by Jud Blakely USMC (1965-70)

Rodger Bekooy was a leader and mentor both as a student in OSU's class of 1965 and during his tenure as a Naval officer.  I crossed paths with him as a classmate on campus.  In fact, I knew Rodger more as the older brother of Kay Bekooy, a girl I dated and liked a lot.

As I grew more acquainted with Stan Smith and the Alumni Group, I gave Rodger a how you doin'? call.  This was early 2015.  Our '65 class reunion was coming up and I'd done a website heavy on recognition of members of ROTC.  His newsletter work impressed me.   

We talked a few more times as I learned more about the Group and as Stan and I became friends as well as fellow Marines.  That evolved into my motivation to design this website #2.  To make a short story shorter, my sense of Rodger aligned with everybody else's.

My take on Rodger was "what a great guy."  Stan and Rodger were the Founding Fathers of the Alumni Group.  Stan had the vision, Rodger shared the vision, and he excelled with a camera and a keyboard.  No Stan and no Rodger, then no Group.  RIP Rodger; Semper Fi.