2009 Edition - Theta Chi Fraternity

[ COVER STORYPhoto by Kyle J.WeaverPhoto by Kyle J.WeaverMore than 300 brothers and guests filed into St. Thomas of Villanova Church at Villanova Universityto honor Brother Alter at a memorial service held on July 17, 2009, during the summer ChapterLeadership Conference.him the first to serve in all three of theFraternity’s highest offices. Throughout theremainder of his life, he was a fixture at nationalconferences and conventions, impartingsage wisdom, and using his gift for relating toall generations of Theta Chi. He served on theboard of the Foundation Chapter and waselected to the North American InterfraternityConference’s board of directors. In 1993, theNIC bestowed its Gold Medal, the highestaward in the fraternity world, on Howard for alifetime of service to Theta Chi and the fraternitymovement. He was the recipient of everyaward that Theta Chi can bestow upon analumnus brother, and Theta Chi’s highestchapter award is named for him. Other awardsfilled his mantle including the FraternityExecutives Association’s highest honor, andthose of Phi Kappa Psi, Zeta Beta Tau, LambdaChi Alpha, and many others.Howard Alter’s greatest contribution toTheta Chi, I believe, came in the form of a profoundand courageous demonstration of theessence of fraternity—Theta Chi’s HelpingHand. In 1987 shocking news came that longtimeassociate and now Executive Director,Dale Slivinske, had been stricken with AIDS—adiagnosis that at the time was a certain deathsentence. Howard immediately began to assistwith the daily operations of the headquartersagain. Moreover, with grace and courage in theface of this feared disease, he joined Dale’sbrother Bruce in becoming a constant caregiver.Dale derived incredible strength and ultimatelypeace as he drew on the brotherly loveof these two men—one his brother by birthand the other his brother by Theta Chi.As Theta Chi brothers and leaders of othernational fraternities and sororities streamed toBrother Slivinske’s bedside as he fought his losingbattle, all were touched by Theta Chi’slove, so movingly brought to life in the personof Howard Alter. As evidence, on the anniversaryof Dale’s death, over the next 20 years agroup of interfraternity leaders and brothersclosely associated with Dale have gatheredfrom across the country at the black tieSlivinske Dinner in Pittsburgh to celebrate hislife and honor Howard’s courage, grace, andfraternal love.The last time I saw Howard was in his hospitalbed at his beloved home at the farm a fewdays before his death. He opened his eyes,acknowledged my presence, and gave me theopportunity to tell him of his impact on mylife, of the lessons he taught me, the examplehe set, and the memories that will remain withme until memory itself becomes a sealed book.While I spoke for myself, I am certain that weboth knew that I must be speaking for scores ofus who were privileged to have had him shareso generously part of his life with us.A week later I would be back, honored tojoin past National President David DeVol andfive other of “Howard’s boys”—graying formerfield staffers—to bear him to the hilltop at thePlum Creek Cemetery, where were gatheredeight Theta Chi National Presidents, scores ofpast National Officers, current and formerstaff, undergraduates, interfraternity friends,neighbors, and family. There, with militaryhonors and the gratitude of Theta Chi for therichness of his life so selflessly shared, we saidour farewell to Howard Russell Alter, Jr.,Omega ’41, knowing that his influence onTheta Chi lives on.8 THE RATTLE/2009