Notes from the Class of 1970

Last spring Jim Navratil (Chem’70, MS’72, PhD’75) worked for three weeks at the Czech Nuclear Research Institute outside Prague. His travel plans include North Korea on a humanitarian mission, Tibet, Beijing and Shanghai and finally Chile for a mine water conference with visits to several other South American countries. During these trips, Jim, a resident of Arvada, Colo., leaves a little of his deceased wife’s ashes behind per her request and is writing a story about it called “Ashley’s Adventures.”

Racial Uplift and American Music, 1878 – 1943 (University Press of Mississippi) by Lawrence Schenbeck (Mus’70, MA’72) traces racial uplift ideology’s effect on African Americans’ embrace of classical music. It covers the time period beginning with the collapse of Reconstruction at the turn of the previous century to the death of composer R. Nathaniel Dett, whose music epitomized “uplift.” Lawrence is associate professor of music at Spelman College in Atlanta and is author of Joseph Haydn and the Classical Choral Tradition (Hinshaw Music). He lives in Newnan, Ga.

In 2003 Mary Hohler Vaira (Span’70) completed her career with the government in the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense as a public information officer. In 1999 she founded El Sol Villas, which rents luxury villas around the world. For the seventh consecutive year, Condé Nast Traveler magazine selected Mary as the recommended villa specialist for Spain. She lives in Newton Square, Penn.

The Iliff School of Theology board of trustees appointed Donna Bates Boucher (Jour’70) as a member. She is active in the community, serving on the boards of the Mesa Verde Foundation, Samaritan Institute and the advisory board of the Colorado School of Public Health. Donna lives in Denver.

For her love of the arts and her belief in the department, Roe Green* (CommThtr’70) established an endowed chair at CU’s department of theatre and dance. It is the arts and sciences college’s first fully endowed faculty position and the largest gift ever to CU’s theater department. She also is responsible for launching and funding an annual theater-artist residency program that is in its eighth year at CU. Roe resides in Cleveland, Ohio, and received the Alumni Association’s Alumni Recognition Award in November.

*Lifetime member

Traveler and photographer Terry O’Donnell (Mgmt’70) writes she enjoyed the parting photo in the June 2012 issue of the Coloradan. She has taken photographs in Dakar, Senegal; Merida, Mexico; and Siem Reap, Cambodia. Terry lives in Boulder.

The Imogene Pass Run is an institution in Colorado. Back in the early 70’s, Richard Trujillo (Geol’70) was the first man to run what would become the annual race from Ouray to Telluride over Imogene Pass. He is a member of the Colorado Running Hall of Fame and was an All-American cross country runner during his time at CU-Boulder. He lives in Ouray, Colo.

Rick Trujillo (Geol’70), an All-American cross country runner at CU, was inducted into the Colorado Running Hall of Fame this spring. Rick, of Ouray, Colo., was the first man to run from Ouray to Telluride over Imogene Pass.

Steve Hatchell (Jour) of Dallas completed 10 years as president and chief executive officer of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame. In August, the NFF completed construction of a new, $68 million College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Steve, who was at CU for 10 years as student and then employee, describes the new hall of fame as a “very modern showpiece for all of college football.” In its lobby is a three-story display of helmets from 768 college football teams.

This May Robert (Bob) Trembly (Fin) began his 25th year as publisher of 50PlusMarketplaceNews, an award-wining resource for agers in Boulder, greater Denver, Larimer and Weld Counties. Previously he was vice president of Neodata Services, a division of A.C. Nielsen and Company, with responsibilities for Sunset, Texas Monthly, Architectural Digest and other accounts. During his CU days, he worked at the Lamp Post Restaurant in the evening, learning from his professors there and later in the classroom. He credits Hank Kester with being a significant mentor and influence in his professional life. Robert lives in Boulder with his wife, Marty Coffin Evans (Engl ‘64).

Robert Williams (Math) announced his retirement in May from Centerstone, America’s largest nonprofit community-based provider of mental health, addictions and intellectual disabilities services. He served as chief policy and strategy officer and as CEO emeritus. Earlier in his career he taught, served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves and worked as a psychologist and clinical director. At CU Robert stayed busy: He was a Boettcher and Regents Scholar, a member of the Silver and Gold freshman honor society, a charter member of CU’s Key Club and played the clarinet in the men’s marching band. Today, he and his wife volunteer summers at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park. They have three children and four granddaughters.

This year attorney Linda Kinney Neuman (A&S; Law’73) was inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame. Linda was the first woman appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court, in 1986. She moved to the state after meeting her husband, Henry Neuman (Law’73), at CU. Linda retired from the Iowa Supreme Court in 2003 and has since focused on private practice and teaching at the University of Iowa Law School. She also serves pro bono as counsel to the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa.

For almost 20 years, president and COO of Winter Park Resort Gary DeFrange (Mgmt) has guided the resort’s expansion and maintained its proud relationship with the City and County of Denver through his collaboration with Winter Park Recreational Association, Intrawest, City of Denver Water and the U.S. Forest Service. Gary has overseen the development of a base village with retail space and skiin, ski-out condominiums, developed a world-class biking program and is close to reinstating the ski train service to Winter Park from Union Station.

Bob Justice (MechEngr; MBA’77), the 1968 NCAA national champion in wrestling, will be inducted into the CU Athletic Hall of Fame Nov. 17. Bob worked in the natural gas industry and loves spending time with his wife Cameron and daughters Aimee and Sunny.

One of the first prolific pass rushers in CU Boulder history, Bill Brundige (A&S), will be inducted into the CU Athletic Hall of Fame Nov. 17. Bill started every game his rookie season in the NFL and played in Super Bowl VII following the 1972 season. Bill lives in Virginia.

During a visit to CU Boulder in October, Helen Louise Young (MGeog; PhD’75) and her wife, Vivienne Armstrong, shared the story of their advocacy for LGBTQ rights and equality in the U.S. Helen and Vivienne met at CU in 1971 and have since

Samuel Paul Cummins (Edu) has now retired from both of his jobs. He simultaneously worked as a plant manager at Akzo Nobel Coatings in Matteson, Ill., for 36 years and for the Tinley Park Illinois Fire Department, where he was assistant chief for 40 years. He achieved the designation of chief fire officer and served for 25 years on the MABAS 24 Hazardous Materials Response Team that responded to all HAZMAT calls in the southern suburbs of Chicago. Samuel writes that he and wife Marcia have retired to Myrtle Beach, S.C., and are enjoying the weather.

Ralph E. Lawson (Acct), chief financial officer and executive vice president of Baptist Health South Florida, served on the national board of directors of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2016.

Ron Pippin (Acct) writes he has been living in Wheaton, Ill., since 1991. He is a former audit partner in an international accounting firm (Arthur Andersen), vice-president of SEC and financial reporting for Ameritech Corporation, now part of AT&T and, most recently, editorial managing director of Commerce Clearing House’s online accounting research database. He was the Denver Buff Club president in 1986, when Bill McCartney coached the football team, and holds the same season tickets today. He's “hoping for another National Championship!”

Lorrie Shepard (MEdu; PhD’72), a distinguished professor and dean emerita who has been with CU for more than 40 years, received the Alumni Association’s 2017 George Norlin Award over Homecoming Weekend. The award recognizes alumni who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in their chosen field.