Darnell Jo Beatty (Admn) (Bailey) (1960)

Diana, husband George and one-year-old son Scotty were killed in an automobile accident near Elizabethtown, Kentucky, on May 28, 1974. A surviving son, Steve Genung, came to live with Diana’s parents, Donald and Marlowe Schinbeckle.  He graduated from Riley two years ago and just completed his second year at the Air Force Academy.

After the 1990 reunion, we mailed the following article along with the reunion picture. The article appeared on November 6, 1990, in a column written by Bill Moor called “Moor or Less” for the South Bend Tribune.

Sue Creevey, a kindergarten teacher at Lincoln School, received a letter from one of her former students the other day. It brought tears to her eyes. It was a wonderful letter from Stephen Genung, now a junior cadet and a Dean’s List student at the Air Force Academy. “There was only one sad note ion his letter—he was not going to be able to be an Air Force pilot because his eyes weren’t quite perfect enough,” said Creevey. “But other than that, he’s doing well. He’s such a nice young man; he always has been.”

After Creevey read over the letter another time, tears welled in her eyes again when she thought back 15 years ago to the day she met Genung. She was in her second year of teaching—then in O’Brien School’s kindergarten—when Stephen came into her class with his maternal grandmother, Marlowe Schinbeckler.

“I knew something was wrong right away because Mrs. Schinbeckler was wearing a cast and I could see that she had a lot on her mind.”

The previous spring, Mrs. Schinbeckler and her grandson had been in a horrible car accident that claimed the lives of Stephen’s parents, George and Diana Sue Genung, and his infant brother, Scott.

That summer, Mrs. Schinbeckler had to deal with broken bones and a broken heart. But she and her husband, Don, did not want Stephen to feel like his 5-year-old world had been broken in half.

“When she came in that first day, Mrs. Schinbeckler said she and her husband were going to raise Stephen as their own.” Creevey recalled. “She was worried if she was going to be able to do a good job.”

Already in their 50s, the Schinbecklers obviously had raised their own two children well. Their son, Gary, was a doctor in the Navy and their daughter—Stephen’s mom—had been the valedictorian of her high school class at Riley in 1960.

Those nurturing years had been a long time ago, though. There had to be some doubt whether they would be able to stay up with young Stephen.

“But never did Stephen seem confused, insecure or frustrated during his year in kindergarten,” said Creevey. “You could tell that he came from a loving, caring family.”

“When Marlowe came in to the classroom, I could see that she was the typical grandmother type—and a wonderful parent as well.”

Mary Myers, a longtime neighbor and friend of the Schinbecklers, also watched Stephen’s upbringing with a joy in her heart. “I remember Marlowe, who was so badly hurt in the accident herself, saying right after it happened that she and Don were going to raise Stephen as their own. She was true to her words. They did such a good job with Stephen.”

Genung, an active young man, became very involved in sports and music—playing the trumpet—with his grandparents always there cheering him on “Don and Marlowe would serve as chaperones on trips with the bands and traveled all over,” Myers said. “And if something needed to be done to the uniforms, Marlowe was in the school helping. They were very involved—and also very proud.”

They had a right to be. “Stephen always had been very caring,” Myers add. “He’ll come down and chat with my husband and I when he’s home,” Myers added. “A lot of people around here were pulling for him when he applied to the academy.”

After she taught him in kindergarten, Creevey still would see Stephen from time to time and be so happy how he turned out. “Teachers can’t help but have favorites and he was one of mine,” she said.

That’s why his recent note meant so much to her.

“I could tell from his letter that it bothered him a little that he wasn’t going to be able to be a fighter pilot for the Air Force because of his eyes,” Creevey said. “I know his father had been an airline pilot.”

But in the letter, Stephen told his old kindergarten teacher he was blessed just having good eyes.

He has been blessed in other ways too. He has had loving grandparents, both still living, who stepped in when he needed them most—not for a few days or months, but for 15 years.

“When Stephen first came to my class, I wanted to apply everything I had learned in college just a few years earlier to help both Stephen and his grandparents with the challenge that faced them,” said Creevey “But in the end I think they helped me more.

“I’d never had to deal with anything so tragic as they had gone through. They showed me that things can be worked out.

“They showed me there can be happy endings.”

Jean Baichley (Poulos) (1960)

Schinbeckler's  were my neighbor's. I stayed in touch with Diana and her Mom and Dad  over the years.

  I did see Diana in Fl.  when she was teaching in Miami. From their she went to Ga.  to work for the Air Lines were she met her husband.

After the accident  I stayed in touch with Marlowe and Don. The accident  was heavy on Marlowe heart for she was the one driving the car. After Don died ,Marlowe moved to Indianapolis  to be close to her son Gary.

Gary  is still in Indianapolis and has one child as far as I  know - The last time  I heard from him was when Marlowe had died a few years ago. They had two great kids in Diana and Gary.

   Jean Baichley Poulos