It's been a busy winter for us with alumni visitors from across the country, alumni gatherings in California, Washington, and Colorado, our annual fundraising event
Blast!, and the passing of a very important man in the Harley community,
Mr. Matson "Bud" Ewell '40.
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In Memoriam
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Bud was a member of Harley's class of 1940. After graduating, he served as a navigator on a bomber in the European theater during WWII, flying 99 missions and earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. After his time in the service, he attended St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland where he studied under the
Great Books Program
, a curriculum consisting of "
books
that are thought to constitute an essential foundation in the
literature
of Western Culture."
Bud began teaching mathematics and science at The Harley School in 1952. He became Head of the Lower School, serving in that role from 1959-1963. Bud then taught in the Middle School and served as Head of the Middle School from 1964-1980. Bud loved working with his hands and taught many students woodworking--some may remember the boat project.
In his later years, Bud, and his wife, Ruth, Headmaster's Secretary and Registrar from 1960-1980 and a member of the College Counseling office from 1980-1986, were staples at the School, attending events and especially Reunion where they were beloved by his many former students.
Bud loved the School and wanted to give back as much as he could. When he and Ruth were moving to an assisted living facility, they sold their house and donated the proceeds to the School to help build the "Barn" (The Commons). Bud donated tools to the "makers space" in The Commons (affectionately called "Bud's Basement.") There you'll find a bookshelf he made along with some of his favorite books.
Bud will be missed by many. The family has asked that gifts in memory of Bud be directed to The Harley School.
If you wish to contact Bud's family:
Ruth Ewell, Fairport Baptist Home, 4646 Nine Mile Point Road, Fairport, NY 14450
Peter Ewell '66, 2545 Balsam Drive, Boulder, CO 80304
Jay Ewell '70, 8690 Wagner Hill Road, Avoca, NY 14809
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Memories of Bud Ewell
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When we shared the passing of
Bud Ewell with the alumni and former faculty community, we received many, many messages via email and on The Harley School Alumni Facebook page. Below are just a few:
Dexter Lewis, Headmaster 1977-1982:
I cannot think of Harley without thinking of Bud.
He was so much the spirit of the school, its essence.
I came to Harley as headmaster, following Steve Hinrichs, a
well deserved legend. As I struggled to deal with a new
environment and find my way, Bud took me aside and provided
the most wonderful guidance and support. He encouraged me
to just be myself and drop any comparisons. His support in
those early days was so genuine and I have always been grateful.
Bud loved Harley and Harley loved him. He had that special
understanding of the school's ethos and lived it. His cheerful,
upbeat manner, enormous enthusiasm and caring manner was a
model for all of us. To me, he will forever be "Mr. Harley."
Doug Gilbert '87:
I think if ever there has been a Mrs. and Mr. Harley, the Ewells are it. Bud taught everything over the years, while Ruth and Helen Soanes ran the place (administratively, that is).
Bud was my shop teacher. Using only hand tools, I made a bookshelf for my mom (never stood quite straight, but no fault of Bud's) and I still have a plaque in my classroom I made in his class from wood from the old building. He and Ron Richardson salvaged wood from the building before it was torn down.
I remember talking with an alum during a reunion. This alum used arm braces or a wheelchair to get around when he attended Harley. The old building had no elevator, so he had a lot of trouble getting downstairs to the cafeteria (which was roughly where the Centrum is, if I recall). Bud would go down and get food for both of them, bring it up, and the two of them would sit and eat lunch together in a classroom. That was Bud in a nutshell. He was one of the great ones.
Lori Paul, wife of Rob Staehle '73:
I only knew Bud Ewell in his advanced age during prior visits to The Harley School and Rochester; however, he was a significant part of Rob's education and life in years past, as well as a prominent part of Harley history. Bud lived a full and useful life, which is all any of us can hope to leave as our legacy.
I recall Bud's hospitality when I met him for the first time. He gave Rob and I a beautiful, woven lap blanket in forest green and white, decorated with the Harley logo and all the class banners (including Rob's 1973 griffin). Bud made that gift with the caveat that Rob and I "remain married" to one another, a challenge we accepted. With Bud's passing, that blanket will have even more meaning and memories for us.
Our hearts go out to Bud's beloved Ruth and his entire family.
Bill Dalton remembered Bud on the soccer field: Bud would be running up and down the field the whole game, cheering on the players and giving encouragement to all. I will miss Bud's strong, gentle, and loving demeanor. Bud made my life special.
Laura Bales Barrows '79:
I had the pleasure of having Bud as my 7th grade social studies teacher. I remember writing about the history of Penfield and making corn husk dolls in his class, I still have my doll on the windowsill and the report! A truly talented teacher.
Nancy Brooks Phillips '84:
Mr. Ewell was a constant in my life during my time at Harley. Taking history with him in 7th grade, reading "A Light in the Forest" by Conrad Fitcher, was one of the first times I can remember thinking about living in a different culture with different customs. I appreciated his kindness and understanding. Mr. Ewell will be missed!
Pam Stoffel:
In the years that I was a teacher and Director of Theater, Bud was one I could ALWAYS count on to be in the audience with Ruth to see our latest dramatic endeavor, and he never failed to chase me down in the hall the next day to effuse about the production, the kids, and what amazing talent they had. He was an institution; in fact, he may better be described as "THE INSTITUTION" at 1981 Clover Street. Such a wonderful man and not soon to be forgotten.
Len Wilcox, mathematics teacher:
No one can lay claim to being the heart and soul of Harley the way Bud and Ruth were. Selfless, always thinking about the good of the students--they embodied what we think of as the spirit of the school. Never to be replaced, they will be sorely missed, as part of the community and as good friends.
Max Carithers '05: He came back and taught woodworking club when I was in Middle School. It only lasted for a few months, but he taught me a lot about proper safety, and planning. What a nice, patient man.
Paul Dalton '85: Bud was Harley to me.
Kirsten Allen Reader '90:
He and his wife are forever a part of the fabric of Harley. I was able to enjoy having him as a shop teacher, but that was nothing compared to how we have all benefited from the Ewells' dedication to our community in helping to define what Harley means as an educational institution filled with love, support, empathy, and excellence.
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Rob Staehle '73 visit
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We had an outstanding visit with
Rob Staehle '73 and his wife Lori Paul in February.
Terry Fonda Smith, Head of the Lower School, covered the visit nicely in her
Commons blog:
"Harley was honored to welcome back an outstanding graduate as our third formal Commons Speaker in February.
Robert Staehle '73 and his wife, Lori Paul, flew into Rochester this week from their home in California to work with our students and faculty, and for Rob to present to the broader community as a Commons Speaker. Their time at Harley on Tuesday and Wednesday was evenly split between the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools, as we tried to get as much contact time with the students scheduled as possible in our new model of mini-residencies with our Commons speakers. Robert Staehle works for JPL (
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory) and was the primary driving force behind NASA's New Horizon mission to Pluto.
At the evening presentation, Staehle linked his career path in aerospace back to his time at Harley when he pursued an independent study to get out of six weeks of Physics class. While he knew from an early age that he wanted to be involved in space, it was the acceptance of his experiment to be sent up to Skylab which really kicked things into high gear for him. At the Jet Propulsion Lab, Staehle was involved in many projects and missions. When he was "taunted" by a postage stamp in 1992 (Pluto-not yet explored), he took that as a personal challenge which then sparked years of pursuing a mission to Pluto. Earlier in his career, he had met Clyde Tombaugh, the man who discovered Pluto (then Planet X). There were many cutting-edge and innovative approaches which Staehle and his team used to streamline both the equipment and the budget for this Pluto mission. The spacecraft was successfully launched in 2006 and traveled for years to finally make its flyby past Pluto on July 14, 2015.
He shared some of the incredible images of the surface of Pluto and its associated satellites (its moon Charon was the only known one, but three were discovered after the launch of the spacecraft). Throughout the evening, Staehle's humble manner and straightforward delivery helped the audience grasp the magnitude of his work and the impact of the Pluto mission. Data from the two-day flyby is even now being relayed back to NASA, which will then be analyzed and digested, and will certainly drive significant research projects into the future. The capacity crowd had many questions for Staehle after the formal presentation, which he answered easily and with great insight and optimism for future space exploration."
Not only was Rob able to visit School for the week, but he was also able to meet up with former classmates at a gathering at
Peter '72 and
Deb Schaller Willsea '73's home.
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| Susan Briggs Kitchen '76, John D'Amanda '75, Donald Kitchen '70, Kathy Durfee D'Amanda '76 |
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| Charles Grammer '73, Lesa Mulligan, Jeff Mulligan '73, Kathy Kearns Frame '73, Gail McGuire, Al Soanes, and Helen Soanes |
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| Gail McGuire, Al Soanes, Helen Soanes, Kathy Kearns Frame '73, Scott Frame '73, Jeff Mulligan '73, Jim Talpey '75, Lesa Mulligan, Lori Paul, Rob Staehle '73, Deb Schaller Willsea '73, and Peter Willsea '72 |
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| Peter Holloran '71 and friend, Ellen |
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| Jim Talpey '75 (with friend Ellen) and Kathy Durfee D'Amanda '76 |
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| Rob Staehle '73, Lori Paul, Gail McGuire, Laura Morse Hayden '76, Helen and Al Soanes |
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| Dorothy D'Amanda Hayes '73, John Hayes, and Scott Frame '73 |
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| Peter Willsea '72, Rob Staehle '73, Lori Paul, Scott Frame '73, Laura Morse Hayden '76, Dorothy D'Amanda Hayes '73, and John Hayes |
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California Alumni Gatherings
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We had a wonderful time catching up with our alumni friends on the West Coast. Head of the Upper School, Larry Frye, joined Debra Weiss Walker '83, and me on our trip this year and was able to give the groups a glimpse of "Harley today."
A huge thank you to Kraig Kayser '78 for hosting us at the beautiful
City Club of San Francisco, William Martin '80, who was unable to join us that evening, but dropped off wine from his winery,
Corison Winery, for the event, and to Sarah Clowes '97 for giving us a tour earlier in the day of the Urban School, where she works as a science teacher.
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Kraig Kayser '78 and guest, Anastasia
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| Mini class of 1981 Reunion: Michael Goldman, John Morse (with the mustache!), Meg Hilgartner '81, and David Freeman '81 |
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Harmony Button '99 and
Sarah Clowes '97
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| Larry Frye, Head of the Upper School, speaking to the group |
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| Elizabeth McDonald '01, Coyne Lloyd '06, and Larry Frye |
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| Alicia Morgenberger Schober '85, Deb Weiss Walker '83, and Rick Schober |
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| The National Association of Independent Schools conference was going on in San Francisco while we were there. Former Head of the Upper School, Sue Groesbeck, ran into Elizabeth McDonald '01 |
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| Following our event, we wandered over to City Lights Bookstore and I saw that James Davidson '64's book "A Little History of the United States" was front and center in one of the displays. |
Following our trip to San Francisco, we headed out to Los Angeles. It was warm and sunny and a nice break from the Rochester winter. Heartfelt thanks to our host Bruce Brown '79 for opening up his gorgeous home in West Hollywood for this year's gathering.
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| Bruce Brown '79 and Atari |
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| Mimi Clarke '79, Kate Peck Nelson '74, and Stephen Mann '09 |
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| Greg Wolf and James Greenebaum '07 |
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| Larry Frye, Head of the Upper School, preparing to speak to the group |
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| John DeGolyer '77 and Mimi Clarke '79 |
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Kate Peck Nelson '74 and
Bruce Brown '79 |
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| James Greenebaum '07 and Stephen Mann '09 |
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| Bruce Brown '79, Armando Pizzuti, Greg Wolf, and James Greenebaum '07 |
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Washington and Colorado Alumni Gatherings
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We returned to the West Coast in March and our first stop was Seattle, Washington. We were able to fit in a lot in a short time.
Deb Weiss Walker '83
met her classmate
Mark Grinols '83
for coffee, we visited
Jane Gulick Fellows '76
at the St. Thomas School where she is a kindergarten teacher, met
Stephen Naramore '82
for lunch, and right before our event, we visited
Anne Morgan Stadler '48
. Tim '76 and Priscilla Rockwell Wiest '76 opened their beautiful home that evening to a fun group of local alumni and friends.
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| Jane Gulick Fellows '76 and Priscilla Rockwell Wiest '76 |
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| Tim Wiest '76 and Paul Handelman '84 |
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Deb Weiss Walker '83 and
Don Tesch '71 |
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| Douglas Drake '72 and Jane Gulick Fellows '76 |
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| Larry Frye addressing the group. |
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| Tim Wiest '76, Priscilla Rockwell Wiest '76, Jane Gulick Fellows '76, Don Tesch '71, Liz Rockwell Tesch '70, Beth DeWeese '75, Douglas Drake '72, Deb Weiss Walker '83, Joni Papp, and Paul Handelman '84 |
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| Deb and Anne Morgan Stadler '48 |
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| Deb and Stephen Naramore '82 |
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We ended our trip in Boulder, Colorado, with a delightful alumni gathering at the home of
Linda Hamlin Arnold '83 and her husband John. They treated the group to a delicious home cooked dinner and dessert. A huge thank you to Linda and John for the wonderful evening!
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| Kickin' it old school? Not quite. |
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| Larry Frye and Jamie Agostinelli '06 |
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| Deb Weiss Walker '83 and Linda Hamlin Arnold '83 |
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| Chris Ross-Cowdery '07, Gabe Racz '90, Melanie Walker, Linda Hamlin Arnold '83, John Arnold, Deb Weiss Walker '83, Leslie Hopeman Sheats '84, Larry Frye, and Cate Wiley '77 |
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Blast!
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We had a hugely successful Blast! this year, with over 350 people in attendance and grossing over $100,000 for the School. This year we invited
Angelique Santiago '12
to speak about her Harley experience. She did such a tremendous job that she received a standing ovation and our auctioneer, who works for a local public relations company, asked her to come and see her after the event about a job!
Thank you, Angelique, for sharing your Harley story!
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| Angelique Santiago '12 (in vest) with family and friends at Blast! |
Thank you to all of the alumni, alumni parents, and current and former faculty that attended the event, donated auction items, bought raffle tickets, and contributed to the evening. One alumni attendee
remarked that if you did not attend, you missed a great band, Something Else. Their final song of the night was "Enter Sandman" by Metallica and it brought the house down. It's amazing what you can dance to these days!
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| Anne Ghory-Goodman and Ward Ghory |
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| Richard Lange '09 and his date, Adina |
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| Marilyn Fenster and Kim Bednarcyk |
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| Debra Weiss Walker '83, Deb Schaller Willsea '73, Peter Willsea '72, Lisa Osborne Lange '74, and Les Lange |
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| Valerie Myntti and Cindy Malone |
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| The Glaze sisters: Tessa '17, Mackenzie '11, and Delaney '13 |
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| Sarah Townsend '01 and Ted Townsend '98 |
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| Renee and Adam Stetzer '88 |
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| Peter Willsea '72 and Jim Townsend '61 |
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| Joe Ellis and Laura Joslyn '83 |
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| Jay Stetzer and Maura "Sugar" Allen |
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| Marissa Malone '11 and her date, Egon |
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| Mike Sternowski, Meg Malone Sternowski '06 speaking with Maura "Sugar" Allen |
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Update on Jamir Avery '13
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Last month, the HAC boys basketball team dedicated a game for former player Jamir Avery '13, injured in a car accident last April.
The goal for the evening was to raise enough money to install a professional-level wheelchair ramp at the front of the Avery home. That evening, $6,763 was raised for the family. Thank you to everyone who participated!
A message from Marie Avery, Jamir's mom:
On behalf of my entire family we would like to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude for the entire HAC community. The love and support will never be forgotten. Jamir is so lucky to have you all in his life. God bless You All. We had a ball Friday.
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Karen Saludo, Associate Director of Development | (585) 277-1117 |
[email protected] |
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Harley is turning 100 in 2017 and we are planning a Centennial Celebration the weekend of October 14, 2017. Details coming soon!
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