My husband's family has a long line of Tech grads starting with his grandfather
in '42, his father in '75, his mother in '77, myself in '94 and my husband
in '95. There is also a rumor of his great-great grandfather attending
as well, but I was unable to find his name in the directory.
This long line was possible due to Tech's ever increasing curriculum offerings.
His father ('75) was a Business Major, his mom ('77) was in the now defunct
Nursing program and I was an STC. Our hope is to have our children attend
as well because we would hate to break the tradition now!
Susan Wagner
***
Dear Dennis,
I have a very rare lineage at Tech: one that involves women. I graduated from
Tech in 2005 and my sister, Molly, graduated from Tech in 2007. Our Michigan
Tech lineage starts back in, I believe, the 30s with my great Aunts, Mary Banks
Woodruff Krohn and Ester (Eddy) Banks Brodeur '36. There is (at least used
to be) a picture of Aunt Mary in the Career Services building on Houghton Ave.
as Winter Carnival Queen. Unfortunately I don't know a lot of graduation dates
or majors. I looked up what I could find on the alumni directory. Most of this
came through email conversations with my dad.
George H. Banks was my grandmother's father (and Aunts Mary and Eddy's father).
He was originally from Sandusky, Ohio, and lived in Park City, Utah. My dad
did not know exactly how George Banks ended up in Houghton. He married Gertrude
Lange, who was either from Houghton or the immediate area. He worked for the
Corps of Engineers and was head of the Portage waterway. He must have gotten
some education some where, but I don't think that he ever went to Tech.
In the Banks family there were 5 kids. The oldest was Robert Banks, and four
girls: my grandmother Grace Banks Bush, Coie Banks Kerschner, Aunt Eddy, and
Aunt Mary (in that Order).
My dad wasn't sure where Robert Banks went to school--he could have gone to
Tech. He ran a sprinkler company in Detroit, possibly Ace Sprinkler Co, putting
fire Sprinklers in buildings. My dad was thinking (but is not 100% sure) that
he may have invented his own sprinkler head. My dad remembers that Robert Banks
was connected with Tech to the extent that when they were building new buildings
he would come up and install the sprinkler systems.
My grandmother, Grace, was the oddball and went to MSU to become a teacher.
Coie Kerschner's husband was Lewis (or Louis) Kerschner. I don't know if/where
Coie and/or Lewis went to college. Lewis ended up working in Detroit for the
Corps of Engineers.
Aunt Eddy's husband (who she probably met at Tech) was Alvin (Nap) Brodeur
'34, who was also from the Houghton/Hancock area. Nap's sister was Alice Brodeur
Sullivan '45 and her husband went by the Sullie. According to the Alumni directory,
there is a few male Sullivans that graduated from Tech in the 40s, and her
husband could have been one of them.
Aunt Mary's first husband (who she probably met at Tech) was Frank Woodruff
'39. He was a mining engineer and worked for several mining companies all around
the country. At some point Frank was also on the Tech Board of Control. Frank
died quite suddenly, at a relatively young age. We have a family scholarship
at Tech that was started by Frank Woodruff, the George H. Bank's Endowed Scholarship.
It is given to any family member that goes to Tech. If no family goes to Tech,
I believe it is rewarded to a graduating senior.
The other members of the family who went to Tech were the Brodeur (Aunt Eddy's)
kids. At least James Brodeur '68 graduated from Tech before he went to medial
school. He is or used to be a part of the Portage Health System in Hancock.
His Brother Dan and sister Jonie may have also gone to Tech, but my dad was
not sure. Jonie's husband is Chuck Matrosic '63. He was in the military and
for a while he was teaching either ROTC or some type of engineering at Tech.
He later taught at Ferris State. Jonie and Chuck now live on Torch Lake.
My Aunt Mary celebrated her 90th birthday this summer. My parents were able
to make the trip to Arizona for her party, but I was not able to. I know this
is pretty long winded for the newsletter, but it was really fun researching
my family!
Margaret Bush '05
***
Dennis,
You asked for stories about Michigan Tech generations, so I'll add mine.
Our family has four generations so far, from my grandfather (T. R. Maki)
through my parents (Jack and Joan Holland) and me and my husband (Alan and
Jeanne Karkkainen) to my sons (Matt and Adam Karkkainen). Our more extended
family includes 27 Michigan Tech degrees among 24 graduates. My grandfather
was the first holder of a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering to teach
that subject at Tech, and my father holds the first PhD in Chemistry, and
taught at Tech in the 60's, 70's and 80's. A listing of my family and their
degrees follows.
First Generation:
T. R. Maki - BS ECM - 1931; MS ECM - 1933?
Second Generation:
Jack Holland - BS ECM - 1948; MS ECH - 1949; PhD ECH - 1967
Joan Maki Holland - BS SGN -1949
Ed North (uncle) - BS ECM - 1948
Carlo Karkkainen (father-in-law) - BS EMY - 1950
Gail Brown Griffeth (cousin) - BS SMT – 1955
Ted Puuri (husband's uncle) - BS EME – 1959
Carl Puuri (husband's uncle) – BS FFR – 1960
Third Generation:
Jeanne Holland Karkkainen - BS SMA - 1972
Alan Karkkainen - BS EME – 1974
Howard Puuri (husband's cousin) – BS BBA - 1974
Jack Voisine (brother-in-law) - BS EEE - 1975
June Holland Klein (sister) - BS BBA - 1975
Robert Klein (brother-in-law) - BS ECM - 1976
Karen Karkkainen Hawke (sister-in-law) - BS SMA 1976
Mel Hawke (brother-in-law) - BS EME – 1977
Dianne Puuri Larson (husband's cousin) – AAS ZTNU - 1977
Scott Karkkainen (brother-in-law) - BS EME - 1985
Earl Brogan (brother-in-law) - MS SRC - 1988
Janice Holland Brogan (sister) - MS SBL – 1995
Tom Puuri (husband's cousin) – AAS TFR - 1994
Fourth Generation:
Matthew Karkkainen - BS EME - 1999
Bridgett Mason Karkkainen - BS BBA - 1999
Adam Karkkainen - BS ECP - 2006
I may have forgotten some, I sure hope not!
Jeanne Karkkainen
Editor's Note: Wow!
***
Hi Dennis,
Two of my brothers and I graduated with Metallurgical Engineering degrees
from MTU. Two of us had a child graduate from Tech and the other had two children
and a son-in-law (still working on a PhD in Materials Science) graduate from
MTU. Only two generations so far but who knows?
Al Niemi
***
Here's our family list of Tech grads (and one current student).
Both of my parents (June & Ben Nyman) worked at Tech. That should count
for something.
Me - Jill Nyman Botz - 75
My husband - Jim Botz - 74 & 75
My daughter - Lindsey Botz Rykal - 01
My son - Grant Botz - 06
My sister - Janet Nyman Delecke - 75
Her husband - Richard Delecke - 75
My sister-in-law - Lori Botz Pike - 81
My nephew is a current student - Ryan Pike - 11
My cousin - Jim Corlett - 75
My cousin - Kris Hoiem - 72 (I'm guessing)
My cousin - Steve Nyman - 72 (I'm guessing)
My uncle - Paul Valenti -71
Jill Botz
***
Dennis, not exactly "grads" but our family does have a three generation
connection with Mich Tech.
Richard (Dick) Chandler was on the faculty in the Business Department in the
60's and 70's; I graduated from Tech in 1975 in forestry, married Dick's daughter
(Jane) and currently our youngest daughter, Kendra, is in her second year at
Tech in Biology.
Sorry, no group photos. Unfortunately Dick passed away before any photo opportunities
with his grandkids. I do have a recent one of Kendra (attached) hopefully a
2012 grad and current alpha xi zeta sister.
mike schira
Colorado Alumni Hockey Event
Indianapolis
Chapter Tailgate
It's been
five years already since the Bash at the Big House, and the Grand Valley
band stood in awe . . . 
We
found the names: Orvil Watia, Clay Willman, Bill Wiljanen, John
Kwiatkopwski, Dale Hanes, Dave Courtney, and Bill Millar. 
