1970-1979
Bruce Bernstein '70 has been keeping busy with music lessons, musical performances, saxophone expressions, and performing with various community and music bands. (06/25)
Victoria King Heinsen '70 released her fifth book, Murder at the Harding Memorial. The third in a trilogy, the story returns to the lives of Jessica, a Columbus, OH, attorney and Delta Gamma, and her former sweetheart, a Phi Delt and Ohio Wesleyan graduate. Any number of suspects are involved as the body of a notorious judge is discovered impaled on a fence surrounding the prestigious memorial in Marion, OH. Victoria holds a doctorate in education and teaches writing and research at Bowling Green State University. (11/24)
Geoffrey Greif '71 published the book A Handbook of Contemporary Group Work Practice: Promoting Resilience and Empowerment in a Complex World under Oxford University Press and coedited with Carolyn Knight. He notes he recently had a conversation with the daughter of Tom Brittenham, a former sociology professor at OWU and a major influence on Geoffrey's academic career. (06/25)
Janet Dickey Seese '72 moved into Willow Brook at Delaware Run, a senior living community in Delaware, OH. Her husband, Gordon, passed away at the end of 2022. Janet taught 4th- and 5th-grade students for 30 years, retired, and returned to work as an educational assistant for special education students for the past 20 years, completing her 50th year in education last year. She currently has no plans for retiring the second time, yet! (11/24)
Rick Howe '72 and his family celebrated 20 years of volunteering in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. They were honored as "Three Generations of Balloon Handlers" on NBC's "Countdown to the Parade" show the night before Thanksgiving. Pictured from left, Rick, his wife Jane, and Jane's sister Bobbi Nidtz, have participated in the parade since 2004. Their daughter-in-law Ange and son Ricky joined them until the birth of their children, (front) Mya and Dominic, who want to volunteer in the parade when they're old enough. (06/25)
A group of Tau Kappa Epsilon Alpha-Mu Chapter alumni got together in August in Geauga County, OH. Pictured from left: Jim Winsor '74, Joel Knepp '72, Gus Platas '72, Jim Knight '72, Wayne Leach '72, and Bill Gerl '74. (11/24)
Wendie Malick '72 received the Saint Augustine Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award in January for her illustrious career in film and television. She has received a number of awards and nominations for her roles in shows such as Just Shoot Me! and Hot in Cleveland. Wendie is on the board of the Environmental Media Association and serves on the advisory board of Return To Freedom, a wild horse sanctuary and advocacy group. (11/24)
Richard Schwarz '72 received the Distinguished Service Award for his leadership as medical director of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center while it was at the epicenter of the COVID pandemic. Since then, Rick was promoted to his current role as Northwell Health's vice president of quality and medical affairs. He also is associate professor of clinical medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zuckerberg School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, in Uniondale, NY. (11/24)
The Gathering Of Old Friends (GOOF) evolved from a spontaneous reunion of '72 and '73 classmates in New York City back in 1974. Though scattered across the U.S., they have met many times in small and large groups for more than 50 years. They met again in November 2024 to celebrate the life of Larry Rosen, the first GOOF member to pass. He will be sorely missed. (06/25)
Tom Cole '73 published his fourth book, Black in the Pocket, which tells the story of the difficulty many African American football players had in the 1950s-'80s in getting quarterbacking opportunities. Tom played quarterback for all four years at OWU, and he went on to teach history and English and coach football. He was a sports broadcaster on BCSN for 25 years and did many games on ESPN, receiving seven Ohio Cable Broadcast Awards. (06/25)
Joseph Campbell '74 received the 2024 Sidney Kobre Award for Lifetime Achievement, the highest honor bestowed by the American Journalism Historians Association. The award recognizes individuals with an exemplary record of sustained achievement in journalism history through teaching, research, and professional activities. Joe is a professor emeritus of communication at American University in Washington, D.C. (11/24)
Nick Calio '75 was selected as the 2024 recipient of the Glen A. Gilbert Memorial Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Air Traffic Control Association. His name will be inscribed on the award trophy alongside some of aviation history's most influential pioneers, visionaries, and leaders from airspace organizations and agencies, government, and industry. Since 2011, Nick has served as president and CEO of Airlines for America, the trade association representing the country's leading passenger and cargo airlines. (11/24)
Gamma deuteron members returning to OWU for their golden anniversary are pictured from left, front: Diane Stedman Rees '75, Mary Snoke Dunham '74, Lori Farquhar '74; back: Penny Lee Speidel '74, Rose Anna Coleman Kolar '74, Marie Eslinger Horowitz '74, and Jan Kennedy Lail '74. (06/25)
Jerry Lasky '76 (left) and Dick Kelley '75 reunited in Chicago at the famous steakhouse Maple & Ash. They discussed life after 50 years, as well as the Cubs finally winning the World Series. (11/24)
Amy Marasco '76 moved to the state of Delaware after living in Virginia for 40 years, where she had served on the town council and as vice mayor. In May, after serving on the Lewes, DE, city planning commission and leading the environmental subcommittee, she was elected as a city councilperson. (11/24)
Alumni Profile: Eric Gnezda '79 – Gnezda Celebrates a Decade of Songs at the Center
Read More (11/24)
We Want to Hear From You
Please send us your news using the Class Notes Submission Form. Or email your news to classnotes@owu.edu. Submissions may be edited for space or clarity.
You can also submit your news to:
Attn: Class Notes Editor
OWU Magazine
Ohio Wesleyan University
Mowry Alumni Center
61 S. Sandusky St.
Delaware, OH 43015
Include your name and class year as well as a daytime phone number. Photos are welcome.
The deadline for receiving Class Notes submissions for the Fall 2025 OWU Magazine is August 1, 2025.