Beta Theta Pi - University of Minnesota

F riendship gave our order birth. Who could ever forget the lyrics of our song, "There's a Scene?" Friendship and brotherhood have no bounds when it comes to age in Beta Theta Pi as "long as time shall last or earth shall have a day." For many years, a small group of Betas in the Twin Cities have held monthly luncheons. The General was a regular attendee. When the General's health did not allow him to drive, I volunteered to pick him up and bring him to lunch. For the past year I had the honor and privilege driving the General to our monthly Beta luncheon held on the second Wednesday of every month at the Double Tree Hotel in St. Louis Park and to the 2016 holiday banquet at the Town and Country Club in St. Paul. These events gave him the opportunity to reconnect with his lifelong Beta brothers living in the Twin Cities. The General I'm referring to is Brigadier General Edward "Bede" Clapp '49. The General died peacefully at his North Oaks home at Waverly Gardens on July 26. Born in St. Paul, Minn., on May 6, 1927, and initiated into ΒΘΠ on October 14, 1946, Bede was assigned Beta Pi roll number 0765. According to Bert Leach, he first met Bede 68 years ago in the fall of 1949 when he pledged the Βeta Pi Chapter at the University of Minnesota. "The chapter was about 40 members and pledges. It was a great group and Bede was a standout classy member. He was tall, handsome, and very intelligent. He was a great pianist and choir director and a 1951 graduate of University of Minnesota Law School." Bert recalled that, during the Korean war, he went through infantry basic training. The Army discovered that he was a lawyer and commissioned him in the JAG (Judge Advocate General) Corps. In Korea, he successfully defended a lieutenant who was accused of killing a prominent Korean civilian and got him off with only a short prison sentence rather than death or life imprisonment. Time magazine had a sarcastic article about the case entitled Justice for the Lieutenant. After his Army active duty, he returned to St. Paul and resumed his practice of law and joined the real estate firm of Clapp- Thomssen Company. He married a beauty queen, Betty Barnhart, the 1952 Aquatennial Queen of the Lakes. He remained in the Army Reserve and rose through the ranks and became a brigadier general USAR, JAG Corps in February 1977 and served as assistant judge advocate general for reserve affairs. According to Bert, "Bede exemplified the principles of friendship and fidelity. He was faithful to God, his family and wife, ΒΘΠ, and his friends. At the centennial of Βeta Pi Chapter in November of 1989, he was the Master of Ceremonies for the banquet. The wonderful friendship I had with Bede and my Beta brothers has made my membership in ΒΘΠ one of the best decision I ever made." My cherished friendship with the General was incredibly memorable over the course of the past year. The two-hour driving time with the General each month was spent telling stories about our lifelong experiences as Betas. We shared many things in common, including the same initiation date, 24 years apart. We both shared a passion for American history. Every time we got together we had meaningful and in-depth discussions on the books we read, current events, love of music, the arts, our faith, shared values and family. The General shared with me interesting local history. One story involved how his father influenced Henry Ford's decision to build his auto assembly plant in St. Paul over Minneapolis. Another included the origins of the current Minnesota Governor's Mansion and the role he and his beloved late wife Betty Barnhart Clapp played in making that happen. He and Betty were members of House of Hope Presbyterian Church and Patrons of the Arts, including the Saint Paul Opera Company, where he served as president. My time with the General was one of the most unforgettable experiences of true Beta brotherhood. I will surely miss driving the General. By David W. Stiff, Indiana '77 and Bert Leach '52 PAge 5 betA thetA Pi Driving the General Edward "Bede" Clapp '49 Remembered Members get involved in Step Up for the Cure to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Jake Woll '17, Ty Leech '17, Evan Jobin '18, Luka Pavlokis '20, Jonathan Giesler '18, and Andrew Park '18 at brotherhood weekend in Chanhassen, Minn. Brothers were happy to participate in Gamma Phi Beta's yoga exchange. Our annual holiday season philanthropy event, Light the Row, drew a big crowd.

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