In Memoriam: Fall/Winter 2021-22

We celebrate the lives of the following alumni and friends, whose deaths were recently shared with us. We are thankful for their friendship.

Howard F. Boese

Howard F. Boese died peacefully on Aug. 18, 2021, at age 99, with his daughter, Mary, by his side. Boese was a well-known athletic director, coach, and teacher at Milwaukee University School (MUS) and University School of Milwaukee.

Born Dec. 25, 1921 in Milwaukee, Boese’s athletic prowess was unmatched and he earned numerous accolades in football, basketball, and baseball. In 1939, he turned down offers to play professional baseball, instead choosing to attended UW-Madison and play football and star on the university’s baseball team.

World War II interrupted his collegiate career, and in 1943 he entered the Army Air Corps, achieving the rank of first lieutenant. He returned to UW-Madison in 1946, where he led the Badgers to their first Big Ten baseball championship in 16 years as team captain.

After college graduation, he took a job at MUS, one of USM’s predecessor schools, as a math teacher and coach. He earned a master’s degree in education from Marquette University in 1955. Following the predecessor schools’ merger in 1964, Boese was named USM’s first athletic director, and he also coached baseball for USM until his retirement in 1980. To honor Boese, an award was created bearing his name that is given each year to the senior baseball player who best exhibits exemplary sportsmanship. He was inducted into USM’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016, part of the Hall of Fame’s inaugural class, recognized for his outstanding coaching achievement.

With all of these accomplishments, his proudest achievement was his family. His son, Mark, played baseball for him at USM and continued on to play at Valparaiso University. Mark died unexpectedly at age 33 from complications of diabetes. Howard’s daughter, Mary, pursued a career in nursing and gave Howard two grandsons: Ben and Nick. He was very supportive in all their sports. Watch Howard Boese’s USM Athletic Hall of Fame induction video at www.usm.org/boese.

Memorial gifts made in honor of Coach Boese will support Boese Homerun Alley in USM’s new Wildcat Park. If you would like to make a gift, please contact Vanessa Nerbun at 414.540.3337.

John Smith Borges

John Smith Borges, affectionately known as Cap or Pop, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021 at the age of 85. Cap was born Jan. 12, 1936, in Milwaukee. Upon graduation from Culver Military Academy and Lawrence University, where he was elected president of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, Cap proudly served his country as a Lieutenant in the United States Air Force.

Cap was completely dedicated to his profession, having led a successful career in the insurance industry, as well as his family and community. Over the years, Cap served as a board member for many local organizations including as a USM trustee. He was the father of Barbara Aik ’81, John (Mack) Borges ’85, and Margaret Vail ’86, and grandfather of Libby Aik ’12, Sarah Aik ’15, Jack Borges ’14, and Charlie Borges ’15.

In the Spring/Summer 2020–21 issue, we mistakenly listed Robert Wittig MCDS’58 as deceased. We are happy to report he is alive and well. Our sincerest apologies for the error.

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1940s

Nancy Linn Grieb MDS’40 - Aug. 11, 2021, Houston

Louise Schwarz Allis MDS’41 - July 19, 2021, Mequon, Wis.

Kenneth Treis MCDS’43 - Feb. 16, 2021, Milwaukee

Lucille Voigt Heard MDS’44 - July 6, 2021, Wauwatosa, Wis.

June Goes Seaman MDS’44 - Sept. 15, 2021, Milwaukee

Frances Anderson Rathmann MUS’46 - May 6, 2019, Arnold, Md.

Martha Heseman Bollenbacher MDS’47 - May 11, 2021, Littleton, Colo.

Carolyn Slawson DeCoster MUS’48 - Oct. 27, 2021, F. Myers, Fla.

Bruce A. Hanson MCDS’48 - Aug. 25, 2018, Phoenix

Joyce Jung Heinrich MDS’48 - Nov. 16, 2021, Milwaukee

Robert N. Williams Jr. MCDS’48 - Sept. 2, 2021, Williamsburg, Va.

John H. Gesser MCDS’49 - Aug. 9, 2021, Milwaukee

1950s

Bette Mayer Drought MDS’50 - Nov. 3, 2021, Milwaukee

Joy Day Hale MUS’50 - Aug. 10, 2021, Parowan, Utah

Kenneth W. Kuehn MUS’50 - Aug. 10, 2021, Mequon, Wis.

W. D. Tallmadge MCDS’50 - Oct. 20, 2017, Oconomowoc, Wis.

Carolyn A. Evans MDS’52 - Feb. 15, 2021, Atlantic Beach, Fla.

Margaret E. Clemons MDS’53 - April 26, 2020, Grafton, Wis.

Eleanor Dieterle Lee MUS’53 - May 21, 2021, Mequon, Wis.

Robert C. Wetenhall MUS’53 - Sept. 3, 2021, New York, NY

Binnie Darling Rust MDS’54 - Nov. 11, 2021, West Bend, Wis.

Timothy Cowdin MUS’55 - Nov. 6, 2021, Menomonee Falls, Wis.

Elizabeth Teipel Wigdale MDS’55 - June 13, 2021, Milwaukee

Randolph J. Brill MUS’57 - May 17, 2021, Woodland Hills, Calif.

Jean Gerlach Bacon MUS’58 - June 19, 2021, Falls Church, Va.

Kenneth R. Williams MCDS’58 - Sept. 3, 2021, Madison, Wis.

1960s

Robert L. Auxer MCDS’60 - March 18, 2021, Mequon, Wis.

Richard A. Seefeld MUS’60 - Sept. 20, 2021, Estero, Fla.

John T. Muench Jr. MUS’61 - Feb. 7, 2020, League City, Texas

Michael B. Ackerman MCDS’63 - Nov. 19, 2021, Westwood, Mass.

William P. Peters ’65 - Sept. 16, 2021, Las Vegas

Jennifer Quale ’66 - June 9, 2021, Wakefield, R.I.

1970s

Anastasia M. Chehak ’71 - July 13, 2017, Edmond, Okla.

Linda Kleinfeld Dainas ’71 - March 24, 2013, Hollywood, Fla.

Robert C. Davis ’71 - June 23, 2015, Brown Deer, Wis.

William Kuhner ’71 - Nov. 23, 2020, Sugar Land, Texas

William F. Pabst III ’71 - Oct. 14, 2020, Paradise Valley, Ariz.

Robert G. Segel ’71 - April 30, 2021, Mequon, Wis.

1980s

Richard G. Jacobus Jr. ’80 - Sept. 7, 2021, Newton Hlds, Mass.

Patricia Fieweger Best ’84 - July 8, 2021, West Bend, Wis.

1990s

Adam V. Cibik ’97 - Sept. 2, 2021, Austin, Texas

Friends

Mary Bechmann - Nov. 2, 2021, Milwaukee
Mother of Mary C. Bechmann ’75

William R. Nimtz - April 28, 2021, Mequon, Wis.
Father of Kaben Nimtz ’95

Randle E. Pollard - Oct. 13, 2021, Milwaukee
Father of Randy Pollard ’81 and JoAnne Williamson ’79. Grandfather of Olivia Williamson ’14 and Bennett Williamson ’11

Roberta Tacke - Aug. 7, 2021, Glendale, Wis.
Mother of David Tacke ’72 and Margret Tacke Collins ’81

Updated as of Nov. 19, 2021.