February 2008
Why did you join the Phi Kappa Sigma?
As with all incoming freshmen, fraternities were new and exciting to me. I became friends with a dorm mate who majored in fraternity parties and tagged along as he shuttled among at least 3-6 fraternities every weekend, two of which were Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Phi Kappa Sigma. I couldn’t afford, grade-wise, to keep up Frank H’s pace (he became a Phi Delt but flunked out early), so I began to think critically about whether, and who with, I might be interested in fraternity life. I felt increasingly more at ease meeting and talking with the Phi Kap Brothers at weekend parties. By the time I got a call from my sponsor Guy Tirabassi ’57, I was convinced Psi Chapter was the fraternity for me. It was one of the best decisions I ever made!
What was your favorite memory at Phi Kappa Sigma?
There were so many! I don’t think any “one” stands out. Obviously, the big weekend and theme parties; e.g., Homecoming with the “The Rockets,” aka “the Penn’s Men,” “Suppressed Desire,” “Bacchanal,” and “Pledge Class Formal” were all memorable events. The “Big Red” leather couch in the darkened lounge on weekends was prime, first-come, first-serve territory. “Abby’s Cleaners,” the dry cleaning concession that I inherited from Chuck Yarbrough ’57 paid for some dates. Jon Hoffman’s ’63 car out back had no wheels but was a well-used icon of merriment anyway. I recall the fun we had as pledges, carrying from the dining room a particularly obnoxious Brother, next door to Kappa Sigma in exchange for a dessert for the Alpha. If there were a frequency count, Dave Powell ’57 would have owned the record! Another fond memory was the hours of uninterrupted sleep in the freshman dorms that I got during “Hell Week,” as I had two, three-hour labs nicely spaced that let out early that week and, of course, the scavenger hunt our pledge class went on during “Hell Week” with every pledge returning on time with their “objects!” That week did have “redeeming value” back in its day in that we visited other Phi Kap chapters over the weekend. I had the pleasure of visiting our Ohio University chapter in Athens, OH and returned with some required undergarment finery courtesy of their Homecoming Queen and the Delta Upsilon flag of its local chapter, which we “borrowed.”
But on a more serious note, I remember fondly the team spirit and pride we all had in participating and cheering on Brothers in athletic intramurals, the IFC chorus competition, and the patience of Bob Betts ’57, our choral director, putting up with a bunch of reticent, monotone choristers attempting to sing “The Wiffenpoof Song” and the Phi Kap “pinning” serenades outside the women’s dorms, and the snack concessionaire arriving after mandatory study time. Those mandatory study hours and blue book files got many of us through difficult courses when we absolutely had to make the GPA minimums.
What influence has being a part of a fraternity had on your life?
I think the experience of brotherhood was part of a maturation process that, through the support of friendships and challenges that most of us faced academically, we came out self-confident about our abilities (and limitations) which helped us to prepare for the future. Looking back, I’d say it was the most treasured personal experience of college.
With whom do you stay in contact?
For almost 35 years, not many, except for an occasional Homecoming Weekend and the “100 Years” celebration. After graduation, and just several months of employment with U.S. Steel in Dravosburg, PA, I entered active duty with the Air Force as an ROTC graduate. After getting a Master’s Degree, courtesy of the Air Force, I decided to make it a career since I finally fell into what I really wanted to do and felt I was trained to do, which was human factors engineering design of new aircrew systems (served a total of 13 years in the design and development of the B-1 bomber and flight simulators). As a consequence, I moved around seven times in 20 years of service and really didn’t keep in contact other than with Jack Lobue ’59 as we had one common Air Force assignment together. However, when Sam Curry ’62 came up with his reunion idea several years ago, that event renewed contacts with more than a few Brothers. We communicate through e-mail primarily, and I look forward to winter visits from Jake Shook ’58 and Gip Bonar ’59 here in southwest Florida.
Tell us about your family.
In 1962, after returning from a Strategic Air Command (SAC) rotation in Spain, I decided I was nearly broke and needed to start a savings plan in preparation for exiting the Air Force. At the time, I was assigned to a SAC base in Oklahoma. Part of the plan was to quit expensive dating in Dallas. So I started looking around for local talent and met my wife, Carolyn, who was a senior at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Weatherford, OK. We married on 2 June 1963 and have been together for 44 years. Carolyn continued her education (Ed.D.) and is now an adjunct dissertation advisor and faculty member of Nova Southeaster n University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. We have two sons; Chet III (43) who is an Army Colonel, an M.D., and Chief of Anesthesiology & Operative Services at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Wash. DC, and Erich (40) who is a district marketing director for Promontory Interfinancial Network, L.L.C. We have six beautiful grandchildren who we love to spoil!
What other activities or organizations were you involved with during your college days?
I suppose I was wrapped up with fraternity activities for the most part. I spent a couple of years with the AFROTC Silent Drill Team. Later on, I joined the Arnold Air Society (AAS) and became the Area “C” Commander for schools with AAS chapters in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. I was initiated into PSI CHI, a Psychology honorary, but was never really active.
Did you have a nickname in college? If so, how did your get it?
Yes! “Weidenjammer!” I think that was invented by Noel “Roundman” Decavalcante ’59, but I don’t remember the circumstances that led to that nickname.
Did you live at the house? If so, who were your roommates? Tell us a memorable time with them.
Yes! For three years. Some of my roommates were Skip Toddes ’57, Dick “Lindum” Lindfors ’55, Jack Lobue ’59, and Gip Bonar ’59 when we were in the Pope’s Suite. Memorable events? Hmmmm, I do remember some practical jokes on pledges but not suitable for publication.
What affiliations do you currently have and/or public service do you participate in?
I am currently President of the Penn State Alumni Association – Ft. Myers Chapter. As for public service, I serve on occasion in various capacities with our two homeowners associations, one here in Burnt Store Marina (Redfish Cove), Punta Gorda, FL and the other – Fountainhead in Fairfax Station, VA, which is our summer home. Other than those two, I enjoy being totally retired!
What hobbies do you enjoy?
I still love hitting golf balls into water hazards or sand traps, and racing sailboats on Sundays and Mondays. It’s all at the club racing level, so while it’s intense and very competitive, we can still throw down a few post-race brewskis with the opponents and tell “shoulda, coulda, woulda” tales.
What are your goals for the next few years?
I suppose to maintain good health and enjoy our grandchildren.
What are your thoughts about the possible return to campus of Phi Kappa Sigma?
I think it’s about time for re-colonization to commence. I remember when my son, Erich, who went to Penn State in the eighties and was rushed by Psi Chapter, told me that some of the Brothers there were druggies and, consequently, pledged Pi Kappa Alpha. I was very disappointed, but I understand that many fraternities had problems during that era.
Are you still involved with Phi Kappa Sigma? If so, how are you involved and why do you continue to support the fraternity?
Yes, to some extent. From April 1988 to June 1998, I volunteered to be the Chapter Advisor of the new Gamma Xi Chapter at George Mason University, Fairfax, VA. There were rumors of drug and alcohol problems there as well, but good sense prevailed and the chapter went on to earn excellent GPA scores and led the way to encourage “dry rush,” which I think is still university policy. Unfortunately, things went south after I left and that chapter, thanks to a very strong alumni group, has reconstituted the undergraduates and are re-colonizing. I continue to support the fraternity because I still believe in its objectives, as nicely articulated in this month’s Skull House Newsletter: “TRUST, HONOR, RESPECT, KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM, RESPONSIBILITY, and INTEGRITY.” Presently, I’m trying to track down “lost” PSI Chapter Phi Kaps via the Internet and the Penn State Alumni Association.
Why and how should other alumni get involved and support the re-colonization process?
I responded to Otto Grupp’s ’51 call for assistance but I think the younger Phi Kaps will have a better opportunity to relate to today’s new initiates. One of my more difficult experiences as Chapter Advisor was the realization that what I considered as honorable social behavior was now fundamentally extinct, and it was I who had to change in order for the George Mason under-graduates to comprehend what I was attempting to convey. However, appropriate behaviors tend to evolve positively over time. I’m always pleased to see a successful Gamma Xi graduate who tells me that what I had to say then did make sense later and he is now appreciative of my advice.
