Daniel Boyd Kokes, November 30, 1943-April 15, 2005.

Son of Ruth and Wilbur Kokes; brother of Kate Fletcher and Sue Shiffrin; partner of Jeannie; father of Jenni Hulsey, Todd and Matt; father-in-law of Tom and Stacey; brother-in-law of Mary Lee, Larry, Ruth and Barby; Papa of Luke, Zack, Kyle and just-born baby-girl Hulsey; uncle of Cami, Eva, Aaron and Steve.

Few knew, nor did he speak of his accomplishments, yet many benefited from the man he was: selfless, playful, genuine, constant, adventuresome. However, he was the man who did much: he nurtured children at the Sittery childcare facility at Little Friends and sang in the Elizabeth Seton choir. He was the man who built bridges in Guatemala and a strawbale home on the Hopi reservation. He supported the endeavors of many in Naperville St. Raphael's, Naperville CARES, St. Elizabeth Seton, Marriage Encounter, Little Friends without needing or demanding recognition. He volunteered every summer for the Washington Island Wisconsin Timber Coooperative. He served as secretary/treasurer of PAVA, a not for-profit foundation to help the indigenous people of Guatemala.

For 30 years he dedicated his life to growing the family business, Silbrico Corporation, in Hodgkins, IL. Dan's vitality spread in concentric circles embracing his children and grandchildren, his many friends and associates, reaching finally but most importantly to those less fortunate. He was the man behind the psychologist, the daycare director, the businessman and the musician. He gave much yet asked little. We celebrate Dan Kokes who has now joined Will Kokes and Edward and Lee Mendius in our hearts and memories. The family encourages all who were touched by Dan to join them in remembering and sharing at a gathering on the Summer Solstice at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Naperville. If you have a special memory, anecdote, or thought about Dan, please write it down and send it to Janet Reed, 1413 Culpepper Drive, Naperville 60540, so his grandchildren will one day share in the riches of your stories. "He who binds to himself a Joy, Doth the winged life destroy; But he who Kisses the Joy as it flies, Lives in Eternity's sunrise." William Blake.

Published in a Chicago Tribune Media Group Publication on Apr. 24, 2005

David G. Mueller '65      3-19-1943 -  2-19-1987

From the Hammond Times, Hammond, IN on 2-21-1987:

David G. Mueller, age 43, of Livonia, Michigan - formerly of Hammond, Indiana, passed away Thursday, February 19, 1987. Survivors: wife, Sharon; two sons, Thomas and Jeffery: mother, Edna Mueller of Vero Beach, Florida.

Funeral services will be held Sunday, February 22, 7 p.m. at Harry J. Will Funeral Home, 37000 Six Mile Rd., Livonia, Michigan. Memorials would be appreciated in Mr. Mueller's name to Indiana University, Krannert Institute of Cardiology, 1001 W. Tenth St., Indianapolis, In. 46202. Mr. Mueller born in Hammond, attended University of Illinois, graduated 1965; member of the 1963 Rose Bowl Team; was Director of Marketing for I.T.T.

John "Jack" Christiansen '49

Passed away on 2017-08-16

John Valdemar (“Jack”) Christiansen was a long time resident of Bainbridge Island and died after a brief illness on August 16 at age 89. He was born on September 28, 1927, in Chicago to Christian Valdemar and Louise Linderoth Christiansen.

His father worked for the Bowman Dairy Company and the family moved to Oak Park, Illinois, in 1937. He studied Architectural Engineering at the University of Illinois, graduating in 1949.

The engineering and art departments shared a building at the University of Illinois, and it was in its hallways that art major Sue Hasselquist attracted Jack’s eye. After a nine month courtship, they were married in Moline, Illinois, on March 12, 1950. They lived in Chicago for a few years where Jack attended Northwestern University for a Masters Degree in Structural Engineering and began his professional career.

Jack and Sue realized that each harbored a secret desire to go west. They crossed the country in 1952 in “the old clunker,” a black Ford, with their first born Janet Sue, to the chagrin of both sides of the family.

They rented a cottage at Green Spot on Bainbridge Island, and Jack went to work for a structural engineering firm in Seattle. They settled near Fletcher Bay where Jack remodeled a garage into a house for his growing family and then designed and built the home where he and Sue launched their children into the world and lived to the ends of their lives.

Jack and Sue shared their passion for outdoor adventure with many over the years. Jack, the “fearless leader,” planned the trips, and friends and family happily followed. These adventures included exploring the Olympic Mountains, scaling Washington volcanoes, boating Puget Sound, trekking through Europe and South America, rafting great rivers, skiing, and reaching the “ends of the earth” by ship. Jack accomplished a lifetime goal of climbing the 100 tallest peaks in the Olympics.

Jack became a partner for his firm, Skilling, Helle, Christiansen, Robertson. He engineered countless structures in the Pacific Northwest, including the Museum of Flight (1983), Yakima Valley SunDome (1990), USA Pavilion at Expo ‘74 in Spokane (1974), and numerous buildings at universities across the state and at the 1962 World’s Fair, such as the arches at the Pacific Science Center and the Exhibition Hall (now Pacific Northwest Ballet) (1962). He engineered the Bainbridge High School grandstand in 1990.

He considered his crowning achievement to be the design of the Seattle Kingdome – a concrete dome structure spanning over 660-feet in diameter. Built as a publically-funded, multipurpose arena, the Kingdome played an essential role in the growth of Seattle – bringing large-scale professional sports teams to the Pacific Northwest for the first time when it opened in 1976.

Jack commonly professed his love for structural engineering. “Being an engineer was a lot of fun because of the finished product,” he said. “A building is a great big thing, and you can see it, and touch it. It’s like you are creating sculpture on a grand scale.” In 2016, he was awarded the Eduardo Torroja Medal by the International Association of Shell and Spatial Structures.

Jack was preceded in death by his beloved wife Sue in 2010. He is survived by his five children – Janet (Torre) Jorgenson, Karin (Shigeki) Kajita, Robert Christiansen, John (Vivian) Christiansen and Nelda (Clif) Swiggett, and six grandchildren – Eric, Noel, Dylan, Karen, Jack and Aaron.

For more information on John's career, go to http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/person/3780/ .

Taken from the Bainbridge Review 9/1/2017

http://www.bainbridgereview.com/obituaries/john-valdemar-jack-christiansen/

Allen Cassens '58 passed away on 6/13/2014. This obituary was published in Edwardsville Intelligencer.

Allen R. Cassens, age 77, of Edwardsville, Illinois, died at 10:00 a.m. Friday, June 13, 2014, at his home.

Allen was Chairman of Cassens Corporation. He served on many boards including Southern Illinois University Foundation, McKendree College, TheBank of Edwardsville, and Allison's Friends of Hope.

Allen was born July 22, 1936, in Granite City the son of the later Arnold H. & Clara (Strohmeier) Cassens.

He married Linda (Cohn) Braly on September 25, 1969, in Hamel, Illinois. Besides his wife Linda, Allen is survived by 2 sons, Jeff Cassens & wife Kris of Summerville, South Carolina, and Doug Braly & wife Angela of Indianapolis, Indiana; 11 grandchildren, Brian Cassens & wife Stephanie, Ashleigh, Rebecca, Hollie, & Alex Cassens, Matthew Butcher, Jeffrey Butcher, Clayton Cassens, Tyler, Matthew, and Rachel Braly; 1 great granddaughter, Mina Cassens. He was preceded in death by 3 daughters, Deborah Braly, Jill Butcher, and Allison Cassens Hutchinson and a sister, Audrey Carlton.

He was a trustee at McKendree College since 1996 and served on the Development and Academic Committees. Allen received the Friend of the University Award, one of the highest awards given by McKendree College. Allen was a member of the Executive Committee of the National Automobile Transportation Labor Division for decades. He was extremely active in numerous national contract negotiations as well as arbitration.

Allen was an avid flyer having many type ratings from helicopters to P-51 Mustangs. He loved traveling, music, dancing, photography, boating, and was an antique car collector. Allen served in the U.S. Army Reserves at Ft. Leonardwood.

Family requests memorials be given to Mary Crowley Cancer Research Center, 1700 Pacific Avenue, Suite 1100, Dallas, Texas..