Last updated: Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011
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Jeff Dee, a retired [2008] English teacher at West High, has self-published his novel, Gordon Ryder’s Blues. The story follows the challenges of a teenager who is coming of age in the turbulent 1960s. “I read the novel to my students at West for years,” he says. Dee wrote the novel in the 1990s, and is working on a sequel. Alumni can purchase the book in print or as an e-book via many online booksellers.
Jeffrey Copeland’s [Central ’71] most recent book, “Olivia’s Story: The Conspiracy of Heroes Behind Shelley v Kraemer,” has been a best-seller across Europe! His book tour has taken him to many foreign countries for readings and other book events. The book is set in St. Louis and describes the actions of some amazing and daring St. Louisans who worked together to achieve one of the most important U.S. Supreme Court rulings in the history of America. “Olivia’s Story” is available through all booksellers. Read more at www.jcopelandauthor.com.
Gregory Howard Gebhart [Central ’72] has had seven books published, which are available via Amazon: “Sustainability: What to do Before Oil Runs Out”; “Chemistry Games: Volumes 1 and 2”; “Heavy Hitters: How American Workers Helped Win World War II”; “Texas Refinery Primer”; “Twentieth Century Purchasing Guidelines”; and, “High School Chemistry Helper.”
Ken Farbstein [Central ’75] recently published his book, “Getting Your Best Health Care: Real-World Stories for Patient Empowerment.” Available through Amazon, the book uses the stories of celebrities and doctors as patients to teach people how to be partners with their healthcare team on behalf of a family member or client. Farbstein is founder and president of Patient AdvoCare. He co-led a redesign project at the multi-hospital CareGroup system, winning the $25,000 first annual Premier Award for Hospital Medication Safety. He served two terms as president of the Consumer Health Quality Council of Health Care for All.
True Morse [West ’75] has taken 36 years to put an update in the PAA newsletter! Since 1989, he has lived in Asheville, N.C, where he is the director of facility planning for Mission Health System in the western part of the state. He also has lived in several southeastern states, working on hospital construction projects. He and his wife Jane (a southern girl who was his physical therapist after a knee operation in 1980) have two boys: Nick and John. Morse has kept in touch with Brian Timpe [West ’75], who is now in Seattle, and Ron Hawthorne [West ’75], who was moved from Seattle to Japan by Boeing in 2009. Hawthorne was his roommate and fraternity brother at Purdue University.
Robin Tidwell [Central ’79] and her husband recently opened a bookstore in Creve Coeur, Mo. Located at 11052 Olive Blvd., All On the Same Page Bookstore features both used and newly published books, with a focus on works by local authors and publishers. Children’s and tween books also are available at the store. Information on book clubs and special events at the store can be found at www.allonthesamepagebookstore.com, as well as Facebook and Twitter. Tidwell, who maintains a personal book collection of over 1,000 titles, also writes a book review on Creve Coeur’s Patch.com.
Dr. Terry Likes [Central ’81] has been approved for candidacy on the Fulbright Specialists Roster. The roster is a list of all approved candidates who are eligible to be matched with incoming program requests from overseas academic institutions for Fulbright Specialists. Also this year, three of his radio documentaries, including “Walter Cronkite: History, Wisdom and Guidance for the Future of Journalism,” have aired on the Tennessee Radio Network. The audio for all of them can be heard on YouTube.
John Dalton [South ’82] recently published his second novel, “The Inverted Forest.” The story is partly inspired by his summer job in the mid-1980s as a counselor at Camp Don Bosco, a Catholic church camp in Hillsboro, Mo. Dalton won the 2004 Barnes & Noble Discover Award for his first novel, “Heaven Lake.” He lives in St. Louis and works for the University of Missouri-St. Louis as a tenured professor, running the university’s MFA program. He and his wife, Jen Jen Chang, have two daughters, ages 5 and 12.
Dr. Kevin Dell [West ’89] received his doctorate degree in ministry from Lincoln Christian University on May 14.
Dave Ovca [Central ’92] and his wife, Patricia, welcomed their first child, Jonathan Robert, born Oct. 4.
Jeff Rueschhoff [South ’95] is among the five St. Louisans recently inducted into the Missouri Science and Technology Athletic Hall of Fame. He was on the 1997-98 swim team, which finished third at the NCAA Division II championships.
Courtney (Prentis) Berg [West ’96] is now executive director of the Girls on the Run organization in St. Louis. With more than 10 years of experience in program development, evaluation and public relations, Berg will lead the organization as it enters its 10th year in St. Louis. A licensed clinical social worker, she previously served as director of Catholic Charities Southside Center for five years in eastern Missouri and Illinois. Berg has served as an adjunct professor at the School of Social Work at Saint Louis University, as a community liaison for Washington University’s Brown School of Social Work, as a Spanish instructor at St. Louis Community College, and as a member of the State Board of Directors of Missouri Immigrant and Refugee Advocates.
Carrie Snyder [South ’02] was recently inducted into the Maryville University Hall of Fame. She was presented with the award by Chris Ellis [West ’80], who was her basketball coach at South High, and later her collegiate coach at Maryville. From 2003-06, Snyder led the Saints to a 69-12 record as she surpassed the 1,000 point and 500 career rebound marks while ranking among the school’s top 10 in 13 individual statistical categories. Today, she is director of marketing for athletics at the University of Illinois. She recently took the job after completing a two-year tenure in athletic marketing for Ohio State University.
Max Scherzer [Central ’03] and the Detroit Tigers gave a heroic effort in the American League’s post-season play-off games. The right-handed pitcher just completed his second season with the team, which lost 2-4 to the Texas Rangersin the league’s championship series. In the AL Division Series, the Tigers bested the New York Yankees in five games– Scherzer got the win in game two, holding the Yanks hitless until the sixth inning.
Jerry Carpentier [South ’05] and Jennifer Tullock [South ’07] were married on June 19, 2010. The couple reside in South St. Louis County.
In July, Catherine Dolan [West ’08] won the Missouri Women’s Amateur Championship title at Bellerive Country Club. A senior at Missouri State University, Dolan birdied four times, ultimately overtaking leader Ellen Port, a three-time U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champ.