Category: Faculty News

In Memory of John deSalme

Elderly man with white hair and a green shirt
John deSalme

John deSalme, 88, of Solon, passed away on December 13, 2023 at the Birdhouse.

John was born on May 12, 1935 in Corpus Christi, Texas to Orrin and Frances (Rogers) deSalme. After graduating from high school, he attended Del Mar University and finished his undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa in 1957. During the 1960’s John obtained two Master’s Degrees from the University of Iowa.

In 1958 he married Sylvia Haverlah and to this union, three children were born. The couple later divorced. He married Peg Brown in 1983 and they enjoyed many adventures together until his passing.

John had a long-standing career as an instrumental music teacher. He taught in Orange Grove, Texas and Marengo, Iowa before teaching for 35 years within the Iowa City School District, serving 25 years as the West High Band Director.

John had many hobbies throughout the years. Directing the Eastern Iowa Brass Band—now Iowa Brass–for 10 years was a favorite. He truly enjoyed the friendships and camaraderie that came with it! John also was an avid outdoorsman. He loved fishing, camping trips in the Rocky Mountains, canoe trips in the Boundary Waters and bike rides on beautiful trails all across the country.

John is survived by his wife, Peg; children: John (Erin Wyld) deSalme, Jr., Rob (Nancy) deSalme and Suzanne deSalme; grandchildren: Heather (Tyler) Phillips, Amanda (Will) Hanson and Levi and Izak Kaiser; and five great grandchildren. He is also survived by his siblings: Dick (Joyce) deSalme, Tom (Judy) deSalme and Estelle Crawford and many extended family members. He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Sylvia; nieces: Marti deSalme and Michelle Hunt and his nephew, Ben O’Meara.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Bird House-Hospice Home of Johnson County, Iowa Brass, or a favorite bike trail.

Ed Barker Update

Dave:

Thanks for keeping me informed about the Class of 1973. We have a bit of news for you.

Ethel, my wife, had her first novel published about a month ago. It is about the Orphan Train Children. Trains left New York City for almost every state in the United states periodically from the 1850’s until 1929. New York and Iowa received more children from the trains than any other states. Ethel’s novel follows three of these former “street children” from New York City to a fictional town in Iowa for about a year in 1880.

She has a book reading this Thursday at Prairie Lights Books Store in Iowa City. The publisher is Ice Cube Press located in North Liberty and can be purchased at all major book stores via their web site.

[Webmaster’s note: The book is entitled “For the Love of Pete“, and you can get it with free shipping if you are a member of Amazon Prime!]

Ed Barker, Principal, West High School, 1968-1979

Ed Barker Update

Hi, Dave:

Yesterday (Sunday) I attended the Sharon Center Bluegrass Festival. The setting was beautiful. It was held at the Sharon Center Methodist Church located about a half mile east of Sharon Center. They have a large, well maintained slopping lawn with many shade trees. The stage was at the bottom of the slop which enabled everyone to see from their lawn chairs. Each of the five groups performed 45 minutes to an hour. Jackie Dague Nicholson, along with her back up group sang beautifully from her bluegrass repertoire. Her back up crew which Dave told us about in last weeks e-mail, were highly talented musicians.

The last group was the one that Paul Roberts was in. He played the base, the banjo and sang. What a delight he and his crew were.

The afternoon was very delightful with about 200 to 300 in attendance. If you know where to go, you can have a great time in Iowa, including Sharon Center.

By the way, West High won a national math contest, a national debate tournament, was chosen by Newsweek Magazine as the best high school in Iowa for two years in a row and the athletic teams won six state championships during the 2011-2012 school year. What a school with great students, parents, faculty and administrators!

Ed Barker

Ed Barker’s Donation to West High

Dave Kacena wrote:

Dave,

Nice article in this morning’s Press Citizen about Ed Barker donating $270,000 to West High earmarked for new soccer field.  That was the amount that he earned while principle at West.

We talked to Ed, and he wanted to clarify what was printed in the article:

“In the event yesterday at West High I stressed that Iowa City has three wonderful high schools, Tate, City High and West High.  I didn’t want to downgrade either of those schools ….”

“Tate High School is the school that developed from a program we started at West which at first was called Room 20.  It was for students who had a hard time fitting into a regular high school program. It then developed into a separate high school called the Community Experimental Educational Center (CCEC).  A few years a go a new building was constructed and the school was renamed Tate.”

Ed, thanks for giving us what the broadcaster Paul Harvey would have called “The Rest of the Story.”

Sheila Potter Cole Florence Coapstick Update

Hi Dave,

I was perusing the Iowa-City Press Citizen site and noticed an obit for Florence Coapstick and thought the name was familiar.  After checking the ’73 yearbook I found her I remembered that she had been a secretary in the office at West High, the attendance secretary as I remember (since I had some dealings with her over a skipped class or two).  Just thought the West High “family” might want to know.

Sheila (Potter) Cole

Webmaster’s note: We’ve linked to Mrs. Coapstick’s obituary here

Heidi Galer Update

Guten Morgen, Dave!

How pleased  I was that you and Bobbi sent us a beautiful anniversary card and an E mail! You are so thoughtful. Dankeschoen!

I was totally shocked and surprised at my children’s planning a party for us. All went well and we had a great time. At first I was speechless-that’s hard to believe, nicht wahr?-but I got over it and enjoyed myself thoroughly. Thank you for being a part of this celebration.

Oh yes, Laura Walters Anspach came from Des Moines to the party!!It was so good to catch up on her busy life.

How are you doing? Is the pain of losing your Dad lessened a tiny bit? Thank goodness we have many wonderful memories of our loved ones that do sustain us.

Tell Bobbi hello and thanks again for your thoughtfulness.

Schoenes Wochenende!”Frau” Heidi

P.S. Ach ja, you mention the wedding dress !!! I was too poor in college to afford a wedding gown, so a friend of mine loaned me hers. 40 years later she comes to the surprise anniversary party and brings the wedding dress along for me to wear!!  Is that not an incredibly thoughtful person??

Ed Barker Update

Ethel and I began buying apartments in 1975.  In 1979 I retired from school administration.  We have been managing the apartments since then.  Our two sons, David and Jim along with David’s wife Sarah eventually joined us in the management area along with being partners in the ownership.

Our two daughters, Alice and Susan live in Up State New York along with their families.  We have 10 grandchildren, 5 in New York and 5 in Iowa City.

One of my main hobbies has been traveling throughout the world, visiting between 50 and 60 countries in six continents.  Most of these countries are ones that most people hesitate or refuse to visit.  My traveling partner, a college friend, and I find them intriguing and extremely educational.  One trip took us around the world which included going on the Trans Siberian Railroad from Vladivostok to Moscow.  I have been to the Soviet Union/Russia about 13 times, visiting 13 of the 15 republics.  Our wives do not like to travel the way we do and are always relieved when we return from each trip.

Thanks for all of the work you do on the web site and the reunions.

Ed Barker, Principal, West High, 1968-1979

In Memory of Florence Davis

Florence E. Davis, 93 of 701 Oaknoll Drive, Iowa City died Saturday, December 15, 2007, at the Oaknoll Retirement Residence.

Florence was born April 6, 1914, in Tipton, Iowa the daughter of Arthur P. and Arabelle (Armstrong) Hobstetter. Following graduation from Tipton High School in 1932 she attended Stevens College in Columbia, MO for two years. She then returned to this area where she received her BA from the University of Iowa, and later her Master’s in Physical Education.

She enjoyed a long career in education, her first schools were in Boulder, CO and Oak Park, Il before settling down to Iowa City where she taught for over twenty-five years in the Iowa City Community School District. She married Richard H. Davis in August of 1940 and the couple celebrated over fifty-one years of marriage before his death in 1991. Florence not only enjoyed teaching sports, but enjoyed watching and participating in them, especially the game of golf!

Her family includes two sons and their wives, Jim and Barbara Davis, and Robert and Patti Davis all of Iowa City; and Florence’s daughter, Jan Smith and her husband, Eric of Boulder, CO.

She was preceded in death by her husband, daughter, Nancy Davis; and brother, William Hobstetter.

Becky Irvin Daniel Update

I have been in training and have not answered my email.  It made me feel very sad to hear of Dr. Workman’s passing.  He was very young.  He was my favorite teacher.  I still use his theory.  Its not what you know but if you know where to find it if you need to know.

Becky Daniel

Mark Ferguson Update

Dave,

It is with great sadness that I found out about Dr Workman. I had him for a Humanities course, and he was one of a couple of instructors that encouraged me to go through Architectural couses at Iowa State. Although I am not a practicing architect, but still an Engineer for Ryko Manufacturing, a carwash company, I remember taking an architectural tour through Wisconsin to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin and the House On The Rock. It helped me decide to go into Architecture classes.

It is somewhat a fitting coincendence that I write you this message from Paris (my wife and I are here on holiday with some friends from England), since I probably would not have had the chance to travel internationally if it hadn’t been for instructors like Dr Workman who encouraged us all to follow our dreams to the ends of the earth. I would bet quite a few of us have traveled the world using lessons learned in Dr Workman’s Humanities class. He enjoyed architecuture, art and cultural. He made you research different aspects of a culture (even before the internet made it possible to easily research and map out your destination).

I will always remember Dr Workman. I had always hoped he could come back to a class reunion, like some of the other instructors have. He helped me have the courage to discover the world (the little I have seen of it).

Mark Ferguson