1940s

Edwin Derrick, '42, of Des Moines, writes: "I was involved in a critical, top-secret project during World War II. Construction materials were in short supply, even early in the war, and were allocated to specific projects based on priority. Aluminum was needed for Boeing bombers, steel was used for ships, trucks and tanks, and copper was needed for electrical components in these vehicles and elsewhere. In order to supply aluminum sheets to Boeing for bombers, a rolling mill was constructed by Kaiser near Spokane. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) was to construct the power source and transmit power to the rolling mill. The BPA borrowed silver from the U.S. Treasury for the power lines. Silver dollars and silver ingots were transformed into 9 miles of 2½-inch "iron-pipe size" bars. These were given to me to design a power line consisting of two three-conductor lines under 9,000-volt short-circuit stress. I developed a line of wood H-framed poles spaced 25 feet apart for 6 miles. The silver lines were designed as continuous bars. All the people involved were told these lines were of a new aluminum alloy. When the war was over, the silver was returned to the U.S. Treasury."

1950s

Kathleen M. Duyck, '56, who earned her Master of Social Work from the UW, was elected to membership of The Order of Distinction in the International Biographical Centre of Cambridge, England. Only 400 people worldwide have earned this honor.

1960s

Shirley Ruble, '61, received the President's Gold Volunteer Service Award from President Obama for more than 800 hours of service as an AARP Fraud Fighter.

Becky Sisley, '61, won seven medals at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Lahti, Finland, in 2009. Competing in the women's 70-74 age group, she won the pole vault, 80-meter hurdles and heptathlon. She was second in the javelin and third in the 200-meter hurdles. She also anchored the USA 4x100 relay that finished second and was on the 4x400 USA team that won the gold medal. She resides in Eugene, Ore.

David W. Larson, '63, had his second novel, It's About Time, published in March. After he retired from Boeing, he wrote several articles that appeared in aviation historical magazines.

Stanley W. Hess, '64, of Silverdale, has been volunteering for the past 11 years as the founding museum curator of the Aurora Valentinetti Puppet Museum in Bremerton. The museum is named in honor of Aurora Valentinetti, '43, '49, who taught children's theater and puppetry for 50 years at the UW.

Christine Stenstrom, '69, had her book, Cherry Blossom Trees Literary Writings and Artworks, published in February. It contains 100 of her original literary writings and 68 images of her original artworks. She lives in Poway, Calif.

1970s

Don Graf, '70, '71, of Laguna Woods, Calif., has been appointed to the Board of Directors for GHD Pty Ltd., one of the world's leading engineering, architecture and environmental consulting firms.

Vincent K. Kokich, '71, '74, has been appointed editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. He has been on the faculty of the UW School of Dentistry since 1974 and also maintains a private orthodontic practice.

Clarence Moriwaki, '78, was named CEO of the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington. He had served as president of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Community and vice president of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community.

Yaghoob Ebrahimi, '79, '80, a scientist at the Federal Aviation Administration's William J. Hughes Technical Center in New Jersey, received a Fulbright Scholar Fellowship to work and study in Azerbaijan in 2010. He is a senior scientist and applied mathematician with the center's air traffic Separation Standards Team.

1980s

Kathleen L. Weber, '82, has been named to Barron's annual list of America's Top 1000 Advisers: 2010 State-by-State. She is a director of wealth management for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney's Bellevue office.

Lois V. Harris, '86, is celebrating Pelican Publishing Company's release of her second children's book, Charlie Russell: Tale-Telling Cowboy Artist.

1990s

Erin Welch, '99, has been named a partner at Jacobson Jarvis, one of the Puget Sound region's largest accounting, tax, information systems and management consulting practices focused exclusively on improving operational efficiency for not-for-profit clients. She joined Jacobson Jarvis in 2000.

2000s

John R. Reid, '02, has been appointed president and CEO of the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps. It is a Connecticut-based international nonprofit founded by Paul Newman more than two decades ago to provide life-changing camp experiences to children with serious illnesses or life-threatening medical conditions.

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