Of DC Faculty Members, TRUSTEE

In Memory in memory of DC faCulty members, trustee Henry DIeHl ach generation of Defiance College students has individuals Professor Emeritus Henry Diehl, died Ethat touch their lives. Over the past several months, the July 17 at CHP Defiance Area In-Patient Hospice Center. The past 18 years since College has learned of the deaths of four former faculty members, his “retirement” from DC, Diehl had a a current band director, and a trustee. tremendous impact on Defiance by his insistence that people be involved and active. As an example, two of his ongoing passions were the local annual CROP Walk, noreen ScHaefer-faIx which was held in his name this year, and his continued efforts to keep before his Former faculty member Dr. Noreen friends, neighbors, church, and this campus Schaefer-Faix died June 16 at her home the ongoing genocide in Darfur which gets in Defiance. Just before she died she lost in the news cycles. Henry’s life fully was planning on gathering a group of exemplified the spirit of service and its vital friends to celebrate life even in the midst importance to a community and the world. of her struggle with the cancer that was A native of Springfield, Ohio, Diehl overtaking her. She was insistent that earned a bachelor of arts degree in math people talk generously toward one another from Oberlin College and a master’s degree and find the good in each moment. at Ohio State University. He served in the Schaefer-Faix arrived at Defiance U.S. Army during the Korean War before College in 1997 and taught here returning to OSU to work on a doctorate. until 2010. She earned a Ph.D. in It was at OSU that he met his future wife, communication studies from Kent State Johanna. The couple married, and Henry University, a master’s degree from John accepted a position at Southern Union Carroll University, and a bachelor’s College, and later, at Wittenberg University. degree in early childhood education from In 1962, the couple and two young sons Kent State University. She taught from headed to Ghana as missionaries. kindergarten to higher education and held Following is an excerpt, reprinted with permanent Ohio certificates in several permission, from the eulogy delivered by fields. She loved to travel and had visited the Rev. Dr. William Nirote at Henry’s Japan, Europe, China, and all 50 states. funeral: She is survived by her children, When the family arrived at their Honora Handley of Atlanta, Eileen Slattery destination in Ghana, they were met with a of Denver, and Phillip (Tripp) Faix III of live chicken as a welcome gift. Jo prepared San Francisco; four grandchildren; and the chicken but the boys would not eat it. a sister, Joan Zallnick. A funeral mass For the family, the daily lunch was rice was held June 21 at St. Mary’s Catholic with whatever else Jo could find to put in it. Dr. Noreen Schaefer-Faix Church, and she was buried in Euclid, Henry would teach at the Mawuli School, a Ohio. secondary sixth form school. Henry would also be the house father for students living at the Wilberforce House. The students at 22 The Diehls BIll curtIS arrived in Defiance Bill Curtis, director of the College’s theater in 1969 with Henry’s and instructor of speech and theater from appointment as 1966 to 1974, died Aug. 14 at his home in a mathematics South Carolina. Curtis was recently honored professor. He was by a group of his former DC students who active on campus, in made possible the refurbishing of a Bible the community, and that had been retrieved from the rubble of at St. John United the Defiance Hall fire in the 1960s. The Church of Christ. He Bible is back in Defiance Hall with a plaque served with CROP, commemorating Curtis’s impact on those the Heifer Project, the students’ lives. Overground Railroad, In addition to teaching theater and the UCC Board for speech classes at Defiance, Curtis directed World Ministries, the more than 40 shows at the College sharing Defiance Democratic his knowledge and love of the arts to new Central Committee, and generations of eager young thespians. the Northwest Ohio Professor Curtis directed summer stock Community Action at a repertory theater on Cape Cod, Commission. He is Massachusetts, in 1968 and 1969 and directed survived by his wife, municipal outdoor pageants throughout the Henry Diehl Johanna; daughter, South and the Midwest. He performed in Debra (Peter) Lenhart more than 70 productions in summer stock, the Wilberforce House affectionately called of Defiance; sons, Gregory (Laurel) of community theater, film, commercials, Henry, “Uncle Henry,” and occasionally so Watertown, Mass., Kwame (Amanda) of television, and at the university level. did Henry’s sons. Juneau, Alaska, and Kwasi of Eugene, He was a prolific writer for stage, As the house father Henry would lead Oregon; 12 grandchildren; and sister-in- television and radio, including for the ABC a prayer group and guide the young boys law, Jean Diehl. He was preceded in death drama “Family,” produced by Leonard when they had problems. One mother was so by a son, Steve, and brother, Warren. appreciative of Henry’s work with her son, Goldberg, Aaron Spelling, and Mike Nichols. she walked for miles to give to Henry and Jo Curtis’s magnum opus, “Lester Sims Retires three tiny eggs she carried in her hand. One Tomorrow,” premiered to rave reviews at the of Henry’s proudest accomplishments was Melrose Theatre in North when his students took the entrance exam to Hollywood, California, in get into the university. Every student passed 1980, and starred George the entrance exam. Murdock and Jennifer Henry always wanted a daughter and so Rhodes. The play won he and Jo had another son Kwasi in 1963, the LA Weekly Award for and another son Kwame in 1966, and finally, Best New Play of 1981. Debra in 1968. Jo said, “That’s it!” In 1985, “Lester Sims Henry and Jo’s mission assignment was Retires Tomorrow” was supposed to be three years and then they nominated for the Pulitzer would return to the United States. Henry Prize for Drama. The spent those first three years teaching. He was screenplay of “Lester” invited to return to Ghana in a new position adapted by Gerald Berns as a liaison between the church, the mission, is in preproduction. and the government of Ghana. Henry and Jo Curtis is survived and their five children made the journey back by his wife, Lynne; to Ghana. In Ghana, Henry loved the culture daughter, Aimee (Joseph) of drumming and dancing. He didn’t have Carlton; son, John; three to compete academically with the “publish grandchildren; and a or perish” mind set. He loved the week-long sister, Barbara Knapp. A Easter celebration and Easter caroling. He celebration of his life was loved the people and made many friends. held Sept. 24 in Hilton He loved traveling and took the family on a Head, S.C. cruise and went on a trip to Timbuktu with some friends. Henry left Africa, but Africa Bill Curtis never left Henry. Winter 2012 23 In Memory I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you Dr. Jarrell o’Kelley did, but people will Professor Emeritus Jarrell O’Kelley, 80, of Dr. vInce Polce Kettering, died Nov. 15. He taught English never forget how you Dr. Vince Polce, adjunct faculty and director language and literature at Defiance College of the Defiance College Community Band, for 32 years, retiring in 1998. died Dec. 14, after a courageous battle O’Kelley began his career at Defiance made them feel. with lung cancer. He was honored with College in 1966 as assistant professor of the Defiance College Pilgrim Medal at English. He was promoted to associate commencement ceremonies in 2009. professor, and later to the rank of professor. -Maya Angelou Dr. Polce spent his entire career in the He graduated from Sterling College in Defiance community, serving as director 1953 and received a master’s degree from of bands at Defiance High School, retiring the University of Denver in 1958. In 1970, in 2004. During his tenure, the school’s he received a Ph.D. from Michigan State bands received critical acclaim both on University. the marching field and the concert stage. Dr. O’Kelley is survived by his wife, The DHS Marching Band of Class became Doramae; son, Andrew; daughter, Vanessa; known nationwide, with performances at the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, memorial service was held Dec. 3 in Dayton. Calif., Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, the Orange Bowl Parade in rev. Dr. roger Perl Miami, the Hudson Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, the Peach Bowl in Atlanta and Three Defiance College Board of Trustee member Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. and UCC minister Rev. Dr. Roger Perl, 75, of In 2005, he took over leadership of the Tiffin, died Dec. 7. Defiance College Community Band, drawing A 1958 graduate of Heidelberg College, talented musicians from the surrounding Rev. Perl attended Eden Theological area. The group has played annual concerts Seminary and was ordained into the at a music level never before achieved, often ministry. He served United Church of Christ attracting crowds of more than 1,000. congregations in Crestline and New Bremen He was diagnosed with lung cancer and was the Northwestern Ohio Association in 2006 and underwent aggressive Minister from 1977 to 1996. Retiring in 1996, chemotherapy and radiation treatments and he then worked in the national offices in surgeries, but that didn’t keep him from his Cleveland and as interim conference minister musical endeavors, planning and leading for the Indiana-Kentucky conference.

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