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Farming Face Page 6 of The
FarmingFace
Page 6
of
The
When I first came to Indiana, I was stunned by the vastness of the land. I was used to the closeness of everything in Scotland and in Europe. Homes in my native country were built on very small lots, and department stores were multi-floor, not spread out on one large space. Farms were small, and the fields were sectioned by walls made of mostly flat stones stacked on top of each other as they had been for centuries.
In Indiana fields flowed from one crop to the other and went on for what seemed like never-ending miles. I often wonder how the
early settlers must have felt when they first saw the open prairies and vast expanses of farm ground and forests. It must have been overwhelming.
I also found differences in the workforce. In Scotland I worked for an American company in what was then known as data-processing. Today, we call that informational technology. Because I was a woman, I was called a systems secretary, whereas my male counterparts doing the same job were called systems analysts. The salaries were vastly different too. In Indiana I found a slightly more equitable environment, but it wasn’t until the mid-1980s and later that the so-called glass ceiling was broken and women began to be accepted in careers often thought of as only open to males.
Our students today have so many opportunities for careers in many fields that didn’t exist or were not open to my
generation. Careers in health care and medicine have expanded rapidly. Technology is so advanced now that it has opened up great opportunities in hundreds of directions. I am fascinated by the diversity of the careers of our alumni. They are everything from rocket scientists or doctors, bankers or teachers, homemakers or farmers, politicians or priests.
At Providence, we help them discern their calling. Some choose to continue in a family business, just like these farm families featured in this issue. Others discover a new path. We hope to one day share their stories too. So, please, come back and share with us how you are doing. We love to pass on your good news!
In Christ,
Joan M. Hurley
When Denise (Galligan) Allgeier ’00 proposed we consider an issue on alumni involved in farming, we wondered if there would be enough to fill an issue. We knew of alumni who grew up on farms and left for other careers, and we can see all around the area that farmland is being sold for subdivisions and shopping centers.
As we began investigating, we learned of a number of local alumni involved in some aspect of farming, whether in the feed or seed industry or actually working the land. We chose to focus on farmers, looking to Starlight and Charlestown first.
Of course, we had to tell the stories of the Huber families, focusing on the next generation and their plans. What we found
as we looked into the other families was the variety of types of farming. Some raise animals for meat or dairy, while others grow crops to sell locally or even internationally. While the Hubers sell directly to the public, most of the farmers featured are wholesalers. And while you probably weren’t aware of it, you’ve likely purchased their crops at local grocery stores.
As consumer interest in farm to table and food sourcing grows, these stories come at the right time. We hope your reading about these alumni farmers brings forth a smile of pride when you choose a pumpkin or cabbage or buy a gallon of milk from Meijer or Kroger knowing we are supporting a fellow Pioneer. And we hope our featuring them makes them feel a bit more connected to us as consumers as well.
Happy Reading!
Christa (Payne) Hoyland ’84Director of Communications
President’s Letter
Joan M. Hurley
From the Editor
Christa (Payne) Hoyland ’84
Table of Contents
Golden Reunion Spotlight: Gary Marlin ..... 4
The Face of Farming ................................6-13
Class Notes .............................................12-15
PROVIDENCE
Managing Editor/WriterChrista (Payne) Hoyland ’[email protected]
Design/Layout
’98
Go to Support/Donate at www.providencehigh.net
to help raise the $250,000 needed to start construction on the new
stadium entrance.
PROVIDENCE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | THE VISION | 3
Girls Swimming: Junior Courtney Heselschwerdt advanced to sectional finals in the 100 meter backstroke; junior Elizabeth Scharre was first alternate.
Boys Basketball: First 2A sectional and regional titles since 2012 and first under Coach Andrew Grantz ’07.
Cheer: Placed 12th of 25 in the small novice division at National Cheerleaders Association Senior & Junior High School Nationals in Dallas.
Dance: Placed third in pom and fifth in jazz at Indiana High School Dance Team Association South Regionals and qualified in both divisions for state finals.
Volleyball: Sophomore Marissa Hornung named PrepVolleyball.com 2015 National Sophomore of the Year and a member of the MaxPreps Underclass All-American Team; senior Audrey Shannon named a finalist for Girls Volleyball Athlete of the Year Award in Indiana by IndyStar; and junior Lexie Libs named to MaxPreps 2015 Medium Schools All-American Girls Volleyball Second Team.
Boys Swimming: Qualified for sectional finals in five events; 200 yard medley relay (juniors Nick Berry and Keith Bremmer, sophomore Nick Katchur and freshman Sam LaMaster) in the A finals, 400 yard freestyle relay (Sam, Nick Berry, Nick Katchur and junior Grayson Edwards), 200 yard individual medley and 500 yard freestyle (Nick Katchur), and 100 yard breaststroke (Keith). At the finals, the team placed 12th of 17.
Girls Basketball: Repeat 2A sectional and regional champions. Junior Claire Rauck all-time leading scorer with 1,189 points; first in season- points total with 403; and 10th all-time in Indiana
basketball history in three-pointers made, with 203 in her three seasons. Junior Claire Rauck and sophomore Hannah Wolford named to Indiana Basketball Coaches Association's Underclass Small School All-State squad for Class A and 2A players and to Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association Basketball All-State Third Team.
SPORTSH I G H L I G H T S
Winter
Wrestling: Juniors Cody Sprigler (152 pounds) and Michael Hayes (170 pounds) finished fourth at sectionals and qualified for regionals.
G ary Marlin ’66 loved his time at Providence even though he may have struggled as a student sometimes.
“It was hard to concentrate in school because I had this music in me,” he said. “That’s what I loved.”
That music was more than just a distraction. He was one of six brothers who made up The Marlins, accompanying their father, the late Morris “Sleepy” Marlin, a champion fiddler. Their performances at local festivals and fairs and appearances on television helped pay their tuition. Gary Marlin was 12 when he started playing piano with his family and remembers driving to Bowling Green after school once a week during his sophomore year to perform on TV.
But as a senior considering a career, he didn’t believe he could make a living as a musician. Even his father discouraged it, insisting he go to college. Marlin enrolled at Indiana University Southeast and took some business classes. In 1967, he joined the U.S. Army National Guard. After his six-month basic training, he still had no career in mind. Then he got a booking to play at the old Robert E Lee Inn in New Albany in 1968, and The Marlins’ career was born.
Now with more than 55 years in the music business, Marlin marvels at the band’s longevity.
“We never really planned it,” he said. “You can’t in this business.”
Treating their band like a business is one
of the brothers’ keys to success. From the beginning, they crafted a show for their audience, a tip they learned from their father. They have adapted that show through the years as their schedule – and audience – has changed and they have aged. In the 1980s, when the group was performing six nights a week 48 weeks a year at various nightclubs, the brothers played rock music. Thirty years later, their show features everything from Broadway tunes to patriotic music, including the song “I Believe in America,” which Marlin co-wrote with
Chuck Carpenter and is featured in the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York.
The Marlins have performed for audiences large and small, from local weddings and the Crusade for Children, to stops on a national tour – including major casinos in Atlantic City, N.J., and Las Vegas. Until 2011, that tour included 40 shows in 15 states over 10 weeks, a grueling schedule the brothers have since dropped to spend more time with family, which for Marlin includes his wife, Mo, and daughters Caley '11 and Casey '12. The band still travels to perform, but not as often.
A New AudienceToday, the band is more of a part-time job. It still requires traveling but not as often, with an annual winter tour in Florida and other locations depending on their bookings. Marlin laughs at how the band has caught up with the age of its primary audience.
“I remember when we first started playing resorts in Arizona,” Marlin said. “I was 53, and I would look out at the audience, and I would think how old these people looked. Now, I’m that old.”
The membership of the band has changed too, with Marlin and brothers Jace ’64, Robert ’70 and Rick ’74 continuing to perform together. Brothers Jack ’62 and Pat ex’-76 left the group some time ago, with Jack eventually forming The
Marlinaires with his children and Pat now in Las Vegas.
What hasn’t changed is their love for music and their dedication to their audience, Marlin said. They’ve been fortunate to have good health and haven’t had to cancel very many bookings. It also helps that they complement each other’s strengths. Like all brothers, they have had their disagreements, but when it comes to performing, they know they have a job to do.
“We just think the music is so important,” Marlin said. “You get on stage, and that’s it. The show goes on.”
Marlin and his brothers know the show won’t go on forever. Their father, who had to give up the fiddle at age 72 because of arthritis, warned them the music business is fickle and taught them to prepare for down times. Marlin took finance courses in the 1980s to learn about investing and feels financially prepared, but he has no plans for a retirement party just yet. Marlin muses whether he’ll miss playing when that day comes, but for now, he’s grateful for every chance.
“It’s a hard life, but we made it through because we’re family,” Marlin said. “We’re just normal folks who happen to have the God-given gift of music, and to be able to use that is unusual. We are blessed.”
Even though he has made a career of playing music, Marlin said, he doesn't recommend it to his daughters. Although both took music lessons, they were more interested in athletics, and their achievements on and off the field at Providence and in college have made him proud. He has encouraged them to enjoy music but when it comes to a career, he recommends they choose a field they love that can provide a good, steady income.
“To do something you love [for a career] is the most awesome thing,” he said. “The older
I get, the more thankful I am [to be able to have done that].”
Can’t Stop the MusicBy: Christa (Payne) Hoyland ’84
’66 Grad Has Made a Life of Performing
Gary Marlin '66 is not the only renowned musician in the class. In 2012, Marlin and classmate Sonny Lemaire (on left), a songwriter and member of the band Exile
featured in the Winter 2011 Vision, performed at the Annual Student Assistance Dinner and posed for a photo with classmate Fr. Dan Atkins, also a musician.
4 | THE VISION | PROVIDENCE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
PROVIDENCE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | THE VISION | 5
Providence Distinctive Alumni Awards Presented at the annual Gala Dinner & Auction in January
Jack Koetter received the Outstanding Alumnus Award
for the way he represents Providence
in his professional life and in his commitment of
time, talent and treasure to Providence and the community. He began his career in the family business, Koetter Construction, immediately after high school. The company, founded in 1954, by his parents, the late Bob and Gladys Koetter, has grown and flourished thanks to the continued commitment of Jack Koetter and brothers Bob Jr. ’78, Kenny ’75, Phil ’71, and Wayne ’81 and now employs about 100 people. Jack Koetter is CEO of The Koetter Group, which includes Koetter Construction,
and is president of Koetter Development and principal broker for Koetter Real Estate Services.
As demanding as his career is, Koetter continues to make time for the community. He is on community boards and organizations, including being a charter member and past board member of Associated Builders & Contractors and of the Southern Indiana Economic Development Council. He is a board member for the Alzheimer’s Association and Providence Retirement Home as well as past board member of Providence High School. He was instrumental in the community effort to build homes for families affected by the Henryville tornado. He also has contributed his expertise to formulating the master plan for Providence and St. Elizabeth's-Catholic Charities.
In overseeing the Providence master plan and as co-chairman of our Endowing the Future Capital Campaign, he is often on campus overseeing projects, including the recent completion of the new chapel and the baseball turf infield. For Koetter, it’s a labor of love.
“I truly enjoy putting the talents that I've been blessed with to work for Providence,” he said. “The school has been very good to me, my family and this community. I want to do my part to sustain it for those students and families that come after we're gone.”
Jack Koetter and his wife, Melanie (Gibbons) Koetter ’74, live in Floyds Knobs. They have two adult sons who are now working in the family business, Brage ’03 and Jack ’14, and two grandchildren.
Jude Manning joined the Providence faculty in the
fall of 1983 as a theology teacher,
but she is most known for her long tenure
as a social studies teacher. In her 33rd year at Providence and her 45th year overall, she teaches AP U.S. History and AP European History part-time. She was awarded the honorary diploma for her support of the
school and students she clearly loves.Manning, a native of Boston suburb
Quincy, Mass., came to the area to attend the old College of Nazareth in Bardstown, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in history and then taught in various schools in Louisville. Once she started teaching at Providence, she said, she knew she was meant to stay here. She said is grateful for the opportunity to teach here all these years and for the wonderful friends she has made in the Providence community.
In addition to teaching various levels of
World History, U.S. History and European History, Manning also has served as tennis coach, junior class moderator and Social Studies Department chairperson. She has been part-time since the fall of 2013. She said she is proud of the fact that she has taught all of her fellow social studies teachers, and at one time, 12 of her fellow teachers in the building were once her students.
“Every person’s life is a journey, and I can certainly see the hand of God in mine,” she said. “It was meant to be (my teaching at Providence). I’ve been very, very blessed.”
Dan Schoenfelder, a member of Holy Family
parish, was awarded the
Community Service Award for his dedication
to serving others at his parish and in the community at large shortly after transferring to New Albany from South Dakota 17 years ago. He became involved at Holy Family when a parish retreat inspired him to get involved in various ministries. He has been
active in many liturgical ministries at Holy Family, including In Heaven’s Eyes and St. Vincent DePaul ministries, and as a catechist and Confirmation instructor.
Schoenfelder has coached Deanery middle school cross country and/or junior high track at Holy Family for most of that time. He also is known for coordinating meals for families of friends and parishioners who have lost a loved one. Schoenfelder said he most enjoys seeing how God works to help those in need, especially when a donated item comes on the heels of someone requesting assistance from the St. Vincent DePaul Society.
Schoenfelder, who has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines, plans to pursue a degree in secondary education in the fall – after retiring in July from a 33-year career with BASF Corp. as a maintenance engineer. He also plans to apply for the next class of deacons sponsored by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
Schoenfelder and his wife, Karen, live in New Albany and have two adult children, Dr. Amanda (Schoenfelder) Mattingly ’08 (physical therapy) and Chris Schoenfelder ’05.
Outstanding Alumnus: Jack Koetter ’72
Honorary Alumna: Jude Manning
Community Service Award
The Face of Farming
6 | THE VISION | PROVIDENCE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
A s the daughter of a farmer, Denise (Galligan) Allgeier ’00 was raised in the farming lifestyle,
a life she has long loved. From an early age, she helped take care of the livestock. She remembers bottle-feeding calves and helping herd and feed the sheep throughout her childhood. She also was a member of the 4-H Club showing goats, sheep and cattle.
Her commitment to the farm grew after her mother passed away when Alligeier was 11, and as an only child, she began helping her father, Mike Galligan ’56, as much as she could. At the time, her father owned one of the largest cattle operations in Indiana. He had nearly 800 cattle that he sheltered on acreage in the old Indiana Army Ammunition Plant near Charlestown. On his own land on the opposite side of Charlestown, he raised goats and sheep and grew corn, soybeans and hay.
Allgeier went to Purdue University in West Lafayette and earned her bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and an associate’s degree in veterinary technology. When she married her husband, Adam, they built a home on her father’s land and have since taken over much of the responsibilities of caring for most of his 750 acres.
Galligan sold most of his cattle in 2004 and semi-retired. He still has two separate farm parcels on which he raises about
80 head of cattle. He also helps Allgeier and her husband farm the main property, serving as a mentor to his son-in-law.
Adam Allgeier worked full-time and farmed part-time until 2012, when he was able to pursue farming as his full-time career, something he dreamed of doing since his childhood, Denise Allgeier said. The couple are grateful for all the advice, support and help Galligan provides.
“It’s hard to get into farming if you don’t have someone to help teach you,” she said. “We couldn’t do it without him.”
The Allgeiers raise goats and free-range hens and grow corn, soybeans and wheat. Their primary focus is the herd of goats, including about 70 female goats they raise and sell for meat, a product in high demand.
“Goat [which provides a meat similar to mutton] is the most popular meat in the world,” Allgeier said. “We can’t keep up with the demand.”
They also have several other money-
producing products, including baled straw for local businesses and landscapers plus freezer beef from Galligan’s cattle. Last spring, Allgeier added free-range hens and has accumulated more than 100, and as with her goats, tries to keep up with her customer’s demand for farm-fresh eggs.
Teaching Life Skills DailyDressed in a Purdue jacket, Allgeier is right
at home with the hens running to her as she rounds the drive toward the barn and empties a bag of table scraps at her feet. To her left, the herd of goats files down the hillside toward a bale of hay for feeding time.
Her two sons, ages 4 and 5, run back and forth chasing hens, checking on baby goats in the barn and climbing the railings, hollering with triumph when they find an egg. Their favorite chore is collecting the eggs with their mother, which takes them around and inside the barn as they search for them since the hens do not live in coops. It’s a lifestyle she’s happy to pass on to her sons.
“I love living in the country,” Allgeier said. “I grew up out here, and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. [Our kids] can run, play with the goats and gather eggs. They’re learning life skills – hard work and dedication and skills that will take them far in life.”
With business booming thanks to the demand for farm-fresh products, the Allgeiers are considering purchasing more land for farming corn, soybeans and wheat. But farming has its financial risks, and their goats have had their share of health problems in the past. Still, the Allgeiers said, they are determined to continue to learn and grow their herd instead of quitting – and to rely on God to help them through
any hard times.“Raising livestock is always challenging
because farming is such a volatile business,” Allgeier said. “Sometimes you never know what your paycheck is going to be. The challenging thing has been depending on the weather and your livestock. So many things are out of your control, and it can be long hours. It’s a lot of work, but we wouldn’t trade places. We love it.”
Committed to Farm LifeAllgeier Raising Sons as She Was – with Faith and Love of the Land
By Alexas Gregory ’10
With the farm-to-table meal concept growing in popularity, this issue highlights eight Southern Indiana farm families among our alumni. They include the Huber families, who have made their farms a destination, as well as others whose products you may not have been aware you were enjoying, from Stumler pumpkins to cabbages and milk from the Book farm. We hope you enjoy this issue as you become more aware of the Providence connection on the local food supply.
PROVIDENCE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | THE VISION | 7
I t’s easy to drive through the state of Indiana, past acres and acres of farmland, and not think about the
interconnectedness of the global food market. Until you have a conversation with Terry Vissing ’72, that is.
Vissing, who grew up on his father’s dairy farm, has been farming in Southern Indiana since he was in high school. He grows corn and soybeans on 1,200 acres in Marysville, northeast of Charlestown, to feed people on the other side of the world.
Vissing and other Southern Indiana farmers operate in what’s known as a river market because of their proximity to the Ohio River. Unlike farmers upstate, away from the river, who sell much of their corn for ethanol production and domestic cattle feed, much of Vissing’s crops is shipped by barge from Jeffersonville to New Orleans and then exported to China.
While it sounds like a simple enough business plan, there are plenty of variables outside his control. For one, his expenses, labor, equipment and taxes only tend to increase, while his income goes up and down from year to year. And the nature of farming is such that, like any farmer, he makes a large investment in his crops up front when he plants in May and then must wait until October to harvest – when he can then see if there’s any profit to be had.
But a lot can happen in between planting
and harvesting that is out of a farmer’s control. Too much rain. Too little rain. A shift in demand as consumers’ habits change.
“I don’t need to go to the boat very often to gamble,” Vissing said. “We’re always fighting for prosperity because we’re a victim of the weather. We
can be a victim of the markets.”
Serving the IndustryBut it’s a “fight” in which Vissing is a willing participant. And he fights where he can be most useful. He has invested years as a member of the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA), acting as the check off director for three three-year terms, with his last term ending in 2015. In that role, he oversaw the funds from the “check off,” the one half of 1 percent of all soybean sales that is divided between the state and national soybean associations.
Those funds provide vital support for the research and development of new soy-based products to create new markets for Indiana soybean farmers and their crops. One such product, one that took years of development, is the recently released soy-based sealant developed by Environmental Concrete Products known as Fluid iSoylator used for patching roads.
Vissing also has served on the ISA’s Aquaculture Committee, which has been researching the feasibility of soy-based fish food to sell overseas, where 90 percent of the fish consumed in the United States is raised. Being on the council also has allowed him the opportunity to travel to Vietnam, China and Brazil to represent the ISA in conducting market research and liaising with their counterparts around the world to
improve practices and increase global sales opportunities.Farming like a BusinessmanDespite the volatile conditions present year after year in the farming industry, Vissing has managed to run a successful, and oftentimes profitable, family farm for more than four decades. He credits his success with being a superior manager and approaching farming like a profession, which means taking a similar forward-thinking approach to his own farm as the ISA does with the industry.
To that end, Vissing participates in the Annual Yield Contests sponsored by the National Corn Growers and the National Sorghum Growers. To take part, he sets aside 10 acres for corn and 10 acres for sorghum as contest fields and experiments with different products and methods to increase yield.
Not only has he found success in these contests – placing second in the state in the No Till Division for corn in 2014 and fifth in 2015, and placing first in the state in the No Till Division for sorghum in 2015 – but he also has taken the lessons learned in his contest fields and applied them to his practice on his commercial fields.
His wife, Charlotte, helps as well. She is his bookkeeper and works full-time as a mail carrier. They have three adult children, including a son who has built a home on their land, and three grandchildren with one more on the way.
Vissing also invests in modern equipment that saves time and prevents waste – and is one factor in his ability to increase his yield. Having been a family farmer for more than 40 years, he has seen the number of farms decrease, but thanks to new technology, those farms can now produce enough to each feed 160 people as opposed to only 19 people in 1940 – and “that [is] the proudest part of my career,” Vissing said.
Terry Vissing ’72 also has a sister involved in farming. Denise (Vissing '76) Garriott raises prize show goats in Scottsburg, Ind.
Fighting for ProsperityVissing Serves on Soybean Council to Protect Farmers’ Interests
By Jeff Taylor ’94
8 | THE VISION | PROVIDENCE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
S imon Huber would likely have been perplexed at the thought of strangers coming to his farm to pick their own
fruit when he settled in Starlight in 1843 after emigrating from Germany. City folks at the time wouldn't consider farming a source of recreation.
But Huber's Orchard, Winery & Vineyard has changed all that, with their U-Pick orchards and strawberry and berry patches now a local tourist destination. Visitors can get a taste of farm life with wagon rides to the fields or buy direct from the farmer's market as well as sample and buy award-winning wines and distilled spirits, cut their own Christmas tree, have a meal, or even celebrate a wedding in the reception hall.The Huber family has become adept at intertwining farming and entertainment, welcoming visitors whose only experience of farm life may well be an annual visit to their pumpkin patch. They’ve even become experts at handling the large crowds in the fall, their busiest season, with makeshift fencing to help with overflow parking in grassy areas.
Dealing with the public has its challenges and rewards, said Greg Huber ’81, who owns the agritainment business with his cousin Ted Huber ’84.
“Sometimes you have to go into the back room and let it slide off of you, but you try to keep everybody happy,” Greg Huber said. “Most of the time, we try to make customers feel like our home is their home so they come back and see us.”
For Huber, satisfaction comes in seeing visitors' posts on social media about their day at the farm. He also is proud to see so many people make their visits a family -- and even generational -- tradition.
“We just make it an experience for them,” Huber said. “They come back and bring their kids because they did it, their parents did it, and they want to show their kids how a farm works. They don’t get to do that much in the city.”
Cultivating the Next Huber GenerationWhile customers enjoy the pleasure of an afternoon of harvesting, the Huber family and their staff of 200 put in a lot of effort to have the varieties of fruit ready for them. Huber oversees all the farming while his cousin manages the winery and distillery. Greg Huber’s wife, Jan (Gettelfinger ’81), and their daughter Marcie (Huber) Hawk ’06, handle the financial and human resources end. Ted Huber’s wife, Dana, is in charge of marketing, and Greg and Jan’s son, A.J. ’05, handles crop management and farm production.
Greg and Ted Huber are the sixth generation to farm the land, having taken over the business from their fathers, Carl ’58 and Gerald (Hon. ’15) in the early 2000s. They both have siblings who chose other careers, and Greg Huber has a daughter, Allie ’09, who works and lives in Florida. But Greg Huber said he knew as a child working in the fields with his father and especially his grandmother, the late Marcella Huber, that he wanted to stay on the family farm.
“She kept us motivated,” Greg Huber said. “Here she was in her 70s, and still every day she was working hard. She motivated us to work hard and enjoy it while you’re doing it. I decided that was the path I wanted to take.”
The farming operation has evolved over the years. When Huber was younger, he said, the focus was more on vegetables, but after the winery opened in 1978, production switched to a focus on fruit because “we seem to have a knack for that.” As the farm became more of an entertainment destination, the Hubers began attending conventions focusing on the agritainment industry and implementing ideas learned there, including its reception facility, Plantation Hall.
The farm now covers more than 600 acres, planted with nearly 100 acres of vineyards and orchards, about 100 in
pumpkins, strawberries and other berries, and about 100 in Christmas trees. The majority of their crop goes straight to the consumer, with only a few local markets buying some of their products for resale.
Machinery has improved farming over the years, but planting and picking still requires physical labor. Dealing with the whims of nature is stressful, but overall, Huber said, he enjoys being his own boss and seeing the crops grow as well as the crowds of visitors enjoy the fruits of their labor.
He also enjoys working with his family, especially seeing son A.J. learn the farming business. Greg Huber said he intends to work about another decade and feels assured that the farm will continue to thrive as the seventh generation finds its place in the business. And he has hope for the eighth generation, with five young grandchildren.
Working with family is just as important to A.J. Huber, who said his love of farming came from riding the tractor with his grandfather as a child and learning “how to train trees to produce.” He earned a degree in business from Indiana University Bloomington to learn the management side of farming and understands and cherishes the legacy he is charged with carrying forward. He sees it as a privilege to one day be able to manage it with his sisters and cousins.
“I want to take care of what Dad and Ted have built,” A.J. Huber said.
Making Farming FunHuber’s Orchard Makes Farm to Table an Experience for the Generations
By Christa (Payne) Hoyland ’84
Photo provided by Jan (Gettelfinger) H
uber ’81
The Huber family gathers at the grand opening of the distillery in 2015. Gerald (Hon. '14) and Mary Jeanne (Schmitt) '58 Huber stand with their son Ted '84 and his family -- wife Dana and sons, Christian '11 (far left) and Blake '16. Carl Sr. '58 and Linda (Zurschmeide '59) Huber stand with son Greg '81 and his family – wife Jan (Gettelfinger '81) and their children, Marcie (Huber) Hawk ’06, Allie ’09 and A.J. ’05.
A.J. Huber is the seventh
generation to work the family
farm in Starlight. He learned to
love cultivating fruit as a child
riding on the tractor with his
grandfather, Carl Huber.
PROVIDENCE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | THE VISION | 9
F or almost 50 years, local residents and those from beyond the area have flocked to tiny Starlight, Ind.,
in Clark County to visit the Joe Huber Family Farm and Restaurant, one of the forerunners of the term "agritourism." The farm has become so popular, it would be a challenge to find a local who hasn't visited the 180-acre farm on a field trip, family outing, class reunion or some other kind of organized event.
Despite being one of the region's most enduring brands, the Joe Huber’s Family Farm and Restaurant is still evolving with the times, as it has when the late Joe Huber Jr. began the modern enterprise as a "U-Pick It" farm in 1967.
"You have to be ready to change," said Lewis “Louie” Huber ’79, one of Joe and Bonnie Huber's five children and president of the farm. "Back when I was a kid, we raised 52 different kinds of fruits and vegetables. Now we're down to strawberries, pumpkins and apples.
“The farm is what got us started, but now we have events, catering and the soda pop shop. There's a lot of different ways we try to get people out here to experience all the great stuff that's out here."
It continues to be a family affair, with Louie Huber in charge, his wife, Katie, overseeing the restaurant, daughter Amy (Huber) Peters ’04 keeping the books and serving as vice president of both the farm and restaurant, and niece Terra (Huber) Mahan ’98 keeping a watchful eye on the catering business.
The Huber family is now in its eighth
generation of farming in Starlight, sharing lineage with the Huber Orchard & Winery branch. Both are descendants of Simon Huber, who in 1843 emigrated from Baden-Baden, Germany – and brought apple trees to the region with him. In 1926, Joe Huber Sr. purchased his farm and along with his wife, Mary, and their 11 children raised cattle and chickens and employed dozens
of farm hands. After Joe Sr. passed away in 1967, Joe Jr. took over the farm and began the "U Pick" operation.
A Lifetime of FarmingAs one might imagine, Peters describes an idyllic experience growing up around the farm and the large Huber family – which has swelled today to include 25 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren of Joe Jr., who died in 2008, and Bonnie, who survives.
"We always had a blast," said Peters, whose husband, Chad, once was a bus boy at the restaurant. "My cousin Jenna [(Huber) Clem ’04] and I were close. We always ran around on the farm together, playing on the hay bales, climbing in the apple trees. I can remember picking up rocks out of the lake and throwing them back on the dam. It was fun, but we also had to do a lot of work too."
Her dad concurs. He was around for the U-Pick boom at the farm but also describes a culture of hard work established by those in his family, among them his father and grandfather Joe Sr., that has led to the successful business it is today.
"When I was 4, dad put me on a tractor, and my feet couldn't even reach the pedals," he recalls with a laugh. "He told me to not go too fast around the corners and to watch out for cars."
Fine-Tuning Their SpecialtyOf course, the campus now includes much more than just a farm. It has expanded over the years to include the Barnyard,
which includes a 40-foot tall tunnel slide, a playground, and opportunities to launch pumpkins into the lake with a catapult, plus feed fish and ducks; Barns 1 and 2, which have hosted an array of events for many community organizations; and the Huber Lakehouse, an adjacent event site created nearly 10 years ago with an eye towards weddings.
And most readers will be familiar with the restaurant, its famed fried chicken, chicken and dumplings, and biscuits with apple butter – many of the recipes from those used by the late Mary Huber when she fed farmhands back in the 1930s and ’40s.
The popularity of the restaurant's down home cooking also has led to an increased demand for catering, Huber said. The catering business specializes in feeding 200 to 300 people but has provided food for events with thousands in attendance.
"The catering end of our business – the prep work, and cleaning up afterward when the event is over – it is extremely labor intensive," he said. "But we've learned how to do it professionally, and it's fun to do those large groups."
And an option for small groups is in the works. "Not everyone needs event space for 600 people," Huber said. "We have groups that want a lower-cost, smaller option, and we're working to see what we can do for groups of 30 to 40 people."
Known best for strawberry picking in the spring and apples and pumpkins in the fall, the latest generation of Hubers is looking for more events to attract customers. Four years ago, Joe Huber’s hosted its first-ever balloon glow and craft show, which Peters said has turned out to be a big draw for the business during the summertime.
"That's been a fun event and something we're hoping to continue to grow," she said.
It was winter and downtime at Joe Huber’s when this article began, but by now, the grass has begun to grow, the flowers to bloom and the apple trees to sprout. Another bustling spring and summer are on the way, and the Joe Huber family will be ready, as they've been for more than 150 years.
"When you look at what we've done, one of things we're most proud of is that we've managed to keep a lot of people employed over the years," Huber said. "We have a lot of people who leave and come back to visit and love hearing the stories."
Selling the Farm ExperienceLocal U-Pick Pioneers Explore Ways to Continue to Attract, Feed Tourists
By Jon Reiter ’93
Photo by Jon Reiter ’93
Amy (Huber) Peters ’04 and her father, Lewis Huber ’79, are proud to be continuing the agritourism business started by Joe Huber Jr. in 1967.
10 | THE VISION | PROVIDENCE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
T he next time you’re in the produce section in a local Kroger grocery store, look closely at the photos
of the farmers posted. Near the cabbage, you’re likely to see a photo of Bill and Jim Book, two brothers with a strong Providence connection who own and operate an 850-acre family dairy and produce farm in Starlight. Bill Book is the mechanic, keeping up the farm’s dairy equipment and tractors, and Jim and Cheryl (Kruer ’72) Book, with the help of their son Tim ’01, manage the farming operations.
As produce and dairy wholesalers, the Books are pleased to know their products are being enjoyed by neighbors as well as family, friends, Providence alumni and others from around the region. Their cabbages – harvested from 250,000 plants over 22 acres – are sold in Kroger stores in Southern Indiana, Kentucky and even Nashville, Tenn.
“It makes you feel good because people are eating your product,” Jim Book said.
The Books grow other produce as well for wholesale – cucumbers and varieties of summer and winter squash, peppers and pumpkins. They also have a herd of about 275 heifers and calves, from which 100 dairy cows provide more than 1,300 gallons of milk every two days, which is sold via the Dairy Farmers of America Cooperative to Kroger Dairy and Dean Dairy. They also grow all the grains needed to provide feed for the herd.
Jim and Bill Book (a third brother has since retired) are fifth-generation dairy farmers and are grooming Tim to take over the operation one day, with the hope that one of Tim's five brothers will join him in the operation.
Jim and Cheryl’s youngest, Simon ’11, seems the most likely candidate because he’s a mechanic and can fill his Uncle Bill’s
role. But he’s living in California, where he can surf and ski, Jim said. Oliver ’09 recently graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering, but Jim thinks Oliver could return to the farm after he finishes serving in the Peace Corps in Africa teaching farming techniques. Son Nicholas ’98 lives in Iowa, and although Zack ’02 and Jim Jr. ’97 live nearby, they have other careers, including Jim Jr.’s Bean
Street Café coffee shops. Jim said he enjoyed having his sons
help around the farm when they were growing up – and the labor cost it saved. But the family has enough staff to handle operations, including milking the cows twice a day – at 5 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. – while still giving him a morning off a couple days a week to take a sunrise walk with Fr. Sonny Day ’58, pastor of nearby St. John the Baptist Church. The milking is done by machine, but hands are still needed to clean the cows and move them in and out of the milking parlor.
At harvest time, the Books hire local teenagers to help pick the produce, workers who usually are the children of neighbors who once helped harvest as teenagers. Tim is crew leader of the hired summer and fall help, a role he said he really enjoys. He also takes care of planting the grain as well as grinding it for feed and bedding for the cows.
While Jim oversees the planting, watering, and spraying of the produce as well as ordering supplies and writing checks to vendors, Cheryl handles the bookkeeping and payroll. They all pitch in at planting and harvest time, whether planting seeds to be grown in the greenhouse or putting the produce on a conveyor to be cleaned. When it comes to milking the cows, however, Cheryl leaves that chore to her husband and son.
“I help out where I can, but I don’t milk cows,” she said, adding that she made that clear from the time she married Jim in 1977. “I grew up on a farm myself, but we didn’t have cows.”
To which her husband quipped with a laugh: “The Kruers don’t like cows.”
A work of faithThe Books enjoy their farm and chosen
career, even if it is hard work, long hours and few vacations. They are happy to be able to rent some of their land to local farmers and to see their neighbors enjoying their lakes and pastures for fishing and picnics. They enjoy working the land and even the variability of their schedule and tasks as affected by nature and the needs of their animals and crops.
“It’s not the same thing every day,” said Tim. “You’re outside most of the time. You get to see the sun go up and go down. I like it.”
Even attending Sunday Mass can be affected by their responsibilities on the farm, but they take it in stride. Cheryl laughs as she tells the story of her young sons having to leave church one Easter morning to round up some cows that had escaped their enclosure – and then quickly return to the church to serve as altar boys.
Adaptability and faith have been keys to the success of the operation. The family switched to fall produce including pumpkins decades ago when a change in Florida laws made importing tomatoes prohibitive. Soon after, Cheryl started a successful 20-year side business painting and selling pumpkins to local Kroger stores. From that relationship, they began selling other produce to Kroger in recent years, changing packing procedures to fit the stores' needs.
Faith also plays a vital role. They rely heavily on the intercession of their neighbors, especially the older generation, who pray for the Books' success, a gift for which they are most grateful, Jim and Cheryl said.
“It seems like no matter how bad it gets – the weather, whatever – it always works out,” Jim said. “People always ask how we are so lucky. I tell them I live 600 feet from the church, and you’ve got to use it.”
“You’ve got to have faith because that’s who controls the weather – the Lord,” Cheryl said.
Prayer as the BackboneBook Family Adapts Products and Procedures to Succeed but Never Waivers on Faith
By Christa (Payne) Hoyland ’84
PROVIDENCE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | THE VISION | 11
T he connection to farming for brothers Alvin ’74 and Ralph ’76 Popp goes far beneath the surface.
As third-generation family farmers in Memphis, Ind., Alvin and Ralph have dedicated their lives to continuing a legacy that began with their grandfather and was passed down to them at a very early age.
Neither Alvin nor Ralph can say exactly when they started helping out on the farm, just that they have always done it. It was a part of their family life. As their family grew to include more siblings – there are six Popp siblings in all, including Barbara ’72, Anthony '77, Darlene (Popp) Coleman '80 and Margaret (Popp) Tschaenn '85 – it became increasingly apparent that the income from the farm was not enough to support the entire family and send all six kids to Catholic high school.
But Catholic education was important to their parents, Carl and Dolores Popp, so their father took on different jobs away from the farm to make ends meet, and Alvin and Ralph became much more than the sons of a farmer. They became farmers themselves, stepping up to work the farm on a daily basis, and eventually creating a formal partnership with their dad to own and operate the farm moving forward. It's a task they have relished and taken to heart for more than 40 years, despite the challenges.
Their small family farm – 400 acres of corn, soybeans, and hay as well as 30 head of beef cattle – provides food and income for their families, but like their father, not enough sustained income to work the farm full time without outside income.
Ralph’s full time job is at the Ford Truck Plant in Louisville as a vehicle assembly technician, while Alvin once worked at the Colgate-Palmolive plant in Clarksville until the plant shut down.
Their work at the plants has always been just a job, something they did. Farmers are who they are.
“Once it’s in your blood, it’s hard to get away from it,” Ralph said.
Farming has been in their blood in a way that it never was for their other siblings, who each made a way in other careers.
“There’s just something about working the dirt,” Alvin said. “Watching the seed break through the dirt to feed us or the cattle. It’s a self-rewarding thing.”
Keeping the Right BalanceThat love of working the land keeps the Popp brothers committed to running a small farm despite the encroaching land development moving north from the river, refusing to sell when offers have come their way.
The Popps are satisfied with the size of their farm, having found a balance that works for them and allows them to be small family farmers, “one of the dying breed of family farms,” Alvin said.
It is big enough to sustain a large enough
yield to turn a profit each year, allowing them to buy land and farm equipment and to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of farming. Yet it’s small enough to keep manageable the ever-increasing costs required of modern farming methods.
It look some time to determine the right size for their farming operation, and technological advancements in farming played a large role in finding that size.
“The technology world has taken over the farming industry,” Alvin said.
Improvements in equipment and fertilization have increased yields two-fold over the years, but the technology and chemicals needed to reach those increased yields have almost quadrupled the upfront cost to get that crop in the ground.
When they aren’t busy planting or tending to their crops, Ralph and Alvin both enjoy hunting. It’s one hobby the family can do together. They also have their own interests. Alvin has a 1949 Chevy truck his grandfather bought new that he enjoys keeping up and driving in parades. Ralph’s vehicle of choice is a John Deer tractor from the early 1960s that he has improved over time and uses to compete in the Battle of the Bluegrass, a series of tractor pulls at county fairs throughout Indiana and Kentucky all summer long.
Just as their parents did for them, Alvin and Ralph also have shown a shared commitment to providing a Providence education for their children. Alvin and Diane (Lynch '77) are parents of Amy '09 and Logan '11. Ralph and his wife, Patty, are parents of Whitney '09 and Candace '12 - just one more thing that goes far beneath the surface for Alvin and Ralph Popp.
Deep RootsBrothers Carry on Family Farm with Love for Working the Land
By Jeff Taylor ’94
Brothers Ralph ’76 (left) and Alvin ’74 Popp enjoy ‘working the dirt’ on the farm that’s been in their family for three generations.
News to Share? Fill out the online form under Alumni News/Change Contact Info section at providencehigh.net or email your information to [email protected]. Include your current address and other pertinent information. Or jot down your info and
send to Providence Office of Institutional Advancement, 707 Providence Way, Clarksville IN 47129.
12 | THE VISION | PROVIDENCE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
C hances are, if your lips have touched a glass of ice cold Dean's milk, produced in Louisville, you've
tasted what comes from the R. E. (Elmer '55) Graf & Family Foremost Farms, one of a handful of working dairy farms still in existence in southern Indiana. But now it’s Elmer’s son, Tim Graf '90, tending the family's 150-acre dairy farm just outside the New Albany city limits along S.R. 111 in Floyd County.
From sunrise to well after sunset, Tim Graf is seemingly always on the job, starting his days as a full-time maintenance supervisor at Hitachi Cable in New Albany. Graf, who took over full-time operations of the farm from his father three years ago, was tending to two newborn calves on the night he spoke to The Vision, making sure they're healthy and receiving the proper nutrition to become milk producers as adults. It's all part of his commitment to making sure his farm – and his family – are well attended to.
Growing up on the farm with his father, mother Jane, and seven brothers and sisters,
Graf soaked it all in – although his father discouraged him early on from taking on the family business.
"Farmers never talk about it; they just do it – me and my brothers and sisters (all but one sister who lives with a visual impairment attended Providence) all helped out on the farm," Graf recalled. "When I was 17, my dad said, 'There's no future in it.'
"But it's in your blood. There are some things about it that are very difficult. You milk the animals every day. It doesn't matter if it's zero degrees outside, that's what you have to do."
Continuing a LegacyThe farm has been in Graf's family for more than 100 years as the sign along the road indicates. Elmer, at a young age, took
over the farm from his father, Albert, who worked at the old Colgate factory in Jeffersonville and was killed in an accident in the 1950s.
Elmer – one of seven
children – assumed the mantle and assisted his mother, Dorothy, in building up the farm. It's been a family affair ever since, and although the farm is down from its peak of between 60 to 80 head of dairy cattle in its heyday, Tim Graf, with the assistance of his father and other family members, still milks about 30 cows. And it’s a different operation
from the one his grandparents started."The biggest thing now is the
technology," Tim Graf said. "Over the last forty-something years I've done this, they've put automatic systems in place, and the quality standards are so much higher than they used to be. You have to be on top of your game."
Graf lives on the farm with his wife, Andrea, and sons Elijah, 6, Isaiah, 4, and daughter Adrianna, 2, and they will be joined by another sibling due in April.
It's a busy yet fulfilling life, but Graf harbors no illusions his children will take over the farm when he calls it quits. He says they already like the same things he did as a kid: the equipment and machinery, being around the cows – everything any young kid would enjoy about being on a farm. But he wants more for them.
"I just want them to get an education," he said. "You can learn a lot here, and being out on the farm is a lot more fun than staying inside and playing video games. But I want them to go to school and do well."
He admits that there are days where he'd like to "hop on a plane" and take a vacation, but his honor-bound mentality and the pull he's always felt towards his family's farm have kept him from that. For now, the day when he'll be able to take it easy after the grind of 80-to-90-hour weeks is far in the future.
"We've always been quality-minded when it comes to our farm, and it does take time and attention – but there are a lot of rewards," he said. "I work a lot, but a lot of the work I do happens at home, and hopefully I can teach my kids the value of hard work and help in the right direction."
Working Double TimeLove of Family Farm Means 2 Full-Time Jobs for Graf
By Jon Reiter ’93
Photos provided by Tim G
raf ’90
Elmer ’55 and Jane Graf stand by the sign near the entrance to the family farm.
Tim Graf ’90 takes two of his children for a ride on his tractor.
Class Notes1955 Sr. Ann Margaret O’Hara, SP, celebrates her golden jubilee as a Sister of Providence. She serves as general treasurer for the order, based at Saint-Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind.
1957Don Day will receive one of St. Elizabeth Catholic Charities' Spirit of Hope awards for his service to the organization, of which he is a former
board member. He continues to volunteer as a fundraiser for the charity. He will receive the award at the St. Elizabeth Catholic Charities Giving Hope Changing Lives Gala on April 12.
1963 Betty (Morris) Williams was recently recognized for her commitment to community service. In November 2015, she received the Shining Star Award for her professional excellence, contributions
to the community and actively assisting others, particularly women, in realizing their full leadership potential. In January she was recognized as a 2015 Community Person of the Year Award by the Herald Bulletin of Anderson, Ind. She recently served on the sesquicentennial steering committee for Anderson's celebration of its 150 years. She is a graduate of the Leadership Academy of Madison County and is retired from a career with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
1964Sherri (Goodin) McHugh '64 has retired from Providence after spending 22 years
managing the school bookstore as well as football and basketball concessions.
1970Patrick Naville was recently featured in the News and Tribune after publishing his fourth book, Pipeline. He lives in Prescott Valley, Ariz., with wife Patty (Day '75).
1974Diane (Miller) Fischer, president and owner of L & D Mail Masters in New Albany, was recently entered into the Kentuckiana Business Hall of Fame at a dinner to benefit Junior Achievement.
1975Lolita Ewing is an organizer with the grassroots organization Hands Across
PROVIDENCE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | THE VISION | 13
Louisville, which aims to help end gun violence in Louisville, particularly in the west end. The group is organizing a peaceful rally on Broadway in Louisville on May 21 to bring awareness about gun violence in the city and invites alumni to take part.
1982Jon Bullington is now in charge of business development for Excel Excavating in Louisville.
1984Kim Karem-LaPilusa is a real estate broker and is now a member of The Dreyer Team at Keller Williams Realty in New Albany.
1986Dan Thomas recently was awarded the Chef Professionalism Award for 2015 by the ACF Kentucky Chapter for his exemplary achievement and continuing dedication to the culinary arts. He is an operator specialist with Key Impact Sales & Systems, Louisville, serving the needs of GFS customers.
1989 David Buskill has been named executive director of the Indiana Republican Party. He also is the director of Industry Outreach with Conexus Indiana based in Indianapolis.
Hope Zoeller and her husband, Joe DeSensi, have written a book entitled
HOPE for Leaders Unabridged, in which they share valuable insights into human behavior to help leaders successfully navigate the aspects of leadership. The couple lives in Louisville.
1993Jennifer Andres, who has performed with various travel companies and on cruise ships, has returned home to play the role of Cinderella’s Stepmother (and understudy to the Witch) in Into the Woods at Derby Dinner Playhouse in Clarksville through mid-April.
1994Johanna Gohmann is a freelance writer based in Brooklyn, N.Y. She writes commentary pieces for a variety
of magazines, is a contributor to several essay anthologies and is a live storyteller. Recently, her essay "How Will We Teach Our Kids about Bowie?" appeared in the Jan. 13, 2016, issue of Dame Magazine. She lives with her husband and their young son.
John Grannan is now owner of Grannan Law Office in Jeffersonville. Previously he was a partner in Vissing & Grannan from 2011-2015.
Michael Ross was recently promoted to sergeant of the Clarksville Police Department.
F or Dean Stumler ’85, farming has always been a family operation. He grew up helping out on his family’s
farm, the former Stumler Restaurant and Orchard, where his father, the late Andrew Stumler ’61, grew more than 40 different types of fruits, vegetables and grain crops.
As a fourth generation farmer, Stumler began Dean Stumler Farms in 1989 in Fredericksburg, Ind., with just 40 acres of crops. The business has since expanded and now has more than 4,000 acres of land. Nine hundred of those acres are dedicated to Jack-o-lantern pumpkins, the primary crop of the farm. The other crops are corn and soybeans as livestock ingredients.
“I kind of turned to pumpkins because they were one crop that my father wasn’t raising much of ” when he decided to branch out on his own, Stumler said. Storing pumpkins also doesn’t require refrigeration, making them easier to store than some
other crops. As the primary
pumpkin producer in the region, Stumler ships to grocery stores all over the region and even as far away as Florida in stores from Kroger and Meijer, to Walmart and Publix.
Although the business of farming has long run in the family, Stumler said he didn’t always know that he wanted to be a farmer. Due to the
decline in farming in the 1980s, Stumler chose to go away to college. However, early in his first semester at Purdue University, Stumler said, he knew he wanted to go back to the farm.
It was his first time away from home and the farm, and he couldn’t help thinking about the fruit they were growing and preparing to harvest. And he discovered that calculus, his least favorite math subject, would be a large part of his studies as an agriculture engineering student. He switched to horticulture business management and earned his degree in three-and-a-half years, eager to get back to the life he loved.
“It was after the first two weeks that I knew I wanted to go back and farm,” he said. “That was what I missed.”
Preparing the fifth generationStumler said his favorite part of farming is being able to work with his family, especially
his wife, Anita, and their five children. He sees them having a future in farming, with his oldest son having returned to the farm full-time after graduating college. He also foresees them taking over his farm some day and likely expanding its offerings.
“I do see them diversifying and raising other crops,” Stumler said. “And also I see them raising other crops in other states – not just Southern Indiana.”
The way his children work the land likely will be much different if technology keeps changing farming. Things are already much different than when his own father farmed. There are fewer but larger farms, and computerized equipment now can control planting and fertilizing.
“We have equipment that now drives itself,” he said.
Using GPS satellites, certain types of equipment such as tractors are able to drive in straight lines on their own. This allows farmers to prevent overlapping fertilizer and other materials, saving both time and resources.
Despite such advancements, the biggest challenge of farming remains the labor and hard work that still goes into it. That means “it is hard to find help to work on the farm because of the hours of work that’s involved,” he said.
Farming is truly a family business and Stumler wonders how anyone could get into farming without a family to help considering the finances and labor required to get started.
“I know without my wife – she helps us full-time, too – I probably wouldn’t be able to deal without her and the kids helping,” Stumler said.
Time at College Solidifies Desire to Farm By Katie Chrisco ’14
Photo provided by Dean Stum
ler ’85
Dean Stumler, in the back row center, and his family were honored as a Featured Farmer during the Indiana State Fair in August 2015.
(continued bottom of next page)
14 | THE VISION | PROVIDENCE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
1997Jason Latta recently founded the interactive technology and digital marketing company Amazing Robot and Sons.
1999Tom Lang, the district fisheries management supervisor with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department in Wichita Falls, Texas, was named a member of the Times Record News 20 Under 40 Class of 2015. He also is an active member of the Lake Wichita Revitalization Committee and works with area youth at Wichita Falls Bruisers Wrestling. He lives with his wife, Vanessa, and their three children ages 5 to 12 in Wichita Falls.
2001Rebecca (Hubbard) Crecelius and her husband, Rush, welcomed daughter Ava in September 2015. She joins big brother
Evan. The family resides in Corydon.
Brittany (Tevis) Geswein, a sixth grade teacher at St. Mary of the Knobs Catholic School, was one of five finalists to receive the St. Theodora Guerin Excellence in Education Award, the highest honor for a Catholic educator in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
Jenny (Prinz) Harrison has been selected for the 2015-2016 class of the Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series, a women's leadership
development program designed to increase the number of Republican women in local, state and national elective and appointive offices. She is an
attorney with the Marion County Public Defender Agency in Indianapolis.
2002 Brad Denman is now a commercial lender at The New Washington State Bank.
Allison (Havens) and Brage ’03 Koetter welcomed their first child, Everett Havens Koetter, in October 2015. Everett is the grandson
of alumni Jack '72 and Melanie (Gibbons '74) Koetter.
2004Abbey (Smith '04) and Adam Campbell welcomed their first child, Hunter Campbell, in January 2016. He was 6 pounds,10 ounces, and 19 inches long.
He is the first grandchild for all four grandparents, which include girls' soccer Coach Dave Smith and his wife, Yvonne (Yeater) Smith '80.
2009Nathan Marshall, assistant PHS boys' soccer coach from 2012-2015, has been selected as the new PHS boys' soccer head coach. He is a graduate of Indiana University Bloomington with a bachelor’s
F ew people outside the Providence community expected the 1956 Pioneer boys’ basketball team to do
well in the postseason tourney, but the upstart Catholic school team defied expectations and won the fledgling program its first sectional, a major achievement in the days of single-class high school basketball.
The members of that 1956 team still remember the glory days. They remember walking into the Jeffersonville Fieldhouse and being overwhelmed not only by the size of the venue but also the noise of the crowd and its energy. The court was surrounded on all four sides by rabid fans, including those in the balcony.
Outside the gym, all five starters plus two other players were honor students. Some were multi-sport athletes. Several went on to
college on a basketball scholarships, including: David Landis ’56, University of Miami (Fla.), four years. Went on to work as an administrator of Medicare in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C., area. Dick Sprigler ’57, the late George Kaiser ’57, and the late Tom Board ’56, St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. Sprigler played one semester and transferred to Bellarmine and ran a Sap’s Donuts franchise in Jeffersonville. Board became a CPA in Austin. Kaiser played two years and became CEO of Kaiser Wholesale in New Albany. The late Jerry “Butch” Day ’57 and the late Jack Morris ’56, Loyola University in New Orleans. Day was named Freshman of the Year but transferred to Bellarmine mid-year his sophomore year, where he played basketball and golf. He became an
engineer with Bell South. Morris graduated from Loyola and spent his career in sales in Louisiana. The late Tom Drillette ’56, St. Mary University in San Antonio, played one year and had a career in sales in Texas. Dan Burke ’56, University of Louisville, played baseball, not basketball. Had a career with Exxon Chemical in Houston.
Buddy Parker ’56, devoted his career to city-county government, including 22 years on the Jeffersonville Police force, two terms as chief of police, one term as Jeffersonville mayor, two as Clark County sheriff, two as Clark County treasurer, one on the Clark County Council and one as a Clark County commissioner.
Don Day ’57 and the other members of the Class of 1957 won the school’s first back-to-back sectional title the following year. He graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington, and in 1969 earned his
MBA from the University of Louisville. He spent 30 years as an IT Manager for Brown & Williamson and 15 years as a consultant for Access Career Group.
The late Terry Mahoney ’56 attended Ball State University for one year and played basketball in adult leagues as well as coached youth leagues and refereed while building a career in manufacturing. The late Charles “Bootsie” Friess ’57 became a dentist with a practice in New Haven and Hodgenville, Ky.
The team was coached by Pete Murphy, who also helped coach football and baseball and taught business. He left Providence in 1969 to coach at St. Edward’s, his alma mater, and passed away in 1986.
Class Notes - continued
First PHS Boys Basketball Sectional Win Just the Beginning The full version of this story appeared in the Feb. 24, 2016, issue of the e-VISION. To read it in it’s entirety, go to www.providencehigh.net under Alumni/Alumni News/e-VISION.
Portia Walter Hendershot '57, in the front, represented the cheerleaders at the 1956 sectional recognition event.
PROVIDENCE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | THE VISION | 15
degree in exercise science with a minor in coaching. During his time at IUB, he was an assistant coach at Bloomington South High School for the
boys’ varsity and JV teams. He works for Kindred Healthcare as a physical therapist assistant.
Brittany Siebert recently graduated with a master's of science degree in applied behavior analysis from Spalding University. She is now a behavior analyst at Meaningful Day Services in Jeffersonville.
2010Hunter Anderson is now an assistant
coach on the Providence boys' golf team. He graduated from Indiana University Southeast in May 2015 with a bachelor's degree in secondary education - mathematics and is a math teacher at New Albany High School.
2011Andrew Marking graduated in May from Purdue University with a bachelor's in turf science. He is head groundskeeper for Minor League Baseball team Quad Cities River Bandits in Davenport, Iowa.
Mary Beth Mattingly recently received the first staff DAISY Award in recognition of her high quality patient- and family-centered care while a staff nurse at Clark Memorial Hospital in Jeffersonville. She is engaged to marry Greg Jamison on July 30 and recently moved to Denver, Colo.
In Memory of Helen AndresRon '66 & Cynthia (Lankert '66)
Andres
In Memory of Paul AndresRon '66 & Cynthia (Lankert '66)
Andres
In Memory of Steve AndresRon '66 & Cynthia (Lankert '66)
Andres
In Memory of Margaret Backherms
Michael (Hon. '08) & Judy (Hon. '92) Douglas
Frederick A. '81 & Kathryn (Wilson '81) Ernstberger
David '56 & Marilyn (Stemle '56) Jarboe
Barbara Larkin Robert '56 & Georgia (Radcliff '60)
Leonard Betty McCaa Doris Wilson
In Memory of Thelma Bierman Gerry Byrne
In Memory of Gerald L. "Jerry" Bott
Kenneth '65 & Mary Sue (Galligan '66) Ellenbrand
In Memory of Mary (Carpenter) Briscoe'67
Dr. & Mrs. William Hesse
In Memory of Donna (Herman) Carter '60
Robert '56 & Georgia (Radcliff '60) Leonard
In Memory of Earl F. Cartrette, Jr.
John Selent
In Memory of Joyce DennyMike & Joan Hurley
In Memory of David Duffy '57Class of 1957 Raymond '57 & Eileen Day
In Memory of Mary Jean "Dino" Howard
James M. '05 & Megan Cox
In Memory of Charles Randall Hutchins
William S. '91 & Angela (Geswein '91) Kaiser
Gail Young
In Memory of Charles D. Knight '56
Patricia Bricker '58 David '56 & Marilyn (Stemle '56)
JarboeMary Kaye (Stemler)
Steckler'59
In honor of Suzanne KochertJoseph & Kaitlynn (McCartin '06)
Hurt
In Memory of Jerry Kron '60Robert '56 & Georgia (Radcliff '60)
Leonard
In Memory of Edwina Lankert
Ron '66 & Cynthia (Lankert '66) Andres
In Honor of Judith Manning (Hon. '16)
Betty McCaa
In memory of Robert K. Reinmiller '55
Claudia (White) McGloshen '55Donna Detrick '55Eugene '65 & Barbara (Jackson '65)
KochertLarry & Jean (Gaeke '55)
McGloshenJoyce (Schindler) Schmitt '55Page (Hon. '93) & Karen (Day '65)
Walker
Kochert Insurance Co.Larry W. '58 & Margaret (MacLeod
'59) BurkeGerald (Hon.'14) & Mary Jeanne
(Schmitt '58) HuberPortia (Walter '57) HendershotRobert '56 & Georgia (Radcliff '60)
LeonardRobert '55 & JoAnn ThrockmortonRuth (Uhl) Kaiser '59Southern Hoosier HillsWilliam '59 & Sylvia (Hentrup '61)
GalliganJohn '55 & Carol MacLeod
In Memory of David Callistus Smith '82
Michael (Hon. '08) & Judy (Hon. '92) Douglas
In Memory of Brandon Tevis
ex-'16Michael & Kathleen Dicken
In honor of Victor Unruh '72Jeannie (Schmidt '72) Unruh
In Memory of Thomas L. Volpert '58
Gerald (Hon.'14) & Mary Jeanne (Schmitt '58) Huber
In Memory of Mary Ann WoodsKenneth '65 & Mary Sue (Galligan
'66) Ellenbrand
Year .......................ContributionClass of 1955 ......................... $2,735Class of 1956* ..........................7,821Class of 1957* ....................... 12,719Class of 1958* .................. 26,071Class of 1959* ....................... 10,265Class of 1960* .................. 22,215Class of 1961* ....................... 13,625Class of 1962* ..........................9,124Class of 1963* ..........................5,470Class of 1964 ............................2,515Class of 1965* ..........................9,050Class of 1966* ..........................5,050Class of 1967* ..........................5,050Class of 1969* ....................... 19,298Class of 1970 ............................1,990Class of 1971 ...............................370Class of 1972 ............................3,800Class of 1974 ............................1,208Class of 1977* ..........................6,000Class of 1978 ............................1,735Class of 1979* ....................... 11,526Class of 1980* ..........................5,050Class of 1981* ..........................6,750Class of 1982* ..................30,288Class of 1983* ....................... 15,325Class of 1984 ............................3,760Class of 1986 ............................1,200Class of 1988 ............................3,321Class of 1989 ............................1,000Class of 1991 ............................3,750Class of 1992 ............................3,900Class of 1993 ...............................289Class of 1994* ..........................5,737Class of 1995* ..........................6,204Class of 1999 ............................1,800Class of 2003* ..........................6,000Class of 2005* ..........................6,000Class of 2008* ..........................5,165Class of 2011* ..........................5,025Class of 2012* ..........................5,000Class of 2013 .................................65Class of 2014 ............................3,172Class of 2015 ............................2,500Class of 2016 ............................2,335Class of 2017 .................................50
Total ............................. $301,323
*Denotes permanent endowment, with minimum $5,000 balance.
Congratulations to the classes of 1958, 1960 and 1982, which have surpassed contributions of $20,000. Thank you for your generous support!
Don’t see your class listed? No asterisk by your class total? For a limited time, an anonymous donor will match the first $500 in a class endowment or will donate $500 for class endowments with a $4,500 balance to make the fund a permanent endowment. Call the Advancement Office at (812) 945-3350 or email [email protected] for more information.
Memorial and Honorary GiftsGifts received between Dec. 12, 2015, and March 11, 2016 Class
Endowment Totals
As of March 11, 2016
Elizabeth Barry ex-'83Connie Biesel '75Bertrand "Bert" Charlton '59David Duffy '57Wilma (Booth) Ehringer '56Lawrence "Larry" Frederick '61Christopher "Chip" French '79Mary Ann (Burke) Hessig '55 Barbara Kaiser '79Charles "Corky" Knight '56Michael "Mike" McDaniel '61Emily (Lee) Peckman '78 Robert "Bob" Reinmiller '55 Rose (Ernstberger) Turnbow '74Travis Watkins '06
Former TeacherVera Cummins, Math, 1973-1993Dr. Jim Shollenberger, English and
social studies, 1964-1965Rick Stuber, art, 1984-1992 and
2002-2014
In Memoriam
If a loved one, friend or classmate has passed away recently and Providence has not been notified, please contact us at [email protected].
Since the last publication of The Vision, the Advancement Office has received word of the following deaths:
PROVIDENCE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | THE VISION | 15
NON-PROFIT ORGUS POSTAGEPAID
LOUISVILLE KYPERMIT #1225
Our Lady of ProvidenceJunior-Senior High School
Office of Institutional Advancement707 Providence Way, Clarksville, IN 47129-1599Phone (812) 945-3350 / Fax (812) [email protected]
PRovidence
