Tau Kappa Epsilon - Iowa State University

4 Catching Up with Alex Furleigh '09 E-2085 Young Alumnus Impresses SpaceX Founder, Secures Revolutionary Job 1. What brought you to Iowa State University and why did you decide to join Tau Kappa Epsilon? I'm a fourth-generation Iowa State graduate on my dad's side of the family, and both of my grandparents on my mom's side were professors at Iowa State, so cardinal and gold run deep in my family. The strength of the Iowa State Honors Program also stood out as a selling point for the university. My great-grandfather, Robert Furleigh 1915 E-26, was a member of the first pledge class of Epsilon Chapter, and I thought it would be cool to check out the same fraternity that my family helped start. After Mike Beals '07 E-2051 and Joe Nobile '08 E-2062 took me out to dinner and explained to me all the benefits that Greek life and TKE had to offer, I was sold. 2. What did your undergraduate experience in the Epsilon Chapter mean to you? My undergraduate experience at Epsilon Chapter helped to fundamentally shape my understanding of others. I made a lot of friends who had similar interests and hobbies as me; conversely, I also made a lot of friends who were very different from me. Epsilon also prepared me for the working world. Specifically, it taught me a lot about failure: how to recover from it, move past it, and learn from it. Running for and sometimes losing elections decided by the friends that I lived with was tough, but ultimately it was those losses that helped me learn to focus my efforts on what the Chapter as a whole prioritized. Most importantly, I had a ton of amazing experiences with men that will be lifelong friends. 3. What is your impression of the active Chapter? They've done a wonderful job with the Chimes newsletter. It is super informative and a great way to keep tabs on the Chapter. I'm very impressed with all that the Chapter has accomplished in the last five years: placing regularly in Homecoming, Varieties, and Greek Week, winning Top Teke awards, and at the same time pushing the Chapter GPA to the highest I've ever seen. 4. What degree did you earn from ISU and where do you work? I earned a B.S. in Supply Chain Management and International Business with minors in Spanish and Political Science. I work for SpaceX at our headquarters in Hawthorne, California. The company was founded in 2001 by Elon Musk to revolutionize space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets. I was among nearly 14,000 applicants and, after an unconventional online interview process, I was hired for the position of associate buyer on the Indirect Procurement team responsible for buying capital equipment. I was later promoted twice to my current position of senior buyer. I am also a mentor through the internal SpaceX mentorship program. 5. What do you do in your free time? I take advantage of the awesome LA weather whenever I can. I play a few rec sports regularly, and I try to go on a hike with friends at least a couple times a month. Come visit LA! I'd love to show fellow Tekes around the city! Alex can be reached at alexfurleigh@gmail.com. CHAPTER ETERNAL Jack A. Funcke '49 E-456, 85, Cedar Rapids, passed on to Chapter Eternal on April 30, 2017, of esophageal cancer. Survivors include his brother, Bill Funcke; children, Jim, Rick, Ron, Jill Brimeyer, and David; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and his spouse, Marcia, in 2011. He attended Iowa State and then embarked on a career as a draftsman and machine tool designer. Joseph E. Donavan '50 E-475 passed on to Chapter Eternal on May 20. A retired veterinarian who built one of the largest practices in Wisconsin and also practiced on the island of Grand Cayman, Joe was committed to public service his entire life. Joe is survived by his college sweetheart and wife of almost 64 years, Janet; his sister, Margaret; his children, Leslie Seymour, Michael, Christine Councell, Jennifer Kloes, and Bill; eight grandchildren; and three great- grandsons. Richard Hardin '50 E-490 passed on to Chapter Eternal on February 2. He received his B.S. in agriculture education in 1957 and enjoyed a distinguished career in the National Park Service until he retired in 1991. He worked in Yellowstone, Carlsbad Caverns, Great Smokey Mountains, Olympic, Chaco Canyon, and Golden Gate NRA. He was the superintendent at Chaco Canyon during the master planning phase of that park, and that was probably his most rewarding career assignment. Dick is survived by his spouse, Karen, two children, grandchildren, and a sister and brother. R. Michael Andersen '55 E-591, 81, passed on to Chapter Eternal on February 12 after a brief illness. Mike retired from IMC in Mundelein, Ill., in 1997. In 2005, Mike and his spouse, Carolyn, moved to Green Valley, Ariz., to escape the northern winters and enjoy their birding hobby. They enjoyed many summers in Clear Lake, Iowa, as well. Surviving are Carolyn; children Kent and Janelle; and grandchildren Michael, Hanna, and Samuel. Gregory F. Farnsworth '56 E-630 passed on to Chapter Eternal on February 7 and is buried at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego. He was 80 years old and lived in Hemet, Calif. He retired from a 38-year banking career in 2000. Surviving are his wife, Celeste, three children, and six grandchildren. David Waters '59 E-679 passed on to Chapter Eternal on April 10. His television career included directing and producing a variety of programs locally and nationally, including Hymn Sing. Dave and his wife, Deanna, spent the last 23 years building a business throughout Canada, USA, Mexico, and Europe with USANA Health Sciences. Dave discovered 25 years ago that he was born with a heart defect that required open heart surgery, then an ablation and later a pacemaker. He didn't let that stop him from participating fully in life. Dave is survived by Deanna; his daughters, Michele and Marcie; and grandchildren, Andrew, Heather, Meghan, and Jayden. ALUMNI UPDATES Richard O. Reisem '49 E-462 is a retired manager of Eastman Kodak Company. He is the author of 16 books on history, architecture, and cemeteries. His latest is Buried Treasures in the Mount Hope Cemetery, Rochester, NY. Richard and his spouse, Josef Johns, live in Rochester. E-mail: richardreisem@gmail.com (Continued on page 6) Alumni News

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