PSU Magazine Spring 1998

Compiled by Myrna Ouray Vanport James Barlow is a social science teacher at Aloha High School in Beaverton. Elaine Cogan is a parmer at a Portland communications and consulting firm, Cogan Owens Cogan. In addition, Cogan is the political analyst for KGW– TV, providing behind-the– scenes com.mentary on local and national political events. Richard Willenberg retired 15 years ago and owns and operates a blueberry fa rm in Woodburn. Willenberg was a construction electrician and worked on vari– ou projects during his career, among them the Atlas missile proj ect in San Diego. '56 Don Fibiger is a professor of theater arts at Califo rnia State Uni versity-Sacramento. Fibiger retired in 1997 and teaches half-time. '57 Vernon Utz is an emeritus professor who retired in 1992 and lives in Vancouver, Wash. Utz taught secondary education at Western Oregon University for 22 years. '58 Donald Molthu is retired from the Pacific Missile Test Center in Point Mugu, Calif. Molthu was an electronic engineer with the facility. C athy (Bostwick) Williams '56 is a gold mine of 1950s Portland State lore. She should write a book, but this ener– getic, retired educator doesn't have the time. Instead she is willing to share a yarn or two with alumni in the Bend area as the Alumni Association's newest ambassador. Williams is one of four ambassadors located around the state who are helping the University fonn stronger ties wlth alumru in their areas. The others are Jon Jalali '67, Medford; Chuck Uttlehales '65, Newport; and Dennis Olson '68, MS '80, Pendleton. For 32 years, Williams worked in Portland Public Schools. She earned an elementary education degree with a minor in physical education from then Portland State College. In the '60s she returned to school, taking Oregon State University extension classes on the PSC campus; she earned a master's in counseling in 1967. Williams' specialty was career 22 PSU MAGAZINE SPRING 1998 '61 David L. Smith is a sale repre– entative with Hardinge Inc., a machine tool builder in Canton, Mich. '63 Tommy Hawk is a retired as is– tant U.S. attorney. Hawk lives in Portland . A. Ellis Hudspeth is president of A.E. Hudspeth & Company, a CPA firm in Portland . '64 Jean Newcomb is a retired clinical social worker and p ychotherapist. Newcomb lives in Portland . Robert L. Morris i the director of clinica l engineering and an assistant professor with O regon Health Sciences University in Portland . Monica Setziol-Phillips is a elf-employed artist whose specialty is woven tapestry combined with carved wood. She lives in Sheridan. Victor Starkovich is manager of PWA/PWB (electronic circuit board) Process Development for The Boeing Company, an aero– space manufacturer in Seattle. '65 Richard "Dutch" Van Blaricom is the chief geophysi– cist at Cominco American Inc., a mining firm in Spokane, Wash. education, an expertise that gained her a national reputation. Today, Williams lives in a log house on acreage in Bend. She helps with the Jazz Festival in Sisters, the Rodeo Association, is a guide at Pittock Mansion during her once-a-month visits to Portland, and most recently led a monthlong group study exchange in Taiwan for Rotary International. Williams talks excitedly about all her past and present accomplishments, but discussing the old Vanport days brings out a distinct gleam of pride. She served on every– thing-student government, yearbook, rally, Pleiades, and Yikes. She helped move the school from the shipyards to "Old Main," present-day Lincoln Hall, in 1950. And she waited until the Vanport Extension Center became the degree-granting Portland State College in 1956 to receive her diploma. What stories does Williams tell? From her days as a cheerleader, Williams remembers passing around Dr. Stephen Epler's fedora after men's basketball games in order to pay the referee. And there's the story about the noise parade the students held in St. Johns, a tradition they were only allowed once in downtown Portland. "It was the funniest thing," remembers Williams. "This city didn't know what they were getting into when they gave us the permit. People came out of theaters because we were so loud. They didn't make that mistake again."