Amy (Spelbrink) Beaupre 1933 (Obituary)
Amy (Spelbrink) Beaupre ‘33 died Jan. 22, 2012, at the age of 100.
Beaupre was not only an alumna of Pacific, studying music in the 1930s, she later became an instructor in the music department and a longtime friend and supporter of the University.
Beaupre grew up in Minnesota in a musical home, surrounded by siblings and parents who loved to sing and play instruments. In 1922, her family packed up an “old jalopy,” she said in Pacific’s 2008 annual report, and headed across the Great Plains, first to Washington then to Oregon.
She attended Pacific, where she fondly remembered music flowing out of Brighton Chapel and the music department. She graduated in 1933 with degrees in music and political science. She later taught music at Pacific, where she also performed on the piano for many dignitaries.
Amy Beaupre was a faithful donor to her alma mater, providing support for many different areas across campus. Her love for music, however, was evident by her provision of start-up funds for the orchestra in 2006. Her estate will continue her legacy with gifts to the music department and a scholarship.
Her husband, Herschel Beaupre, who she married on Dec. 24, 1936, preceded her in death. Her parents and siblings also preceded her in death. She is survived by close friends Gary and Betty Maxwell.
Cathy Stoller (Obituary)
Long-time Pacific University supporter Cathy Stoller died Nov. 30, 2011, at the vineyard she shared with her husband, Bill Stoller ’74. She was 60. A memorial service was held on the Pacific campus on Dec. 9 in the Stoller Center, which was named after the couple who generously helped fund multiple renovations of the athletic center.
Cathy was born Aug. 6, 1951, in Portland. She graduated from Morningside High School in Los Angeles. She later returned to Portland, where she was Bill’s first hire at Express Personnel Professionals, which he co-founded in 1983.
Express went on to become an internationally renowned temporary employment firm, with Cathy serving as chief executive officer of the Oregon offices. In the meantime, the Stollers also became co-owners in Chehalem Wines, then purchased Bill’s family turkey farm and turned it into Stoller Vineyards, as well as a home for the couple and their twin sons. They also invested heavily in the revitalization of downtown Dayton.
Cathy was actively involved in the vineyard and its events, as well as the American Vitacultural Areas. She loved animals, particularly the horses, alpacas, miniature donkeys and pugs that live on the Stoller property.
In addition, the Stollers have been staunch supporters of Pacific University. They have supported the baseball team, the Boxer Club, the Lincoln Park Athletic Complex, the men’s basketball team, the Legends Classic and the football program. They made the lead gift to renovate the University’s athletic center. They also sponsored installments of the Tom McCall Forum, endowed scholarships and supported the Career Development Center and other campus programs.
Cathy is survived by her husband, Bill; their sons, Kenneth and Kyle; two children from a previous marriage, Jason Morgan and Jennie Schwenke, both of Wilsonville; and four grandchildren.
Tom Robb 1946 (Obituary)
Thomas “Tom” Howard Robb Sr. died Oct. 9, 2012. He was 88. Robb graduated from North Bend (Ore.) High School in 1942 and joined the Seabees. He served in the Pacific during WWII. After his military service, he attended Pacific University, where he was a member of the basketball team and Gamma Sigma and served as president of his freshman class. While at Pacific, he met and married Patricia Ann Vernon Robb ’45, with whom he spent 67 years. He later received a degree in education at Lewis & Clark and master’s degrees in history and public administration. He was active in Boy Scouts with his sons, in the Boise Education Association and in the State Retired Educators Association. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Carolyn. He is survived by his wife, Patricia; children, Thomas Robb Jr., Suzanne Robb ’70, Stan Robb and Kristine Powell and their families; two grandsons; four nieces and six nephews, including Heidi Tennyson Psy.D. ’10.
Geraldine "Gerry" Sherson 1947 (Obituary)
Geraldine “Gerry” A. (Bennet Pace) Sherson died April 16, 2012, at the age of 89. Sherson majored in music at Pacific University. She was married to Terry M. Pace for 35 years until he died in 1983. She was then married to fellow student Jerry Sherson ’44 for 25 years until his death in 2010. She is survived by brother Layton Bennet; children Bonnie Delight, Loren Pace and Layton Pace; and three grandchildren.
Katharine Drew 1949 (Obituary)
Katharine Merle Drew died May 12, 2012, in Shoreline, Wash. She was 85. She grew up in Great Falls, Mont., where she loved to hunt and fish with her father. She met her husband, Lelan Drew ’49, during their freshman year at Pacific University. They married in 1950. Her joys were her children, camping, crafting, singing, baking and playing cards. She is survived by her husband; children Steve and his wife, Alison, Mike and his wife Molly, David and his wife Geri and Penny and her husband Jeff; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
William "Allan" Pollock 1949 (Obituary)
William “Allan” Pollock ’49, O.D. '50 died June 24, 2012, at the age of 92. He joined the Army in 1942 and was honorably discharged as first lieutenant. He then attended Pacific University and graduated with a doctorate in optometry. He practiced as an optometrist for 38 years. His wife, Maxine, died in December 2012. They are survived by two children and four grandchildren.
Mou-ta Chen 1950 (Obituary)
Mou-ta Chen MAEd died Dec. 4, 2012. He was 90. Born in Sichuan, China, he also graduated from Chongquing, the University of Wyoming and New York University. He held various government positions in China before coming to the United States, where he was a professor of mathematics at the State University of New York at Brockport. He enjoyed Chinese poetry, classical music, history and current events. He was active in the Capital Senior Center at Maxcy Gregg Park.
George Whitfield Johnston Jr. 1950 (Obituary)
George Whitfield Johnston Jr. died July 22, 2012, at the age of 85. After graduating from Pacific, he served the Army for one and a half years until receiving honorable discharge in 1946. He then married Margaret E. “Marge” Thornburg and moved to Hillsboro in 1964. Johnston worked as the office manager for the Portland Office of Willamette Industries for the computer department for 33 years until retiring in 1987. Johnston is survived by his wife, two daughters, brothers and sisters.
Alan Johnson 1956 (Obituary)
Alan J. Johnson ’56, O.D. ’57 died Sept 20, 2012. He received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in 1945 and went on to obtain his doctor of optometry degree from Pacific University. Johnson practiced optometry in his hometown of Yakima, Wash., for 30 years. He is survived by his sister and two nieces.