Family/Children: Jan (Dysktra) Central class of 69 and I have been married nearly 50 yrs. Our two daughters (both CUI grads) live close. Elder Emily is a Kirkwood CC instructor who just recently received her PhD in Ed leadership and is interviewing for Dean ships at present. Alicia an MBA who owns with her husband a successful financial services business and also works PT for Pearson as a Financial Analyst. Both have three children, so we keep busy with them!

After Central: I turned down graduate work at Brown University (much to Dr Lubenow’s chagrin) and went into HS teaching. Received my MA shortly after in Counseling. My MA thesis was published several times in a few journals, but I did not pursue that avenue for many years. The last 20 or so I did do counseling and retired from the same school district after 36 years. I also taught Adjunct classes for Kirkwood CC for 16 years, but as of the Fall of 2019 have fully retired form that pursuit as well. I coached football (assistant) for 46 years and basketball for nearly 30, 8 as a head coach. In addition, I have been the Executive Secretary of the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association for nearly 35 years. Jan taught mainly 4th grade for the same 36 years as I in the same school district. I did turn down three potential options to return to Central over the years and several out of education options, largely due to feeling I was where I was meant to be.

Awards: There have bene many, thanks to the great kids I got to work with and the outstanding people I was around. State assistant FB coach of year, several all-conference/district Fb and Basketball honors, State counselor of the year, State Foster Care Review Board member of the year, National High School Basketball Coaches Association Court of Honor, to name some. I also have a state wide Service Award named after me and given annually at the State Basketball Tournaments.

What Fills My Days: As mentioned…following grandkids who are aged 18 to 4 and who are active in fine arts and athletics. I like to trout fish using my own tied micro jigs. I pass barely as a golfer but do so regularly. I also serve on a Hospital Foundation, Lions Club, Church Board and full a few pulpits. I also chair the Foster Care Review Board for our area. We like to do some traveling as well.

Phi Delta Tau Memories: There are so many. I grew greatly from a very poor farm kid to an able young man largely due to the options by Central, its staff, and the PDT who I enjoyed as brothers of many talents, outlooks, and perspectives. I did have to “refrain” from some our better on campus antics as I was one of Dean Hinge’s “campus cops” and chose to plead ignorance which he graciously accepted but undoubtedly did not believe. One fun event was the Spring of 70 Spring weekend that was very cold and rainy, so it was held in the apartment Jan and I lived in on the square. Bath tubs of iced beer and John Wayne’s “War Wagon “on a sheet in the large living room!! I also recall fondly getting well-schooled as Phil Lacqua’s sous chef for his famous GRAVY (NEVER a sauce) on the old gas stove in the basement for the first of many Mama Lacqua’s feeds.