  Omega Mu Voice Timothy A. Ames, 1980  Timothy A. Ames Omega Mu, 1980 Bunny Tales I was honored when the Burns family asked me to say a few words about our friend Mike. We all have so many wonderful memories of our time with Mike. Hopefully, my tribute, which I am going to call “Bunny Tales and Beyond” will stir some memories in all of you. I met Mike at UMO in 1978. I was a new pledge and he was a brother at our fraternity. We instantly became friends and he would become my big brother. Back then he was known as “Bunny”, and the nickname fit him well. He was always jumping around; he could not sit still. I can picture him running up the fraternity house stairs five at a time. Then he would tumble back down the length of the same staircase after a staged fight with Eric Knudsen.  Michael F. Burns   1977-1978 group photo  Eric Knudsen and Mike Burns As a fraternity brother “Bunny” was a good friend, a good listener, and endless entertainment. Whether it was cramming people into his Saab 90, having bottle rocket fights, hanging upside down from a tree limb like a trophy deer, or climbing on a dormitory ledge to spy through the window on unsuspecting fraternity brothers, “Bunny” did everything at full speed. University of Maine Athlete             A short while after college, as fate would have it, Bunny landed in Waterville, which was just a short distance from where I was living. The only difference now was we had to start calling him Mike. He did not think the female population would be impressed by the name “Bunny”. This from a guy who collected empty Antonio pizza boxes and had no furniture. For quite some time, he could not invite anybody over for dinner because he did not have a table and chairs. Living in Waterville, it did not take long for Mike to start gathering a whole new group of friends. His endless energy and quick wit made for many good times. Mike always made sure that everybody was included and Mike always made us laugh, whether it was showing off the unlimited potential of those legs, goofing on himself with almost anything as a prop, blowing up marshmallows in the microwave, or entertaining us with his vast knowledge of almost useless trivia. He made us laugh. Most of us here probably laughed out hardest with Mike. That mischievous little gleam in his eye is something I will never forget. The other night, Ralph said that Mike was his best friend. There was a time in my my life life when Mike was my best friend, and I know that there are quite a few of you out there who could say the same thing: Peter Bergh, Charlie Foote, Jim Mayo, John Campbell, Denise, Claire, Bill Mayo, and his brother Paul. This list could go on and on. Mike knew what it took to be a good friend and that friendship is what I will remember most. When you go to the gathering after the service today, look at the pictures, listen to a story, jog your memory, tell your favorite Mike Story, and laugh again because “Bunny” would want you to.
Peter Bergh and Charlie Foote 
Mike Burns and Tim Ames Omega Mu Voices Eric R. Knudsen, 1979  Eric R. Knudsen Omega Mu, 1979 More Bunny Tales Let’s see. Fake fights in the stairwell on 11-2 nights. Girls had to use the second floor bathroom. Bunny would sprint up the stairs yelling he was going to kill me. I would fake a right to his jaw and he would tumble down the stairs, bounce off the wall and then tumble down the second set of stairs. The girls would scream; it never got old. Hanging by his feet on the game pole next to Bobby’s deer. Putting mustard on the receiver of the kitchen phone and calling it from the library, and then listening to Bill Horr scream as he chased us through the house.  Bill Horr Driving his Saab around campus with me running the pedals, Bunny steering from the middle, and someone in the passenger seat shifting. Pretty sure that I would have gotten a ticket. Backing said Saab up the driveway about 30 miles an hour and then performing the power slide tactical evasive maneuver without scrubbing any speed then refusing to try it with my vehicle.   “What if the space be long and wide, That parts us from our brother’s side A soul-joined chain unites our band, And memory links us hand in hand.” (Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)    Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82 Perge
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Omega Mu Voice Matthew D. Smyth, 1980  Omega Mu Years   Matt Smyth, top row, first on the left.        During my freshman year, I lived in Penobscot Hall, where several good-looking girls down the corridor had Fiji boyfriends. They invited me to attend one of the Wednesday night “11-2” parties at the Castle, which were popular, often crowded campus events. After repeated visits and going through rush, I was most impressed with the guys at Fiji. They were athletic, smart, charismatic, and immensely cool, and not having any real brothers of my own, I looked up to them like any younger, idolizing brother would do. Steve “Wally” Strand, Bob “Moose” Cheney, Eddie Gott, Brian Datson, Chip Rodgers, and Eric Knudsen were all guys that I respected; I pledged that spring and moved into the Castle the following fall.
Stephen A. Strand and Robert S. Cheney, Jr.
Edward J. Gott, III and Brian L. Datson
Edward H. Rogers, III and Eric R. Knudsen My sophomore year was one of demanding Honors College courses tempered by some great fun: Mud Bowl games, cold and damp Fiji Island weekends, memorable and some, um, forgotten 11-2 parties, and fraternity intramural, highly competitive, athletic games. The soundtrack from the megahit “Saturday Night Fever” was finally waning in popularity and Steve Strand usually alternated between The Tramps or Steely Dan’s “Aja” album, when we hosted a cocktail hour in the Ram before a social formal. I think the ladies preferred dancing to the Tramps and I can still hear Nerf’s infectious laugh while he was doing some disco move with his latest girlfriend. Mud Bowl   
 Fiji Island     
For my Junior Year Abroad, I went to the Sorbonne, Paris, and when I returned to the house, many of my former friends from the Class of ’78 had graduated and were gone. Brian Dumais, Grant Livingston, and my roommate, Steve Dunwoody, were among the few guys that I knew well. However, I quickly became good friends with the brothers in my class, Charlie “Chuck” Foote and Tim Ames, along with a new, younger crew who soon became “partners in crime”: Buddy Cote, Ken Bartlett, Bill McLean, Steve “Garland” Perry, and Tom Hicks, who moved into my room when Dunwoody graduated mid-year. We slept in the “Mental Ward” section of the Ram, where we often had late night discussions, usually involving a girl, our latest adventure, or some convoluted campus scheme.   
Brian P. Dumais and Steven M. Dunwoody
Charles M. Foote, III and Timothy A. Ames
Eugene D. Cote, III and Kenneth C. Bartlett
William R. McLean and Stephen G. Perry  Thomas C. Hicks
Ken Bartlett, Tom Hicks, Buddy Cote, and Matt Smyth  I often recall days from the Castle, made lifelong friends in the house, and our motto, “Not for College Days Alone,” could not be more true.  “What if the space be long and wide, That parts us from our brother’s side A soul-joined chain unites our band, And memory links us hand in hand.” (Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)    Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82 Perge Omega Mu Voice Joseph Colucci, 1985
Omega Mu Years   
                 
  Omega Mu Voice: Joseph Colucci  We have lost several brothers who were undergrads during my time at The Castle, 1981-1984. For me, Rick Bean was the hardest. Rick and Steve Farrar welcomed me to live in their room when I moved into the Castle. Ricky taught me about the ways of living and thriving in this incredible environment. He was fun-loving, hardworking and dedicated to serving his country. When his B-1 Bomber went down in Colorado, not long after his graduation, we lost one of our best.
Ricky Bean and Steve Farrar    B-1 Bomber  The many traditions we had were the best part. Many were socially driven, but there were many others that I have such fond memories of: FIJI 24 Hour Marathon, winning the intramural softball championship and track meets, the Fraternity Chorus Contest. Who can forget "King of the Road." I still know the words.      Fraternity Chorus "King of the Road"  Some of my favorites were FIJI Island, going to Hazbro’s camp, 11-2’s, and going, as a group, to the Maine football and hockey games. Fiji Island 
 University of Maine Football and Hockey Games        Fiji Golf Classic Fogler Library  One favorite was the FIJI Golf Classic. I recall thinking this up with a couple brothers at Pats one night. The ‘course’ was the The Fogler Library. Yup, that’s right. We secretly laid out a course of 9 holes through the building and set the tee time for 7:00 PM. We had golf bags toted by caddies (aka, zobies). We held this event twice each year. The best part was we always had a gallery of students who started following us around and clapping, politely. The librarian usually shut us down after 6-7 holes but never turned us in. Pretty sure we have a picture of us with him. I ran into several students walking around campus after each outing. “Hey I know you…..” type moments. The best part was it was really funny, promoted the house in a good way, while, generally speaking, staying within the standards of good behavior, for the time period.
Leadership   My days in The Castle shaped me in ways that I can never repay. My time as Treasurer, Steward and other roles gave me skills I used my entire career, in life, and as a parent. I managed to develop into a very effective leader in the business world and my community because of the opportunities I had at Phi Gam. However, it wasn’t easy though. I ran for and lost many elections for various positions my first two years. I asked brothers whom I respected where I came up short. There honesty helped; therefore, with diligence, I worked on my communication skills, improved my interactions with the brothers so they could know me better and know that I was responsible. These leaders reminded me to remain persistent, and I still believe this is the most important characteristic that I possess.  Pig Dinner    During a recent Pig Dinner, I visited a niece who was at UMO, and her friends. They wanted to know what college life was like ‘back then’. They were in awe of the fun we had and what we got away with. The golf story was probably their favorite. I was shocked at how much I remembered, and I had a lot of fun recounting all of it. It reminded me of all the times we sat around the living room in the Castle telling stories, laughing at and with each other.    “What if the space be long and wide, That parts us from our brother’s side A soul-joined chain unites our band, And memory links us hand in hand.” (Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)    Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82 Perge Truthfully, there is no fraternal brotherhood quite like Omega Mu at the University of Maine. We are proud of our history, and we are proud of the impressive number of fraternal brothers who played on many University of Maine athletic teams. With conviction and commitment, our Omega Mu athlete brothers brought a great deal of joy and satisfaction to the university community, creating many wonderful memories since the first baseball team was established at Maine State College in the 1870's. The worked together for the success of each Maine team, and the overall civic good of the University of Maine. The sheer number of Omega Mu athlete brothers is an unqualified triumph for the University of Maine. They each gave their best efforts on each team, and what they achieved perfectly compliments what we fraternally believe: drive and determination. It is a heady athletic legacy. Accordingly, their accomplishments claim our fraternal attention and respect. For the eminence of their athletic success; and, above all, for being our Omega Mu brothers, we are proud. Therefore, in the linked soul and spirit of our long fraternal history, we gratefully remember and celebrate our QTV and Omega Mu brothers who participated on many varsity athletic teams at the University of Maine. Their sacrifice of time was worth the effort for them and the student body at the University of Maine who watched them play. They created many warm memories since the early 1870’s. For the eminence of their athletic success; and, above all, for being our Omega Mu brothers, we are all very proud. Thoreau said it best: “What a difference, whether in all your walks, you meet only strangers, or in one house is one who knows you, and whom you know. To have a brother…How rare these things are.” How true that is, and we remain that way to this day. That is a proud fraternal legacy. Omega Mu Athlete Arthur W. Abbott, 1914  Omega Mu Years      Omega Mu Brotherhood With Unknown Omega Mu Housemother     University of Maine Athlete                Captain Abbott  “What if the space be long and wide, That parts us from our brother’s side A soul-joined chain unites our band, And memory links us hand in hand.” (Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)    Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82 Perge Truthfully, there is no fraternal brotherhood quite like Omega Mu at the University of Maine. We are proud of our history, and we are proud of the impressive number of fraternal brothers who played on many University of Maine athletic teams. With conviction and commitment, our Omega Mu athlete brothers brought a great deal of joy and satisfaction to the university community, creating many wonderful memories since the first baseball team was established at Maine State College in the 1870's. The worked together for the success of each Maine team, and the overall civic good of the University of Maine. The sheer number of Omega Mu athlete brothers is an unqualified triumph for the University of Maine. They each gave their best efforts on each team, and what they achieved perfectly compliments what we fraternally believe: drive and determination. It is a heady athletic legacy. Accordingly, their accomplishments claim our fraternal attention and respect. For the eminence of their athletic success; and, above all, for being our Omega Mu brothers, we are proud. Therefore, in the linked soul and spirit of our long fraternal history, we gratefully remember and celebrate our QTV and Omega Mu brothers who participated on many varsity athletic teams at the University of Maine. Their sacrifice of time was worth the effort for them and the student body at the University of Maine who watched them play. They created many warm memories since the early 1870’s. For the eminence of their athletic success; and, above all, for being our Omega Mu brothers, we are all very proud. Thoreau said it best: “What a difference, whether in all your walks, you meet only strangers, or in one house is one who knows you, and whom you know. To have a brother…How rare these things are.” How true that is, and we remain that way to this day. That is a proud fraternal legacy. Omega Mu Athlete Walter O. Frost, 1906  Omega Mu Years             
  
Phi Gamma Delta Reunion  
Omega Mu Brothers: J. H. Hilliard, Horace M. Estabrooke, Perley Walker University of Maine Athlete          Walter "Jack" O. Frost, bottom right  "There was no question that Jack was the man, and the only man."
 "Jack Frost again proved his right to a place in the front rank of college pitchers...."  "Frost did himself proud and won the admiration of the cranks and the confidence of every man on the team."  "Frost was the same cool, nervy, reliable boy that he has always shown himself to be at critical times."
 “What if the space be long and wide, That parts us from our brother’s side A soul-joined chain unites our band, And memory links us hand in hand.” (Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)    Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82 Perge |
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