50s

Jack M. O’Hara ‘50, posted 10/10/2013

(2985 White Oak Dr. Blue Creek, OH 45616-9776) My years were 1946 to 1950. Our pledge class was unique because we had guys from 18 to the old age of 26 along with a lot of veterans. It was a glorious time to attend Denison, with Woody Hays as our football coach. Bill Copeland ’49 and I were football managers under Woody and we got to know him quite well. How many can say their team had two undefeated seasons back to back? Our house was the Avery- Downer house. I did not live in the fraternity house until my senior year, which was when I was GM. My reasons for going back to Granville are always fraternity related as my friendships go back to 1946. I certainly enjoyed going back for the 100th anniversary for Kappa Sig on campus. I am now a retired physician living on a farm and raising cattle.

 

 

Bill Norman ‘51, posted 10/10/2013

I read the Stimulator story about your 100th anniversary celebration with great interest and regretted I couldn’t attend, particularly as there were many from the 50’s there. I was in the class of ’51. I actually felt as if I was a Kappa Sig for many years since I grew up living with my grandmother, Natalia Philbrick, who was their cook for 15 plus years. She had many Kappa Sigs living as roomers in her home at 120 S. Pearl St, just around the corner from the KZ house (at that time on Broadway) while I lived there. Since grandma was the only staff member she was, for all practical purposes, also “house mother”.

During WW II years, Denison served as a training center for Air Force meteorologists and there were few male students during this time when I was in Grandville High School. One year, I worked serving tables at a military dining hall, and then changed to the KZ house where my Grandmother cooked. At that time it housed freshmen coeds. I don’t remember for how long, but remember enjoying my “work”!

Unfortunately, in order to attain an engineering degree. I transferred to the University of Michigan for my degree in civil engineering after just two years, where I joined the Alpha Zeta Chapter (KZ) and served as house manager for my final two years. I returned for an MPA and worked as a city and county manager for the balance of my professional career (Howell and Jackson, MI, Carbondale and Naperville, IL, Pinellas Park and Collier Count- Naples, FL).

Doris and I now live near Manistique, Mich. on a small lake during the summer and in Estero, Fla. south of Ft Myers, Fla., during the winter where we are enjoying retirement.

Any brothers who find themselves near us in either MI or Florida, my cell is 630-699-9429.

 

Jack Ubersax ‘53, posted 10/10/2013

(1 Lodge Ln Wilbraham, MA 01095-1629; [email protected])  Successes after graduation have been due largely to being recruited just before graduation by a major machine tool builder in Cleveland, one that had funded The Swasey Chapel and The Swasey Observatory. I spent 31 years in field sales and service management with Warner and Swasey Co.  That career taught me much that I apply even now as an independent contractor, enlarging the customer base for a CT provider of automated assembly systems. The discipline of a good college education, appropriate subject materials and behaviors learned at Denison, played a big part in any business success that I have enjoyed.

 

Bruce A. Corrie’57, posted 10/10/2013

(2787 St. James Dr. Southport, NC 28461-8531; [email protected]) Since graduation I served in the Air Force after ROTC at Denison, received my Masters and Doctorate degrees from Indiana University, had a Fulbright Grant to Greece, and taught in Turkey during a sabbatical leave. During my career in Intercollegiate Athletics, I was Head Lacrosse Coach at Duke University, Director of Athletics at Bucknell University, Robert Morris University, and Northwestern University. I wrote a book “The History of the Atlantic Coast Conference” and was selected to both Denison’s and Robert Morris University’s Halls of Fame.