2005 Alumni Award Recipients
Sonya '55 and Bill '56 Evans
In the spring of 1952, Otterbein College invited interested high school seniors to campus to compete for four academic scholarships. Two of the winners of those scholars were Bill Evans and Sonya Stauffer. In the spring of 1954 in Alum Creek Park, Bill proposed to Sonya. They were married during spring break in 1955. Sonya graduated with honors the following June with a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry. Bill graduated with honors in June 1956 with a bachelor's degree in mathematics.
Immediately after graduation, Bill and Sonya moved to Pittsburgh where Bill accepted a position with the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. During his five years with Westinghouse, Bill transferred from Pittsburgh to Columbus and then to the Lima facility. His work involved developing computers models of an early design for space suits and simulation of the Air Force's Dyna Soar vehicle. He also managed the computer facilities and was an active participant in the standardization effort for the FORTRAN scientific computer language. Sonya worked as a medical technologist in all three cities. Their son, Mike, and daughter, Cindy, were born during these years.
With a young family, Bill and Sonya welcomed the opportunity to move back to Columbus when Bill was offered a position with Battelle Memorial Institute. In 1963, Bill was selected by Battelle to lead the development of scientific computing for the Korean Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). Sonya started teaching math and science in Columbus, Worthington and Westerville while taking summer courses at Otterbein.
In 1973-74, the Evans family lived in London, England, where Bill accepted a visiting faculty position at the University of London with responsibility for improving operational access to their supercomputing complex. Sonya substitute taught four days each week in various secondary schools in southwest London.
After returning to Columbus, Ohio, Sonya worked full time for a year to earn a master's degree in educational administration at the Ohio State University. In the fall of 1975 she accepted a position at Denison University as assistant professor of teacher education. The last 14 years of her career were spent in Worthington Middle Schools where she pioneered team teaching, individualized self-paced learning and modular scheduling with the middle school concept. Sonya was selected by her peers to accept, on their behalf, the Worthingway Middle School Excellence in Education Award from President Reagan and Secretary Bennett in the Rose Garden of the White House. She was also an Ohio finalist for NASA's Teacher in Space program.
Bill began working with several underdeveloped countries on both infrastructure and technical needs. During the last 15 years of his career with Battelle, Bill served as the director of information and communication systems with responsibility for establishing and operating Battelle's worldwide information and telecommunication system.
Bill and Sonya retired in 1995 and became active in volunteer work for causes involving underprivileged children and adults, as well as with the performing arts community in Columbus. In recognition of their work, they were both recipients of the Westerville Sertoma Service to Mankind Award and inducted into the Central Ohio Senior Citizen's Hall of Fame in 2003. Sonya presently serves on the Board of Trustees for CAPA (Columbus Association for the Performing Arts) while Bill serves on three Boards including Otterbein's Board of Trustees. He is also past president of the Otterbein College Alumni Association.
Sonya and Bill credit Otterbein for providing the educational foundation and social experiences that resulted in any success they have had in their professional careers and for fostering the values by which they have attempted to base their 50 years of marriage, raise their family and lead their lives.
Douglas R. Knight '63
Douglas "Doug" R. Knight was born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1941 and raised in Columbus. He graduated from Otterbein College with a bachelor of science degree in 1963. He attended medical school at The Ohio State University, where he graduated in 1966. Doug completed graduate studies in the Biological Sciences at the University of California-Santa Barbara in 1979. His postgraduate education encompassed an internship at Henry Ford Hospital in 1967; military training in aerospace in 1967 and undersea medicine in 1972; a residency at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in 1972; and a research fellowship at the University of California-San Diego in 1992.
Doug met Mary Pat Bowe while she was studying medical dietetics and dance performance at The Ohio State University. They were married in 1966 and have lived many places since then. Mary Pat has been a loving wife, excellent mother, and creative choreographer. Their daughter Julie and son David served in the Peace Corps after graduation from college.
Doug entered the U.S. Navy's Flight Surgeon program in 1967 under the selective service's Barry Plan. After a tour of duty in Vietnam and clinical training in Pediatric medicine, he completed clinical training in undersea medicine at the U.S. Naval Undersea Medical Institute in Groton, Connecticut. Doug completed a submarine patrol aboard the USS Sam Houston, taught diving medicine to physicians at the Naval School of Diving and Salvage and treated victims of military and civilian diving accidents. His reassignment to the Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory from 1980-1989 led to collaborative field and laboratory studies of the artificial atmosphere aboard nuclear submarines. Those studies were used to design and implement a habitable fire-retardant atmosphere in sealed environments.
After retirement from the Navy, Doug studied the physiological limits of human exercise at sea level and altitude with Dr. Peter Wagner at the University of California-San Diego from 1989-1995. Doug returned to Columbus, Ohio in 1995 to work in the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at Children's Hospital. He currently performs clinical and research studies of the physiological limits of human exercise in patients with heart-lung disease.
Doug is proud of his service on governing boards for the Undersea Medical Society (1982-1986) and Otterbein College (1989-present). He retired from a hobby of long distance running and is now a member of the Clintonville Community Band.
Allen L. Manson '60
Allen "Al" Manson was born in Oil City, Pennsylvania and grew up in a number of Ohio communities where his father, the Reverend Palmer W. Manson '47, was a minister of E.U.B. and Presbyterian Churches.
Otterbein College provided the foundation to Al's career. His education began with kindergarten in the basement of the McFadden Science Building. Years later, he spent many hours on the upper floors of that same building earning a bachelor of science degree in mathematics and physics. While at Otterbein he was President of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and the student court. Al was also a member of Sigma Zeta National Science Honorary Society.
Al completed Navy pilot training in 1962. Following flight training he spent three years in Patrol Squadron Ten at Brunswick, Maine flying missions over the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Al was selected to attend the Navy Test Pilot School in 1966. Following graduation, he was assigned to the Navy Flight Test Center at Patuxent River, Maryland. There he conducted flight tests of new and modified Navy airplanes. He was selected to the Society of Experimental Test Pilots in 1968.
He joined NASA in 1969 and was promoted to the Head of Research Pilots at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Al flew more than 30 different types of airplanes, including the WB-57F, flying atmospheric research missions at altitudes of 65,000 feet. He was a T-38 flight instructor, providing proficiency training for Apollo and Skylab Astronauts. Al was also a flight instructor in the Shuttle Training Aircraft, training for the challenging, unpowered approach and landing of the Obiter.
Following his flying assignment, Al was selected as Project Manager of the NASA T-38 Avionics Upgrade in 1991. He completed this five-year, $30 million effort ahead of schedule and $5 million under budget. At completion of the T-38 Upgrade, Al was promoted to Chief of Aircraft Engineering and Maintenance. In this capacity he was responsible for the safe flying conditions of NASA airplanes and the management of a $150 million maintenance contract. Under his leadership, the Johnson Space Center never experienced an aircraft accident. Al received the NASA Exceptional Service Award and the NASA Space Flight Award for his service to NASA.
Al served NASA and the United States Government for 42 years as a Test Pilot and Aerospace Manager. He conducted flight tests of NASA and Navy airplanes and provided flight instructions to astronauts who landed on the moon and flew the Space Shuttle. He retired from NASA in 2003 and enjoys building custom furniture of his own design. Priscilla Huprich Manson '60 and Al have been married 42 years and currently live in Kemah, Texas, a suburb of Houston. They have two married daughters, Becky Funderburk and Wendy Glaze, and four grandchildren. Al served as a Presbyterian Church Elder in Maryland and Texas. Currently he is a Deacon at the Presbyterian Church in Webster, Texas.
Tatsuo Tsuda '55
Tatsuo Tsuda was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1928. He graduated from the Osaka School of Music as a piano major in 1949, and Doshisha University in Kyoto with a major in economics in 1953. He graduated from Otterbein College with majors in business administration, economics and music in 1955.
After graduation, Tatsuo entered the Tsuda Sangyo (Industry) Ltd., a well-known wholesaler handling wide range building materials, where he became the executive vice-president. In 1989, he became president of Tsuda Plywoods Manufacturing Co., from which he retired in 1999.
In 1960, the Mayor of San Francisco, California, gave Tatsuo the key to the city as a contribution to the friendship between the cities of Osaka and San Francisco. In 1971, Tatsuo introduced the American wooden home construction called the "2x4 method" into the Japanese Market. He organized a study-guild with 11 leading lumber firms under the support of the American Embassy, and the Canadian Embassy to proof the method and convince the Japanese Government to permit the use of it. In 1974, the Japanese Authority granted this proposal. This method now maintains approximately a 15 percent share in the wooden housing market.
An honorary award was given to Tatsuo Tsuda in 1996 by the Governor of the Osaka Providence for his continuous contribution through the foreign trade to the providence. Members of the Tsuda family who have attended Otterbein College include: Tatsuo Tsuda, 1953-1955, Eiji Tsuda 1961-1962, Yuichi Tsuda, 1963-1964, Masaaki Tsuda, 1965-1966 and Yutaka Tsuda, 1984.
David E. Lehman '70
David E. Lehman has spent his whole life serving others in the Westerville area. He was born and raised in Westerville, where he graduated from Westerville High School in 1966. Dave went on to receive a bachelor's degree in math and business from Otterbein College in 1970. After graduation he married his high school sweetheart, Claudia Anderson. Claudia graduated from Miami University of Ohio in 1971 and was awarded honorary alumnus status from Otterbein College in 1997.
After graduation, Dave started working for his father's wholesale picture frame company. This new job allowed him the flexibility to accept the offer of Athletic Director Bud Yoest to coach the cross-country team in the fall of 1970.
He served as head coach of the cross-country team for 30 years and loved every minute. When his own son began his high school running career, Dave stepped down to assistant, turning the job over to one of his former runners. He continues to enjoy the mentoring, coaching and development of life-long friendships that have resulted from his experience coaching cross-country. His home is always open to current and past students.
Along the way, Dave has helped raise three children, been active in his church, served as president of the Rotary Club of Westerville and been active in the Otterbein "O" Club, which he currently serves as vice president. He is also serving on the Board of Trustees of Otterbein College, representing the alumni for a four-year term.
Dave and Claudia still live adjacent to campus with daughter Teresa and granddaughter Jessica. Their son, Ben, is a sophomore at Otterbein and participates on the track and cross country teams. Their son, Jason, lives in Columbus, enabling the family to stay closely connected. Dave and Claudia feel that they have been truly blessed by God and thank God every day for their long association with the Otterbein College family.
