May 2017
Featuring news received between January 1 and March 31, 2017
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.
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. Our 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 name, class year, city, or state and is updated regularly.
Have news to submit? Please submit your news via the online Alumni Update Form. We'll include all news received by June 30 in the August 2017 issue.
Did we miss something? Don't see a note that you remember submitting prior to March 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
1930s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
Marriages
Births
In Memoriam
1939
ETHEL LISTER KAIL, Seneca, S.C., now lives near her daughters Bette Kail Taylor ’64 and Janet Kail ’69. She enjoys good health and looks forward to celebrating her 100th birthday in September!
1955
STANLEY ANDREWS, Avon, is the music director and organist for daily chapel Masses and ecumenical services at St. Mary of the Woods, where he lives in retirement.
1956
WESLEY FLORIAN, Medina, received a BW Outstanding Educator Award for his leadership as principal of several schools in the Medina school district.
1957
ROBERT KLEYPAS, Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, is enjoying retirement in the great Northwest, including collecting wines from Idaho and Washington.
1959
WILLIAM WASH, Gold Canyon, Ariz., enjoys tennis, bridge, acting on stage, reading, and frequent travel to Hawaii and North Lake Tahoe in his retirement.
1967
REBECCA BERG, Rome, Italy, is retired in Italy. She sends her regards for a splendid reunion weekend to her classmates, especially her Conservatory friends and Alpha Gamma Delta sisters, and would love to hear news.
MIRIAM HEWES SLEJKO, Littleton, Colo., retired from Trinity United Methodist Church in downtown Denver where she served as a minister of discipleship. Her previous careers included publishing and special education.
VIRGINIA “KAY” MILLER SOLOMON, Sherborn, Mass., retired from directing the Revels Touring Ensemble. She is now an antique dealer at Skinner Auction House in Marlborough, MA. She also sells vintage jewelry and home décor through her Etsy store and sings with the Boston choral ensemble Spectrum Singers.
1968
JON HEAVILIN, Wooster, celebrated his 17th year in the United Methodist ministry and his 12th year at New Pittsburg United Methodist Church.
1970
DONALD “CHIP” LEVY, Washington, D.C., created the work, “Positive/Negative,” which is included in the 31st Biennial Exhibition of the Creative Crafts Council at the Strathmore Mansion.
ROBERT McEWAN, Naples, Fla., closed his NYC Manhattan-based law office and is now retired in southwest Florida. He and his wife of 45 years, Barbara, are awaiting the births of their third and fourth grandchildren this June.
1971
PHILLIP ALEXANDER, King City, Ore., was called out of retirement to serve as assistant pastor of Living Savior Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.
DAN LAROCCO, Columbia Station, was named the head football coach at Western Reserve Academy.
JAY STEELE (MBA ’76), Oviedo, Fla., retired from teaching and chairing the Crown College business and sport management department. He has re-located from Minnesota to Florida with his wife, Ellen Brenneis Steele ’72.
1972
ALICE-KATHERINE PEGLAR-DAVIDSON, Mold, Wales, is enjoying retirement from social work and teacher training. She spends her time sailing the Outer Hebrides and Irish Sea on her renovated wooden boat, teaching crafts on cruise ships, and participating in community projects.
ELLEN BRENNEIS STEELE, Oviedo, Fla., retired from working in the Crown College registrar’s office. She has re-located from Minnesota to Florida with her husband Jay Steele ’71, ’76.
1973
ELAINE STAMM PIERCE, San Antonio, Tex., has retired after 42 years of teaching in the San Antonio Independence School District.
1974
MICHAEL HUDACK (MBA ’78), Hinckley, is a sales application engineer at Dynamic Systems, Inc. He is responsible for North America sales of the GLEEBLE testing system for materials in R&D development.
1975
CHARITA WHITE CROCKROM, Richmond Heights, received BW’s Outstanding Educator Award. She is retired after 32 years as a teacher and principal in the Cleveland municipal schools. Charita is owner of the home bakery “Nunnie’s Creations by Candy,” which was featured on the back cover of ICEA Magazine.
1976
RICHARD BENSON, Brevard, N.C., retired from the role of director of law for the City of Wooster. He is enjoying retirement in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
WILLIAM HAWLEY, Warren, has retired from the practice of law after 37 years with the firm of Harrington, Hoppe and Mitchell. He now resides in Howland with his wife, Monica.
JAY STEELE (MBA), Oviedo, Fla., see ’71.
1977
KATHY GRAY, Columbus, has retired from a 35-year journalism career with the Columbus Dispatch and now works as a freelance magazine and newspaper writer.
1978
MICHAEL HUDACK (MBA), Hinckley, see ’74.
TIMOTHY JOHNSON, New York, N.Y., is an assistant professor of theatre arts, acting at Marymount Manhattan College. He directs On Strivers Row Off-Off Broadway for the Obie Award-winning Metropolitan Playhouse this spring.
1980
MARIE LIBAL-SMITH, Freedom, Pa., released a CD, Language of Romance, featuring works by Bellini and Joseph Marx. She is also an adjunct faculty member at Westminster College.
WENDY WALTERS SCOTT, Raleigh, N.C., completed a seven-month position as an interim CEO of the American College of Nurse Midwives. She is a certified association executive.
1981
DEBORAH VIANCOURT RICKERT, Naperville, Ill., is now CEO of Sharing Connections, a Chicago-area nonprofit. She is also the founder and board member of Operation Support Our Troops.
1983
KATHLEEN KUCKLICK KLONOWSKI, Tallmadge, has obtained a substitute-teaching license for the State of Ohio. She looks forward to teaching in grades K-3 classrooms.
1984
AMY TAFFE MARENICK, Mountville, Pa., is the student assistance program coordinator for the School District of Lancaster and a board member for the Pennsylvania Association of Student Assistance Professionals.
1985
GENE BERG (MBA), Raleigh, N.C., has retired after a 40-year career in human resources. He is now teaching human resources and business classes as an adjunct faculty member at Wake Technical Community College.
1986
MARK CURLEY, Chibougamau, Quebec, is a teacher of English as a second language at the Cegep de Saint-Felicien.
1987
CLAUDE BROWN, Canton, is now a certified drug and alcohol counselor assistant. He works as a cognitive behavioral specialist for Canton’s Community Treatment and Corrections Center.
DAVID MUNOZ (MBA ’02), Cleveland, is now director of business development for Equity Institutional.
1988
HOLLY SCOTT, Garfield Heights, was promoted to healthcare solutions trainer and learning consultant for IBM Watson Health.
1989
PAUL KELLY (MBA), Medina, is now a senior vice president of commercial banking at S&T Bank.
BRIAN RECTOR, Berea, won his 500th career match as BW men’s tennis coach. This makes him the winningest tennis coach in Ohio.
1991
DOMINIC BONACCI, Rocky River, is now project manager at Calfee, Halter & Griswold, LLP.
AMY BARTA CLARK, Columbiana, was inducted into the U.S. All Star Federation Hall of Fame for her contributions to club sport cheerleading and dance. Her brother, Tim Barta ’92, presented her for induction.
1992
TODD TRUFFIN, Fuquay Varina, N.C., earned a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing (poetry) from Seattle Pacific University.
1994
JOSEPHINE IANNELLI, Wilbraham, Mass., is executive vice president, CFO, and treasurer of Bar Harbor Bankshares and Bar Harbor Bank & Trust.
1997
ERIC DIAMOND, Avon Lake, is the chief operating officer and partner of Cleveland Culinary Launch and Kitchen.
JASON SEBER (MBA ’98), Kansas City, Mo., was promoted to associate conductor of the Kansas City Symphony.
KATHLEEN BARNUM VOGLER (MAED), North Royalton, retires this spring from her position as a middle school teacher at Charles Mooney School. During her 30-year career with the Cleveland public schools, she also served as a union representative and coach of both volleyball and basketball.
1998
CHAD PADO, Bay Village, is an insurance agent with State Farm in Beachwood.
DARA HANKE SCHMIDT, Thornton Colo., was one of 28 librarians from across the country selected to attend the Public Library Association Leadership Academy. She is director of the Cedar Rapids Public Library.
JASON SEBER, Kansas City, Mo., see ’97.
2000
MICHELLE MARCHINKO LEIGHTON (MBA ’06), Strongsville, received the 2016 HR Business Leader Award from the Employer’s Resource Council and Society for Human Resource Management for her work in the HR field.
KARLA LOEBICK, Haslett, Mich., received BW’s Outstanding Educator Award for her work as a teacher, curriculum designer, and program coordinator in diverse settings throughout the U.S. and beyond. She is a doctoral candidate at Michigan State University.
JASON MAYNARD, Atlanta, Ga., is an upper school choral music teacher at The Westminster Schools.
CARRIE SIMPSON, New Orleans, La., is the founder of CS Perioperative Education Solutions, LLC, contracting as a principal consultant at acute care hospitals nationwide.
STEPHANIE CLEMONS THOMPSON, Westerville, was named to Who’s Who in Black Columbus 2017. She is a doctoral candidate in the higher education program at The Ohio State University.
2001
CHRISTOPHER TRANBERG, Tariffville, Conn., co-authored First Steps in Music with Orff Schulwerk: Sing Say Dance Play (GIA Publications) for early childhood and elementary music teachers.
2002
DAVID MUNOZ (MBA), Cleveland, see ’87.
PATRICIA SANTOS, Highland Falls, N.Y., appears on Hurray for the Riff Raff’s new album The Navigator.
2003
NATHAN BAKER, Sunbury, is the owner of BlackWater Roasters, a coffee house and board game café in Cleveland’s North Collinwood neighborhood.
DYLAN DAVIS, Seoul, South Korea, is a country representative for The Asia Foundation. In 2016, he received The Asia Foundation’s Presidential Award for exceptional performance in expanding and deepening the Foundation’s presence and impact in Korea.
2005
BRADLEY EPSTEIN, Montgomery Village, Md., is the director of physical therapy and rehabilitation for the Cincinnati Reds.
TIMOTHY TRIPEPI, Wickliffe, was the deputy director of the 58th Inauguration Committee for Public Events, overseeing the Inaugural Parade and general admission for the swearing-in ceremony.
2006
ERIN OSBURN HALL, Medina, is manager of annual giving and donor relations at Padua Franciscan High School.
MICHELLE MARCHINKO LEIGHTON (MBA), Strongsville, see ’00.
ALICIA GRAHAM WRAY, North Royalton, is an events manager at the Cleveland Foundation.
2007
KATELYN STORCH SIMON, New York, N.Y., is manager of institutional giving for the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. She performs regularly as an oboist and is a board member for Chicago’s new music collective Ensemble Dal Niente.
SARAH COHEN STAGE, Rochester, N.Y., was named one of Rochester Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” for her professional and civic contributions.
ADAM TAYLOR, Columbus, Ga., re-located to Georgia and works as a senior sales analyst at Total System Services (TSYS).
2008
DARREN CERESHKO, Strongsville, started his own business, Against the Grain, making custom barn doors and other furniture. He also coaches high school football.
TORIUS “TORI” DAVIS, Elyria, was inducted into the Elyria Sports Hall of Fame. He remains the school’s all-time leading basketball scorer with 1,351 points.
TABITHA GLISTA, Brooklyn, N.Y., is a production manager for Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY). She regularly manages concerts at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.
SARAH GRAY (MBA), Cleveland, was named a 2017 Northeast Ohio Top 25 Under 35 Movers & Shakers Award by the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club. She is the vice president and business analytics manager at PNC Bank.
WHITNEY ZUNIC, North Ridgeville, is director of recruitment at Thiel College and owner and photographer at Whitney Zunic Photography, LLC.
2009
AMANDA FARRIS FRONEK, Greenwood, Ind., is now director of student engagement at Cuyahoga Community College Westshore in Westlake.
NIK KOTTHA (MBA), Lakewood, founded Leanwrx Consulting, a boutique consultancy specializing in process improvement and strategic planning for small businesses and nonprofits.
PATTY SHIPACASSE (MBA ’09), Westlake, was named a 2017 Northeast Ohio Top 25 Under 35 Movers & Shakers Award by the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club. She is a senior internal auditor at Hyland, Creator of OnBase.
2010
STEVEN CAPLE, JR., Cleveland, was awarded Outstanding First Screenplay at the 17th annual Black Reel Awards for The Land. The film was also nominated for the categories of outstanding independent feature and outstanding emerging filmmaker.
THERESA KLOOS, Astoria, N.Y., performed her new one-woman musical comedy show “Reasons to be Unsuccessful” at Cleveland’s Bop Stop.
FELICIA ROJAS, Parma Heights, walked the red carpet for the first time as a Grammy nominee. She is a violinist with the Mariachi Divas, nominated for best regional Mexican album.
2011
SARA FISHER (MAED), Ashland, is a scheduling manager at Medina Creative Accessibility.
JACQULYN NESSELHAUF, Strongsville, has earned a Master of Library and Information Science and a Master of Education from Kent State University.
MICHAEL SCHAMBS, Los Angeles, Calif., is a sales and marketing consultant for Cal Coast Ophthalmic Instruments.
MADELINE WILSON, Delaware, appeared on “Jeopardy!” in March after qualifying with several online tests, a mock game, and interview.
2012
ELIZABETH “LIZ” BLACK, San Diego, Calif., is an officer-in-charge for a Surface Warfare Mission Detachment aboard a littoral combat ship with the U.S. Navy.
MICHAEL DAILEY, New York, N.Y., is a news assistant at The New York Times. He works as a writer, satirist, and journalist.
RACHEL GUY, Girard, has earned a Master of Arts in physical education from The University of South Florida.
HARMONY FREDLEY HODGES, Mars, Pa., is the individual giving coordinator for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.
CHANTAL JUARBE, Shaker Heights, is a marketing and communications specialist at Northern Technologies International Corporation.
RYAN NORDQUIST, Wickliffe, is an assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator at John Carroll University.
2013
MORGAN BABIC, Perry, earned an MFA in craft/material studies from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is now developing her own business, Morgan Babic Jewelry, and coaches gymnastics.
DENNIS LOCONTI (MAED), Springfield, received the 2017 President’s Discretionary Award from the Ohio College Personnel Association for contributions to the growth of the organization.
PETER SCHMIDT-SANE, Medina, is a ceramic technology chemist for Momentive Performance Materials.
NICHOLAS VOGELPOHL, Wilmington, Calif., earned an MFA from the Yale School of Drama. As a technical designer for All Access Staging and Productions, he worked on the stage of the 2017 Super Bowl halftime show featuring Lady Gaga.
2014
ELIZABETH KELLER, Cincinnati, participated in Miami University’s Earth Expeditions global field course in Baja. She is a teacher in the North College Hill City Schools.
MARA LOPEZ, Cuyahoga Falls, is a communications coordinator and analyst for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Her position was awarded through the Presidential Management Fellowship Program.
NICOLE SALAPA, Stafford, Va., is an events manager for FirstService Residential.
HOPE SMITH, Brunswick, is a physician’s assistant in the emergency department at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Lorain.
LAUREN HOUGH STOKLEY (MAED), Cleveland, is an assistant director of admission at Baldwin Wallace University.
2015
NICOLE BOYD, Cleveland, was named a 2017 Northeast Ohio Top 25 Under 35 Movers & Shakers Award by the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club. She is a program associate at the Cleveland Leadership Center.
ASHTON CLUTS, Bluffton, is devoting a year to service in South Africa working at Camp El Olam and Hope Valley Farm School.
ASHLEY SMITH JOHNSON, Broadview Heights, was honored by the Ohio Public Health Association during National Public Health Week for her work as a research fellow at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital.
SAMUEL SCHWAB, Cleveland, co-authored a book on probability with Dr. Edwin Meyer and Kaylee Yuhas ’16, titled Probably a Good Book (Gedanken Publishing).
DIANNA YONKOF SPYCHER (MAED), Sheffield Village, is an academic advising coordinator at Baldwin Wallace University.
JAMIE THOMPSON, Cleveland, is a regulatory affairs specialist at Henkel Corporation.
MIREILLE WOZNIAK-MICHALAK, Seven Hills, is president and human resources consultant at Petiole HR, LLC. The firm provides a full range of HR compliance, employee relations, and recruitment services.
2016
WALTER “JAKE” HARDERS, Rocky River, illustrated Probably a Good Book, co-authored by Dr. Edwin Meyer, Samuel Schwab ’15, and Kaylee Yuhas ’16.
MATTHEW HERAN (MAED), Columbus, is an academic advisor at Ohio State University.
ANTHONY LAUTANEN, Mentor, was promoted to sales manager at Worldwide Express.
JUDY MEHALIC (MBA), North Royalton, is now an associate in the Cleveland office of Walthall CPAs.
SARAH POZEK (MBA), was named a 2017 Movers and Shakers Award recipient by the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club. She is director of life sciences for Direct Recruiters, Inc.
DEREK STREIDL, Independence, is a human resources administrator at Snider-Blake Personnel.
RACHEL WILKEN, Cincinnati, is an admissions assistant at the Forest Hills Care Center.
KAYLEE YUHAS, Brecksville, co-authored a book on probability with Dr. Edwin Meyer and Samuel Schwab ’15, titled Probably a Good Book (Gedanken Publishing).
Marriage Announcements
For more details on these announcements, including wedding dates and locations (when provided), search the archive of online class notes here.
PATRICIA SANTOS ’02 to Brian Broelmann
PAUL LEPRO ’06 to AnnMarie Kassouf
EMMANUEL DONKOR ’11 (MBA) to Brandyn Warren
TYLER COLLINS ’12 to Adriana Novelli
ASHLEY BIGGINS ’15 (MAED) to Gilbert Aguilera
Birth Announcements
For more details on these announcements, including baby names and birth dates (when provided), search the archive of online class notes here.
ALICIA LAVECCHIA HANSEN ’05, and husband Hans, a daughter
COLLEEN O’NEILL DEPENBROK ‘05, and husband Greg Depenbrok, a daughter
ALICIA SPENCER ALEXANDER ’06, and husband Kelly, a son
AMY HERBST SCHULTZ ’11, and JEFF SCHULTZ (MBA) ’11, a son
ASHLEY BIGGINS AGUILERA ’15 (MAED) and Gilbert Aguilera, a son
In Memoriam
See below for in memoriam listings of alumni and friends who died between January 1 and March 31, 2017 as well as those who passed away prior to March 31 of which we learned only recently. These listings include BW academic records, other student involvement while on campus, as well as BW honors received after graduation (i.e. the Alumni Merit Award, the Athletic Hall of Fame, etc). For more information on the person's life, click on his/her name to see the complete obituary as originally published in local media sources. If you see an error in the In Memoriam listing, please email bwalumni@bw.edu or call (440) 826-2104 and we will correct it immediately, both on this page and in the archive.
While not specifically highlighted in these listings, many of the following alumni were generous in their giving to Baldwin Wallace. Consider celebrating a classmate or friend below with a tribute gift. You may make your tribute gift online or by calling the Office of Annual Giving at (440) 826-2739.
1940
ELEANORE POTTMAN KLEIST, Naples, Fla., died January 11. Majored in home economics. Member of Alpha Xi Delta.
1948
ELINOR “DINNY” DORN UTTER, Willow Street, Pa., died December 20, 2016. Majored in economics. Member of Alpha Gamma Delta.
1950
ELAINE GRAHAM JOHNSTON, San Antonio, Tex., died on January 4. Majored in business administration. Member of Phi Mu.
1951
ROBERT “BOBBIE” BROWN, Parma, died on March 29. Majored in humanities. Member of Alpha Tau Omega.
1954
GEORGE CHANDICK, Seven Hills, died on January 14. Majored in health and physical education and middle childhood education.
1955
JANE FARRALL YOUNGER, Medina, died on March 17. Member of Alpha Xi Delta.
1958
MICHAEL P. PAPOURAS, Euclid, died on March 20. Majored in history. Member of Lambda Chi Alpha. Inducted to the BW Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986.
1961
ROBERT WARD, Middleburg Heights, died on January 27. Majored in German. He was also an adjunct professor in BW’s business division.
1963
RICHARD “DICK” ORTLI, Bellefontaine, died on January 28. Majored in music. Member of Alpha Sigma Phi.
1964
ELISE WILSON BRYENTON EAVES, Scottsdale, Ariz., died on March 13. Majored in education.
1966
ROBERT “BOB” VANDALL, New Philadelphia, died on February 9. Majored in music. Received BW’s Conservatory of Music Alumni Achievement Award in 1991.
1967
ELIZABETH “BETSY” BEDFORD GRAU, Hellertown, Pa., died on January 24, 2016. Majored in German.
GERHARD GRAU, Hellertown, Pa., died on January 23, 2016. Majored in religion.
1972
JAMES SPINELLO, Las Vegas, Nev., died on January 25. Majored in speech communication. Member of Pi Lambda Phi.
1980
DANIEL CRAINE, Independence, passed away March 8. Majored in humanities. Member of Lambda Chi Alpha and lettered in football.
FRIENDS OF BW:
MARIE PETERJOHN, Rocky River, died January 29. Marie was the widow of Dr. Glenn Peterjohn, professor emeritus in the biology department.