In Memoriam

FRANCIS “MARION ” AMERINE CC ’47 died July 9, 2005. He was 93 years old. Marion served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before attending Cascade College. After graduation, he worked for the Willamina Plywood Mill, retiring in 1975 after 28 years on the job. Marion was active in his church and enjoyed gardening, especially growing irises, gladiolas, and dahlias. He is survived by his wife, Helen; one son; three daughters; 12 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

JOHN CONROD ’61 died August 7, 2005, of complications related to multiple sclerosis. In 1991, during SPU ’s Centennial celebration, John was named one of the University’s “Alumni of a Growing Vision.” The author of Computer Bible Games for Christians, he served Seventh Day Baptist churches in the United States and abroad for 15 years. He was also the vice president of the Bible Sabbath Association and treasurer of Colorado Meeting Place, a computer bulletin board for people living with a wheelchair, he edited the Fisherman’s Net, an Internet newsletter. John is survived by his wife, JOYCE DAY CONROD ’61, and two sons.

GEORGE COTTRILL died February 20, 2005. He was 79 years old. A founding member of the SPU Falcon Club booster organization, George was posthumously given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Falcon Legends Hall of Fame Luncheon in January 2006. He is survived by his wife, Imogene; sons CRAIG COTTRILL ’75 and DWIGHT COTTRILL ’79; four grandchildren; and two sisters, including DORIS COTRILL CRAVEN ’50.

Seattle Says Goodbye to Former Falcon, Beloved Educator, and Mentor to Youth Edward E. Brown ’71 died January 12, 2005, of cancer. He was 57. Born in Melrose, Louisiana, and raised in Yakima, Washington, Ed attended Seattle Pacific College on a full basketball scholarship. He was a standout guard for the Falcons before embarking on a 30-year career in public education, where he was a mentor and father figure to Seattle youth, particularly to African-American students. A physical education major at SPC, Ed is remembered by 20-year Falcon skipper Les Habegger as the best defender he ever coached. “There are players you remember and players you forget,” he adds. “I remember Ed because of the kind of person he was and the kind of player he was.” Teammates Don Gustafson ’71 and John Glancy ’70 (now Seattle Pacific’s director of graduate admissions) also praise Ed’s athleticism and character. “Ed had a great Christian testimony that only got stronger during his illness,” says Glancy. A member of Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Baptist Church in Renton, Washington, Ed’s long tenure with the Seattle School District began as a counselor at Renton High School; he later served as vice principal at four different schools and principal at three others. Says Gustafson, “Ed didn’t tell kids what to do, he showed them. He just wanted to help young kids, and the profession he chose was perfect for him.” Brown is survived by his wife, Jacqualine; his mother; one son; one daughter; and one granddaughter.

DAVID CRANE ’48 died February 19, 2005, at the age of 80. Born in Tacoma, Washington, and raised in Battle Creek, Michigan, David served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. Later, while stationed in New Mexico, he married Ruth Jesko in 1945, and they had two daughters. After discharge from the service, David attended SPC before joining Monsanto Chemical Company, where be became chief of maintenance for its Seattle plant. He retired in 1986. David enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, choir, first aid, and water and snow skiing. He and his brother, ALVIN CRANE ’47, served on the Snoqualmie Pass Ski Patrol for 30 years. After Ruth died in 1991, David married Martha Mathis in 1998. He is survived by Martha; two daughters; three granddaughters; two great-grandchildren; one sister; and his brother, Alvin.

IRENE CRANE ’46 died September 22, 2005, at the age of 91. In addition to receiving a degree from SPC, Irene graduated from Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. She held civil-service jobs in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, and taught school in Lake Bay, Washington. Ordained by the Assemblies of God in 1946, Irene became a missionary to Nigeria for 35 years, working as a Bible translator and literacy teacher. Upon her retirement, she moved to Gig Harbor, Washington, where she was involved in volunteer work for her church and served as assistant chaplain at the Women’s Correctional Facility in Purdy, Washington. Irene was also passionate about gardening and cooking. Preceded in death by her brother DAVID CRANE ’48, Irene is survived by one sister and another brother, ALVIN CRANE ’47.

L. MERLE GREN CC ’37 died June 11, 2005. He was 92 years old. Born in Oklahoma, Merle met his future wife, THELM A MCCLURG CC ’38, at Cascade College. After graduation and for the next 30 years, he pastored churches in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Iowa. Predeceased by Thelma, Merle is survived by two sons; one daughter; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

ANGELA KIHLSTRAND ’02 died on November 17, 2005. She was 29 years old. Intent on a career in medical research, Angela attended North Seattle Community College, the University of Washington (UW ), and SPU. At the UW, she participated in a laboratory project to help find a cure for progeria, a disease that causes young people to age rapidly. In the process, she accidentally discovered a treatment that has since been used successfully in breast cancer recovery. While at SPU, Angela sang in the Concert Choir and Women’s Choir. She is survived by her parents, three sisters, grandmother, and numerous other family members.

MURIEL JOHNSON KNOLL ’49 died September 12, 2005. She was 79 years old. Muriel is survived by her husband of 55 years, DAVID KNOLL ’48; two daughters; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

HELEN LONSBERRY ’49 died August 9, 2005. She was 78 years old. Born in Eugene, Oregon, she grew up in Oregon and Washington. At SPC, Helen studied piano and sang in the choir. After graduation, she taught music at Central College in Kansas for a year and moved to Oregon to teach piano at the Oregon College of Education in Monmouth. In 1963, she moved to Colorado, where she worked for the state as an engineering technician for the Department of Highways. She sang in the Westminster Choir of Montview Presbyterian Church in Denver. After retirement, Helen moved to Prescott, Arizona, where she played viola in various groups and accompanied young students in competitions and recitals. Helen is survived by her sister.

RICHARD MONTGOMERY ’81 was killed in a car accident on January 2, 2006. He was 56 years old. Born and raised in Washington, Richard served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He and his wife, Dixie, were missionaries to Haiti before they adopted 13 children. They also had four biological children. Richard was a painter and active in his church. He is survived by Dixie and their 17 children.

GLEN ODMAN, SPC assistant professor of education from 1974 to 1979, died December 26, 2005. He was 91 years old. Born in Beach, North Dakota, Glen graduated from Jamestown College in North Dakota and joined the U.S. Army in 1942. His regiment, the 334th, was in every major European battle of World War ll, including the Battle of the Bulge. Glen married Jean Mead in 1944, and taught English, Latin, speech, and drama at Selah High School in Selah, Washington. He served as principal of the high school from 1948 to 1958. In 1958, he moved to the Highline (Washington) School District, where he helped open the Mt. Rainier High School in Des Moines and taught at Highline High School. Upon his retirement from public education, he joined the SPC faculty. In addition to his education career, Glen was active in Rotary and Toastmasters, and in his church, where he had several leadership roles. He is survived by his wife, Jean; two sons; two daughters; 11 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

ARDELE LANE OGDEN ’44 died July 15, 2005. She was 83 years old. Born in Port Angeles, Washington, Ardelle received a master of science degree from Northwestern University two years after graduating from SPC. She then earned a doctorate in physiology from the University of Illinois in 1954. Ardelle began teaching at the Northwestern University School of Dentistry in 1951. She also taught physiology at the Northwestern University School of Medicine. When she retired in 1987, she was honored with the title of professor emerita of physiology. Ardelle was a member of the American Association of University Professors, the American Physiological Society, and the American Men and Women of Science. Predeceased by her husband, Ralph, she is survived by one son; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and one brother, FREDERICK LANE ’46.

H. JUSTIN PETERSEN ’78 died due to a stroke on November 3, 2005. He was 60 years old. Justin was a general contractor who designed homes and barns and did remodeling work. A lifelong music lover, he built a banjo from an ice cream bucket at age 5 and taught himself to play the ukulele when he was only a little older. In 1974, he and his wife, Kathy, and two others formed the group Amen Corner; they performed gospel, folk, and old-time country music in churches and festivals such as Seattle’s Folk Life Festival. Justin is survived by Kathy, two daughters, one son, and five grandchildren.

MOLLY PETERSON ’74 died from complications of a stroke on May 9, 2005. She was 78 years old. Born in Dallas, Texas, Molly married Earl Peterson in 1945. She was a real estate agent for 22 years in Oregon and Washington before retiring in 1981. In 1984, she became an ordained minister in the Pentecostal Evangelical Church. She hosted a local radio program and served as a minister at the Jackson Park Navy Chapel in Bremerton, Washington. In 1992, Molly became an honorary U.S. Navy chaplain and ministered at local nursing homes. She was preceded in death by a daughter. She is survived by Earl, three sons, and eight grandchildren.

PATRICIA DODGE STEVENS ’81 died November 9, 2005, after a two-year battle with merkel cell carcinoma. She was 47 years old. Born and raised in Oregon, Patty came to Seattle to attend SPU. After graduation, she worked as a temporary receptionist for Botting Mechanical Contractors, eventually becoming the firm’s on-site project engineer. While there, she met David Stevens, and they married in 1993. Patty eventually started her own company, Project Management Support. During the years, she worked on projects such as the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, several of Seattle’s historic buildings, and billionaire Bill Gates’ home. Patty is survived by David; her parents, JOYCE NORTHRUP DODGE ’51 and WES DODGE ’57; and three sisters, including COLLEEN DODGE SPENCE ’80.

JEAN BEEGLE YARDY ’47 died July 4, 2005. She was 80 years old. Born in Panama to missionary parents BURTON BEEGLE and Gladys Beegle, Jean moved with her family to Seattle when her father became a professor of mathematics at SPC. She attended SPC, where she met her future husband, J. WESLEY YARDY ’46. They married after he completed his World War II service in Okinawa, Japan. The wedding took place in SPC ’s McKinley Hall Auditorium, with her father performing the service. Jean began teaching in Tacoma, Washington, and the couple also became foster parents. By 1960, they moved to Santa Clara, California, and adopted two children. Jean taught third and fourth grades at Taft Elementary School in Redwood City, California. She enjoyed singing, and playing and watching sports. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Wesley; one daughter; one son; one sister, DORIS BEEGLE ARCHER ’41; and one brother.

Rearick Remembered as a Renaissance Man WILLIAM REARICK, longtime Seattle Pacific University faculty member and administrator, died February 8, 2006, in Olympia, Washington. He was 77 years old. Bill joined the Seattle Pacific faculty in 1960 and served as a professor of English, education, and theatre. His skill in the classroom was matched by an exceptional leadership ability, and he held many key administrative positions on campus, including vice president of academic affairs, dean of graduate and professional studies, dean of continuing education, and university registrar. Over the years, Bill contributed to the life of the University in diverse ways, such as preparing gourmet meals for Faculty Retreat at Camp Casey; co-leading the first C.S. Lewis Study Tour to Oxford, England; directing a faculty production of “Waiting for Godot”; and, immediately prior to his retirement in 1991, orchestrating a two-year commemoration of the SPU centennial. Throughout their retirement, Bill and his wife, Ida Mae, continued to support Seattle Pacific. Avid friends of SPU theatre, they established the William D. and Ida Mae Rearick Theatre Scholarship Endowment, which funds three scholarships each year. “The most wonderful thing about both Bill and Ida Mae was that they believed in the value of preparing young theatre artists to engage the culture in the broadest sense,” says Don Yanik, chair of the Theatre Department. “And they were wonderful friends.” Bill’s greatest joys were sharing stories with children, reading the Bible aloud, and entertaining extended family and friends in his and Ida Mae’s home. Predeceased by his wife of 56 years, he is survived by one son; one daughter, PAMELA REARICK DECK ’75; four grandchildren; and two greatgrandchildren. “Bill Rearick helped lay the foundation we build upon today at Seattle Pacific University,” says SPU President Philip Eaton. “We are deeply grateful to him.”

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