Archived Alumni Notes (April 2001-May 2004)

June 28, 2004

Mike Turner '71, '77, the hockey coach at Trenton High School, won his seventh state championship.  He has been named as 'prep person of the year' by the Detroit Free Press.

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Francis Eugene Heger '52 died recently in California.  He was a former teacher of English at Lincoln Park and Plymouth high schools and a former school psychologist in Jackson and South Lyon.  In between his K-12 experiences, he taught at Western Michigan University and at Madonna College.  He was well known for his views on war, racial discrimination, violence against women, and other social justice and environmental issues.

Vivian Imre Ortiz '92, of Allen Park , died recently.  She taught special education in Melvindale for almost 30 years, followed by a year teaching special education at Pier-Trusant Elementary School in Detroit.  The last few years of her career were spent training special education teachers for The Leona Group, a charter school management company.

June 21, 2004

Marv Dick '70, '74 is the new superintendent for Ida Public Schools.

Joseph Pius '84 has been named superintendent of the Crestwood District (Dearborn Heights).  Pius is currently the personnel director for South Lake Schools (St. Claire Shores). 

Heidi Capraro '89, the 2004-2005 state Teacher of the Year, was featured in an article in the June 15 issue of the Echo.

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Marcia Ann Petrulio '78, who taught English  in the Sand Creek Public Schools for more than 20 years, died recently. 

June 14, 2004

An article in the Ann Arbor News on June 5 about local-area residents who participated in D-day  landings prominently featured (including a photograph) Dean Rockwell '35.  Rockwell received the Navy Cross and was cited by author Stephen E. Ambrose in his book D-Day, June 6, 1944 : The Climactic Battle of World War II.  After the War, Rockwell returned to EMU and to a teaching/coaching career.

Dorthe Balaskas '54 is retiring after 50 years as a teacher of physically disabled students at the Lowrey School in Dearborn .  She has been at the Lowrey School teaching on the same wing of the building--the entire 50 years.  For 46 of those years, she was in the same classroom.  Balaskas is retiring only because of health problems and says she will be back at Lowrey in the fall as a volunteer! 

A two-page article in the Spring/Summer issue of Exemplar on six couples that met while at EMU included sketches on the late Don Aldrich, who earned three degrees at EMU; Greta Fulton '58, who retired in 2000 from a 40-year career in teaching; and Rich '71 and Marsha Fulton '72, both of whom have had a career as teachers in the Flint schools. 

Hayes Jones '61, the winner of the Olympic Gold Medal in the 1964 110-meter high hurdles race, was featured, along with numerous photos, in a six-page article in the Spring/Summer issue of Exemplar.  Jones also won the Bronze Medal in the same race in the 1960 Olympics.  Jones is now a prominent business and civic leader in Pontiac and a member of the Education Alumni Hall of Fame.

Gerald 'Skip' Lawver '73, '81, '87, director of EMU's Center for Regional and National Security, was featured, along with the Center's programming, in a six-page article in the Spring/Summer issue of Exemplar.

Heidi Capraro '89, '94, the 2004-2005 Michigan Teacher of the Year, was featured in an article, with a photo, in the June 8 issue of Focus EMU.

Jami Bronson '90 has been named the new principal of Mill Creek Middle School in Dexter.  Bronson is currently the assistant principal for both Dexter High School and Mill Creek Middle School.

Jonathan Marceau '04, the 2004 recipient of the state Outstanding Student/Intern Teacher of the Year, was featured in an article, with a photo, in the June 8 issue of Focus EMU.  The seven other EMU students who placed in this competition were also mentioned in the article.

A five-page article in the Spring/Summer issue of Exemplar focused on the 100+ superintendents of Michigan school districts who hold one or more degrees from EMU.  Five of those were interviewed in detail.  They are:

James W. Avery '92, '98, superintendent of the New Haven Community Schools;
John S. 'Jack' Hewitt '81, superintendent of Summerfield Schools;
Arnold A. Kummerow '68, '75, superintendent of Armada Area Schools;
Kathy Malnar '88, '91, '97, superintendent of Hudson Area Schools; and
John J. Sturock '71, 76, superintendent of the Charlevoix Public Schools.
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Ford Richardson Bryan '34, aged 92, died recently in Dearborn .  He was principal and science teacher at Port Hope High School during 1936-41.  He later went to work for Ford Motor Company.  He was a distant relative of Henry Ford and devoted his retirement years to researching and writing books related to the Ford family and their various activities.

June 7, 2004

Blanche Mullen '31, age 94, a longtime teacher of music and art in the K-12 schools, created a scholarship administered through the Department of Music for prospective teachers of vocal music.  Mullen's roommate at'The Normal,' Edna Roush '33, recently celebrated her 97th birthday with a party in Holland.

Lynne Raglin '77, '83, an elementary teacher in Ypsilanti , and her husband Dan created a scholarship in jazz studies administered through the Department of Music. 

Judith DeWoskin, English teacher at Community High School in Ann Arbor, is featured in a lengthy biographical sketch in the June issue of the Ann Arbor Observer.  DeWoskin received the Creative Writing Teacher of the Year award in 1997.

Jonathan Marceau '04, recipient of the state Outstanding Student/Intern Teacher of the Year, is featured in an extended article in the June 2 issue of the Eastern Echo.

Alan Dobrovolec '72, '74 died recently.  He grew up in Ohio and received his bachelor's degree from Hiram College.  He taught one year in Warren (Ohio) and one year in Detroit before joining the Taylor schools as teacher and coach.  Dobrovolec spent the rest of his career in Taylor, as teacher, assistant principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent.  His two graduate degrees are from EMU.  He retired in 2002.

Last Modified on July 13, 2004

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