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The Alumni Magazine of <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> and Ferry Hallfall 2009<strong>Second</strong> Actannual report of giving Enclosedinside: Coverage of Ferry Hall 140th celebration!
4 3491344Review Fall 2009Head of SchoolDr. John StrudwickDean of ExternalRelationsMarina KrejciDirector ofCommunicationsRuth KeysoDirector ofalumni relationsJackie JohnsonPhotographyRuth KeysoPfoertner PhotographyDesignArchetype Graphic DesignPrintingJohn S. Swift Co., Inc.ContributorsBetsy CristRyan FowlerAdam GerberWill Hayes ’07,editorial assistantRita Schulien MacAyeal ’87George PfoertnerDr. John StrudwickEditorial Office(847) 615-3268rkeyso@lfanet.orgAdmission Office(847) 615-3267info@lfanet.orgAlumni events Office(847) 615-3238smoller@lfanet.orgThe Review is published twice a year by <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>, 1500 W. Kennedy Road, <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>, Illinois 60045. Telephone (847) 234-3210, Fax (847) 615-3202. Third-class postage paid at <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>, Illinois.Postmaster: please send change of address notices to Alumni Office, <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>, 1500 W. Kennedy Road, <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>, Illinois 60045-1047.All of the words and photos contained herein were written or taken by the editor, unless otherwise noted. Opinions expressed in the Review are those of the authors. No material may be legally reproduced without the writtenconsent of the editor and <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>. ©2009, <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>, <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>, Illinois. All rights reserved. <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> supports and adheres to a long-standing policy of admitting students of any race,color, religion, national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and <strong>act</strong>ivities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.
The Alumni Magazine of <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> and Ferry Hallfall 20091426DepartmentsLetters to the Editor .............................. 2Letter from the Head of School .................. 3Ringing the Bell ................................. 4Ferry Tales ....................................... 10Class Notes ..................................... 34Features<strong>Second</strong> Act ..................................... 14Ever had the urge to switch careers but never took theplunge? Read how six LFA and Ferry Hall alumni (andone former faculty member!) have reinvented themselvesin the workplace and, in the process, changed their lives.Reunion 2009 .................................. 26From the Archives .............................. 44table of contents
letters to the editorBoard of Trustees2009–10ChairCatherine M. WaddellZaid Abdul-Aleem ’90Lawrence S. BenjaminStephen J. BrewsterPatrick J. Carroll ’87Chinni ChilamkurtiNancy C. CrownThomas J. DuckworthMerrill J. Ferguson ’72Brian R. GamacheKarl R. Gedge ’69Lauren A. GorterDavid A. Gupta ’81Gloria W. HarperA. John Huss, Jr. ’58Ned JessenLoretta Kalnow Kaplan ’73Jeffrey B. Keller ’87Mee KimCharlene Vala Laughlin ’64Susan E. MorrisonMonique Pittman-LuiJ. Christopher ReyesBetsy B. RosenfieldJ. Michael Schell ’65Jeffrey L. SilverMark S. Simonian ’77Nancy How Speer ’59Regina E. Spellers ’85James M. Stuart ’59Robin G. ZafirovskiThank you for the article on RickGiesen in the spring 2009 Review. I amthe Dick Schwingel mentioned in thearticle as one of Rick’s teachers. Studentslike Rick have kept me in teachingfor nearly 50 years, and he and hiscontemporaries in that class remainone of my fondest memories.Dick SchwingelFormer LFA-FH faculty, 1971-74Northfield, Mass.Editor’s Note: Did you take part in Mr.Schwingel’s archeological digs duringyour time at LFA? If so, write and letus know! We’d love to hear from you.Send your correspondence to RuthKeyso at: rkeyso@lfanet.org.I enjoyed the most recent issue of theReview very much. It has to be oneof the best alumni magazines around.I always look forward to finding outwhat my classmates have been doing.Eddie Pratt ’68Burbank, Calif.It is nice to read the compliments thatthe Review receives. They are wellearnedas it seems the magazine keepsus alumni informed about the state ofthe school and its programs and plans.Keep up the good work.George Johnson ’60Hilton Head Island, S.C.In response to our query about readinglists on page 27 of the spring 2009Review, we received the following:The MOST important book, the singleone required, the one for which therewas no choice but which we HAD toread was William Makepeace Thackeray’s“Vanity Fair.” Ah, yes, goodold Becky Sharp with all her wiles.Mrs. Keeling led us in a discussion onthe book almost as soon as the schoolyear had begun.Marty Eikenmeyer Owens ’55Indian Wells, CalifFeedbackThe staff of the Review welcomesyour comments about our alumnimagazine and the articles therein.Send your comments via e-mailto rkeyso@lfanet.org or mail yourcorrespondence to Ruth Keyso, directorof communications, at theschool address.Reprinted letters will be edited forstyle and length.Thank you for taking the time toshare your thoughts with us!www.LFANET.ORGAlumni EventsRead more about upcoming alumni eventsand see photos of friends and classmates at:www.lfanet.org/alumniReview OnlineCheck out the Review online! Simply goto www.lfanet.org/review. There, youwill find this issue’s spotlight boxes, classnotes, and other articles.Class NotesSend us an update about yourself andyour family. Log onto the LFA website at:www.lfanet.org/alumni and let us knowhow you are doing. With your permission,we will reprint your note in the spring2010 issue of the Review. Review Fall 2009 Click: www.lfanet.org8
Dr. John StrudwickHead of SchoolIn speaking with a number of our alumnae and alumni during Reunion Weekend,it became clear to me that the success of an LFA and Ferry Hall education isclosely related to the bonds formed between students and faculty. Many graduatesfrom different eras spoke with genuine fondness and appreciation for theirteachers, coaches, and mentors and this strength of our school is a consistenttheme throughout our history. It is also a char<strong>act</strong>eristic of LFA that has helpedand continues to help to deliver the mission of an LFA education—char<strong>act</strong>er,scholarship, citizenship, and responsibility—and to prepare our graduates forcareers in a variety of arenas.I believe that an LFA and Ferry Hall education, and the faculty who mentoredand continue to mentor the process, have always stood on clear guiding principlesand an understanding of a successful outcome. Within this supportive context,our students develop a solid base of scholarship and a lifelong love of learning(even if the classes seemed overly challenging at the time!), a strong sense ofchar<strong>act</strong>er and ethics, an understanding of the importance of citizenship and community,and the knowledge that each individual student must be responsible forhis or her own choices and subsequent successes and challenges in life.As is apparent in some of the personal stories in this issue of the Review, an LFAeducation prepares graduates for a variety of careers and provides the ability tobe flexible and realistic in order to make the necessary changes when circumstancesdictate. In some ways, the stories and an overall review of the imp<strong>act</strong> ofa school on its students reveal the constantly evolving nature of education foreach of its lifelong participants. People are always learning and growing and Ilike to think that an LFA education is an important part of a graduate’s abilityto flourish through challenge and change as we prepare students with our curriculumand our educational philosophy to be forward-thinking, open-minded,and intellectually courageous.Finally, it is also clear that the LFA educational experience brings with it anunderstanding of the importance of community and the development of cooperation,vision, connection, and teamwork. These are skills that must be nurtured inall areas of a student’s education. From the stories of our graduates, it is apparentthat it is vital for personal growth to learn both as an individual and as a memberof a community. LFA has always strived to help students develop these skills inall arenas of their lives so they do become more productive in the classroom,more engaged in <strong>act</strong>ivities and sports, and more prepared for life after LFA. Theimportance of teamwork, cooperation, and community has always been vital forour graduates and we will continue to do everything we can to foster the growthof these attributes for all of our students as they pursue excellence in their ownlife experiences.letter from the head of school
<strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>Enrollment Profile2009–10AustraliaBelarusBrazilCanadaArizonaChinaArkansasCosta RicaCaliforniaDenmarkIllinoisEcuador9th Indiana grade: Ethiopia 83IowaFranceKansasGermanyLouisianaItaly12th Maryland grade: India112MichiganJapanMinnesotaKenyaNew JerseyBoys: KoreaNew 110/110YorkLithuaniaOklahomaMexicoSouth CarolinaPakistanTexasPhillipinesWisconsinPolandRussiaSaudi ArabiaSenegalEnrollment total: 40510th grade: 10511th grade: 105Enrollment by gender: boarding/dayGirls: 82/103Students of Color: 180Total States: 17Total Countries: 31SpainTaiwanThailandUkraineUSAUnited KingdomVietnamSenior Jasmine Brown (right) greets classmate Kallan Benjamin ’10 during the Handshake.LFA Starts 152nd YearThe <strong>Academy</strong> officially began the 2009-10 school year onMon., Aug. 24 with the All-School Handshake in the formalgardens. As in previous years, enrollment remains strong atthe school, with a full student body of 405 students fromacross the country and around the world. Know someone interestedin applying to LFA? Visit the website at: www.lfanet.org or apply online at: www.lfanet.org/applyonline Review Fall 2009 8 Click: www.lfanet.org
Why did you become a teacher?I wanted to help people, to have an imp<strong>act</strong> on individual lives.I know you can do that through a lot of different routes, butI chose teaching because it suits my personality; I like the individualized,person-to-person cont<strong>act</strong>.I got involved with independent schools in particular becauseof my own largely impersonal experience at a big public highschool. It was not what I expected an educational experienceto be. Independent schools give me a work environment thatI think is appropriate for students.What is your goal as a teacher?There are several: to help students become better citizens, moreknowledgeable people; to impart critical thinking skills, whichwill help students learn to assess situations and to respondaccordingly; to mold empathetic and intelligent individuals.Academic Dean Phil SchwartzSchwartz ReceivesAnnual Teaching AwardAcademic dean credits patiencefor success in classroomby Ruth KeysoAcademic Dean Phil Schwartz received this year’s LaimaSalcius Award for excellence in teaching. Schwartz joinedthe <strong>Academy</strong> in 2000 as a computer science teacher and amember of the information technology department. In 2003,he was promoted to academic dean. After graduating with abachelor’s degree in geography and environmental managementand history from Elmhurst College in 1992, he earnedhis master’s degree in technology and curriculum coordinationfrom Illinois Benedictine University. He spent five years atHill Middle School and Crone Middle School in Naperville, Ill.,and one year with the Chicago Public Schools, where he assistedon a whole-school reform project, before joining LFA. Atthe <strong>Academy</strong> Schwartz has taught AP environmental science,computer science, and web design. He lives in Elmhurst, Ill.,with his wife, Tracy, and their daughters, Maya and Calla.What do you hope students take away from your classroom?I want them to hone their critical-thinking and problem-solvingskills, which they can then apply in their careers or inother situations. I want them to understand how to assessproblems and work toward conclusions and solutions.Best moment as a teacher?It’s the moment when graduates of LFA come back to theschool and tell us how well-prepared they are for college.Some of these students come from the best colleges and stilltell us it’s easy. It makes me realize that we’ve obviously preparedour students well. And that’s what we’re here for.Most satisfying part of your job?In addition to providing students with opportunities, I enjoyworking with faculty to deliver programs that are imp<strong>act</strong>ful,such as the experiential learning programs—the trip to Washington,D.C., for the Presidential Inauguration, the Spanishclass’ service-learning trip to Peru. These are programs thatcreate memories for the students, experiences that they willtake with them throughout their lives.What would people say is your strength as a teacher?Patience. I enjoy working with students continually, both inand out of the classroom, until they master the information. Ithink students would say that my classes are fun, too. I enjoywhat I do, and that makes for a good learning environment.If you were not teaching, what would you do?I’d become a forest ranger or an environmental lawyer, twocareers I’ve considered in the past.This interview was conducted with Director of CommunicationsRuth Keyso on campus during the fall 2009.ringing the bell
Kulieke and VisserEarn Teaching Awardby Ruth KeysoVeteran faculty member Lynne Kulieke accepts heraward from Head of School John Strudwick.The 2nd annual Alumni Award forTeaching Excellence was presented totwo faculty members in the departmentof modern & classical languages at theMove-Up Day celebration on May29, 2009.Spanish teachers Lynne Kulieke andAric Visser were honored as this year’srecipients.Head of School John Strudwick saysboth instructors are known and respectedfor their creativity and devotionto students both in and out ofthe classroom and consistently receivehigh praise from parents for their dedicationand professionalism.“Lynne and Aric both epitomise whatgreat teaching is all about. They havea deep understanding of their students,which translates into the creationof learning environments which areboth innovative and passionate,” saysStrudwick.Kulieke has been with the <strong>Academy</strong>since 1966. (She began her career atsister school Ferry Hall.) She holds abachelor’s degree in Spanish from <strong>Lake</strong><strong>Forest</strong> College and two master’s degrees,one from Middlebury (Spanish)and one from Northwestern (MAT,English). In 2004, Kulieke was namedthe inaugural chair of the A. John HussJr. ’58 and Ruth S. Huss Chair in theHumanities at LFA. She teaches severalsections of Spanish language and literatureas well as a variety of senior Englishelectives, including The ArthurianLegend and Madness in Literature.Visser, who is in his fifth year at LFA,holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanishfrom Eastern Michigan University.Before joining LFA, he taught for twoyears at Octavio Paz Charter Schoolin Chicago, where he designed a curriculumin international languages.At LFA he teaches several sections ofSpanish language as well as an electivecourse entitled Contemporary Civilizationand Culture of Latin America,which culminates in a spring-semestertrip abroad. (See related article in thefall 2009 issue of <strong>Academy</strong> Drive.)The Alumni Award for Teaching Excellencewas instituted in 2008. It wasdonated by an alumnus from the LFAClass of 1948 to honor one (or more)faculty members who have demonstratedexcellence in classroom teaching.Spanish teacher Aric Visser receives the Alumni Awardfor Teaching Excellence from John Strudwick. Review Fall 2009 8 Click: www.lfanet.org
The 2008-09 Board of Trustees. (front row, l to r): Lauren Gorter P’06, P’09, Chinni Chilamkurti P’03, P’11, CateWaddell P’01, P’03 (chair), Susan Morrison P’08, Charlene Vala Laughlin ’64; (second row): Regina Spellers ’85,Loretta Kalnow Kaplan ’73, P’03, Tom Bagley P’06, Betsy Rosenfield P’02, P’05, P’09, P’12, Mike Schell ’65; (thirdrow): Jeff Keller ’87, Robin Zafirovski P’04, P’05, P’09, Nancy Crown P’07, P’09, John Huss ’58, Zaid Abdul-Aleem’90; (fourth row): Larry Benjamin P’10, P’11, Mark Simonian ’77, Karl Gedge ’69, P’01, Gloria Harper P’93, PatrickCarroll ’87; (fifth row): Tom Duckworth P’08, P’09, P’12, John Mengel P’06, P’09, Monique Pittman-Lui P’05, P’12,Peter Lee ’70, P’07, P’08, Merrill Ferguson ’72, P’10, Stephen Brewster P’07, P’10. (Not pictured: Jacob Barker ’88,Bill Friedeman ’65, P’00, P’02, P’06, Brian Gamache G’07, Al Gordon P’04, P’07, P’09, David Gupta ’81, RichJaros ’70, Mee Kim P’03, P’06, Chris Reyes P’03, P’07, Jeff Silver P’06, P’08, Nancy How Speer ’59, Jim Stuart ’59)LFA Board 2008–09jessen rejoins BoardNed Jessen rejoined the LFA board of trustees in May 2009after a one-year hiatus. He was previously elected to theboard in June 1999 and served three consecutive three-yearterms, retiring in 2008. During his tenure he chaired thefinance committee (2001-08) and was a member of the executivecommittee. Ned was re-elected to the board in May2009 for a three-year term. Ned is Managing Partner atHoward Capital Partners, Inc. in <strong>Lake</strong> Bluff, Ill. He holdsa bachelor’s degree in history from Yale University and anMBA from Northwestern University. He was co-founderof Career Education Corporation, and currently serves as finance chair at boththe Community Church of <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>/<strong>Lake</strong> Bluff and at <strong>Forest</strong> Bluff School.He is also a member of the Advisory Committee at Pfingsten Partners and theAssociation for Corporate Growth. In 2008 Ned was elected a life trustee of the<strong>Academy</strong> in recognition of his service to the school. Ned lives in <strong>Lake</strong> Bluff withhis wife, Lynn. They have three children: Margaret ’01, Parlin ’05, and Paula.ringing the bell
Krejci Joins <strong>Academy</strong>as Dean ofExternal RelationsDean of External RelationsMarina KrejciThe <strong>Academy</strong> extended a warm welcomethis summer to Marina SpheerisKrejci (pronounced kray-chee), theschool’s new dean of external relations.Krejci joined the <strong>Academy</strong> on Aug. 1,2009. She comes to LFA from the UniversitySchool of Milwaukee, a 158-year-old, K-12 school of 1,090 students,where she worked as director ofadvancement for the past seven years.Her extensive professional background includes all phases ofnon-profit fundraising, campaign administration, constituentrelations, committee and board service, and departmentmanagement in a variety of settings, including the MilwaukeeRepertory Theater and St. Robert School. She also serves onthe boards of many civic and charitable organizations. Krejciearned her bachelor’s degree from Lawrence University.“As a lifetime product of an independent school myself, I amenergized by this new personal and professional opportunityat <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>,” Krejci says. “Your rich history andstrong alumni community speak volumes about the imp<strong>act</strong>the school has had—and continues to have—on the lives ofyoung adults. I look forward to enriching the school by developingeven stronger bonds and relationships with the communityand sharing my experience with the school to reacheven greater heights.”At the <strong>Academy</strong> Krejci oversees alumni relations, parent relations,communications and publications, annual giving, andthe capital campaign. She also serves on the Deans Council,the <strong>Academy</strong>’s administrative leadership team. Head of SchoolJohn Strudwick says he is thrilled to have such a talented andexperienced person as Krejci at the head of the External RelationsDepartment and looks forward to working closely withher in the years ahead.“We are extremely fortunate to have attr<strong>act</strong>ed Marina toLFA,” says Strudwick. “She brings considerable experience,strong skills, and a great sense of purpose to our school. I amexcited about what we can achieve with Marina’s leadershipin the coming year and beyond.”Marina Krejci lives off campus. She and her husband, Frank,have three children. Krejci can be reached at: mkrejci@lfanet.org or (847) 615-3223.LFA Alumni Council Updateby Jackie JohnsonThe current LFA Alumni Council came together on May 1,2002, under the leadership of Jim Stuart ’59. The vision andmission of the Alumni Council is to connect LFA alumni to the<strong>Academy</strong> through volunteer engagement and philanthropicsupport as well as to bring expertise, counsel, and recommendationsto the school regarding strategic planning, events andreunions, young alumni, communications and publications,and the <strong>Academy</strong> Fund.The Council has an important voicewithin the school and alumni communitiesand has had an imp<strong>act</strong> on the5-year cycle of strategic planning andevent and reunion preparation, particularlyin connecting and reconnectingalumni, in supporting the publicationsand website, and in promoting volunteeropportunities.If you are interested in becoming amember of the Council or would liketo nominate another alumnus/a, pleasecont<strong>act</strong> the Alumni Relations Office(jjohnson@lfanet.org). The AlumniCouncil considers new members ona yearly basis. The final decisions aremade by the chair and the director ofalumni relations as per votes from theAlumni Council.2009–10 MembersChairChristopher Freeburg ’90Scott E. Burack ’86Colin C. Campbell ’56John R. Canning Jr. ’91Patrick J. Carroll ’87Carter Chapman ’94John A. Colling ’02Charlie Cooper ’96Jessica P. Douglas ’96Courtney E. Franz ’81Jordan Grossman ’97David A. Gupta ’81Michele Marsh Ihlanfeldt ’89Duane Jackson ’01Adrian MacLean Jay ’94Scott W. Kaeser ’96Michael A Karras ’84Mark W. Karstrom ’80Jeffrey B. Keller ’87,former chairmanAndrea Emshoff Nelson ’96Emily Sammon Curtis ’91Amish Shah ’92Jonathan L. Tan ’84(above) The 2009–10 LFA Alumni Council and members of the African and African-American Alumni Committee pose for a photo during Reunion Weekend. (seated, l to r):trustee Regina Spellers ’85, Gail Gadberry ’85, John Canning ’91, Dana Gill ’83, ScottKaeser ’96, Duane Jackson ’01, Colin Campbell ’56; (standing, l to r): Charlie Cooper’96, Myron Ford ’83, P’07, P’11, Mike Karras ’84, Adrian MacLean Jay ’94, CarterChapman ’94, Chris Freeburg ’90 (chair), Jonathan Tan ’84. Review Fall 2009 Click: www.lfanet.org8
Summer Celebrations in AsiaNew students pose for a photo at the JW Marriott Hotel in Beijing, China. (l to r):Ke (Vicki) Cui ’12, Yunshu (Ariel) Dong ’12, Ling Xing Meng ’13, Zining (Tina) Liu ’13,Zhaolun (Aaron) Zhang ’13, Jiajing Gao ’12, LFA Director of Global Outreach Adam Gerber,Jiarui (Stella) Zhang ’12, Jiayu (Beverly) Li ’12, Jonathan Jin ’11, Lina Huang ’13,Tunan Chen ’12.In the summer 2009, Dean of College Counseling Jack Lewisand Director of Global Outreach Adam Gerber traveled toBeijing, Seoul, Shanghai, and Taipei for <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>’sannual Summer Celebrations abroad. These receptionsoffer international LFA families, students, and alumni theopportunity to connect with <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> withoutleaving their home countries. The receptions are an annualoccurrence. Next year’s gatherings will take place in June2010. To learn more about LFA and its programs for internationalstudents, cont<strong>act</strong> Adam Gerber at: agerber@lfanet.orgor visit www.lfanet.org.(left) New student Hong Gi (Luke) Baek ’13 (third from left) with his parents,Seung Hwa Baek and Eun Kyoung Koh, along with Ha-Seob (Julie) Choi ’12 atthe LFA reception in the Imperial Palace Hotel, Seoul, Korea.(above) Young Mi Kwon, mother of Hyeyun (Heather) Choung ’11, welcomesnew families to the reception in Korea.ringing the bell
Ferry TalesFerry Hall AdvisoryBoard MembersChairLoretta Kalnow Kaplan ’73Mary Anne Ameter ’61Anne E. Bloomberg ’59Keena Dunn Clifford ’64Janet Wemmer Crawford ’61Dr. Evan Gaines DeRenzo ’69Terry Hall ’67Leslie Steiner Johnson ’79Charlene Vala Laughlin ’64Cecily Barnett Meers ’69Pam Norris ’71Happy Tomson Pross ’56Ann Ridge ’71Beth Petit Shaw ’75Harriet Arpee Sherman ’54Nancy How Speer ’59They say that change is the only constant. Whoever “they” are mustbe right. In my relatively brief personal history with Ferry Hall, I havewitnessed many changes. I was fortunate as a freshman to haveexperienced the 100th anniversary of the school in 1969. Being anaïve 14-year-old, I don’t think I fully appreciated the milestonecelebration. So what if both Governor Percy and the esteemed poetGwendolyn Brooks spoke at the event. Surely something next yearwould top that. Oh, to be young and foolish and to take so muchfor granted! Now 40 years later, as Ferry Hall embarks on its 140thanniversary, I have a more mature appreciation for milestones and canhonestly say “Wow, that’s quite an accomplishment!”The old Mayflower Road campus that we knew and loved is no longer, but whatstill exists and thrives is the spirit of Ferry Hall. Many of the traditions continueat LFA today: white dresses at graduation, Move-Up Day with many of the sameawards, yellow and white representing two of the House system teams and, ofcourse, Monty, who wears the ribbon of the winner of today’s House Cup competitions.As for a new tradition, each year a senior girl is named the Ferry HallPrefect and sits on the Ferry Hall Advisory Board.Ferry Hall and its history fit nicely into the theme of this issue of the Review,“<strong>Second</strong> Act.” Like many alumni who have changed careers and discovered newlives for themselves, Ferry Hall, too, has reinvented itself over the years. Whatstarted off in 1869 as a Young Ladies Seminary at Ferry Hall became a coedschool with the merger in 1974 with LFA. Then came the dark years of the 1980swhen Ferry Hall temporarily lost its identity. Now, under the leadership of JohnStrudwick, our name has been resurrected, and Ferry Hall enjoys renewed attentionas a place that has contributed greatly to the current success and stature of<strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>.As this year’s Head of School Symposium on “Gender Issues of the 21st Century”coincides with the 140th anniversary of Ferry Hall, we hope that the FerryHall experience will remain at the forefront of people’s minds. Congratulations,Ferry Hall, on the celebration of this milestone. May September 22—the newlydesignated Ferry Hall Day at LFA—be an annual reminder of our rich historyand a tribute to the many alumnae and faculty who have shaped our experienceand have contributed to our legacy.Loretta Kalnow Kaplan ’73, P’03Chair, Ferry Hall Advisory Board10 Review Fall 2009 8 Click: www.lfanet.org
Kaplan Chairs FHAdvisory BoardLoretta Kalnow Kaplan was named chairof the Ferry Hall Advisory Board in thespring 2009. Kaplan graduated fromFerry Hall in 1973 and matriculated toLawrence University (Appleton, Wis.),where she earned her bachelor’s degreein studio art. Loretta also attended theHarrington Institute of Interior Design(Chicago) before accepting positions infirms specializing in interior design andgraphic design. Her civic affiliations include membership inthe Northfielders Garden Club and the Northfield CommunityChurch, where she is church moderator for the Council.Loretta also serves as head of the Pruina Charitable Foundationand is a board member for the National MachineryFoundation. Loretta was elected a trustee at LFA in 2004 andcurrently serves as the board secretary of the executive committeeand also on the property committee and the ad hocproperty steering committee. In addition, she is co-chair ofthe ad hoc girls’ dormitory committee. Loretta lives in Northfieldwith her husband, life trustee Allan Kaplan ’72. Theyhave four children: George ’03, Charlene, Emma, and Harry.The cover of the <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Lake</strong> Bluff Chamber of CommerceCommunity Guide 2009 features archival images of Ferry Hall,in honor of the 140th anniversary of the opening of the girlsschool. We alerted Ferry Hall alumnae to this through an e-mailpushpage in March 2009. To our delight, we received the followingnotes about the cover.Don’t forget to check out the From the Archives department onpage 44 of this issue of the Review for memories of Ferry Hall’scentennial celebration in 1969!Thanks for sending the cover image from the local chamberCommunity Guide. I’ve seen many of those images. I was asophomore at Ferry Hall when we celebrated our Centennial!It was a very big weekend with many, many parents travelingin for a fancy weekend at school. Senator Charles Percy wasthere, and I have a photograph (somewhere) of him shakingmy hand. We used to celebrate May Day, not with the MayPole as the photo shows, but my best friend throughoutFerry Hall, Elissa Skoning ’72, was May Queen one year. Ah… the memories.Carolyn “Boojie” Morency Bauer ’72LaFayette, Calif.Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I am a cover girlat age 68! I am the girl in the white dress on the left holdingthe roses, 50 years ago at the May Queen crowning. The girlon the right is Mary Ann Bower Shaver ’59.Jill Amos Francis ’59Ann Arbor, Mich.ferry tales 11
Happy 140th Anniversary,Ferry Hall!The <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> community celebrated the 140th anniversary of the openingof Ferry Hall by officially marking September 22 as Ferry Hall Day on the LFAcalendar. On that day, the school community gathered in Reid Hall to hear remarksfrom Head of School John Strudwick and to enjoy a slice of cake, in honor of thehistoric occasion. Chair of the Ferry Hall Advisory Board and LFA trustee LorettaKalnow Kaplan ’73, P’03 joined Strudwick and Ferry Hall Prefect Rachel Fybel ’10in cutting the cake, which was adorned with yellow and white flowers and a pictureof Monty, the Ferry Hall mascot. During Reunion Weekend, Ferry Hall alumnaejoined together at the Deerpath Inn to mark the festive occasion and to reminisceabout their high school years. For more photos from both celebrations, please visitthe LFA website at: www.lfanet.org/alumni. Then click on the Ferry Hall tab on theleft side of the screen.Ferry Hall Advisory BoardChair and LFA trustee LorettaKalnow Kaplan ’73, P’03with Ferry Hall PrefectRachel Fybel ’10, and Headof School John Strudwick(l to r): Freshmen Mercedes Nagel, Lauren Stevenson,Katie Reid-Anderson, and Allie Cedergren(l to r): Tom Olivieri ’13, Clay Danly ’13, andNadeem Bandealy ’1312 Review Fall 2009 8 Click: www.lfanet.org
Ferry Hall alumnae celebrate the 140th anniversary of the opening of Ferry Hall during Reunion Weekend 2009.Here, those gathered blow out the candles on the cake at the Deerpath Inn.Join us for the7th Annual Ferry Hall Womenof Distinction CelebrationHonoring this year’s recipient, Karen Keating Ansara ’75Sunday, March 7, 2010 • 6 p.m. The Cressey Center for the ArtsDinner to follow in Reid HallFor more information, call (847) 615-3238 or check out theLFA website at: www.lfanet.orgSave the Date!ferry tales 13
<strong>Second</strong> ActHow LFA and FH alumni have reinventedthemselves in the workplaceby Ruth Keyso14 Review Fall 2009 Click: www.lfanet.org8
A Vietnam vet sells antiques. A teacher opens a bed and breakfast. Amotorcycle-riding, former textbook salesman teaches inner-city childrenhow to read.These are just a few examples of LFA and Ferry Hall alumni whohave made dramatic changes in their professional lives. What drivesthis transition? Is it passion? A calling to another line of work? Restlessnessin a current job? A realization that retirement is not all it’scracked up to be?This issue of the Review takes a look at six alumni (and one formerfaculty member) who have embarked on new careers. Their personalstories offer insight into the motivation behind the switch and howthese decisions have affected their lives. For those among you consideringyour own second <strong>act</strong>, we hope these stories inspire, encourage,and embolden you to explore your passion and, in the process, todiscover a new universe of meaningful opportunities.JOE ARNOLD ’60Colonel Joe Arnold ’60 approached retirementas a chance to do somethingdifferent with his life.Arnold, a West Point graduate andVietnam veteran, enjoyed a 30-yearcareer as an officer in the U.S. Armybefore opening up an Asian antiquesbusiness with his wife, Mary, in 1994.The business, East & Beyond, Ltd., islocated in a three-story townhouse inbusy McLean, Va., near the nation’scapital.While living in Japan during the finalfour years of his military career,Arnold got to thinking about his lifepost-retirement. He knew he wantedto keep working. And he knew heneeded a change.“I didn’t want to work for the government,the military or big business,”says Arnold. “I wanted to launchsomething completely different.”Noting that his wife had an eye for antiquesand that he had good businesssense, Arnold decided to open an antiquesbusiness. He was familiar withhigh-quality antiques: His parents hadcollected artwork and other artif<strong>act</strong>sduring their years in Asia and Europewith the U.S. Army. And he and hiswife enjoyed hunting for antiques inJapan and on frequent trips to Chinaand Korea. Before returning to theStates and opening a gallery on theirown, the pair found an agent in Asiawho could assist them in their dealingsoverseas.Starting the company was hard work.Arnold began by enrolling in coursesat a local community college, where helearned how to set up a business plancontinued on page 16...Joe Arnold ’60 and hiswife, Mary, in their shop,East & Beyond, Ltd.features 15
“[Edward Arpee] was my inspiration. I becameinterested in history because of him.”—Joe Arnold ’60and navigate the county bureaucracy.Next, he found an appropriate locationfor his gallery, studied his supplychains, investigated the competition,and nailed down a large storage space.“From there it was a slam dunk,” hesays.In 1994, Arnold opened the doors toEast & Beyond. His gallery includesfurniture, porcelain, artwork, and textilesfrom China, Japan, and Korea.Prices range from $5 for trinkets to$30,000 for a pair of Ming horseshoebackHuanghuali chairs, with the oldestartif<strong>act</strong>s in his collection dating backto the Han Dynasty. Clientele at thegallery come from “all walks of life.”“Dealers from China and Japan, peoplefrom the embassies, ex-military, StateDepartment,” he reports. “I just solda lot of things to a person from theGreek Embassy.”Arnold traces his interest in history backto his days at LFA in the late 1950s,where he studied under legendary historyand English master Ed Arpee.“He was my inspiration,” says Arnold,noting that he still has the little greenbook about the Civil War that Arpeewrote. “I became interested in historybecause of him”—so interested, headds, that he taught history for severalyears, including at West Point.Despite the poor economy, Arnoldhas accomplished what he set out todo with the business: keep occupied inretirement, share his love of antiques,and stay connected to Asia. Owningthe business also gives him a good excuseto travel abroad once a year tohunt for new inventory and to connectwith his cont<strong>act</strong>s.His advice for those thinking aboutstarting a new venture is simple andstraightforward: Do your homeworkbefore jumping into something new,be adaptable to change, and don’t letpride get in your way. And, if you arereally passionate about something,don’t be afraid to pursue it.“Too many people are closed to changeand miss out on things in life,” he says,noting that everyone should be readyto take advantage of opportunities asthey arise.When asked when he plans to retirefor real, 67-year-old Arnold laughs.“When I am 72,” he says. “I promisedmy wife.”JUDY DATESMANSome people reach a point in life whenstarting over becomes a now-or-neverdecision. Judy Datesman is one of them.Datesman worked at the <strong>Academy</strong>from 1977-1994, first in admissions,later as dean of students. She had justturned 40 when she realized that if shewas going to make a change in her life,she ought to do it soon.“I loved boarding school life; however,it can be all-encompassing, and I wasafraid that if I didn’t try something differentwhile I was young and solventenough to do it, I’d wake up one daywhen it was too late and wish I had,”she says.Her “something different” involvedmoving to France and starting a business.She sells pottery from the Quimperregion of Brittany via the Internet.Opening a cyber-retailing business wasnot her original intention, she says.16 Review Fall 2009 8 Click: www.lfanet.org
Judy Datesman at theQuimper Club Internationalannual meeting in La Baule,France, in October, 2007.She is displaying plates madeby a local artist.“When I moved here I wasn’t really interestedin Quimper pottery,” she sayson the phone from her office in Brittanyin northwestern France. Her professionalplans included either offeringa short-term, living-abroad experiencefor high school students or designingand selling beaded jewelry, somethingshe had been doing since 1989.Neither option panned out, she says.While she considered her next move,she took a job in a local, family-ownedshop that specialized in traditional tablelinens. She remained in the retailbusiness for four years before decidingto start her own company. Quimperis famous for its pottery, which is recognizablethe world over. So why notspecialize in this local craft, she askedherself?Datesman was familiar with the pottery.Her mother, Joan, is an antiquesdealer who has written a book aboutthe craft. In f<strong>act</strong>, it was during one ofJudy’s visits to Europe with her motherthat she became interested in France,particularly Brittany.“I visited for the first time in 1985 andfell in love [with the country],” shesays. “Then I did a six-month sabbaticalthere in 1992. I wanted to see if itwas just a great place to visit, or if Icould <strong>act</strong>ually live there.”Datesman has been living in France for15 years. In 1998 she set up a website,www.brittanybyways.com, and begandoing business online. Managing herown site has increased her technologicalskills and, as an outgrowth ofthat experience, she has been buildingwebsites for other businesspeople. Shecredits a former LFA headmaster forintroducing her to computers.“Tom Hodgkins really developed theuse of computers at LFA and let hisstaff go to town with using them,”she explains, adding that LFA was farahead of the technological curve in theearly 1990s, with Internet access inall of the dorms. Hodgkins regularlybrought in specialists to help facultyincorporate computing into their dailyschedules, Datesman says—a f<strong>act</strong>orthat helped hone her knowledge andget a leg up on the competition.Reflecting back on her decision toleave a comfortable life in the Statesand to start over in a foreign country,Datesman says she has no regrets. Hereducation and professional experiencesprovided the tools she needed tosucceed as an entrepreneur.“It’s a liberal arts triumph,” she says,citing the benefits of a broad educationalbackground. “[The U.S. educationalsystem] is oriented toward skillsthat can be applicable in a number ofareas. I think it’s intelligent to researchother possibilities before jumping in,but if it’s something you really want todo, give it a shot.“It would be sad to get to the end ofyour life and wish that you had triedsomething that you had always wantedto do,” she says.continued on page 18...“I was afraid that if I didn’t try somethingdifferent while I was young and solvent enoughto do it, I’d wake up one day when it was toolate and wish I had.” —Judy Datesmanfeatures 17
“Looking back now I cannot see how Isurvived many of the things that happened,but it has been such a wonderfulexperience, a wonderful life.” —Colin Campbell ’56COLIN CAMPBELL ’56A personal challenge led Colin Campbell’56 to change careers at an earlyage, 32. The transition was scary andhard, and the new job never broughtin any serious money, he says. But still,he wouldn’t change a thing.Campbell had been employed as a highschool Spanish and history teacher beforedrinking himself out of a job—and almost his life—and landing in arecovery program. The circumstancessurrounding his recovery became thefoundation on which he built a newcareer as an addiction counselor.“For me, it was never a case of dreamingabout a career and pursuing it,”says Campbell, who has been soberfor 38 years. “It was a case of beingdirected very firmly by circumstancesbeyond my comprehension” … intoa career through which he has helpedchange the lives of hundreds of thousandsof people.Campbell struggled academically duringhis years at LFA. Though his gradeswere poor, he says the <strong>Academy</strong> providedhim with an educational foundationthat made much of his later workpossible.“I was bright, but I couldn’t focus,” heexplains, noting that he was later diagnosedwith ADHD. “My [progress]reports used to say, ‘Colin does notwork up to his potential.’”College wasn’t any easier. After bouncingin and out of several colleges in theStates, he found himself at the Universityof the Americas in Mexico City. Aftergraduating with a degree in CNSS(Central Nervous System Stimulants),Campbell took a job at a high schoolin Aurora, Ill., transferring after threeyears to a school in Long Island, N.Y.His drinking got worse in New York,and eventually Campbell was terminatedfrom the teaching career thathe loved. That’s when he hit bottom.He spent that summer drinking andthinking about his life. He wantedto go back to school to earn a Ph.D.in anthropology, his passion, but heknew he couldn’t make it through therequired coursework because of hiscondition. So he tried to stop drinkingon his own. That lasted four months.“In the end it was too powerful; Icouldn’t control it,” he says.Then, a series of coincidences—meetingsomeone in recovery, connecting witha psychologist who recommended atreatment program—got Campbell onthe path toward recovery. He says ittook someone “in the know” educatinghim about the disease of alcoholismand explaining the chemistry behind itthat turned his life around.“I had a change in attitude broughton by knowledge, and now the goalbecame different,” he says. “I couldlearn to live without drinking.”By 1970 Campbell started to speak outabout his problem. He got involvedwith a local drug abuse preventionprogram and visited area schools totalk to students about alcoholism.“I wanted to be someone telling thetruth about the disease,” he says. “Iwanted to help people avoid, understand,and recover from [alcoholismand drug abuse].”The former classroom teacher had aknack for communication and a good18 Review Fall 2009 8 Click: www.lfanet.org
apport with the kids. This promptedhim and his wife, Glorianne, to startan organization, HUGS (Human Understandingand Growth Seminars,Inc.), which helps young people strugglingwith a variety of issues, includingdrug and alcohol abuse. In addition,he developed a degree programin chemical dependency counseling atSuffolk County Community College inNew York, where he worked as a fulltimeprofessor.“For me, this career was so muchmore meaningful than teaching historyor Spanish,” he says. “Lookingback now I cannot see how I survivedmany of the things that happened, butit has been such a wonderful experience,a wonderful life.”WENDY PARSHALLWITT ’82Wendy Parshall Witt ’82 was livinga comfortable life as a flight attendantfor American Airlines when sheclipped her wings and headed back tothe classroom. The decision came asno surprise to her family and friends.“I was always good at school, I likedit,” says Witt, who is about to completeher student teaching at SouthElgin High School. “Everyone alwayssaid I should become a teacher.”But Witt resisted for the longest time.She says she wanted to have a varietyof life experiences under her beltso that she could “[tell] students howtheir learning would have real-worldapplication.”Plus, she had the wanderlust after collegeand wanted to see the world. Aftergraduating from the University of Chicagowith both a bachelor’s and a master’sdegree in linguistics, Witt movedto Japan to teach English through theJapan Exchange and Teaching Programme.After returning to the States,she worked a series of jobs in the fieldof telecommunications while also servingher country through the Navy Reserve.(Witt is a commander in the U.S.Navy with a specialty in intelligence.)She considered pursuing a career in intelligencewith the federal governmentuntil she heard about an opportunitywith American Airlines in 1992.“They were recruiting people with[foreign] language skills to becomeflight attendants,” says Witt, who isfluent in both Japanese and French.Witt loved the lifestyle of her newjob—the flexibility, new places to see,a fun working environment. But bycontinued on page 20...Wendy Parshall Witt ’82tests out a lesson plan on herchildren, Bobby and Nico.“My desire to follow my dream was strongerthan the pull of a secure paycheck. I haven’thad a single regret.” —Wendy Parshall Witt ’82features 19
“Not only was I comfortable in the classroomagain, it seemed like a perfect fit … It washaving kids of my own that changed things;I was more patient.” —Susan Parker ’712006, 42-year-old Witt began to rethinkher career decision.“When I look back on life and thethings I am proud of, I want to feellike I had a positive effect on others,”she says.In 2006, Witt entered a teaching certificationprogram at Northern IllinoisUniversity with plans to become a highschool French teacher. She jokes thatthe writing was on the wall during hercollege days at U of C when she took ared pen to a love note a boyfriend hadwritten to her in French, riddled withgrammatical mistakes.Reflecting back on her experience atLFA and the faculty who had the mostinfluence on her as a student, Witt hashigh praise for all of them. But bandteacher Jon Novi made the most memorableimpression. As a teenager, Wittsays she found Novi’s laid-back styleand char<strong>act</strong>er “weird” at times, but asan adult has come to appreciate howmuch effort he put into making classinteresting and fun. Novi, along withlanguage instructors Edith Holmes,Alisha Betancourt, and Karen McAdamwere positive role models for thetype of teacher Witt says she wouldlike to become.“They were enthusiastic,” she says.“And when you bring that enthusiasm,that passion into the classroom, it ishard for students not to be excited, tofeel that class is fun.”One of the biggest hurdles Witt had toclear in deciding to change careers inher early 40s was what other peoplemight think. She says she felt caughtbetween her parents’ generation, mostof whom worked one job during theirwhole career and retired with a pension,and the 20-somethings of today,who switch jobs routinely.“It’s hard for people of my generationto change jobs because it goes againstthe grain of what we were taught,” shesays.But she didn’t let that stand in her way.“My desire to follow my dream wasstronger than the pull of a secure paycheck,”says Witt. “I haven’t had asingle regret.”SUSAN PARKER ’71Susan Parker ’71 says her reason forleaving a teaching job to open a bedand-breakfastinn can be summed upin one word: idealism.“Why wait to do this when we retire?”she says she asked herself at the time.“Let’s do it when we’re young, whenwe have [small] children.”On a weekend retreat to a B&B in Bayfield,Wis., in the early 1980s, Parkerand her then-husband had an epiphany.As they took in the serene atmosphereof the local inn and the pleasantlifestyle that the young owners seemedto enjoy, they got to thinking aboutmaking a career change themselves.Charged up by the new challenge, thepair began to research properties inthe Napa Valley, eventually purchasinga 135-year-old farmhouse in picturesqueCalistoga. They renovatedthe farmhouse and turned it into a sixbedroominn, Foothill House Bed &Breakfast, in 1982.“We can do this,” Parker says theybelieved at the time. “We were so idealistic.”20 Review Fall 2009 8 Click: www.lfanet.org
Susan Parker ’71 inthe classroomBut with romance comes reality. Runningthe business on a daily basiswas “a lot more work than we hadthought,” Parker says.“It was a 24-7 job,” she explains, notingthat she and her husband did everythingat the inn themselves, while raisingtwo young children. “The washingmachine was running constantly. Iknow more about how to fix a toiletthan any woman should know.”Business was “very successful,” withthe inn running at 95 percent occupancyfor 10 years. But things eventuallywent sour in her marriage in the early1990s, forcing her to sell the inn andmove on to other work. Parker, whohad been a teacher for nine years beforeopening the inn, did not considera return to her former profession.“People used to ask me if I missed[teaching], and I said I didn’t,” she admits.“I didn’t feel I had the patienceto be a good teacher.”But having kids of her own changedthat, she says. After working in theevent-planning industry for about fouryears following her divorce, Parkerknew she needed to find a differentjob. She wasn’t spending enough timewith her children and was away fromhome on weekends.“It was not where I wanted my life togo,” she says.She returned to teaching, thinking shewould do it temporarily until somethingelse came along. To her surprise,she liked it.“Not only was I comfortable in theclassroom again, it seemed like a perfectfit,” she says. “It was having kidsof my own that changed things; I wasmore patient, and I looked at thingsfrom the perspective of a parent.”These days Parker teaches special educationat Middletown High School.She is also the faculty sponsor for theschool’s community service club, Inter<strong>act</strong>.She credits her education at FerryHall and her former teaching job withinstilling in her a desire to give back.“I’m kind of an old hippie,” she says.“When I was at Ferry Hall at the tailend of the 1960s, it was a time of demonstrations,protest. We were taughtto go beyond our world and to helpothers.”Looking back, Parker says she is gladshe rediscovered teaching in her early40s and feels like she is touching morelives through her work in the classroomthan at the inn.“In the B&B business you see peopleat their best; they are happy, on vacation,”she says. But in the classroom,particularly the special education classroom,she sees children who struggle.The challenge of this experience holdsa deeper meaning, she says.“When I’m teaching, I’m changinglives. When I see a kid walk acrossthe stage and receive a diploma, that’shuge. Doors are opening for them.”JERRY MORRISON ’47After 12 years of working in his family’sretail business, Jerry Morrison ’47called it quits. He was 38. He was puttingin 70-hour weeks. He missed seeinghis seven children.“At some point in life we ask ourcontinuedon page 22...features 21
selves, ‘What are my priorities?’” hesays. “Do I make money and never seemy family? Do I make less money butdo something I enjoy?”Morrison had been in charge of operationsfor Globe Outlet Corp., awomen’s clothing store founded by hisgrandfather in 1890. For more thana decade he managed the day-to-daybusiness affairs at all five of the storelocations. Exhausted from the longhours and frustrated with the familydynamic—“My dad and I didn’t getalong from a business sense: He wasold school; I wanted to do things differently”—Morrisongot out of retailfor good in 1967.With a wife and kids to feed, he hadto find another job fast. When a friendmentioned an opening at the local,state-run vocational rehabilitation officein Waukegan, Morrison jumpedat the chance. He had volunteered atthe VA Hospital when he was a teenager,assisting emotionally and physicallyscarred veterans from WWI andWWII. He felt this experience was agood foundation for a job in the socialservices field.“I was familiar with this world,” saysMorrison. “My experience [at the VA]gave me a new outlook on people [withphysical and mental challenges].”Morrison got the job. He started as acounselor trainee, quickly working hisway up to counselor, case work supervisor,regional administrator, andeventually director of field operationsfor the entire state of Illinois. He creditshis success in the field to his abilityto inter<strong>act</strong> effectively with people.“In the retail business you had to begood with people or you were gone,”he says, reflecting on his years in thefamily business as well as his early experiencein New York City as a juniorexecutive in-training with Gimbelsdepartment store. “It was the No. 1[f<strong>act</strong>or] in business—to get along withpeople.”The same logic applied in the field ofvocational rehab. In his first 10 yearson the job, Morrison, a counselor,worked directly with clients who had avariety of disabilities—mental, physical,and developmental. He assistedthem in securing employment and inretaining their jobs. He also helpedthem receive proper medical care. Herecalls one of his first cases.“An 18-year-old came into the officeand said, ‘I’m dying. What can you dofor me?’” Morrison helped the youngman, who had kidney disease, by arrangingfor medical care and a kidneytransplant. The young man survived,graduated from college, and becamean accountant with U.S. Steel.Morrison says it is cases like these—and thousands more like it—that madehis job so meaningful over the years.And the payback for his work is somethingdeeper than a paycheck.Jerry Morrison ’47 and hiswife, Rita, in 2000.“Do I make money and never see my family? DoI make less money but do something I enjoy?”—Jerry Morrison ’4722 Review Fall 2009 8 Click: www.lfanet.org
“It’s great to have made a difference to someone,to be recognized for it. If nothing elsehappens, I will know I did something great inmy life.” —Jeff Blumenthal ’58“The return is that you’ve helpedsomeone; you’ve made a difference insomeone’s life,” Morrison says. “Thiswork has made me more sympatheticto people who don’t have anything.”For those like him who are thinkingabout changing careers, Morrison saysit’s never too late. He reports proudlythat the choice to follow his heart, despitethe economic challenges the decisionengendered, made an imp<strong>act</strong> onhis own life, as well as the lives of hischildren.“Three of my seven are in social work,”he says.JEFF BLUMENTHAL ’58When Jeff Blumenthal ’58 retired froma 23-year career with textbook giantFollett Corp. in 2006, he had one bigconcern: how to meet new people andkeep socially <strong>act</strong>ive.“People kept telling me that retirementchanges your life; your whole socialstructure changes,” he explains. “You’renot hanging around the water cooleranymore, seeing the same people.”When a fellow member of the NationalAssociation for Business Economics(NABE) asked him to assist with apilot program to get high school studentsinterested in careers in economics,Blumenthal agreed to lend his timeand expertise. Every month he tooka group of students from some of thecity’s most beleaguered public schoolson tours of Chicago’s financial hotspots—the Board of Trade, the FederalReserve Bank, the Mercantile Exchange—andopened their eyes to theworlds of banking, consulting, investment,and business networking.“These kids had never been insidebuildings like this, never seen the artworkon the walls,” he says.Blumenthal’s work with NABE quicklybranched out into other volunteeropportunities, all involving youngpeople. At the Union League Clubof Chicago he serves on the board ofthe Engineers’ Foundation and helpsaward college scholarships to aspiringengineers. In 2007, he joined theReal Men Read program, an initiativesponsored through the Chicago PublicSchools. Once a month, he joins middleschoolers in the classroom wherethey read books together, titles such as“Chicken Sunday,” “Bud, Not Buddy,”“The Memory Coat.” They discuss theliterature and how it relates to theirown lives.“They have fun reading, listening toothers, being asked questions,” saysBlumenthal.And so does he. As a reward for theirparticipation in class, Blumenthal letsthe kids ask him any questions theywould like. They often want to knowabout his background, where he lives,and where he travels on his motorcycle.Blumenthal is surprised by howmuch enjoyment he gets from the dialogueand inter<strong>act</strong>ion. In f<strong>act</strong>, he says,it still surprises him that he spends somuch of his retirement time with middleschool students.“I thought maybe I’d work with graduatestudents or young people startingout in business, but not the real youngkids,” says Blumenthal, a father oftwo and grandfather of three. “But beinga grandfather has conditioned mefor it.”continued on page 24...features 23
Jeff Blumenthal ’58 outsidethe Union League Clubin Chicago, June 2009.Education has always held great importanceto Blumenthal. He recalls hisyears as a day student at <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong><strong>Academy</strong> and the fine teachers whoprepared him for college—Sid Ainsworth,Lou Wetzel, Richard Delano.From LFA he went to Cornell, wherehe earned his bachelor’s and master’sdegrees in engineering physics. Helater earned a doctorate in engineering-economicsfrom Stanford. Afterworking as a business economist andconsultant in his early professionallife, Blumenthal took a job at Follettin the 1980s, where he did strategicplanning for the company in additionto selling textbooks. He says it was thefirst place he worked where he felt hewas “doing some good.”“I was helping people lower the costof education by [providing] used textbooks,”he says. “I was making educationmore affordable.”Reflecting on his current role in theReal Men Read program and the differencehe is trying to make in thelives of students, Blumenthal pulls outa leather binder filled with letters ofthanks from the 5th and 6th graders atthe school. He says notes like these reaffirmhis commitment to the programand his dedication to the students.“It’s rewarding from an emotionalstandpoint,” says Blumenthal. “It’sgreat to have made a difference tosomeone, to be recognized for it. Ifnothing else happens, I will know I didsomething great in my life.” nSee bios on page 25.24 Review Fall 2009 8 Click: www.lfanet.org
Joe Arnold ’60 lives in McLean, Va.,with his wife, Mary. Visit theirwebsite at: www.eandbeyond.com.Joe also co-founded a softwarecompany, VirPack, in 1996. Checkit out at: http://www.virpack.com/Jeff Blumenthal ’58 lives in Chicagowith his wife, Joan. E-mail himat: JeffB@BlumenthalFamily.net.Colin Campbell ’56 is retired andlives in Geneva, Ill., with his wife,Glorianne. He can be reached at:cccampbell38@gmail.com.Jerry Morrison ’47 lives in Asheville,N.C., with his wife, Rita. He has7 children, 10 grandchildren, and7 great-grandchildren. He can bereached at: jmorr29@bellsouth.net.Since retirement he has beenworking on cultural and economicexchange programs with the RussianFederation through the Library ofCongress’ Open World Program andthe State Department’s Center forCitizen’s Initiatives.Judy Datesman lives in Brittany,France. Visit her websiteat: www.brittanybyways.com.Susan Parker ’71 lives inKelseyville, Calif., with her husband,Scott Cooper. She has two children,Alexandra and Eric.Wendy Parshall Witt ’82 livesin South Elgin, Ill., with her husband,David, and two sons, Bobbyand Nico. She can be reached at:wendy.witt@sbcglobal.net.features 25
Reunion 2009Reunion 2009 was a blast! Alumni from the Classes of 1944 through2009 returned to campus for a variety of fun <strong>act</strong>ivities, from classparties on Friday night in <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> and Lincolnshire, to the alumnitouch football game, Hall of Fame ceremony, and class dinners onSaturday night in Reid Hall. Ferry Hall alumnae enjoyed a specialcelebration of the 140th anniversary of their alma mater with a cakeat the Deerpath Inn on Friday night and, of course, the annual trip tothe former chapel in east <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> following their luncheon on Saturday.To view more photos from the weekend, visit the LFA websiteat: www.lfanet.org/alumni. Thanks to everyone for a great turnout!See you again next year!Life trustee Dave MacKenzie’50, P’86 and his wife,Debby, with their grandson,Tommy Christoph ’10.26 Review Fall 20098 Click: www.lfanet.org
The Class of 1984 at the Grille on Laurel. LFA history teacher andAssistant Dean of College Counseling Chris Dozois, Greg Holzman, Joanna Janger, andTony Hirsch.Alumni/ae celebrate at the Deerpath Inn. (l to r): Former Ferry HallHeadmaster John Bird, LFA English and Spanish teacher Lynne Kulieke, trustee LorettaKalnow Kaplan ’73, P’03, Mary Alice Bird, Linda Rottman-Worthington ’72, and GertieKalnow Chisholm ’74.the Deerpath Inn. Dean Alexandrou ’75 (center) with Milt Green ’74and his wife, Sarah.the Deerpath Inn. George Harmon ’59 and his wife, Judy.The Class of 2004celebrates at theCubby Bear inLincolnshire.(l to r): Sean Gilmore, OlesyaSalnikova, math teacherArdelle Hagar, Drew Walgreen,Dina Khodorkovskaia, GailAmornpongchai, scienceteacher Kerry Cedergren P’13,and Charlie McKnight.features 27
The Class of 1979 at the home of Greg ’79 and Melissa Glyman ’80.(front row, l to r): Nancy Simonian Cole and Dina Axotis Rotolo; (back, l to r): Greg Glyman,Ted Pickus, and Jeff Schotland.The Class of 1989 at the Grille on Laurel. Mike LaVista, Clint Cox, RichAshdown, Christine Jadwin Rounds, Gail Denenberg Belian, Milo Zonka.Ferry Hall Luncheon. White Team captains (seated) and Yellow Team captains(standing) together again! (seated, l to r): Jane Neukomm McCollum ’74 andLoretta Kalnow Kaplan ’73, P’03; (standing, l to r): Gertie Kalnow Chisholm ’74 andJeff Cummins O’Banion ’73.Ferry Hall Luncheon. Vicki Maccarthy ’74 (left) and Kathy Edwards Anthony ’74look through the Ferry Hall yearbooks during the luncheon.Alumni Claude Brenner ’44 and Helen Chou ’04; both are also MIT graduates.28 Review Fall 2009Stephanie Blanch ’99 (right) and trustee Regina Spellers ’85 participate in theMulticultural Dialogue.8 Click: www.lfanet.org
Alumni and current hockeyplayers enjoy a scrimmagein the MacKenzie Ice Arenaon Saturday morning ofReunion Weekend. (front row,l to r): Zach Yirkovsky ’01,Greg Friedman’79, ChrisLeffingwell ’01, Rick Wilde’92, Lindy Alo ’04; (backrow, l to r): Tom Boudreau’01, Tom Seputis ’00, PhilPray ’12, Frankie Senese’12, Matt Pinel ’12, MattUstaski ’12, Nick Ustaski ’11,Kevin Goddard ’06, JohnWalton ’12, Yun Han ’11,Chris Lee ’10.Athletic Director Kevin VersenP’09, P’13 catches up withformer student-athletes KirkZafirovski ’05, Mac Fuller ’04,Matt Zafirovski ’04, JB Turney’03, and Todd Zafirovski ’09.Mike Karras ’84 runs for atouchdown during the alumniflag football game.features 29
2009 Hall of Fame. Head of School John Strudwick presents Mary Alice andJohn Bird with their Hall of Fame plaque.2009 Hall of Fame. Former LFA football standouts Rick Giesen ’75 and Paul Moore ’74.Giesen presented Moore with a page from his scrapbook identifying Moore and Giesen asOffensive and Defensive Players of the Week back in 1973.The 2009 Hall of Famerecipients. (l to r): NancySimonian Cole ’79, PaulMoore ’74, Mary Alice Bird,former Ferry Hall HeadmasterJohn Bird, trustee Jim Stuart’59, trustee Nancy HowSpeer ’59, LFA Head ofSchool John Strudwick P’13.The LFA Classes of 1944 and 1945. Jim Gourley ’45, life trusteeClaude Brenner ’44, Albert Hall ’44, P’67, P’77.(right) The LFA Class of 1949. Jim Barr and William Gentry.30 Review Fall 20098 Click: www.lfanet.org
The LFA Class of 1959. (front row, l to r): John Dille P’86, David Richards, Tom Carr,Jim Kling, Donal Murphy, Mac Harris; (second row, l to r): Jim Kohl, Jerry Millhon, MikeO’Brien, Lee Korhumel P’82, P’85; (third row, l to r): Bob Finkenstaedt, trustee Jim Stuart,Rusty McKay, George Harmon, Eric Plym; (back row): John Lyon, Chip McIntosh.The Ferry Hall Class of 1959. (l to r): Irene Pangere Nestorovich P’88, P’91,Dileen DeVry Bishop, trustee Nancy How Speer, Anne Bloomberg, Ruth Kohler.John Bird and hisformer students andcolleagues. (front row,l to r): Former Ferry Hall facultymember Gina Rosenstein, formerLFA and FH French and Spanishteacher Alisha Betancourt-Mullen,former FH and LFA scienceteacher Tina Epstein, MaryAlice Bird, former Ferry HallHeadmaster John Bird, and hisbrother, David; (second row, l tor): Judy Bartholomew McBride’74, Jane Neukomm McCollum’74, Kim O’Brien Schotte ’74,trustee Loretta Kalnow Kaplan’73, Beth Petit Shaw ’75, SarahOlcott Moore ’73, Vicki Maccarthy’74, Sally Bird (sister-in-lawof John Bird), LFA Spanish andEnglish teacher Lynne Kulieke;(back row, l to r): Jeff CumminsO’Banion’73, Gertie KalnowChisholm ’74, Kathy EdwardsAnthony ’74, Nell Gallagher ’73,Martha Woodbridge Pedersen ’74.The LFA Class of 1964. (front row, l to r): Keith Owen P’95, Peter Truitt, John Struthers,Larry Ross, Ray Skelton; (back row, l to r): Scott Lang, Monty Edson, Neil Blatchford.The Class of 1974. (front row, l to r): Kim O’Brien Schotte, Judy BartholomewMcBride, Jane Neukomm McCollum, Steve Lee P’06, Rob Reuss; (second row, l to r):Kathy Edwards Anthony, Martha Woodbridge Pedersen, Milt Green, Deen Oscarson,Vicki Maccarthy, Gertie Kalnow Chisholm, Bob Goshgarian; (back row, l to r): PaulMoore, Mary Alice Bird, John Bird, Ted Wilson.features 31
The Class of 1979. (front row, l to r): April Cooper P’13, Keith Harris, Jennifer CohenShneiderman, Rachael Sokolowski; (second row, l to r): Sue Rowe Salvitti, Nancy SimonianCole, Susan Stouder, Dina Axotis Rotolo; (back row, l to r): Jeff Schotland, Herb Garcia,Greg Friedman.The Class of 1984. (front row, l to r): Joanna Janger, Tika Davies Walsh, Amy SlocombeHathaway, Mike Karras; (second row, l to r): Greg Holzman, John Cho, Barb Freund Gitkin,Elizabeth Hayman Sherman, Maria Papadimitriu Pentzas, Tucker Durmer, Jamie Welles;(third row, l to r): Jim Kolliopoulos, Heidi Snyder Flagg, Amy Tryon Thornbury, Chris Dozois;(back row, l to r): Myron Ford ’83, Chuck Galante, Mike Fry, Tony Hirsch, Jonathan Tan.The Class of 1989. (front row, l to r): Rich Ashdown, Trevor Wilde Jesse, GailDenenberg Belian, Chris Jadwin Rounds; (back row, l to r): Clint Cox, Mike LaVista,Liz Simpson Wessel, Mark Stisser, Milo Zonka.The Class of 1994. (front row, l to r): Zach Steffens, Mary Gust-Damitio, RachelDeitzler Padron, Suki Harada, Amanda Williamson, Danette Riehle Gioia, Holly WentinkMartin, Carter Chapman; (back row, l to r): Jaime Jessopp, Adrian MacLean Jay,Mary-Audrey Proops Atteberry, Mike Sieman, Sunil Moser.The Class of 1999. (front row, l to r): Sarah Pae, Anjali Kumar Bharadwa, An Duong;(back row, l to r): former LFA math teacher and hockey coach Andy Noel, Taylor Tang,Stephan Jacob, Art Chu.The Class of 2004. (front row, l to r): Rosemary Uluocha, Helen Chou, OlesyaSalnikova, Winnie Uluocha; (back row, l to r): Shannon Jones, Charlie McKnight, DrewWalgreen, Sean Gilmore.32 Review Fall 2009 8 Click: www.lfanet.org
<strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>—Ferry HallHall of Fame 2010NOMINATION FORMDue by April 1, 2010The Hall of Fame was founded in 1980 by the Alumni Association to honor those individuals who have earned distinctionin one of three categories: Achievement and Service to Society, Service to the School (<strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> and Ferry Hall),and Achievement in Athletics.The Alumni Council and Ferry Hall Advisory Board reinstated these awards in 2006 as part of the annual Homecoming &Reunion Weekend celebration, with a focus on nominating alumni in milestone Reunion years. Honorees will be inducted atHomecoming & Reunion Weekend on Oct. 2, 2010, and we anticipate that each recipient will accept the award in person.I wish to nominate:Name:Class Year:Milestone Reunion years in 2010 end in 5s and 0s and include the classes of: 1950 (60th), 1955 (55th), 1960 (50th), 1965 (45th), 1970 (40th),1975 (35th), 1980 (30th), 1985 (25th), 1990 (20th), 1995 (15th), 2000 (10th) and 2005 (5th).Nominated for recognition in:n Achievement and Service to Societyn Service to the Schooln Achievement in AthleticsReason for Nomination(s):Submitted by:Class Year:Home Phone:Business/Mobile Phone:E-Mail:We invite you to submit a nomination for the 2010 Hall of Fame. To nominate a fellow alumnus/a, please fill out the form aboveand return it to: Office of External Relations, <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>, 1500 W. Kennedy Road, <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>, IL 60045, Attn:Hall of Fame Nominations. If you require additional information, please cont<strong>act</strong> Jackie Johnson, Director of Alumni Relations,at: (847) 615-3298 or jjohnson@lfanet.org.features 33
class notesJerome Morrison ’47 sent in this photo fromfootball camp in 1946. Thanks, Jerry!’46Are you in the shot? Tell us more about camp.We’d love to report your memories in the spring 2010issue of the Review!Mary Dailey ’46 sent in several photographs fromgraduation 1946. We have added them to ourarchival collection and have reprinted several here foryour enjoyment. Thanks, Mary!’46(l to r): Mary “Lefty” Dailey ’46, Barbara Vance Chatterton’46, Helen Waldie Hicks ’46, Mary MacKenzie ’46,Nancy Highriter Browne ’46’46Mary Dailey ’46 and Litta “Willie”Williams Sanderson ’471931Louise Coffin Downs writes that she lives ina great retirement community in Falmouth,Maine. Last summer she celebrated her 93rdbirthday with a 65-day cruise to the Pacific andAustralia. She can still recite the 12th chapterof Romans as she and her classmates had to doevery year for Miss Tremain!1946Evelyn Sherman Feffer writes that she alwayssearches the class notes for news about the1946 Ferry Hall grads. She was delighted toread a note from “Bish” (Mary Bishop Mann)in the spring 2009 issue. Evelyn lives in Scottsdale,Ariz., and is enjoying retirement. She volunteersfour times a week. She writes that heryears at Ferry Hall were a very important timein her life, and her experiences there still guideher. She is still known as Crickett!1948Henry “Duke” Ryan presented a paper at theconvention of the Society of Historians of AmericanForeign Relations on June 27. The paper isentitled “America’s Jews and Russia’s Tsars:The Struggle Over Jewish Persecution, 1881-1917.” It focused on material from a draft of abook he is working on entitled, “The Homeland:from Catherine the Great to Harry S. Truman,the people and policies that created Israel.”The text of the conference paper is on his website(www.henrydukeryan.com). He sends hisvery best regards to all of his friends from hisLFA days.1949In April, Mickey Poole and his wife, Carole, haddinner with Dave MacKenzie ’50 and his wife,Debby, as well as Julie Priebe (wife of FrankPriebe ’50). They reminisced about the old daysas well as devoted some constructive thought ontheir economic malaise.1950Charles MacNab served as a naval aviator inthe U.S. Navy and also as a personal pilot forthe king of Saudi Arabia and for the Arabian-American Oil Co. He was also a captain forTWA, flying domestic and international routesto such places as Europe, Asia, Africa, the FarEast, and North America. He is a member ofthe National Board of Directors, Air Line PilotsAssociation, International; a member of theNew York City Aviation Development Council;and New York Region Public Relations Director(for all airlines).1953Sarah Thomas wrote a book about living in atiny town in Indiana during the 1980s. It iscalled “West of Buffalo” and is now availableon amazon.com. (To find it easily, put quotesaround the title.) You can read excerpts on herblog at: www.westofbuffalo.com.1956Colin Campbell writes that he has been a volunteerat LFA during the past couple of yearsand has spent a fair amount of time on campus.“What a great school this is!” He urges all ofthe “old timers” to get in touch with the AlumniOffice, pay a visit, and find a way to help. Also,he and former classmates Charles Hirsheimer,Dick Watson ’55, and Ray (Woo-Hyung)Kim have lunch together regularly. Want tojoin them? Cont<strong>act</strong> Colin at: cccampbell38@gmail.com.1961Dr. Carolyn Allen Zeiger writes that she andher husband, Paul, teach yoga to people withParkinson’s Disease. (Her husband has PD.)They also give presentations at conferences,and Carolyn leads caregivers’ workshops.1962Stewart Tittle writes that his 50th Reunion iscoming up in three years. He is looking forwardto seeing everyone. His wife, Linda, is bringingher ice skates this time. He had forgottento mention to her during the last Reunion thatthe <strong>Academy</strong> has a rink. Stewart hopes thatas many classmates as possible will return forthe Reunion.Biff Giles is enjoying retirement in the fabulousdesert resort of Palm Springs!34 Review Fall 2009 8 Click: www.lfanet.org
class notes1964Morgan Hickenlooper is a semi-retired priest.He and his wife, Mary, travel when they can andspend a lot of time on his late-life hobby, flying.1965Mike Schell writes that he had been reflectingon LFA recently as his 44th Reunion approached.Some years ago he returned to LFAto join its Board of Trustees. It has been a challenging,exciting, and fulfilling experience. LFAtoday is not the school he and his classmatesfrom the 1960s attended, but its fundamentalsand its parentage (LFA and Ferry Hall) are evident.“With great respect for today’s head andleadership, faculty, and student body, I believethe school is what it is—in significant part—because of what it was when we knew it, andbefore. If you are connected to LFA today, Ihope you will continue. If you are not, I hopeyou will permit yourself to reconnect and todiscover what I have during these past eightyears: LFA is a wonderful environment and asplendid opportunity for young folks. It is aschool of which you can and will be proud.”1967David Andreas writes that he is enjoying retirement.His wife and two children are well. Hisdaughter is a senior at Haverford College, and hisson is doing a post-graduate year at MinneapolisCommunity and Technical College. He intendsto earn a degree in theater and set design/managementin the future. For fun, David helicoptersnowboards in British Columbia and rides inthe Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride AcrossAmerica annually on his Honda Goldwing.1968Eddie Pratt would love to get in touch withformer LFA classmates who happen to live inSouthern California. Write to Eddie at: eddiepratt53@sbcglobal.net.1969Alan Ball has been living and working in NewMexico since 1983. He recently became generalmanager of a locally owned title and escrowcompany. His health is good. He still enjoyssnow skiing, hiking, reading, cooking, and a littlehumor. His son is now 39, happily married,living in Omaha, and managing a huge salesforce. After graduating from LFA, Alan went toNebraska Wesleyan University, where he earnedhis BA in philosophy. He also studied religion.He got married, became a father, and was divorcedby age 21. He has not remarried. DropAlan a line at: alanball2@gmail.com.1971Anne Winton Black writes that her daughter,Winton, married Dustin Jansen on June 15,2008, in a private ceremony on Brant Point,Nantucket. Winton’s brother, Rod, received aone-day license from the State of Massachusettsand officiated the ceremony.1975Brett Tuttrup ran 442 miles in the past year,thanks to former coach Jim Holt!Janice Neff-Sinclair has retired from working forthe United States Marine Corps. She is now astudent majoring in 3D art with an emphasis inglass. She is also studying interior design.1976Minda Moore Johnstone joined The PrivateBank of California in Century City (Los Angeles)as executive vice president/manager. She managesthe bank’s commercial real estate group.1980Jim Burlew writes in from Jelenia Gora, Poland.He and his wife, Ewelina, announce the birthof their daughter, Melodia Maria, on July 11,2008. Jim has been living in Southwest Polandand working for a private language school forabout five years. He sends his best to his formerclassmates.Jana McBurney-Lin writes that her first novel,“My Half of the Sky,” came out in paperbackin July 2008. Visit her at: www.myhalfofthesky.blogspot.com or join her on Facebook.1985Becky Gilbert Hills writes that she and her husband,Jim, recently moved from Pennsylvaniato Oregon. They traveled 4,900 miles acrossAmerica with three children, two dogs, a car,and a trailer, stopping in many national parksalong the way.1986Professor Makola Abdullah returned to campusin May 2009 for the <strong>Academy</strong>’s annualCum Laude Society Induction Ceremony, wherehe delivered remarks to the students. Makolais a dean in the College of Engineering Sciences,Technology, and Agriculture at Florida A & MUniversity.Professor Makola Abdullah ’86 visits with <strong>Academy</strong> studentsduring his time on campus in May 2009. Picturedare (front row, l to r): Diana Martinez ’10, Morgan Threatt’09, Rickey Larke ’11; (middle row, l to r): Myron Ford’83, P’07, P’11, Myron Ford Jr.’11, Dr. Makola Abdullah’86, Beverly Onyekwuluje ’11, Lucy Irungu ’11; (backrow, l to r): Sydnee Burns ’09, Jessica Anderson ’10,Nyalia Lui ’12, and Biniyam Melesse ’10.1989Tim Seston and his wife, Sally, welcomed twins,Luke and Owen, on Dec. 20, 2009. They join bigbrother, Charlie, who is 4. Tim and Sally continueto work at Concord <strong>Academy</strong>. Tim also tellsstories professionally. Visit him online at: www.frompagetoplay.com.1990Jennifer Kotila and her husband, Patrick, announcethe birth of their daughter, Ella, onJan. 6, 2009. This is their first child. Jenniferand Patrick still live in LaCrosse, Wis. Patrickworks for Trane Co. as an IT manager; Jenniferis a neonatal nurse pr<strong>act</strong>itioner at Franciscan-Skemp Mayo Health System. She sends herbest to her classmates.1992Lauren Tessitore Woods still lives in Bostonwith her husband, Craig, and two sons, Colinand Garett. Lauren works at athenahealth,where she sells electronic medical records tophysicians. Write to Lauren at: laurenandcraig@msn.com.continued on page 37...class notes 35
class notesspotlightThe Dailey ShowMary Dailey ’46 was fully aware she had anAmerican treasure in her basement. She justdidn’t know what to do with it.Catalogued in her home inSheridan, Wyo., are morethan 2,500 original negativesand photographs takenby her father, Arthur “Pete”Dailey. One of the most prominentphotographers of theAmerican West in the early 1900s, Pete lefthis daughter an extensive collection of his workwhen he died in 1973.This work is now part of an exhibit that willtour the country—and the world—starting inthe spring 2010.“I believe my father’s work has a great validityto it,” says Dailey on the phone from Wyoming.“A lot of Western photography is documentary[in style], but my father was a real artist; thiscollection is unique in its flavor.”The collection includes black and white photographstaken in the early part of the 20thcentury at Eatons’ Ranch in Wolf, Wyo., a 125-year-old dude and cattle ranch in the BighornMountains. Pete spent summers at Eatons’ asa young man in a wide variety of jobs—waiter,wrangler, store clerk—snapping thousands ofimages of cowboys and horses and clouds alongthe way. Whether waking before the sun roseor shooting from horseback, Pete did whateverit took to capture the perfect light, the perfectscene, the perfect moment in time.“It was a second home to him,” says Dailey aboutthe ranch.Long after he graduated from college and embarkedon a 30-year career as head of advertisingat Santa Fe Railway, Pete returned to theranch to shoot. His photography remained a“devoted hobby” throughout his life, says Dailey,and he won numerous national and internationalawards for his work.When he died, Pete bequeathed his photos tohis daughter. Dailey kept the images in storagein her apartment in New York City for nearlythree decades. When she moved to Wyoming in1999 after a 50-year career as a travel agent inNYC, she dug them out. It started with a phonecall from a man in St. Louis.“It came out of nowhere,” Dailey says aboutthe call from antique collector Michael Faginin March 2007. Fagin had seen two imagesof Pete’s in an antiques shop in St. Louis andwanted to learn more about the artist. Throughsome creative digging and research at his locallibrary, Fagin made cont<strong>act</strong> with Dailey atEatons’ Ranch. Dailey says she and Fagin hadan instant connection.“We connected over the respect for the truth;we see something pure in these photographs,”she says.Fagin, who is a developer of intellectual properties,now co-curates the collection of photographswith Dailey. Over the past two years, thepair has worked diligently to digitize the 2,500original negatives and has received enthusiasticoffers from interested museums to show thepieces. They intend to work with those institutionsthat will best honor the educational andartistic value of the collection, they say.“It is a beautiful and unique collection that shouldbe shared,” Dailey says about her father’s art.“They are timeless, artistic photographs” thatpresent a different visual history of the AmericanWest than what most people might be used toseeing, she says.Like her father, Dailey, too, is fascinated withEatons’ and the frontier spirit that still existsthere. From 1942 until the present, she hasspent much time each year at the ranch, sometimesphotographing alongside her father andlater exploring the landscape on her own.“I was curious where my dad was when hetook his shots,” says Dailey, recalling how heused to share tips with her on where to stand,how to compose a photograph, what to look for.Though she has taken a couple of “lucky shots”of her own over the years, nothing compares tothe work of her father, she says.“He stands on his own,” Dailey says.—Will Hayes ’07Mary “Lefty” Dailey ’46 is owner of Dailey-ThorpTravel, Inc. She lives in Sheridan, Wyo., andvisits Eatons’ Ranch regularly. To learn moreabout Pete Dailey and his work, visit www.arthurdaileyphotos.com.Mary can be reached at:mtdailey@wyoming.com.(above, top to bottom) “Dusty Trail,” “Drag Riders,”and “Dust and Shadow.” © Arthur A. Dailey.(left) Mary Dailey, Ferry Hall Class of 194636 Review Fall 2009
class notesAmish Shah and his wife, Amy, proudly announcethe birth of their daughter, Maya Elizabeth,on Aug. 24, 2009. This is the Shahs’first child.Maya Elizabeth Shah1993Biz Lindsay Ryan and her partner, Becca, welcomedbaby girl Kathleen “Katie” Ona into theirfamily on Feb. 13, 2009. They live in Evanston.E-mail Biz at: elindsayryan@gmail.com.1994Charles Hamby and his wife, Beth Ann, welcomedtheir first child, Benedict, on June 21,2008. Charles pr<strong>act</strong>ices internal medicine inElmhurst, Ill. He and his family enjoy winters attheir home in Beaver Creek, Colo., where theylove to ski. Charlie would love to grab someruns with any alumni out that way.Chad Peshak lives in San Francisco and worksat Electronic Arts as an HR manager. He can bereached at: peshak@yahoo.com.Adrian MacLean Jay and her husband, Larsen,president of DoubleJay Creative/Dogwood Entertainment,are proud to announce that theirfirst feature film, “That Evening Sun,” starringHal Holbrook, is showing in select theatersaround the country. It enjoyed a special screeningat the Regal Cinema in Lincolnshire on May4, 2009. The Jays live in Knoxville, Tenn.Holly Wentink Martin is enjoying being a newmother: trips to the beach, walks in the sunshine,and playing with Nicolas’ toys. She andher family visited Chicago this summer andintroduced Nicolas to the “big city” and someLFA friends.1995Christian Anderson lives in Los Angeles, wherehe is a network host and <strong>act</strong>or. He performed inthe stage production of “Stop Kiss” during thesummer 2009 and hosted a Save Darfur concertin Hollywood in September. Read aboutChristian on his website at: http://christianandersononline.com.Or check out his YouTube clipat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIh31_NMhfw1996Jonathan Schulz and his wife, Alexandra, welcomedtheir first child, Henry, on Jan. 30, 2009.Henry loves spending time with his uncles, Bill’94 and Alfred ’01.Michael Petersen recently completed a master’sdegree in international relations at the Universityof Cape Town in South Africa. He also earned anMBA from the University of Illinois as an IllinoisVeteran Scholar. Mike accepted a position in theexploration and production section of Shell OilCompany (New Orleans office) and is excitedand surprised to be headed back down South.continued on page 39...’86’92Lincolnshire Regal Cinema :: May 4, 2009Screening of “That Evening Sun,” produced by DoubleJay Creative/Dogwood Entertainment,the production company of Adrian MacLean Jay ’94 and Larsen Jay’94Phil Atteberry ’92, Mary-Audrey Proops Atteberry ’94,Mary Ann MacLean P’94, trustee Jeff Keller ’87, and hiswife, MollyThe LFA contingent (l to r): Tom Delaney, Director of CommunicationsRuth Keyso, Development Assistant ChristineRyder, and Academic Office Manager Helen DelaneyTrustee Jeff Keller ’87 with Larsen Jay, husbandof Adrian MacLean Jay ’94class notes 37
class notesspotlightFinding FinnThree boys discover freedom, friendship,and adventure on Mississippi River boat trip;40 years later they test the waters againJim Meyer ’68 (left) and Steve Suiter ’68 during arest stop on the Mississippi River, summer 1967.In the summer of ’67, threeLFA boys got a taste of freedomthey’ve never forgotten.Blame the Mississippi.A trio of young Caxys—SteveSuiter ’68, Chris Penn ’68,and Jim Meyer ’68—set offon a boat trip in search ofadventure, <strong>act</strong>ion, and newexperiences.“We always said we were going to do it,” saysSuiter about the trip on the Mississippi. “It wasa foregone conclusion.”They pushed off from the Suiters’ dock in Princeton,Iowa, in a 15-foot black fiberglass motorboat,headed toward Minneapolis. All of theiressentials were stuffed in the bow—a pup tent,a few sleeping bags, a camp stove, a stash ofjunk food, and an ice chest. The boat rode lowand slow, topping out at 25 mph. Every coupleof hours the boys stopped to refuel at bait shopsand fish camps along the riverbank, where gaswas 35 cents a gallon. They took advantage ofthese stops to stretch their legs, cool off in thewater, and check the river charts. Penn, the tripphotographer, always remembered to snap afew frames.Freedom defined the trip, the men recall yearslater. They were 16 years old and alone on theMississippi River with no parents in sight, nomarine radio, no phone.“This would never happen today,” says Penn,during a 2009 interview in downtown Chicago,where he and Suiter met up with one another.“Our parents were pretty laissez-faire.”The journey made an imp<strong>act</strong> on the boys. Fortyoneyears later, Penn and Suiter returned to theriver to travel it again, this time in style. Suiterhad just purchased a heavily accessorized, 46-ft. houseboat—the “Fait Accompli”—and neededto get it from Bayport, Minn., to Princeton,Iowa. Why not ask one of his old buddies tomake the trip with him?Undoubtedly, this ride was a little different.The modern-day boat had refrigeration, centralair-conditioning, beds, hot and cold water,a flat-screen TV, and a laptop computer—a farcry from the tiny runabout of the previous trip.And the landscape had changed over the years.Gone were the small shacks, the supper clubs,the unpolished shorelines that had dotted theMississippi. The riverbanks were now home tocondos and lavish waterfront properties.“You used to feel like you were in the wildernessout there,” says Suiter. “There was an appreciationfor the natural environment.”But one thing hadn’t changed: their memoriesof the original trip and the sense of camaraderieit engendered. The pair recalled the fierce rainstorm on <strong>Lake</strong> Pepin that would’ve flooded theboat were it not for Meyer’s skillful bailing; thelengthy waits in the locks—sometimes as longas four hours; ditching the camp stove in favorof hearty meals at local supper clubs; the timePenn thought he saw a UFO.“It turned out to be a flock of birds flying in thebeam of a searchlight,” he explains, laughing.Meyer, too, remembers the “UFO incident” andcalls it the strangest moment in the boys’ weeklongadventure.“It was scary; we were sleeping, and then suddenlythe tent was bathed in light—it just lit upthe whole landscape,” he says on the phonefrom his home in Denver, Colo. “We ran ontothe beach, groggy, and not quite sure what wewere going to [encounter].”The highlight of the trip for Suiter was reachingMinneapolis, their turning-around point, andseeing the big city up close.“For a kid from a town of 900, it was amazing,a very picturesque place,” he says, adding thatthe boys watched a Fourth of July parade on thestreets of the city the next morning. “We saw[then vice president] Hubert Humphrey wavingfrom the back of a white convertible.”When asked if they would take a third trip onthe Mississippi, both Suiter and Penn say yes—but with a couple of caveats.“As long as the price of gas doesn’t go up,” Suitersays, “and we have radar or a GPS system.”“And we don’t travel on an outboard,” Penn adds.—Ruth KeysoSteve Suiter ’68 lives in Davenport, Iowa, withhis wife, Ann. They have three sons, Zach, Phil’05, and Scott ’11. Steve works in the insurancebusiness. Chris Penn ’68 lives in Alameda, Calif.,with his wife, Diane. They have a daughter anda son. Chris is retired from a career in the softwareindustry. Dr. Jim Meyer ’68 is a clinicalpsychologist in Denver, Colo.(left) Steve Suiter ’68, P’05, P’11 (left) and Chris Penn’68 in Chicago, February 2009.38 Review Fall 2009 8 Click: www.lfanet.org
class notes2000Blair Friedeman lives and works in JacksonHole, Wy. An article about Blair and her blog,www.delightbydesign.blogspot.com, appearedin the June 17, 2009, issue of the “JacksonHole News & Guide.” Get in touch with Blair at:bfriedeman@gmail.com. And check out her blog,which includes information and tips on fashion,interior design, accessories, etc.Jesse Cohen was the top graduate in the RedRocks Fire <strong>Academy</strong> class of 2009. He was oneof six firefighters (out of a total of more than1,800) hired to Foothills Fire Rescue in Denver,Colo. He is assigned to Engine 5/Heavy Rescue5 in Evergreen. Cont<strong>act</strong> him on Facebook!2001Marilla Sweet Gedge married Rhodri John Lanein April 2009 at St. Chrysostom’s Church. A receptionfollowed at the Woman’s Athletic Clubin Chicago. Marilla is the daughter of trusteeKarl Gedge ’69 and granddaughter of life trusteeCharles Gedge, who died in September 2008.Marilla is an account manager for Tribal DDB;her husband works in private wealth managementfor Bessemer Trust Company. The couplelives in Chicago.Marilla Gedge ’01 and her husband, Rhodri LaneDuane Jackson married his college sweetheart,Renee Cumberbatch, at the Armour House at<strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> on July 12, 2009. FellowLFA classmates in attendance included best man,Jamaal Brown ’00, and groomsman ShamsideenMusa. Acknowledging that marriage is amarathon and not a sprint and observing theLFA sports tradition, Duane and Renee rangthe Bowditch Bell immediately following theceremony in celebration of the successful closeof one chapter of their lives and the beginningof the next. Duane and Renee are proud to callChicago their home and happily reside in theSouth Loop. He encourages his classmates todrop him a line at: duane.jackson@gmail.com.2002Carson Krislov is an on-air TV reporter with theCBS Network affiliate WDBJ News 7 in Roanoke,Va. She graduated from NorthwesternUniversity’s Medill School of Journalism inDecember 2008. Drop her a line (or story ideas!)at: Carson.Krislov@gmail.com. She would loveto keep in touch with former classmates.2005Daniel Margul graduated summa cum laudefrom the University of Michigan with a BSEin biomedical engineering. He is currently atNorthwestern University, where he is earning hisMD/Ph.D. Daniel lives downtown and welcomesclassmates and friends to visit. Write to him at:dmargul@umich.edu.Fran Crane delivered remarks to the Class of2009 at the <strong>Academy</strong>’s annual Senior-FacultyDinner on May 27, 2009.Frances Crane ’05Alex Reed graduated from the Cooking andHospitality Institute of Chicago and is employedat Charlie Trotters restaurant in Chicago.2007Andy Miller writes that the past two years havebeen a blur of travel, new people, and new experiences.He is a student at McGill University inMontreal. He transferred there from the Universityof King’s last September. Both schools haveoffered him the opportunity to meet studentsand professors from all over the world. Andyis majoring in history, with a minor in Spanishand perhaps political science or English. He willspend the spring semester in Spain. In the fallhe will be writing for the McGill Tribune. Duringthe summer 2009 he interned at the McCormickFreedom Museum.2008Amanda Henry joined Chi Omega Sorority.Jory Hanselman spent two weeks in Rwandaduring the summer 2009 as a volunteer atthe Agahzo-Shalom Youth Village for orphansfrom the 1994 genocide. Afterwards, she traveledthrough Rwanda and Uganda for anotherweek with a few friends from Tufts. After a briefstop home, she headed to Colorado to work forAmeriCorps, building trails along the ContinentalDivide.continued on page 40...’01’05We Want to Hearfrom You!We are always looking for ways to improvethe LFA website, so please drop us a note!Let us know:n What you like about the siten What you think we need more of—photos, updates or stories?n And, of course, what you thinkwe are missing!E-mail Website Director Lydia Kortelinkat: lkortelink@lfanet.orgclass notes 39
class notesFaculty NotesEnglish teachers Jeff and Kim Bell announcethe birth of their daughter, Amelia Frances, onJuly 13, 2009. She joins big sister Charlotte,who is 2.Former LFA physics teacher and girls hockeycoach Darcy Corson (LFA, 2004-05) was recentlynamed head coach of the PlymouthState University (N.H.) women’s ice hockeyteam. Corson is married to former LFA historyteacher Dave Erickson (LFA, 1998-2005),who teaches at the Dexter-Southfield Schoolsin Brookline, Mass. Drop Dave and Darcy a lineat: daviderickson25@yahoo.com.Kate Jones, director of counseling and seminar,and her husband, history teacher Justin Jones,announce the birth of daughter, Ainsley Marie,on Feb. 18, 2009. Ainsley joins big brotherAidan, who is 2.Director of Communications Ruth Keyso had anarticle published in the summer 2009 issue ofNotre Dame Magazine as well as in the summer2009 issue of Medill Magazine (NorthwesternUniversity). Ruth is in her 9th year at LFA. Getconnected with her on Facebook!Human Resources Manager Kristin Paisley andher husband, Nick, announce the birth of theirdaughter, Zoe, on Aug. 4, 2009. Zoe joins bigbrother Liam, who is 3.Dean of Students Chris Tennyson and his wife,math teacher Maggie Tennyson, announce thebirth of their son, Hugh Patrick, on June 20,2009. This is the Tennysons’ first child.History teacher Suzy Vaughn and her husband,math teacher Matt Vaughn, announce the birthof their first child, Clare Anne, on July 21,2009.Math teacher Catherine Ochalek Wilenskymarried Ben Wilensky on Aug. 22, 2009, onthe campus of Michigan State University, wherethey met. The Wilenskys live on campus. SendCatherine an e-mail at: cwilensky@lfanet.org.Contributeto LFA’s 2009–10<strong>Academy</strong> Fund.Alumni Fund and Parents Fundannual gifts together sustain thetradition for today’s students andthose who follow. Every gift is ashow of school spirit and a vote ofconfidence in the <strong>Academy</strong>’s future.All charitable contributions supportthe <strong>Academy</strong> and its mission. Forinformation about gifting publiclytraded securities, please cont<strong>act</strong>the Office of External Relations at:(847) 615-3212.Thank you for your generosity!1930Elizabeth Patterson Prosser died Jan. 27, 2009.She was 97. A 1930 graduate of Ferry Hall,Elizabeth married David Prosser in 1939. Theireldest son, David, was born three years later.The family moved to Appleton, Wis., from Chicagoin 1948. In 1955, her husband foundedAppleton Packing and Gasket Co., which stillexists today. In 1956, Elizabeth’s second son,Hugh, was born. Hugh leads the family companytoday; for many years Elizabeth was onthe board of directors. Elizabeth loved sports,especially the winter Olympics. She was an avidhockey fan and attended hockey games inGreen Bay well into her 90s. Elizabeth alsoloved to stay physically fit. She enjoyed walkingand could often be seen walking her dogsthrough the neighborhood. A patron of the arts,Elizabeth was a life member of the Art Instituteof Chicago. She enjoyed musical performancesof all kinds, especially the Fox Valley Symphony.She and her husband also loved to dance andwere members of the Town Club and the ManhattanClub. Elizabeth was a gracious hostessand a loyal friend who enjoyed entertaining inher home. A longtime member of MemorialPresbyterian Church in Appleton, she attendedchurch regularly and took time to read inspirationalwritings each night. Elizabeth enjoyedspending time at the family’s vacation propertyon Lac Vieux Desert in Vilas County—herheaven on earth. Elizabeth is survived by hertwo sons, two grandsons, a great-granddaughter,and several nieces and nephews. She waspreceded in death by her husband, David, in1985. Her family reports that she will be greatlymissed by all who knew and loved her.1931Charles “Chuck” Schwalm died May 27, 2007,in Oakland, Calif. He attended Dartmouth andTransylvania colleges and received a law degreefrom the University of Cincinnati. During WWIIhe was a communications officer aboard theUSS Ancon. Chuck was part of the D-Day invasionand was in China at the end of the war.He worked for the Cincinnati District Attorney’soffice and was the city attorney of Hamilton,Ohio, for three years and city manager from1952-56. In 1956, he took the newly createdjob of city manager of Burlingame, Calif. He40 Review Fall 2009 Click: www.lfanet.org8
in memoriamheld that position for 26 years. After retiringas city manager, he served on the Burlingameplanning commission. Chuck is survived by4 children, a sister, 11 grandchildren, and 7great-grandchildren.Dorothy Brown Severson died Feb. 23, 2009,in Oshkosh, Wis. She was 95. After graduatingfrom Ferry Hall in 1931, Dorothy attended LawrenceUniversity and Duke University, whereshe was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority.Dorothy married Stanley Severson in 1937.They lived in Neenah, Wis., until moving to theEvergreen Retirement Community Village inOshkosh in 1995. Dorothy was an <strong>act</strong>ive memberof First Presbyterian Church, the Women’sAssociation, and the Women’s Tuesday Club.She was also a life member and past presidentof the Theda Clark Regional Medical CenterAuxiliary and of the Neenah-Menasha EmergencySociety. She was a volunteer for the V.N.A.Bereavement Program. Dorothy is survived byher husband, Stanley; two children; four grandchildren;three great-grandchildren; five nieces;and one nephew.1935Stuart Stiles died May 25, 2009, in Green Bay,Wis. He was 93. After graduating from LFA in1935 he went on to earn his degree from theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison, later earninga business degree from Harvard. After college,Stu joined the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant andserved on the Liberty Ship, the USS SamuelSeabury. He married Nancy Gochnauer in 1945;in February 2009, they celebrated their 64thwedding anniversary. Stu began his businesscareer at Morley Murphy Company. He movedto Milwaukee to run that branch of the businessand then in 1976 he moved to Green Bayto become the president of the company. Afterretiring, he remained <strong>act</strong>ively engaged in thecompany as a member of the board of directors.Throughout his life, Stu served on many charitableboards, including the Elmbrook Schooldistrict, YMCA, Sunset Playhouse (president),UWGB Founders (president), and the SalvationArmy Advisory Board, where he was chairmanfrom 1987 to 1993. He received a lifetime certificateof membership from the Salvation Army,and he was most proud of the “Others Award”he received in 1996. Stu enjoyed tennis,golf, and spending summers at his cottage inDyckesville and winters at his condo in Dunedin,Fla. He loved spending time with family andespecially enjoyed being an <strong>act</strong>ive participant inhis grandchildren’s lives, attending their games,being at their graduations and weddings, andtelling “Naughty Boxcar” bedtime stories. Stu issurvived by his wife, Nancy, three children, sevengrandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.1936David Crowell died January 17, 2009. Hewas 93. David was born in Evanston, Ill., andgraduated from LFA in 1936. He attendedthe Yale School of Drama, the NorthwesternSchool of Speech, the Sorbonne, and BenningtonCollege. After a short stint on Broadway, hereturned to Bennington College as a dramainstructor. He also served in the Marine Corpsduring WWII and then taught drama at BardCollege in New York. In addition, David workedas an advertising executive and a restaurantowner during his lifetime. He had a notable careeras a fabric designer, ghosting for name-designerssuch as Schiaparelli, Lilly Daché, Brooke Cadwallader,Bronzini, Dali and Mr John. He laterstarted his own firm, which was the subject ofseveral articles, including a feature in the formerSaturday Evening Post. David was an avidgardener, renowned for his topiary of Yew andJuniper. The New York Times ran a feature storywith a photograph of his garden in the HomeSection. His art works included copper andpewter weather vanes, painted furniture, chesssets, and jewelry. David’s work was exhibited ingalleries such as the Elaine Benson Gallery inBridgehampton, Long Island; the Gallery North,Setauket, Long Island; and the Park-McCulloughhouse in North Bennington, Vt., among others.His work is in private collections throughout theUnited States, Europe, and Asia. David was predeceasedby three of his children and is survived byhis wife Joan, 1 daughter, 5 stepchildren, 13grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren.1939Gilbert W. “Gib” Stiles died Nov. 8, 2008, inTucson, Ariz. He was 86. After graduating fromLFA in 1939, Gib went on to earn degrees atboth Yale and Harvard. He served in the U.S.Navy during WWII. While living in Illinois, Gibserved on the Village Board of Libertyville for24 years, 16 as a trustee and 8 as mayor. TheGilbert Stiles Park in Libertyville was namedafter him in honor of his years of dedicatedservice to the town. For many years Gib splithis time between Tucson, Ariz., and Sarasota,Fla. Gib was preceded in death by his wife of48 years, Josephine. He is survived by his wifeof 16 years, Irine; a son; two daughters; threestepsons; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren;six step-grandchildren; ten step-greatgrandchildren;and many nieces and nephews.He is remembered as a devoted husband andfather and a true gentleman with a witty senseof humor.1940Betty Jane Gray Budde died in Orlando, Fla.,on Nov. 28, 2008. She was 88. Betty was anavid reader, a world traveler, and a much-lovedmother, sister, and grandmother. She enjoyedmusic and the fine arts, played the piano andorgan, enjoyed dancing, and in earlier yearssang opera on the radio. She is survived by herdaughters, Babette Halder and Tina L. Budde;a brother, Alexander Kobiec; and a granddaughter,Blair Halder.1946Montgomery “Monty” Young died March 19,2009. He was 81. Raised in <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>, Montygraduated from LFA and then Trinity College inHartford, Conn. He moved to Florida in 1963and became an antique automotive restorer,working on old cars, fire engines, and ambulances.His most prized antique car was a 1929Packard, which he toured and entered intoantique shows across the country. His love forantiques and restoration led him into the antiquefan business; he became known as theforemost GE antique fan restorer in the country.A member of the Antique Fan Club of America,Monty was awarded Lifetime Membership in1998, was named Fan Man of the Year in 2004,and received numerous other awards. His fanswere known for their superior restoration qualityand were classified as Museum Quality. Montyserved in the Korean War as a lieutenant in theEngineering Corp. of the U.S. Army. He was alsocontr<strong>act</strong>ed by the U.S. Navy to teach porpoisesto communicate with humans. A Christian Scientist,Monty donated much time to his localchurches. He was a member of the <strong>Second</strong>Church of Christ Scientist of Miami and was aFirst Reader for many years. When he moved tocontinued on page 42...in memoriam 41
in memoriamSedona, Ariz., in 1998, he became a memberof the First Church of Christ Scientist, where hecontinued to make significant contributions tothe church. He was also an <strong>act</strong>ive member ofthe Sedona Humane Society. Monty is survivedby a brother and sister-in-law, two nephews, aniece, five great-nephews, and one great-niece.1948Bob Coon II died unexpectedly at his home inPerrysburg, Ohio, on Nov. 1, 2008. He was79. After graduating from LFA in 1948, heattended Miami University, the University ofDayton, George Washington University, andultimately graduated from Miami Universitywith a degree in finance. He also served forfour years in the Air Force during the KoreanWar. Professionally, Bob worked in the researchdepartment of Hayden Stone of New York forthree years before moving on to Bell & BeckwithBrokerage Firm in Toledo, where he became apartner in 1972. He later worked for Cowen &Co. as assistant branch manager. He completedhis career at Foster Bros/Prudential Bache,where he was a financial advisor. Bob taughtevening courses in finance at Owens CommunityCollege and was <strong>act</strong>ive in his community.Past treasurer of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Churchand Menonaqua Beach Club, in Harbor Springs,Mich., he also served on the board of ToledoMental Hygiene Center and The Thomas M.Wernert Center, where he was treasurer and vicepresident. He belonged to The Toledo Museumof Art, Carranor Hunt & Polo Club, PerrysburgBoat Club, and Charlevoix Rod and Gun Club.Bob is survived by his wife of 55 years, Barbara;a son, David; a daughter, Betsy; threegrandchildren; and a sister. He was preceded indeath by his son, Robert Coon III, and daughter,Vivian Coon.1949Peter Ross died July 9 2009, at his home inArlington, Va. He was 77. After graduating fromLFA in 1949, Peter earned his undergraduatedegree from Princeton and a master’s in businessadministration from Harvard. He began hisbusiness career in Chicago, eventually workinghis way up to partner at the management consultantfirm Booz Allen Hamilton. Early in hiscareer Peter worked at the Office of EconomicOpportunity before accepting a position aschairman and president of The Urban Fund, aChicago-based venture capital firm, in 1971.His job was to make connections between financiallysolid, small- and medium-sized businessesand minority (particularly African-American)potential owners. After leaving The Urban Fundin 1983, Peter spent nine years as chairman andpresident of The French Baker. The chain businesssold croissants, sandwiches, and otherbaked goods and had several locations in theChicago area. In 1992, Peter moved to Virginia,where he took a position as chairman andpresident of the United Financial Banking Companies.After he retired, he coordinated andparticipated in a tutoring program at a localelementary school. Peter is survived by his wife,Ann Bryant; a son, George; a daughter, Charlotte;a sister; and a grandson.1951Gerald C. “Jerry” Snyder Jr. died June 16,2009, in <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>. He was 75. After graduatingfrom LFA in 1951, Jerry matriculated toTrinity College in Connecticut, where he earnedhis bachelor’s degree. He also earned a lawdegree from the University of Wisconsin. In the1950s Jerry served in a Strategic Air Commandrefueling squadron with the U.S. Air Force. Helater became a partner in the Waukegan law firmstarted by his father. The firm is now known asSnyder, Clarke & Fouts. He specialized in helpingwomen and children in divorce cases, custodybattles, and other situations. In the 1970s,Jerry was a member of the <strong>Lake</strong> Bluff Park Districtboard and took part in a long, laboriousstruggle to get a public swimming pool built.The community pool still exists today. Jerry isremembered by family and friends as a compassionateman who did everything he could tohelp those in need. Jerry is survived by his wife,Elaine; two sons, Gerald III ’76 and Bryan ’77;two daughters, Pamela Snyder DiValerio andElizabeth Snyder Scarpelli; a brother, James’52; and eight grandchildren.David G. Heggy died March 5, 2009.1952Cathy McCarthy died July 1, 2008, at her homein Boulder City, Nev.1953Richard E. Cavin died March 17, 2009. He was74. Dick attended LFA from 1952-53, beforematriculating to Beloit College in Wisconsin,where he earned his bachelor’s degree. Healso earned a master’s degree in geology fromWashington State University. Dick was ownerof Control Vibration Service Inc., until his retirementin 1997. After that, he consulted parttime. He was a member of St. Paul the ApostleChurch in Gurnee, Ill., and a member of theAmerican Institute of Professional Geologists,the National Society of Professional Engineers,and the International Society of Explosives Engineers.He loved golf, dancing, watching TV, andtraveling. Dick is survived by his wife, Jozefa,two children, three grandchildren, a sister, aniece, and a nephew. He was preceded in deathby his parents.1956The daughter of Henry Leong ’56, BonnieChiu, cont<strong>act</strong>ed the <strong>Academy</strong> to let us knowthat her father died in August 1991. The Leongfamily had lost touch with the <strong>Academy</strong> butwas reunited in April 2009 with Ray Kim ’56,Henry’s former classmate and fellow Warnerite.The children of Henry Leong pass alongthe following obituary of their father.Henry Young Yin Leong Chiu died Aug. 23,1991, of esophageal cancer. He was 51. Knownto his classmates as “Hen,” Henry joined theU.S. Navy after graduating from LFA in 1956.He served for two years aboard the USS Missouri.His career was short-lived as he receiveda medical discharge for severe asthma in 1958.Shortly after his discharge, Henry returned toChicago and helped run the family business,China Farm, Inc. The business was the firstAsian restaurant import/export food supplier inthe Midwest (and the only one in Chicago). Thecompany supplied the majority of Chinese foodmerchants, restaurants, and a major chain ofhotels in Chicago. It was also one of the firstbusinesses to develop and manuf<strong>act</strong>ure anindoor technique for harvesting bean sprouts.The business was influential in the Chinatownbusiness community. In 1964, Henry marriedElizabeth Yuan. Their first child, Bonnie, wasborn in 1965, followed by Pam in 1967, andTristan in 1982. Henry is survived by his wifeof 27 years, Elizabeth, his three children, and a42 Review Fall 2009 8 Click: www.lfanet.org
in memoriamgrandchild, Samir, who is 2. Henry’s family stillcontinues to celebrate his life through memories.Those who wish to cont<strong>act</strong> the Leongfamily may send an e-mail to: chailatte888@yahoo.com.1971Elin Johnson died April 3, 2009, in Ironwood,Mich. She was 55. Elin grew up in Springfield,Ill., graduating from Ferry Hall in 1971 beforemoving on to Drake University. She establishedand operated two businesses in Whitewater,Wis., a natural food store and an educationaltoy store, before moving to Ironwood. For 25years Elin helped manage and operate Fredsat the Fair, a cooperative restaurant at the IllinoisState Fair. She loved sailing and workedas a chef and first mate on a charter yachtin the Caribbean. Her most recent job was atDairyman’s Resort in Boulder Junction, Wis.Elin was strong, loving, adventurous, cooperative,and hard-working. She tried to improve theworld she lived in by helping everyone have abit more fun. Elin is survived by her husband,Jack, two brothers, an aunt, and many niecesand nephews.1976Donald T. Brazda died Aug. 31, 2008. He was50. He is survived by his parents, Donald andMargaret, two brothers, James and Jeff, as well asmany cousins and three nieces and nephews.Friends of LFALowell W. Andreas died April 4, 2009, at hishome in Mankato, Minn. He was 87. Lowell attendedthe University of Iowa, where he majoredin philosophy. After World War II, he and hisbrother, Dwayne, purchased a soybean refineryin Mankato, growing it to the largest soybeanprocessing plant in the country. They sold it inthe 1960s and chartered a bank in the TwinCities. The brothers were asked to join agriculturalprocessing giant Archer Daniels Midland(ADM), where Lowell served as president for sixyears before retiring. He remained on the boardof directors until 1999. His brother, Dwayne,led ADM for 25 years until retiring in 1997.Lowell helped grow ADM into an internationalgiant and generously donated millions of dollarsto colleges, hospitals, and other organizations,particularly in the arts, during his lifetime. Lowellis survived by his son, David Andreas ’67,grandsons Mark Stisser ’89, Jason Delane Lee’90, Eric Stisser ’90, Andreas Lee ’87, and JacobAndreas, and granddaughters Cayman LeeCampbell ’89, Traci Stisser, Carrie Langemeier,and Genevieve Andreas. He was preceded indeath by his wife, Nadine, in 2005 and hisdaughter, Pamela Stisser, in 2002.Oscar G. Mayer died July 6, 2009. He was95. The retired chairman of the Wisconsinbasedmeat processing company that bears hisname, Oscar was born in Chicago in 1914. Hegraduated from Nicholas Senn High School andearned his undergraduate degree from CornellUniversity in 1934. He also attended HarvardBusiness School before withdrawing for healthreasons. He began working at Oscar Mayer &Co. in Chicago full-time in April 1937. In 1942,he married Rosalie Ann Harrison. The couplemoved to Madison in 1946. There, they raisedthree sons and were <strong>act</strong>ive members of the communityfor more than 50 years. Oscar worked atthe Madison plant of Oscar Mayer & Co., andwas elected president of the company in 1955.Eleven years later he was elected chairman ofthe board. He retired in 1977. During his lifetimeOscar served on the boards of many organizations:He was chairman of the First MadisonUnited Givers Fund campaign, and from 1957-72 served as trustee of the Committee for EconomicDevelopment. In 1972, he was electedhonorary trustee. He also served as director ofMadison General Hospital (now Meriter) from1959-62. He was elected to the Board of Directors,American Meat Institute in 1961 andwas a trustee of Northwestern Mutual Life InsuranceCo. from 1963-83. Upon his retirementas trustee in 1983, he was elected trusteeemeritus. He also served as director of WisconsinTelephone Co (1969-83) and as director ofUniversity of Wisconsin Foundation (1969-81).From 1970-81 he was Midwest Chairman ofU.S. Savings Bond Drive. From 1973-78 Oscarwas director, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago,and in 1976 was elected director of the LyricOpera of Chicago. In 1977 he was elected LifetimeHonorary Member of the Madison YMCA.Oscar received honorary LLD degrees from theUniversity of Wisconsin (1977), Beloit College(1981), and Edgewood College (1991). He alsoreceived the Distinguished Service Award fromthe Wisconsin Alumni Association in 1980. In1990 he was named Wisconsin Business Hallof Fame Laureate; six years later he was electedto the Wisconsin Meat Institute Hall of Fame. In2000, Oscar received a Lifetime AchievementAward from Madison Community Foundation.Oscar was preceded in death by his parents,his first wife, Rosalie, a brother, and a sister. Heis survived by his wife Geraldine; three sons,Oscar ’61, Donald ’65, and William ’68; fourgrandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and abrother, Allan Carter.Life trustee Shirley Leitner Taubensee diedJuly 5, 2009. She was 85. Shirley was an <strong>act</strong>iveparticipant in many charities and nonprofitorganizations, including serving the <strong>Academy</strong>as a life trustee since 1992 and as president ofthe LFA Parents Association in the late 1970s.She was a member of the Brain Research Foundationof Chicago and was an elder and chairmanof the First Presbyterian Church of <strong>Lake</strong><strong>Forest</strong> Chancel Guild for more than 25 years.As chairman, she reorganized the guild, addingan enhanced level of structure and specializedservice to the church and its many servicesand <strong>act</strong>ivities for the congregation. She wasalso <strong>act</strong>ive with Infant Welfare Society, GortonCommunity Center, and the Women’s WesternGolf Association. Shirley is survived by her childrenKent, Dale, Bruce ’74, and Jill ’77, ninegrandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and onegreat-grandchild. She was preceded in death byher husband, Tom, who was co-founder of TaubenseeSteel & Wire Company.in memoriam 43
A Celebration for the Ages:Remembering the Centennialby LFA Archivist Rita Schulien MacAyeal ’87Forty years ago excitement filled the air at Ferry Hall as nearly500 students, faculty, alumnae, and friends of the school gatheredfor a three-day celebration of Ferry Hall’s centennial.Women from the classes of 1912 through 1969 reunited withone another for a weekend celebration featuring speakers,student presentations, musical entertainment, and fine dining.The anniversary was recognized publicly: The Illinois GeneralAssembly passed a resolution honoring Ferry Hall; theCity of <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> issued its 1969 vehicle sticker in honor ofthe school; and the <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> Post Office used an honoraryFerry Hall postmark.School trustee Dave Chapman designed a special Ferry HallCentennial Crest to honor the anniversary. The crest featuredfour elements: a book (symbolizing academics); a bird flyingover water (symbolizing freedom of thought and Ferry Hall’sphysical location); a leaf (reminiscent of the wooded campus);and a rose from the chapel window (emphasizing strong morals).The crest was displayed on a Centennial Banner that waspresented to the school by Nellie Lehmann Ingraham ’23.The previous spring, several Ferry Hall students and staffhad designed and planted a Centennial Garden in the ovalbetween North and South Halls. It was in full bloom for theweekend events.Prominent guest speakers from a variety of fields were inattendance. The line-up included psychiatrist Dr. Bruno Bettelheim;make-up artist Syd Simon; U.S. Senator Charles H.Percy; former New York City Ballet prima-ballerina MariaTallchief; Chicago artist Rainey Bennett; Pulitzer Prize-winningpoet Gwendolyn Brooks; art and film designer MortonGoldsholl; musicians Don DeMicheal and Cy Touff; andnewspaper columnist Sydney Harris.During the Centennial Weekend, the President of the FerryHall Board of Trustees, Robert Hixon Glore, announced theestablishment of a merit scholarship program at Ferry Hallin honor of his step-grandmother, Alice G. Hixon, who haddonated a $100,000 Centennial Challenge gift. The scholarshipwould provide full tuition to one incoming freshman girleach year.The busy and exciting weekend closed late Sunday morningwith a student “Jazz Mass,” described in the school newspaper,Hall Horizons, as “…wild, frenzied, and beautiful.” Thereligious service, arranged by Ferry Hall students and visitingpriest Father Winn of Chicago, was held in a darkened tentwith a flashing strobe light, and included student art work,poetry, and jazz music.The weekend was a tremendous success. Several attendeeswrote letters afterwards to Miss Smith expressing their appreciationof such a fine tribute to their alma mater, Ferry Hall.The feeling was aptly expressed in a post-event card sent toattendees by the Alumnae Association, which included a descriptionof Ferry Hall as “the light that has burned 100 years.”(left) Among the many mothers and daughters celebrating together are (from left)Elizabeth Kerwin Twede ’48 and her daughter Kathy Pollock ’70, and Gretchen FlindtSnider ’48 and her daughter, Melanie Snider ’71.(center) Ferry Hall alumnae (from left) Katherine Trowbridge Arpee ’20 and her daughterHarriett Arpee Sherman ’54 stand by the Centennial Banner with Cleo Weaver CarrollSells ’23 and her daughter, Edna Carroll Skoog ’53.(right) Ferry Hall Headmistress Marian W. Smith speaks with U.S. Senator Charles H.Percy of Illinois (middle) and Ferry Hall Board of Trustees President Robert Hixon Glore(far right).44 Review Fall 2009 8 Click: www.lfanet.org
Save the Date!Spring GalaSaturday, May 8, 2010Call (847) 615-3276 for more information.MISSION STATEMENT<strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> strives to embody in its pr<strong>act</strong>ices and to cultivate in itsstudents excellence of char<strong>act</strong>er, scholarship, citizenship, and responsibility.Char<strong>act</strong>er encompasses respect for others and their beliefs, dedication to honestyin every sphere of life, realization of moral clarity and conviction, and pursuit ofvirtue and value in life.Scholarship encompasses acquisition of knowledge, development of critical thinking,enthusiasm for discovery and learning, and exercise of a powerful imagination.Citizenship encompasses appreciation of diversity and multiculturalism, involvementin the LFA community, participation in service to others, and commitment toglobal awareness and understanding.Responsibility encompasses development of self-reliance, ability to seek guidance,dedication to cooperation and teamwork, and <strong>act</strong>ion based upon informed decisions.
1500 West Kennedy Road • <strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>, Illinois 60045-1047NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGEPAIDLAKE FOREST, ILPERMIT NO.100POSTMASTER: RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED8 Click: www.lfanet.orgAs a culmination of their study in Japaneseart, students in the Freshman Foundationin the Arts program at LFA created floatingJapanese paper lanterns and, at sundown onFri., Sept. 11, 2009, released the lanternsinto the reflecting pool in the formal gardens.This project was inspired by the Japaneseceremony toro nagashi, in which participantsfloat illuminated paper lanterns down ariver. The ritual is primarily performed on thelast evening of the Buddhist Obon festivalas a way to guide the spirits of the departedback to the other world. Students workedunder the guidance of visual arts facultyLauren Fowler and Gina Williams.