I Bing Crosby attends VU student

student profile
Bing Crosby
attends VU
I
f you’re enrolled in the SPS business program,
chances are you’ve taken a class with Bing
Crosby.
Bing, also known as Phil, is the grandson of the singeractor of “White Christmas” fame. And he’s not the only
Crosby family member at VU: enrolled in the same SPS
program is Phil’s nephew and the crooner’s greatgrandson, Brandon Crosby. Both men are studying to
enhance their business skills.
“It’s been a great experience,” says Phil. “It has fit well
with my work schedule, kids and everything. I really like
my classmates. It was a good decision.”
Brandon agrees.
“Vanguard has been probably the best thing that’s happened to me, as far as giving me structure and direction
for my future,” Brandon says. “It has given me an idea
of what I really want to do. I take something from all the
classes.”
Phil, whose legal name is Bing, is a real estate agent in
Irvine. He is the grandson of Bing and Dixie Crosby. He
grew up mostly in Idaho, where the Crosby family has
Bing and Brandon Crosby at Vanguard
deep roots.
short and he moved to Florida to become a flight instructor. He
later got into real estate and owned a flower shop and day care
“I’m better off in a small group
rather than a large one, which is a
good thing about Vanguard. The
classes are so small, it’s much more
intimate. You develop friendships.”
center in Idaho. He sold the flower shop in 1997 and moved to
Orange County to be near family.
He wanted to finish his degree. One day his nephew, Brandon,
mentioned Vanguard’s SPS program.
“That’s how I found out about Vanguard, and I ended up starting
before him,” says Phil. “I’ve always wanted to go back to school
but couldn’t do it because of work. I finally was in a position where
I could. I looked around at a lot of schools, but nothing fit my
schedule as well as Vanguard.”
“My parents didn’t want us to be raised in L.A.,” he says. “So they
moved us to Idaho. We grew up normal.”
Brandon, too, had played football in college and had try-outs with
NFL teams. But when that dream didn’t materialize, he began
He attended Boise State University and played defensive back and
coaching and searching for what to do long-term. He was working
strong safety for the football team. An injury cut his sports career
as a tile contractor when he heard about VU through a family friend
Bing and Brandon Crosby, continued on page 17
vanguard magazine fall 2009 9
Vanguard receives
million-dollar
challenge gift
Just one week before the 1906 San
Francisco earthquake, another kind of
earthquake occurred in Los Angeles that
gave birth to the Azusa Street revival.
Ten years later, with the United States
on the brink of entering the first world
war and fear on the rampage, a young
couple arrived in Los Angeles to begin
ministry and became convinced of the
need to train people whose lives were
being transformed by this experience of
Spirit empowerment. Harold and Huldah
Needham had no resources except a
divine promise—“This is a vine of My Own
planting.” A wealthy widow donated a 15room house in the summer of 1920, and
Vanguard University was born. In a world
full of fear, a world that had been shaken
by natural disasters, a world whose
economy was devastated by war, a young
California couple took a huge step of faith.
Fast forward to 2009 and we see a
world again shaken by natural disasters,
economic collapse, and wars. The
new Board of Trustees of Vanguard
University has reaffirmed that Vanguard
remains faithful to its unique Pentecostal
heritage with renewed commitment to
the creative work of the Holy Spirit. The
Nicole Baroldy ’08 worked as an administrative
assistant at The Bella Vita, an eating disorder
treatment facility in Los Angeles, before moving
to Sacramento. She is pursuing a masters
degree at Sacramento State.
Board, along with the entire Vanguard
community, is again taking a huge step of
faith in the face of what some would call
insurmountable odds—believing that God
will again provide miraculously.
Into this moment steps a donor with a
passion to see Vanguard renewed so that it
can continue to equip men and women for
Spirit-empowered service. And Vanguard
receives the first million-dollar gift
dedicated to debt relief with the challenge
to match the first half by Christmas. This
is an amazing opportunity to multiply
your gift and help the University.
To contribute or learn more visit
www.vanguard.edu/challenge or mail
your check to:
Office of University Advancement/
Challenge Gift
Vanguard University
55 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Thank you for taking part in the
challenge before the end of the year!
Class Notes, continued from page 8
Stephen Sylvester ’95 and wife Stephanie
have been married fifteen years. They are
parents to Grace, 8, and Emma, 4. Stephen
is a CPA and the vice president of finance
for John Laing Homes. The Sylvesters live in
Santa Ana.
Lena (Bradley ’98) Temples and husband
Sean have been married three years. Lena is
a stay-at-home mom to their three children
while Sean is in the Navy. They live in
Pasadena, Md.
’00s
Jose Alvarez ’03
is a CSR for Clean
Harbors Environmental
Services. He and wife
Marta Elizabeth have
been blessed with four children: Mathew, 8,
Andrew, 7, Katherine, 5, and Jacob, 4. The
Alvarez family lives in Bakersfield.
10 vanguard magazine fall 2009
Nicole Azevedo ’07, MS ’09 is a clinical
supervisor for Love 2 Learn Consulting, LLC
(l2lconsulting.com) and lives in Costa Mesa.
Marianne (Nichols ’03) and Paul Bagai
’02, MTS ’04 have been married six years
and have two daughters, Jadyn Trinity, 4
and Ashlyn Grace, 3. Paul is a youth pastor;
Marianne is an ESL tutor. They make their
home in Castro Valley.
Amira (Adams) and
Jonathan Barger ’09
live in Lewisville, Texas.
Jonathan is pursuing
an MA in theology from
Baylor University while Amira pursues her MBA
from LeTourneau University in Dallas. Amira
is the development coordinator for the North
Texas Food Bank. She is also an independent
marketing consultant for several Dallas
area non-profits. Jonathan teaches Masters
Commission students and works at Relevant
Church (relevantchurch.org) in Addison.
Laura Brown ’03 is pursuing a BS in
sociology at the University of Northern
Arizona and lives in Bullhead City.
Jessica (Loza ’03)
Case is pursuing an
MBA at Grand Canyon
University. She and
husband Tim have been
married five years and have two children. The
Cases reside in Peoria, Ariz.
Katie Goode ’03 is a marriage and family
therapist specializing in treating eating
disorders and anxiety in Irvine. She teaches at
Hope International University and is a clinical
supervisor for Hope’s counseling center.
Desiree (Turnbow
’01) Hamilton and
husband James have
two children, Isabelle
Charis Joy, 2, and Eleos
Kaileiana Joscelyn, 5. The Hamiltons live in
Encinitas.
Paul Hanegan ’03 is an actor who was
recently cast in Dracula. He lives in Escondido.
AJ Jackson ’07 will
complete his MFA and
MBA from Chapman
University in the spring.
Cambria (Holford ’06) and Tim Larson ’04
have been married three years and live in
Irvine.
Eric Larson ’06 is a tax consultant for Tax
Incentive Solutions working with executives in
San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.
He lives in Newport Beach and will complete
his MBA at Pepperdine University next year.
Cheyenne (Noel ’99) and Timothy Luehrs
’01 have two children, Lydia Julayne, 1, and
Brody, 4. They are expecting their third child
in the spring. Tim is a police officer with the
City of Phoenix. Cheyenne is a registered
nurse with Blue Cross and Blue Shield and is
an independent beauty consultant with Mary
Kay Cosmetics.
Class Notes, continued on page 11
Diana Avans, continued from page 6
Avans led the effort to create a prehealth sciences concentration designed
for students wanting to become nurses,
physician assistants, chiropractors and
physical therapists. Previously, the program
was designed primarily for those wanting to
become physical therapists.
“The program has a core of classes and is
individually designed for whichever field the
student is entering,” she says. “It gives them
quite a bit of flexibility.”
She also helped change the pre-physical
therapy curriculum to more closely match
The kinesiology program’s strengths lie in its curriculum and the
the skills and knowledge needed for physical therapy school. The
faculty, she says.
kinesiology program’s other two concentrations are in exercise
and sports sciences, and teaching/coaching.
“We’re putting together a program that can compete with
anyone’s program in the nation, based on the types of classes
One of the biggest additions to the program is a new $150,000
and the quality of teaching,” says Avans. “I’ve been around and
kinesiology lab featuring state-of-the-art equipment to be used
this is a really good program. We encourage our students to rise
for training kinesiology majors.
Vanguard now has a room
full of advanced equipment
including, among other things,
up to the standards we set, so
“When people feel good about themselves
it transcends physical activity.”
a futuristic-looking body
they will be successful in the
workplace. Our students do
well. When they get out, they
get really good jobs. We have
composition machine. VU is one of four schools in Orange
success sending students to graduate school.”
County to have one, and the only school that plans to make it
available to the public.
Avans and the kinesiology faculty and staff even model what they
teach, exercising and jogging around campus.
“Putting the lab together has been a big accomplishment,” Avans
says. “We can do fitness assessments at a level above what
other universities and health clubs can do. Students will be more
prepared from our major, and we’ll offer services to community.”
“It’s important for people to see us out walking or exercising,”
Avans says. “We get across that we believe and live what we’re
talking about. That’s huge.”
Class Notes, continued from page 10
VA N G U A R D U N I V E R S I T Y ’ S
Jeremy Schram ’08 is in the financial
planning division of MetLife and lives in
Portland, Ore.
Ronald Scipio ’00 is the director of Free to
B Me Sports, a non-profit organization for atrisk youths transitioning from high school to
college. He lives in Bellflower and is the father
of son Ronald and daughter Thamer.
Brandon Stiver ’08 is
preparing to move to
Tanzania in January to
work at an orphanage
that will eventually
operate on its own.
Class Notes, continued on page 15
2008-2009 Annual Report
Available December 1st on the VU website
The annual report contains:
•
•
•
•
•
Donor list
Enrollment statistics
Financial information
A timeline of University highlights from the year
Articles about key moments and events from the year
We invite you to visit www.vanguard.edu/annualreport to read
this recap of the health and progress of the University.
If you prefer to have a hard copy of this year’s annual report and cannot access and print it from the VU
website, please contact Vanguard University at 714-556-3610, ext.2049, and we will mail you a copy.
Welcome Week 2009
Every August, hundreds of students attend VU’s Welcome Week and enjoy activities — some social, some scholarly —
which help to integrate them into the Vanguard community and prepare them for the academic year. The beach naturally
figures into the week’s events, with highlights that include the 5:30 a.m. polar bear swim — for those who dare — and
the Beach Blast barbecue.
vanguard magazine summer 2009 13
Ron Bueno meeting with
pastors in El Salvador.
development. “It’s an amazing group to be
part of.”
Peter also leads fundraising for a large,
Enlace-supported water project to provide
water for up to 10,000 people. And he pastors an international church.
VU associate professor of anthropology Jamie Huff ’95 and wife Rebecca MA ’06 also
Ron and Michelle Bueno, continued from page 5
work with Enlace in El Salvador. Jamie is on
Victorio Paz, pastor of Assemblies of God
not our mission to transform a community.
Church in Los Abelines, has, with Enlace’s
It’s the local church that has to build those
help, carried out several major projects in-
relationships.”
cluding a health clinic, nutrition program and
home gardens. Infant mortality rates in his
area have gone from 42 per 1,000 to 24 per
1,000 in just four years.
Pastor Miguel Duran of Good Samaritan
Church in Las Delicias says in a video
interview that “the most marvelous thing for
me as a pastor, and I think I speak for all
a Fulbright Scholar fellowship to teach at the
University of Central America, and serves as
Enlace’s volunteer director of research.
“Research and evaluation help Enlace determine how effective the different programs
and initiatives are,” Huff says. “It’s applied
research.”
“The community believes in what the church
pastors who work with Enlace, is that Enlace
Huff studies the impact in a community of,
does,” Paz said on one of the many testi-
doesn’t work to promote itself. Enlace wants
for example, adding latrines to houses or
mony videos at Enlace’s website, enlaceon-
the church to be seen. Enlace is hidden as
building a better road.
line.org. “They have seen what we believe
a support to the church ... [It] has helped us
“It’s about stewarding the local church’s
“ A s t h e c h u rc h g e n u i n e l y s e r v e s
a n d b re a k s d o w n t h o s e b a r r i e r s ,
the church becomes the leader of
community transformation.”
with proven action, and the development
to discover the value we
not only in the church but in the community.
have as a church and
We are collaborating and helping people in
how we can become
need, thanks be to God. Enlace helps us so
an effective, living and
we can help our community.”
dynamic church in our
According to Ron, many churches go from
community.”
being isolated or even persecuted, to being
Enlace’s staff includes
the central agent of change in their com-
two dozen full-time
munity.
experts, among them a
“This approach leads to drastic change in
how people see the church,” says Ron. “As
the church genuinely serves and breaks
down those barriers, the church becomes
the leader of community transformation.”
Enlace works in forty-five communities serving around 200,000 people, and deliberately
stays behind the scenes.
“God has called his local church to do this.
He hasn’t called Enlace,” says Ron. “It’s
doctor, water systems expert, agronomer
resources,” he says. “It’s an anthropologi-
and engineer, each with an advanced degree.
cal approach to community development,
They advise churches and offer technical as-
rooted in a belief that our work, whether
sistance. Vanguard alumni, faculty and staff
mine as a social scientist or Enlace’s church
also are among the ministry’s leadership.
advisors, strengthens the efforts of churches
Peter ’96 and Dara (Aicklen ’95) DeSoto
that are serving their neighbors.”
left a successful business career to serve
The fieldwork also “refreshes my classroom
with Enlace several years ago.
efforts in a huge way,” he says. “I get to
“I was really excited about an organization
that does development, but whose real focus
is on the church,” says Peter, the director of
share a great deal of this concrete, practical
research with my students.”
For the past three years, teams of VU
Ron and Michelle Bueno, continued on page 16
14 vanguard magazine fall 2009
Class Notes, continued from page 11
Trisha (Haddad ’00) Stucker is a writer
who recently published a novel entitled Best
of Luck Elsewhere, available online and in
bookstores and libraries worldwide. She and
husband Derek are blessed with a son, 5,
and reside in San Diego.
Charity Swanson ’03
is a youth leader and
sings in the choir at
Newport Mesa Church.
She also enjoys swing
dancing, poetry and raising awareness for
domestic violence. Charity is a retail sales
associate at Nordstrom Rack and lives in
Santa Ana.
Erin Wendorf ’08 lives in Santa Ana and
is an actress who recently starred in the
production Sylvia at the Cabrillo playhouse.
Her day job is in the facilities department at
Vanguard.
Leslie Wood ’06 is a psychologist who lives
in Corona.
Future Alumni
Laurie (Sowers ’04) and John Collier ’05
welcomed son Dean Christopher on June 30.
They live in Roseville.
Julie (Swift ’00) and Jeremy Hartshorn
’98 live in Kealia, Hawaii, and are parents of
Emily 4, and twins.
Stacy (Hembree ’97, MA ’05) and Ryan
Helbling ’96 are missionaries to Tanzania
and returned to the U.S. this summer to
celebrate the birth of their fourth child, Rayna
Davne, born July 20. Older siblings Rylee,
Lily and Ben are also excited about her
arrival.
Alise (McBrien ’04)
Juanes received an MA
from San Jose State
University and is the
assistant athletic trainer
at Vanguard. She has been married to husband
Mark, a salesman, for three years. They are
parents to Sydney Taylor, born in May. They
live in Tustin.
Alex Mathew ’94 and
wife Annie welcomed
Hope Lily to their family
on August 3. They live in
Frisco, Texas.
Deborah (Ozier ’03) Parnell and husband
Josh are proud of their new daughter Gemma
Mae Parnell, born April 11. Deborah is a
cheer coach and volunteer with Young Life,
a youth outreach organization. Josh works in
commercial real estate. They live in Tacoma.
’60s reunion
draws large group
Nearly 200 alums gathered in San
Juan Capistrano for a ’60s reunion in
September.
photo courtesy Ron Brazil
“It was really fantastic,” says alumni
relations director Heather Clements.
“Everyone had a wonderful time
reminiscing about their time at SCC.”
Alums and their guests came from all
over the country to Rancho Capistrano
Retreat Center to spend time catching
up and looking back. They shared
meals together, flipped through old
yearbooks and met VU president Carol
Taylor, provost Jeff Hittenberger and
Craig Young, interim vice president for
university advancement.
“President Taylor, Jeff and Craig
were thrilled to meet so many of the
University’s outstanding alumni,” says
Clements.
Another highlight was a sing-along led
by Brenda (Tatham ’64) and Jerry
English ’63.
“It was sweet and wonderful,” says
Clements. “You could tell there was
love among everyone there, like longtime
friends coming together or family
reunited. Alums from the ‘60s decade
have a real bond with one another.”
The group typically meets every three
years, but some are already talking about
dates for next year. Clements thanks
Vonnie Franks ’65, Dianne (Myers ’64)
Haneke and Sharon “Smitty” (Smith
’63) Saalinger for working hard to
organize the reunion.
Just Married
in January when Dannae begins her graduate
coursework at Northwestern University.
Katie (O’Neal ’03) Altermatt married Jimmy on
April 11. Katie has been a kindergarten teacher
at Schroeder Elementary School for six years.
The newlyweds live in Huntington Beach.
Jennifer (Louvier ’06) Shibley was married
on May 31. She and her husband recently
purchased a condo in Santa Ana.
Candi (Booska ’05) and Kevin Crawford ’06
were married May 8 in Santa Ana. They reside
in Costa Mesa.
In Memory
Eulalla “Layla”
(Wiedrick ’06, MA ’09)
Henry and Christopher
were married on July
4 at St. Matthew’s
Anglican-Catholic church. They honeymooned
for a month in Chile and Argentina, enjoying
the culture and planning their eventual move
abroad next year. They live in Fullerton.
Lois (Depp ’38) Henrich passed away
August 19.
Dannae (Olson ’09) and Christopher Rushing
’08 were married September 19. They live in
Broomfield, Colo., but plan to move to Seattle
Robert Carrington ’39 passed away May 9.
Barbara Kraiss ’78, wife of former president
Wayne Kraiss, passed away August 16.
Kris (Huebert ’84) Ricketts passed away
in July.
Paul Schoch ’46 passed away April 30.
Robert B. Turnbull ’43 passed away June 22.
Mike Wright ’43 passed away June 24.
Class Notes, continued on page 17
vanguard magazine fall 2009 15
Lewis Wilson
a vine of his own planting
Academic Dean Emeritus
Vanguard’s Scottish president
John B. Scott
occupies a unique
place in Vanguard
University history.
in the midyear resignation of the president, Dr. Scott, as he was
For over forty years he
With the arrival of O. Cope Budge as president, Scott began what
served as professor, divi-
he regarded as his greatest achievement, the securing of regional
sional chairman, academic
accreditation as a liberal arts college. It would be a long and chal-
dean, president — though
lenging process, but when accreditation was granted by the Western
he would always modestly
Association in 1964, Southern California College became the first
insist he was only “acting
Pentecostal school in the world to achieve that status.
president” — and, on retirement, librarian.
always known, was asked to assume that position. For the next
eighteen months he brought stable leadership and even dedicated
the campus’ first new building.
After fifteen years as academic dean, Scott returned to the classroom
though he would continue to serve as a divisional chairman. As he
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1913, his early years were spent in
approached retirement age, he earned a library science degree and
western Canada where in 1935 he graduated from Winnipeg’s West-
began a new career. Over the next decade he worked in the SCC
ern Pentecostal Bible College. Over the next ten years he engaged in
library playing a significant role in the computerization of its catalog
various ministries including teaching at WPBC, married Inez Miller, his
while also serving as a library consultant to Bible schools at home
helpmate for nearly sixty years, and earned a degree at the University
and in such distant places as Costa Rica and Singapore.
of Manitoba.
Both in 1964 and 1978 students honored him with yearbook dedica-
In 1945 he accepted an invitation to teach at Southern California
tions, and in 1992 the governing board named the newest academic
Bible College in Pasadena, allowing him to earn both MA and PhD
building in his honor. Though in 1998 at 85, he finished his earthly
degrees in sociology from USC. After SCBC’s 1950 relocation to
course, Dr. Scott and his distinctive manner will always be, as his
Costa Mesa, he continued to teach sociology courses as well as
memorial plaque in the John B. Scott Academic Center reads, “loved
a course on his beloved letter of Paul to the Romans, but in 1952
and respected by students and colleagues.” But perhaps his even
he was also made academic dean. When major problems resulted
greater legacy is the institution he did so much to create.
Ron and Michelle Bueno, continued from page 14
alums have traveled to El Salvador to help
From the start, Michelle has been Enlace’s
friendships, quality people I know to this
Enlace’s partner churches with projects.
writer-in-residence, penning proposals,
day. Having professors who encouraged me
Led by Cristina MA ’07 and John Mark
reports, newsletters and articles. She has
and gave me a chance to grow intellectually
Robeck ’98, they have helped build retain-
also produced two music CDs to raise
and as a person spurred me forward. Over
ing walls and construct roads. VU alum
support.
and over again I found that there. What they
Priscilla McKinney ’93 is on Enlace’s
board, as is Mark Orphan ’92.
“Writing was a dream I scarcely let myself
did was a gift.”
contemplate before coming to El Salvador,”
Ron is now a PhD candidate in cultural
“One of the things I appreciate about
she says. “God took hold of that desire and
anthropology at American University in
Vanguard is that I had a chance to hang
merged it with an amazing opportunity to
Washington, D.C., and the Oxford Center
out with professors who befriended me and
serve the poor.”
for Mission Studies. He believes the lesson
guided me,” Ron says of his time at the
school. “I was very close to Vince Gil. He’s
been a huge part of helping me understand
She is also completing her MFA in creative
writing. She says she treasures the relation-
“God wants to transform your community,”
ships she made at VU.
he says. “The central mission for the church
where to go, what to do, who I was. Keith
Ewing, Dennis McNutt, Murray Dempster —
“You don’t always find people who are
these are professors I respect and who took
willing to pour into you as a person,” she
an interest in students and wanted to see
says. “The professors at Vanguard took
us succeed. That’s been huge for me.”
an interest in me as a person. To this day I
can go back and talk to them. I made great
16 vanguard magazine fall 2009
of Enlace applies to churches everywhere.
is to be a redeemed body transforming
communities. It should be an essential element of how you love each other and how
you love your neighbor.”
Bing and Brandon Crosby, continued from page 9
who was enrolled in the SPS program. Last
winter Brandon entered Vanguard’s SPS
program, to pursue a degree and the knowledge to help him start his own company.
“ I t ’s b e e n a g r e a t
experience. I really
like my classmates. It
was a good decision.”
“I’m better off in a small group rather than
a large one, which is a good thing about
Vanguard,” he says. “The classes are so
small, it’s much more intimate. You develop
friendships. You’re all working toward
the same thing which makes it a friendly,
The Crosbys have had one class together
so far.
Stakes horse races which his grandfather
started. Both men sing and Brandon plays
comfortable atmosphere. That’s working out
Neither man spent much time with their
the guitar, “so there’s definitely a musical
better for me.”
famous forebear. Phil was nine when Bing
gene,” Brandon says. “I sing in front of my
died; Brandon wasn’t even born. But both
friends every once in a while, but I’m not
men say there is “definitely a connection”
the person who grabs my guitar and starts
to his legacy. Phil hands out the trophy
singing. I don’t try to put on a show.”
He also says the religion classes he’s taken
“opened my eyes a little more, gave me
more concentrated focus on my religion and
the way I live my life.”
at the Bing Crosby golf tournament every
year and is involved with the Bing Crosby
The family even re-purchased a home Bing
the elder built in Hayden Lake, Idaho, near
where he grew up. Phil and his sister own
the home and have kept it in its original
condition. They go up every summer to
Class Notes, continued from page 15
vacation with family.
“It looks just like it used to,” Phil says.
“There’s a lot of history and a lot of Bing
Barbara Kraiss
stuff up there. Everyone has a story about
how he did something or came to their
Barbara Ann Kraiss ’78, wife of
house and hunted or fished. Bing was
former Vanguard University president
well liked in that area. We try to keep the
Wayne Kraiss, passed away August
memory going.”
16. A memorial service was held at
Brandon, too, says “I’m very proud of my
Newport Mesa Church.
name and our family. It’s motivation for me
“Her passion for Christ was lived
more than spoken,” says Wayne. “Our
to make something of myself and give a
photo courtesy Ron Brazil
fifty years of marriage was a journey
enriched by discoveries that Christ is
the most faithful traveling companion
we have. Barb was always enlarging
her social and spiritual tent. She was
always making room for the new and
space to treasure the old.”
little back to the name.”
Interestingly, Phil is the first “true” Bing
At the family’s request, in lieu of
Crosby in the family, since the original
flowers, tax deductible contributions
Bing’s name was Harry Lillis Crosby.
may be made to The Kraiss/Haynes
Phil and Brandon graduate next May.
Music Scholarship Fund at Vanguard
Brandon will intern for a company that
University, 55 Fair Drive, Costa
designs skateboards, and then hopes to
Mesa, CA 92626, or by calling (714)
start his own business.
Barbara is survived by sons Larry
556-3610 x4030. Cards and letters
and Stephen; grandchildren David,
may be sent to the Kraiss family at
Kelsey, Kendall, Jonathan, Karla
Vanguard University c/o Office of the
and Kale; and brother Lee Haynes.
President at the same address.
“I think Vanguard will give me the tools that
can help me do that,” he says.
vanguard magazine fall 2009 17
Bing and Brandon Crosby, continued from page 9
who was enrolled in the SPS program. Last
winter Brandon entered Vanguard’s SPS
program, to pursue a degree and the knowledge to help him start his own company.
“ I t ’s b e e n a g r e a t
experience. I really
like my classmates. It
was a good decision.”
“I’m better off in a small group rather than
a large one, which is a good thing about
Vanguard,” he says. “The classes are so
small, it’s much more intimate. You develop
friendships. You’re all working toward
the same thing which makes it a friendly,
The Crosbys have had one class together
so far.
Stakes horse races which his grandfather
started. Both men sing and Brandon plays
comfortable atmosphere. That’s working out
Neither man spent much time with their
the guitar, “so there’s definitely a musical
better for me.”
famous forebear. Phil was nine when Bing
gene,” Brandon says. “I sing in front of my
died; Brandon wasn’t even born. But both
friends every once in a while, but I’m not
men say there is “definitely a connection”
the person who grabs my guitar and starts
to his legacy. Phil hands out the trophy
singing. I don’t try to put on a show.”
He also says the religion classes he’s taken
“opened my eyes a little more, gave me
more concentrated focus on my religion and
the way I live my life.”
at the Bing Crosby golf tournament every
year and is involved with the Bing Crosby
The family even re-purchased a home Bing
the elder built in Hayden Lake, Idaho, near
where he grew up. Phil and his sister own
the home and have kept it in its original
condition. They go up every summer to
Class Notes, continued from page 15
vacation with family.
“It looks just like it used to,” Phil says.
“There’s a lot of history and a lot of Bing
Barbara Kraiss
stuff up there. Everyone has a story about
how he did something or came to their
Barbara Ann Kraiss ’78, wife of
house and hunted or fished. Bing was
former Vanguard University president
well liked in that area. We try to keep the
Wayne Kraiss, passed away August
memory going.”
16. A memorial service was held at
Brandon, too, says “I’m very proud of my
Newport Mesa Church.
name and our family. It’s motivation for me
“Her passion for Christ was lived
more than spoken,” says Wayne. “Our
to make something of myself and give a
photo courtesy Ron Brazil
fifty years of marriage was a journey
enriched by discoveries that Christ is
the most faithful traveling companion
we have. Barb was always enlarging
her social and spiritual tent. She was
always making room for the new and
space to treasure the old.”
little back to the name.”
Interestingly, Phil is the first “true” Bing
At the family’s request, in lieu of
Crosby in the family, since the original
flowers, tax deductible contributions
Bing’s name was Harry Lillis Crosby.
may be made to The Kraiss/Haynes
Phil and Brandon graduate next May.
Music Scholarship Fund at Vanguard
Brandon will intern for a company that
University, 55 Fair Drive, Costa
designs skateboards, and then hopes to
Mesa, CA 92626, or by calling (714)
start his own business.
Barbara is survived by sons Larry
556-3610 x4030. Cards and letters
and Stephen; grandchildren David,
may be sent to the Kraiss family at
Kelsey, Kendall, Jonathan, Karla
Vanguard University c/o Office of the
and Kale; and brother Lee Haynes.
President at the same address.
“I think Vanguard will give me the tools that
can help me do that,” he says.
vanguard magazine fall 2009 17