Alumni Class Notes for August 2018

David Komarnicki (’59) recently self-published Five Stars in the Window, a book about growing up during World War II. David writes about the book, “The city of Chester, Pennsylvania, is pulsing with activity during World War Two, grinding out ships, planes, and helicopters at record rates to fuel the fight against Hitler and Hirohito. Its winding streets are a patchwork quilt of ethnic neighborhoods, and families are displaying stars in their windows to show that they have sons or fathers off serving their country. There are five stars in the window of the house young David lives in, representing four of his seven brothers and the husband of one of his two sisters.” The book is available on Amazon.

This September, Gaye (Davey) Mallet (’80) is being honored as the 2018 Community Champion for Dutchess County by United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region based in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Gaye heads Human Resources at Adams Fairacre Farms and is on the board of several nonprofits.

Leah Guaglione (MCA ’11) writes, “I am now a filmmaker and songwriter in Nashville. One of my songs, ‘Tomorrow We Fight,’ was recently featured on CBS, ABC, and NBC networks, on the shows Quantico, Wisdom of the Crowd, and Showtime Boxing. I also run a wedding videography company that has been voted ‘Best of Knot’ two years in a row. Over the next few years I’ll be focusing on developing my singer-songwriter brand XEAH. It’s always surprising to look back on how my time at King’s helped me become a powerful content creator in the market of ideas.”

Gail Mininger (’68) writes, “In light of the 80 years of memories you are looking for, my sister Laurel Detweiler Ellis (now deceased) and I both graduated from TKC in the 60’s, but more interestingly, our dad, Rev. Linwood Detweiler, was president of the very first King’s freshman class, captain of the first baseball team for 4 years, member of the first basketball team, preacher on a King’s gospel team, helper to the college chef, and early morning caretaker of the coal stoves in two buildings.

He had previously heard on the radio that Percy Crawford was starting up The King’s College, in Belmar, NJ, and was offering free tuition ($50!) at Kings for those who worked as summer staff at his camp Pinebrook in the Poconos. My dad was led to the Lord through Percy Crawford’s ministry while serving on that summer staff. He also met my mother Mildred Olsen that summer and they both entered Kings that first year it opened. Room and Board cost was $300, plus the $50 tuition! They still attended King’s when it moved to Delaware.

My mother did not finish her degree. But, my dad’s last name being early in the alphabet, he was the first male graduate from The King’s College! Marjorie Absalom was the first female in line to receive her degree at that first graduation. My dad died a few years ago at the age of 92, and I heard that Marjorie was still living not too long ago. Dan Crawford, who wrote his father (Percy Crawford’s) biography, A Thirst for Souls, was in contact with her during his research for his book.

My Dad, discipled by Percy Crawford, was a very evangelistic pastor and always concerned to get the message of the gospel to nearly everyone he met, whether a waitress at a restaurant meal or an attendant at a highway toll booth! He pastored three churches over his lifetime—Bethlehem Baptist in Springfield, Mass., Grace Bible in Souderton, Pa., and First Baptist in Patchogue, N.Y.—and he was the speaker at several Bible conferences, and continued in retirement to preach various places until he was 80.

In his late 80s he wanted to leave the gospel message to any relatives or friends who were not believers. I helped him write his autobiography, A Life Changed By Christ. There is a chapter called “Pinebrook, King’s, and Eastern” (he graduated from Eastern Baptist Seminary after King’s) which you might like to read and pass on to others who like to hear the old memories. There are pictures of the first basketball and baseball teams as well as many family and church photos.

My parents loved King’s and Percy and Ruth Crawford, and many memories of their college days were shared at our dinner table in my childhood. Two of us three sisters followed their lead by attending King’s ourselves.

Of less importance but maybe worth a mention, I was pianist for the King’s College Choir for all four of my years, including Spring Break tours on the East Coast and down to Florida. I also played piano for a gospel team called The King’s Five (girls trio, speaker, and pianist) that represented the college one whole summer in churches throughout the Midwest. I played the organ for the college daily chapel services and gave my senior organ recital at White Plains Presbyterian Church. I was also a freshman member of the Homecoming Court, and May Queen my senior year, 1968.

My husband has been pastor of Lake Sherwood Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Orlando for 47 years. We have five children who are serving the Lord in 4 states and one in Myanmar, and 14 grandchildren.”