Alumni Alumni - Whitman College

AlumniAlumniBy Dave HoldenSince 1977, Dr. Larry Pedegana ’63 has kept the Marinershealthy enough toBall!PlayHe never threw a pitch, caught a flyball or swung a bat, but Dr. LarryPedegana ’63 played a critical role inthe success of the Seattle Mariners baseballteam for nearly three decades.Pedegana, who still nurses a bumknee from his days as a Whitman footballplayer, stepped down this spring asdirector of the Mariners medical staff,having served as the team’s physiciansince the club’s inception in 1977.To mark his retirement, the Marinershonored the doctor during pre-gameceremonies on Opening Day of the 2006season at Safeco Field in early April.A handful of senior team officials huddledaround home plate, presenting theorthopedic surgeon and former Whitmanfootball star with a “Silver Scalpel.”In parting ways with professionalbaseball, Pedegana takes with himenough memories to stuff a locker roomor fill a book. He hasn’t forgotten thesense of excitement that came with hisfirst few years in the Major Leagues, andtime has yet to diminish the thrills ofSeattle’s first-ever surge into the playoffsin 1995. He still marvels at the tremendousnatural athlete that was the youngKen Griffey, Jr., and at the impressivework ethics he saw in such stars as EdgarMartinez and Alex Rodriguez.As a veteran baseball insider, Pede-gana knows star athletes can act in waysthat a pampered movie star might findinsufferable. Yet he admires and respectsthe way most players have kept theirfame, fortune and egos in perspective —even as player salaries skyrocketed towhat he calls “stupefying” levels. Hisfondest memories relateto being treated just likeone of the guys.Norm Charlton, aMariners left-handedrelief pitcher whoretired a few years ago,was a first-class practicaljoker in a sport thattreats prankish behavioras an art form. Twoweeks after performingextensive surgery onCharlton’s throwingshoulder, Pedegana washorrified when anexcited clubhousestaffer showed him aworkout videotape of adetermined Charltonthrowing again. AsPedegana knew betterthan anyone, throwing so soon aftersurgery would immediately undo all ofhis surgical repairs. As it turns out, thesurprisingly ambidextrous Charlton hadthe videotape shot with the help ofmirrors as he threw with his right arm —Larry Pedegana ’63Whitman football 1961all in the interest of provoking the gooddoctor.Noting that life often turns on pivotalmoments, Pedegana is ready with storiesabout the circumstances that first turnedhim to Whitman and later to the Mariners.After graduating from Issaquah HighSchool in 1959, he enrolled at Whitman atthe somewhat blunt suggestion of aschool administrator. Summoned one dayto the principal’s office, he approachedthe meeting with a “lot of fear and trepidationas I did have an occasional beerwhile in high school,” he says.“I sat down in his office, and he said,‘Larry, I have been watching you the pastcouple of years, and you’re going toWhitman College.’ He went on to tell methat the admission wastaken care of and therewould be some financialaid for me.”After graduating fromWhitman and earninghis medical degree atthe University ofAlberta, Pedegana spenttwo years in the Navyand completed his residencyat the Universityof Washington in 1976.With his own healthtaking a momentary hit(surgery for a benignbrain tumor), he wasforced to decline afellowship at a LosAngeles orthopedicclinic headed by sportsmedicine pioneers Dr.Robert Kerlan and Dr. Frank Jobe.However, Pedegana was able to spend afew weeks working in the clinic, and anoff-hand comment changed his life.Pedegana expressed interest in Seattle’snew baseball team. Kerlan — alreadywell connected in the sports world,having helped future Hall of Fame baseballpitcher Sandy Koufax with his elbowproblems in the 1960s — picked up aphone and made a few calls. Withinminutes, Pedegana was the fledglingMariners’ first team physician. “I wasstunned at the time,” he recalls.Given his own injury-hampered footballcareer at Whitman, Pedegana waswell equipped to empathize with theemotional trauma he later saw in thefaces and psyches of seriously injuredMariners players.“There were many times when I felt Iwas as much an amateur psychologist asI was an orthopedic surgeon,” he says.“There is a lot of emotion involved whenan athlete is injured. I know I was abasket case when I suffered a seriousinjury during my sophomore year atWhitman. That was a very bad time forme. I almost flunked out of school.”All was well, however, during Pedegana’sfreshman football season. He startedevery game as a 5-foot-9, 155-pound fullback,and the Missionaries won their firstfour games en route to a 5-3 record. Ayear later, Whitman got off to anothergood start before injuries sidelined Pedeganaand other key players.Pedegana’s injury was diagnosedearly that season as “water on the knee.”“I was pretty unsophisticated and knew(the team physician) was right becausehe kept taking ‘water’ off my knee (usinga needle and syringe).” Pedegana keptplaying until the knee was severelyinjured late in the season. An orthopedicsurgeon at that game diagnosed tornmedial and lateral menisci. The physician,Ernest Burgess, later became one ofPedegana’s partners at OrthopedicsInternational.After missing his junior season, Pedeganareturned to play what he remembersas a “mediocre” senior season. “Ihad lost some quickness and neverregained confidence in my knee.” Meanwhile,he majored in biology and remembersretired professor Arthur Rempelwith great fondness and respect. He alsoremained active in his Phi Delta Thetafraternity, serving as president and rushchairman.Those fraternity ties remain as strongas ever. With the end of his pro baseballcareer, Pedegana is pleased to have moretime for one of his favorite Whitmantraditions. He and fraternity brothersJerry Hillis ’61, Morrie Shore ’60and Pat Smith ’61 get together once ayear to revisit the good ol’ days. Thissummer’s venue is a horseback-riding,fly-fishing trip to Eastern Oregon.“Among ourselves,” Pedegana notes,“we’re known as the Geezers.”Ben VanHoutenDr. Larry Pedegana ’63,center, is pictured withMariners officials onOpening Day of the 2006baseball season. Shownleft to right are: HowardLincoln, CEO; John Ellis,chairman emeritus;Pedegana; ChuckArmstrong, president;and Bill Bavasi, generalmanager. Armstrongsaid of Pedegana: “Weshall miss his skilland expertise and hispresence.” Pedegana iscontinuing his privatepractice, OrthopedicsInternational, in Seattle.Photo courtesy of Larry Pedegana ’63Pedegana and three of his Phi Delta Thetafraternity brothers call themselves the“Geezers,” and they meet once a year fora vacation. Shown on a recent summerexcursion are, from left to right, Pedegana,Morrie Shore ’60, Pat Smith ’61 and JerryHillis ’61.“There were many timeswhen I felt I was as muchan amateur psychologistas I was an orthopedicsurgeon. There is a lot ofemotion involved when anathlete is injured.”­— Dr. Larry Pedegana ’6326 Whitman Magazine July 2006 27

AlumniWhitmanAlumniCollectionEugene Nordstrom ’62 is the authorof “The Honeymoon Car” (Xlibris, 2006),a love story about two couples, decadesapart, drawn together in an extraordinaryway. “Out of the mists of time, a pristinePackard Super 8 pulls up to a fashionablelakeside resort. How could curiousonlookers know its young passengershave come from a wedding that occurred53 years earlier?”Dr. George Ballsports a WhitmanCollege jacket.Ben Kerkvliet ’65 is the author of “The Power of EverydayPolitics: How Vietnamese Peasants TransformedNational Policy” (Ithaca, NY; Cornell University Press,2005). He teaches at Australian National University. Thebook is based on research in Vietnam’s National Archivesand in the Red River Delta.Debra Dean ’80 is the author of “The Madonnas ofLeningrad” (Harper Collins), a historical thriller partlyset in the smoldering ruins of World War II. Amazon.com:“Russian emigré Marina Buriakov, 82, is preparing forher granddaughter’s wedding near Seattle while fightinga losing battle against Alzheimer’s.Struggling to remember whom Katieis, Marina does remember her youthas a Hermitage Museum docent as thesiege of Leningrad began; it is into thesememories that she disappears.”James Hagen ’82 is the author of“Community in the Balance: Moralityand Social Change in an IndonesianSociety” (Paradigm Publishers, 2006).The book “examines the conflicts andtensions that permeate day-to-day interactions of a peoplein a remote region of the Eastern Indonesian province ofMaluku,” according to Amazon.com.50th Reunion of the Class of 1956ROW 1: Dwyla Donohue, Nancy AllenSilvernale, Sylvia Gates Schuler, JackieBailey Kluksdahl, Shirley McLarenWalker, Roger Strawick, Dean Mock ’57,Arla Daniel Mock, Jan McCowan Box,Gloria Sells, Lee Sells. ROW 2: BobBurton, Barbara Ogden Pearson, GeneTennyson, Leslie Bennett Tennyson ’59,Connie Andrus Thorson, Frank Kimball,Jo Benefiel Allison, Sue McCarterClark, Pauline Westling Stearns, RalphStearns, Bob Coffin, Gordon Price.ROW 3: Gene Pearson, Judy Lytel Price,Karen McCormick Fowler, Jane SmistadAnderson, Ellen McGillivray Luhrs (farright), Shirley Quine Coffin. ROW 4:Nancy Wright, Bruce Wright, HarryFoster ’54, Dick Thorson ’55, RuthGrant Baumgartner, Dale Baumgartner,Marowyn Zerba, Clark Zerba.ROW 5: Phil Tjelle, Carole Jo BostonTjelle, Nancy Huff Wolfe, Ole Smistad,Justine Wood, Penny Penrose Bignold,Mary Evelyn Dean. ROW 6: Gary Fowler,Peter Gram, Helen Fronk Gram, NedLange, Priscilla Alsip Lange ’61 (in frontof Ned), Milt Watson, Shirley Watson,Nan Soden Best, Gloria Talbot Derbawka.ROW 7: Fred Shields, Marinez Shields.Kathryn Farrell Guizar ’95WhitmanCollege Bookstore(509) 527-5274www.whitman.edu/bookstoreSeattle author and Whitman alumna Lyanda LynnHaupt ’87 is the author of “Pilgrim on the GreatBird Continent: The Importance ofEverything and Other Lessons fromDarwin’s Lost Notebooks” (Little,Brown and Company, March 2006).The book looks at Charles Darwin’sdevelopment as a naturalist and whatwe can learn from his studies abouttaking time to notice and appreciatethe small things in life. Haupt is alsoauthor of “Rare Encounters withOrdinary Birds,” winner of the 2002Washington State Book Award.Jessica Singer ’94 is the authorof “Stirring Up Justice: Writingand Reading to Change the World”(Heinemann Publishing, 2006). Thisbook takes you through Singer’slanguage arts workshops to revealthe possibilities for improving criticalawareness and “to prove whata potent and lasting effect socialactivism can have on students,”according to the book jacket.28 Whitman Magazine July 2006 29

AlumniReunionsFall Reunion WeekendSept. 29-Oct. 1, 2006Class of 1981Classes of 1985, 1986, 1987Class of 1996Spring Reunion 2007April 26-29, 2007Class of 1967Classes of 1971, 1972, 197350th Reunion 2007­May 17-20, 2007Class of 195750-plus Reunion­June 8-10, 2007Classes of 1956 and earlierSpecial gatherings for:55th reunion 1952, 195360th reunion 1947, 194865th reunion 1942, 1943Information concerning reunions will be mailed toall class members; see www.whitman.edu/alumni/reunions.cfm for updates.WhitmanOnline!Register today for the updatedWhitman Online community andgain access to our new site withregularly updated informationon Whitman alumni all over theworld. Search by city, class year,major, sport or club, even career— and, best of all, it’s free!http://www.alumniconnections.com/whitmancollege/:)Questions? Call 1.800.835.9448 ext. 1.Alumnus from 1955 earns honorary doctorate in 2006Described in a recent news storyas “an elegant gentleman with greatvision,” Robert W. Young ’55 wasrecognized at Commencement May 21with the honorary degree doctor ofpublic service. He was unable to attendthe ceremony due to health reasons,but is doing well at his San Franciscohome now.A successful businessman, engagedcommunity leader and philanthropist,Young exemplifies the attributesdefined by the honorary degree andrepresents some of Whitman’s mostcherished ideals.A business administration andeconomics major at Whitman, Younginvested in property in the Tri-Citiesafter college. These investments formedthe base for what is now the successfulreal estate development and managementbusiness,Robert Young &Associates. Andwhile his fortuneshave risen andfallen with theeconomy of thatarea, he hassteadfastlyRobert Young ’55 remained asupporter andbenefactor of the Tri-Cities. In fact,one week after Whitman bestowed thehonorary degree on Young, he waslauded in the Tri-City Herald as “one ofthe most prominent and well-respecteddevelopers in the Tri-Cities.”Describing Young as “an elegantgentleman,” Richland’s Deputy CityManager Bill King also said Young’s“long-term commitment and faith inthe community has really made adifference in the Tri-Cities today.”Although Young and his wife,Jacqueline, have lived in San Franciscofor nearly four decades, he hasremained as high profile on theWhitman campus as in the Tri-Cities.He served on the Board of Overseersfrom 1976 to 1991, and was a leadcontributor for construction of theReid Campus Center, where the YoungBallroom bears his family’s name.He chaired the fund-raising effortfor his 50th Whitman Class Reunion,which raised $4 million to endow atleast one professorship.The reunion gift, unprecedented insize, includes a $3.6 million contributionfrom the Youngs, the singlelargest personal reunion gift to thecollege.t r i p s n t o u r s n E V E N T SCamp Whitman!Aug. 18-20, 2006Penrose Point State Park, Puget SoundA fun outdoor weekend is planned at the summer-camphome of Stephen B.L. Penrose, Whitman president from1894-1934. The weekend will be a mini-summer campexperience with beach walks and evening campfires, as wellas a chance to make new friends. Fifteen adjacent campsites(a campground loop) are reserved for Aug. 18 and 19. Cost is $45 per campsite for bothnights and $10 per night for additional vehicles. Most sites will accommodate one tentin addition to a trailer, motorhome or camper. Bring camping equipment and food. Thegroup can share cooking and meals, but each person should bring supplies needed toprepare meals. Not a camper? Bring a picnic lunch and visit for the day on Saturday.Penrose relatives will be there with pictures and stories of the era and to lead a walkthrough the woods to the site of the Penrose family camp. Sites are first-come, first servedby calling the Alumni Office. Registration deadline Aug. 1.REGISTER EARLY FOR TOURS:For information, call (800) 835-9448, ext. 1, or (509) 527-5167; e-mail hoglund@whitman.edu; or visit www.whitman.edu/alumni/tripschedule.cfmPlan for 2007alumni eventsSan Juan IslandsJune 17-21, 2007Four-day sea kayakingadventure with DonSnow, visiting professorof environmentalhumanities.t r i p s n t o u r s n E V E N T SFrom $3,395 plus taxes perperson, double occupancy,including air from all majorU.S. gateway airports.Arctic Norway —Spitsbergen andthe North CapeJuly 4-21, 2007Geology Professor Bob Carsonwill accompany this arcticadventure cruise on theDiscovery, which links avariety of highlights along thecoast of Norway. Experiencethe remote natural beauty ofthis spot, home to polar bears,walrus colonies and reindeer.Sun Valley, Idaho Jan. 26-29, 2007Ski with the President!President George Bridges and Dr. Kari Tupper invitealumni, parents and friends to join them for skiing andsocializing in beautiful Sun Valley. A block of rooms hasbeen reserved at the Sun Valley Lodge the week of Jan. 25-30. Stay the weekend or longer.The Alumni Association willarrange group dinners. Friday’sdinner will be at the lodge; onSunday, guests will be transportedby sleigh to a cozy cabin.Skiing, skating, swimming in theoutdoor heated pool and manyother activities will fill the days,and the warmth of Whitmanfriendships, the nights. Call the Alumni Office for detailsabout lodging and to make reservations for group meals.30 Whitman Magazine July 2006 31

AlumniRay MarreroRay Marrero45th Reunion of the Class of 196045th Reunion of the Class of 1961ROW 1: Donna Dahlke Davis, DianeMinkler Edison, Starr Bill Lansdowne,Lorna Coe Roebke, Louis Roebke, NancyRudy, “Truckee,” Holden Brink, ValerieLogan Hood, Judy Norgard Keane,Michael Keane. ROW 2: JoannMcGillivray Mines, Larry Edison ’58,Fred Moss, Alex Sumeri, Susan GardinerSumeri, Walter “Buck” Sellers, ChristineSellers, Barbara Davidson, Jean WallaceDonaldson, Mary Samuel Ricks, BobRicks. ROW 3: Richard McCurdie, JanFreeman Sutter ’62, Jim Martine, SylviaSmith Martine, Mel Davidson, RhodaDaly Jensen, Bob Jensen. ROW 4(starting in the center of row, whiteshirt): Paul Creighton ’52, Pat MooreCreighton, Barbara Elliott Carlisle, DavidCarlisle, Edy Kulp Howard, MarianneBoncutter Lorenz, Sandy Carley Varco,Alan Haselwood, Bud Varty, TerryLofsvold. ROW 5: Vic Kihara, PattiKihara, Nick Hansen, Dick Bruce, DonnaShore, Morrie Shore, Tina PomeroyGrodem ’63, Glen Grodem, Rock Allen,Harold Dodge. ROW 6: Gene Bourquein,Connie Wagner Bourquein, Chan Weisel,Paul Davis, Jon Lounsbury, Jim Watt,Nancy Greenawalt Washburn, David“Rob” Nygren, Stefani Esta, RebeccaNygren. ROW 7: Jack Hart, TimWashburn, Al Lansdowne, Gary Davis.ROW 1: Pat Smith, Lesley Allison,Packard Phillips, Page Winfree Gorud,MaryAnne Baggaley Owen, Pris AlsipLange, Mary Berger Chatfield, LarryMeade, Carolyn Meade, Dorene OsborneJohnston, Kyra Dodge MacIlveen, JanStewart Smith, Joe Smith. ROW 2: SusanPorter Jamison, Ned Lange ’56, DianaYansen Wisen, Karen McCormic Beierle,Jerry Purcell. ROW 3: Barby GloydSmith, Kristie Langlow, Janet WhitacreMiller, Carolyn West Chapel, JanetPowers Sears, Marcia Mittelstaedt Black,Ken Black, Mary Duncan Worthington,Barrett Worthington. ROW 4: Sally ClarkeLandauer, William “Bill” Montgomery,Roy Chapel, Ann Willard Watts, TedWatts ’63, Denny Wohlford, Karen CoinerLindemer, Karen Kidd Thomason, RobThomason. ROW 5: Tim Washburn ’60,Nancy Greenawalt Washburn, Jerry Hillis,Joann Nicon, John Nicon, Judith GibbonsPrindle ’62, Kirk Prindle, HenryHuntsman, Pat Forrest Huntsman,Art Lindemer. ROW 6: RobinBeck, Peter Rothschild, ColletteRothschild, Sarah Griffiths Olsen,John Wells, Marcy Wilson Dudley’63, Jim Dudley. Row 7: Sally KleveMoore ’62, Paul Knostman, DanLindsay, Susan Vinyard, CarolynReid. Row 8: Jeff Moore, RexAllison, Maryanne Walton Lyon.32 Whitman Magazine July 2006 33

AlumniAlumni Association honors ...... the doctor who defined Sudden Infant Death Syndrome... a volunteer whoserves his collegein many ways45th Reunion of the Class of 1962ROW 1: Nancy Walker Hawkins, TerryCarter, Carol Chapman, James Chapman,Minda McLaughlin Merrow, CharlesMerrow, Sharon Zlatnik Van Valin, RichardTait, Susan Ellsworth Seager. ROW 2: TonyWarren, Bob Cline, Jeff Moore ’61, SallyKleve Moore, Judith Gibbons Prindle, KirkPrindle ’61, Mary Lou Fletcher Block,Peter Block, Ray Seager. ROW 3: JaneWilliams, Roger Williams, Steve Straight,Nancy Poesnecker Straight, Nell BerelsonStrachan, Peter Ward, Jill Furse Ridgeway,Rawlee Ridgeway. ROW 4: Warren Gross,Mary Lee Pettibone Gross, Kay ThompsonEnbom, Jack Enbom. ROW 5: Bob Brady,Renagene Bickel Brady, Mark Marshall,Emery Bayley, Eddie Wells. ROW 6:Barbara Nordstrom, Gene Nordstrom,Nancy Hamlin Patterson, Jan FreemanSutter, Ann Welch Willard ’65, BruceWillard. ROW 7: John Cadigan, MiltMarkewitz, Margaret Murphy, MaryLynn Shields Potter, Geoff Clark.Ray MarreroDr. Bruce Beckwith ’55received the 2006 Alumnus ofMerit Award for a “lifetimespent searching for answers tolife and death questions.”Beckwith’s career accomplishmentsincludedefiningandnamingSuddenInfantDeathSyndromein 1969Bruce Beckwith ’55whileteaching and conductingresearch at Children’sHospital in Seattle.Danielle Garbe ’97,winner of the 2006 Pete ReidAward for Young Alumni,joined Secretary of StateCondoleeza Rice’s staff May22 as a special assistant. Garbeaccepted the “once-in-a-careeroffer” in late April, just as shewas gearing up for what shethought would be her nextassignment as a human rightsofficer at the U.S. Consulate inShanghai, China.She will be one of twostaffers responsible for liaisonduties between the secretary’soffice and the rest of the U.S.Department of State. “It will bean interesting combination ofmy previous work in the AsiaBureau and my current job inthe Operations Center with anadditional layer of work andcomplexity,” she said.Garbe graduated withhonors from Whitman beforeALUMNUS OF MERITEarly in his career as apathologist, one of hisresearch interests wascongenital malformations, inwhich he identified a birthanomaly syndrome nowknown as Beckwith-WiedemannSyndrome. Because ofhis work, babies with thesyndrome can be treated, andmost of them lead normal livesas adults. He also investigatedthe pathology of tumors inchildren and discovered prognosticfeatures that haveallowed effective therapy.Beckwith, who attendedmedical school at the Univer-earning amaster’sin publicadministrationatColumbiaUniversityin 2001.Danielle Garbe ’97She haslived her life in the eye of thestorm since, joining the U.S.Department of State inSeptember of that year as aForeign Service officer.Her work assisting Americanvictims of the 2002terrorist attack in Bali wasrecognized by the StateDepartment with a SuperiorHonor Award.On her subsequent assignmentto the Washingtonsity of Washington, has earnednumerous awards, includingan honorary degree fromWhitman in 1980 and theDistinguished PathologistAward from the United Statesand Canadian Academy ofPathology in 2005.The Alumnus of MeritAward, the highest honor theAlumni Association bestows,is given to alumni who haveachieved distinction in theirchosen fields, renderedoutstanding service to theircommunities, or renderedoutstanding service to thecollege.Nominated by MaryShuham Dore ’50.... a professional on the U.S. secretary of state’s staffPETE REID AWARDFOR YOUNG ALUMNIBureau for East Asian andPacific Affairs, she helpedcoordinate the interagencyresponse to the December2004 Indian Ocean tsunami,and in 2005 she joined theState Department OperationsCenter. She was working atthe Ops Center when HurricaneKatrina struck. Shedescribed the center’s roleand her work at a symposiumon the hurricane at Whitmanon Sept. 8, 2005.For Whitman, Garbecontinues to be active as anadmission and associateclass representative and as aGarrett-Sherwood InterviewCommittee member.At the award ceremonyon Feb. 6, she was cited bythe Alumni Association as “atrue example of what a liberallyeducated person is allabout.”Jim McCarthy ’63 hascontributed nearly six decadesof effort to his alma materwhen all his stints of serviceare added together. Theextraordinary work earnedhim the Alumni Association’s2006 Gordon Scribner Awardfor Distinguished Service.McCarthy returned to hisalma mater in1979 to serve as GORDONplanned giving SCRIBNERofficer in the AWARDDevelopmentOffice duringthe initialphases of thesuccessful $50millionCampaign forWhitman.As a volunteer,he served Jim McCarthy ’6320 years as a class representative,15 years on the investmentcommittee, 12 years onthe Board of Overseers and 10years as a member of thePlanned Giving Council.McCarthy is also a leaderin the community, havingserved as school board,community college foundationand United Way presidents.He coached youth sports,co-chaired a YWCA buildingcampaign, and serves on thestate Foundation for EarlyLearning.His career includes twotours of Vietnam as an adviseras well as helicopter pilot. Therecipient of numerous militaryawards, he retired from theArmy Reserves in 2001 as alieutenant colonel. McCarthyis a financial adviser withSmith Barney in Walla Walla.34 Whitman Magazine July 2006 35

AlumniAlumnus thankful for coach’s lasting giftJim Whiting ’65Jim Whiting ’65With a last namestarting with W, I foundpickings for requiredP.E. about the size ofParis Hilton’s actingtalent when I wentthrough freshman registrationat Whitman in thefall of 1961. Bowling waslong gone. So was everythingelse I wanted. Thenthe woman working with me had an idea.“Have you played tennis?” she asked.I had. Twice, that I could remember.Both times my buddies andI drove to the courtsat Tacoma’s Point DefiancePark and tomahawked ballsaround. Three times acrossthe net was a good rally. Atleast we understood thesomewhat arcane scoringsystem.So one warm sunny dayin early September Iwandered onto theWhitman tennis courts. Iwasn’t alone. Three fellowfrosh also had playedtennis. And played it verywell. So well, in fact, thatJim Feutz ’65, TomMcCoy ’65 and RonBob Burgess retired fromWhitman in 1981. See story,Page 10.Witten ’65 (who died in 1969) wound up inthe number two, three and four slots on thevarsity team that spring.Bob Burgess knew all about them. I’msure he salivated at the prospect of workingwith these three young studs. I’m sure anyother coach would have given me a couple ofcans of balls and told me to hit off the backboardfor an hour while he worked with hispotential stars.Not Bob. In essence, he told them to hitaround with each other. He devoted nearlyall of the class time that semester to teachingme the game. It was never by rote. He kept asharp eye on me, alternating between lavishpraise as I slowly mastered the rudimentsand gentle suggestions for improvement.He had a surefire method of teaching mewhere I should be at any moment. If I was outof position, he’d get a wicked grin on his faceand direct the ball just beyond my reach.If I were writing fiction, this story wouldconclude with me rising to beat the otherthree guys and becoming a national star ofsome sort. But, of course, this is nonfictionand has an obligation to the truth.A few days before I met Bob I’d beenfortunate enough to have then-cross-countrycoach Bill Martin invite me to join his team.A mediocre runner in high school, I wasabout to drop the sport. But Bill’s requestwas too inviting. As a result,running became my primaryathletic passion.Which does nothing to lessenwhat Bob did for me. He introducedme to the sport of tennisand showed me I did have enoughability to become good at it if I sochose. Perhaps I might have beengood enough to fill one of thelower rungs on his ladder.But I doubt very much that thatwas on his mind on that long-agoSeptember day. I believe that Bobloved tennis with the sameburning passion that I feel towardrunning. I believe that his onlymotivation was his desire to sharethat passion with me.He was successful in that desire. I still pickup a racquet on occasion and play decently, ifnot spectacularly. Those hours that BobBurgess spent with me on the tennis courtare one of the most enduring gifts I have everreceived. I have always been deeply gratefulto Bob.His caring represents what makesWhitman so special.WWW Jim Whiting has written oredited some 200 children’snonfiction books, and spent 17 yearspublishing Northwest Runner magazine.Web site: www.JimWhiting.com.Alumni ­Associationhonors ...... a professor andhis memorablealumni toursGeology Professor JohnDuNann Winter received theAlumni Association’s 2006Faculty Award for Service for“more than two decades ofactive participation in alumnievents.”Winter was cited by theAlumni Association for hiswealth ofknowledgeand commitmenttoalumniprograms— fromtakinggroupsrafting onwesternrivers toretracingthe steps ofLewis andFACULTYAWARDFOR SERVICEJohn WinterClark in Montana — and forgenerally captivating alumniwith his knowledge of the landand his ability to teach othershow their actions impact theworld.A member of the faculty for25 years, he is the author of“An Introduction to Igneousand Metamorphic Petrology,”one of the most commonlyused texts in the field ofgeology.Professors Deborah andJohn DuNann Winter willretire at the end of fall semester2006. See the DecemberWhitman Magazine for theirretirement stories.40th Reunion of the Class of 1966ROW 1: Candace Hansen du Mars,Chaim Bezalel, Yonnah BenLevy, LouiseWilkinson, Jane McKinley-Chinn, LeilaO’Brien McCleary, Lynn Evans, BobWallace, Jim Cary-Hamby, Jill EsserFrierson, Rich Wallace. ROW 2: RandyJacobs Jr., Jock Edwards, Steve Lane,Gretchen Abbott Bersch, KathrynLindquist, Jim Moore, Craig Gunther.ROW 3: Linda Merrick Sprenger, MarilynCowen Corrigan, Jennie AmbroseLeGates, Rocky Kyle, Annette Kyle,George Osborne, Charlie Stookey, Ed Joy.ROW 4: Gwynne Johnson Schulz, LindaKing Brewer, Marie Jensen Porterfield.ROW 5: Paulie Patterson McCown, LeslieBell, Susan Campbell Pratt, Greg Pratt,David Case, Robert Porterfield, SueAnnStendal Peters, Donna Huntley Rice ’67,Jack Rice. ROW 6: Marianne HarrisonYamashita, JoAnne Oliver Minnick, JoanSpeir Valaas, John Valaas, Kitty BaranyWhittaker, David Miller. Row 7: BarbaraSaxe Stubblefield, Kathy HagiwaraPurcell, Linnea Hartford Patrick, JodyNohel Heglund, Bob Lawton, Jim Owens,Tom Whittaker, Wes Schroeder. Row8: Raleigh Curtis, Carol Hurley Curtis,Leslie Mullin, Christine Larsen, RandyNelson, Jim Cottle, Kirk Gustafson,Chuck Haynie, Robert Wilson, BillSchoen, Mark Abrahamson.Ray Marrero36 Whitman Magazine July 2006 37

AlumniAlumni athletes tapped for sports Hall of FameMissionary sports stars from yesteryear, two from thesprawling Seattle area and two from tiny Touchet, Wash.,have been inducted into the Whitman Athletics Hall ofFame Class of 2006.Lawrence “Scotty” Cummins ’38 and the late MaxSeachris ’58, graduates of nearby Touchet High School,were welcomed into the Hall of Fame in May.The new inductees also include Calvin “Cal” Boyes’51 and Timothy J. Smith ’61, who came to Whitmanfrom Seattle-area high schools.Seachris, an all-conference baseball pitcher who alsohelped Whitman win the Northwest Conference title in1952, was sidelined from sports and college by polio. Heregained his health and finished his degree in 1958. Hedivided his teaching, coaching and administrative careerbetween two local high schools and his college almamater, retiring as Whitman athletic director emeritus in1998. He died in 2002 at age 79.Cummins, 90, who played for legendary Whitmancoach R.V. Borleske in the 1930s, was an all-conferenceathlete in baseball and football.He received football contract offers from the NewYork Giants, but after serving in World War II, he openedWalla Walla’s Scotty Cummins Athletic Supply, which heran until his retirement in 1975. He still lives in WallaWalla.Boyes, 76, an all-conference football quarterback andthree-sport letterman at Whitman, graduated to a careeras a coach, professor and administrator at California StateUniversity at Sacramento.He and his wife, Eileen Golden Boyes ’52, areretired and divide their time between Donner Lake, Calif.,and Hawaii.Smith, 66, rejected professional baseball contract offersto enroll at Whitman, where he earned all-conferencehonors in baseball and football. He played baseball in the“Scotty” Cummins ’38“Cal” Boyles ’51Max Seachris ’58 Timothy Smith ’61same Missionary infield with his brother Dave Smith ’59and earned the nickname of “Touchdown Tim” in football.A retired computer analyst, he lives in Renton, Wash.For the Loveof Whitman and the Liberal ArtsLois and Dudley Dambacher ’41TheDambacherfamily createda legacy thatreflects theirbeliefs in theimportance ofeducation andthe liberalarts.The late Dudley Dambacher ’41 and his wife, Lois, established a charitable trust with agift of real estate in 1994 to provide them with income for their lives and ultimately create ascholarship at Whitman to help students.Prior to his death, Dudley, a devoted alumnus, served as an overseer and Alumni Fundclass representative. Lois carries on their love for the college with her gifts and participationat alumni events in the Seattle area and summer reunions in Walla Walla.Recently, Lois made the generous decision to terminate their trust by relinquishing herincome from the trust in order to accelerate the establishment of a scholarship endowment.While Lois could certainly continue receiving the income from the trust, she would ratherhelp students pay their tuition.Lois worked with the planned giving office and her CPA to evaluate the benefits for herand for Whitman. Terminating the trust early entitled Lois to a charitable deduction andallowed Whitman to begin using the funds that were in the trust to provide scholarships forWhitman students.Now, students with strong leadership and academic skills are eligible to receivescholarship support from the G. Dudley and Lois Dambacher Scholarship.For more information or to discuss options that meet your estate planning needs,contact Jamie Kennedy ’96, director of planned giving, at (509) 527-5989.Visit www.whitman.edu/giving/pg.cfm.38 Whitman Magazine July 2006 39

AlumniOn campusthis fall­James FallowsSept. 14, 2006James Fallows is The Atlantic Monthly’snational correspondent and has worked forthe magazine for more than 20 years. Histalk, “U.S. Foreign Policy in a Complexand Dangerous World,” will be part of theO’Donnell Visiting Educators Series. Forinformation, call 527-5398.Lore Fauver RudeOpening at HJTSept. 27-Oct. 1, 2006The 2006-07 season opens with “Mr. Marmalade,” under thedirection of Christopher Petit, assistant professor of theatre.The script looks at the games people play as seen through theeyes of an extraordinary 4-year-old with an imaginary friend,“Mr. Marmalade.” Watch the Harper Joy Theatre Web site forticket information: www.whitman.edu/theatre/Whitman College345 Boyer Ave.Walla Walla, WA 9936240 Whitman Magazine