PROFILES
The Jerry Storvick Sketch
This beautifully rendered artist’s sketch of Jerry Storvick was sent to us recently by a CPHS graduate, Stephen Michaud. The artist, Franco Soriano, was given a photo of Jerry out of the 1965 Klahowya by Stephen who paid the artist $100 to produce the sketch.
The reason that Stephen sent the sketch to us is two-fold. First, as a CPHS graduate, he has, as we do, a passion for Clover Park School District; and second, as a CPHS graduate, Stephen started, earlier this year, The Jerry Storvick Fund, which is specifically directed to the Clover Park School District kids of low-income families. He did this in cooperation with the Washington-State-based charitable organization, InvestED.
For more information about InvestED and The Jerry Storvick Fund, click on the following website links:
The Jerry Storvick Fund: https://www.invested.org/campaigns/jerry-storvick
InvestED works with local groups around the state to create and promote local funds, such as The Jerry Storvick Fund, to help kids in low-income families in individual school districts. The focus of The Jerry Storvick Fund is to help families of low income kids in the Clover Park School District. Many of these families have been hard hit by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and are in desparate need of assistance.
A total of $1.4 million was raised by InvestED from donors to help low-income families around the state, including those in the Clover Park School District. To-date, The Jerry Storvick Fund has raised over $20,000 in donations for Clover Park School District families. The current goal is to continue raising funds for CPSD for kids in low income families as well as for funding scholarships for CPSD families. If you are interested in contributing to The Jerry Storvick Fund, donation information is given on The Jerry Storvick Fund webpage shown above. Any amount you can give will help their effort.
Jerry Storvick, who passed in March 2018, will be remembered by graduates of CPHS who had the priveledge and pleasure of taking one of his classes. More about Jerry follows, below, in our tribute to him.
A Fond Rememberance of Jerry Storvick
Faculty Icon and Very Special Teacher
A Rich Life Lived: 12-31-1929 to 3-3-2018
We were fortunate to have many excellent teachers at Clover Park High School. Each of us has 2 or 3 or more who we can remember as our favorites or as someone who had a special impact on our life. If we were able to see a list of all of our classmates showing those teachers, my guess is that Jerry Storvick would be mentioned often and maybe most often.
Jerry was not only a good Social Studies and Contemporary Affairs teacher, he made every class fun and interesting. And he had a way about him of making every person he spoke with feel that they were a special person. And, Jerry really did feel that we each had something special to offer. Each of us who had Jerry as a teacher, or simply knew him has a fondly-remembered incident or experience to recount.
If you have something to share that you remember about Jerry, please share it with us.
Neal Dempsey - Update to 2013 Profile
Faculty Icon and Very Special Teacher
A Rich Life Lived: 12-31-1929 to 3-3-2018
We were fortunate to have many excellent teachers at Clover Park High School. Each of us has 2 or 3 or more who we can remember as our favorites or as someone who had a special impact on our life. If we were able to see a list of all of our classmates showing those teachers, my guess is that Jerry Storvick would be mentioned often and maybe most often.
Jerry was not only a good Social Studies and Contemporary Affairs teacher, he made every class fun and interesting. And he had a way about him of making every person he spoke with feel that they were a special person. And, Jerry really did feel that we each had something special to offer. Each of us who had Jerry as a teacher, or simply knew him has a fondly-remembered incident or experience to recount.
If you have something to share that you remember about Jerry, please share it with us.
Here is the Obituary that appeared in the Tacoma and Olympia newspapers this past weekend:
Jerry Storvick, 88, was born in Albert Lea, MN on 12-31-1929. He died on 03-03-2018 in Lacey, WA. Jerry attended high school in Albert Lea, MN and then spent four years in the U.S. Navy. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and the University of Wyoming with a Master of Education in Educational Guidance. He worked as a teacher, a high school counselor, and a public services coordinator from 1957-1990. He held local, state, regional, and national offices in counseling services to high school students. He is survived by sister-in-law, Lynn Storvick, and family in Columbia, MO. He appreciates family, neighbors, friends, students, their families, and staff with whom he worked. He wishes everyone could receive as much personal satisfaction and gratification from their choice of life work as he did. "Always look for the good in others. It is there," he was known to say. No local services are planned. Interment will take place at Round Prairie Lutheran Church in Glenville, MN.
Published in The Olympian on Mar. 11, 2018
Neal Dempsey - Update to 2013 Profile
Preface
This is the second profile for Neal. The reason we chose to do a second one is that more information has come to light about Neal’s achievements that we thought classmates would enjoy reading about. If you had the opportunity to read Neal’s first profile, you know that he has had a fascinating career including both significant failures and notable accomplishments. We gained useful insights into and learned entertaining facts about the road Neal has travelled since his days at old CP. While the accomplishments noted in his first profile were substantial, this past year he continued to do more that is worthy of note. Those of you who attended the UofW, or who have a family member who has, will be especially interested in what he has done with and for the university. After reading this profile, you won’t be able to help but feel that you may have had at least some small part in forming this person who went on to do good, great and possibly noble works. And, he’s a warrior, class of ’59.
2013 Profile Update:
When is he going to slow down? One of our distinguished classmates has gone and done it again, not just once but twice. He has recently had another building named after him on the University of Washington campus, and, he was the keynote speaker for a commencement ceremony this past June at the UofW. In addition to all that, he was honored, recently, in Forbes as one of the top 100 VC’s. Where will it all stop??
I don’t know about you, but my hands are beginning to hurt from all of the applause for Neal Dempsey. One of the ironies of his many achievements is that he doesn’t seek the notoriety. In fact, Neal would be happy and probably more comfortable if he could just quietly do one major accomplishment after another, quietly and unnoticed. Unfortunately, Neal, that just isn’t going to happen. This little blurb on our website is just one more example of how people are going to continue to highlight your continuing stream of major accomplishments.
For those of you who are UofW business school grads, you may receive the Foster Business magazine, which is published quarterly. A great article was published in the spring 2013 edition, page 9, about Neal, entitled, “Dedicating Dempsey”. The article features a photo of Neal (looking svelt and younger than his age) standing in front of the new Dempsey Hall smiling that Dempsey smile. If any of you have grandkids going to the UofW, who are planning to major in business, they will probably take classes in Dempsey Hall. If they also happen to be in UofW athletics, they will probably spend time in the Dempsey Indoor facility, which is located on the lower campus adjacent to the new football stadium.
The thing about Neal, and his wife Jan, is that they have contributed their time and money more than generously over the years. They are deeply committed to helping improve the education that is available at the University. Besides contributing large sums themselves (e.g., $10 million for Dempsey Hall to name just one project), they were instrumental in raising $181 million recently for the School of Business capital fund to help advance the school. Neal also co-founded the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, a highly regarded, popular part of the business curriculum.
If you would like to read the complete article, ”Dempsey Dedication”, go online to: www.foster.washington.edu . Type Dempsey Dedication into the Search field. This link will also take you to information about Neal’s keynote speech on June 9th for the Foster School of Business undergraduate’s commencement ceremony. Neal was in fine form for his speech. He began by telling the graduates that they were all going to fail. It was a great way to get their attention, and it was the perfect opening to convince them why failure is so essential for achieving success. (This is a link to the link on Neal’s blog directly to the video from his speech: http://www.nealdempsey.com/university-of-washington-commencement-speech-2013/ )
Finally, here is a link to the Forbes article that features Neal: http://www.forbes.com/profile/neal-dempsey . It’s a brief article, but it makes a dramatic point about the real-life contributions that Neal makes in his business to the betterment of the business world. His experience and efforts help newer businesses with great potential to achieve that potential. Not only his infusion of cash, but his sage guidance and considerable insights all contribute to the success of many budding entrepreneurs who otherwise might not attain the success they deserve. One thing about Neal that you need to know is that he is tough. Don’t let that easy going, “nice-guy” persona fool you. When it comes to business – his business, he knows how to do it. He demands the best efforts from everyone he works with. And, he holds himself to the highest standards. He expects no less from those he chooses to help succeed. And through all this, you’ll still find the Dempsey smile and the easy demeanor.
Ok, Neal, I know we’ve said this before. And, you probably hear this at least once every day. But I have to say, again, that we are mighty proud of what you have accomplished, what you do, and who you are. Not only have you turned your mistakes into successes, you have turned your successes into advantages and opportunities for countless others. Because of all you have done and what you continue to do for the University, students for generations to come will learn more and learn better than they might have without you. And, business in general will be better because you are here.
As for our original questions, “When will he slow down?”, When will it all stop?”, we hope not for a long time. We’re all a little better off because of your contributions and your efforts. Keep up your good works, mighty warrior!
Henry T. Schatz
Recipient of the UofW Tacoma Milgard School of Business
Lifetime Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
Henry Schatz was one of two people who were awarded the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Milgard School of Business, University of Washington, Tacoma, at a ceremony at the Tacoma Convention and Trade Center on April 11, 2019. In the presence of friends, employees, and family members in attendance, including his two boys, Michael and Richard (in the above photo), Henry was featured as one of two recipients of the coveted award, which is given to citizens of the Tacoma area, each year, for their exceptional contributions to the community.
Henry was recognized for his contributions of time and money to several worthy causes. Included among them are Endowed scholarships he set-up for the Milgard School of Business. He also has been an active supporter of the Boys and Girls Club of South Puget Sound, the Henry T. Schatz Branch. He has also made several generous cash donations to the UofW Tacoma. Henry, along with the Milgard family and many others, is one of the reasons that the UofW Tacoma has become so successful.
Also noteworthy is that Henry is the owner and retired President and CEO of General Plastics Mfg. Co. in South Tacoma. General Plastics has been a thriving business in Tacoma since 1941 when it was established by his father, L. W. Schatz. In this video, which was shown at the award ceremony (https://youtu.be/5TOJ2ol8uSA), several General Plastics’ employees praise Henry for his dedicated and caring leadership over the years. Though he is retired from active involvement in the business, he is frequently seen walking around the plant talking with employees. As Henry states in the video, the employees are like family. He cares for them deeply and wants them to succeed and prosper. In fact, he cares so much that he reorganized the company, financially, so that all of the profits from the business are awarded and paid to the employees, based on their performance assessment. This is an incredibly rare gesture. Another especially revealing fact about Henry’s positive impact on the employees is that the average time with the company is 25 years. And many of the employees have worked there for more than 40 years. That kind of employee loyalty and dedication is highly uncommon and can be attributed to exceptionally good leadership.
These facts along with the many other thoughtful and generous things that Henry does and has done are a tribute to the exceptional person that he is. We would like to think that part of the reason for his extraordinary achievements is the positive influence that we of the Class of 1959 have had on him! Whatever the influence, we are proud of the notable contributions and high achievements that led to this prestigious Lifetime Achievement award. Well done, Henry.
Neal Dempsey
Preface
Preface
This new classmate profile is for Neal Dempsey. Neal has distinguished himself personally and professionally and as a member of the CP class of 1959. You will find in the following profile a fascinating portrayal of Neal and his accomplishments since his graduation in June of 1959. His achievements are substantial and are prominent in a very public way. This account tells what he did and how he did it in order to get where he is today. What you will learn that few people know is how much Neal credits his days as our fellow classmate to what he was able to do in the years following graduation.
Those of us who knew Neal in high school will remember him as “a real nice guy”, well-liked”, “easy-going”, “friendly”, “always looked sharp”, and “a good, but probably not a top student”. You may be surprised to learn that the Neal Dempsey of today, even with his spectacular accomplishments and public notoriety (e.g., has a building named after him at the University of Washington), is much this same person today who we new in school. What happened for Neal after high school, that made such a difference, is part of what you will learn from the following “article”.
He emphasizes that average ability does not have to limit one’s opportunities. He describes in exquisite detail how the application of ordinary traits can make an extraordinary difference. He has, throughout this profile, provided insights that he hopes his former classmates will find of interest and possibly be able to apply in some useful and interesting way to their own lives. As Neal exemplifies, it’s never too late to put an extra spark in your life.
The profile is written as a Vanity Fair-style interview. The interview was done professionally by a close business associate who learned from Neal about the request for a profile to be done on the www.cloverpark1959.com website. It was a brilliant idea. It’s not just about work or making money; it’s about the fantastic adventure that Neal has been living called “his life”. It’s a fascinating read. The “article” is revealing and a bit longer than normal, but well worth the time. When you are finished I think you will feel both inspired and a sense of pride as did I. Sit back and enjoy the fascinating profile of Neal Dempsey.
Neal Dempsey Profile
Neal Dempsey graduated from Clover Park in 1959 and has gone on to great business achievements as a venture capitalist, board member and mentor to entrepreneurs. For the CP class of 1959 website, Neal sat down with Jane Gideon, one of the CEOs he advises, to give us a candid view on his successes, disappointments and the one thing he wishes everyone would try at least once.
Neal suggested we meet at a Starbucks near my house, which was generous in more ways than you might realize. First of all, as a certified grande-soy-no-water-chai-with-cinnamon Starbucks addict, I truly appreciated the gesture to feed my needs. Second, my house is located in San Francisco. Neal lives about 45 minutes outside of San Francisco. Unlike most executives of his caliber, he volunteered to come to me rather than make me drive to him. If you knew the mileage on my car, you’d understand what a treat this really is.
I knew this story was for a high school classmate website, so I started by asking him what he was like in high school.
Neal: “I was pretty average. Nothing spectacular. I ran for class president, I think, but I didn’t win. Didn’t play varsity sports. Wasn’t exceptionally smart. Just average.”
Jane: “What about college?”
Neal: “I went to the University of Washington. My mom was the first person in our family to graduate from college, so she was a great encouragement to me, the second person to graduate college. I recognized that UW wasn’t bringing someone with big talents into the school. In fact, my son always says, ‘Dad, how did someone as untalented as you become so successful?’ It’s a family joke. But I was always grateful that attending UW gave me a chance to be something more than average. Years later, when I was out of college and working in the business world, I was at a UW fundraising event. They were raising money for scholarships, and I really wanted to give back. So, I pledged some outrageous amount of money, or at least an outrageous amount for me at the time. It’s all relative. The point is, the pledge amount was so ridiculous I didn’t dare tell my wife about it, and I certainly didn’t have the money. It was an impossible leap. Took me a few years, but I finally made good on that pledge.”
I would later learn that Neal more than made good on that initial pledge. The Dempsey Foundation is a large donor to UW these days, and the new Dempsey Indoor practice facility is named in his family’s honor. Made me want to go sprinkle the non-profit world with checks I can’t cash but fully intend to. Probably not the message he was trying to send.
Jane: “Did your wife ever find out?”
Neal: “Eventually she did. She knows now.”
Or she will after this article appears.
After graduating from the University of Washington, Neal began his career in business. He worked his way up the corporate ladder until he eventually became the CEO of a technology company.
Neal: “I was a CEO twice, and both companies failed.”
I was surprised by his directness about this. Most people sugar-coat failure, and he just said it straight out. I suspect his definition of failure might be slightly different than mine, but it was clear that he truly considered his CEO stint to be the low-point in his career.
Neal: “Looking back, I realize I relied too much on what I knew well, which was sales. It looked like I was doing something hard, but really; I was sticking to what I knew and trying to apply it to a different environment. The key to being successful at anything is to do what’s hardest for you, be it finance or whatever. Tackle the one thing you don’t want to do, and figure out how to do it.”
As the CEO of a company who has wandered so close to the border of collapse that I could feel it grazing my behind, I am constantly in fear of actually crossing that line into the abyss of failure. So, I had to ask, “What happened? How did you get through it?”
Neal: “I felt defeated. I had a lot of self-doubts. I thought maybe I can’t do this.”
He paused in thought for a few seconds. Those years are far behind him, but I guess the uncertainty of that time is still easy to recall.
Neal: “Things were rough for a while. I had a family and children to support and wasn’t sure how I was going to do it.”
That’s when Neal got a call from the founder at Bay Partners, a venture capital investment firm in the San Francisco Bay area. The founder of Bay Partners had been an investor in Neal’s last company and Neal had impressed the investor with his management skills.
Neal: “I thought I had failed, but the founders at Bay admired what I had done for some reason. I think they liked people who worked on Saturdays. One day when I was still a CEO, I was having a Saturday staff meeting and one of the Bay investors happened to drop by. He stuck his head in for a moment and nodded, then went on his way. The timing was exquisite! I think he always remembered me as the guy who worked on Saturdays. But they did like how I managed people too. One thing I learned as a CEO was that developing people skills led to better results than number crunching or even astounding innovation.”
Jane: “So, the founders then brought you on as a partner?”
Neal: “Oh no. I had to start at the bottom again. I was just an associate. My peers were ‘kids’ with newly earned MBAs from prestigious universities.”
In his mid-40s, Neal Dempsey, a former CEO, took a role as an entry-level associate with Bay Partners. I think this is where true achievement and guts are found – in the humbling ability to start again, no matter where you are in life and no matter what title you think you should have.
Neal: “I have always been just a little bit insecure. Either I wasn’t an MBA graduate, or I was too young, or too old or not a rocket scientist. I always felt like I had to overcompensate for something. So, I took my insecurity, and made it work for me. I always outworked everyone in the room because I felt I was one step off.”
As a firm associate, Neal was charged with evaluating businesses that were looking for funding and identifying those that were most likely to provide a significant return on investment by either selling or going public.
Neal: “I remember cell phones had just come out and they were big, bulky things with a long antenna. And the car phones had to be installed in the car. Anyway, in one month I ran up a $1,000 phone bill, which was insane even for a corporate account back then. But the partner who had brought me in because I worked on Saturdays just said, ‘Ah, just let the kid go. He’s making deals. Let’s see what he can do.’”
Neal chuckled as he told the story. He seemed like a ‘kid’ now too - the kind of kid who was still young and precocious, but also there was a hint of another kind of kid. The ‘Billy the Kid’ who might just try something daring and surprise you at any moment.
Jane: “Ok, you’re an entry-level associate with a very large cell phone bill. How did you move up from there?”
Neal: “I started listening and learning. I met with entrepreneurs, other VCs, the partners and I just started getting to know the business. One day, I met this entrepreneur who had a small coffee company and had opened several stores, two of which were failing. Yet, there was something about this guy’s passion and determination that I really liked. I went to the founders at Bay Partners and encouraged them to invest in the company, but no one was interested. So, I made a small personal investment from my own money.”
Jane: “Was the company successful?”
Neal: “Yes. It eventually did very well. That’s when I knew I had a knack for being a VC.”
Jane: “What was the company?”
Neal: “Starbucks.”
I looked around at the hallowed halls where I was gripping with complete pleasure my grande-soy-no-water-chai-with-cinnamon.
Jane: “So, one of your first investments was Starbucks? As in the place we are sitting right now?”
Neal: “Yep. The entrepreneur I met was the founder of the most popular coffee shop in the world, and I was so impressed that he had this simple idea and no matter what happened, no matter how many obstacles were put in his way, he just kept going. He found a way to overcome. That really stuck with me, and that’s what I’ve always looked for in every entrepreneur since. I look for other indicators of success as well, but that commitment to the business, the products and the people and ability to just keep trying is what makes me invest in someone. In the end, I invest in people.”
Jane: “How did I not know about this Starbucks investment of yours? I mean, Starbucks is not just a corporation. It’s an entire social culture.”
Neal: “I know. People come here to get to know more about each other, like you and I. They come here to hire people and sometimes to fire people. It’s more than a coffee shop. Starbucks changed social behaviors, which is probably greater than anyone envisioned. The company did well.”
Uh, yeah. And so did Neal Dempsey.
Jane: “Seems like being a VC was your calling.”
Neal: “I love being a VC. Every day is new. I meet smart people with wonderful ideas and smart people with terrible ideas. But I never discourage anyone. You can’t take yourself too seriously in this business. Every company I know of, from Starbucks to Google, has struggled mightily. As long as you learn something and keep working at it, things will eventually come together, whether it’s with this idea or the next.”
Jane: “Now that you’ve reached a certain level of financial and personal success, what’s next?”
Neal: “I’m very involved in a non-profit called Families First. They help emotionally and physically abused children, many of whom are raised by extended family or friends. I was particularly impressed with their ‘wrap-around’ program because it reaches the child’s entire support network and offers tools to enrich the lives of everyone involved with caring for the child. When I met the founder, he was having challenges like any other business I might work with. He had a great vision and a drive to succeed, which in this case meant making a real difference for families and children. But he was doing the same thing I did as a CEO – focusing on the social work he loved so much and often ignoring operational efficiencies. So I helped them put in some operational and financial policies and procedures. I also volunteer to mentor the kids when I can. The work is one of my great passions because it is so rewarding. The outcomes are incredible. The program helps entire families cope better and I get to watch the transformation from struggling and surviving child to functioning and contributing adult. It’s inspiring.”
If someone was interviewing me for my take on life and success, the story would end here. Financial success, a good family, community involvement, and free Starbucks for life. I’d pretty much call it a day right about there. But I’m not Neal Dempsey. I suppose every person needs a challenge. We seem to be built that way as human beings. Either we let the challenges come to us, or we go out and get them. Neal was not about to relax and wait for anything to come to him. So, he got out there…in a big way.
Neal: “A few years back, my best friend Jim was visiting the Matterhorn with his wife and got a crazy idea. He called me from Zermatt, Switzerland and said, ‘We’re going to climb the Matterhorn by the end of the year.’ I had climbed Mt. Rainier, so I at least had some notion that this was a hard thing. I’m not sure if Jim really got how difficult climbing the Matterhorn would be. But sure enough, a year later, we climbed it. And that became the first of many adventures.”
Jane: “You climbed other mountains?”
Neal: “Yes, we’ve climbed six of the 7 highest summits and we sailed around the world.”
Jane: “How long did it take you to sail around the world?”
Neal: “We did it in pieces. Maybe one to three months at a time. I had to take a break when we hit the Galapagos leg and fly home to run a marathon.”
Right. Because sailing around the world can be so trivial one must throw in a marathon here and there to keep on one’s toes.
Jane: “You stopped your ‘sail-around-the-world’ trip to run a marathon? Was that really necessary?”
Neal: “I had already committed to it. I said I would do it, so I did.”
Jane: “You couldn’t skip it, just this once? I’m sure they would understand that you are otherwise engaged and out of the country….out of every country…in the middle of the ocean. Surely there are exceptions for these kinds of things.”
Neal: “I was ready for the time off. Sailing around the world is great, but it’s like being with your family 24/7 for months at a time. You’re with the same people in cramped quarters for long periods. It’s good to get away for a bit. “
Jane: “Noted. Were there ever any really scary moments in your sailing adventure?”
Neal: “The last segment from Perth, Australia to Cape Town, South Africa was the most treacherous. There were more times than not that I thought we weren’t going to make it. It’s very rough waters – some of the roughest waters in the world and at times, I thought the boat would break.”
Jane: “Didn’t anyone say anything, like ‘hey, what do you say we go home now?’”
Neal: “No. Everyone was pretty silent the whole time. I mean, I remember thinking that I volunteered for this. No one made me do it. But I didn’t say it.”
Jane: “Why?”
Neal: “Because we were all too wide-eyed scared to say anything. We’re a bunch of men on a boat that I’m pretty sure was about to break in two. You don’t talk. Just sail. Finally, we made it to Mauritius, and we had to stop for a while. We ended up staying there longer than planned because we had to send off for boat parts so we could do all the proper repairs.”
Jane: “You’re pretty much shipwrecked on Mauritius. There are worse things, I suppose. So, you stopped, right?”
Neal: “Of course not. We had to finish what we started.”
Jane: “Really, Neal? Did you have to?”
Neal: “Well, we weren’t foolish about it. Jim and I had seen enough to know when to push forward and when to wait. Once, we were climbing a mountain and these other climbers were following us. We had guides, of course, but they were alone, so we let them tag along with us. A few miles up the mountain, a big storm moved in. We set up camp and decided to wait until conditions cleared. But the other climbers said they had to catch a 6:08 flight out in three days, and they pushed ahead. They didn’t make that 6:08 flight. We found their bodies a few days later lodged in the snow. Sometimes, you’ve got to be willing to miss the 6:08 and come back next year and try again when circumstances are more conducive. It’s good to reach a goal, but it’s better to be smart about it. So we waited on Mauritius. We fixed the boat and when we were ready, we moved on towards Cape Town. It was a rocky, dangerous trip. Every time we reached a shoreline on the trip, we were always happy. But when we made it to Cape Town, there was a big hallelujah.”
Neal’s experience in life has been to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary by doing the unreasonable. He started out average, but the University of Washington gave him a chance and he made the best of himself. He’s traveled the world, but not in the comfort and luxury so many choose. Instead, he sailed from island to island, continent to continent, and climbed summit to summit, getting a glimpse into parts of the Earth most people never see. Even as a business man, he takes the regular person with a good idea and guides him or her towards huge success, like Howard Shultz of Starbucks or the entrepreneurs Neal encounters every day.
Jane: “Most of us won’t be able to sail around the world and I speak for myself when I same I am not interested in climbing a vicious mountain just to say I did it, especially after that dead bodies story. However, I do admire your tenacity to make things happen. What’s the one thing you hope people will take away from all your adventures in business and life?”
Neal: “The one thing I wish everyone would do just once is get out. Get out of what you know. Do one thing that scares you. Get outside of your box and do something without fear, whether it’s related to your business, family, religion or even an adventure. Because you’ll find out you can do it, and that’s when you feel most alive.”
CARL FYNBOE
Following is the formal obituary for Mr. Fynboe, as he has always been known to those of us over whom he presided as vice principal. Mr. Fynboe has, over the years, remained a friend of our class. He has attended all of our class reunion dinners. Considering all of the thousands of students who passed through Clover Park High School, Mr. Fynboe never failed to amaze with his recollections of people and events. Throughout his life, he remained a person of the highest standards and impeccable character. We are proud to have had him as our vice principal and as a close friend to the class of 1959. He will be missed.
OBITUARY
Carl T. Fynboe A champion for education in Washington State and a wonderful Christian man, died on November 8, 2012. His life was about relationships and how he connected with people, touching the lives of many. His grandchildren were often impressed by his interest in their friends and how they were doing. Family and faith were the center of his life and he was surrounded by his family and his pastor when he died.
Carl was born in Decorah, Iowa on February 13, 1927. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, C. S. and Adelaide Fynboe, and his only sister Elizabeth Hanson. Carl is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ingrid; daughters, Karen (William Oltman), Kathy (Scott Buser), and son, Chris (Karie Hamilton); grand-children, Kirsten (Isaac), Andrea (Bryan), James (Mary), Nicholas, Katie, Jonathan, Alexis; and great grand-children, Justice, Selah, Jude, James David, and Hallie.
Carl began his educational career, which he considered a calling, at Clover Park High School in 1950, as a chemistry and German teacher. At 25 years of age he was appointed Vice Principal at Clover Park High School. Carl was elected and served as President of the Washington Education Association in 1958. In 1961 he was named Principal of Clover Park High School. His next calling in 1971 was to become Headmaster at Annie Wright School. In 1974, he was hired by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to the newly created position of Director of Private/Independent Schools.
After retiring from public education in 1982, he became President and CEO of the Washington Federation of Independent Schools until 1992. During his tenure with the Washington Federation of Independent Schools, Carl shepherded the Homeschool Law through the State Legislature and became the Administrative Advisor and a Founder of the Washington Homeschool Organization. On June 26, 2012 at 85 years of age, Carl received a Doctor of Divinity from the Covenant Bible Seminary and ordained as a Minister of Christ by the Covenant Bible Fellowship.
Carl's other passions included serving on numerous boards, the first being the Board of Regents at Pacific Lutheran University and Board of Trustees at Charles Wright Academy. In the 1970's Carl was President of Lutheran Community Services, which led to the building of the Tacoma Lutheran Home and Nursing Center. Later, he was a Director on the Stewardship Foundation Board for seventeen years, which he considered the greatest joy for Christian outreach. A member of Rotary International since 1960, Carl has been a member of the Lakewood Rotary, Tacoma #8, Olympia, and Gig Harbor Rotary Clubs. One of Carl's loves was music and singing. He began his singing career at the age of five singing a solo on the Omaha Radio station. He sang in the Choir of the West at Pacific Lutheran College as a high school student and later as college student and soloist. Carl continued singing with the Normanna Men's Chorus and many church choirs until the time of his death.
A memorial service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church at 12115 Park Avenue S., Tacoma, WA 98444 on Saturday, November 24, 2012 at 2 PM with a reception following at the Pacific Lutheran University Scandinavian Cultural Center at 4 PM. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Carl T. Fynboe Memorial Scholarship Fund at Mount Rainier Lutheran High School in Tacoma. Burial arrangements provided by Mountain View Funeral Home.
Carl was born in Decorah, Iowa on February 13, 1927. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, C. S. and Adelaide Fynboe, and his only sister Elizabeth Hanson. Carl is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ingrid; daughters, Karen (William Oltman), Kathy (Scott Buser), and son, Chris (Karie Hamilton); grand-children, Kirsten (Isaac), Andrea (Bryan), James (Mary), Nicholas, Katie, Jonathan, Alexis; and great grand-children, Justice, Selah, Jude, James David, and Hallie.
Carl began his educational career, which he considered a calling, at Clover Park High School in 1950, as a chemistry and German teacher. At 25 years of age he was appointed Vice Principal at Clover Park High School. Carl was elected and served as President of the Washington Education Association in 1958. In 1961 he was named Principal of Clover Park High School. His next calling in 1971 was to become Headmaster at Annie Wright School. In 1974, he was hired by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to the newly created position of Director of Private/Independent Schools.
After retiring from public education in 1982, he became President and CEO of the Washington Federation of Independent Schools until 1992. During his tenure with the Washington Federation of Independent Schools, Carl shepherded the Homeschool Law through the State Legislature and became the Administrative Advisor and a Founder of the Washington Homeschool Organization. On June 26, 2012 at 85 years of age, Carl received a Doctor of Divinity from the Covenant Bible Seminary and ordained as a Minister of Christ by the Covenant Bible Fellowship.
Carl's other passions included serving on numerous boards, the first being the Board of Regents at Pacific Lutheran University and Board of Trustees at Charles Wright Academy. In the 1970's Carl was President of Lutheran Community Services, which led to the building of the Tacoma Lutheran Home and Nursing Center. Later, he was a Director on the Stewardship Foundation Board for seventeen years, which he considered the greatest joy for Christian outreach. A member of Rotary International since 1960, Carl has been a member of the Lakewood Rotary, Tacoma #8, Olympia, and Gig Harbor Rotary Clubs. One of Carl's loves was music and singing. He began his singing career at the age of five singing a solo on the Omaha Radio station. He sang in the Choir of the West at Pacific Lutheran College as a high school student and later as college student and soloist. Carl continued singing with the Normanna Men's Chorus and many church choirs until the time of his death.
A memorial service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church at 12115 Park Avenue S., Tacoma, WA 98444 on Saturday, November 24, 2012 at 2 PM with a reception following at the Pacific Lutheran University Scandinavian Cultural Center at 4 PM. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Carl T. Fynboe Memorial Scholarship Fund at Mount Rainier Lutheran High School in Tacoma. Burial arrangements provided by Mountain View Funeral Home.
Published in News Tribune (Tacoma) on November 14, 2012
JOHN GREEK, THE ORIGINAL WAILER!
Louie Louie has been a tradition at all of our class reunions. The Class of 1959 can claim the original bragging rights to Louie Louie, since it was made popular and even famous in rock and roll circles by the Wailers.
One of our classmates, John Greek, founded the Wailers in 1957 by getting a few kids to join with him, whose parents, like his, were stationed at McChord Air Force Base. Maybe you can remember when John brought the group to Clover Park for a preview concert just before they gained national prominence by appearing on the Alan Freed show and Dick Clark's American Bandstand in 1959. We knew then it was terrific stuff even before Dick Clark said it was.
John wrote most of the music and prepared the arrangements for the early Wailer music from 1957 to 1960. Many other groups such as Little Bill and the Blue Notes, The Kingsmen, Paul Revere and the Raiders, went on to record their own renditions of Louie Louie. It remains a highly popular song to this day; and our own John Greek started it all.
Many famous rock groups have credited the Wailers' cutting-edge early music (e.g., Louie Louie, Tall Cool One, Dirty Robber, etc...) as an important inspiration for their own music. Paul McCartney has said that the Beattles were big fans of Wailers early music; their style and music were influenced by the Wailers.
John was a prolific song writer, had no end of musical creativity, and had a strong sense for what rock and roll fans would enjoy. Unfortunately, he had a falling out with certain members of the Wailers in 1960 and chose to leave the group. That was unfortunate for both John and the Wailers. He had led them on the road to stardom. After he left, the group could never gain the momentum that had been forming under John's leadership. John kept writing songs and remained involved in the music industry, but was never able to achieve the same level of success that he had with the Wailers.
As most of you can recall, John played at all of our reunions until the 45th. Unfortunately he is among the many of our classmates who have passed on. John died in October 2006, just a few weeks shy of his 66th birthday.
We'll miss you John; thank you for your music, especially Louie Louie. It will live on with us for as long as we have reunions.
FUTURE PLANS FOR THIS PAGE: We hope this is the first of many profiles on classmates. Send us your recommendation along with any information and photos you may have. Permission will be obtained from nominated individuals prior to publishing information about them on this site.
Louie Louie has been a tradition at all of our class reunions. The Class of 1959 can claim the original bragging rights to Louie Louie, since it was made popular and even famous in rock and roll circles by the Wailers.
One of our classmates, John Greek, founded the Wailers in 1957 by getting a few kids to join with him, whose parents, like his, were stationed at McChord Air Force Base. Maybe you can remember when John brought the group to Clover Park for a preview concert just before they gained national prominence by appearing on the Alan Freed show and Dick Clark's American Bandstand in 1959. We knew then it was terrific stuff even before Dick Clark said it was.
John wrote most of the music and prepared the arrangements for the early Wailer music from 1957 to 1960. Many other groups such as Little Bill and the Blue Notes, The Kingsmen, Paul Revere and the Raiders, went on to record their own renditions of Louie Louie. It remains a highly popular song to this day; and our own John Greek started it all.
Many famous rock groups have credited the Wailers' cutting-edge early music (e.g., Louie Louie, Tall Cool One, Dirty Robber, etc...) as an important inspiration for their own music. Paul McCartney has said that the Beattles were big fans of Wailers early music; their style and music were influenced by the Wailers.
John was a prolific song writer, had no end of musical creativity, and had a strong sense for what rock and roll fans would enjoy. Unfortunately, he had a falling out with certain members of the Wailers in 1960 and chose to leave the group. That was unfortunate for both John and the Wailers. He had led them on the road to stardom. After he left, the group could never gain the momentum that had been forming under John's leadership. John kept writing songs and remained involved in the music industry, but was never able to achieve the same level of success that he had with the Wailers.
As most of you can recall, John played at all of our reunions until the 45th. Unfortunately he is among the many of our classmates who have passed on. John died in October 2006, just a few weeks shy of his 66th birthday.
We'll miss you John; thank you for your music, especially Louie Louie. It will live on with us for as long as we have reunions.
FUTURE PLANS FOR THIS PAGE: We hope this is the first of many profiles on classmates. Send us your recommendation along with any information and photos you may have. Permission will be obtained from nominated individuals prior to publishing information about them on this site.
Henry T. Schatz
"The Henry T. Schatz Branch"
Henry T. Schatz…in high school who would have guessed that his name would be part of the name for a fabulous new branch of a Boys and Girls Club of America? Well, it’s true; the new Donald T. Topping Hope Center, Henry T. Schatz Branch of the Boys and Girls Club of South Puget Sound (HYPERLINK "http://www.bgcsps.org/henry-schatz" www.bgcsps.org/henry-schatz) held their dedication ceremony on Thursday, September 2, 2010. Henry’s name is in fact officially in the name of this new Boys and Girls Club branch. This beautiful, modern, very well equipped new facility at 3875 So. 66th Street is just a few blocks west of South Tacoma Way and south of General Plastics Mfg. Co.
Because of Henry’s Passion for the Education and Development of our younger generations, he was encouraged and persuaded by several illustrious community leaders and generous donors to make a large gift so this dream would become a reality.
An Impressive Tour of the New Facility
On September 1st, the day prior to its public dedication, Bert Johnson and Rich Longstreth were given a personal tour of the new facility by Henry, Judy Hosea, Vice President of Development, and Mark Starnes, President/CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound. Bert & Rich were impressed by the size of the facility and with its many functional areas for athletics, learning, socializing, and relaxing. Sizeable spaces are set aside for future expansion. One of the larger spaces might be used for a DECA (i.e., Distributive Education Clubs of America) operation. The DECA operations would serve two valuable purposes: 1) give the kids hands-on experience with business, manufacturing, marketing, and finance, and 2) create opportunities to generate at least a small portion of the funds needed to pay for operation of the new facility.
Other impressive features of the club include a technology center that is equipped with the latest in computers. Hewlett Packard corporation donated 23 new wide-screen desktop PC’s. In addition, there are several more PC’s located throughout the club. The building houses a well-equipped dental clinic, which will provide low-to-no cost dental services to the kids. There are two large gymnasiums to accommodate basketball, volleyball, and other gym sports. One of those gyms is equipped with sound equipment and acoustics for meetings and musical events. The managers of the Henry T. Schatz Branch plan to actively solicit outside use of the various facilities (i.e., for business meetings, board meetings, corporate training, special events etc…) to generate revenue. (Note: go to HYPERLINK "http://www.CloverPark1959.com" www.CloverPark1959.com to see photos of the tour in the "Photo Albums" page)
A Cause Worth Supporting
The various fees generated by these activities, along with the generous donations from Henry and many other charitable donors, small and large, will help to pay the on-going operating costs of the club. However, considerable new donations will continue to be needed to replenish and supplement those sources of funds. Henry encourages any and all who might be interested to volunteer their time and/or money to the Boys and Girls Club of your choice. In the Puget Sound area you can go to this website to learn more: (HYPERLINK "http://www.bgcsps.org/henry-schatz" www.bgcsps.org/henry-schatz). You can also call Judy Hosea, VP of Development (253) 502-4607 (office), or (253) 229-9008 cell. Be sure to tell Judy that you are a classmate of Henry’s. Judy has lots of information to share about different ways you could help.
His Other Charitable Causes
If you are looking for something in the Education field to which you can offer your support, one of Henry's other charitable interests might "fit the bill"!
University of Washington
Besides supporting the Boys and Girls Club and Bates Technical College, Henry has become a UofW "Presidential Laureate" by making major donations for an endowed "Chair", two endowed undergraduate scholarships in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington, Seattle, plus several endowed scholarships for Science, Technology, Business, Social Responsibility and Ethics studies at the UW Tacoma.
Clover Park Foundation
Since 2001, Henry has served on the Clover Park Foundation, and has established and provided substantial funding for the Schatz "Continuing Education Support Fund". The purpose for this fund is to reimburse the many fine teachers in our Clover Park and Steilacoom School Districts for the costs of supplemental books and materials they personally buy to more effectively implement in their classrooms what they learned from their "Continuing Education" Classes they must take to maintain certification.
Bates Vocational & Technical College
He is an Avid supporter of the Bates Vocational & Technical College (HYPERLINK "http://www.bates.ctc.edu" www.bates.ctc.edu) in Tacoma. His focus there is promoting education in 10 different industrial technology skills such as sheet metal, welding, manufacturing, machining, electronics and the like. Henry has experienced shortages of people with good training and experience in manufacturing in his own business. To address this problem, he has donated generously both time and money to Bates to attract and train more people in an effort to meet the demand.
While Henry does a lot, he can’t do it all himself. So he has established a "Challenge Grant" to attract other "forward thinking" people, who want to encourage Vocational Education in Manufacturing Technologies, to match his funds for endowed scholarships at Bates. Many, such as the Milgard Family Foundation, have met the challenge, which, including Henry's matching funds, has already raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for these endowed scholarships. Henry' Goal is to raise hundreds of thousands more!
Several Other Popular Causes
Other popular local causes that have received his support include the Tacoma Art Museum, the Museum of Glass, the Lemay America Car Museum, the Emergency Food Network, and the Festival of Trees, which raises funds for the Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.
Volunteer Work
Henry's civic contributions are more than just monetary. Since 2006, he has been working on the UW Tacoma Advisory Board. In 2008, he was a member of the UW "Creating Futures" College of Engineering Fundraising Campaign Executive Committee, which exceeded their goal of raising $250 million to advance the excellence of engineering teaching, education and research! In 2004, he participated on the Steering Advisory Committee of the Boys and Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound Capital Campaign Development Study. Also, he has been a "Hometown Mentor" for several "Gates Achievers Scholars" at Clover Park High School.
His Life in a Nutshell After CP
Henry graduated with our not-so-wild, but very confident and capable class in 1959. Except for the time it took him to obtain his BS degree in Mechanical Engineering at the UofW, and work 4 years at the FMC Corp. Central Engineering Labs in San Jose, Ca, Henry has been a resident of our now-pretty-wild greater Lakewood area.
For 42 years, Henry has worked at General Plastics Manufacturing Co. in Tacoma, founded by his father in 1941, (HYPERLINK "http://www.generalplastics.com" www.generalplastics.com), which is a high-tech business providing high paying job opportunities for over 150 well educated, skilled, smart, hard working, productive people who make a variety of environmentally friendly plastic parts and materials for the aircraft, aerospace and other industrial markets. Henry was President of the business for 20-years, and has served as Chairman for the past 3 years.
Henry has two sons and four grandkids from his 1st marriage. In recent years, Henry has been in a committed "Spiritual Partnership" with another of our classmates, Helen Bitar. He and Helen share much in common. They enjoy doing many things, including traveling, together. While Henry has been to Alaska, Bora Bora, China and Egypt, and he has traveled with Helen to British Columbia, Palm Desert, Paris and New York, he says the trips he enjoys most are the times they spend at their Condo in Newport on the Oregon coast.
He has also been actively involved in planning most of our class reunions, and has made some nice donations to help more people to attend our reunion events.
Does Henry Have a Wild Side?
Well, Helen and he recently went to a Lady GaGa concert at the Tacoma Dome. They liked it! It WAS Wild! Maybe that doesn’t really qualify as a "Wild Side", but it is further evidence of his well-known inquisitive, adventurous and fun-loving nature. Henry enjoys listening to a wide variety of music from classical to rock and from "oldies" to country western. When Henry isn’t working on charitable projects, transitioning into retirement from General Plastics, and traveling with Helen, he enjoys the mental stimulation of "Lifetime Learning", and the pleasure and peace of working in his garden.
A Welcome Inspiration!
Many of our classmates have distinguished themselves in their careers and in the community. Henry has done so in ways that positively affect our kids, the work place, and our community. Our hats are off to Henry for his generous donations of time and money in such important areas. Henry, you are a welcome inspiration for our class; congratulations for all that you do.
Classmates: Submit Your Suggestion
Many of our classmates have distinguished themselves in ways similar to Henry. We invite you to recommend other fellow classmates who you feel we might profile here. We can always use a little more inspiration in these extra-challenging times. To submit your candidate(s), contact Charlie, Rich, Bert, Henry, or any reunion committee member.
Jo Ann Tatum Hattner
One of our own is a published author who is prominent in the field of nutrition. Jo Ann Tatum Hattner, MPH, RD, has authored two books: GUT INSIGHT: The Nitty Gritty About Digestive Wellness and the Brave New World of Probiotics and Prebiotics, and Help! My Underwear is Shrinking: One Woman’s Story of How to Eat Right and Lose Weight, and Win the Battle Against Diabetes.
How did Jo Ann know how to do that? Well, as those of us who knew her in high school can recall, she was one of our brightest and best. Not only was Jo Ann a popular and well-liked classmate, she was very smart. After high school she continued to apply her high intellect in academic pursuits. She attended the University of Idaho where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree. She went on to the University of California where she earned her Master's Degree in Public Health (MPH), and her registered dietician credentials (RD). Jo Ann then worked for 30 years practicing nutrition in the dynamic San Francisco Bay area. She continues to apply her academic skills at Stanford University Medical School where she teaches medical students through her on-line nutrition course. She is a regular speaker at the national professional meetings of dietitians, physicians, and other professionals.
Jo Ann has a website, www.gutinsight.com . If you want to know more about her book by the same name, go to her website. Or, you can go to Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Borders.com, or, Lulu.com to buy either or both of her books. The reviews for both of her books are rated consistently 5-star. Here are some examples: For Gut Insight: By a physician: “…The authors have produced a unique and valuable book on digestive health that I can confidently recommend to both my patients and my colleagues.”, by a Registered Dietitian: “Bravo to Jo Ann Hattner…for assembling a wonderfully complete, concise and authoritative guide to the world of gut health!”. For Help! My Underwear is Shrinking: An Oregon, WI Midwest Book Review: “…excellent guide, which is very highly recommended reading for anyone with diabetes or a family history of diabetes.”, Peggy Miller, Highland Park, IL: “…an entertaining way of learning about diet and nutrition. …The book provides a simple how-to formula as well as emotional support in the form of a very engaging main character…”, to cite only a few of many equally praise-filled reviews. All the reviews that I read, reflected a high degree of enthusiasm over both content and style.
If you want to know more about her nutrition expertise, buy some e-time on her website to discuss your particular nutrition needs, or if you just want to say hi, you can contact Jo Ann through her website, which once again is: www.gutinsight.com .
This page is intended to feature anyone in our class, including spouses, children and grandchildren, who has distinguished themselves in some way. It could be through carreer accomplishment, an adventure such as an exotic trip, some special noteworthy achievement, or maybe you just have something about yourself you would enjoy sharing. John Greek, for example, was a classmate who achieved something that was special to us. Let us know if have something you would like to share, or if you know of someone else in the class who you think others would be interested to hear about.
To inquire or get started, contact Charlie Bergeron, Rich Longstreth, or Jim McCoy with your information. Our desire is to present several features each year. So be sure to let us know about your idea. E-mail Charlie Bergeron or Rich Longstreth your information and a photo or two. We'll look it over, prepare a draft write-up for your OK, and post what you have approved on the website.
To inquire or get started, contact Charlie Bergeron, Rich Longstreth, or Jim McCoy with your information. Our desire is to present several features each year. So be sure to let us know about your idea. E-mail Charlie Bergeron or Rich Longstreth your information and a photo or two. We'll look it over, prepare a draft write-up for your OK, and post what you have approved on the website.