Remembering David Lowe '63 and Sandy Rowe '78, M.A.T. '82; Alicia Denae Elfring '12; Dr. John Howarth; Lt. Col. Clinton Gruber '47, Leon Meade '70; followed by more Class Notes Obituaries.
Alicia Danae Elfring 2012 (Obituary)
A memorial service was held in Eugene, Ore. March 21 for Alicia Denae Elfring ’12, a Eugene campus College of Education student who passed away from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
Alicia was born May 13, 1986, in Eugene to Johnny and Tammy Elfring Phillips. She graduated from Summit High School in Bend, Ore. and received an associate degree from Lane Community College. She was working on a bachelor’s degree with Initial Teaching License and an early childhood education and elementary authorization at Pacific. Alicia had worked in early education and retail.
Survivors include her parents, now of Bend; a brother, Johnny Phillips of Bend; a sister, Sheena Quick of Springfield; and grandparents Carole Elfring of Eugene, Lanny and Melvina Elfring of Eugene and Bobbie Phillips of Lebanon.
Remembrances may be made to the Pacific Early Education Program or the First Church of the Nazarene’s education fund or quilting ministry.
Mary Jo Simone, assistant professor at the Eugene campus, put together this remembrance of Alicia:
"Alicia’s recent and sudden death has impacted her cohort, her professors and all of us on the Eugene campus in a most profound way. When we gathered together to remember her and celebrate her life, the stories recounted were of a generous, bright and energetic young woman who experienced life fully and gave unselfishly.
"She was a champion of the underdog, always making sure that others were included and would never feel left out. One student who worked with her at River Road Elementary in a dual-immersion program told of her great dedication to her young students and to enhancing their self-esteem. She loved learning and being a part of a vibrant learning community. She loved her cohort members and they loved her. She brought a curious mind, a warm heart and a challenge to everyone to be the best they could be.
"They recalled an expression she used often to motivate her fellow students: "Let’s get this thing done!" Her kindness, generosity and zest for life will be a constant inspiration to all of us as we continue our work in the field of education which meant so much to her."
Bill Preston 1958 (Obituary)
College of Optometry Professor Emeritus and alumnus Dr. Bill Preston ’57, O.D. ’58, passed away on Jan. 17 at the age of 82.
Beloved by both his colleagues and students, Dr. Preston served on Pacific’s optometry faculty from 1976-96. He was one of the University’s few second generation faculty emeriti, following his father Daniel, who served as the University’s School of Music Dean in the 1950s and became Associate Professor Emeritus of Music in 1963.
Bill Preston enrolled at Pacific as a sophomore in 1949, and joined the Marines to serve in the Korean War, advancing to the rank of sergeant. He returned to complete his undergraduate studies at Pacific following the war, and earned his doctorate of optometry in 1958. Upon graduation, Preston practiced general optometry for eight years in North Dakota, with a general emphasis on vision problems in children. During his practice, he became an expert on contact lenses.
He returned to the Pacific Northwest in 1966 and practiced in Portland for three years. He subsequently established a private practice in the Cedar Mill area near Beaverton before becoming a part-time clinical advisor at Pacific. He joined the College of Optometry’s clinic faculty on a full-time basis in 1976.
During his tenure at Pacific, he actively served on the College’s Admissions Committee, traveling extensively to the Midwest to recruit prospective students. He became the College’s Forest Grove Clinic Director in 1980. In addition to overseeing clinic administrative operations, he advised and lectured on various optometric topics until his retirement in the late 1990s. In addition to providing students and patients knowledge and expert care, Dr. Preston regularly bestowed financial gifts to the College of Optometry and other University offerings.
He once said, “I can’t help with the big bucks like some companies can, but I can help with the ‘real’ dollars that students need to buy food, pay rent and keep their cars running.” Dr. Preston had a fondness and talent for singing, gardening and landscaping. Countless audiences enjoyed his tremendous voice at local churches and in many performances at the Theatre in the Grove.
A memorial service was held on Jan. 22 at the United Church of Christ in Forest Grove. In lieu of flowers, the Preston family requests donations be made to the shelter at the United Church of Christ, or gifts to the music department at Pacific.
Clinton Gruber 1947 (Obituary)
Lt. Colonel USAF (Ret) Clinton A. Gruber ’47 passed away on March 12, 2011 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center at the age of 91.
Clint was raised in Silver Lake, a tiny town in the Oregon high desert. Entering Pacific on a scholarship in 1938, he concurrently enrolled in the university’s Civilian Pilot Training course at Hillsboro Airport. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor plunged America into the Second World War, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet, graduating as a Second Lieutenant in the class of 43-C.
Assigned to a B-24 “Liberator” heavy bomber crew as a copilot, he went to England to join the 93rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, based at Norwich. Temporarily posted to North Africa, he and his crew flew combat missions out of desert bases near Benghazi and Tunis, striking enemy targets in Italy and Austria.
Back in England he flew more missions, to strategic target in Germany. On November 1, 1943, on approach to a target near Solingen, Nazi fighters attacked, knocking out two of the four engines on his plane and killing the tail gunner. Clint and surviving crew members bailed out at 18,000 feet. He landed in a snowy field, injuring his leg. Nevertheless he evaded capture for two days. He was interrogated and sent to Stalag I prison Camp on the Baltic Sea, where he remained a prisoner of war until liberation by Russian troops shortly before the German surrender in May, 1945.
Clint resumed his studies at Pacific, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1947, then landed a job as an announcer for what would become Oregon Public Broadcasting. He later worked for KOIN radio for many years, serving as its program director, then became Executive Director of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and served as Deputy Director of the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs.
He continued service in the Air Force Reserve and the Oregon National Guard until his retirement as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1972. In his memoirs he recalled: “I am forever grateful to have been of an age to actively experience the war years, and to have been allowed to serve my country in World War II as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Force. I am proud of that service, and thankful that I was spared to see the fruits of our victory.”
Lt. Colonel Gruber is survived by his wife Doris, of Beaverton and son Dwight, of Portland. His story, “Missing in Action Over Germany” appears in the on-line versionof Pacific magazine at: www.pacificu.edu/magazine.
-- Sig Unander '87
David and Sandy Lowe 1963 (Obituary)
A tragic auto accident Feb. 16 in South Carolina took the lives of University Trustee David Lowe, ’63, and his wife, Sandra Spurling Lowe, ’78, M.A.T. ’82.
David Lowe, age 69, earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at Pacific in 1963 and began his career in banking in California. He returned to Pacific in 1969 and served in several positions in university relations, community relations, alumni relations and fundraising until 1986. He then moved to Boca Raton, Fla. and worked as a development officer at Florida Atlantic University, retiring as associate vice president for development in 2004.
His wife, Sandy, age 66, earned a degree in English and sociology at Pacific in 1978, and a master’s in education in 1982. She taught high school English in Oregon and was an adjunct professor of business and professional writing at Florida Atlantic University.
David served on many community boards and councils, but was known to be most proud and honored to be on the University Board of Trustees, a position he had held since 2005. An avid sports fan and a former standout tennis player and coach, he also enjoyed a fine cigar, a good blend of Scotch and time with his wife, family and friends.
Contributions in the Lowes’ memories may be made to the Lowe-Spurling Endowed Scholarship for Business at Pacific University. Sun Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Feb. 26, 2011
John Howarth (Obituary)
Dr. John Howarth, husband of the late University President Faith Gablenick, passed away Feb. 21.
Born near Bolton England in 1924, he was the first person in his village to attend a university; his sister Jean was the second. He studied physics at Cambridge University, earning a master’s degree, then completed a Ph.D. in 1963 at the University of London.
He was then invited to New Mexico to work as a radiological physicist at the Lovelace Clinic in Albuquerque. In 1964, he joined the physics department at the University of New Mexico and was appointed director of the university’s general honors program in 1971. He moved to the University of Maryland in 1978, continuing as a physics professor and honors program director.
Dr. Howarth spoke of New Mexico as his “spiritual home,” but the career of his wife, Dr. Gablenick, led the couple to many adventures. They lived in Kalamazoo, Mich., Oakland, Calif. and finally Forest Grove. He contributed to academic and local communities wherever he lived, including serving as a volunteer mediator at the Washington County, Ore., courthouse and supporting causes such as local public radio stations, the Oregon Cultural Trust and the I Have a Dream Foundation.
He spent the last years of his life in Forest Grove, pursuing his passions for photography, painting and social justice. His 2008 book of photographs, I and I: Ironies and Idiosyncrasies in Everyday Life, portrayed his fascination with the accidental visual and textual humor people see all around them, but rarely appreciate.
John L. Middlebrook 1968 (Obituary)
Dr. John L. Middlebrook, who was given Pacific University’s Outstanding Alumni Service Award in 1978, passed away July 18, 2010 in Salt Lake City. He was 63 years old.
Dr. Middlebrook was born Dec. 16, 1946 in Astoria, Ore. He graduated from Pacific with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, then earned a doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology at Duke University in 1972. He completed a postdoctoral degree in pharmacology at Stanford University Medical School in 1975.
An avid outdoorsman as well as an avid gourmet cook and skilled woodworker, Dr. Middlebrook was deeply involved in scientific research in toxicology and an early pioneer in the field of recombinant DNA. He worked as a research chemist testing nuclear, chemical and biological warfare items in several positions with U.S. Army, the Department of Defense and other private or governmental organizations in need of biological testing services. He was also interested in compounds that crossed the blood-brain barriers and the use for such drugs in fighting diseases of the nervous system as well as in treatment of trauma to the brain and spinal cord.
In 1999, Dr. Middlebrook was severely injured in a car accident in his hometown at that time, Frederick, Md. He spent several months in intensive care, and then underwent rehabilitation for several years. When a return to his work proved impossible, he moved back to Salt Lake City, where he had worked years before as scientific director at the U.S. Army’s Dugway Proving Ground.
The Chinook Observer, Long Beach, Wash., Jan. 12, 2011.
Leon "Squeak" Meade 1970 (Obituary)
An 2007 inductee of the Pacific University Athletic Hall of Fame, Leon Stacey “Squeak” Meade, age 63, died Feb. 6. He was born Nov. 11, 1947 in a Forest Grove hospital that later became the Gamma Sigma Fraternity house at Pacific University.
As part of a military family, Meade lived in many locations throughout his life including overseas bases in Italy and Germany. He was a pitcher for the U.S. Little League All-Star team as well as the Babe Ruth European Championship team when his family was stationed in Munich. When they came back to the states, he attended David Douglas High School in Portland, Ore. where he played basketball, football and baseball.
At Pacific, Mead was a key member of Coach Chuck Bafaro's highly competitive baseball teams in the late 1960s. A four-year starter at second base, Meade earned First Team All-NWC honors in 1967 and 1968 and earned NAIA District II honors in 1967 while batting .340. His .320 average in 1968 helped lead the Boxers to the NWC championship. Meade played the 1969 and 1970 seasons despite suffering severe hamstring injuries. In the 1990s, the baseball team's most inspirational player award was named in Meade's honor.
A scholarship for student athletes has been set up in Meade’s memory at Pacific. Donations can be sent to the Leon Meade Baseball Scholarship, in care of Ken Schumann, Pacific University, 2043 College Way, Forest Grove, OR 97116.
The Oregonian, Portland, Ore. Feb. 15, 2011
George Andrew Herr (Obituary)
George Andrew Herr, parent of current Pacific student Tiara D. Herr '14, died on Aug. 10, 2012 due to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. He served in the army and founded a software company where he worked until a few weeks before his death. Herr is survived by his wife Donna, 4 siblings, 11 children, and 14 grandchildren. The Hillsboro Argus, Hillsboro, Ore.
Carl Vincent Rossetti (Obituary)
Carl Vincent Rossetti, the father of Pacific graduate Christine Rosssetti-Sagar '10, died on Sept. 23, 2012. Rossetti attended the University of Portland and received a Civil Engineering Degree. He opened his own business, where he designed and managed building projects until his retirement in 2010. Rossetti is preceded in death by his son Thomas Kevin Rossetti and survived by his wife Dorothy, their 9 children, 29 grandchildren, and 23 great-grandchildren.
Corinne Scott (Obituary)
Corinne Evelyn Scott died Oct. 7, 2012, at the age of 86. She earned her bachelor of arts in mathematics in Iowa in 1948. She and her husband, John A. Scott, lived in Iowa, Ohio and New Jersey before moving to Gales Creek, Ore. The couple later divorced. She was a case worker for the Department of Aging Services in Oregon and retired in 1991. She was a member of the Forest Grove United Methodist Church, the American Association of University Women and the League of Women Voters. She enjoyed following baseball and attending meetings of the Red Hat Society. She was preceded in death by her son, J.D. Scott. She is survived by her children, Thomas Paul Scott, Mark Scott and his wife Sandi, Mary Bess and her husband James, and Amy Scott; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Edna E. Van Dyke (Obituary)
Edna E. Van Dyke, wife of Pacific graduate Raymond W. Van Dyke '38, died on Sept. 15, 2012. She attended Behnke-Walker Business College and became a secretary. She is survived by her daughter, 2 sons, 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. The Hillsboro Argus, Hillsboro, Ore.
Rhoda Mills 1939 (Obituary)
Rhoda Irene Mills died July 25, 2012, at the age of 94. She taught at Corbett High School until she joined the Navy in 1942 and retired in 1977 as lieutenant commander. She also attended UCLA and graduated with a master’s in education, enabling her to teach at Parkrose High School for 23 years.
Ellen Bump 1940 (Obituary)
Ellen Peirce Bump died Jan. 21, 2013., at Tuality Community Hospital in Hillsboro. She was 98. Born in Oakland, Calif., she was raised in Tacoma until 1919, when her family settled in Forest Grove. She attended Pacific University and earned a degree in social work in 1940. She worked in the law offices of D.D. Bump in Forest Grove, and he encouraged her to study law at Northwestern School of Law, now Lewis & Clark Law School. She passed the bar in 1937 and worked as the only juvenile court worker in Washington County for two years. During World War II, she worked for attorneys in California, and in 1942, she married Kenneth Allen Bump '41 in San Luis Obispo and they returned to Forest Grove. There, she became a parter in the law firm of Bump, Young and Walker and served as a lawyer for 43 years. She was active in civic and community groups, including the Library Committee, Community Health Organization, League of Women Voters, Washington County Public Welfare Commission and Forest Grove Library Commission. She also was a member of the Forest Grove United Methodist Church. She was known for her quiet service to the community and to others. She also was a long-time friend and supporter of Pacific University. She is survived by her husband; their son, Daniel and his wife, Kathryn; two grandchildren; two great-grandchildren, and a large extended family. Her family suggested remembrances in her honor be made to Pacific University.
Leonard Gilman 1941 (Obituary)
Leonard W. Gilman ’41 died June 27, 2012, at the age of 94. Gilman was a part of the Pacific University football team and was an exceptional football player, receiving various recognitions. When he joined the U.S. Navy during World War II, he was able to prevent the first hijacking of a commercial jet and was proclaimed a national hero. After retiring from the military, he was involved in cattle grazing and organized hunting safaris to Africa. Gilman is survived by wife Mary Gayle, brother Dean Gilman, sons Lance and Bret, four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.