Michael and Beverly Bacon

Michael Bacon (C'65) took an unexpected path to the University of Dubuque. Although his brother, Dave Bacon (C'67) was attending UD, Mike decided to attend a different university in Connecticut. However, he knew that was not his college home and began considering other options. In January 1964, Mike was having dinner with his parents in Darien, Connecticut, and dining with them was Dr. Thomas H. Johns, vice president of planning and development for UD, who happened to be recruiting students in the New York area. By the end of the meal, Dr. Johns had called UD's admissions office and Mike's transfer was accepted. Within 48 hours, he packed his car and drove straight to Iowa.

Beverly Yonker (C'66), who was raised in the Chicago area, had a more traditional journey to UD. Encouraged by her high school counselors and supported by a small scholarship, she enrolled in fall 1962.

The two didn't meet until about a month after Mike started at UD. A group of students were invited to the home of Ed Cochran (C'64), a fellow student whose father was a professor at the seminary. That evening, Mike and Bev struck up a conversation.

"He was cracking puns the whole time," Bev laughed.

Mike left a positive impression on Bev. The next day, he asked her if she wanted to do something. They decided to fly a kite on the lower football field.

"I don't even remember what we used for a kite," Bev said. "But I do remember that it needed a tail, so I sacrificed my red and black nylons to make one."

"We've been flying high ever since," Mike added with a grin.

Their relationship blossomed quickly. Both were English majors, with Bev minoring in speech and drama. She was actively involved in the Zeta Phi sorority and later became pledge mistress. Mike participated in the Social Board and was instrumental in bringing major musical acts like the Kingston Trio and Josh White to campus. He also wrote for The Que and participated in the Midwest Model United Nations in St. Louis.

Their time at UD was filled with adventures, including participating in and organizing road rallies - events where students followed driving clues to different locations while completing tasks.

"We had to drive to certain checkpoints and complete tasks like writing a song or a poem," Mike explained. "Whoever won had to plan the next one. Somehow, we ended up winning one and had to put the next rally together!"

Just a few months later, in spring 1964, their relationship had become serious. One evening, as curfew approached, Mike and Bev sat in his Volkswagen Beetle parked near the dorms. With a playful grin, Mike clasped his hands together, then slowly opened them. Inside was his Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity pin.

"I'm giving you a love sandwich," he said.

Bev accepted the pin, a clear sign of their commitment to each other. Though neither Mike nor Bev could recall a formal proposal, they both agree that from that moment forward they knew that this was the start of their life together.

"We never had that dramatic 'Will you marry me?' moment. We just kind of looked at each other and said, 'Well, we've come this far. Might as well get married," Mike said.

The couple tied the knot on August 29, 1964, in a heartfelt wedding. The ceremony was held at Bev's home church, Roseland Presbyterian, with a reception following at her aunt's house. Their honeymoon was brief, as they had to return to Dubuque for the start of the fall semester.

There was no married student housing, so Mike and Bev subleased an apartment near downtown from fellow students Bill Kramer (C'65) and Chuck DeFarkas (C'66). Their tiny apartment was furnished simply with an overstuffed sofa, a table, a few chairs, and a double sleeping bag.

Their first day back was nothing short of memorable. As they arrived at their new home, they were met with an unexpected sight - a massive hog roaming in the front yard.

"I thought pigs were small, like the ones you see in children's books," Bev said. "I had no idea they could be that big! This thing was enormous, seven or eight feet long. Turns out, it had escaped from a nearby farm and wandered into town!"

Life as newlyweds had its challenges, but they made the best of it. Without a proper stove, they used an electric popcorn popper to heat soup and two electric frying pans that were wedding gifts to cook their meals.

"We didn't have much, but we had each other," Mike said. "And a whole lot of popcorn."

Mike graduated in 1965 and worked as an admission counselor at UD until Bev graduated in May 1966. Just a few short months later, Mike enlisted in the Army and went to basic training and advanced individual training. During this time, Bev lived with her parents in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and taught English and Spanish at Crandon High School. Mike was training at Fort Gordon, Georgia, for Officer Candidate School for the Signal Corps when Bev left her teaching job and moved to Georgia to be closer to him. During this time, Bev worked on base handling pay for the soldiers.

Shortly after receiving his commission in 1967, Mike got an assignment in Germany for two years. The couple welcomed their first daughter, Lissa, in Heidelberg, Germany.

In the summer of 1969, the Bacon family returned to the U.S. and lived in Toledo, Ohio where they welcomed their son, Mike Jr.. Mike began working for Owens-Illinois as an accounts manager. In his position, he was assigned to various jobs for about three years each. The family moved around a lot during Mike's career while Bev cared for their children and eventually opened up an in-home day care. They landed in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which is where their third child, Katie, was born. Bev worked for a while at a nursing home and then became part of their neighborhood association where she wrote the newsletter. Later she became the City Clerk for Kentwood, Michigan. After leaving his career in sales, Mike attended Calvin College to get a graduate degree and teaching certificate, and went on to teach English in Kentwood Public Schools.

Bev served as city clerk for 16 years, retiring in 1997. Mike retired from teaching in 2004. Since retiring, the couple has stayed active in their community. Bev enjoys crafting and art, and Mike was involved in starting the Peninsula Writers in Michigan. He still volunteers at the local public access television station and pursues the hobby of woodcarving. Both Mike and Bev enjoy writing and are currently working on their genealogies and autobiographies. They have 10 grandchildren and three bonus grandchildren and are excited to share their family history and stories with them as they grow up. Additionally, they love traveling, and are particularly pleased with a trip to China which they shared with Jim (C'66) and Marion Applegate, and Dave Reese (C'65) and his wife, Chris.

The couple also stays connected to UD, returning for reunions and supporting their alma mater in various ways.

"The friendships we built at UD lasted a lifetime," Bev said. "It was more than just a school, it was the foundation of everything."