The Retirement Banquet. May 9, 2019

Copyright © 2019                               John F. Oyler 

May 9, 2019

The Retirement Banquet

The receptionist at the dental office I frequent is a long-time reader of this column and an uninhibited critic. She recently complained that the columns have become too impersonal and that she missed reading about my children and grand-children occasionally. Fortunately we have just had an informal family reunion, an appropriate excuse to reply to her request.

The occasion for the reunion was my retirement banquet. I formally retired from teaching in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Pitt in December and am still in the process of slowly  disengaging myself from an activity I have enjoyed greatly for the past twenty-six years. To commemorate this event and to celebrate my career, the Department and my family worked together to host a dinner in the ballroom at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall.

Sara and her three children flew in from Fort Collins, Colorado, on Friday afternoon, rented a car and drove to Beth’s house in Olde Sewickley Highlands. We all went to a Lenten fish fry at Saints John and Paul parish in Franklin Park, a very impressive experience. That evening Rachael was in a talent show at Quaker Valley High School, playing violin as part of a trio. The winner was selected by Smartphone voting. Despite the best efforts of Sara’s children to stuff the ballot boxes electronically, Rachael’s group did not win.

Sara’s family stayed with me in my house. A bit of a cultural shock for me and my cat, but one that we both enjoyed very much. John arrived on a “red-eye” from the west coast the next morning and spent Saturday night with us as well. Our extended family for the weekend activities also included my brother Joe and his wife Pauline; their son Paul, his wife Barbara, and their daughter Lauryn; and my nephew Jonathan Maddy and his wife Marsha.

The banquet itself was a wonderful affair, a coming-together of past and present students, past and present teaching colleagues, friends, and family. Entertainment was by a jazz quartet led by trombonist Jeff Bush. He was one of Ian’s instructors at Jazz Camp at Duquesne last summer; we have seen him perform on several other occasions. The quartet’s playlist for the evening was perfectly suited for the occasion, very heavy on the Swing Era.

As a contrast the Apollo Quartet played classical music. When Rachael was in Middle School she was part of an excellent string quartet, largely because of the efforts of their music teacher. Now that they are ninth-graders at Quaker Valley High School there has been no incentive for them to continue to practice together. When we asked them to perform at the Banquet, they were happy to have a chance to get back together.

They chose a name – the Apollo Quartet, designed a logo, printed business cards, and settled down to serious practicing. At the Banquet they performed wonderfully, playing “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”, “The Moldau”, “Palladio”, and “The Ashokan Farewell”. Rachael and Grace Stamfel play violin; Charlie Crane plays viola; and Bob Carey plays cello. We are now actively looking for other opportunities for them to perform.

Not to be left out of the action, Ian volunteered to bring his trumpet. With Jeff Bush accompanying him on keyboard, he played an outstanding version of “Ain’t Misbehaving”. I was a little apprehensive after hearing him practice, but once he got up on the bandstand and “started cooking”, he was fine. Ian is a high school junior, a significant part of his high school jazz band. I hope his schedule will permit him to return to Duquesne for Jazz Camp this summer.

Kevin Abt served as Master of Ceremonies. A graduate of the Class of 1995, he was one of the first students I taught when I launched my academic career, one who has stayed in touch ever since. Currently he is Project Manager for a billion dollar project for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Commission, constructing a forty-two foot diameter tunnel under Chesapeake Bay. 

A number of people who have been an important part of my life paraded to the podium and said nice things about me. I responded with a sincere summary of my gratitude for the opportunity to spend my declining years associating with a wonderful group of students and colleagues. Initially I attributed the experience to luck; I then wondered if some higher power was involved. Certainly I feel that I was destined to spend the last twenty six years at Pitt.

One of my numerous eccentricities is my obsession with pie. The Oyler family is Pennsylvania Dutch to the core, and consequently I am a proponent of having pie with every meal. Incidentally I also believe in the saying “Life is uncertain, eat dessert first!” 

Someone at Pitt came up with a gimmick for National Pie Day, March 14 each year. It actually started three years ago when the date – 3.14 16 – coincided with the value of the mathematical constant, pi. This year they modified the Pitt logo to look like Pi p , and sold tee shirts with it on it. Sara, Claire, Nora, and Rachael put on these tee shirts and proceeded to announce dessert by “ringing the pie bell”, another Oyler tradition.

The celebration continued on through Sunday, with an extended family brunch at Beth’s house. She invited a group of my ex-students to join us. Scott and Angie Hunter had come from New York; they were ’07 classmates. Another pair of married alumni are Brandon and Lisa Chavel; they came from Cleveland. Close friends of theirs are the O’Neils, Jason and Monica, who live in the North Hills. They brought their two young sons, Jack and Daniel, to the brunch with them.

The final couple, Jeremy and Jewel Tartt, are only half civil engineering alumni – Jewel is a nursing supervisor who happens to be a very good sport when Jeremy reunites with his engineering friends. They came from Florida to attend the banquet; it was a real treat for me that they brought their children. Second grader Jaliyah has already decided she wants to be an engineer like her father. Kindergartener Jaidyn is still undecided. 

Spending time with these four couples was an extremely positive experience. They are all in their thirties and far enough along with their careers to have their priorities sorted out. What a contrast to our political leaders and the folks on the front pages of the newspapers today! I am glad they had the chance to meet my extended family, and vice versa. There is indeed hope for the future.

Beth is an outstanding hostess. I was reminded of several holiday open-houses my wife hosted when our children were small. Once the guests began to arrive, she made it look easy even though I knew how much hard work and preparation went in to a successful party.

By Sunday evening everyone had left for home. It was a very exciting weekend for me, dominated by the realization that counting my blessings is a formidable task.