FALL 2022


Featuring news received between June 15 and October 15, 2022

 

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. 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

Did we miss something? Don't see a note that you remember submitting prior to October 15? 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 1990s



Marriages

 

1960s 2000s  Births

 1970s

2010s 2020s

 

In Memoriam  

 

1955 

MARIANNA JONES TRIGG, Hemet, Calif., has retired after teaching at the high school and college level and managing a California DMV. 

1958

MARGARET “PEGGY” ANN PERRY DUNKEL (MAEd ’77), Medina, is a retired music educator and church choir director. She is active in the York Methodist Church in Medina and is a proud mother and grandmother. 

1964 

OWEN DAVIDSON, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., celebrated his 80th birthday with family and friends, including many BW alumni. He and his wife Joan Worth Davidson ’67 also celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary. 

1965 

JAMES McBRIDE, Norway, Maine, celebrated 51 years of marriage with his wife, Pirkko in May. 

LINDA THOMPSON SHORT was honored posthumously as a 2022 inductee of the BW Athletics Hall of Fame for her contributions as BW’s athletics archivist.

1967 

ANN SCARBOROUGH DAHNE, Towson, Md., reconnected with several alumnae and fellow Phi Mu sisters at the 2022 Phi Mu Convention in Phoenix, Ariz. 

1970 

ELIZABETH “BETSY” DULL CORFMAN, Upper Sandusky, is currently teaching basic applique quilt classes at her local sewing shop. 

MICHAEL “MIKE” G. HRITZ, Lakeside Marblehead, was a 2022 honorary inductee of the BW Athletics Hall of Fame for his contributions as a BW team doctor and orthopedic consultant for more than 20 years.  

HOLLY JAY-PIERCE OBERLE, Silver Spring, Md., retired from Ohio University as music/dance librarian after 25 years in 2016. She moved from Ohio to Silver Spring, where she is now director of music at the Interfaith Chapel at Leisure World. 

1975 

MARY ANNE EVANS, Tipp City, published her memoir, I LV ME: A Spiritual Journey of Healing. 

1976 

REBECCA NEWHALL, Columbia, Md., has retired from a 42-year career in human resources. Her final position was director of global benefits at the University of Maryland Global Campus. 

RONALD “RON” SOEDER, Painesville, served as interim executive director of the Kid’s Book Bank in Cleveland. He is now director of the Telos Leadership Foundation which provides leadership development to underserved students.   

1977 

MICHELE “SHELLY” AEBI, Sneads Ferry, N.C., moved to North Carolina after retiring in 2021. She works part time as a church organist/pianist and enjoys travel and visiting loved ones. 

MARGARET “PEGGY” ANN PERRY DUNKEL (MAED), see ’58. 

1978

CLINTON “CLINT” E. CUNY, Naples, Fla., competed in the javelin and shot put events at the Gainesville Senior Track & Field Games at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He placed first in his age group in the shot put and third in the javelin. 

1982

PATTI J. ENGEL, Frederick, Md., has retired from Montgomery County Public schools after 37 years as a speech language pathologist for PreK-12 students. She earned a Certificate of Clinical Competence and a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from SUNY Geneseo. Her retirement plans include traveling to Germany and spending time with family. 

1984 

CHRISTINE ZEMKO CHENEVEY, Brecksville, has been named grants manager for Koinonia, a leading agency in Northeast Ohio dedicated to integrated care of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

1985  

MATTHEW NAKON, Avon, has been named a member of the Cleveland Leadership Class of 2023 by the Cleveland Leadership Center. 

1986 

CHRISTIAN RIEMENSCHNEIDER, Bay Village, was a 2022 inductee of the BW Athletics Hall of Fame for football.  

STEVE F. SMITH, Pittsfield, Mass., has been elected to the Board of Directors of Chorus America, dedicated to the advancement of the choral field. He serves as President and CEO of Berkshire Choral International, an organization that creates opportunities for amateur choral singers. 

1988 

DIRK E. RIEMENSCHNEIDER, Rocky River, was a 2022 inductee of the BW Athletics Hall of Fame for football. 

1990 

D. MICHAEL O’DELL, New York, N.Y., was a member of the BerkleeNYC 2022 inaugural class, graduating in July with a MA in Musical Theatre Writing. His new musical comedy, The Intersection of Transient Souls had its June premiere in New York City. 

1992 

THOMAS “TOM” W. BAKER Esq., Lakewood, has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the peer reviewed publication The Best Lawyers in America for 2023 in the area of commercial litigation.

KAREN L. SIIMAN (MAED ’02), Columbia Station, retired in May 2021 after 29 years in the field of education and is enjoying traveling with her husband. She has joined BW’s Institute of Learning in Retirement (ILR) and looks forward to attending ILR’s Mississippi Boat Tour.  

1993 

CLAUDINE R. GRUNENWALD KIRSCHNER, Brecksville, is now director of first-year and sophomore experience in BW’s Division of Student Affairs. Prior to this role, she taught as an adjunct professor in BW’s department of communication arts & sciences for almost five years. 

1994 

MIRANDA BAUGH CREEL, Twinsburg, was a 2022 YWCA Woman of Achievement award winner for her extraordinary career success, community service, leadership, mentoring and dedication to YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism and empowering women. 

1995 

MICHELE SMITH SLONE, Urbana, is one of 207 quarterfinalists for the Grammy Music Educator of the Year Award. 

1997  

MICHAEL P. CLARK, Fayetteville, Ga., has won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing in a Comedy or Drama Series for Stranger Things (Season 4). His work also earned seven major award nominations from the Cinema Audio Society, the Association of Motion Picture Sound, and the Television Academy. Michael’s interest in sound began when he started editing tapes for WBWC The Sting during his time at BW.

SHAMEKA JONES TAYLOR (MBA ’07), Cleveland, has been named a member of the Cleveland Leadership Class of 2023 by the Cleveland Leadership Center.

1999

AL DIFRANCO, Mentor, was promoted to president of Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland.

STEPHANIE FAZIO KESS, Cleveland, reconnected with several alumnae and fellow Phi Mu sisters at the 2022 Phi Mu Convention in Phoenix, Ariz.

RANDY A. KIMBRO (EMBA ’01), Grafton, was appointed to the Board of Directors for Berea Animal Rescue Friends.  

MARY KOVACH, Kings Mills, has released her new book, #MINDSET: A Research-Based Approach to Understanding Motivation. It received ten #1 placements within the first week of release. 

THOMAS READMOND, Alexandria, VA., was elected senior vice president and re-elected assistant registrar for the District of Columbia Society Sons of the American Revolution.

2000 

LISA JUDGE, Rocky River, was promoted to senior philanthropy advisor at BW. She is celebrating two years as founder and owner of Bluewater Originals, LLC which sells gift items based on her photography. 

2001  

RANDY A. KIMBRO (EMBA), see ’99. 

JACK H. LYNN, Wampum, Pa., was promoted to chief executive officer of the City Rescue Mission in New Castle, Pa., a gospel rescue mission that works to meet the physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual needs of those it serves. 

ROBERT “BOB” M. MURPHY, Chardon, has been owner of MacGregor Roofing and Construction for 11 years. He resides in Chardon with his girlfriend. 

JASON PHILLIPS, Seville, has been named a member of the Cleveland Leadership Class of 2023 by the Cleveland Leadership Center. 

NEOPHYTOS “PHYTO” STRATIS, Astoria, N.Y., made his musical debut at Carnegie Hall as artistic and music director of the Pancyprian Choir of New York. 

2002 

MEGAN POTRATZ, Littleton, Colo., reconnected with several alumnae and fellow Phi Mu sisters at the 2022 Phi Mu Convention in Phoenix, Ariz. 

KAREN L. SIIMAN (MAED), see ’92. 

2003 

ROBERT D. BODNAR (MBA), Estero, Fla., resides in Southwest Florida where he leads the governance program for Gibraltar Industries. 

BRADLEY JOHNSON KIMBLE, Meridian, Idaho, is now assistant athletic director of sports performance, health and wellness in football sports medicine at Boise State University. 

JAMES “JIMMY” LEFFLER, Chagrin Falls, was a 2022 inductee of the BW Athletics Hall of Fame for baseball. 

JOSHUA A. VIETH, New Brunswick, N.J., started a new position as director of research for JDRF International, based in New York, N.Y. The organization is committed to finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes. 

2004 

JENNIFER ARNOLD (MBA ’10), Westlake, was promoted to international finance director for the consumer brands group of the Sherwin Williams Company. 

MICHAEL ATTAWAY, Savannah, Tex., has been appointed to director of fine arts at the Covenant School in Dallas. 

ELIZABETH COVAY MINOR, Lisle, Ill., started a new position at National Louis University as director of educational leadership studies within the National College of Education. 

2005 

ABIGAEL “ABBY” BIEHL, Independence, Mo., earned her doctorate in educational leadership from William Woods University. She is now principal at Sunshine Early Education Center in the Independence School District. 

CHRISTINE VANHORN (MAED ’12), Berea, reconnected with several alumnae and fellow Phi Mu sisters at the 2022 Phi Mu Convention in Phoenix, Ariz. 

2007  

JON C. ANDERSEN, Hilliard, is now director of dining services at the Inn at Olentangy Trail in Lewis Center. 

BRANDON HEDGES, Toledo, was a 2022 inductee of the BW Athletics Hall of Fame for football and track and field.  

SARA GOMBASH LAMPE, Westerville, was a 2022 inductee of the BW Athletics Hall of Fame for swimming.

DANIEL ADRIAN RAMOS, Cincinnati, was promoted to manager of the Ohio Education Association’s government relations department. 

SHAMEKA JONES TAYLOR (MBA), see ’97.   

2008 

STEFANIE L. DEKA, Northfield, has been included in the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. 

BRIAN P. SUGERMAN, Cincinnati, has received the 2022 National Society of Experiential Education Leader in Experiential Education K12 Award, which recognizes innovation in the classroom or school system.   

2009 

WENDY LEE KUEHN DELOACH (MBA ’13), Brunswick, has been employed at Cardinal Health for 17 years. She is currently an HR business partner supporting the medical distribution business. 

MARCIA GAYLE FRANCIS NESSLE, Plainfield, Ind., earned a Master of Science in Higher Education from Drexel University in 2015. She is now assistant director of retention for the School of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering, and Applied Science at Ivy Tech Community College of Indianapolis. Marcia also has a daughter attending Harvard and is involved in feline rescue. 

BENJAMIN B. SCHAEFER, Berea, is now a policy liaison for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. 

2010 

JENNIFER MARIE ARNOLD (MBA), see ’04. 

BRITTANY HOUSE CONRAD, Dayton, was selected by the Delta Zeta Sorority as a 2022 recipient of the 35 Under 35 Award, which recognizes success and impact in their industry before the age of 35. 

JESSICA ANN FEDERLE, San Isidro, Lima, Peru, is an editor and writer living in Peru. Her newest publication, CHIRAL MAD 5, is an anthology featuring an original short story alongside works by Stephen King and other authors. 

MEGAN SMITH GOODMAN, Germantown, Md., started a new position as director of strategic communications for the Institutional Limited Partners Association. 

NORA MAHONEY, Broadview Heights, has been named a member of the Cleveland Leadership Class of 2023 by the Cleveland Leadership Center. 

GREG PATRICK, Norwalk, was a 2022 inductee of the BW Athletics Hall of Fame for track and field.  

2011 

TANYA DAVIS KONYESNI, Medina, was a 2022 inductee of the BW Athletics Hall of Fame for softball.  

2012 

CHRISTINE VANHORN (MAED), see ’05. 

NICHOLAS “NICK” MICHAEL VARRICCHIO, New York, N.Y., has premiered his new documentary, LAUGH NOW OR GET OUT OF MY LIFE. The documentary features stories about Broadway veteran Peter Marinos. 

2013 

WENDY LEE KUEHN DELOACH (MBA), see ’09. 

ERIC POTAPENKO, Van Nuys, Calif., is currently a professional working musician in Los Angeles. He is touring alongside Gladys Knight and Adam Lambert and has worked with many other artists. He also teaches guitar, bass, piano, and music productions at the SoundLife Academy. 

2014 

DANIELLE “DANI” SCHWINN NEUMANN (MBA ’15), Grafton, was named to Crain’s Cleveland Business list of up-and-coming young professionals, “20 in their Twenties”, for her leadership at Sherwin-Williams. 

2015 

DANIELLE “DANI” SCHWINN NEUMANN (MBA), see ’14. 

SAGAR UDESHI, Cleveland, has published his debut book, Virtues for a Better Tomorrow. It consists of ten short stories for children. 

2016 

GRIFFITH GENTILCORE, Pittsburgh, Pa., has joined Shadyside Academy in Pittsburgh as its Junior School music teacher. 

ANTONIO PARIS, Oakmont, Pa., was appointed to the Riverview School District board in his community where he chairs the student life committee. 

ERNIE L. TORNABENE, Brunswick, started a new career as an agent with New York Life. He also relocated to Brunswick and is now engaged to his fiancée, Gina. 

RACHEL WILKEN, Columbus, Ind., was selected for a web content specialist externship with the United States Patent and Trademarks Office. She also became a full-time student in the Master of Library and Information Science program at Indiana University – Indianapolis. 

MELANIE WINTERS, Stow, made her first appearance representing TEAM USA in the Thorpe Cup in Dallas, competing in the heptathlon and decathlon events between the US and Germany. She was coached by BW Alumni Association Athletics Hall of Famer Jeff Petersmeyer ’96. 

2017 

NICHOLAS J. HANSON, Cleveland, is now a residential community director for the Office of Residence Life at Case Western Reserve University. 

AUDREY LARKIN, Westfield, Ind., has been promoted at The Cat, a theater in Carmel, Ind., from production manager to managing director. She plans to expand The Cat’s apprentice program to include opportunities for more art forms. 

JOSHUA “JOSH” JAY LOW, Powell, has established the JCH Memorial Foundation in memory of former BW football player John Charles Haney ’16. 

2018 

SEBASTIAN BARKETT, Troy, N.Y., earned a master’s degree in geology from Ohio University and subsequently moved to New York to pursue a Ph.D. in earth and environmental science. He is now in his third year as a Ph.D. student, researching microbiology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. 

OLIVIA GRACE MURPHY, College Park, Md., is assistant director of residence life at the University of Maryland. 

ALEXANDER “ALEX” PAPKE, Washington D.C., has moved cyber security companies and is now working fully remote as regional sales manager at ExtraHop.  

ATHENA D. RIDGLEY, Medina, has completed her doctoral degree in physical therapy at the University of Dayton. She has since relocated back to Northeast Ohio with her fiancé, Chad Woolsteen ’18. Athena has also opened her own physical therapy clinic, Bee Well Therapy, in Medina. 

2019 

CARY FERGUSON (MBA), Lakewood, was hired as the head of acquisition risk analytics and reporting at U.S. Bank/Elavon. 

RACHEL HAGEMEIER, Canton, has been promoted to president and CEO of Canton Symphony. She is now one of the youngest leaders of a professional orchestra in the United States. 

AUSTIN THOMAS, Arlington Heights, Ill., began working at Chicago’s Morton Arboretum as a major gifts associate. 

2020

MADISON THOMPSON, Wellington, is taking computer maintenance and networking classes and began a new position as a support analyst at Stanley Black and Decker in Shelby. 

2021

CASEY RAE CORRITORE, Erie, Pa., is working as a program officer of capacity building at Erie Arts and Culture. 

HEATHER REBER, Ashland, relocated to Ashland and is working as a technician at Charles River Laboratories. 

2022 

NINA BAUMAN, Mentor, has been recognized for her dedicated service to Harvest for Hunger by the Cleveland Food Bank. 

JORDYN MARIE ROZEK, North Royalton, began a new position as a seventh-grade math and science teacher at Berea Midpark Middle School. 

Friends of BW  

SUSAN VAN VORST, Berea, has been named a member of the Cleveland Leadership Class of 2023 by the Cleveland Leadership Center. 

Marriage Announcements

KELSEY RICHARDS ’13 to THOMAS IVERSON ’15

RACHEL WILKEN ’16 to Jay-Paul Choudhary

VICTORIA PAIGE FARLEY ’17, ’17 (MBA) to Robert Burns

TAYLOR ROSE CHARVAT ’17 to COLE HORAN ’17

JORDAN KERR ’19 to AUSTIN THOMAS ’19

CARLYNN “CARLY” ARTHUR ’18 to JAMES WORKMAN ’19 (MAEd)

Birth Announcements

KELLY LYNN ALLISON KERNS ’09, a daughter (2021)

KELSEY RICHARDS IVERSON ’13 and THOMAS IVERSON ’15, a son

In Memoriam 

1945

MARILYN JANE WARNER SMITH, Chagrin Falls, died July 12. Majored in accounting. Member of Alpha Gamma Delta.

1947

MARJORIE ANNE PIPPERT EDWARDS, Lorain, died September 8. Majored in education. Member of Alpha Xi Delta.

DORIS MAY SOMMER ROACH, Redondo Beach, Calif., died June 13. Majored in business administration.

1950

ROSS D. AVELLONE, Zachary, La., died June 25. Majored in business administration.

1951

JANE ELLEN LANING MEYER, Sandusky, died October 21. Majored in education. Member of Alpha Xi Delta.

MILDRED “MILLIE” HERBERT HARLETT SORENSON, The Villages, Fla., died July 30. Majored in home economics. Member of Delta Zeta.

1953

GERTRUDE “TRUDIE” M. GRAEFLIN OLSON ENGEL, Omaha, Neb., died July 1. Majored in German. Member of Alpha Phi.

PAUL E. FROMAN, Lancaster, died September 17. Majored in psychology and philosophy. Member of Lambda Chi Alpha. Lettered in wrestling and served as a class officer.

LENORE ANNE JERABEK HARRIS, Broadview Heights, died October 19. Majored in chemistry. Member of Phi Mu.

JAMES “JIM” TAYLOR HENDERSON, Charlotte, N.C., died June 20. Majored in philosophy. Member of Phi Kappa Tau.

MARTHA “MARTY” JEAN WILLIAMS NORTH, Lindenhurst, Ill., died August 27. Majored in music. Member of Alpha Phi.

1954

MAXINE EVELYN MORGAN NIMTZ, West Chester, died July 3. Majored in education.

THELMA ELLEN LUNDGREN USHER, Avon Lake, died October 18. Majored in home economics. Member of Alpha Xi Delta.

1957

KENNETH EDWARD DECRANE, Rocky River, died July 7. Majored in speech and communication. Member of Alpha Tau Omega. Lettered in swimming/diving.

EDNA “CAROL” CONNER LOGUE MARRAN, Charlotte, N.C., died September 17. Majored in secretarial science. Member of Delta Zeta.

1958

JOHN F. KRICH, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, died September 15. Majored in speech & communication. Member of Alpha Sigma Phi and Omicron Delta Kappa. BW honored him with the Outstanding Educator Award in 2014.

BARBARA D. THOMAS LETSCHER, Simsbury, Conn., died September 4. Majored in home economics. Member of Phi Mu.

JUDITH S. SAUNDERS BOGART MEREDITH, Cincinnati, died July 22. Majored in psychology. Member of Alpha Phi. BW honored Judith with the Alumni Merit Award in 1988.

1960

ROBERT FRANCES DICKARD, Roanoke, Va., died July 29. Majored in health and physical education.

CARL RICHARD SCHNEIDER, Dunlap, Tenn., died February 2. Majored in speech and communication.

BIPIN C. SHAH, Bryn Mawr, Pa., died September 4. Majored in philosophy. BW honored Bipin with the Alumni Merit Award in 2012. He also served on the BW Board of Trustees.

1961

JEANNETTE “JAN” MARIE CARESS SAMPLES, Perrysburg, died August 25. Majored in education. Member of Alpha Xi Delta.

1962

DANIEL JOSEPH GRONDIN, Atlantic Beach, Fla., died August 7. Majored in education.

WILLIAM “BILL” HOWARD LACEY, Saint Louis, Mo., died October 4. Majored in business administration. Member of Alpha Tau Omega and Omicron Delta Kappa. Lettered in football. Bill was inducted into the BW Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993 for football.

RALPH OCKERSE, Holland, Mich., died June 25. Majored in chemistry.

1963

RALPH “R.” GORDON GRAVES, Oxford, Md., died December 25, 2020. Majored in speech and communication. Member of Theta Alpha Phi and active with WBWC.

1964

JOSEPH “JOE” JOHNSTON SR. (MBA ’98), Newbury, died June 29. Majored in physics and astronomy and later earned an MBA in executive management. 

1965

DOUGLAS HALE GROSS, Maryville, Tenn., died January 17. Majored in history.

RALPH EDEN PARKER, Rocky River, died August 5. Majored in history. Ralph, along with other member of his family, was honored with BW’s Family Heritage Award in 2004.

1966

DOUGLAS “DOUG” GENE LEE, Swanton, died September 19. Majored in sociology. Member of Pi Lambda Phi.

1968

JOANNA LYNN COMET, Reston, Va., died June 23. Majored in English literature.

GENE RONALD SIODLA, Berea, died July 14. Majored in psychology.

1975

MARK ALAN DANICKI, Avon, died October 14. Majored in English.

JAMES “JIM” EDWARD RHENISH , Huron, died June 6. Majored in business administration. Member of Alpha Tau Omega.

1976

ROBERT “ROB” A. CAPRETTO (MBA ’79), Portland, Ore., died June 27. Majored in business administration and later earned an MBA in business management.

1978

NEIL RAY SOMMERS (MBA), Lorain, died October 2. Earned an MBA in management.

SHIRLEY ELIZABETH BASSETT TABAR, Westlake, died August 29. Majored in psychology.

1979

ROBERT “ROB” A. CAPRETTO (MBA), see ’76.

1980

DAVID “DAVE” ALAN STEIN (MBA), Sandusky, died August 24. Earned an MBA in management.

1982

DAVID L. KIREK (MBA), Kirtland, died August 16. Earned an MBA in executive management.

1987

SYLVESTER MAC “MAX” BAMBAO (MBA), North Ridgeville, died February 20. Earned an MBA in executive management.

RHODA A. BLECKER ROSEN, Beachwood, died October 4. Majored in theatre. BW honored Rhoda with the Outstanding Educator Award in 2012.

1994

JOHN “JAY” ARTHUR FAZZONE, Hermitage, Pa., died June 23. Majored in business administration. Member of Lambda Chi Alpha. Lettered in baseball.

DANIEL G. HOHMAN, Ashland, died August 11. Majored in marketing.

1998

JOSEPH GEORGE “JOE” JOHNSTON SR. (MBA), see ’64.

2005

GREGORY MICHAEL VINCENT (MBA), Lakewood Ranch, Fla., died June 12. Earned an MBA in executive management.

2017

JORDAN ALEXANDRIA DANIELS, Buffalo, NY., died July 4. Majored in public relations. Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha.

Friends of BW

HAYS THOMAS WATKINS, Henrico, Va., died July 29. Hays was a member of the Board of Trustees and received an honorary degree from BW in 1975.

 


 

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