Archived Alumni Notes (April 2001-December 2002)

January 20, 2003

James Grady Baker, Jr., age 73, died recently. He had a 33-year career as a special education teacher that began at Maxey Boys Training School (Green Oak Center).

Lois Jensen, age 96, died recently in Arizona. She began her teaching career after her husband died, serving as a third and fifth grade teacher at Starkweather and Bird elementary schools in the Plymouth-Canton district and as librarian at the Bird school.

Arthur May, age 78, died recently. He coached many sports at Hamtramck High School and led the St. Ladislaus High Greyhounds to their baseball prominence in 1954. He was director of athletics at Hamtramck High for 18 years.

January 13, 2003

Eva-Deane Elwell ‘32, age 90, was featured in a recent issue of the Ann Arbor News. She taught music for some years in the Saginaw schools and later at Interlochen. The widow of an EMU faculty member, she is a world traveler and has recently taken up use of the computer.

Robert O’Brien ‘72, ‘75, ‘82, superintendent of the Huron Valley schools, was the subject of the above-the-fold lead article in the January 7 issue of Focus EMU. O’Brien was recently named 2003 Michigan “superintendent of the year.”

Michael Flanagan ‘74 has been appointed by Gov. Granholm as her education advisor. Flanagan will take leave from his position as executive director of the MI Association of School Administrators. Flanagan was formerly superintendent of the Farmington schools and, more recently, of Wayne RESA.

Eric King ‘99, whose “day job” is at WCC in the adult transitions department, was featured in a recent issue of the Ann Arbor News for his volunteer work in coaching youth sports, especially in the Willow Run schools.
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Denny “Pop” Alexander ‘53, ‘61 died recently at age 71. He taught history in the Taylor school district from 1957 to 1992.

Richard Farwell Dunn ‘65, ‘84 died recently at age 79. He had a lengthy career with the Ypsilanti school district.

January 6, 2003

Gayle Green ‘66 is leaving her position as superintendent of the Willow Run schools to become assistant superintendent for instruction for the Macomb Intermediate School District.

James Ryan ‘71, ‘73 was recently named as superintendent of the Plymouth-Canton school district. He had previously served as acting superintendent and deputy superintendent in that district. He has also been superintendent of the Waverly schools and the Reed City schools.

Saundra Mull ‘89 is the director of operations for the Southern Wayne County Chamber of Commerce.

Kelly MacGregor ‘92, a biology teacher at Roosevelt High School in Wyandotte, was recently named by the Detroit News as "Teacher of the Week."
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The person who may have been EMU's oldest living alum died recently at age 106. Sarah Emily Rice Blair ‘24 received a life certificate from The Normal, after which she spent a 41-year career in schools in Adrian, Pontiac, Whitmore Lake, and several one-room schoolhouses in Washtenaw County.

Helene Jedele, age 88, died recently. She held two degrees from EMU and had a 35-year career as a first-grade teacher in Michigan schools.

Dennis Henry Chase ‘42 died recently. For 35 years he taught wood shop in the Wyandotte schools.

Valerio DeLuca ‘43, longtime coach, principal, and school board member in the Melvindale school district, died recently. He was associated with the district from 1943 until his retirement in 1975. He was elected to the school board in 1978 and served as its president in 1982-83.

Gloria Hatcher Keener, age 63, of Southfield, died recently. She began her career as a teacher in the Detroit schools. However, in 1970 she became a caseworker in adoption and foster care programs, later becoming a U.S. probation officer for the Eastern District of Michigan.

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