the classic class News 1987

front page notes Issue 8 Greetings Classic Class!

Oct 2017 Kim Giesel here! Well, it’s hard to believe our 30-year reunion has come and gone. Thank you to all who traveled far and near to attend; to those who were not able to make it, you were missed, but definitely there in spirit! Our final attendance count was 69 this year - we almost beat the record for highest attendance for a Culver 30- year reunion, which is amazing… Also, a huge thanks to Paul & Courtney McBride who allowed us to make The Vonnegut House our Class Headquarters, Trevor & Amy Curtis who always throw a rockin’ after party, and to Al Loehr and Jeff Anderson at Culver who always work so hard to accommodate our class!!

For those of you who weren’t at reunion, Mea Tettenborn Leeman and I have accepted filling Jimmy Clark’s position as President and both of us will be Co-Chairing for the next 5-year stint. We are honored and excited, and know we have big shoes to fill seeing all of Jimmy’s hard work and dedication! On that note, Jimmy Clark, Nancy Barnes Seligson, and Ann Pylkas Klavora are staying on the committee and Mea and I cannot wait to be a part of the team.

In this issue, we share some current updates since the last newsletter. Hill Bleakley crossed through the Iron Gate. I am so glad this finally happened; so well deserved! Also, Megan MacNab Bekker accepted the position of Director of the Culver Fund, Development this summer. Congratulations to both! And of course, please read Nancy’s awesome interview with Alex Pelton; one person who always makes our reunions fun, exciting and memorable!

Please remember, we are nothing without each other, so please share any of your ideas or suggestions with us! A class email has been set up and we look forward to hearing from you. Email: [email protected]

Here’s to a great year ahead! All the best,

Kim Giesel, Mea Tettenborn Leeman, Jimmy Clark, Nancy Barnes Seligson, send announcements to and Ann Pylkas Klavora [email protected] in the spotlight The Colorful Mayor of Every Reunion Getting to Know Alex Pelton Nancy Barnes Seligson

What reunion recap would be complete grandmother on my father’s side of the taken care of by the Academy. We without a feature on the man who has family was a Culver. My great grandfather would spend weeks during the summer made our reunions so memorable? If was E. R. Culver, Jr. My two daughters staying at the house I knew as “The Farm you remember anything from our fifth attended Woodcraft Camp this past House,” which was built by my family in reunion, for example, it is probably summer and were the 7th generation the early 1900s. It is the first house you the moment when Alex Pelton drove of our family to attend the Academies. I pass as you walk past the Woodcraft his crazy hippie bus onto the parade can confidently say that they are the only dock. My father would order food from field, creating a temporary crisis for the people who can claim that title!! During the Culver Inn and we would arrive with Academy. His outfits, his joie de vivre, my time at Culver, I tried not to make a a full fridge. A wonderful old man named his generosity, his love, all make Alex big issue of the fact that I was a member Sheep would babysit me and my brother Pelton a standout member of our class. of the Culver family. I was a bit nervous while my parents spent the evening with But what do you really know about him? about having my peers and leaders treat friends. You can still see the old radio in Did you know that he is a Culver? That he me differently due to my relationship to the kitchen with burn mark from Sheep’s was baptized in the Culver chapel? That the school’s founders. At the same time, cigarettes, when he would leave them he has been asked to run for mayor of his I did feel an amazing sense of pride and sitting on the edge too long. I still try town? motivation to be successful and take and stay at the old house whenever the advantage of the opportunities which school can make it available to me. Alex’s life and history is so rich that Culver had to offer. we can only start with it here. Visit our My great-grandfather built the Culver class Facebook page to read the rest N: Where did you grow up and what did Chapel in the 1950s, and since its of the delightful details and see the you know about Culver before coming? completion, every member of my fascinating photos at www.facebook. immediate family has been christened com/groups/121329197950501. A: I was born in St. Louis, MO, which there. I am proud to say that I was was the stomping grounds for the christened in the Chapel, which marked N: Rumor has it you are a Culver. What can Culver and Pelton families for many the beginning (and end) of my spiritual you tell me about the Culver family, how generations. During my childhood, we enlightenment, unless you count the you are related, and what pressure, if any, spent a good deal of time on the shores amazing time I spent as a member of the this put on your Culver experience? of Lake Maxinkuckee. The school was Culver Choir... transitioning from family ownership A: I am proud to say that I am a direct to control by the Culver Educational descendent of Henry Harrison Culver. My Foundation, so my family was still well

announcements Alumni News

K. Megan MacNab Bekker: Megan is our own Culver VIP! She writes: As some of you heard at Reunion, I climbed my corporate career ladder and then Alex and his wife Eva working at the Big Blues Bender in Las Vegas realized that I was missing the very basic elements in my life of Passion and Page 2 N: How did you choose your current path and home?

A: One of the many wonderful aspects of Culver is that the education provides students with a vast variety of opportunities upon graduation. Some decide to continue at the Military Academies, some go to the Ivy League, and some pursue the quickest path to freedom of discipline and structure. I did look at some Ivy League applications, but they seemed too long... We applied to many small schools while passing time with Dean Fugi, usually under ridiculous fake names like Maynerd Picklsby and Herb Herbicide. I actually got into a few of them. To think I could have gone to the Dudson School of Small Engine Repair... This is what happens when Alex tangles with a local photographer; read more on the I did fill out the application to Stanford. Class of ‘87 Facebook page. The final essay question asked if there was any else they should know about me. I answered “yes.” It didn’t work. across the country to our 5-year reunion one summer there, as I felt my time for I ended up at U.C. Santa Barbara with was one of the most amazing adventures the corporate ladder was growing near. Colin MacNab and a group of merry of my life, and solidified my relationships I felt a bit like a big fish in a small pond, pranksters. Not much I can talk about with so many of my Culver friends. but there was a pretty rowdy mix of during those years, but I did get a degree cowboys, climbers and artists to cause in Environmental Education and bought In 1994, after a few years in Chicago, I trouble with. Four months into my stay a school bus with Jenna Speckhard. After accepted an invitation to move to a small in Zion, my beautiful, wonderful wife college, I spent a few years traveling town at the entrance to Zion National walked into the restaurant while on with Culver friends in the school bus and Park and work at a restaurant with my spring break from San Francisco State... in Europe with a backpack. The bus trip uncle. I had only anticipated spending continued on page 4 when you are coming to town so we can Purpose. With some nudging from one catch up. survived but deeply mourn the loss of of our own classmates (yes you, Amy our friend. Please know that we are on Henderson), I applied to Culver and Kevin Dean: In June 2017, the Boston the mend and back to work and school. accepted the position of Director of the Bruins hired Kevin as an assistant Of course, if you are ever in Atlanta, Culver Fund, Development. It was the coach. Dean’s promotion comes one please give me a shout. best decision I have made in a long time. season after being named head coach Every day at Culver presents a gift of of the , Boston’s AHL Mea Leeman: Mea, Ryan and family are fulfillment in both Passion and Purpose affiliate. In his first season at the helm of safe after the forest fires in Napa, CA. through either reconnecting with all the P-Bruins, Dean led the team to a 43- of you, working with my Mentees and 23-6 record. Dean spent five seasons as Company C boys during weekly BI duty, an assistant coach of Providence Bruins or connecting with generations of Culver (2011-16). On the ice, Dean enjoyed a grads. I now have time with both Culver successful playing career, competing and blood family. My heart is full. The in 331 NHL games with Chicago, Dallas, magic of Culver lives! Atlanta and New Jersey. Dean was a member of the 1994-95 I am thrilled to be able to give back Champion . to a place that has set such a strong foundation in my life both personally and Scott Ellyson: Scott and his daughter professionally. My is to do the best were injured in a small plane crash in Scott Ellyson and family in late summer 2017. I can to help Culver thrive, to help keep Puerto Rico this summer, suffering severe an eye out for our kids, and to make sure burns. He reports: I am overwhelmed with gratitude. We are fortunate to have the magic continues! Please let me know Page 3 continued from page 3 passing in review update N: You have a distinctive sense of style. Garland Jeffrey Thayer What would you say inspires that? Class Giving MISSOULA — Garland J. Thayer, 48, of A: I will try and take that question as Missoula, passed away unexpectedly on a compliment... I think my early style Wednesday, August 23, 2017. Thank you to the 87 classmates who came from the fact that my mother was supported Culver between July 1, 2016 an interior designer. I think she would Garland was born on May 6, 1969, in and June 30, 2017. Our class goal was fashion clothes for me out of curtains Charleston, West Virginia, to William and other strange fabrics that were $75,000 with 35% participation. and Brenda Thayer. After growing up laying around the house after one of her We exceeded our goal and finished at and recreating in the mountains around jobs was completed. At Culver, I think $89,587! Congratulations! Charleston, he went on to attend Culver my friends and I would use humor and Military Academy, and graduated with goofiness as a mechanism to fend off An additional $123,891.66 was a bachelor’s in economics and political boredom, sadness and shyness. That science from the University of Montana contributed by classmates to capital silliness ended up manifesting itself into in 1992. He loved the Missoula area for projects and endowment funds, so the ability to wear just about anything the outdoor recreation opportunities our class made $213,478.66 in total with no real concern about what others and warm community. It is here that he gifts to the school last fiscal year. might think. Now, it does stem more chose to raise his three children with his Thank you. from a sense of confidence than shyness, wife Molly. but it worked at the time. I have never tried to take life too seriously, and the This year, our class goal is 45% Garland was a self-employed investment funny outfits I wear demonstrate my participation (87 classmates) and advisor from 1992 until his death. He feelings that life is too short to not act $75,000 to the Culver Fund. served as a deacon and elder in the like a complete goofball at times. It all Missoula First Presbyterian Church, in started with my campaign for class clown addition to serving on numerous boards We are more than halfway to our at Culver. and organizations including the Missoula $ goal - let’s blow our participation Art Museum, Missoula Ski Education goal out of the park too! Please Some of my fashion choices may also Foundation, Downtown Lions Club and remember to go to culver.org/ have been an attempt to push the Culver Ducks Unlimited. makeagift and sign up for the ACH authority to its breaking point. I did often study the rule book for holes I could auto-payment. So easy, and a little Garland loved being in the mountains manipulate. “Sir, I read the book. I saw goes a long way and you don’t even and surrounding areas of Missoula, and no rules about fuzzy house slippers.” have to think about it. enjoyed mountain biking, fishing, skiing and camping with his family and friends. Read the rest of the story at www. Visit www.culver.org/makeagift and He also enjoyed painting and writing facebook.com/groups/121329197950501. poetry, with much of his inspiration mark the designation “The Culver coming from the above-mentioned Fund.” Unless you specify otherwise, activities and locations. your gift will go to our 1987 Class Scholarship Fund. And please Garland is predeceased by his brother remember, our goal is participation... Cameron and his father William. He is ANY amount is welcome. survived by his wife Molly, and their three children, Todd, Erin and Seth, of Missoula; his mother, Brenda Thayer, and stepfather Tom Ross, of Missoula; half- www.culver.org/ brother, William Thayer, and half-sisters, Annette Thayer, and Elizabeth Thayer- makeagift Young, all of Charleston, WV.

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Alex with his daughters Genevieve and Sophia on a two-day camping trip in one of the more The Class of ‘87 extends sympathies to Art rural areas of Utah. Alex says “the good old Cinader on the October 11, 2017 passing of boys loved my piggy tails!” his father. Culver Academies 1300 Academy Road, Box 153 Page 4 Culver, IN 46511