Tau Kappa Epsilon - Iowa State University

TA U K A P PA E P S I L O N E P S I L O N C H A P T E R I O W A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y FA L L 2 0 2 3 THE CHIMES Securing Epsilon's Legacy The Best Job at Epsilon Chapter S E R V I N G A S C H A P T E R A D V I S O R O n October 20, 1984, longtime Chapter Advisor Millard Rigby "Spike" Kratochvil retired. He entered Chapter Eternal four years later at age 70. A new era without Spike meeting, greeting, and being the face of Epsilon Chapter began. Since then, several of us have held or shared the lead role of Chapter advisor. A special thanks to all Epsilon alumni volunteers—but I have luckily held the absolute best job at Epsilon Chapter that any alumni could ever hold. I, luckily, am the current alumni face for Epsilon. In this role, I get to meet many Fraters who were at Epsilon Chapter ahead of me and also those who have followed. I have met Fraters such as Dr. George Burnet '42 E-333 (who passed away in 2022), who told fascinating stories about the Chapter immediately after WWII—such as the Army filling 224 Ash with returning GIs, scattering our undergraduate members into apartments with little notice. I grew to be close friends with Rudy Nef '51 E-508, who brought Benny the St. Benard (our house dog) to us from Milbank, South Dakota. I was in school with Mark McCarty '80 E-1370, grew close to him, and sadly watched him pass away two years ago. We honored Mark by endowing $70,000 to keep his energetic name alive with an undergraduate scholarship in his name. I knew many of Epsilon's best, such as Chuck Kolbe '60 E-691, Ed Schram '60 E-693, Ken Sanderman '61 E-719, Doug Harms '69 E-1015, and Herb Erbe '65 E-847. I personally know hundreds of Epsilon Fraters and can call them by name and greet them at Homecoming tailgates or meet for a coffee when they are in Ames. I can call on Fraters who were generations ahead of me and talk like we are in the same pledge class. I am as comfortable with Dr. Bill Hoefle '60 E-699 as I am with my pledge Frater Dave Zimmerman '76 E-1231. No Epsilon member is a stranger to me. Each one has an important story to tell in Epsilon's storied history, and I wish I could write an individual chapter on each of you—no matter when you signed our scroll. Frater Warren Davidson 1916 E-48 is the lowest scroll that I ever met; you read that year right. He pledged in 1916, one year after Epsilon was founded. This fall, I will shake hands with E-2500, who will be initiated as TKE's first member to hit 2,500 at any TKE chapter! Spike held this job for 38 years. This year marks my 39th. One day, someone else will hold Epsilon's best job (after you have had enough of me). Until you choose to replace me: drop me a note, give me a call, or stop by for coffee. Yours in the Bond, Roger Underwood '76 E-1239 Epsilon Chapter Alumni Advisor rogeru@riverwoodmgt.com | (515) 231-0151 T au Kappa Epsilon's list of 125 Influential Tekes began with a late Frater to whom Epsilon Chapter owes a great deal: our former Chapter Advisor, Millard Rigby "Spike" Kratochvil. Spike remains one of the longest- serving Chapter Advisors with nearly 900 initiates over a 37-year period. He famously said, "Find men who have awoken from the slumber of mediocrity and whose sense of idealism has been stirred." Thank You, Spike

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