Multifamily Road Trip

When the Coulee City Last Stand Rodeo rocks Eastern Washington on Memorial Day Weekend, it may not be the only show in town. That’s the time when two — going on three — generations of Seattle Pacific University alumni roll into town for an annual rendezvous.


The story starts with the late Larry Isaak ’64 and Myrtle Bowerman Isaak (now Isaak-Hintz) ’64 inviting several families out to their farm in Coulee City in the early 1980s. Among them were Dell Wisdom ’63 and Judy Wisdom, whose son Tony became a good friend to the Isaak’s son Scott –– both of whom would go on to graduate from Seattle Pacific.

Today, Scott Isaak ’91 and his wife, Jeannie Halle-Isaak ’90, continue the tradition. In 1992, they began inviting friends from their SPU years to their own Coulee City farm for Memorial Day Weekend. While the friends see each other many times during the year, these mass gatherings are the stuff of local legend. Drop in and you’ll find Dan Perrow ’93 and Jennifer Cooley Perrow ’90, Craig Kispert ’88 and Deri Paulson Kispert ’90, Mike Henry and Heidi Caster Henry ’90, and Mark Dinham ‘90 and Jana Pipkin Dinham ’89 — not to mention their children.

The families swim, play Wiffle ball, run in the Coulee City 5K, attend church, watch movies, ride tractors, and have a worship and prayer time together. Kids even participate in the Coulee City parade.

“We exchange parenting advice and marital advice,” says Jeannie Isaak. “It’s like a family.”

“The most rewarding thing,” Scott Isaak adds, “has been watching the relationships that our kids build.”

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