RE Log - Fall 2022

90 Ransom Everglades LOG FALL 2022 In Loving Memory Jerry Exum, faculty emeritus, died peacefully at home on May 22, 2022, surrounded by loved ones. Jerry was born October 16, 1935, in Bluffton, Ind. Jerry attended Ball State University, where he was in the Air Force ROTC. He completed his BEd degree at the University of Miami and his MEd at the University of Kansas. He began his career teaching math and phys- ics at Miami Senior High in 1958. In 1967, Jerry joined the fledgling Comprehensive School Mathematics Program (CSMP), an initiative of the Central Midwest Regional Educational Laboratory (CEMREL, Inc.) at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill. There he assisted in the development of Jared Daniel Needle ’00 passed away peacefully in Tel Aviv on June 6, 2022. He was 40. Jared was loved and admired by so many people through his short but very full life. He was a scholar, an athlete, and the best son, brother, and friend that anyone could ask for. His beautiful face, his charm and his loyalty to those he loved will never be forgotten. Jared was born on February 13, 1982, in Miami. He was a graduate in the Cornell University Class of 2004. He spoke three languages fluently, and loved travel, art and his family and friends above all else. He is survived by his devoted parents, Andrew and Penny Needle, and his brothers, Cory ’02 (Gaby Jenn) and Todd ’10 . He will be treasured forever in our memories. Family and classmates from 2000 are honoring Jared’s legacy at RE. For more information on the Jared D. Needle Memorial Fund, contact Vicki Carbonell Williamson ’88 at vwilliamson@ransomeverglades.org or 305 460 8826. CEMREL’s highly regarded mathemat- ics curriculum materials for secondary schools. In 1974, Jerry moved to Miami to begin working at Ransom Everglades School, where he was able to incorporate the CEMREL materials into the school’s curriculum. Jerry had a long and distin- guished career at Ransom Everglades. In addition to teaching upper level mathematics, he served as mathematics department chair for several years and also as dean of students. He designed student schedules, both before and after the adoption of computers, and served as the assistant basketball coach. For years, he even played the tuba in the school band. Jerry retired from Ransom Everglades in 2000, after 26 years. Retirement allowed him the freedom to pursue the many activities he loved. He and his life part- ner, Christel Marin, traveled widely, once literally flying around the world. They assisted with volun- teer research in far-flung corners of the world on subjects as diverse as cultivating coffee beans, tracking mountain lions, and counting penguins. They owned his-and-hers motorcycles and took cross country trips in their black leather jackets. Jerry became an accomplished sailor, and they explored exotic islands. Although Jerry was a deep thinker with a serious analytical mind, he had a light side, and his interests were expansive. A modern Renaissance man, he enjoyed classical music, playing jai-alai, opera, bowling, photography, golf, running, horticul- ture, bridge nights with his pal Don Stark, poetry, sketching, contemplating Einstein’s theory of special relativity, and much more. He and Christel made a dashing couple twirling on the floor of the Kendall Dance Studio, where they took ballroom dancing lessons for many years. In addition to Christel Marin, Jerry is survived by his daughter, Belinda Jean Exum (Robbie Stokes) of Carbondale, Ill.; his son, Joseph Eugene Exum ’80 (Julie Bartholic) of San Luis Obispo, Calif.; two grand- daughters, Melissa Ann Horn and Carmel Bequia Exum; a large circle of friends, both here and abroad; as well as the thousands of grateful students who passed through his classroom. We will miss Jerry’s calm, reflective nature, his warmth and compassion and the pleasure he took on hearing a good pun. Jerry Exum and Christel Marin