It is hard to believe it has been 50 years since we graduated

After graduation from IWU I got my PhD in Biochemistry from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.  I then did a 2 year post-doctoral fellowship at the University Of Alabama School Of Medicine in Birmingham.  After which I remained on the Department of Microbiology faculty for 4 years.  Louisiana State University opened a new Medical School in Shreveport in 1975 and I moved my lab there in 1976.  After 33 years at LSUS Medical School doing immunology and cancer research, teaching, and ‘raising’ graduate students I retired as Professor Emeritus from the Department of Microbiology in 2009 but still live in Shreveport.

Since retiring Becky and I travel extensively in our RV, kayak – somewhat calmer rivers now as a deference to age, and do some wind surfing – again deferring to somewhat less intense winds.

Mike Wolcott
6144 S. Lakeshore Drive
Shreveport, LA 71119

Cell Phone: 318-458-6073
email: mwolco@yahoo.com

I left Illinois after graduation and headed for Southern California where I began my nursing career in a local hospital working nights, of course.  I married, spent a few years in Ohio, had a daughter, and then returned to Long Beach, CA.   My nursing career covered 40 years of full time work which included supervisory roles in hospitals, managing clinic operations, and 14 years working for the military health care contractors, managing offices in local military bases. I received my Masters in Health Care Administration from the University of Laverne.  In 1981 I joined the Army National Guard and served over 20 years in the National Guard and Army Reserve retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.   Milt and I have been married for 24 years and collectively we have 3 children and 2 grandchildren.  I am currently active in my community, church and a number of veteran organizations. I enjoy traveling, reading, spending time with grandchildren and going to hockey games routing for the Anaheim Ducks.

Marilyn Diehl has some memories she would like to share with you:

“After receiving my Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Illinois Wesleyan in 1965, I enrolled in graduate school at University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. I received my Master’s degree in Zoology, specializing in genetics and embryology, in 1967. Following graduation I took a job as a medical research technician in the infectious diseases department at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. Encouraged by my father, Lester Schniepp (IWU class of 1931 and PhD in Chemistry from University of Illinois), I enrolled in graduate school at University of Illinois in 1969 to study toward a PhD. After one semester I decided I did not want to pursue a PhD and took a job as a genetic toxicologist with Abbott Laboratories pharmaceutical company in North Chicago, IL. My responsibilities involved testing new candidate pharmaceuticals very early in development for potential to cause gene mutations and chromosome damage using bacterial culture and mammalian cell culture test systems and animal models. My career with Abbott spanned 41 years from 1969 until my retirement in December 2010.

In my single years I purchased my own house in Waukegan, IL, and became involved in vegetable and flower gardening. I took up hiking, bicycling, downhill skiing, cross country skiing and training and showing my Sheltie dogs in obedience. In 1984 I married Ron Diehl, a chemical project engineer at Abbott Laboratories. Our son Michael was born in 1988. We moved to Libertyville, IL, and I became engrossed in the many activities of working full-time and raising a child through pre-school, grade school, junior high, high school and college. Our son Mike is a cardiology nurse at University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City and is the proud father of our granddaughter Mackenzie, born in 2008.

Ron and I both retired from Abbott in December 2010. We moved to a house on a small lake in Lindenhurst, IL. We love retirement. We are active in the Abbott Retiree Club and have gone on 3 cruises since we retired. I spend time gardening, reading and exercising at a gym. After double knee replacement surgery in 2012, I am again active in hiking, bicycling and cross country skiing and I enjoy taking my paddle boat out on the lake behind our house. I am involved in dog training and showing with my Shelties in obedience and agility. “

Linda Cummens has shared her memories with you after graduating from IWU:

“I am interested in knowing what is going on with alumni, but we would not travel to the reunion since neither of us has truly retired. I married John Cummens ’65 and he still does consulting and works as a business manager for the Eugene Opera as a volunteer trying to keep it afloat.

I write mysteries, Haiku and kids and young adult novels and still volunteer teach on occasion. I still haven’t found an agent . . . and that is nearly a full time job along with constant writing.

I also take photos at opera events and play bass recorder in three musical groups. We do free gigs.

Recently we had robbers break into the house and take a couple hundred artworks in a systematic way. They packed cabinets and book shelves like movers apparently to empty the house (thought we were on vacation) so it is a challenge to put things back together. We are missing important book collections, cameras, photos and antique books etc. And how I miss my MAC laptop and backup. The robbers are professionals who have spotters and people who watch to warn them if the owners return. They are also armed and were still in our house when we returned. Someone told us they are gang members. We were only out for the day, but obviously they thought we were on vacation. Our house is armed on a wired system now. We tried the non-wired system, but it failed three times. I wish we could warn people about what happened with “Trust in God, but tie up your camel,” as an old Arab saying goes. Boards in the sliding doors nearly stopped them until they were able to rip the metal hinge loose and warp the frame to lift the sliding door over the one inch high section of wood to get inside.”

Cathy Carswell ’65 has shared some memories with you of her life after graduating from Illinois Wesleyan:

“I will start my personal story with sad news. I married the love of my life in 1973 – Bruce Carswell. This was both of our 2nd marriages and we had 38 years of a “dream life.” Bruce was an corporate executive with GTE (now Verizon) and retired in 1995. We loved to travel, play golf, visit our friends and family and just be together. Bruce encouraged me to pursue my Kappa goals and also was very supportive of my participation on IWU’s Board Of Trustees. I continue to serve and am also a member of the Executive Committee. It has been a fascinating and rewarding experience for me as well as a great honor.
Five years ago, Bruce experienced a terrible fall and broke his neck. While he made an amazing recovery, a staph bloom was taking up residence on his mitral valve. I will spare you the details of our journey, but sadly report that he passed away on October 13, 2014. It was expected and I truly believe that he is in a far better place now that he is out of pain and discomfort. I miss him terribly, but rejoice in the memories of a perfect marriage.

I am completely “retired” from Kappa as of 2000. I was Fraternity President from 1996-2000 – the honor of a lifetime for me. I made so many good friends, had the opportunity to visit many of our wonderful active chapters, alumnae associations, and make friends in the Panhellenic world. Since I visit the IWU campus 3 times a year, I often pay the Epsilon chapter a visit. They are wonderful young women and I am so proud of them!

I have only one son, Matt, born in 1973. He lives in Santa Fe, NM and is single. He has started a new company with a partner and maybe when it gets more established, he will settle down and have a family. One can always dream!”