Bradley Hilltopics Online

1920s

baseball

Three baseball legends

A trio of legendary baseball players from championship teams at Bradley died in May and June.

RICHARD HAACK ’49, June 15, Nokesville, Va. Dick was a baseball and basketball player at Bradley, and a member of Sigma Phi. Inducted into athletics halls of fame at Bradley and in Hammond, Ind., he was a pitcher for the Cubs minor league team from 1946 to 1952. He retired in 1984 after 33 years as a machinist at Hadady Machine Co. A World War II Army veteran, Dick was involved in Masonic work. His wife Marjorie, their daughter, and three grandchildren survive.

JACK MALLORY ’50 MS ’52, June 16, Waukegan. Jack retired from teaching in 1989, but coached baseball for 46 years. He led the high school teams he coached to the state finals four times. Jack played on the Bradley baseball team that went to the 1950 College World Series and then in the New York Yankees farm system. He had been inducted into numerous athletics halls of fame, including Bradley and Woodruff High School. A World War II Navy veteran, Jack served on the Waukegan school board and was a volunteer naturalist. Surviving are his wife Patricia, three children, a granddaughter, and two great-grandchildren.

DONALD WYSS ’63 MA ’71, May 4, Dunlap. Don played on the 1956 BU baseball team that placed third in the nation. Retiring in 1994 after 24 years at Richwoods High School, Don was athletic director, dean of students, and coached three sports. He was active in Peoria’s Sunday Morning League for 35 years, where many of his records remain unbroken. An Air Force veteran, Don was a member of halls of fame in Peoria and at Bradley. Three sons and five grandchildren survive.

RUTH ODELL JACOBUS ’27, May 20, Peoria. She was 104. Ruth worked in a downtown dress shop for many years. A member of Pi Beta Phi, she became an oil painter and watercolorist at age 81. Many of her paintings are displayed at Proctor Endowment Home. Three sons, including JOHN JACOBUS ’56, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren survive.

1930s

MARGARET “PEG” KIENZLE GRANNIS ’36, May 2, Des Moines. She enjoyed cooking and gardening. Survivors include two daughters, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

HAROLD STOOPS ’36, May 20, Peoria, Ariz. Employed by Caterpillar for 36 years, he retired from the purchasing department as a steel buyer. He volunteered at all three Peoria hospitals before moving to Arizona in 1990. Harold worked at a food bank and was active in his church. He enjoyed golf and woodworking. Four children, two grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren survive.

LOUISE TEJEDA VIGIL ’37, June 2, Pensacola, Fla. A longtime resident of Chicago and Northlake, she was an international correspondent for Zenith Radio & Television Corp. for 25 years. Louise enjoyed knitting and gardening. Two children, four grandchildren, and a great-grandson survive. Also surviving are her sisters ESTHER TEJEDA ’41, ANTOINETTE “TONI” TEJEDA ’46, and THERESA TEJEDA YEPEZ ’49.

1940s

EMMA GRAWEY HABERKORN ’40, June 9, Peoria. She helped with local family businesses through the years: Peoria Auto Parts, Ace Hardware, and Dairy Queen. Emma was a member of St. Philomena’s Catholic Church for more than 50 years. Four daughters survive, including JEANNE BARCLAY ’86 and LYNNE LISENBY ’95, along with eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

KENNETH E. OLSON ’41, July 14, Tucson, Ariz. He was the first athletic director at Maine West High School. As head football coach at Maine East and West, he compiled a 166-40 record. As basketball coach, his teams had a 139-59 record. Ken was a member of athletics halls of fame at Bradley, as well as for Illinois high school football and basketball coaches. From 1953 to 1971, he also was Des Plaines commissioner of parks and recreation. Ken was a member of Bradley’s “Famous Five” basketball team, and was the football team’s quarterback. He was named All-American, but declined professional football offers. A member of Sigma Phi, Ken also participated in tennis and track at Bradley. Two children, three grandchildren, and three great-grandsons survive.

BETTE ANDRE FARMER ’44, June 10, Peoria. She was a hospital laboratory technician for several years. A member of Lambda Phi at Bradley, she sang in its chorus and with the Stephen Foster Singers. Two children, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren survive. Her husband PHILIP JOSE FARMER ’50 HON ’98 died on February 25.

MARJORIE JOHNSON AUSTIN ’45, June 3, West Peoria. She was a starch chemist for the USDA research laboratory until 1954 when she became a homemaker. A member of Chi Omega at Bradley, Marjorie was an accomplished watercolorist. She helped start Christmas Tree Lane at First United Methodist Church. Her sons STEVEN L. AUSTIN ’78 MSCE ’85 and JON AUSTIN ’81 survive, along with two grandchildren.

WILLARD FENZ ’46, March 20, Palo Alto, Calif. A World War II veteran, he was a senior internal auditor at Lockheed. He held an MBA from Stanford. He enjoyed golf and was active in his church. Survivors include his wife Gladys, two sons, and three grandchildren.

RUTHE FLECHSIG SPACHT ’46, May 15, Washington. She taught at Webster and Hines elementary schools in Peoria for 25 years. Ruthe was a past president of Chi Omega and the American Association of University Women. She enjoyed knitting and had published a poetry book. Four children survive, including ANN-MARREE SPACHT ANDERSON ’70, as well as nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

RALPH OLSON ’47, March 14, Brunswick, N.Y. He owned and operated a jewelry store on Long Island for many years. Ralph was a World War II Army Air Corps veteran. His daughter, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren survive.

PHIL COOK ’48, March 10, Harlingen, Texas.

KENNETH “ROCKY” ROCKHOLD ’49, April 26, Peoria. He was an award winning sales rep for Wohl Shoe Co. for 35 years, retiring as a division vice president in 1988. A World War II Army Air Forces veteran, Rocky received a Bronze Star and an Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters. His wife Joan, three children, and two grandsons survive.

1950s

PAUL “PETE” HAGAR ’50, May 10, Saranac Lake, N.J. A music teacher in Illinois and Rutherford, N.J., Pete served as president of the New Jersey Bandmasters Association. He held a master’s degree from Montclair Teachers College and had attended Juilliard in New York. An Army veteran, Pete enjoyed fishing and bridge. Surviving are his wife Linda, four children, two stepchildren, and 10 grandchildren.

MILES BAKER ’51, March 4, East Ridge, Tenn. He worked for Roper Corp. in Illinois, Kentucky, and Georgia. He was a founding member of the Lake Michigan Model Car Club. Miles was a World War II Air Force veteran. Surviving are his wife Mary Ellen, four children, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

ROBERT BUTLER ’51, April 26, Gresham, Ore. Bob retired from teaching fifth grade in 1988. He was a World War II Army Air Corps veteran. Six children and 14 grandchildren survive.

ROBERT S. COHEN ’51, June 3, Peoria. He worked in his family’s furniture business until 1970 when he founded Cohen Development Co. The company developed, owned, and managed a number of hotels and shopping centers, including Westlake Shopping Center. A Korean War veteran, Bob was active in the Rotary Club of Peoria and was a Paul Harris Fellow. He served on the local Boy Scout board, as well as Bradley’s Alumni Board. Bob was the first president of Sigma Chi at BU. Survivors include three children, a grandson, and his companion SHIRLEY HARPER ’59.

MARCELLA BAYER COX ROSZHART ’51, May 22, Peoria. She was a teacher in District 150 for 30 years, primarily at Glen Oak School. She volunteered with many organizations and was a longtime member of University United Methodist Church. Marcie toured with the Hammerettes, a marimba quartet, after graduating from Bradley. Survivors include her two sons, two stepdaughters, and eight grandchildren.

Faculty and staff

WILLIAM CLAREY ’48 MA ’51, professor emeritus of business administration, died May 18 in Peoria. He was dean of the College of Business Administration from 1954 to 1972, and was a professor until retiring in 1991. A World War II Navy veteran, he received the Frances Mergen Award for outstanding public service in 1981. He wrote a history of Bradley’s Foster College of Business in 1995. His wife Mary, five children including SUSAN CLAREY MOORE ’71, 13 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren survive.

ROGER LUMAN, managing director of the Turner Center for Entrepreneurship at Bradley, died June 17. A Marine Corps veteran, he graduated from the University of Illinois Institute of Aviation and held an MBA. He began working at Bradley in 1985. A resident of Peoria, he was active in Westminster Presbyterian Church and Rotary. Surviving are his wife Marilyn and two sons, including DOUG LUMAN ’08.

DR. RITA NEWTON, professor emeritus of industrial and manufacturing engineering, died June 23 in Peoria. She held three degrees from State University of New York, Buffalo, where she was enrolled continuously for 20 years. Before coming to Bradley in 1969, she was an engineer and numerical analyst at Bell Aerospace. The first female faculty member in engineering at BU, she retired in 2000. With a gift of more than $1 million, she became a member of the Bradley Renaissance Circle in 2008. Her caregiver EUGENIA MURPHY, MLS ’97 survives.

DR. JOSEPHINE PEARCE, professor emeritus of English, died January 24, 2008. She lived in Peoria. Dr. Pearce taught at Bradley from 1955 to 1983. She held a master’s degree from Stanford and a doctoral degree from the University of Missouri.

DR. VINOD PRASAD, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, died on June 23 in India. He joined the faculty in 1984. Active in the design and analysis of digital systems, he held a doctoral degree from the University of London. He resided in Peoria. His wife Shobha and son SAURAV PRASAD ’97 survive.

KARNI TIERNAN, lecturer emeritus of communication, died August 5 in Minneapolis. She taught at Bradley from 1988 to 2008. Surviving are two sons including XAVIER TIERNAN ’97 and seven grandchildren.

DR. WILLIAM WITTE, professor emeritus of philosophy and political science, died June 16 in Metamora. He held degrees from Southern Methodist University and earned his doctorate from Columbia University. He was a World War II Navy veteran. His wife Maurine survives, along with two children, MARC WITTE, MA ’76 and Sharon Obery of the Bradley library staff, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

PAT BRADY ’52, July 2009, Reno, Nev. Pat owned the Bonanza Casino. He played three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was an NFL All-Pro. A World War II veteran, he was a member of Bradley’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

NANCY THOMPSON KIZER ’52, June 27, Morton. She retired from Illinois State University in 1985, where she taught English and served on the Dean’s staff. She earned a master’s and a doctoral degree at ISU. Nancy enjoyed bridge, dancing, and golf. Her husband Dick, two children, and five grandchildren survive.

ANN BARCLAY LaFORGE ’52, May 18, Lincoln. Instrumental in starting paramedics programs in Logan County, she and her husband David operated New Holland Rescue Squad for 10 years before moving to Lincoln. Ann served on the library and county housing authority boards, as well as the Central Illinois Mental Health Board. Also surviving are three children including PAM LaFORGE FOX ’76, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

CHARLOTTE RAU PHILPOTT ’53, June 5, Milford, Ohio. She had been coordinator of adult education in the Cincinnati public schools. Charlotte was a member of Sigma Kappa at Bradley. Surviving are her husband JAMES PHILPOTT ’53, four sons, and 11 grandchildren.

A. WAYNE SELLMAN ’55 MBA ’58, May 3, Athens. He was an accountant at Caterpillar for 28 years. Wayne was an avid hiker. He received a Bronze Star during World War II and was honored for his work with Boy Scouts. Surviving are five children including DANIEL SELLMAN ’85, a foster daughter, and many grandchildren, great-, and great-great grandchildren. His wife ZELDA HEDDEN SELLMAN ’50 MA ’52 preceded him in death on February 5.

JOHN R. JOHNSON ’56 MA ’60, May 23, Crete. John was a science teacher at Forest Trail Junior High in Park Forest. He retired in 1988. Survivors include his wife IRENE LEGG JOHNSON ’56, two daughters, and a granddaughter.

MARLYN SITTON WILKINS ’56, May 24, Peoria. She was a member of Chi Omega at Bradley and its alumni board and house corporation. She was the 1955 homecoming queen. Marlyn was an active member of First Baptist Church and served on the advisory board of Illinois 4-H. She was a teacher at Academy of Our Lady in the mid ’50s. Survivors include her husband Robert, four daughters, seven grandchildren, and her sister WILLA SUE SITTON YORDY ’55.

WILLARD “BILL” NORTON ’58, July 11, Kansas City, Mo. He served clients in six states with his own structural engineering firms. Bill retired in 1996, but continued to work with clients in the area. He was active in Gashland Presbyterian Church and in the community. A Korean War Army veteran, Bill was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha at Bradley. Surviving are his wife ROSEMARY THORNTON NORTON ’58, two children, and four grandchildren.

WILLIAM TABORN ’58, May 18, Buffalo, N.Y. He was an engineer, then worked with plant services for the Buffalo school district, and later for the housing authority in New Haven, Conn. He was active in public affairs and served as chairman of the Erie Community College Board. An Army veteran, he was a member of Omega Psi Phi at Bradley. His wife Thelma and four children survive.

JAMES HUXTABLE ’59, October 31, 2008, Peoria. Employed at Caterpillar for 33 years, Jim was a pioneer in the field of electrical systems. He retired in 1992 as director of test and evaluation. The group he began in 1973 has grown to an organization of 1,300 people. Jim was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church and an avid fisherman. Survivors include his wife Barbara, three children, and eight grandchildren.

LOWELL STEPHENS ’59, Dec. 17, 2008, Littleton, Colo. Four children, nine grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren survive.

1960s

ROBERT CLANCY ’60, Jan. 27, Ogden, Utah. He served as an executive on loan for the United Way. Bob was active in St. James Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He was a Navy veteran. His wife Metta Joan, three children, and six grandchildren survive.

SARAH “SADIE” HAYES, MA ’61, June 21, East Peoria. She was an elementary school teacher in District 150 for 40 years. She enjoyed bowling and gardening. Survivors include her lifelong friend Jane Hartter.

JOHN WINKELMANN, MS ’61, May 20, Peru. An original faculty member at Illinois Valley Community College, he retired in 1995. Earlier, John taught chemistry in Wyoming and LaSalle-Peru. A veteran of the Korean War, he was active in St. Joseph Church and the Knights of Columbus. Four children and six grandchildren survive.

KENNETH RICKEY ’62, June 28, Henry. He operated Rickey Sales and Service and other business ventures. Active in First United Presbyterian Church, Ken enjoyed flying and sailing. Survivors include two children and his mother. His wife Susan died in April.

JAMES PARK ’64, June 24, East Peoria. As a Bradley student, he formed Jim Park and the Starlighters, a dance band that played for almost 50 years. He was a band and music director at seven schools in the Peoria area. Jim directed choirs and handbell choirs at three Peoria-area churches for many years. One of his bands evolved into the Peoria Heights Community Band. He also played in the Peoria Municipal Band and entertained at dozens of nursing homes. Surviving are his wife Linda, a daughter and stepdaughter, and five grandchildren.

GEORGE GRAHAM ’67, April 19, Elgin. He was a vice president for Helene Curtis Industries and later for the Midwest Industrial Management Association. From 1986 to 2007, he operated InnerChange. George held a master’s degree from George Williams College. He served on the school board of Fenton High School. Three children and four grandchildren survive.

GLADYS RING ’67, April 19, Davenport, Iowa. She retired in 1974 after 17 years of teaching elementary school in Nebraska, Peoria Heights, and East Peoria. She was a lifetime member of Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria. Three children, eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren survive.

GERALD SPENCE, MA ’67, June 3, Galesburg. A clinical psychologist, Jerry held a doctoral degree from the University of Wyoming. He was a veteran.

RICHARD MURRAY ’68, May 24, Escondido, Calif. Richard enjoyed woodworking and fishing. He was an Army veteran. Survivors include his wife Patty, five children, 13 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

RENEE FEIGER KIMMEL ’69, Feb. 3, Anchorage, Alaska. In 1981, Renee moved to Alaska, where she owned several businesses, including a bagel shop, catering business, and Hot Rocks healing products. Four children and a granddaughter survive.

CARLANNE LOVESTRAND ’69, May 24, Peoria. She taught seventh and eighth grade at Pleasant Valley School for 25 years, retiring in 1999. She was active in her church. Four children and eight grandchildren survive.

MICHAEL E. MORRIS ’69, July 5, Colorado Springs. A graduate of the Kent College of Law, he worked in the public defender’s office in Fulton County and later in Colorado. He began his own law practice in 1986 and retired in June. Surviving are his wife Carol, two daughters, and six grandchildren.

HELEN GEBHARDT SEITZ ’69, May 23, Peoria. She was a teacher in District 150 for 20 years, retiring in 1989 after teaching second grade at Von Steuben School for many years. An accomplished artist, she attended the Peninsula Art School in Door County, Wis., for the past 15 years. Helen was a member of Chi Omega at Bradley. Survivors include her husband WILLIAM J. SEITZ ’49 MA ’52, six children, and 13 grandchildren.

1970s

CHARLES CAMP JR. ’73, May 28, Peoria. He worked for Caterpillar and later was an engineer at Commonwealth Edison. Charles was an Army veteran. His mother and three brothers survive.

ROBERT LUCAS ’73 MA ’75, May 21, West Peoria. He was self-employed as a private investigator. Previously he was a police officer in Peoria Heights. Survivors include his wife Susan and his parents.

ERMA AYERS MATSON ’73, March 4, West Lafayette, Ind. She was a teacher in Bureau Township and Manlius schools. Erma had been a board member of the senior center in Princeton. Two children and two grandchildren survive.

JACK FULKERSON ’79, April 8, Old Saybrook, Conn. He helped develop the local youth football league and assisted in coaching the high school football team until 1993. Jack was a Vietnam War Marine Corps veteran. His wife Jean, two daughters, and two grandchildren survive.

1980s

CHARLES McGREGOR ’80, May 21, Downers Grove. Chuck was an electrical engineer, automation project manager, for Natural Gas Pipeline Co. for 20 years. He enjoyed flying and riding his Harley. His wife Nancy and two children survive.

C. SCOTT CARPENTER ’87, June 26, Peoria. Scott was a civil engineer with the Illinois Department of Transportation for 22 years. He was a charter member of Delta Tau Delta at Bradley. His wife MARIA TIBERIO CARPENTER ’89, their three sons, and his parents survive.

1990s

GREG MARLATT ’96, June 25, Peoria. A graphic artist at Caterpillar, Greg was also a professional artist and had played semi-professional football. Two brothers survive.

GREGORY J. ROSS, MA ’96, April 11, Peoria. He retired from Caterpillar after many years as a systems analyst. He was a Vietnam War Army veteran. Three daughters survive, including ANDRIA ROSS-REDPATH ’98 and MARIAH ROSS ’02, and two grandchildren.

“In Memory” Guidelines: In Memory is written from newspaper clippings, as well as published obituaries supplied by friends and family. Bradley Hilltopics attempts to identify spouses, parents, children, and siblings who are also Bradley alumni. Submit an obituary by mailing a newspaper clipping or memory card from the funeral home to Bradley Hilltopics, 1501 W. Bradley Ave., Peoria, IL 61625.