Class Notes 1970-79

Class Notes - Clark College Foundation

March 2023

Actor Sam Elliott ’65 reached a milestone at the SAG Awards 2023 by winning best male actor in a television movie or limited series. Elliott, 78, took home the award for his role as Shea Brennan in 1883, a spin-off of the hit drama “Yellowstone.”

September 2022

Jake von Scherrer ’77 recently published a second edition of his successful book, “The Athletic Director’s Toolbox.” A retired high school athletic director, von Scherrer created the “Educational Athletic Director” podcast two years ago. In it, he interviews athletic directors, coaches and leaders from the world of athletics. These interviews generated the book and garnered listeners in all 50 states plus 55 countries. Half of the more than 400 segments have featured women leaders.   

 

The Vancouver, Wash., restaurant DuckTales Kitchen closed due to challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. DuckTales Kitchen was part of the longtime Waddle dining dynasty. The restaurant was started by Steve Waddle ’73, the grandson of Gene Waddle, who opened Waddle’s Drive-In and Coffee Shop at Jantzen Beach in Oregon in 1945. 

 

Bi-Zi Farms celebrated 150 years of farming this September 2022, commemorating the Zimmerman family’s settlement in Clark County, Wash., in 1872. The farm is run by co-owner Bill Zimmerman ’71 and is one of only four family descendant farms left in the county. 

January 2022

Leslie Currie ’78, cofounder of Currie & McLain, retired December 2021, after nearly 40 years as a certified public accountant. In retirement, Currie will reengage in nonprofit work, tend her two-acre garden at her home in Woodland, Wash., and keep busy with quilting projects.

Jane Wulff ’76 was highlighted as a KATU Everyday Hero for her book published in 2012 titled “First Families of Vancouver’s African American Community: From World Two to the Twenty-First Century.” The book highlights Clark County’s African American community history and includes stories of 35 Black families who called Vancouver, Wash., home.

August 2021

Bill Zimmerman ’71, co-owner of Bi-Zi Farms in Clark County, Wash., hasn’t been able to get water rights from the Washington State Department of Ecology and as a result, may have to reduce or shut down his farming operation. The Zimmerman family purchased the land in 1872. They have used a ground well to irrigate its crops since about the 1900s, but water rights for the land were never established.

December 2020

Tracy Doriot ’75 of Doriot Construction was honored as Builder of the Year by the Building Industry Association of Washington. Doriot currently serves on the board of directors for the Clark County Parks Foundation. She has also served on the Building Industry Association of Clark County’s Board of Directors since 2007 and Cascadia Technical Academy’s Construction Technology Advisory Committee since 1996. In January 2021, Doriot will become president of the Building Industry Association of Washington.

September 2020

Philip Harju ’74 was sworn in as current General Council Chair for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe after Bill Iyall’s resignation earlier in August. Harju was first elected to the Tribal Council in 2004, serving as the general council vice chair since 2008. Prior to his work with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, he was a Thurston County deputy prosecuting attorney for 29 years. Harju received his bachelor of arts degree in political science and government from the University of Washington and his juris doctor degree from the University of Puget Sound School of Law.

The League of Women Voters of Clark County is hosted a five-week civics course in partnership with Clark College focusing on systemic racism, media literacy and so-called fake news, basic government structure, taxation, transportation and the election process. The list of speakers included Clark County auditor Greg Kimsey ’79 and former Clark County councilor Jeannie Stewart ’84. The class was available online through Clark College’s Economic & Community Development program. It began September 28.

June 2020

Herman “Herm” Van Weerdhuizen ’73 coached the La Center Wildcats for 30 years. He has been the head coach in boys soccer, girls soccer, baseball, as well as boys and girls basketball and has gone from one sport to the other and back again. A health concern, combined with the uncertain times of COVID-19, led to his decision to retire. Van Weerdhuizen personally telephoned every player in his program to tell them the his news. “That was one of the toughest things I’ve had to do. I shed a few tears,” he said.

May 2020

Tracy Doroit ’75 and Patrick Ginn ’00 were both quoted in The Columbian regarding the limitations set in place by Gov. Jay Inslee’s restricted construction work orders. These new limitations pose challenges but shouldn’t halt residential construction, only slow it down.

January 2020

Following a nomination by the Clark County Historical Museum, Ridgefield’s Summit Grove Lodge is now recognized by the Washington Heritage Register. The Register includes districts, sites, buildings, structures or objects that have been identified as being significant in local or state history. Summit Grove was used as a stop for travelers along the Pacific Highway in the 1920s. The property was purchased in 2009 by the late Margaret Colf Hepola ’61 and her sons, Bob and Dick Colf, and continues to be operated by the Colf family. They maintain an event and restaurant business at the lodge and focus their energy on preserving the history of the site. Colf Helpola and her three daughters are Clark College alumni. They are Sharon Giberson ’69, Nancy Colf ’72 and Mary Hayden ’74.

December 2019

Tracy Doriot ’75 was recently elected as the first vice president of the Board of Directors for the Building Industry Association of Washington state. Doriot is the first person to hold this role and will also serve on the board’s Executive Committee. Doriot is the owner of Doriot Construction, which he established in 1978. The company has earned numerous awards for their custom home builds in Clark County. Doriot also serves as a director for the National Association of Home Builders, the Parks Foundation of Clark County, and has served the board of Cascadia Technical Academy since 1996. He also serves on the Clark College Construction Technology Advisory board.

June 2019

George Golden ’71, a longtime Clark County resident, earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award for his work around the community. He founded LINKS, a nonprofit that works to serve local community service organizations.

May 2019

John Brookhouse ’72 was named Wasco County Pioneers’ 2019 Man of the Year.

May 2018

Peggy Sheehan ’79 joined the board of Human Services Council and is serving as secretary/treasurer.

February 2018

David Titzler’s ’79 stained glass artwork hung in Frost Arts Center in February 2018. The piece was dedicated by Titzler’s sister with a plaque commemorating his life.

January 2018

Craig Dirksen ’74 has worked for 40 years in the engineering field since getting his associate degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology. While at Clark, served as vice president of ASCC, the student body association. “I am very proud of my time at Clark and the education I received there prepared me for a successful career and life.” He was elected to the Tigard City Council in 2000. In 2003, he was elected mayor of Tigard. After two successful terms, he ran for and was elected District 3 representative to the Metro Council, which is the elected regional government for the Portland metropolitan area. He was recently re-elected to a second term. There he also serves as the chair of JPACT, a regional transportation committee. In addition to being responsible for land use and transportation planning for the Portland metropolitan region, which consists of 24 cities and the urban areas of three counties, they are responsible for all solid waste disposal, own approximately 15,000 acres of parks and open space, and operate the regional visitor venues like the Oregon Convention Center, Expo Center, P’5 Centers for the Performing Arts, including the Keller Auditorium, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and the Oregon Zoo.

Lee Rafferty ’78 former executive director of Vancouver’s Downtown Association and recipient of the Chamber’s John S. McKibbin Leadership Legacy Award, will serve as the host for the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce Women in Leadership Leadership Lecture series that is launching in February 2018.

Brenda Tiefenthaler ’72 was appointed to the board of Evergreen Habitat for Humanity.

December 2017

Tracy Doriot ’75 owner of Doriot Construction, was named the 2018 immediate past president for the Building Industry Association of Clark County.

Jay Gilberg is a Clark College alumnus.

Jay Gilberg

Jay Gilberg ’78 president of Clark College’s Alumni Board, was named as an ex officio member of Clark College Foundation’s Board of Directors for 2018.

November 2017

Mike Lyons ’79 was reelected as position 1 commissioner for Clark County Fire Protection District 5.

Kathy Nordberg ’71 was reelected to serve district 2 on the Hockinson School District Board of Directors.

October 2017

Leone “Lee” Rafferty ’78 founder and former co-owner of Spanky’s Consignment Shops, retired after seven years as executive director of the Vancouver Downtown Association.

September 2017

Lee Rafferty ’78 is the recipient of the John S. McKibbin Leadership Legacy Award by the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce. Rafferty received the accolade at the chamber’s 2017 Business and Leadership Awards event on September 20.

August 2017

Darlene “De” Stickel ’72 is running for re-election for her current seat on the Educational Service District 112 board. She’s been a member since 1998. She currently represents district 6, covering the majority of Evergreen School District.

May 2017

David Sims ’78 is a winner of Clark College’s Classified Staff Excellence Award for 2016-2017.

April 2017

Local artist Guy Drennan’s ’78 mural commemorating 150 years of the Vancouver Fire Department will be completed this spring. The mural is being painted on the North wall of the Walgreen’s Pharmacy building, located at 2515 Main Street.

Kent Walsh’s ’76 latest work of fiction, “Legend of Beards Hollow,” was published in March 2017.