The RAPS Sheet The newsletter of the Retirement Association of Portland State SUMMER 2018 Retirement Association of Portland State Portland State University–RAPS Post Office Box 751 Portland OR 97207-0751 Campus Public Safety Building second floor, Room 212 SW Montgomery at Broadway Office Manager Ilana Tarasyuk Telephone: 503-725-3447 Email: rapsmail@pdx.edu Office hours: Tues & Thurs, 9 to 5:30; Fri, 1-5. Campus mail: RAPS Web: www.pdx.edu/raps Board Members Co-Presidents David Krug Doug Swanson Secretary Brian Lewis Treasurer Ansel Johnson Members-at-Large Steven Brenner Nancy Eriksson Charlie White RAPS Sheet Editor Eileen Brennan Website Editor Larry Sawyer RAPS Representative to Regional & National Retirement Associations Larry Sawyer Committees Awards Steve Brennan, Chair History Preservation Nancy Koroloff, Chair Membership/Program Dawn White, Chair Scholarships Barbara Alberty & Joan Shireman, Co-chairs Social Nancy Eriksson, Chair RAPS Summer Picnic set for August 16 at Willamette Park ALL RAPS MEMBERS and their families are welcome to the RAPS potluck picnic August 16, noon to 4 pm. The event will be held at Willamette Park, picnic shelter A, at 6805 SW Macadam Ave. This covered picnic area is located in the south part of the park next to the South Parking Lot. Both the shelter and the site are accessible for people with disabilities. The park is served by buses 35, 36, and 99. The Willamette Park stop is 3620. Please bring a salad or dessert to share and a beverage of your choice. RAPS board members will provide entrees, paper plates, napkins, and tableware. There is a small charge for parking at the park. Call Nancy Eriksson, 503-913-7200, for additional information. Hope to see everyone there! —-Photographs by Larry Sawyer
Co-President’s Message Rebecca’s leaving on a jet plane (again) 2 SHE’S LIVED IN MT. SHASTA, San Francisco, Russia, Norway, England, Korea, and Portland. So it’s no surprise that Rebecca Butterworth, RAPS’ intrepid office manager for the past year, is leaving for a new city and a new academic endeavor: Baltimore and Johns Hopkins University. And she couldn’t be more excited. She’s been accepted by Urban Teachers, a program that works in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins school of education to give students the skills to teach Then it was off to Korea for eight years to teach English and study Korean. “I worked hard to be a great teacher in Korea,” Rebecca recalled. “I just tried to excel and do everything to be sure I taught my students the best way I could.” Rebecca wasn’t the only family member in Korea. One of her three brothers, Michael, followed her there, married a Korean, and together they own an English language school. Another brother, Peter, lives in Cambodia. A third brother, Mark, lives in Sacramento. Be glad you’re not paying the long-distance bill. Rebecca returned to Portland State in 2016 and completed her master’s in political science in June. “My first year at PSU was very difficult,” she said. “I just felt I wasn’t part of it. Then I got the job with RAPS, became chair of the Political Science Club, and worked for the Alumni Association.” “I finally felt I hit my stride my second year,” Rebecca said. “Getting involved in campus activities made a world of difference.” Working for RAPS was a big part of that difference. “It was just a great experience. It’s kind of bittersweet passing the baton to Ilana (Tarasyuk, RAPS’ new office manager). I told Ilana that she’ll get great advice, especially life advice. RAPS members are great people to learn from.” Upon completion of her master’s in education at Johns Hopkins, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in public administration and policy. Rebecca’s ambition is to create policy that will improve the lives of urban school children and provide them the same opportunities that other children receive. Shortly after handing the reins to Ilana in mid-June, Rebecca boarded a plane with Barney, her poodle-terrier mix, Mr. Lee, a Tuxedo cat she brought back from Korea, and Paolo, a feral cat she befriended, and flew to Baltimore to begin her next chapter. On behalf of everyone at RAPS, best of luck, Rebecca! —Doug Swanson —and empower—children in urban schools. “I wanted to be of service and do something good,” Rebecca said of her decision to head east. “The program’s about helping urban kids, giving them opportunities, making sure the kids have hope and confidence and someone in their corner. How could I turn that down?” Rebecca was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but grew up in Mt. Shasta, California, where her father was an engineer and her mother was active in politics. It’s a small town just nine miles from the summit of its namesake, the 14,162-foot peak whose beauty was so great that John Muir, recalling his first sighting, wrote, “I was fifty miles away and afoot, alone and weary. Yet all my blood turned to wine, and I have not been weary since.” “It was a wonderful place to grow up,” Rebecca recalled of her childhood in Mt. Shasta. “I played outside, I rode my bike, I read voraciously. It was a winter wonderland, it was a summer wonderland. You could go outside and not be scared. Well, there were bears and cougars, so you had to be careful. But it was really idyllic.” Rebecca lived, studied, and worked—teaching, bartending, reporting, translating—in Russia during four stints that totaled two years. During one visit home, she enrolled in PSU’s Russian language program, but left and returned to Russia. She then made pit stops in Norway and England before returning to the United States. She settled in San Francisco and enrolled at San Francisco State, where she earned degrees in Russian and international relations and was named Most Outstanding Student in the international relations department. As we begin a new academic year, it's appropriate to thank Dawn White for her two years of service to RAPS as copresident. Her energy, insight, enthusiasm, and commitment benefited RAPS tremendously and made serving with her a pleasure. Thank you, Dawn! —D. S. Rebecca Butterworth
David Krug elected to term as RAPS Co-President Scholarship Committee selects tour options for 2019-20 CONTINUING THE collaborative partnership of RAPS and Collette Tours, the Scholarship Committee has identified trips for the next two years. The Best of Eastern Canada tour, September 3-10, 2019, will visit Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, Rockport, and Toronto, and end with a Canada-side boat trip at Niagara Falls. Eastern Canada brochures, with prices, will be available by our September general meeting. 3 PSU football tickets available for RAPS members PSU FOOTBALL FANS: Complimentary tickets to Portland State’s first game of the year at Providence Park – Saturday, October 13 – have been donated by the PSU Athletic Department for RAPS members. The Viks go up against the Bears of the University of Northern Colorado in Providence Park, 1844 SW Morrison St. DAVID KRUG, professor emeritus of education, is returning for another turn at the helm of RAPS. Dave was elected to a two-year term as co-president in spring. He will serve with Doug Swanson, who is beginning the second year of his term. Dave previously served RAPS as president and treasurer. He received the RAPS Outstanding Retired Faculty Award at the President’s Annual Gathering for Retired Faculty and Staff in 2014. Dave has a long history with Portland State. He enrolled in fall 1963, following four years in the U.S. Air Force. After graduating with a master’s in special education in 1968, Dave taught in programs for students with emotional challenges until 1970, when he entered the University of Washington’s special education program. He completed a Ph.D. in 1972 and began work in the PSU Department of Special Education the following fall. During a 27-year career in the PSU Graduate School of Education, Dave served as department chair for three years, associate dean for 12 years, and interim dean for one year. He also served on the board of Autism Research and Resources of Oregon and the Edwards Center, a local nonprofit that provides services to adults with disabilities. Following retirement in 1999, Dave worked for 10 years on the Oregon autism research study as a psychometric researcher. He currently works one day a week building homes for Habitat for Humanity. David Krug received the 2014 RAPS Outstanding Retired Faculty Award. —Photograph by Larry Sawyer The 10-day Sunny Portugal trip, in September 2020, starts and ends in Lisbon and visits many of the other cities on the mainland. There is an option of a four-night extension to the island of Madeira. The itinerary of both trips can be viewed at www.gocollette.com. —Larry Sawyer RAPS will be given 20 tickets to distribute to members on a first-come, first-served basis. The maximum per person is two tickets. Please call 503-725-3447 or email the RAPS office (rapsmail@pdx.edu), leaving your name and contact information. You will be notified when the tickets are available for pickup.
In memoriam: Evelyn I. Crowell, 1936-2017 EVELYN (EVIE) CROWELL, an associate professor who served Portland State for 30 years as the University’s interlibrary loan librarian and coordinator of library services to off-campus sites, died June 5, 2017. She was 81 years old. Professor Crowell was born in Saginaw, Michigan, on March 17, 1936, the second child of Cedric Crowell, Sr., and Elva (TuckerCrowell) Bagley. In 1942 the family, along with Mr. Crowell’s brother and father, moved to Portland to work in the war industries. Professor Crowell graduated from Girls Polytechnic High School, which in 1967 became James Monroe High School. In 1959 she received a bachelor’s degree from Portland State and in 1961 she completed a master’s in librarianship at the University of Washington. She joined Portland State in 1972 and retired in 2002. She also served Fisk University and Linfield College. Her uncle, Albert Crowell, Jr., was a profound influence. When Professor Crowell was 12 years old, her father died, and her uncle stepped forward to become her guardian. He sacrificed to ensure that his niece could attend Portland State, and he also encouraged her to save money. Professor Crowell honored her uncle with the Albert Crowell, Jr., Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded to PSU students who exhibit a deep understanding and appreciation of African American culture and experience. She was an avid supporter of Portland State opera and theater productions, and established the Evelyn I. Crowell Endowed Opera Scholarship and the Evelyn I. Crowell Theater and Film Scholarship. Her passion for education was also reflected in the Evelyn Crowell Scholarship at Portland Community College, as well as annual and endowed scholarships for students enrolled in technical programs at PCC’s Swan Island Trades Center. She also established the Evelyn Crowell Endowed Scholarship at the University of Portland. In addition, PCC’s Cascade Center library in North Portland is home to the Evelyn Crowell Center for African American Community History. Professor Crowell had deep roots in North Portland, where she raised her son, Russell, and daughter, Kymberlee. She was active in the community and served on many boards, including the Portland School Board, Oregon State Library Board of Trustees, and the boards of Portland Center Stage and Oregon Symphony. She was the first African American board president of the YWCA of Greater Portland and was an active member of The Links, a volunteer service organization of nearly 15,000 professional women of color, and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Professor Crowell was preceded in death by her parents; her uncle, Albert; and her half-sister, Roxie (Bagley) Clemons. She is survived by her two children, Russell Crowell, of Mill Creek, Washington, and Kymberlee Crowell, of Portland; her brother, Cedric Crowell, Jr., of Portland; many nieces and nephews; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. The family requests remembrances to the American Cancer Society. —Doug Swanson 4
5 In memoriam: Rebecca Ann (Wolcott) Hein, 1957-2018 Rebecca Hein, who served the Portland State University Foundation as its chief financial officer, died in Portland on June 4 after battling cancer for more than 15 years. She was 60 years old. Ms. Hein was born in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, on October 24, 1957. After earning a degree in English from Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, she moved to Oregon in 1979. She worked for a time with the U.S. Forest Service at Mt. Hood before earning a post-graduate certificate in accounting from Portland State. Ms. Hein earned her CPA certification while an auditor with Coopers & Lybrand in Portland and later held top financial positions with a number of nonprofit organizations. She was twice the CFO of the PSU Foundation, from 1988 to 1993 and again from 2007 to 2015. She was also a financial officer with the Portland Rose Festival and the city of Silverton, as well as a member of the Oregon Association of CPAs and of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. Ms. Hein also worked as a private consultant with several organizations, including the Portland Community College Foundation, Pittock Mansion, Central Catholic High School, the Hillsdale Farmers Market, and others. She was a dedicated volunteer with social and educational programs, including Tryon Creek State Park and Start Making A Reader Today, where she enjoyed sharing her love of reading with elementary school children. Ms. Hein and her dog, Jackson, were well known in her Southwest Portland neighborhood, making friends with families, preschool children, and pets during their daily walks. She enjoyed gardening, travel, golf, music, yoga, fine food and wine, and socializing with friends. Ms. Hein was preceded in death by her mother, Myra Wolcott, and her sister, Darlene Marie Castile. Immediate survivors include her husband of 28 years, Clarence; her stepchildren, Matthew (Casey Quinlan) and Susan; her father, Roger Wolcott; and her brothers, Clinton Wolcott (Nancy Brucks) and Jody Wolcott; as well as many extended family members, colleagues, and friends. Her family is grateful for the caring support of the professionals at Compass Oncology and Providence Hospice. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Oregon Humane Society https://www.oregonhumane.org/donate/donation-options/ or the Deborah Murdock Scholarship at Portland State University Foundation http://www.psuf.org/how-give. A memorial gathering is scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m., Saturday, July 7, at the Simon Benson House on the Portland State campus. An online guestbook is available at www.oregonlive.com/obits. —Doug Swanson
RAPS Group Reports Book Group THE BOOK GROUP met on May 15 at Brian Lewis’s home and discussed Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right by Arlie Russell Hochschild. The book is a sociologist’s exploration of the territory of the far right—in this instance Southern Louisiana. It won several awards in 2016. It was indeed a fascinating book, as the author explored the paradox of residents of a very poor part of the country wishing to defeat the very programs that would make their lives more comfortable. On June 19 we met at the home of Joan Shireman and discussed Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward. Winner of numerous awards, it is a beautifully crafted book exploring the life of a young family today in Mississippi. It is rich in history and in examining the issues that make life hard for an African American family in the Deep South. We all liked the book, and were deeply moved by parts of it. The book is fascinating and disturbing, and lent itself to a thoughtful discussion. On July 17 we will leave the Deep South and discuss Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson. The book examines the nature of space and time in a more scientific manner than the mystical examination in our June book. We will meet at the home of Nancy Chapman. Our summer reading ends with Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann. We will meet on August 21 at the home of Marge Terdal, perhaps at her beach home. The Book Group meets the third Tuesday of every month at 1:30 pm. New members are always welcome. —Joan Shireman Bridge Group THE RAPS BRIDGE GROUPmeets in the afternoon on the first Tuesday of each month. We begin play at 12:15 pm. We try to finish up by 4 pm. We meet in Smith Center, on the second floor. Please mark your calendars for the following upcoming summer meetings: Tuesday, July 3, in SMSU 258 Tuesday, August 7, in SMSU 258 Tuesday, September 4, in SMSU 258 I will send out the reminder email notice about one week prior to each date we play. The RAPS Bridge Group members are very friendly and are always looking for new players. If you wish to join us, please contact Steve Brennan, 503-646-6297. My email address is the.steve.brennan@gmail.com. —Steve Brennan Hiking Group OUR HIKE ON JULY 24 will be at Cascade Head, listed in William Sullivan's 100 Oregon Coast Hikes. We will be taking the moderate 4.2-mile option with a 1,200-foot elevation gain. We will carpool from our West location at the Cedar Hills Shopping Center by the DMV office at 9 am, and will take sack lunches. The August 28 hike will be along the Lewis River in Washington. Two possible hikes are being considered: the Lewis River falls section or the Lucia/Moulton section. This will also be a carpool hike, with sack lunches. Meet at the Safeway parking lot, which is just on the Oregon side of the Interstate Bridge at 8:30 am. The June 26 hike was the Trillium Lake loop, a gravel paved trail 1.7 miles long with great views of Mt. Hood. If you plan to hike in either July or August contact Larry Sawyer at 503-771-1616 or larry_sawyer@comcast.net. For more details about these hikes or future hiking plans in 2018, please consult the RAPS hikers’ website: https://www.pdx.edu/raps/RAPS-Hikers —Larry Sawyer In May, RAPS Hiking Group members explored parts of the Camassia Natural Area near West Linn. Hiker Tom Dieterich added to his collection of wildflower photographs along the way. —-Photograph by Larry Sawyer 6
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