Good times on the golf course

Despite losing numerous golf balls in the alligator-occupied water hazards and tarantula-filled mangroves, Kelly Boyd and Linda Weiss, MSW ‘90, from left in picture, recently enjoyed a fun round of golf at the Cozumel Country Club in Mexico, according to Boyd. Of the friends’ Mexico “tropical getaway,” Boyd said, “Most of [my] time was spent lounging on the beach. Linda’s was spent scuba diving and earning her advanced certification.”

Historic EXPLORERS expedition

This hardy group of mountain climbers, at right, consisted of the first-ever UI alumni to ascend Mount Kilimanjaro on an EXPLORERS trip. Here they stand at the mountain’s summit, 19,341 feet in the air, happily and proudly displaying the EXPLORERS flag.

Reunion of bassoonists and beyond

It was a reunion of UI bassoonists when Linda Pritchard Muse ’87 FAA, Laura Koutsky Anderson ’87 FAA and Jennifer Youngdahl Griffin ’85 FAA, MS ’88 FAA, met up with their former bassoon professor, Sanford Berry, on Hilton Head Island. Spouses and children came along as well, making it a fun-filled vacation, according to Muse.

“High tide and poolside were great places to catch up on what everyone has been doing, along with wonderful restaurants!” Muse said.

Front row: from left, Noah Anderson, Sanford Berry, Justin Muse; second row: Betty Berry, Jennifer Youngdahl Griffin, Jordan Anderson, Jeremy Muse, Linda Pritchard Muse, Bill Muse ’87 LAS; back row: Jeff Griffin, Laura Koutsky Anderson, Bryant Anderson ’87 FAA.

Million dollar moon shot

Robert Wolinski Jr., a UI senior in the College of Engineering, didn’t let a frigid night stop him from capturing a shot of a full moon high above Altgeld Hall, seen at right. Wolinski, in fact, said he couldn’t possibly pass up the chance to capture the sublime winter moment.

“The worst part was holding the camera still enough, in the low light, while my hands were shivering,” said Wolinski, who added that he thought the photo perfectly displayed the elegance and history of the University.

Parade picture

The Later family members were walking up and down Orange Grove Boulevard during the Jan. 1, 2008, Rose Bowl parade, taking in all the floats, when they came across the Illini cheerleaders and band. Not wanting to miss a golden opportunity, fourth-grader Phil Later, son of Jeffery Later, had his picture taken with the UI cheerleaders (at left).

“We all thought Phil was very lucky…to be surrounded by such a stunning group of women,” said Phil’s aunt, Bridget Later Lamont, MS ’72 LIS, who was nice enough to provide the Laters with a “glitzy orange and blue Illini hat” and Illini binoculars for the game. 

Smiles aplenty 

Dr. Lucy Bierbrauer Conner ’64 LAS, EDM ’66, at right, looks to be enjoying her soon-to-be ride as much as the smiling camel she’s on. Conner, a retired teacher, was waiting to tour Qumran in southern Israel, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. While in Israel, the Wood River, Ill., resident also visited Kfar Nokdim Bedouin camp, took a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and hiked a Massada trail.

Illini alum at the top

Florida resident David Watkins ’78 VM, DVM ‘80, at left, proudly displays his Illinois flag at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro on Sept. 22, 2007. He and his traveling companions reached the top of Africa’s highest mountain by dawn that day, and according to David: “The stars were so bright and looked so close, it felt like you could grab them…when the sun rose at 19,400 feet, it highlighted the visual curvature of the Earth. It was quite an amazing experience.”

Fan-friendly responses

Several of the iconic Moai stone statues that have made Easter Island (Rapa Nui) such a well-known archeological site stand in the background of Robert ’71 LAS and Dorothy McDonald ’71 ACES of Strongsville, Ohio. On their return flight home from Chile, the couple was amazed at the responses that Robert’s Illinois T-shirt generated.

“A customs agent, a pilot and other travelers called out ‘Fighting Illini’ or ‘I-L-L’ and waited for our ‘I-N-I’ response!” said Dorothy.

Illini pride in Pasadena  

Imagine the delight that Joan D. Whitmore ’54 LAS must have felt upon seeing her four grandchildren decked out in Illini garb on her Pasadena doorstep, the morning of the Jan. 1, 2008, Rose Bowl. It was Whitmore’s daughter, a UCLA graduate, who surprised her mom by presenting, from left, Claire Whitmore, 3, Jack Whitmore, 5, Grace Buchen, 5, and Jake Buchen, 7, in the Illini apparel.  

Like all Illini fans, Whitmore was disappointed in the result of the Illinois-USC game, but she felt overjoyed to have an orange-and-blue presence in Pasadena.

Close UI friends reconvene for Far East trip

Climbing part of the Great Wall of China was just one Far East adventure for this group of UI fans – from left, Lynda N. Byrd ’62 LAS, Earl N. Collymore, Aretas G. Collymore, MS ’77 AHS, and Myra J. Mattress – who spent three weeks traveling to locations like Vietnam, Taiwan and Japan, just to name a few.

The foursome, posing at the Great Wall, at right, possess strong ties: Lynda and Aretas met as kindergarten classmates and have been friends ever since; Earl and Aretas met at Navy Pier in 1958 and were married in 1961; and Myra and Lynda were roommates at Allen Hall in the early 1960s.

Oatmeal and sunshine help UI alumna stay young      

Eating oatmeal and living in a warm location is the secret to a long and satisfying life, at least according to 102-year-old Edith Ribordy ’27 LAS (at left with Ladd Roberts, director of her assisted-living home). Edith was born in Chicago, raised five daughters and one son with husband Thomas Reynolds ’28 ENG and lived in eight different states.

At a time when it wasn’t common for women to attend college, Edith made sure each of her daughters attained a college degree. She also urged her children to become politically active. Edith herself served as president of various chapters of the League of Women, and the California native recently registered to vote for the 2008 presidential election.

These days Edith remains active by reading the paper every day, participating in music and exercise classes, attending church and following Tiger Woods’ every move on the golf course. Read more about Edith and her tips for staying young.       

“Sweet” UI soiree

More than 40 UI alumni attended the wedding for William Thomas Macfadden ’05 ENG and Kilby Grace Cantwell ’04 LAS, so it was only natural that a great deal of orange-and-blue spirit was a part of the celebration. Any Illini fan with a sweet tooth would appreciate the groom’s cake: it was orange and blue, and appropriately shaped like an “I.”

Datu Ramel Photography

Perfect proposal

A slight ruse by Justin Houch, a UI senior in the College of Business, drew his girlfriend of four and a half years, Jenny Coulter, also a UI senior, to the Alice Campbell Alumni Center, where he proposed to her on the second-floor balcony. Standing atop the balcony, Jenny was treated to a view of Christmas lights that read “Will you marry me?” within the waterless fountain below. 

“Shortly after she said yes, it started to snow and it was the perfect night,” said Justin.