March 2021
Featuring news received between November 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021
Class Notes Quarterly features professional accomplishments, educational attainments, awards, and other life milestones celebrated by our alumni. A section of In Memoriam listings follows to honor alumni who are no longer with us, including links to complete obituaries available online at the time of publication.
See the links below to jump to your choice of decade, or to additional sections devoted to marriage, birth, and death announcements. Based on alumni feedback, we have created easier to find and read In Memoriam listings for deceased classmates and friends, and we are pleased to provide links to their full, online obituaries as published by local media outlets, when available.
Searchable Archive: Our online class notes archive may be accessed and searched at any time. The archived collection of notes (including class notes, marriage and birth announcements, and in memoriam listings) begins with those received in 2010. The archive may be searched by any combination of name, class year, city, or state and is updated with each new issue. Use the sidebar menu (at left) to navigate between the archive and past issues referenced in the notes.
Have news to submit? Please submit your news via the online Alumni Update Form. We'll include all news received on or by April 30, 2021 in the June issue.
Did we miss something? Don't see a note that you remember submitting prior to January 31? Is a correction needed? Email bwalumni@bw.edu, and we'll make the necessary additions (or edits) to this page and to the class notes archive.
Class Notes
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Marriages
Births
In Memoriam
1942
MILDRED “BOBBIE” COOLEY, Tinton Falls, N.J., was featured in her local newspaper, The Star-Ledger, in November 2020 to highlight her passion for voting as a “100-year-old trailblazer.” After a brief illness, Bobbie died on December 18, 2020. (See In Memoriam section, Class of 1942.)
1959
PHILIP “PHIL” RADCLIFFE, Bridgewater, Va., and his wife, Betty, are proud to call the Shenandoah Valley home after living in a variety of regions throughout their marriage. They still maintain close ties to BW where two of their children graduated.
1970
DONALD "CHIP" LEVY, Fredericksburg, Va., retired in 2015 and has stayed busy building a house and making welded steel sculptures. His work has been featured in several D.C. area juried shows. He is an associate at Nova Labs, a maker’s space where he teaches art framing and sheet metal fabrication.
1971
VICTORIA “VICKI” BLAZER, Berea, is a classroom assistant at Grindstone Elementary School. She looks forward to celebrating 21 years of marriage to Garry Marrie in April 2021.
RICHARD DECHANT (MAED ’84), North Ridgeville, taught high school English for 30 years and coached high school basketball for 15 years. All three of his children are graduates of Baldwin Wallace.
DAVID HUMPAL, Olmsted Falls, is retired and travels often around the world with his wife Marcia (’70). While surviving the pandemic, he enjoys time on the golf course.
JAN KIMBALL, Cranberry Township, Pa., moved to a retirement community last summer and is now enjoying the beauty of her surroundings from an independent living patio home.
SCOTT PERCY, Lawton, Okla., spent the past year volunteering with the Armed Forces at the Reynolds Clinic in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He recently began his second healthcare career as administrator for Westbrook Healthcare, an extended care facility.
WILLIAM “BILL” PORRINI, Massillon, is now retired and enjoying quality time with his eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren while raising a puppy.
PENNY FORTUNE SENT, Westlake, is now retired from her career as a singer, voice teacher, choir director and music educator. She is married and has a daughter.
NANCY GARDNER SKABAR, Tallahassee, Fla., is retired after more than 30 years in the Lee County Florida Library System. In 2019, she moved from Cape Coral to Tallahassee to be closer to her daughter and family. Aside from visits from her four-year-old granddaughter, she has spent these past months cooking, baking, reading, and watching too much Netflix.
1972
LESLIE SPAETH, Desoto, Tex., is now retired, enjoying time with family, and looking forward to a football player reunion.
1974
MARJORIE LANG KINZY, Mount Clemens, Mich., is now retired after 25 years as a children’s librarian with Mount Clemens Public Library.
1977
PATRICK ROGERS, Round Rock, Tex., is the retired president of TECO Westinghouse Motor Company in Round Rock, Tex.
1978
KELLY HARRIS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was promoted to communications director for St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and School.
CYNTHIA POST WHITE, Brunswick, is now the owner of Brunswick/Strongsville Jazzercise.
1979
MICHAEL KING, Portsmouth, R.I., is now the chief medical officer of Upperline Healthcare of Nashville Tenn.
KURT REIBER, Wyoming, received a 2020 C-Suite Award from the Cincinnati Business Courier for his leadership and performance as president and CEO of the Freestore Foodbank.
1981
KIMBERLY MILAI, Vallejo, Calif., has two daughters in college and lives with her husband of 22 years near San Francisco, California. In 2017, she published Language Arts, Math, and Science for the Elementary Music Teacher – a Practical Tool, combining national music standards with STEM strategies.
TIMOTHY ROBINSON, Fairview Park, published two new e-guides with Know-How-Publications, including “Living the Right-sized Lifestyle: A Guide for Homeowners over Age 50” and “Price + Condition + Marketing = SOLD: The Home Selling Formula.”
1982
ROBERT RACKLEFF, Hahira, Ga., retired from Windstream.
1983
SAMUEL MARTELLO, Westlake, is now a senior vice president at RBC Wealth Management which will soon open a new office in Westlake, Ohio.
1984
RICHARD DECHANT (MAED), North Ridgeville, see ’71.
1987
SEAN TOLENTINO, Dallas, Ga., earned an Ed.D. at Northcentral University after successfully defending his dissertation which studied 12th-grade students who were homeschooled. He has been living in Georgia for a year and began teaching as a long-term and class size reduction substitute at Yeager Middle School. In December, he passed the Georgia Middle Grades Math certification test.
1988
MARGUERITE FREEMAN-FORDI, Oak Ridge, N.J., is principal of the Banyan School, a private high school for students ages 13-21 with special needs. She still loves education after 32 years in the profession. Marguerite is also the proud mother of a 20-year-old daughter who attends college in Boston, Mass.
1989
LISA KRAMER REICHEL, Lakewood, opened her own massage therapy studio, Lisa’s Body Shop, located in Fairview Park. She became a licensed massage therapist since 2014 after a 25-year career in the arts.
1990
D. MICHAEL O’DELL, Columbus, was accepted to the Los Angeles New Musicals Inc. writing curriculum as a composer and lyricist for the ’20-’21 season.
1992
JEFFREY BRIAN, Lakewood, is working in the wedding and special events industry and looks forward to better times ahead after the pandemic.
1994
AARON B. DANIELS, Roslindale, Mass., edited and contributed four chapters to Dante and the Other: A Phenomenology of Love (2021) from Routledge. The collection grew out of the Dante Salon he organized for the 2019 Psychology & the Other Conference at Boston College.
BRIAN RICHARDSON, Avon Lake, is now chair of the board of directors at the Alzheimer’s Association.
CHRISTINA WELBORN, Colorado Springs, Colo., is now a publications specialist for the U.S. Army.
1996
BRADY HURLEY, Chagrin Falls, is now the lower school dean of students at University School.
1997
KRISTIN BOOSE, Broadview Heights, was appointed to serve on the Ohio Advisory Board of the Trust for Public Land. The Trust works to ensure healthy and livable communities by creating parks and protecting land for people.
MEGHAN DONOVAN, Cleveland, had poetry published in anthologies published by Lake Erie Ink and the Gordon Square Review. She will soon have a guest post on the Uncomfortable Revolution website and a blog called “Wake Up and Smell the Cat Food” about self-care. She is also researching her first novel.
1999
MARY KOVACH, Kings Mills, and her cousins recently authored a cookbook titled Don’t Cut the Basil: Five Generations of Authentic Italian Recipes! During its digital launch weekend on Amazon, the cookbook became a #1 Best Seller in four countries for a total of 34 Best Seller categories and earned twelve #1 placements.
2001
MELANIE SWORD DOWCZEK, Brunswick, has joined B3 Group, a federal information technology consulting firm. She will lead B3’s Microsoft Dynamics practice.
PENNY FORSTER, Cleveland, is in her 20th year working with the Cleveland Indians. She was promoted to director of community impact, overseeing all community initiatives, alumni relations and fundraising for the Cleveland Indians charities.
2002
PHYLLIS HARRIS, Cleveland, received the 2020 Bruce G. Kriete Community Award by PFLAG Cleveland for her work in providing Northeast Ohio with a new LGBT Center and for her leadership in combating social injustice and racial inequality during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2003
KATRINA IBEN LALLO, North Ridgeville, was promoted to a senior sales enablement training specialist at Moen Incorporated. She also was named as a board member for BW’s Brown and Gold Club.
2004
NED LAUVER (MAED ’09), Avon, earned an Ed.D. in interdisciplinary leadership at Creighton University after successfully defending his dissertation: “An Examination of Job Competencies and Motivation of High School Assistant Principals in Ohio Public Schools”. BW faculty member Dr. Joseph Hruby served as a member of the dissertation-in-practice committee.
2005
KERRI BUTCHER, Strongsville, appeared on Kathy Ireland’s Modern Living lifestyle show in December 2020 to discuss Miné Stencils, her health-conscious, environmentally friendly beauty company.
2006
MEGAN WOZNIAK MCCLASKEY, Canton, was recognized as a Walsh University Teacher of the Month in December 2020 for her career as a first-grade teacher at Walker Elementary School in Canton Local School District.
2009
NED LAUVER, (MAED), see ’09.
AMANDA MEANS SCHAFFER (MAED ’11), Seven Hills, was promoted to assistant director of enrollment at Notre Dame College.
2011
MICHELLE ATHANAS, Lorain, first began her career with Ridge Tool’s plant human resources department as an HR admin and was promoted to an HR executive admin role for the company’s headquarters.
HEATHER CUNNINGHAM, Broadview Heights, received the 2020 Anthony J. Sejba Outstanding Leadership Award from Barnes Wendling CPAs for outstanding performance and support of colleagues.
SAMANTHA ROBINSON ESTACION, Chicago, Ill., earned an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. In November 2020, she became a portfolio manager for A Better Chicago’s venture fund where she supports grant programs that create opportunity for Chicago’s youth.
ROBERT “BOBBY” IRWIN, Ashland, is now head women’s tennis coach at Ohio Wesleyan University.
AMANDA MEANS SCHAFFER, (MAED), see ’09.
2012
MICHELLE PAJAK-REYNOLDS (MBA), Stow, was featured in a special interview on the Everyday Thin Places podcast in November 2020 to discuss her history with jewelry as a couture jewelry designer.
DAN REINECK, Woodstock, Ga., is the recruiting and personnel specialist for the Ball State University football team. In December of 2020, his team competed in the Rocket Mortgage Mid-American Conference Championship game.
2013
JENNIFER DESANTIS CHAFFIN (MAED), Avon Lake, was promoted to associate director of student advancement at Case Western Reserve University.
MARK ANTHONY MORABITH, Soldotna, Alaska, was hired as the news director at KSRM Radio where he maintains news content for six radio stations as well as the company’s website and social media accounts. His radio name is Anthony Moore.
BRADEN PONTOLI, Alhambra, Calif., was appointed to an admissions counselor position at the Los Angeles College of Music. He is also producing a drama-comedy podcast, “The Last Saturday Night” with Electracast Studios in Los Angeles.
DANIELLE RUEGER-MIROEWSKI, Parma, is now the assistant director of career connections and digital engagement at Baldwin Wallace University. She illustrated the children’s book, The Littlest Rain Cloud, written by Jordan Green.
ASHLEY ZACHARIAS, Shaker Heights, earned a master’s degree in nonprofit organizations from Case Western Reserve University.
2015
TAYLOR BARNES, Mayfield Heights, was promoted to director of resource development at YWCA Greater Cleveland.
2016
ASHLEY HAWLEY, North Royalton, joined the team at Robert J. Miller and Associates, Inc. as a grant specialist, providing expertise to K-12 schools, healthcare and nonprofit organizations.
ISSAC REED, Lehigh Acres, Fla., is the running backs coach for the University of Buffalo football team. In December of 2020, his team competed in the Rocket Mortgage Mid-American Conference Championship game.
2017
JESSICA BOYCE, Skaneateles, N.Y., uses her arts background to help build the online presence of Emma + James, a small fashion boutique business.
NATHAN COLE, New York, N.Y., was promoted to marketing and customer experience coordinator role at Lokai.
2018
ALEXIS BECKER, Akron, was promoted to assistant vice president at Carleton McKenna and Co.
ROBIN ELERICK (MBA), Macedonia, was appointed to a corporate content marketing manager role at Eaton Corporation.
AMBER VARGO (MBA ’19), Cleveland, is celebrating her one-year work anniversary as marketing communications and events coordinator for the BW School of Business.
2019
ANDREW DYET, Grand Island, N.Y., is a graduate student at California Institute of the Arts studying experimental sound practices and composition. He is the recipient of several 2020 awards including the Lillian Harlan Ramage grant, the Ellen Jane Lorenz Porter grant, and the Eleanor Hale Wilson Scholarship. Andrew also was accepted as an artist-in-residence at Château d'Orquevaux in France.
GINA MULH, Mentor, is completing a Master of Arts in Student Affairs in Higher Education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a graduate assistantship with Carnegie Mellon University in May. After graduation, she plans to pursue a full-time residence life, student conduct, Title IX, or career services position.
AMBER VARGO (MBA), Cleveland, see ’18.
2020
SOPHIA BARTEL, North Olmsted, began her career as a North American trade marketing specialist for Henkel Adhesives Technologies.
HOPE SLOOP, Willoughby, was promoted to a full-time role as a digital content producer at WKYC-TV.
Marriage Announcements
AMANDA MEANS ’09, ’11 (MAED) to Dane Schaffer
SAMANTHA ROBINSON ’11 to Aldriene Estacion
RACHEL GUY ’12 to Michael Dinkeldein
MARK ANTHONY MORABITH ’13 to Rhea McCoy
DANIELLE RUEGER ’13 to Kevin Miroewski
LIAM SLEGGS ’14 to HAYLEY WARD ’17
KENDRA BLACKBURN ’16, ’19 (MAED) to AKEEM SANTOS ’17
MELINDA MOMEYER ’18 to MAXIM KLINAR ’20
Birth Announcements
KRISTEN SCHMIDT GLAZER ’10 and husband Paul, a son
JESSICA HAKES SOFLKIANCS ’13 (MAED) and KEVIN SOFLKIANCS ’09, ’09 (MBA), a son
In Memoriam
1942
MILDRED “BOBBIE” COOLEY, Tinton Falls, N.J., died on December 18, 2020. Majored in sociology. Member of Delta Zeta and played multiple sports.
1945
BARBARA NEFF TURNER, Walnut Creek, died on November 4, 2020. Majored in music education.
1946
EDNA LOESCH JEDLICKA, Medina, died on November 3, 2020. Majored in German.
1948
NANCY PEARCE WILBURN, Lakeside, died on October 30, 2020. Majored in music.
WILLIAM “BILL” EHRMAN, Loveland, Colo., died on October 30, 2020. Majored in physics and anatomy. Member of Alpha Tau Omega.
1951
EDWARD MERKLE, Berea, died on November 27, 2020. Majored in business. Member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. Edward, together with other members of his family, received BW’s Family Heritage Award in 2016.
1953
JOHN “JACK” CRAIG, Olmsted Township, died on October 31, 2020. Majored in business administration. Member of Sigma Phi Epsilon.
WILLIAM “BILL” TUCKER, Yarmouth Port, Mass., died on November 4, 2020. Majored in philosophy. Member of Phi Kappa Tau.
JOAN MCCOLLISTER MALE, Kirtland, died on January 1, 2021. Majored in elementary education. Member of Phi Mu.
WILLIAM “BILL” DONAHUE, Mount Pleasant, Mich., died on December 24, 2020. Majored in music composition.
RONALD “RON” DAVIS, Pompano Beach, Fla., died on January 11, 2021. Majored in music education. Member of Lambda Chi Alpha. Ron was honored with BW's Outstanding Educator Award in 2002.
1955
RICHARD “RICH” GARDNER, Berea, died on November 15, 2020. Majored in biology. Member of Alpha Sigma Phi and lettered in track.
FRANKLYN “FRANK” STUCHEL, Akron, died on November 10, 2020. Majored in business administration. Member of Alpha Sigma Phi.
BETTY TITE PALFY, Berea, died on December 7, 2020. Majored in biology.
1956
GERALDINE REDZINAK LINENBERG, Haddonfield, N.J., died on January 19, 2021. Majored in home economics.
1958
DONALD “DON” JENKINS, Baltic, died on November 8, 2020. Majored in physics. Member of Phi Kappa Tau.
ANN BOHNENSTENGEL HOFELZER, Charleston, S.C., died on December 2, 2020. Majored in chemistry. Member of Alpha Gamma Delta.
1959
FREDERICK “FRED” SCHARMANN, Avon, died on November 7, 2020. Majored in physics and astronomy. Member of Phi Kappa Tau.
PATRICIA “PAT” KOLE HARF, Berea, died on November 3, 2020. Majored in education.
1960
WILLIAM “BILL” SETNY, Parma, died on December 5, 2020. Majored in music education.
1961
ALAN “AL” JAVORCKY, Hendersonville, Tenn., died on December 31, 2020. Majored in music education. Member of Alpha Sigma Phi.
1962
JEANNE BETTS BOEY, Grafton, died on January 6, 2021. Majored in music education.
OBIE BENDER, Strongsville, died on January 9, 2021. Majored in education. Lettered in football. Obie worked as the executive assistant to the president of BW from 1970 to 2006. He was inducted into BW's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1976. The Obie Bender Awards, recognizing excellence in diversity, equity and inclusion at BW, are named in his honor.
1965
DAYLE AMES REED, Maumee, died on November 29, 2020. Majored in political science. Was student body vice president.
1966
ROBERT “BOB” WALTHER, Alexander, Va., died on January 25, 2021. Majored in business administration.
1967
RICHARD “DICK” SENKO, Palm Coast, Fla., died on December 2, 2020. Majored in health and physical education. Member of Alpha Tau Omega. Lettered in football and baseball.
1969
CARL KAMM II, Huron, died on November 23, 2020. Majored in business administration.
1970
RICHARD COYNE, Bluffton, S.C., died on January 7, 2021. Majored in history.
FRANK HILL, Trenton, N.J., died on January 16, 2021. Majored in psychology. Was a member of Pi Lambda Phi.
1973
ROBERT “BOB” HOEBAKE, Mansfield, died on November 4, 2020. Majored in political science. Member of Sigma Phi Epsilon.
1974
MARGARET “PEG” NOSEK, Houston, Tex., died on November 21, 2020. Majored in music theory. Member of Zeta Tau Alpha.
1975
LESTER HENDERSON, Avon, died on January 12, 2021. Majored in education.
LINDA SCHROEDER BECKWITH, Candler, N.C., died on November 29, 2020. Majored in biology.
BEN MELCHIORRE, Lakeland, Fla., died on January 8, 2021. Majored in studio art.
1976
MARILYN WENDT BEITL, Strongsville, died on November 4, 2020. Majored in business administration.
THOMAS “TOM” HARRIS (MBA), Ponte Vedra, Fla., died on December 1, 2020. Earned an MBA in management.
1978
JAMES “JIM” LESCZYNSKI (MBA), Winter Garden, Fla., died on January 26, 2021. Earned an MBA in management.
1980
DARRELL CARPER, Woodleaf, N.C., died on January 1, 2021. Majored in business administration.
1981
MARJORIE EDLING, Oberlin, died on January 13, 2021. Majored in sociology.
WILLIAM “BILL” LAFLEUR (MBA), Elyria, died on December 29, 2020. Earned an MBA in management.
1986
SUSAN CAMPBELL SEXTON (EMBA ’96), Columbia Station, died on December 21, 2020. Majored in business administration and later earned an Executive MBA in management.
1987
PATRICIA “TRICIA” MELTON (MAED ’08), Cleveland, died on November 8, 2020. Majored in psychology and later earned a Master of Arts in Education in reading. Tricia was an active member of the BW Women's Club.
1988
LOUIS BRENNER, Washington, D.C., died on October 5, 2020. Majored in psychology.
1993
JOHN DAVIS, North Ridgeville, died on January 15, 2021. Majored in business administration.
1995
SHARON LEVOY ZORNES, Cleveland, died on December 26, 2020. Majored in computer information systems.
1996
NADINE HRYB HABERKORN, North Royalton, died on December 23, 2020. Majored in elementary education.
SUSAN CAMPBELL SEXTON (EMBA ’96), see ’86.
1997
DEBORAH “DEBBIE” HOLDERMAN TOMBA, University Heights, died on December 8, 2020. Majored in business administration.
2007
ZINA MARTINEZ, Cleveland, died on November 18, 2020. Majored in organizational leadership systems.
2008
PATRICIA “TRICIA” MELTON (MAED), see ’87.
2011
MELVINA “MEL” CARTER, Painesville, died on January 12, 2021. Majored in organizational leadership systems.
FRIENDS OF BW
MARISOL “MARIA” PLA, Brecksville, died on November 14, 2020. She taught piano in the Conservatory of Music.
DOROTHY LEWERS, Westlake, died on November 20, 2020. She taught home economics courses at BW from 1969 to 1972.
BETTY SINGLETON WUEBOLD, North Ridgeville, died on December 8, 2020. She was an officer and active member of the Institute of Learning in Retirement (ILR) at BW.
HOWARD BOYAJIAN, Lawrence, Kans., died on December 4. He was an associate professor in the strings department of the Conservatory of Music from 1964 to 1967.
ARLENE WEAVER, Lincoln, Nebr., died on November 25. Was a reading specialist and assistant professor of education at Baldwin Wallace.
MARGARET PAULL WEILLER, Olmsted Twp., died on December 4. Margaret worked in Food Services at Baldwin Wallace.