Sigma Chi - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

5 SIGMA CHI The Great Western Trip crew enjoying California. Gary "Sluggo" Wood '71 Returns Home to Continue His Battle against Cancer O ne moment he was up and walking about, living life as he had always for his 60 plus years. The next, he couldn't stand or move his legs. No, this isn't the opening of some work of fiction, but is actually the beginning of what will be a long journey for Brother Gary "Sluggo" Wood '71 and his wife, Joann. Gary has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone that has affected his spine and caused some lower extremities paralysis. In May, after 10 weeks of surgery, chemotherapy, and rehabilitation, Gary and Joann moved into his parent's home in Bethel, which was more readily adapted for wheelchair access. Joann recently reported that Tom "Big Joe" Regan '73 and Tom "Hobie" Hey '72 stopped by to visit with Gary. When he wasn't riding his motorcycle for a weekend charity event, Gary was putting in time at countless August work parties. To help Gary and Joann with the enormous expenses that health insurance doesn't come close to covering, the house corporation has started a fundraising effort. Brothers, please take the time to read the letter by Brother Jim Campbell '70 at http://sigmachi-rpi.org/newsletter/GaryWood FundraiserLetter.pdf and consider a heartfelt donation so they will feel the strong arms of Sigma Chi around them. Checks may be made payable to the Phi Epsilon Phi Corporation and mailed to: PO Box 494, Averill Park, NY 12018. On the memo line of the check, please note "Gift for Gary Wood." Gary and Joann are not receiving this newsletter, so let's keep this a surprise for them. All cards, e-mails, and calls are also welcomed and appreciated. Contact Joann Samalonis Wood at joanns@myfairpoint.net. Gary "Sluggo" Wood '71 The Great Western Trip B ob "Ruff" Hutnick '71 led a cadre of brothers and spouses on the Great Western Trip (GWT3), a four-day tour of golf courses, travel sites, and brothers' homes from Santa Catalina Island through Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Tustin and Newport Beach on to Mission Viejo, Calif., in May 2014. Hosts were Dan Burt '69 and his wife, Joan, as well as Christopher Serocke '73 and his wife, Joyce. Californians on the tour included George "Earth" Wurm '71, Richard Rishko '76, and George Sullivan '75, Mark Skarulis '96 and his four-year-old son, Owen, and Bruce Pratt '96. Visitors included John Lerory Pfaff '71, Jack Billetete '71 and Marcea Gustafson, Jim "Munger" Banghart '69 and Anne, as well as Bob "Barney" Shortle '74 and Marion. During the Great Western Trip, Dan, Jim, Bob Hutnick and Bob Shortle found Rich Molyneux '68 on the streets of downtown Manhattan Beach. The five shared lunch and relived old memories. Rich has not been back to 58 Pinewoods but enjoyed the camaraderie commenting that it just melted away the years and the distance. Rich recently retired after a career that took him through IBM, GE, Matel, and Apple. He also worked at WET Design, which built the Las Vegas Bellagio fountains. Rich and his wife, Susan, have five kids and five grandkids and enjoy living the California lifestyle. Two of his daughters are Emmy-nominated TV writers on Bob's Burgers, which airs on FOX. Some of the memories relived including Rich's performance as a chapter dinner Christmas elf captured in the Transit yearbook 1967, the fun and camaraderie of singing along to the piano playing of Rod Blumineau '65, the enjoyment of KCAW (John Krifka's '70 Creative Arts Weekend), Sarcaz's (Josef Stefens '69) liberation of "the fish" (later named Jerry T. Bass) during Saturnalia 1967, and the special and very personal tribute to the reigning Sweetheart by Denny George '66 and his roommate, Steve "Squash" Matthews '66, in the winter of '66. It was a fun visit. Our GWT3 crew also visited with Clarence "Woody" Quillin Jr. '54 at his home with a glorious Pacific Ocean view in Redondo Beach, Calif. Woody has not yet retired from his home-building business for the Hollywood stars, his living room adorned with autographed thank-you pictures from Sinatra and Satchmo. Brother Quillin also worked for Textron in the aerospace industry and has lectured in engineering at USC. Woody recalled practicing lacrosse against the trees in the backyard at 58 Pinewoods, as part of the 1952 NCAA championship RPI lacrosse team coached by the great Ned Harkness. Woody was in the first Sigma Chi pledge class to be initiated in 1951 after the founding of Delta Psi on December 2, 1950. Proudly displayed on Woody's living table we found his RPI lacrosse hat and his Sigma Chi porcelain mug.

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