Catherine Cox Jacobson
GRADUATION YEAR 1971
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ATTEND WBBC (CORBAN UNIVERSITY)? My parents encouraged me to consider Western. At that time the school sent out musical ensembles in the summer. I always enjoyed seeing and hearing them. I confess that it was not an extremely informed or well-thought-out decision.
SHARE A HIGHLIGHT OR FUNNY STORY FROM YOUR TIME AS A STUDENT. Mark Jacobson and I had decided to get married and he had a diamond ring burning a hole in his pocket. He showed it to his friend Dean Carl Hills. At the time you had to have permission from the dean to announce an engagement when school was in session. I think Carl was really disappointed when we told him we weren't going to announce it until Christmas break which meant he didn't get to sign off on it. The minute finals were over I had that ring on my finger.
HOW DID WBBC PREPARE YOU TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR JESUS CHRIST? I grew in my walk with Jesus and I carried that away from Western.
I met and married Mark Jacobson. He has never stopped reading, learning, thinking, and adjusting his theology and never stopped encouraging me to read, learn, think and adjust my theology! With his support and encouragement, I went to Northwest Baptist Seminary and completed a MMin.
I am grateful for the teaching of Dale Johnson who was the only professor I remember presenting various views on difficult scriptures. It helps to not think we have a corner on truth.
SHARE ANY PERSONAL LIFE, CAREER, OR FAMILY INFORMATION HERE. I was recruited to work in cardiac rehab at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, WA. I worked there for 30 years in executive admin. In addition to cardiac rehab, I worked in respiratory therapy, the hospital foundation, critical care services, and addiction recovery services. As a faith-based institution, it was accepted that we are spiritual beings. I had many opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus in my years there.
We have two grown daughters. Brenda Jacobson Winberg is married to Jon Winberg and has worked in the Salem music industry for her entire adult life. She has taught and collaborated with students and faculty at Corban and Willamette. She teaches private lessons and plays for weddings and other events. She has two also-grown children and a three-legged cat.
Mary Jacobson Smith is married to Greg Smith and describes herself as a ``not in her 20s`` seminary student. She fell in love with Hebrew and Mark is so happy! She just finished her first year and anticipates an MDiv. She has a 12-year-old son and two giant dogs.
SHARE A FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE OR PASSAGE AND WHY IT IS MEANINGFUL TO YOU. These verses have been an anchor for me at times when it seemed like things were out of control.
Lamentations 3:22-24
The faithful love of the LORD never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”
Job 38:8-11
Who kept the sea inside its boundaries
as it burst from the womb,
and as I clothed it with clouds
and wrapped it in thick darkness?
For I locked it behind barred gates,
limiting its shores.
I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come.
Here your proud waves must stop!’
Wes Hunter
GRADUATION YEAR 1971
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ATTEND WBBC (CORBAN UNIVERSITY)? The testimony of a student influenced me to attend.
SHARE A HIGHLIGHT OR FUNNY STORY FROM YOUR TIME AS A STUDENT. The highlight of my time at Western was sitting under the teaching of Dr. David Miller.
HOW DID WBBC PREPARE YOU TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR JESUS CHRIST? The Bible and theology teaching I received at Western gave me a solid foundation and perspective for spiritual growth and ministry.
SHARE ANY PERSONAL LIFE, CAREER, OR FAMILY INFORMATION HERE. Married for 49 years with two children, both of whom attended Western. Four grandchildren, the oldest who will be attending Corban this fall. Pastored churches in Whitefish, MT; Birch Bay, WA; Reno, NV; Wenatchee, WA. Retired in 2013. Travelled full time in a motorhome for four years. Presently living in Kent, WA.
SHARE A FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE OR PASSAGE AND WHY IT IS MEANINGFUL TO YOU. Psalm 16:11 - You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fulness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
Phyllis Fox
GRADUATION YEAR 1971
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ATTEND WBBC (CORBAN UNIVERSITY)? WBBC groups often visited Hillside Baptist Church in Antioch, California. I wanted to experience life with fellow Christians as I was not raised in a Christian home. Pastor and Mrs. Mann drove me to the college. My High School counselor tried to encourage me with my good grades to attend a state college in order to obtain a greater academic scholarship. The Lord kept guiding me to WBBC. I knew I had to pay my own way and my father tried to advise me otherwise. I am so glad I followed the Lord's leading.
SHARE A HIGHLIGHT OR FUNNY STORY FROM YOUR TIME AS A STUDENT. I worked as the Music Department Secretary and met so many outstanding musicians. I would listen to Mr. Whittaker rehearse his vioilin, Vic Hubbard rehearse and always full of laughter, Nelson Zarfas unparalled piano. Mr. Caulkins was such a brillant person yet so humble. Dr. Brock prayed for all of us as we walked the stairs in front of his open door office. Mrs. Brock took me under her wing. Dr. and Mrs. Prewitt graciously invited us into their home. I enjoyed Choir tours, trio work, and composing the Band and choir Tour books. Those were the years of reel-to-reel taping and no monitors. Ruthie Edwards, my firer Pastor's daughter, extended her hand of friendship; helping me wade the waters of living with Christians.
HOW DID WBBC PREPARE YOU TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR JESUS CHRIST? My resolve that my family become Christians was strengthened through prayer and faith believing; it came to pass. My strength and fortitude to move through life trusting God for His Leading was honed at WBBC, as I interacted and absorbed the best parts of Christian living for my future and personality. I learned how to turn my mistakes to the Lord and move forward in His grace.
SHARE ANY PERSONAL LIFE, CAREER, OR FAMILY INFORMATION HERE. Thirty-four years as an educator in many capacities was a dream come true. I learned more than i taught. Accolades aside, the light that entered a student's eyes when they ``got it`` was my greatest triumph.
The Lord graduated my husband to Heaven in 2008 and helped me to survive and thrive. I was finally able to travel to Israel with Dr. David Miller, 37 years after graduation from WBBC! I have traveled the world and experienced amazing experiences such as: driving a dog sled on a glacier in Alaska following an amazing helicopter ride and Flying Peregrine Falcons in Nova Scotia.
SHARE A FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE OR PASSAGE AND WHY IT IS MEANINGFUL TO YOU. My college roommate, Gay Barker, is in Heaven. We found the following verse which helped us through many situations: Job 23:10 - ``But He Knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.`` Gold is indestructible!
Roy Jones
GRADUATION YEAR 1971
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ATTEND WBBC (CORBAN UNIVERSITY)? My intention was always to study at a Christian school but first I attended two years of community college. I had heard a lot about WBBC because my pastor had graduated from there and some of the kids from my church were going there. I was also excited about going to school in the Bay Area but by the time I was accepted, the college had moved to Oregon. I wasn't too excited about being so far from home but decided that God still wanted me to go to WBBC.
SHARE A HIGHLIGHT OR FUNNY STORY FROM YOUR TIME AS A STUDENT. I was on the missionary gospel team and thoroughly enjoyed it. We used to sit behind Dr. Wray whenever he spoke. Dr. Wray was a very animated speaker. He would run from one side of the stage to put quotation marks on the beginning of his sentence and then run to the other end of the stage to put the quotation marks on the other end. It was hard to keep a straight face sometimes especially with everyone watching us.
HOW DID WBBC PREPARE YOU TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR JESUS CHRIST? I learned so much from my time at WBBC. It helped me clarify my doctrinal position and I learned how to better share my faith. Dr. Miller had a big impact on my life and Dr. Brock was such a great man of God. It was also during my time there that God began to work in my heart to be a missionary. Through WBBC, I was able to go to Spain for a summer and during that time, I made the decision to return there as a missionary.
SHARE ANY PERSONAL LIFE, CAREER, OR FAMILY INFORMATION HERE. After graduating from WBBC I spent a summer in Spain and then returned with the Air Force the next year. I met my wife, Nancy, in Madrid. She had come as a missionary with ABWE. We were married in 1973. After attending a year of seminary in PA we were accepted by ABWE to return to Spain. We have three sons and 11 grandchildren. Our oldest son, Kevin, lives near us here in Madrid. Our second son, Brian, lives in New Jersey and our youngest son, Keith, is a missionary in Milan, Italy. We have helped to start 3 churches in the Madrid area and are currently helping in a new work in the town of Torres de la Alameda. We retired from ABWE in June, 2020. We plan to continuing living and ministering here in Madrid.
SHARE A FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE OR PASSAGE AND WHY IT IS MEANINGFUL TO YOU. Galatians 2:20 has always been a favorite of mine as it reminds me that Christ is the one who is doing the work and without Him I am nothing. I am so thankful for the sacrifice He made and the new life He has given me.
Jean Wood Wagner
GRADUATION YEAR 1971
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ATTEND WBBC (CORBAN UNIVERSITY)? I was actually planning to go to Moody. I had started the application process. My mom suggested that I apply to Western as a second choice just in case I didn't get accepted at Moody. When I got my acceptance letter from Western, I felt very strongly that this was what God wanted for me. I never finished applying at Moody.
SHARE A HIGHLIGHT OR FUNNY STORY FROM YOUR TIME AS A STUDENT. One Friday or Saturday night a group of us were playing charades in the living room of the old women's dorm. I drew ``Peter Pan`` as my choice. I was flapping my arms and jumping off of furniture. Everyone was laughing, but they never guessed what character I was trying to be.
A highlight was giving my senior recital, a short voice recital as a voice minor.
HOW DID WBBC PREPARE YOU TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR JESUS CHRIST? First the education itself. I graduated with two minors, Christian Education and music, plus the Bible core. I've used those three things almost constantly since graduating. I've served in some way in every church of which I've been a member. In some churches, in my younger years, I was often doing several things. Right now I'm serving as the church librarian in my church. Second the teachers. There were several that helped me to get an accurate understanding of who I was and how God gifted me so that I could serve with confidence.
SHARE ANY PERSONAL LIFE, CAREER, OR FAMILY INFORMATION HERE. In 1974 I married John Waggoner. Together we raised 4 children. We now have 17 grandchildren. We met and married in the San Diego area. We have since lived in El Cerrito, CA, Mariposa, CA (near Yosemite National Park), and San Lorenzo, CA. Then the Lord moved us to the eastern side of the U. S. We first moved to a small town in GA, Ashburn. Then we moved to Pittsburgh, PA, then to Atlanta, GA.
I taught a total of about 6 years in two Christian schools, but most of the time I've been a stay-at-home mom. I home schooled my children except for a few years when we all went to a Christian school. I'm so thankful for my husband's commitment to providing for our family so that I could be home with the children. I can't imagine a better career than raising my children.
When my children were grown, I worked for Biblical Ministries Worldwide, a mission board, for 13 years. I was responsible for the mail room there.
SHARE A FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE OR PASSAGE AND WHY IT IS MEANINGFUL TO YOU. II Corinthians 3:18 ``But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.`` This verse reminds me that my purpose in life is to become more and more like Jesus. It also reminds me that this is a process that is continually going on. I'm so thankful to God for saving me and then continually working in me. I'm far from perfect, but I'm not the same as I was when I graduated from Western.
Gerry Snelson
GRADUATION YEAR 1971
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO ATTEND WBBC (CORBAN UNIVERSITY)? The Youth Pastor (Dennis Stevenson) where I was attending church went to WBBC and based on his recommendation, I enrolled.
SHARE A HIGHLIGHT OR FUNNY STORY FROM YOUR TIME AS A STUDENT. This is really a story about my wife who was auditing a class in Corinthians taught by David Miller. She took a tape recorder so a friend could listen to the lecture. When my wife clicked the button to start recording, soft music playing, ``Moon River' started. David Miller heard the music and said something like, they must be having a cultural event down the hall.
HOW DID WBBC PREPARE YOU TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR JESUS CHRIST? I needed the theology in my life to be the spiritual anchor for the ministries involved with after graduation. Teaching Sunday School (All ages including adults), Awana Commander and leading bible studies, etc..
SHARE ANY PERSONAL LIFE, CAREER, OR FAMILY INFORMATION HERE. Career: I had a Enco gas station in Salem while attending WBBC. After graduation I had an auto repair and trailer manufacturing business in Riverside, California. I then worked in aircraft manufacturing (Rohr Industries) in Riverside. I worked twenty five years at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington and retired in 2004. We have four children and four grandchildren. My wife and I ministered in Nursing Homes (Singing and playing guitar (me) and a banjolele (my wife) from 2011 until the Covid restrictions in February 2020. We still practice almost every day with hopes the Covid restrictions will be lifted and we can go back ministering in the Nursing Homes.