“One of the things I remember about Delta Chi was that one year we inadvertently got the old Michigan Theater telephone number so people were always calling to ask what was playing. So, the brothers took it upon themselves to announce the feature playing, “The Lone Range Meets Pinky Lee” or “Godzilla Ate Manhattan.”
“One of the things I remember about Delta Chi was that one year we inadvertently got the old Michigan Theater telephone number so people were always calling to ask what was playing. So, the brothers took it upon themselves to announce the feature playing, “The Lone Range Meets Pinky Lee” or “Godzilla Ate Manhattan.”
“Another time someone at about three in the morning threw a siren into the dorm. Several brothers jumped up and chased the culprit or culprits to no avail. I was a sound sleeper and barely heard the alarm. I was probably snoring. It turns out the thieves stole our Chapter picture, many trophies and a bunch of paddles. As President it was up to me to find the perpetrators. I noticed that real estate signs on Hill Street were torn down in the direction of Detroit. Jumping to conclusions as to who would be so juvenile, I suspected Wayne State University Delta Chi. So, I called the Wayne State Inter-Fraternity Director and told him that their Delta Chi Chapter had stolen our stuff. Evidently, he told the Chapter they would be kicked off campus if they didn’t return our property. I later received a sheepish call saying they would return our things. It turned out they returned about ten years’ worth of our memorabilia.
As President, I have to say I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did without the strong support of the seniors. The house was running a deficit when I took over. The first thing we did was require that everyone including seniors live in the house which instantly increased revenue. Next Bob Cole ‘62, Senior, volunteered to be Steward. The kitchen was the biggest expense and out of control since we had a scatterbrained cook who would go out and buy stuff that was already in the pantry. Plus, Bob would search out food bargains riding around on his scooter.
Next, we decided rather than the usual pledge hazing we would get the pledges to repair the house which was in sad shape. Lane Kendig ‘62, Senior, took it upon himself to supervise the pledges. We were lucky that we could lean on the construction skills of one of the pledges, Howard Gandelot ‘64. During one Spring break I think they replaced the ceiling in the living room.
We also instituted a constant rush. No one wanted to be Rush Chairman, so we divided the job three ways: Howard Travis ‘63, Bob Berry ‘64, and I don’t remember the third person.
Keith Hellems ’62 reminded me that we had long chapter meetings. I can only think that the brothers were a contentious and loquacious lot. Even if we didn’t have a quorum, a meeting would still run two hours. You had to be there if you didn’t want to miss something. I think we had a lot of fun arguing.
Later, in the semester we were running a surplus. So, we decided to spend it on better meals for the brothers, and that is how our scatterbrained cook got a reputation for being a great chef.
The happiest day of my life was when I married my wife, Vicki Granacki. We have been married forty years and have lived on the same block for forty years. We live two blocks from Wrigley Field where the Cubs play. We have two children, a boy, who lives in Chicago about a mile away with our two grandchildren, and a daughter, who lives in New York with her husband. My son is a real estate developer and my daughter is a fashion designer. Needless, to say we visit New York two or three times a year to visit our daughter and her husband – catch a show, visit the museums, and visit the art galleries. We also go to Miami Art Basel at the beginning of December since my daughter and husband are into art collecting. Vicki and I use to collect art many years ago, but now our daughter and her husband who are crazy about art have kind of got us back into collecting.
As for my career, after I graduated from the U of M in Industrial Engineering, I went to the University of Chicago Business School. I also worked in the summers as an Industrial Engineer while working on my MBA. Since I didn’t know what I wanted to do, I went to the Chicago Theological Seminary, on a scholarship, to work on a Bachelors of Divinity which I didn’t complete. The school at the time was part of the University of Chicago. I thought that I had too technical of a background. So, I was able to take many classes from famous professors at the University of Chicago as well as at the Seminary.
I think my father thought I was going to be a perpetual student, so he asked me to come work for his company, Wesley-Jessen, Inc. He had invented the first commercially successful hard contact lens in the mid-1950s. While at the company, I worked with a team of researchers and developed a computerize method of fitting contact lenses and the company’s first soft lens which later became the DuraSoft Lens. Since the soft lens market potential was attractive to pharmaceutical companies, we sold Wesley-Jessen, Inc. to Schering Plough.
Since I thought I would find direction in life at Chicago Theological Seminary, I decided to finish that uncompleted Bachelors of Divinity degree, but to make a long story short I ended up with a Doctor of Ministry degree which I have never used except for my personal satisfaction.
Since my father has passed away, my wife, brother and I have set-up the Dr. Newton K. Wesley Foundation Fund dedicated to eye research and preserving the legacy of our father.
The Delta Chi brother I have kept in touch with over the years is Lee Brandt ’64 who many of you know as a great guy. It is too bad we all live so far apart. I was best man at his wedding in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and he and Sara, his wife, were at my wedding to Vicki in Chicago. Both events were a long time ago except for the occasional meeting. We now seem to just exchange Christmas cards. The problem is that we have both gotten old.
As for my health, I have been diagnosed recently with sarcoidosis which for me means shortness of breath and coughing which limits my golf and tennis. The doctors are still working out a course of treatment.
My advice to the brothers is if you want to be happy, keep things simple.
If anyone is in Chicago, I can be reached at [email protected]. Come and see our art collection of Chicago Imagists.
Brothers in the bond. Go Blue.”
