Beta Theta Pi - Purdue University

4 BETA MU LINK Chapter President Cameron Patrick Murray '19 Westfield, Ind. murra125@purdue.edu VP of Brotherhood Micah Dean '18 Lawrence, Ind. VP of Programming Cody Denton '18 Francesville, Ind. VP of Recruitment Grant Wood '19 Carmel, Ind. wood123@purdue.edu VP of Education Brian Gentile '19 Park Ridge, Ill. VP of Risk Management David Work '19 Carmel, Ind. VP of Finance Michael Huskey '17 Carmel, Ind. VP of Communications Andrew Lupkowski '19 Farmington, Minn. Samuel Bondi '19 West Lafayette, Ind. Parker Casper '20 Carmel, Ind. Preston Casper '20 Carmel, Ind. Alec Chapman '20 Noblesville, Ind. Jonathan Dean '20 Indianapolis, Ind. Max Eibel '20 West Lafayette, Ind. A.J. Farmer '20 West Lafayette, Ind. Kameron Foellinger '20 Fishers, Ind. Alex Giacomin '20 Galena, Ohio Nicholas Grasso '20 Fishers, Ind. Matt Hoskins '20 Indianapolis, Ind. Aditya Jariwala '20 Fishers, Ind. Brandon Kent '19 Winfield, Ill. Harry McSteen '20 Channahon, Ill. Josh Meiners '20 Carmel, Ind. Daniel Meulbroek '19 Fishers, Ind. Colin O'Connor '20 Avon, Ind. Andrew Read '20 Fishers, Ind. Conner Selch '20 Martinsville, Ind. Jake Shemon '20 Fishers, Ind. Noah Smith '20 Westfield, Ind. Dylan Stants '19 Township, Mich. Nolan Tighe '20 Noblesville, Ind. Grant Vasquez '20 West Lafayette, Ind. Harrison Yardley '20 Sag Harbor, N.Y. Harrison York '20 Lexington, Ky. Welcome, New Members CHAPTER OFFICERS A MEMORIAL TO A FRIEND (Continued from page 3) Purdue football and basketball teams were no longer the powerhouses of the 1930s, but we were loyal, and on the night of February 20, 1947, Mary and I walked across campus to the Field House, where Purdue would play Wisconsin. If Purdue could win this game, and the one or two other games left on the schedule, they might share in the Big Ten title. We sat in the student section of the gigantic wooden bleachers 60 rows high that the university had installed to accommodate postwar enrollment. The game was close and, I believe, Wisconsin led by just a point as the half ended. As fans started to rise to go outside and smoke or seek refreshment, our bleacher section collapsed and sank slowly to the ground! Mary's quick thinking made her raise her feet to avoid their being crushed. I did not, but was fortunate to have only a slight bruise on my right foot. Once we ascertained that we were unhurt and no one around us appeared to need help, we looked for a way to safely exit the building. We found that despite much confusion, pain, and shock, the crowd sensed that an orderly exit process must take place. Miraculously it did. The basketball game obviously was over. Some of the players were helping injured spectators, and the PA system urged everyone to leave the building and let professional rescuers take over. As we left through the chaotic crowds we encountered Bob Senour '48, who asked if we had seen Ted, who had exited a bit early for a smoke. The walk back to our house was in a daze of worry, confusion, and uncertainty. Our housemates, who had not gone to the game, were worried beyond belief until we showed up. We had been sitting for perhaps 15 minutes sipping bourbon when the doorbell rang. Their stood Bob grimacing with the news that Ted had been trapped under the falling bleachers and was badly injured. He was in Home Hospital across the city but not expected to live. We immediately dashed across town by bus to Home Hospital to join Maxine and other family members of injured students and faculty. Despite prayers and hopes, Ted's injuries (four broken limbs and a crushed chest) were not survivable. He died the next morning. A few days later I joined with several Beta brothers as a pallbearer at his funeral. We stayed in contact with Maxine for several years, until she remarried and went to Africa as a missionary's spouse. The cruel irony of Ted's surviving horrible wartime combat injuries only to die soon after the war, while attending a sports event, has never escaped me. I'll remember his friendship forever. Editor's Note: Dave Shryer graduated from Purdue in 1947 with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. He spent the majority of his career with the 3M Company in marketing and sales in industrial chemicals. He and Mary have since divorced. Dave and Margaret Kramer Shryer have been married for 49 years, and they live in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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