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1960s Featured Legacies Featured Legacies Home Legacies

Hank DeZutter (MSJ65)

He had the street-smarts of a newsman, the whimsey of a jazz-loving poet, and a reformer’s distaste for all things unjust. Hank DeZutter, 80, died July 14, 2023, of a brain bleed after a fall days earlier in the Lincoln Park apartment he shared with wife Barbara. Hank covered protests and political unrest during the late 60s for the Chicago Daily News, winning awards including one for exposing FBI spying on activists at the U. of Illinois.

DeZutter head shot.

He helped launch the Chicago Journalism Review in response to the overly pro-police slant editors gave to violence during the ’68 Democratic Convention. Hank went on to teach writing and journalism at city colleges and Columbia in the South Loop. There he helped found Community Media Workshop, a program to help neighborhood groups get better press. Meantime, he wrote for the Chicago Reader on neighborhood issues, including a 1995 front-pager on a then-unknown Barack Obama. In spare time, he wrote books, spun poetry for the Chicago Journal, played boogie piano, and made impossibly long golf putts.

Surviving are wife Barbara Belletini Fields; her daughters Jayne Mattson and Ana Boyer Davis; sons Max (Sarah), Chris, and daughter Amanda Kotlyar (Simon); stepson Agward “Eddie” Turner; sisters Joyce (Ronnie) Mooneyham and Wendy (Steve) Callahan; and five grandchildren. Predeceased by mother Evelyn (née Dammer) and father Henri DeZutter. Gifts to Courage to Fight Gun Violence, Box 51196, Wash., DC 20091, or https://giffords.org/lawcenter/gun-laws/

Featured image courtesy of Block Club Chicago.

Block Club Chicago article about the legacy of Hank DeZutter.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/chicagotribune/name/henry-dezutter-obituary?id=35954608

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Books

Mind Game: An Inside Look at the Mental Health Playbook of Elite Athletes

Julie Kliegman (BSJ13)

“In Mind Game: An Inside Look at the Mental Health Playbook of Elite Athletes,” Julie Kliegman offers insight into how elite athletes navigate mental performance and mental illness—and what non-athletes can learn from them. She explores the recent mental health movement in sports, the history and practice of sport psychology, the stereotypes and stigmas that lead athletes to keep their troubles to themselves, and the ways in which injury and retirement can throw wrenches in their mental states. Kliegman also examines the impacts of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, substance use, and more, with a keen eye toward moving forward with acceptance, progress, and problem-solving.

Featuring insightful interviews with Olympians Chloe Kim, McKayla Maroney, and Adam Rippon, NBA players Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan, former U.S. Open tennis champ Bianca Andreescu, and many other athletes and experts, “Mind Game” breaks down the ongoing, heartening movement of athletes across sports coming forward to get the care they need and deserve—and to help others feel safe opening up about their struggles, as well.

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1980s Featured Legacies Legacies

William Snider (MSJ85)

William (Bill) Joseph Snider died June 20, 2023, at age 62 after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Bill grew up in the small Ohio town of Litchfield. He called himself a NASA baby, as his parents met working for NASA. He shared fond memories of his father creating intricate model airplanes and flying them on the weekends with friends. Bill found comfort early on in books and took to reading incessantly for the rest of his life.
Bill made his journey across the country to study Economics at Occidental College in Southern California. He spoke fondly of his introduction to fresh foods in the cafeteria that opened his world to the joys of flavor. While in school, he took trips with a friend to Tijuana to build houses for those without. He even took a creative writing class with the then future president Barack Obama when Bill just knew him as “Barry”.

After college, Bill found work in the area setting up and maintaining the Grand Prix equestrian jumping standards. He then got a bit more serious and earned a Master’s Degree in Journalism at Northwestern University, in Evanston, Illinois.

Bill focused his writing career on K-12 education. He wrote for Education Week with his best friend, Blake Rodman, while they lived together in Washington D.C.

He was introduced to his former wife, B. Ann Matthews, at Kramer Books & Afterwords Cafe through their beloved late friend and chef, Damien. Bill and Ann married in North Carolina, where Ann was from, in the summer of 1990.
They later moved to San Francisco where Bill worked his way up to becoming the editor of Edutopia, published by the George Lucas Education Foundation.

The couple next moved to Greensboro, N.C., where in 1996 their daughter, Roxanne, was born. From that point on, she was the light of Bill’s life.

A lifelong passion for food led Bill to switch career paths. He taught himself how to bake artisan breads, hoping to fill a gaping hole in the local biscuit and cornbread cuisine. He liked to say that baking cured his habits of procrastination and being easily distracted.
Bill and Ann opened Simple Kneads Bakery in 2001. The bakery was beloved by many. The Asiago Peppercorn bread was a favorite, although some would argue the olive bread was better.
Ten years ago, he met his love, Margaret McEnally, who allowed him to share her life. They created a loving home together with her young daughter, Leslie, which brought Bill great comfort and joy.
Bill enjoyed watching golf on TV and said it was the perfect background for taking naps.

During his last days, his daughter, Roxanne, who he said was his greatest legacy, asked him if he had any advice. He responded: “keep it balanced” and “love is the most important thing.”
In his final FaceBook post, he wrote, “Here’s the secret to a happy life: ‘Accept what you cannot change and be grateful for every little thing.'”
He is predeceased by his brother Steven James Snider and survived by his daughter, Roxanne Snider, longtime partner, Margaret McEnally, and step-daughter, Leslie Rudd, as well as his siblings Patricia Lorene Humphress, Diane Elaine Snider, and Michael Edward Snider.

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1970s Featured Legacies Legacies

Jay Cook (BSJ70)

Jay Francis Cook, of Lithia, Florida passed away on June 12, 2023. He was surrounded by family and his loving wife of 8 years, Nancy, holding his hand. Born in Flushing, NY and grew up in Oyster Bay, NY, Jay graduated from Northwestern University with a Journalism degree and then went on to Indiana University School of Law to earn his Doctorate of Jurisprudence; practicing real estate law when he joined Dorsey & Whitney LLP in 1973 and became a partner in the firm in 1979 until 2007 when he moved to Naples, FL where he continued to practice law until he passed. Jay’s memory will be cherished by his wife, Nancy; son, Christopher; stepdaughters, Laurie (Alan) and Leslie; six grandchildren, Camden, Lukas, Noah, Jude, Mason, and Mila; his siblings, Bruce (Anne), Ann (Paul), Peter, Barbara (Dennis) and many nieces and nephews. Jay is predeceased by his parents: Frank G Cook and Adrienne M (Weiss). Jay enjoyed traveling with Nancy, playing golf and most of all loved spending time with his family and friends.

https://www.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/0000461353/

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1990s Class Notes Featured Class Notes

Vidya Krishnamurthy (BSJ96)

Vidya Krishnamurthy was named Chief Communications Officer and Senior Adviser to the President at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, a private charitable foundation in Menlo Park, CA. She was previously Director of Communications at the same organization, and before that, was the first-ever Communications Director at the Pew Research Center in Washington, DC, where she served for nearly a decade.

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2000s

Mike Saccone (BSJ05)

Mike Saccone was honored with the 2023 Environmental Justice 21st-Century “Outstanding Program Award” for his work as Vice President of Communications at the National Wildlife Federation to center equity and justice in his and his team’s work. The national award honors team and leaders for their work to uplift environmental justice.

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1980s 1990s Class Notes

Renee Cordes (BSJ89, MSJ90)

Renee Cordes, of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, received a first place award in the 2022 New England Better Newspaper Competition for racial, ethnic or gender issue coverage by a specialty publication. The award, from the New England Newspaper & Press Association, was for a feature article about female entrepreneurs overcoming obstacles to raise capital. Cordes is a senior writer at Mainebiz.

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1970s Featured Legacies Featured Legacies Home

Deborah H. Quirk (MSJ74)

Deborah “Deb” Hardin Quirk passed away at her home in Hastings, Nebraska, on June 19, 2023. She was 72.

Deb was born in Hastings on July 30, 1950, to Bob and Marge Hardin. She graduated from Hastings High School in 1968. While in high school, she hosted her own radio show on KHAS Radio and was the youngest person in Hastings to earn a radio engineers license. She also worked in the announcer’s booth for American Legion Baseball games at Duncan Field.

Deb went on to the University of Denver where she earned Phi Beta Kappa honors and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communications in 1972. She then earned a Master’s Degree in Journalism from Medill. While at DU, she reactivated the Kappa Delta Sorority chapter and later served as an alumni advisor to the chapter at Northwestern.

Deb returned to Hastings in 1973 to serve as the Development Director for Central Community College in Hastings and later as the Communications Director for the Central Community College system in Grand Island.

She was passionate about serving the community. She served two terms on the Adams Central School Board and took pride in her work as the chair of the building committee during the planning and construction of the new gymnasium in the early 2000s. She also served on the Hastings Planning Commission. She was a long-time member of Business and Professional Women, and served a term as the statewide President. She was also a member of the Fortnightly Study Group and the Torch Club.

Linked to her dedication to public service was her lifelong engagement with politics. In 1976, Deb was working on a local city council campaign when her oldest sister, Penny, suggested she seek advice from John Quirk, who was volunteering on Jimmy Carter’s presidential campaign. She did. Their candidates both won election, and they both remained involved in politics throughout their lives, with Deb serving as State Chair of the Democratic Party in the mid-1990s. Just two days before she passed, Deb attended one final meeting of local Democrats in Hastings.

More importantly, politics brought Deb and John together for a lifelong partnership. They were engaged July 7, 1977, (7/7/77) and married on New Year’s Eve that year. Their son, Andrew Robert “Rob,” was born in 1985. For more than 40 years, Deb worked alongside John at Quirk Land & Cattle Co., first maintaining the cattle records and ultimately as the office manager.

Deb was an avid golfer. She served on the Lochland Country Club board and was a leader in the women’s golf association where she served as a tireless advocate for women’s golf. Deb was a dedicated fan of all sports — particularly football and any women’s sport. On Saturdays and Sundays throughout the fall, she could always be found watching a game, especially the Huskers on Saturday and the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Survivors include her son Andrew Robert “Rob” Quirk of Brooklyn, New York; her sister, Su (Hardin) Ryden, and her husband, Jerome Ryden, of Aurora, Colorado; a brother, Mike Hardin, and his wife, Margaret Hardin, of Aurora, Colorado; a sister-in-law, Mary Quirk, and her husband, Jim Anderson, of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Penny Hardin; and her husband, John Quirk.

https://theindependent.com/news/local/obituaries/deborah-deb-hardin-quirk/article_5f1f3065-f9f5-5341-99ce-2b09b3fcbda9.html

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Books

Into the Soul of the World

Brad Wetzler (MSJ91)

This powerful memoir shares an adventure journalist’s story of a decade-long, round-the-world quest to overcome his drug addiction and to understand and heal from past traumas.

Suffering from PTSD and severe depression from past trauma, battling an addiction to overprescribed psychiatric medication, and at the rock bottom of his career, journalist Brad Wetzler had nowhere to go. So he set out on a journey to wander and hopefully find himself—and the world—again.

“Into the Soul of the World” is Wetzler’s thrilling, impactful, and heartrending memoir of healing—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. An adventure journalist at heart, Wetzler mixes travelogue with empowering insights about his inner journey to better care for his own mental health. Journey with him as he travels across Israel and the West Bank, before moving on to India, a candle-lit cave on a mountaintop in the Himalayan foothills, and a life-changing encounter with a 100-year-old yogi.

Wetzler’s writing is full of the poignant, amusing, and occasionally heart‑breaking situations that unfold when we finally decide to confront depression (or any mental health struggle) and declare ourselves ready to heal: How do we heal our past and thrive again? What does it mean to live a good life? How can we transform our suffering and serve others? His answer: live to tell the story and find the humility and courage to be the best human you can be.

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Uncategorized

Middle School Superpowers

Phyllis Fagell (MSJ98)

Middle school can be one of the toughest times in a kid’s life—for them and for their parents and educators. It’s filled with transitions, upheaval, and brand new experiences that can be overwhelming and intimidating. But licensed clinical professional counselor Phyllis Fagell has put together a practical, evidence-based, and compassionate guide for parents and educators to help their tweens through most challenging situations.

“Middle School Superpowers” teaches middle schoolers how to activate the 12 superpowers they need to discover their strengths and navigate tough decisions and disappointment: Flexibility * Belonging * Sight * Bounce * Agency * Forcefield *
Security * Healing * Vulnerability * Daring * Optimism * Balance

Whether they lose a friend, get cut from a team, make a mistake on social media, bomb a test, struggle with negative body image or identity-related issues, or feel weighed down by societal problems, these “superpowers” will help them find their place and thrive. Middle School Superpowers is the key to raising confident, self-aware, independent, and resilient kids who can recover from any setback—now and in the future.