George
and Marion Siegel, Alaska, Summer, 2007
71th & 70th birthdays, 50th anniversary Dear
Coach Tauber:
Marion
and I congratulate you on your wonderful long career of teaching, coaching
and strong personal influence on so many students at Yeshiva College,
including on my then-fiance who recalls your "striking visage and
eyes" when she attended our matches. We both send you our warmest
greetings. Regretfully, I cannot be in New York this
particular day and I shall miss seeing you and thanking you personally
for the great memories I have of fencing (epee), your coaching and of
competing on your team. Many times I feel that I may move and act in
many situations just the way you used to say to us epee men, "Its
easy, just lift the point over the bell and extend." I recall still
with some chagrin what you tried to teach me about responsibility to
the team when once we had a match the same night that I and my fiance,
Marion, felt obliged to attend a family wedding at which I was
expected to meet her family. I was torn with double obligations. You
told me that the team needed me and I needed to be with the team.
However, I decided I had to prioritize respect for my future family.
That night, when the bus came to transport the team from our
dormitory, the team took to yelling my name through the dorm stairwell
and I hid my head under the covers, not to hear. I still don't know
if
I made the correct decision, but I can still feel the conflict of competing
loyalties. My fencing team jacket went through proud use by
our three children and by our grandchildren, but it is now in tatters.
So, who can tell the possible influence on these generations of
wearing that jacket knowing it represented Yeshiva College in some respect.
Just to let you know something of what has happened to us, two children
are raising their 7 children in Israel and one son with smicha from
Chofetz Chaim is raising 4 children in Queens. Lastly, our eldest granddaughter
is now getting married next month. So, in one way one might say, that
brings us full circle from wedding to wedding. With my deep respect
for a great Teacher and wishes for your health and happiness for many
years to come, til 120.
George
Siegel, class of 1957
George
J. Siegel, MD
Emeritus Professor, Neurology, Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy
Loyola University Chicago
Stritch School of Medicine,
Chief, Neurology (ret) Edward Hines, Jr. Veterans Affairs Hospital,
Hines, IL 60141
Editor-in-Chief, Basic Neurochemistry, Academic Press |
