Sigma Phi Epsilon - University of Oregon

OREGON BETA HEARTBEAT p. 2 Russell Cole '38 served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. He passed away in 2012 in Los Angeles, Calif., at the age of 97. Burton Osborn Jr. '43 was a reservist in the U.S. Navy, serving as a pilot assigned to the USS Richmond (CL-9). While performing escort duty for reinforcement convoys, he was lost at sea and later designated as killed in action. Brother Osborn is remembered on the Tablet of the Missing, World War II West Coast Memorial in San Francisco. Col. Terry Sullivan '57 accumulated over 15,000 hours flying in bomber aircrafts and served three tours in the Vietnam War as a B-52 pilot. He served a distinguished military career with key multiple roles at various Strategic Air Command locations. He passed away on January 13, 2021, at the age of 85. Dr. John "Mike" Talbot '59 was a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force and a Vietnam War veteran. After medical school, Mike joined the Air Force, serving in Germany and Texas before opening a private practice in Michigan. He passed in 2008 at the age of 71. If you have served in the military, the SigEp Patriot Project (SPP) is interested in hearing from you. SPP is dedicated to developing connections with SigEp brothers who have served their country. You can view their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/sigepswhoserve and/or email sigepswhoserve@gmail.com. They are interested in hearing from any of Oregon Beta's military brothers, including ROTC members, veterans, and those currently serving. Honoring Those Brothers Who Paid the Ultimate Sacrifice Blast from the Past Remembering the '90s House Fires T he early 1990s were a historic time for Oregon Beta, thanks in no small part to two Chapter House fires within 22 months of each other. The first occurred in February 1993 due to a malfunctioning space heater in one of the bedrooms. Two brothers suffered minor injuries in the process: one passed out from smoke inhalation while trying to warn fellow brothers and was retrieved soon after brothers called the fire department. The other jumped out his third-floor bedroom window, breaking it and sustaining cuts from the glass. Thankfully, the roughly 40 other men escaped without injury, and firefighters subdued the blaze by 4 a.m. In the aftermath of that fire, the first and second floors of the Chapter House were still usable, but the building had numerous power outages. All of this led to a major renovation of the third floor, thanks in part to the support of alumni like Chapter Counselor Mike Moser '87 and his architectural background. The second fire was on December 29, 1994—luckily while most of the brothers were away for the holidays. The exhaust stack from the boiler had separated from the chimney near the boiler, causing exhaust to ignite from within the walls. This meant the fire was able to grow immensely before the smoke detectors or sprinkler system could catch it, resulting in $500,000 in damage. (Continued on page 3) F or some, Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start to the summer season. But for many, it is a time to reflect and honor the military personnel who have died in the line of duty while serving in the United States Armed Forces. In this issue, we would like to pause and recognize the lives of those Oregon Beta brothers who served. While not all paid the ultimate sacrifice while defending the freedom of our country, we take the time to remember their legacy. Memorial bench at Skyline Cemetery in Portland, Ore., named in honor of Mike Talbot '59. Flag at Arlington National Cemetery.

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