Today,FALL/WINTER 2004 1 - University of the Ozarks

alumni newsworking as a first-grade teacher in theLonoke (Ark.) School District.Ulysses Ruley ’03 is the head seniorhigh, junior high and seventh grade basketballcoach at the Acorn (Ark.) schools. Healso coaches cross country, track, tennis andgolf. Wife Charity (Tyree) Ruley ’02 is anadmissions counselor at Ozarks.Jeremy Bernard ’04 and Julie(Richardson) Bernard ’03 were marriedon June 19, 2004, in Lindale, Texas. After ahoneymoon to Jamaica, the couple is livingin Conway.Michael Bollman ’04 and Anneke(Binkley) Bollman ’03 recently moved toFordyce, Ark., where he is working as thehead basketball coach for grades 7-12 atKingsland High School. The couple have a2-year-old daughter, Halle.Carlo Leon ’04 is living in Guatemalawhere he works for CSI Guatemala, a localreal estate company.Holly Rexroat ’04 is living in FortWorth, Texas, and teaching Spanish as wellas serving as an assistant coach for a highschool football program.Josh Underwood ’04 married JessicaKarns on July 24, 2004, in Subiaco, Ark.They now live in Lavaca, Ark., where heteaches math at the high school and juniorhigh levels.Tiffany (Villines) Rodden ’05 marriedMatthew Rodden on July 24, 2004, inCompton, Ark. Tiffany is completing a degreein elementary education at Ozarks. Thecouple lives in Clarksville.Alaska community honors Ward ’48Doris Owen Ward has always hada sense of adventure about her, so it’slittle surprise that she has ended upmaking a difference in a small communityin Alaska.Ward, a 1948 Ozarks graduate, haslived in Haines, Alaska, since 1965,moving there to teach high schoolEnglish almost 40 years ago. Haines isa picturesque community of about2,000 people situated on the upper endof the Inside Passage in southeastAlaska. The community, in an areaknown as the Valley of the Eagles, issurrounded by snowcapped mountains,lush meadows and dense forests.“When I got off the ferry, I thinkmy mouth was agape for the firstcouple of days,” said Ward, who grewup in Beebe, Ark. “The funny thing isthat I didn’t really care for the cold.But, needless to say, I got used to it.”Retired since the mid-1970s, Wardhas turned her energies in the lastquarter of a century toward communityservice in Haines, volunteeringher time and resources in such areas asthe library, museum, PresbyterianChurch and the schools. She has madesuch an impact on the small communitythat she was honored on June 13with a surprise reception declaring itas Doris Owen Ward AppreciationDay. The celebration, held in animpressive new community library,was attended by numerous people inthe community, including the mayor.The highlight of the event was theannouncement that the library’s communityroom would be named the DorisOwen Ward Community Room.“I was completely bowled over byall of it,” said Ward. “It was a bigsurprise and a great honor, especiallythe naming of the community room. Ijust couldn’t get over it.”Ward said growing up in ruralArkansas, she always had an urge “to Lloyd Goodwin, Doris Owen Guard Ward (1932-35)see what was out there in the world.” The Clarksville native was a standout linemanShe caught a Greyhound Bus with a and team Alaska, captain helped for Mountaineer with high school teams offriend right after high school to visit 1934 alumni and 1935 events that went and volunteered a combined 12-4-2 at theand outscored their opponents 357-102. Also aNew York City. “My mom and dad Presbyterian Church. She also regularlyturns out at the communitygreat boxer, the 6-foot, 205-pound Goodwinnever put obstacles in my way as far as led a defense that pitched 12 shutouts in 1934-my interest in travel,” she said. 35. Legendary cleanup day. Alabama football coach FrankAfter graduating from Ozarks, she Thomas “Doris once called is just Goodwin a great the person,” “best guard saidwrote for small papers and earned her in the Jeff South.” Stout, Goodwin, president nicknamed of the Haines “Goody”,played a half a season of pro ball with themaster’s degree before getting a civilian Chamber of Commerce, which electedChicago Cardinals in 1936 before stomachjob as a newswriter for the U.S. Air Ward as the community’s “Citizen ofulcers sent him home. He died tragically inForce, which eventually took her to February the Year” of 1937 a few at the years age ago. of 23 “Everyone afterJapan. It was there that she learned catching this pneumonia community while speaks performing very highly floodabout the opportunity to teach in duty of with Doris.” the National Guard.Alaska. It was in Alaska that she met Ward downplays her communityand married her late husband, Lonnie Karl Qualls, Back service (1951-54) efforts.Ward, an educator whoOnediedofinthe1997.best all-around athletes “They’re in the all things that people justhistory of the college, the ClarksvilleOver the past 25 years native’s Ward’s ought to do,” she said. “When everybestsport was football where heinvolvement in the community was a four-time has been All-AIC body first-team works on the things they like, thetireless. She has served selection. the library The 5-8, 175-pound community Qualls grows. When you look atboard for 19 years, helped combined found amazing and quickness, things toughness we have, the library, museum,then serve as a volunteerandforbalancetheto rush for arts 2,106 council, yards in it’s his all because ofcareer. He was the 1953 AIC Back of theSheldon Museum, been Year involved after leading with volunteerism. There’s a pleasure thatOzarks to a 5-2-1 recordthe Chilkat Valley Historical and a second-place Society, finish comes in the from AIC. it He that you don’t get in abeen a member of the Pioneers would go on of to spend 33 paid years job.” as a coachand teacher at Ozarks.Today, FALL/WINTER 2004 19