CLASS NOTES
2011
Dr. C. Dennis Wohlford, Puyallup, Wash.: 2010 was a wonderful year of travel for Sue and me, starting with some January sunshine time spent in Cabo San Lucas with family including our granddaughter. Most of the month of May was spent in Africa with time spent in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and Tanzania. (The picture was on our 33rd wedding anniversary in Victoria Falls.) Summer brought our annual salmon fishing trip to Alaska and a golf trip to Central Oregon. Early October was a cruise from Montreal to Boston to explore new territory. The fall brought my annual pheasant hunting trip to the Dakotas and we then settled in for the holiday stretch run to the end of the year. A great year to remember! (Spring 2011)
2009
Dr. Jeffrey V. Merrifield, San Jose, Calif.: It took 30-plus years, but I finally found my niche. Once I returned to the clinical practice of dentistry in the late 1990s, I decided to limit my practice to Endo. Given that I was approaching 60 years of age, I didn’t think there was much of an opportunity, but I went ahead anyway. I have never regretted my decision. All is well! (Spring 2009)
Dr. Gregory E. Smith, Gainesville, Fla.: Greg retired from the University of Florida College of Dentistry in June 2007 after 40 years of teaching and service. Many of these years he was Chair of the Department of Operative Dentistry. He was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus. He remains active in the Academy of Operative Dentistry and presently serves on the International Board of Directors of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity which he was initiated into at the UW in April 1959. He and his wife, Patricia, reside in Gainesville. (Spring 2009)
REUNIONS
The dental class of 1965 celebrated their 50th year since graduation on June 5-6. On Friday evening, June 5, about 15 members and wives had dinner at the Seattle Yacht Club. A PowerPoint presentation by Marty Anderson gave the members a glimpse into their past and a look at the present school with its modern facilities. On Saturday morning the class took a tour of the dental school and had a brief meeting with our Dean, Joel Berg. Dean Berg gave an update on the new clerkship curriculum that is presently being developed and implemented with the goal to produce the best dentist of the future. On Saturday afternoon the class attended the Hooding Ceremony of the Class of 2015 in Meany Hall. They were introduced by Dean Berg to much applause. After the Hooding Ceremony the class met for lunch and further socializing at the old Northlake tavern … pizza and beer! Great fun was had by all.
IN MEMORIAM
DR. BRUCE L. BINGHAM, CLASS OF 1965
Dr. Bruce Lowell Bingham passed away on Jan. 19, 2016 at Marquis Shasta in Redding, Calif., after being treated for cancer in summer 2015. He was 79.
Dr. Bingham was born on Sept. 3, 1936, in Bozeman, Mont., to Golden Hansen Bingham and Alice Lenore Cazier, the fifth of 10 children. He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Northwest at age 19. After his mission, he attended Utah State University in Logan, where he met his wife, Sandra Peart. After receiving his DDS, he served as a dentist in the Air Force and then settled in Mountain Home, Idaho, where he established a private general dentistry practice. After 20 years he relocated to Northern California and worked as a dentist for the Indian Health Service in Burney and then at the Redding Rancheria for 15 years.
Dr. Bingham was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as a bishop, high councilor, teacher, home teacher and scoutmaster. He served for 50 years in the Boy Scouts of America and received the distinguished Silver Beaver award. He also served on the board of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill in Shasta County.
Dr. Bingham is survived by his wife of 55 years, Sandra; children Garth of American Fork, Utah, Jilleen of Bakersfield, Calif., Tonya (Roger) Jankowski of Boca Raton, Fla., Elizabeth (Patrick) Pickett of Midvale, Utah, and Janalie (Jean) Joseph of Highland Beach, Fla.; and 13 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his youngest son, Corbin.
DR. CHRISTIAN N. BRUHN, CLASS OF 1965
Dr. Christian N. Bruhn, affectionately known as “Chris” or “Bud,” died in November 2014. He was 75.
Dr. Bruhn was born on July 29, 1939 to Mary and Christian Bruhn in Omaha, Neb. The family moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1941.
Dr. Bruhn attended Franklin High School and UW. He opened his first practice in West Seattle the same year he graduated from the School of Dentistry. He later practiced in Burien and Federal Way for 39 years. He loved spending time with his family and friends.
Dr. Bruhn is survived by his wife of 43 years, Arlene; sons Christian and Peter; and several nieces and cousins. (Seattle Times)
DR. PAUL J. FREDERICK, DDS CLASS OF 1965
Dr. Paul J. “Jack” Frederick of Fort Meyers, Fla., passed away peacefully on Oct. 21, 2021. He was 82.
He was born on Jan. 13, 1939 in Seattle to Paul and Alverta Frederick. He grew up on Queen Anne Hill and graduated from Queen Anne High School and the UW. He later taught at the School of Dentistry.
He served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1967-68 and earned several medals.
He opened his dental practice near Northwest Hospital in Seattle with a phone and a single dental chair. He built a successful practice and cared for many patients for more than 30 years. He served on the Washington State Board of Dental Examiners.
Dr. Frederick raised his children on Mercer Island, then lived in Bellevue and Kirkland, Wash., with his wife, Gayle, before retiring in Fort Myers. He was an avid golfer and a member of Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash., and Crown Colony Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers.
He loved fly fishing and boating and, with his wife, had many adventures exploring the waters of British Columbia and southeast Alaska. They also enjoyed traveling in Europe and taking cruises with good friends.
Dr. Frederick is survived by his wife, Gayle; son David (Andrea); daughter Cathy (Bret) Herholdt; stepchildren Michelle (Paul) Sisco, Craig (Dawn) Peden, and Bryan (Elena) Peden; grandchildren Ian, Chelsea, Reilly, Nicolas, Cameron, Chandler, John, Sophie, Davian, and Bryson; sister Carol Jacox; niece Isabel Tan; and nephews Mark and Scott Jacox. (The News-Press)
DR. RONALD E. GROW, CLASS OF 1965
Dr. Ronald E. Grow died on Aug. 29, 2019. He was 83.
He was born on July 11, 1936 in Yakima, Wash., to Floyd and Dorothy Grow. His sister, Arlee Kay, joined the family seven years later. The family farmed in Grandview, Wash., after spending the war years in Vancouver, Wash. He graduated from Grandview High School and Seattle Pacific College (SPC). He was a faithful Husky fan.
Dr. Grow met and married Shirley Edelman while at SPC. He cherished and cared for her for 61 years, as evidenced by his morning Starbucks run for her every day during his retirement. They raised their three children in Grandview, after living in Fort Eustis, Va., where he served as a captain in the U.S. Army Dental Corps from 1961 to 1963.
A true Renaissance man, he could fix almost anything, and if he couldn’t, it was a grand adventure to figure out how. He maintained his private plumber’s license throughout the years, so that he could save a few bucks plumbing his dental office, his home, and rentals. He grew up riding horses and was also a lifelong musician. He played the trumpet in high school, and performed in a trumpet trio while at SPC. He continued to play brass instruments for the Yakima Valley Band into his 80s, and was a strong supporter of the Grandview Band Booster program. He loved to fish and designed many woodworking and jewelry projects for his family. He also loved to laugh.
Dr. Grow was very proud to call Grandview home. He served on the school board in the 1970s and on the Port of Grandview board for over 30 years, which gave him the honored title of Commissioner Emeritus. He enjoyed being a Rotarian, served as song leader for his club, and hosted several exchange students. He was also a Paul Harris Fellow.
Dr. Grow practiced in Grandview for 43 years and loved the people he worked with and the many great relationships he had with his patients. He helped establish the dental hygiene program at Yakima Valley Community College, and taught dental anatomy and acted as a clinical instructor in the early years. He also served on several mission trips around the world.
Through the years he acquired farms around his “home place” and eventually farmed 250 acres of Concord grapes. He was the nation’s first grower of certified organic Concord grapes. He was a proud National Grape Welch’s member for 48 years and served on the board of directors for 11 years. He also served as president of the Washington State Grape Society for three years. He was a Walter J. Clore Award recipient and started his own grape harvesting business in 1971.
Dr. Grow served the Grandview Church of the Nazarene as a board member, Sunday School teacher, choir director, and song leader. He also participated in many Work and Witness mission trips throughout the years. In 2019, he received the Nazarene Distinguished Service Award.
Dr. Grow is survived by his wife, Shirley; children Tim and Gina Grow, David and Bev Grow, and Sarah and Jim Schmahl; grandchildren Kevin (Becca), Linsley (Jeff), Lander (Katie), Allison (Michael), Lauren (Tyler), Hannah (Jacob), Emma, Anna, Jaki, and Ryan; great-grandchildren Ava, Ruby, Marquise, Kinsley, Makenzie, Hudson, Harvey, and Griffin; and sister and brother-in-law Arlee and Art Volz. (Yakima Herald)
DR. CHARLES A. HALL, CLASS OF 1965
Dr. Charles Alan “Bud” Hall died on Oct. 31, 2019 in Olympia, Wash. He was 88.
Dr. Hall became a dentist when he was 36, and had a successful career. He also loved to travel.
He is survived by his wife, Jerry Layne; sons Bradley Alan (Stephanie Ann) of Centralia, Wash., and Jason Layne (Michelle Lynn) of Tucson; grandchildren Trenton (Megan), Blake, Jesse, and Keenan; great-grandchildren Gracelyn, Piper, and Sterling; brother Jeff; and sister Lisa. (Dignity Memorial)
DR. LEON JACOB HENRICHSEN, CLASS OF 1965
Dr. Leon Jacob Henrichsen passed away on June 10, 2012, at his home in Salt Lake City. He was 75.
Dr. Henrichsen born on Jan. 16, 1936, in Holladay, Utah, to Bertha Rose Kohler and Allen Vernon Henrichsen. He was number two of a set of twins and number seven in a family of 10. He attended Granite High School and was in the first graduating class of Olympus High School in 1954. As a young man, he served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denmark.
Dr. Henrichsen graduated from the University of Utah before earning his dental degree from the University of Washington. He married the love of his life and eternal companion, Carollyn Joy Harward, on Dec. 20, 1968.
He is survived by his wife, Carollyn; children Kevin (Melia), Jeff (Nadine), Chad and Rebecca (Scott Van Valkenburg); and eight grandchildren. He is predeceased by eldest son Brian. (Salt Lake Tribune)
DR. RONALD L. HOLM, CLASS OF 1965
Dr. Ronald L. Holm passed away on July 26, 2014. He practiced in Spokane, Wash.
DR. FRANK Y. KITAMOTO, CLASS OF 1965
Dr. Frank Y. Kitamoto of Bainbridge Island, Wash., died of heart and kidney complications on March 15, 2014. A nationally respected Japanese-American community leader, he was 74.
Dr. Kitamoto was born on May 28, 1939 on Bainbridge Island. He graduated as salutatorian from Bainbridge High School in 1957, earned his degree from the UW School of Dentistry in 1965 and returned to Bainbridge Island to begin a successful 48-year dental practice.
Dr. Kitamoto was 2½ years old when he and 226 other Bainbridge Islanders were forcibly removed to internment camps in 1942. His family was first incarcerated at Manzanar in California and later transferred to Minidoka in Idaho. In the wake of this incarceration, Dr. Manzanar shared his inspirational message of tolerance, liberty and human rights by speaking to hundreds of groups that ranged from school-age children to senior citizens. For his decades of work, he received numerous awards.
Included among the many groups in which Dr. Kitamoto was most active during recent years were the Bainbridge Island Japanese Community, the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association, Friends of Minidoka and the Bainbridge Island School District Multicultural Advisory Council.
Dr. Kitamoto is survived by his wife, Sharon, and son Derek of Bainbridge Island; sisters Lilly (Mitsuhiro) Kodama of Bainbridge Island and Frances Ikegami of Bremerton, Wash.; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank Yoshito Kitamoto and Shigeko Kitamoto, and sister Jane Akita. (Seattle Times)
DR. ANTHONY JOHN MILAN, CLASS OF 1965
Dr. Anthony John Milan died on Oct. 8, 2013 in Tacoma. He was 80.
Dr. Milan was born on Aug. 22, 1933. He was the kind of person who would do anything for anyone. He loved skiing at White Pass, spending time with family and friends and golfing at Fircrest.
DR. CLARK D. WOHLFORD, DDS CLASS OF 1965
Dr. Clark Dennis “Denny” Wohlford passed away peacefully on Jan. 24, 2023 at his home in Puyallup, Wash. He was 82. He had bravely battled leukemia for 10 months.
He was born on March 13, 1940 in Denison, Texas, and spent most of his grade-school days in Pickstown, South Dakota, where he learned to love the outdoors. He attended Shattuck Military High School (1957) and Whitman College (1961) and served in the U.S. Navy Dental Corp. (1965-1967). His 40-year dental career included membership in the Washington State Dental Association, where he served on several state committees, and the Pierce County Dental Society, where he was president (1983-1984). He was a board member of the Washington Dental Service for several years. Community activity included the Jaycees, Valley School of Special Education, Valley Theater of the Arts, Land Use Planning Committee, and United Way.
Dr. Wohlford was a cradle Episcopalian who served as an acolyte as a child. As an adult he was very active for many years at Christ Episcopal Church in Puyallup, Wash., and later All Saints Episcopal Church in Tacoma, Wash. He served in almost every way a layperson could, from lay eucharistic minister and several three-year terms on the vestry (junior and senior wardens) to almost every committee.
He loved playing golf and was a member of Fircrest Golf Club. Outside of his family, his greatest joy was fishing for steelhead and salmon and pheasant and duck hunting with friends and family. He was a lifetime member of Pheasants Forever and received the Ducks Unlimited Mike Barovic “Sportsman of The Year” award in 1983. From the time he graduated to just a few years ago, he enjoyed attending UW football games. He was an avid reader and always kept up with what was happening locally and around the world.
Dr. Wohlford is survived by his wife of 45 years, Suzanne; son Chris (Kristi); daughter Karin (Brad) Klein; granddaughter Caitlynn Wohlford; grandsons Evan, Drew, and Adam Klein; and brother Don (Jeanne). He was preceded in death by his brother Keith. (Legacy.com)