Reunion 2009
Sig Ep Reunion
August 21-23, 2009
Hickory, N.C.
Hosted by George & Carolyn Moretz
This group of brothers primarily includes those initiated from 1957 to 1966
Our next reunion will be in 3 years 2012
Go to "PHOTO ALBUMS" to view Reunion photos 3 Albums
See larger photo in Photo Albums
ATTENDEES 61 Brothers 42 Wives
Mike Bernard (Sherry)John Booth (Rosie)
Bob Broome (Susan)
Bill Bryan (Pat)
Mike Clark (Clara)
Robbie Davis (Sarah)
Alex Denson (Pat)
Van Donnan (Sandy)
C.R. Duncan (Linda)
Jim Frye (Betty Reid)
Frank Furr (Lani)
Ivan Gilland (Jeannie)
Lyn Guthrie (Marcia)
Jim Hooks (Sally)
George Hovey (Kay)
Charles Jamerson (Frankie)
Jack Keeter (Carolyn)
Mike Kokoska (Jane)
Chuck Laird (Lola)
Raymond Martin (Carol)
Joe Middleton (Sandra)
Frank Miller (Rita)
Jim Miller (Ann)
George Moretz (Carolyn)
Robert Moser (Sharon)
Larry Nixon (Katie)
Tom O'Brien (Kay)
Joe Parish (Jane)
Bruz Perrou (Jinx)
Charles Pollock (Elizabeth)
Bill Ramseur (Candace)
George Setzer (Phyllis)
Mike Sigmon (Jackie)
Bill Smith (Pam)
Gray Steifel (Margaret)
Larry Stewart (Jane)
Bill Thorn (Marion)
Mike Wagoner (Debbie)
Barry Waldrop (Lynn)
Don Waldrop (Judy)
Jack Watson (Kathy)
Milton Williams (Martha)
Jim Buie
Joe Butzbach
Randy Croxton
Don DeAngelis
Eion Faelten
Bill Garwood
Bill Mudcat Grant
Tom Hayes
Joel Hicks
Alex Howell
Riley Kirkpatrick
Vello Kuuskraa
Herb LeBosse
Barry Lankford
Edward Mills
Bill Nau
Wally Stepp
John Tankard
Dan Wherry
Recognition
Most Dedicated
George and Carolyn (Hostess with the Mostest) Moretz.
They have hosted our reunions since the early 1970's.
Many of us would be stressed to plan an open house during a holiday.
Carolyn plans and coordinates an entire weekend for hotel and party facilities, plus the food catering for two nights for over 100 people. In her spare time, she hosts a luncheon at her house on Saturday! Meanwhile, George plans and coordinates the golf outing on Saturday for over 30 players, including the roving beer carts. There are not enough ways to say "Thank You" to George and Carolyn.
Most Courageous
Jim Miller. Just what you would expect from a tough paratrooper. Jim advised his wife Ann, "I'm going to the reunion in spite of my condition. I want to see my brothers." God bless you Jim. You are a testimony to "true grit" for all of us.
Brotherly Love
Number One has to be Don Deangelis, leaving his family vacationing in Italy, flying to the U.S. and to Hickory.
Frank Furr, from Utah, spent a small fortune on golf hats for each brother, embroidered with the Sig Ep logo.
Eion Faelten flew the 2,100 miles from his home in California.
Most Dedicated
George and Carolyn (Hostess with the Mostest) Moretz.
They have hosted our reunions since the early 1970's.
Many of us would be stressed to plan an open house during a holiday.
Carolyn plans and coordinates an entire weekend for hotel and party facilities, plus the food catering for two nights for over 100 people. In her spare time, she hosts a luncheon at her house on Saturday! Meanwhile, George plans and coordinates the golf outing on Saturday for over 30 players, including the roving beer carts. There are not enough ways to say "Thank You" to George and Carolyn.
Most Courageous
Jim Miller. Just what you would expect from a tough paratrooper. Jim advised his wife Ann, "I'm going to the reunion in spite of my condition. I want to see my brothers." God bless you Jim. You are a testimony to "true grit" for all of us.
Brotherly Love
Number One has to be Don Deangelis, leaving his family vacationing in Italy, flying to the U.S. and to Hickory.
Frank Furr, from Utah, spent a small fortune on golf hats for each brother, embroidered with the Sig Ep logo.
Eion Faelten flew the 2,100 miles from his home in California.
Friday
Being in the lobby of the hotel Friday afternoon was an adventure. As brothers and wives were arriving, there was much camaraderie and hand-shaking, even if you didn't know who's hand you were shaking. After names were associated with faces, the results ranged from looks of astonishment to "You haven't changed a bit!"
The Friday evening event was held in the hotel banquet room, starting with a Welcome Party at 5 PM. Dinner was started at 7 PM, catered as a SigEp Cookout; huge burgers, hot dogs, all the trimmings plus Banana pudding. The meeting and greeting continued into late in the evening.
Several highlights included a surprise duo of bag pipers (credit to Tom Hayes) who played several Scottish tunes. George Moretz made us laugh with the reading of advice on marriage for oldsters, offered by a friend named Sag.
The meeting Friday evening was extra special to several brothers who had not attended a reunion, or had not been in contact with many brothers since graduation. They included George "Charlie Brown" Setzer, John "Tank" Tankard, Lyn Guthrie, Joe Butzbach and Randy Croxton.
Being in the lobby of the hotel Friday afternoon was an adventure. As brothers and wives were arriving, there was much camaraderie and hand-shaking, even if you didn't know who's hand you were shaking. After names were associated with faces, the results ranged from looks of astonishment to "You haven't changed a bit!"
The Friday evening event was held in the hotel banquet room, starting with a Welcome Party at 5 PM. Dinner was started at 7 PM, catered as a SigEp Cookout; huge burgers, hot dogs, all the trimmings plus Banana pudding. The meeting and greeting continued into late in the evening.
Several highlights included a surprise duo of bag pipers (credit to Tom Hayes) who played several Scottish tunes. George Moretz made us laugh with the reading of advice on marriage for oldsters, offered by a friend named Sag.
The meeting Friday evening was extra special to several brothers who had not attended a reunion, or had not been in contact with many brothers since graduation. They included George "Charlie Brown" Setzer, John "Tank" Tankard, Lyn Guthrie, Joe Butzbach and Randy Croxton.
Saturday
The hat, a gift from Frank Furr for each brother attending
Breakfast Buffet
Saturday morning started with a breakfast buffet provided by the hotel each morning. It included choices of everything you would imagine for breakfast fare. One brother was observed having breakfast in his PJ's (could have been his skivvies, not sure).
Saturday Luncheon with Carolyn Moretz
See photos in Album 3
Carolyn hosted a lunch at her home for those interested or not on the golf course. Sandwiches, chips and beverages were provided. Eion Faelten recited a short Scottish prayer as follows:
"Some ha meat that canna eat, and some ha naen that want it, but we ha meat and we can eat so let the Lord be thankit"
Relaxation and casual conversation was enjoyed by all.
Saturday Golf Outing
(includes contributors wanting to remain anonymous)
The golf outing was held at the Lake Hickory Country Club arranged by George Moretz. The club has three outstanding 9-hole courses. Eighteen holes were played on two of the courses. The shotgun tee off started at 11 AM with 36 players, including two wives, Debbie Wagoner and Elizabeth Pollock. Gray Steifel and Randy Duncan provided beverages with two roving carts stocked with beer and soft drinks.
Tourney Director, Mike "Big Fish" Clark, announced the teams and the rules of play. Each team captain collected “entertainment fees” for each team. Two teams tied with a 6-under score and shared the pot from the "fees". The last place team was reimbursed their "fees" ante. The weather was perfect with the exception of two short rain periods. After what seemed to be a 600 mile trip from the hotel to the golf course, no one got lost either way.
Several comments on golf play from eye witnesses:
One foursome noted they thought Hooker had disappeared or returned to the clubhouse. Eventually they discovered he was actually in a sand-trap near the green.
On one par 3 hole, the best tee shot from four players was just short of the Red Tee!
Herb Lebosse earned the title "Coach Lebosse" after his commentary to his foursome players such as, "You putted that one too hard; You should tee the ball higher; Should have used a longer iron; Your head came up; Great shot except it went into the woods."
One team, at the turn, decided to go to the clubhouse for a sit down lunch.
On one fairway, George Moretz advised a team partner, "You're about 153 yards from the hole."
Really! But it's his course, so he should know.
The hat, a gift from Frank Furr for each brother attending
Breakfast Buffet
Saturday morning started with a breakfast buffet provided by the hotel each morning. It included choices of everything you would imagine for breakfast fare. One brother was observed having breakfast in his PJ's (could have been his skivvies, not sure).
Saturday Luncheon with Carolyn Moretz
See photos in Album 3
Carolyn hosted a lunch at her home for those interested or not on the golf course. Sandwiches, chips and beverages were provided. Eion Faelten recited a short Scottish prayer as follows:
"Some ha meat that canna eat, and some ha naen that want it, but we ha meat and we can eat so let the Lord be thankit"
Relaxation and casual conversation was enjoyed by all.
Saturday Golf Outing
(includes contributors wanting to remain anonymous)
The golf outing was held at the Lake Hickory Country Club arranged by George Moretz. The club has three outstanding 9-hole courses. Eighteen holes were played on two of the courses. The shotgun tee off started at 11 AM with 36 players, including two wives, Debbie Wagoner and Elizabeth Pollock. Gray Steifel and Randy Duncan provided beverages with two roving carts stocked with beer and soft drinks.
Tourney Director, Mike "Big Fish" Clark, announced the teams and the rules of play. Each team captain collected “entertainment fees” for each team. Two teams tied with a 6-under score and shared the pot from the "fees". The last place team was reimbursed their "fees" ante. The weather was perfect with the exception of two short rain periods. After what seemed to be a 600 mile trip from the hotel to the golf course, no one got lost either way.
Several comments on golf play from eye witnesses:
One foursome noted they thought Hooker had disappeared or returned to the clubhouse. Eventually they discovered he was actually in a sand-trap near the green.
On one par 3 hole, the best tee shot from four players was just short of the Red Tee!
Herb Lebosse earned the title "Coach Lebosse" after his commentary to his foursome players such as, "You putted that one too hard; You should tee the ball higher; Should have used a longer iron; Your head came up; Great shot except it went into the woods."
One team, at the turn, decided to go to the clubhouse for a sit down lunch.
On one fairway, George Moretz advised a team partner, "You're about 153 yards from the hole."
Really! But it's his course, so he should know.
Saturday Night
The Saturday evening dinner and other festivities was held at the Riverbend Clubhouse, an upscale facility not far from the hotel. The clubhouse has a large banquet room and bar. A large wrap around porch accommodated added tables, a dance floor and the catered food line.
The dinner fare included Lexington style pork BBQ, grilled chicken, beans, cole slaw, potatoes and Apple crumb cake with ice cream.
A DJ provided "our" 60's music and many enjoyed dancing on the huge porch. A big screen TV allowed the viewing of the "SigEp Slide Show" DVD created by Gray Steifel.
On center stage, Frank Furr performed his traditional "man on the assembly line" routine, and Tom O'Brien recited his infamous tongue twister "Archiball Barassole".
The last event was the traditional SigEp songfest, led by Jack Watson, Bill Thorn and Larry Nixon. Even after so many years, our Anthem, and especially the Sweetheart song, brought tears to many of us.
This evening allowed plenty of time for renewing friendships and sharing memories.
Sunday morning was a time for farewells and many hugs.
The Saturday evening dinner and other festivities was held at the Riverbend Clubhouse, an upscale facility not far from the hotel. The clubhouse has a large banquet room and bar. A large wrap around porch accommodated added tables, a dance floor and the catered food line.
The dinner fare included Lexington style pork BBQ, grilled chicken, beans, cole slaw, potatoes and Apple crumb cake with ice cream.
A DJ provided "our" 60's music and many enjoyed dancing on the huge porch. A big screen TV allowed the viewing of the "SigEp Slide Show" DVD created by Gray Steifel.
On center stage, Frank Furr performed his traditional "man on the assembly line" routine, and Tom O'Brien recited his infamous tongue twister "Archiball Barassole".
The last event was the traditional SigEp songfest, led by Jack Watson, Bill Thorn and Larry Nixon. Even after so many years, our Anthem, and especially the Sweetheart song, brought tears to many of us.
This evening allowed plenty of time for renewing friendships and sharing memories.
Sunday morning was a time for farewells and many hugs.
Reflections
A word of thanks for the way you were so friendly with Jeannie this past weekend. She was uncertain beforehand in walking into a large group of total strangers, but I think that lasted about five minutes on Friday evening. She has commented several times as to how friendly the Sig Ep crowd is. Ivan Gilland
As for the reunion, the special for me was seeing Jim Miller. I just wanted to cry for him. Ann is a very special person! CR Duncan
Gentlemen, I want to add my appreciation to those who spent the time and effort to make this memorable weekend a huge success. Getting reacquainted with so many brothers was very special. I was amazed at how easily I slipped into the fraternity song melodies. We are truly a special bunch. Don DeAngelis
A long overdue but very special thanks to the "older" brothers", those in attendance who preceded my time as a brother. I will always feel a debt of gratitude to each and every one of you. You accepted me as one of you and treated me as one of your own. You are part of a group that laid the foundation for all of those who followed you. What a wonderful gift you have given to us.......the opportunity for lifelong brotherhood, friendship and memories. Joe Middleton
Words can hardly express the wonderful time Rosie and I had - seeing all of you after a gap of 45 years. The fellowship and songs were great and for a brief moment in time I was transported back to 2512 Clark Avenue and it was 1962-1963 all over again. John Booth
When I came to NC State I had a football scholarship and my clothes in a A&P grocery bag. My parents worked 11:00-7:00 and I was on my on from the time I was 12 yrs old. I didn't know you could eat a piece of meat that wasn't fried. You guys took me in and gave me respect and help make me who I am. Thank you! Bruzz Perrou
My appreciation to everyone who organized this wonderful event...and my awe at such a great group of people who have shared so much. The emotions were demonstrated to me as tough Nuw Yarker, Ed Mills, teared up at the singing of the "Sweet Heart" song. Individually and collectively, you have truly and greatly enriched my life. In the words of Bob Hope..."thanks for the memories!" Tom Hayes
It was great seeing all of you. For the past week, I've been experiencing flashbacks to '62 through '66 and am amazed at how clear the memories are after all these years. It is a testimony to the bond that we developed during that slice of time. Barry Lankford
This was my first attendance at this event and the first time seeing many of you in forty years. I have to say it was an unanticipated "time warp" in the best of all possible ways. It was like walking into a nearly complete, reconstructed fabric of a slice of history, 1962 through 1968, a culture, a society, a band of brothers with an avalanche of great times, misadventures and near misses flooding back after all these years. Randy Croxton
What else can I say. This was the best reunion ever. As we "age out" its so great to have so many wonderful memories to reflect on. I am so happy that we will enjoy this again in three years. I wouldn't miss it for anything. So much has been said about the organizers of the event, that there is not much more that I can add, except that these people are angels. As for golf, I hope I don't get a bill from the Country Club for all the divots I made and trees I toppled. Mike Clark asked me what my handicap was, and I said "challenged". Jim Buie
Special appreciation to the Vaudeville/Recitation team of Furr-Obrien, for great entertainment and a true test of memory and dexterity! Jack Keeter
The Brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon (Phyllis Setzer)
A word of thanks for the way you were so friendly with Jeannie this past weekend. She was uncertain beforehand in walking into a large group of total strangers, but I think that lasted about five minutes on Friday evening. She has commented several times as to how friendly the Sig Ep crowd is. Ivan Gilland
As for the reunion, the special for me was seeing Jim Miller. I just wanted to cry for him. Ann is a very special person! CR Duncan
Gentlemen, I want to add my appreciation to those who spent the time and effort to make this memorable weekend a huge success. Getting reacquainted with so many brothers was very special. I was amazed at how easily I slipped into the fraternity song melodies. We are truly a special bunch. Don DeAngelis
A long overdue but very special thanks to the "older" brothers", those in attendance who preceded my time as a brother. I will always feel a debt of gratitude to each and every one of you. You accepted me as one of you and treated me as one of your own. You are part of a group that laid the foundation for all of those who followed you. What a wonderful gift you have given to us.......the opportunity for lifelong brotherhood, friendship and memories. Joe Middleton
Words can hardly express the wonderful time Rosie and I had - seeing all of you after a gap of 45 years. The fellowship and songs were great and for a brief moment in time I was transported back to 2512 Clark Avenue and it was 1962-1963 all over again. John Booth
When I came to NC State I had a football scholarship and my clothes in a A&P grocery bag. My parents worked 11:00-7:00 and I was on my on from the time I was 12 yrs old. I didn't know you could eat a piece of meat that wasn't fried. You guys took me in and gave me respect and help make me who I am. Thank you! Bruzz Perrou
My appreciation to everyone who organized this wonderful event...and my awe at such a great group of people who have shared so much. The emotions were demonstrated to me as tough Nuw Yarker, Ed Mills, teared up at the singing of the "Sweet Heart" song. Individually and collectively, you have truly and greatly enriched my life. In the words of Bob Hope..."thanks for the memories!" Tom Hayes
It was great seeing all of you. For the past week, I've been experiencing flashbacks to '62 through '66 and am amazed at how clear the memories are after all these years. It is a testimony to the bond that we developed during that slice of time. Barry Lankford
This was my first attendance at this event and the first time seeing many of you in forty years. I have to say it was an unanticipated "time warp" in the best of all possible ways. It was like walking into a nearly complete, reconstructed fabric of a slice of history, 1962 through 1968, a culture, a society, a band of brothers with an avalanche of great times, misadventures and near misses flooding back after all these years. Randy Croxton
What else can I say. This was the best reunion ever. As we "age out" its so great to have so many wonderful memories to reflect on. I am so happy that we will enjoy this again in three years. I wouldn't miss it for anything. So much has been said about the organizers of the event, that there is not much more that I can add, except that these people are angels. As for golf, I hope I don't get a bill from the Country Club for all the divots I made and trees I toppled. Mike Clark asked me what my handicap was, and I said "challenged". Jim Buie
Special appreciation to the Vaudeville/Recitation team of Furr-Obrien, for great entertainment and a true test of memory and dexterity! Jack Keeter
The Brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon (Phyllis Setzer)
They were all young back in 1957 to 1967. They shared lots of experiences together – sports, meals, girls, poker, bridge, singing, partying, jokes, laughs and maybe even a little class work. Their fraternity pin was in the shape of a heart and many of us wore one before we wore our engagement rings. Their house was a special place to gather, live, play, study and eat – enjoying the great food prepared by their famous cook for many years, “Miss Thelma.” Most houses in this fraternity have a red door. (Since all the pictures I’ve seen of 2512 Clark Avenue are in black and white, I’m not positive about its front door.) Many of them were going to become engineers, scientists, mathematicians, design artists, architects, businessmen or professors. These are, after all, the types of people NC State prepares for the workforce.
Long ago, I loved to study the names and faces of these fraternity brothers on the pictures which hung in my biological brother Chuck Siewert’s room. I had met several of them when Chuck brought them to our home for a visit. But only one captured my heart – that was George, known to most of the brotherhood as C.B. ( Charlie Brown).
Many years have now passed. But over the last couple of years some of the “Sig Ep” brothers have been meeting for lunch a couple of times a year in Raleigh. George and Chuck have both attended some of these gatherings and were finding it meaningful and fun to be back in touch with others whom they had not seen for decades. Probably because of these gatherings, when the invitation for one of the five-year reunions came, George asked if I would go with him for a weekend gathering in Hickory; I said “Yes.”
We all gathered on Friday, August 21, 2009! In preparation, George had made copies of fraternity pictures from his old AGROMECKs (the NC State annual). It was very difficult to identify anyone from these pictures. But as familiar names began to be associated with the faces, now changed by good living and happy lives, we got acquainted (for me) and reacquainted (for George) with 60 brothers from “Sig Ep.”
Many of these folks had been gathering since the 1970’s, but there were several of us “first timers.” What we soon discovered is that we were all connected by these wonderful men, no longer young, but gracefully aged through good years of living – many with their wives of forty plus years – having enjoyed interesting jobs and careers, raised families, weathered various moves and transfers and even faced tragedies and losses.
During the songfest, the wives and sweethearts were serenaded by the brothers just like in days gone by when someone was pinned by a brother….and the years seemed to just melt away.
As wives, we will never know the “secret handshake” or much about what really took place in the house on Clark Avenue decades ago. What we can and do know is that these are wonderful men who have shared strong bonds of friendship and brotherhood and that those bonds have been with them from their college days through all the days that have followed.