THE LION – ALUMNI MAGAZINE - St Mark's Church School

Overseas Alumni
We have many alumni living and working in foreign
lands with incredible stories of challenges, hardships,
successes and that great kiwi spirit of adventure.
We have alumni in England, the United States of
America, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Australia...Each Lion
Magazine we would like to tell your stories.
This edition we are looking at John McLevie’s story
from the Class of 42.
John attended St Mark’s as a clergy son, as his
father was the Vicar at St Barnabas’ Roseneath.
Among his friends were the Robertshawe children and
Barbara Holm, who was related to the Headmistress
Annie Holm. John went on to Wellington College
and then to work at the Reserve Bank. He decided
he wanted to be a teacher and finished his degree
at Victoria University. He went on to teach at Rongotai
College as a PE and History teacher. He married
Elaine, a teacher at Wellington East Girls College, and
they decided to go overseas for 18months, however
they never returned! (except for a holiday).
John spent time teaching in low income schools
in London and then taught at Alexandra Grammar
school in Singapore where he became housemaster
of the Boarding school. He has just visited 14 Ghurka
men who had been boarders and are now all retired
from the British and Nepalese armies.
They continued to see the world and went to Hong
Kong where John became a lecturer in Education.
They also had their 3rd child and after 4 years decided
to go to the US. Both Elaine and John went to Michigan
State University where they completed PhD’s in
English and Education. John then went to San Diego
State University where, over 14 years, climbed to the
rank of Full Professor and the Director of Teacher
Education. He also spent 3 years in Brazil as Chief of
Party of a US consulting team. He then proceeded to
Associate Dean for Teacher Education at the University
of Houston at Clear Lake, Texas. John and Elaine headed
back to California where they took up positions which
involved John visiting 54 universities training teachers
for schools. He then retired but spent 2 years as
a visiting professor at Northern Illinois University,
West of Chicago.
They finally settled down in San Diego to be near their
children and 7 grandchildren. Of course this didn’t
stop them as they are now volunteers at the Episcopal
Refugee network where John is President and Elaine
is the Community Relations Officer. They serve
refugees settled in the area by the UN and the US
government. They have about 3500 Sudanese from
Kenya and Cairo camps; 2000 Karen and Karenni
Hills tribes-people from the Thailand border and
about 200 Bhutanese from Nepal. Their jobs are
very busy helping the refugees learn English, get jobs
and housing.
John hopes to
visit Wellington
when the World
Cup is on in
September.
John and Majur Malou, the Executive Director of the
Refugee Network. He is a refugee from Sudan and
works with refugees from Sudan, Darfur, Myanmar and
Bhutan who have been resettled in the San Diego area.
23 Adelaide Road · P O Box 7134 · Wellington 6242
4110
Do you Remember The 1950’s and 60’s
Queen Mother’s Visit
Standard 4 Boys
1955 School Band
Future All Blacks? 1969
23 Adelaide Road · P O Box 7134 · Wellington 6242
1960’s holding
the school banner
Knights of the Road
1955 Dark Woods Production
Happy 35th Birthday St Mark’s
1969 School Choir
12 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 The Lion - Alumni Magazine Winter Edition 2011 13
4110
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