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back in the day - OSU Alumni Association

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class notesTw<strong>in</strong> bro<strong>the</strong>rs have connections almost <strong>back</strong> to <strong>the</strong> start of <strong>OSU</strong>profileTw<strong>in</strong>s Jason (at left) and Mike Luecker have Oregon State roots about as deep as <strong>the</strong>y can get. Photo by Dennis Wolverton58They weren’t quite sure who Hugh F<strong>in</strong>ley was,but <strong>the</strong>y knew he was a relative.The Luecker boys — two first-yearstudents from Moraga, Calif. — werek<strong>in</strong>d enough to pose for <strong>the</strong> Stater on <strong>the</strong>Memorial Union steps this spr<strong>in</strong>g, and let ustell <strong>the</strong>m about <strong>the</strong>ir great, great, grandfa<strong>the</strong>r.Bus<strong>in</strong>ess major Michael Charles Lueckerand his tw<strong>in</strong> bro<strong>the</strong>r, Jason F<strong>in</strong>ley Luecker,College of Liberal Arts, are <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> fifthgeneration of <strong>the</strong>ir family to attend <strong>OSU</strong> andits predecessor <strong>in</strong>stitutions, beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g withCorvallis College’s second graduat<strong>in</strong>g class ofsix members, which <strong>in</strong>cluded Hugh, <strong>in</strong> 1871.Hugh F<strong>in</strong>ley was <strong>the</strong> younger bro<strong>the</strong>r ofWilliam A. F<strong>in</strong>ley, <strong>the</strong> second president ofCorvallis College, Oregon’s new agriculturalcollege. F<strong>in</strong>ley Residence Hall is named <strong>in</strong><strong>the</strong> former president’s honor.Hugh married a fellow student and localgirl, Emma Cauthorn, and <strong>the</strong>y raised <strong>the</strong>irfamily on a nearby farm while Hugh taughtpreparatory classes at <strong>the</strong> college.One of <strong>the</strong>ir nephews was William L.F<strong>in</strong>ley, (Honorary degree, 1931) a famousconservationist who <strong>in</strong> 1963 championed<strong>the</strong> first national wildlife refuge west of <strong>the</strong>Mississippi, which is located near UncleHugh’s farm, south of Corvallis.Mike and Jason’s parents, CharlesLuecker, ’80, and Laurie McCallister Luecker,’80, as well as most of <strong>the</strong>ir aunts and unclesand grandparents, are all Beavers, so itwould seem natural that <strong>the</strong> young menwould automatically have had <strong>OSU</strong> on <strong>the</strong>top of <strong>the</strong>ir college application list.But it did not happen that way. Both hadmade plans to attend different colleges<strong>in</strong> California, but eventually found <strong>the</strong>market<strong>in</strong>g management and graphic artsprograms at <strong>OSU</strong> a great fit for <strong>the</strong>m. Theyspent <strong>the</strong>ir first year liv<strong>in</strong>g two floors apart <strong>in</strong>Hawley Hall, with plans to move off-campusfor <strong>the</strong>ir sophomore year.Mike was surprised to f<strong>in</strong>d out that <strong>the</strong>house he had rented for <strong>the</strong> 2008-2009school year is <strong>the</strong> Cauthorn House, built forEmma Cauthorn F<strong>in</strong>ley’s bro<strong>the</strong>r.Mike and Jason have a stand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>vitationto stop by <strong>the</strong> alumni association for a visit;maybe <strong>the</strong>y should on next Feb. 8, when <strong>the</strong><strong>OSU</strong>AA marks its 136th anniversary, thanksto <strong>the</strong> alumni who founded it <strong>in</strong> 1873.Included <strong>in</strong> that small group of founderswas <strong>the</strong> first president of <strong>the</strong> fledgl<strong>in</strong>g alumniassociation — Hugh McNary F<strong>in</strong>ley, classof 1871.STATER

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