Vernon Pack ’50
A History of Friendship and Philanthropy
Vernon Pack ’50 with Doris Kearns Goodwin on the cover of 2002 Summer Towers.
Vernon Pack ’50 once said in an interview for Towers magazine that his years at Otterbein were the happiest of his life. That’s why he nurtured his Otterbein friendships, supported scholarships and initiatives for students, and remained a common face on campus throughout his life. Otterbein lost a cherished friend in Pack when he passed away on Jan. 18 at the age of 99.
“Vernon Pack was a friend to so many of us on campus, and his generosity impacted every area of student life, from academics to athletics, community service to library services,” said President John Comerford. “Vernon, a historian himself, is truly part of Otterbein’s history and his legacy will live on.”
Pack was well known on campus for his jovial greetings, his distinctive voice, his rich sense of humor, his generosity, and his computer-like memory for historical facts.
He was an avid historian who loved to share his knowledge with others. He taught social studies for over 28 years with a special emphasis on his favorite subject, Ohio history.
He also wrote about Ohio history, with dozens of articles and several mini-books published, and was known for including history clippings in thank-you notes and holiday cards. He gave history presentations at his senior community and was fond of showing people the treasures and hidden secrets of Ohio; until recently, he led day trips to those locations.
Donna Kerr H’71, the wife of late President Emeritus Thomas J. Kerr, said Pack seemed to know every person and had a story about every place. “How he knew everything that was going on — it was by osmosis, I think,” she said jokingly. “He was really brilliant.”
A lt hough P ack supported many scholarships and initiatives over the years, one of his favorites was the Vernon L. Pack ’50 Distinguished Lecture and Scholar-in-Residence Program.
He established an endowment in 2002 to provide funding for distinguished scholars and lecturers to visit campus to address important current topics that reflect on ethical, spiritual, and social issues. The series has hosted prestigious guests like Doris Kearns Goodwin, Fareed Zakaria, Steven Pinker, Salman Rushdie, and Heather McGhee.
“Vernon showed genuine interest in engaging with the diverse speakers who visited the campus as part of his series, but perhaps his greatest joy was talking over lunch with the students who had been selected to meet the speakers,” reflected Patricia Frick, professor of English. “Vernon appreciated their ideas, listened to them with respect and curiosity, and enthusiastically encouraged them to pursue their personal and educational dreams. He was a true mentor and role model to generations of learners.”
Kerr attended some of the first lectures as a guest of Pack. “Part of the lecture series was for him to spend a few minutes alone with the speakers,” she recalled. “I don’t know what he asked them, but I would have liked to have been a mouse and sat in on those conversations.”
Pack also established the Vernon L. Pack Fellowship through the Center for Community Engagement and regularly supported the Otterbein Fund, Promise House, Courtright Memorial Library, scholarships, awards, and numerous academic and Student Affairs programs and initiatives. He was honored with the Mary B. Thomas ’28 Commitment to Otterbein Award in 2011. A humble man, in his letter accepting the award he instead praised Thomas, writing, “I personally knew Mary over a period of many years; her values and humbleness were stellar qualities which I can never emulate.” For Pack’s lifetime devotion to Otterbein, his Cardinal family is immensely grateful.
Vernon Pack ’50 with President Emerita Kathy A. Krendl H’18 accepting the 2011 Mary B. Thomas ’28 Commitment to Otterbein Award.
Mark Thresher ’78, P’05
A Legacy of Faith, Family, and Friendship
Mark ’78, P’05 and Deb Scott ’77, P’05 Thresher at Homecoming 1977.
Otterbein was the beginning of many things for Trustee Emeritus Mark Thresher ’78, P’05 and Deborah Scott Thresher ’77, P’05 — their love story, their family, lifelong friendships, a successful career, and a commitment to giving back. Although the Otterbein community said goodbye to Mark, who sadly passed on Oct. 28, 2024, the Thresher legacy continues, and the memories remain.
According to Deb, it all started because of a dare. While accounting major Mark had seen music education major Deb around campus and thought she was pretty, he was shy. So while she was studying on the third floor of the library one day, Mark’s friend dared him to finally ask Deb out — or the friend would. That was the motivation Mark needed, and Deb said yes.
Deb said their time at Otterbein was always an adventure. Being from a small town, there were a lot of things she had never done before and Mark wanted to change that. “He took me to my very first concert down at the Palace Theater. He bought tickets in the second row, so Barry Manilow was right there in front of us,” she recalled.
Deb said Mark’s family decided she was the one for him only six weeks into their relationship, but it wasn’t until three years later, when Deb was named Homecoming Queen, that Mark proposed to her before escorting her to the Homecoming parade. The couple married four months after Mark’s graduation in 1978. They went on to have two daughters, Chelsea and Kaylea, and six grandchildren.
While Deb came to Otterbein from the “foothills of Pennsylvania” and Mark from Cleveland, they both chose Otterbein because of their church backgrounds.
“Our church and faith are very important to us. That’s why we both ended up here, and why we have always given back … and Otterbein has been one of our loves for sure,” Deb said.
While Deb had to study harder than Mark, she said they both learned the value of hard work, respect for others, and commitment at Otterbein. “Mark always said you grew as a whole person here.”
Deb said it was by chance that Mark landed on Otterbein’s Board of Trustees. After graduation, he launched a career that would include 25 years at Nationwide, culminating in his position as executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO), which he held from 2009-2021. It was Mark’s boss at Nationwide, Joseph Gasper, who asked Mark to take over his seat on Otterbein’s board. Mark served on the board for 21 years, with eight of those as chair.
The Threshers have supported many initiatives at Otterbein over the years, establishing the Deborah and Mark Thresher Family Scholarship for music education majors and the Mark and Deborah Thresher Fellowship to support experiential learning opportunities; supporting numerous building and renovation projects; and making annual gifts to the Otterbein Fund.
However, Deb said their commitment of time to their alma mater has been the most meaningful to them. “The two of us have always had the mentality that if we’re going to commit to something, we’re going to try to leave it a little better than when we got there.”
Chelsea Thresher Ross ’05 followed in her parents’ footsteps, graduating from their alma mater. Reflecting on her father’s impact, Chelsea shared, “Dad became so successful with only a bachelor’s degree and he attributed that success to the lessons he learned at Otterbein that went beyond accounting. Later in life he wanted to give back to the institution that grounded him and gave him the skills to be successful — he wanted that to be the same story for the students that came after him.”
Mark ’78, P’05 and Deb Scott ’77, P’05 Thresher.
Mark and Deb were honored with Otterbein’s highest award, the Mary B. Thomas ’28 Commitment to Otterbein Award, in 2022. For his dedication to the values of a liberal arts education, Mark was inducted to the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges’ Hall of Excellence in 2017.
Otterbein is truly a better place thanks to Mark’s extraordinary stewardship and the continued friendship and commitment of Deb and the Thresher family.
William “Bill” Evans ’56
Bill ’56 and Sonya Stauffer ’56 Evans represented the Class of 1956 as the class gift of an “Otterbein College” sign in front of historic Towers Hall was replaced with one reading “Otterbein University” in 2010.
Trustee Emeritus William “Bill” Evans ’56 passed away on Feb. 5, 2025. He is survived by his wife, Sonya Stauffer Evans ’56. His commitment to the Otterbein University Board of Trustees spanned 20 years, with many more years serving his university in other capacities. As a trustee, he served on the Executive, Governance, Investment, and ad hoc Board Enhancement Committees. He also served as vice chair and at-large trustee. He was granted emeritus status in 2011 and was recognized with The Earl F. Morris Trustee Award by the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges in 2012.
Bill graduated from Otterbein with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics with honors and worked for the Westinghouse Electric Corporation, including in its Aerospace Division where he developed computer models of an early design for space suits and simulation of the Air Force’s Dyna Soar vehicle. In 1963, Bill began his impressive career with the Battelle Memorial Institute when he was recruited to work on the development of scientific computing in underdeveloped countries. He retired from Battelle in 1995.
Together, Bill and Sonya supported several Otterbein funds and initiatives for more than 40 years, including the Class of 1956 Scholarship Fund, the Otterbein Fund, the Science Center Addition and renovation campaign, the building campaigns for Roush Hall and the Clements Recreation and Fitness Center, among many others. For their 50th Class “Golden Reunion,” Bill and Sonya led the efforts to chronicle Otterbein’s history. This multi-panel display adorns the halls of the third floor of Roush Hall. The couple received the Otterbein University Distinguished Alumni Award in 2005.