LLU&MC Scope, Autumn 1997, 1970s alumni notes

Eve Bowlin (SN'70) ...has returned from nursing to write a book.

Eve Bowlin (SN'70) graduated from Loma Linda with an associate degree in nursing, at age 56. She then worked for the Riverside County Health Department from 1970 to 1980. In 1976 and 1977, the county sent her back to school, and she pursued her credentials as an Ob/Gyn nurse practitioner. Ms. Bowlin then completed a two-year internship in Riverside, under the direction of Henry Hirsch, MD. She comments: "I was the first Ob/Gyn practitioner in the county of Riverside, and worked in every clinic in that county, returning to my home in La Quinta every night...from Blythe to Corona every day with health clinics in each city that had a health department--it was a truly great experience."

Ms. Bowlin retired in 1980 for three weeks, then decided "retirement would never be my choice. I went to work at El Progreso in Coachella and Indio for the next 10 years. El Progreso is a health clinic funded by state and county. I was in charge of the Ob-Gyn department, and cared for more than 3,000 pregnant mothers."

Following another retirement, Ms. Bowlin worked part-time for a local physician, and continued to volunteer for LIGA, a group of physicians, dentists, and health-care workers, many of whom are private pilots, who provide health-care services to people living in some of the most remote areas of Mexico.

During her career, Ms. Bowlin received numerous awards and honors, and was featured in local newspapers.

"I retired completely last year at 83," says Ms. Bowlin, "as finishing my book takes precedence over everything pertaining to my work."

Ms. Bowlin's book is about her great, great grandmother, Caroline Huntington, who crossed the plains from Utah to California with her four children to escape polygamy which was practiced at that time. Her book will also include stories of her great grandfather, who "was the first driver of the Butterfield stage....There are historical monuments dedicated to his memory. He was buried in the family cemetery, and, when he died, he carried with him a bullet from the Civil War, and an arrow he got in an Indian raid."

Mrs. Bowlin feels that it is important for her to finish her book about the "saga of early California."

Merril J. Shidler (SM'70) is now living with his family in an historic area of Mississippi, just north of Vicksburg. He writes that "Jesus is central to all our activities and doings. He continues to richly bless us all." Dr. Shidler works two days a week practicing emergency medicine, and has an "abundant amount of time to spend with Lynn, who is busy doing home health nursing, president of our school's Parent Teacher Organization, past president of the Greenville Medical Auxiliary....

"We both coach Little League teams in soccer and softball. Ryan (age 8), is very busy in third grade, and plays tennis and soccer almost year-round. Emilee (age 7) chases her brother in second grade, and with her soccer and softball. Marcelle (age 25) resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she just finished her master's degree in psychology from Xavier University. She does research at the University of Cincinnati Medical School.

"We all love and play tennis both socially and competitively. Lynn's mixed doubles team will play for the state championship.... I am experiencing the loss of my father, Elmer J. Shidler (SM53A), who passed away on December 12, 1996, with a grade 4 glioblastoma. I can't wait to see Jesus, and my dad again."

Cheryl Edwards Fox (SN'72) has begun working on another degree. She writes: "After a grueling year of full-time college work, September experience in an eight-grade school, and a fall quarter of full-time student teaching, I will have completed my elementary credential. Hopefully, there will be a classroom with my name on it in the near future.

"We have three daughters. The oldest is married, the middle a sophomore at Pacific Union College [Angwin, California], and the youngest a sophomore at the academy near the college.... Our lives are very full, and pretty happy. Incidentally, it was great to be back in college--even though my classmates were young enough to be my children!" "My husband, Marnelle McNeilus, and I have a home/health retreat 50 miles southeast of Rochester, Minnesota--Mercy Valley Farm," writes Mary Ann (Kimmel) McNeilus (SM'72). "We use natural remedies...in conjunction with healthful lifestyle habits. A significant portion of our local work involves working with the Amish (more than 90 families) in our area.

"We also work overseas. I have gone with Judy Aitken (Adventist Southeast Asia projects director), on five mission trips to Cambodia since 1993. This summer, I had the privilege of spending five weeks in Romania, presenting health and natural healing seminars in a number of large Seventh-day Adventist churches.

"We have three sons: Malachi (21); Meric (18); and Micaiah (15). Malachi is working as a congressional aide in Washington, D.C., Meric will be studying at Andrews University this year, and Micaiah is attending Country Haven Academy in Pasco, Washington. We are happy and blessed to have a part in God's 'end-time' work at the 'end of time!'"

Jesica Lyn Baker (SPH'75; SAHP'72) lives in the Los Angeles area, and is vice president of account management for Value Behavioral Health, western region. "It is the largest managed behavioral health company in the United States, with regional corporate offices located in Long Beach," she states. Ms. Baker, a registered dietitian, received a dietetics degree from Loma Linda in 1972, and a master of public health degree in 1975.

Ellen Schollenberger (SPH'75), who was recruited to lead Redlands Adult School's vocational nursing program in 1975, recently retired after working for 24 years as director. Her achievements were chronicled in a recent issue of the Redlands [California] Daily Facts newspaper.

Ms. Schollenberger was honored in May at a retirement reception attended by more than 200 colleagues, former students, and administrators. Graduates are now working in many area health facilities, and the program's 600 graduates have gone on to become registered nurses, nurse
practitioners, directors of nursing, teachers, and administrators.

According to the article, Ms. Schollenberger received numerous professional awards during her career, and her interest in the history of nursing has taken her to a Crimean hospital and battlefields in Turkey, where Florence Nightingale treated soldiers, as well as the Nightingale School of Nursing in London.

Jeanette Lieberman (SAHP'76) is now living in Garden Grove, California, with her 11-year-old son, John. "Children certainly are a blessing," she observes, "but is life ever busy!" Ms. Lieberman owns an independent contracting occupational therapist business at a local medical center. "The Lord has blessed my business," she says, "...for the last 15 years we've served the same facility, which offers acute, TCC, outpatient, and geropsychiatric care."

Lonna (Tachenko) Milburn (GS'77) directs the distance education program of the American International Health Alliance, in Washington, D.C. This organization "unites hospitals and universities in the United States, the former Soviet Union, and Eastern and Central Europe," she states.

Marsha L. Funk-Myers (SAHP'78) highlights her activities since graduating from LLU with a degree in physical therapy: "I was director of physical therapy services at Coronado Hospital near San Diego just three years into my employment with them. I took time off from management responsibilities in 1984 to start my family and work in an outpatient workers' compensation clinic. Now that my two daughters are 10 and 13 years old, I went back to management as director of rehabilitation in a 305-bed nursing and rehabilitation facility in San Diego."

David Lee Reynolds (SN'78) writes from Canby, Oregon, to say that he and his wife, Sandra Smith-Reynolds (SN'79), own a 36H-acre farm raising and boarding horses. "We also have a tack shop, selling horse supplies. Sandi quit nursing in 1988, and is full-time manager of the farm.

"She also teaches riding lessons. She has developed a reputation for specializing in troubled people--and has had several dyslexic young people referred to her with noted marked improvement in their school performance after working with her.

"I work full-time, and my primary job is night shift coordinator in the emergency department at Emanuel Hospital (the premier level-one trauma hospital in the Northwest, rated in the top one percent of trauma facilities nationwide by the American College of Surgeons).

"I have worked at Emanuel since August, 1979, and am fourth-highest in seniority in our department. In addition to participating in trauma and education at Emanuel, I have also experienced the high quality of care there as a trauma patient. In 1986, I was kicked by a horse, and developed a flail chest/pneumo thorax on the left [side]. I only have one lung from a waterskiing accident in 1975, so this was a serious injury for me.

"Thanks to a new procedure at Emanual (at that time), I was out of the hospital in five days.

"I also moonlight at one other area emergency department, and at Clackamas County Jail--so if you happen to call, and Sandi says 'he's in jail,' don't freak out."

Myren R. Severin (SD'78) writes that he and his wife, Connie Severin (SAHP'77), have lived in Hawaii for three years, and have "loved every minute of it.

"I have completed 12 years in the Army Dental Corps. I am stationed at Schofield Barracks. I recently passed the Hawaii State Dental License exam.

"Connie works half-time at a physical therapy clinic in downtown Honolulu. Our children, Erika, almost 12, and Steven, 8, also enjoy island living. They are both doing extremely well in school. Erika has taken piano lessons for the last three years, and shows real talent. Steven begins lessons later this month.

"We have enjoyed visiting the other Hawaiian islands, and showing visiting friends and relatives around. We are active in the Aiea Adventist Church. I am head elder, and a part-time Sabbath school teacher. Connie plays piano for the kindergarten and adult Sabbath schools. Erika has sung special music a few times...in our free time, we enjoy computers."

The Severins also are "voracious readers," and in their spare time, boogie board and snorkel. "Of all the places I've lived since leaving LLU," writes Dr. Severin, "this is the only one that I enjoy even more than Southern California. If anyone is looking for a great place for a relaxing vacation, we recommend the island of Kauai."