley, whose first job was at the age of 10, pulling weeds from sand traps and caddying at a country club golf course, where his brother was golf pro. He developed a love for golf then, and in high school he joined the golf team, serving as team captain in his sophomore, junior and senior years. When time came for college, Haley considered several schools, public and private, that had accepted him but whose fees were more than he thought he could afford. Al Prillaman ’68, a family friend who taught social studies at Haley’s high school, asked Haley if he had considered Roanoke College. Prillaman brought Haley to Salem for a campus visit. Long story short, Haley enrolled at Roanoke College in the fall of 1969. That same, strong work ethic continued at Roanoke, in part, a condition of Haley’s financial aid package. He worked in the library, in the Alumni Gym, as an assistant to the Dean of Students. He also studied hard, majoring in business administration, and joined the golf team. After graduation, Haley worked for an insurance company in Roanoke County, followed by years at a Martinsville furniture company, where he climbed the ranks to company president. He then moved into private equities, a financial field in which he worked for 18 years before retiring. He became, in his words, “successful in my career.” In 2013, Haley joined the Roanoke College Board of Trustees. That year, he made a gift to the College of $1 million to support student scholarships, experiential learning opportunities — and the creation of a golf endowment. Golf “is sometimes looked at as a rich kid’s sport, but playing golf introduced me to parts of the world unfamiliar to me,” Haley says. “It taught me a lot of good traits in life — honesty, respect, getting along. The world needs a good dose of that today.” Student scholarships “help level the playing field,” he says. “People of lesser means need the same opportunities. I was one of those kids. And I know without Roanoke College I wouldn’t be where I am today.” “When I showed up, Roanoke College not only extended a hand but put a hand around my shoulder. I felt obligated to give back.”

With his wife, Joy, at a Board of Trustees dinner.

“

When I showed up, Roanoke College not only extended a hand but put a hand around my shoulder. I felt obligated to give back.

”

— Michael Haley ’73

As a student at Roanoke College.

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