Br. Sam Cota

      Brother Ignacio "Sam" Cota was born on the 21st of July in Santa Barbara, California. He is from one of the founding families of of the old pueblo of Santa Barbara. He graduated from Santa Barbara High School in June, 1959. 

 Ignacio Samuel Cota

        Sam, as he is called was initiated into the Beta Chapter of the Phi Delta Psi Fraternity in the Fall of 1962. He completed his studies at Pierce College in June, 1965, after which he transferred to California State University Northridge. He earned his Bachelor's degree at CSUN in 1971. Later Sam earned his law degree from the University of California Los Angeles in 1974. 

         His pledge name was Little Buddha.

      The Honorable Judge Ignacio Cota worked for some years from six satellite offices in the California Office of Appeals.

        Sam's wife is Irene Calzada Cota, Ph.D., Elem. Ed. Sanford University June 1982.

Calzada and Sam have three children. Ricardo Sisto, Daniel Vicente, and Alicia Marie. The Cotas reside in Camarillo, California 

Br. MIKE MERTENS

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Brother Michael Mertens - photo taken at the Phi Delt lunch in January 2013.

Brother Michael Mertens was born in 1944. He is a graduate of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California. Mike was initiated in the Beta Chapter of the Phi Delta Psi in the Fall of 1962. Mike worked for Technicolor while in college, and returned to that company later in his career. Until his retirement he was a "color timer" in the film business. He works part time as a "marshall" for a country club overlooking the Sepulveda Pass.

Michael and his wife Kathleetn share five children and four grandchildren. Their son Timothy (Tim) and his wife Genevieve have two children; Mickaela and Jake . Their daughter Christine has a daughter Alyssa. Jennifer, their third child, and her husband Jay have a new baby Samantha. Sons Tyson and Brady are both students and are working.

Br. DON HOUSE RETIRED IN MISSOURI

      After finishing his studies at Pierce College, Brother Donald House attended California Polytechnic University San Louis Obispo.  Don, who was born in January of 1943, pledged the Beta Chapter of our Fraternity in the Fall of 1962. For many years he was the co-owner of a printing shop in Woodland Hills, California. After his retirement, he and his wife Karyn moved to Blue Eye, Missouri. Until full retirement,       

         Don writes that" I was working part time at a local supermarket in Branson, until the leap day tornado of February 29, 2011 blew the store away. Retired full time now, enjoying my time."

         Don and Karyn live at the edge of Tablerock Lake. 

Br. JOHN CAMINITI

Brother John Caminiti is a 1959 graduate of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California. He was initiated into the Phi Delta Psi Fraternity in the Fall of 1962. He served the Brotherhood as the Sergeant at Arms for Beta Chapter. John holds a Masters degree from California State University Northridge. He served in the United States Army, First Cavalry Division from 1966 to 1968. 

 Br. John Caminiti 2011  at Phi Delta Lunch

Brother Caminiti for many years was a mathematics teacher and wrestling coach at Tehachapi High School. He and his former wife Terry have four children; Steve, Scott, Chris, and Katie. In 2011, John is retired.

John wrote in 2004: "I live a great life.  My fiancée and I dance, camp, travel, attend spiritual retreats, and have fun with the grandkids. Also I am involved with Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, which explains why I recently had to have rotator cuff surgery at Kerlan and Jobe. I am a very lucky fella."

GIFT FROM SHERRIE EISLABEN

(click on image to enlarge) - Photo in the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - photo number: 0409-044-878
Sherrie Eislaben donated two group photos of Beta Chapter, both of which had been damaged. Brother LeRoy Hunt used photoshop techniques to restore this composite image for our enjoyment.
Back Row (l to r)
Larry Tunison, Chuck Radford, Pete Shields, Dennis Scully, Sam Cota, Dick Mlack, Mike Bair, Rick Haupt, Steve Alleman, Ray Allopena and Tom Westberg
Middle Row
Bill Eisleben, Doug Fitgerald, Bill Hiegert, Don George, Ken Clark, Bruce Benner, Don Zchernig, Clay Koerner, John Donald and Don House
Front Row:
Jerry Berns, Jim Colbert, President Tim Ahlberg and Phil Capka

Br. BILL EISLEBEN

Bill Eislaben 1989 - Photo courtesy of Jerry Berns - Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2008 (click on image to enlarge)
Last photographs of Br. Bill Eisleben

Bill Eislaben 1989 - Photo courtesy of Jerry Berns - Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2008 (click on image to enlarge)
Last photographs of Br. Bill Eisleben

Bill Eisleben and his children - Photo courtesy of Jerry Berns - Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2008 (click on image to enlarge)

Bill Eisleben and his grandchildren - Photo courtesy of Jerry Berns - Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2008 (click on image to enlarge)

Among the files shared with this blog by Brother Jerry Berns are these photographs of one of Phi Delta Psi's most loved leaders, Bill Eisleben. Jerry took, what we believe was, the last picture of Bill, a week before his death.
Brother Bill Eisleben was born on the 24th of February 1944 in Long Beach, California. He graduated from Grover Cleveland High School in the San Fernando Valley. Bill was initiated into the Phi Delta Psi Fraternity in the Fall of 1962. He was the 332nd member of our organization. Bill Eisleben served the Brotherhood as President of Beta Chapter at Los Angeles Pierce College.
Bill died in an airplane crash on the 8th of November, 1989 in San Diego County, California near the Mexican border. He was on a holiday in a four passenger Cesessna aircraft.
Brother Eisleben was a convert to the Roman Catholic Church. His funeral was held at Saint Jude Thaddeus Church in Westlake Village. The shrine of St. Jude in the church's garden is dedicated to his memory.
Bill's widow is Sherrie and children are: Erika, Annaliene and Elizabeth.

RIC GLAZER - DANAY

Richard Glazer-Danay - Archive of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2008 (click on images to enlarge)
Image from Ric Glazer-Danay's Hart Hat Series. (click on image to enlarge)
Brother Richard Glazer was born on August 12th. 1942. He is a 1960 graduate of Reseda High School. Ric was initiated into the Beta Chapter of the Phi Delta Psi Fraternity in the Fall of 1962. His pledge name was PreHeat 475. Prior to attending Los Angeles Pierce College, Rick served in the United States Army from 1961 to 1962. He served in the Army Reserves from 1962 to 1965.
Ric Glazer earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University Northridge in 1970, a Masters of Arts from California State University Chico in 1972 and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of California Davis in 1978.
Ric is an accomplished, world-renowned artist. He taught painting for sometime at California State University, Chico. In 2004 Brother Glazer is a Professor and Chair of American Indian Studies at California State University at Long Beach. He was the chairman of the American Indian Studies Program at the University.
A certified member of the Caughnawaga-Turtle Clan of the Kahnawake Band of Native Americans, Richard Glazer-Danay is a world famous artist. " His art is derived from both pop and postmodernist art movements, and he employs a wry and ironic sense of humor in his interpretation of Indian themes and the status of women in modern American life. He is both a painter and a sculptor who can combine these media in the same work. Inspired by his ironworking family, Danay is best known for his hard hat art."
He has been a consultant for the U.S. Office of Education, Office of Indian Education, U.S. Forest Service, Civil Rights compliance, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Glazer-Danay is a member of the National Indian Education Association, College Art Association, Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Education Committee, and the board of directors for Educational Opportunity Center, Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin. He has been a lecturer and conference/panel participant on curriculum, art, and opportunity issues; instructor/coordinator, American Indian Studies, California State University, Chico; instructor, Native American studies and acting director, C. N. Gorman Museum, University of California, Davis; coordinator, American-Intercultural Programs/American Indian Studies, University of Wisconsin, Green Bay; California State University, Long Beach; commissioner, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Department of the Interior.
“Richard Glazer Danay comes from a dual heritage in that he is a Mohawk from the Caughnawaga Reserve near Montreal, and Jewish. His art is derived from both "Pop" and postmodernist art movements, and he employs a wry and ironic sense of humor in his interpretation of Indian themes and the status of women in modern American life. He is both a painter and a sculptor who can combine these media in the same work. In the words of University of California/Riverside Professor of Art, William Bradshaw, Glazer Danay can create "constructions of outstanding boldness and power. The work is bright, witty, satirical, and very strong in form and content." In a word, he is unique: no one is doing work quite like his. Glazer Danay is influential in the American art world for his art as well as for his role as a prominent educator and as a member of the U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Arts and Crafts Board.”
Glazer-Danay has exhibited widely in the United States and in Europe. His works are widely included in publications across the world. His works are in the collections of the British Museum, Vienna's Museum fur Vokerkunde, the Heard Museum in Phoenix and the Philbrook Museum. He has donated several cartoon works for the Phi Delta Psi reunions.
Ric and Gayle were married on the 5th of September 1970. They share two children: a son Brant and a daughter Brooke .