Remembrance
Alumni
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Paul Vogan died May 19; he was 96. Born in Sandy Lake, PA, on June 15, 1910, Vogan showed talent in music and athletics from an early age. At Houghton he earned letters in four sports and set records in track and field events. He was named to Houghton's Athletic Hall of Honor. He coached basketball at the college and had a winning basketball team at Mooers High School, where he taught math and science. He was district school principal in Mooers from 1944-1970.
Vogan was the first president of the New York State School Administrators Association, and, after retiring in 1970, he was elected president of the New York State Retired Teachers Association and secretary of the National Retired Teachers Association. He continued to play organ regularly at age 96.
Vogan and his wife Elizabeth, who survives, had five children, who survive, including: Robert Vogan '60, John Vogan '62 and Carolyn (Vogan '66) Tysinger; 12 grandchildren, including Rohn Vogan '84, Jonathan Vogan '85, Kimberly (Vogan 87) Kerr and Jeffrey Vogan '91; 26 great-grandchildren, including Andrew Vogan '09 and Jonathan Vogan '10 and several nephews and nieces. His parents and both brothers predeceased him.
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Ethel (Doty) Zuber Cox, 94, died at Florida Presbyterian Homes in Lakeland, FL, on January 20. The daughter of missionary parents, she was raised in India, returning to the States to attend Houghton Academy for her senior year, then Houghton College, from which she graduated magna cum laude. She served with her husband, Eddie Zuber '31, in several Wesleyan churches in the Michigan Conference. Following his death in 1972, Cox moved to Lakeland and taught preschool and kindergarten in a Lutheran preschool. She met Floyd Cox and they married in 1982. Just months after his death in 1999, Cox suffered a stroke which left her partially paralyzed and she entered an extended care facility. She was much loved and kept in contact with over 100 friends that were added to her life throughout the years. Cox is survived by three children, including Rachel (Zuber '58) Bedford and David Zuber '65; four stepchildren and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
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Malcom "Dudley" Phillips, M.D., 86, of Fort Myers, FL, a family physician in Darlington, MD, for more than 50 years, died on September 14. Phillips attended St. Paul's School for Boys in Baltimore, MD, before coming to Houghton. He completed medical school at the University of Maryland during World War II, partially financed by working nights at Bethlehem Steel. He interned at Maryland General Hospital in Baltimore 1945-46 and then did his residency in 1946-47 at Havre de Grace's Harford Memorial Hospital. In May 1947 Phillips opened his practice in the rural community of Darlington, MD, where he would practice for over 50 years and deliver more than 2,000 babies.
Phillips joined the American Academy of Family Physicians in 1952 and became a fellow in 1972. In 1981, he served as president of the Maryland Academy of Family Physicians, and was a member of the Maryland chapter's board of directors since 1979. He served as president of the American Heart Association's Harford County Advisory Board for two years and volunteered his time to numerous groups, including the Harford County Tuberculosis Medical Advisory Board, Northern Maryland Association of Retarded Citizens and the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of the State of Maryland. In 1968 he received the Award of Merit from the Governor's Committee to Promote the Employment of the Handicapped.
Phillips was a founding member and the first president of the Darlington Volunteer Fire Company, serving from 1949-1968. He was also a former member of the Darlington Lions Club and served on the Darlington United Methodist Church board of trustees.
In the 1950s Phillips worked with Houghton's Bob Luckey '37 to establish a fund-raising committee for medical doctors in his class and he started the medical alumni association. He set a personal example of faithfulness in giving by what he called "the drip method:" mailing a $50 check for the Houghton Fund every two weeks for more than 50 years! His record of faithful giving is unparalleled in Houghton's history. Using his "drip method," Phillips endowed a seminar room in the Chamberlain Center and a chapel seat in Wesley Chapel, among many other projects.
"My father loved his alma mater with all of his heart," writes Diane (Phillips '71) Stevens. She recalls that he helped set the cornerstone for the "old" wing of East (now Gillette) Hall and sponsored a college choir tour stop at the Darlington United Methodist Church in the 1970s. He was named Alumnus of the Year in 1969. He delivered the benediction at the Commencement ceremony in 2004, during which he handed his granddaughter Megan (Springstead '04) Neurock her diploma.
Phillips is survived by his wife, Peggy; by five children, including Stevens and Neal Phillips '74; by 10 grandchildren, including Neurock and by one great-grandchild. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by two children.
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Calvin S. Tyler, 58, of Camp Hill, PA, went home to be with his Lord while vacationing in Michigan on July 31. Tyler was a member of Bible Baptist Church in Shiremanstown, PA, and was secondary principal of Bible Baptist School. He also worked at H&R Block during the tax season for many years. He enjoyed coaching and playing golf. Tyler was preceded in death by his younger brother, Keith Tyler '77. Surviving are his wife of 36 years, Irene (Denhollandr '69), and his two children, including Sharilyn (Tyler '93) Bonura. Also surviving are two grandchildren and his parents; sisters and brothers, including Jaqueline (Tyler '63) Henry and Carl Tyler '74, and his sister-in-law (Keith's wife), Priscilla (Dayton '75) Tyler.
Faculty/Staff
Catherine Daggett, former adjunct faculty at the equestrian center, died May 16 from injuries sustained in a car accident. Born March 8, 1938, Daggett was a lifelong horsewoman with a desire to share her love of horses and riding with students. In addition to operating her own horse farm at the Bromeley family estate at Belvidere, Daggett taught riding to generations of students, most recently at the college's equestrian center. She was head of the Bradford Pony Club for many years and a member of the Bradford Literary Club. Daggett was predeceased by her father and husband. Surviving are her mother, two children and their spouses, six grandchildren, a brother and several nieces and nephews.
Shirley Hubbard Rees, 92, died June 4. Rees worked in the registrar's office at Houghton College before retiring more than 25 years ago. She was a former secretary at the Wesleyan Methodist Publishing Association when it was located in Syracuse, where she had been born in 1914. She was married in 1979 to David Rees, who died in 1996. After his death, Rees moved to Batavia, NY, where she became active in the First Wesleyan Church. She is survived by a stepson, Arland Rees '50; two step-grandchildren, Carole (Rees '72) Ensell and John Rees '75; four step-great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Herman Osterhus went to heaven September 19, just days before his 75th birthday, after a long struggle with lung cancer. His entire immediate family and eight grandchildren were with him for some great moments of singing, scripture readings and prayer throughout his final afternoon and evening. Osterhus was a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH, and of Yale University in 1954. He began his career at the Bank of New York and worked for the United Jersey Bank and People's Bank of South Bergen County (NJ) before spending 20 years at the United States Trust Company of New York. In 1996 he and his wife Carol relocated to Wake Forest, NC, and became members of the North Ridge Church in Raleigh.
Osterhus served several terms on the Houghton College President's Advisory Board (PAB), including a term as chairman. During his tenure, the PAB was instrumental in building the president's new house and renovating Big Al's snack shop.
Osterhus is survived by Carol, his wife of 49 years; four children, including Craig Osterhus '87 and Brian Osterhus '89 and his sister.
Lois G. Wing lost her life in a farm tractor accident on May 5. Born in Warsaw, NY, in 1935, Wing graduated from Warsaw Central School in 1953. She completed her RN training in 1956, shortly after she married Richard L. Wing. Together they experienced 21 years in the Air Force, during which time four children were born to them. Later, they came to Houghton, where she began a 20-year career as an administrative staff member in student financial aid and in academic records. Her administrative duties at Houghton brought her in contact with almost all Houghton students. Also, she and her husband frequently fed student groups at their home in East Koy. She was known for her radiant, joyous personality, her infectious giggle, her wide circle of friends and her love for parlor games. In 2006, the Wings took their whole family to Hawaii for a week to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
A 30-year member of Castile Baptist Church, Lois headed the missions committee, taught Sunday school, sang in the choir and was a leader in the mothers of pre-schoolers program. She was also a member of the Gideons' Auxiliary for over 30 years and served for one year as New York state chaplain. She is survived by her husband Dick, emeritus professor of writing and a former administrator at Houghton College; their four children, including Edward Wing '85 and Alan Wing '84; her sister, Eileen (Griffen '52) Spear, and a brother.
