I’m always impressed with high-school seniors who say they want to go far, far away to college. I was not one of those seniors. The thought of going out of state to school didn’t even cross my mind – I was nervous enough about going to a school (Simpson College) that was three-and-a-half hours away.
The first couple days of college were a little rough for me, but soon, as with most freshmen, I started getting involved and meeting people and the desire to return home for the weekend lessened each week. I got cast in a play and also gave a shot at playing baseball. I soon learned that some of the baseball players belonged to the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity, which held no interest for me. Along with others, my visions of Greek Life correlated with “Revenge of the Nerds” and I didn’t think it was a fit. The first semester also meant I took History of Western Civilization 101 with Dr. Joseph W. Walt. It was a large class (by Simpson’s standards) and I found Dr. Walt to be an engaging lecturer. After class one day, Dr. Walt invited me (along with another classmate) to his house that Saturday before the football game for a little chili tailgate. The day was gray and rainy, but the gathering was everything I thought college would be: Great conversation, a sense of camaraderie, lasting friendships. I soon fell into a conversation with a junior who also happened to be an SAE. I later learned that Dr. Walt was a pretty big deal in SAE circles and this tailgate, along with the friendships I was making on the baseball team, nudged me to give fraternity life another look. I soon joined and it was a decision that would have a huge influence on my life.
Dr. Walt was known to occasionally let SAE undergraduates live with him during the summer and I was fortunate enough to have that opportunity the summer of 1988 (I worked at the local newspaper as a reporter and also washed dishes for the college’s food service). It was a memorable time for many reasons, and I also think Dr. Walt wanted to keep tabs on me as I was the chapter’s rush chair. I appreciated his great cooking and allowing me to stay in a spare bedroom. He appreciated my cleaning up and willingness to view his slides from his many trips to Greece.
I had a great experience as an SAE at Simpson, made some of the closest friends of my life, and, a little less than 2 years after graduation, had a chance to go to work for SAE’s national office in Evanston, Illinois. Dr. Walt was the fraternity historian and was well known by many as the author of one of its histories and a popular speaker at its national gathering called Leadership School. A recommendation from him was gold and I’m sure was influential in me getting the job as the fraternity’s Director of Communications. My dad and I packed up a U-Haul and I moved in January 1992. A great quote from Dr. Walt’s recommendation: “I have no idea why (Chris) wants to leave the idyllic climes of Indianola to go to the fleshpots of suburban Chicago, but he tells me that he needs to experience the world. He probably does, and I guess I can think of no place I’d rather see him make his start than…at the Levere Memorial Temple (SAE’s headquarters)…Do look at this fine young man. I think you’ll like him.”
We stayed in close contact during my time at SAE (and I’ll not so humbly take credit for having the idea to name the fraternity’s library for him) and my admiration for his speaking, writing, and devotion to fraternity and friendship deepened. After I left the fraternity in the summer of 1994, we exchanged Christmas cards and talked from time to time whenever I went back to Simpson or when he was in Evanston on SAE business. The last time we communicated was three years ago when I sent letters to friends and family about this new church I was helping start. I shouldn’t have been surprised that he sent a check.
Joe died Tuesday night. He was 88. I’ve thought about him often these last couple of days and started scrounging around boxes and bookshelves to unearth the things in this photo. They include: the recommendation letter I mentioned earlier; a note he wrote to thank me for meeting with a group of Simpson SAEs a few years ago; his massive (856 pages) Simpson history “Beneath The Whispering Maples”; and an edition of the SAE pledge manual (“The Phoenix”) that he edited and to which I contributed. There are obvious things for which I’ll always be grateful. He was influential in me joining and working for SAE, which brought me to Evanston, which led me to meeting my wife and going into the ministry. He also was influential in teaching me how to communicate and the importance of setting a scene and employing a little drama in order to make a point. He taught me about loyalty, generosity, and a person’s need for friendship and community.
Perhaps one of the greatest testimonies I can give is that I felt like I had a close and personal (even special) relationship with him. And I have no doubt that there are thousands of others tonight who feel the exact same way.
Thank you, Joe. Phi Alpha and God’s peace and grace be with you.