Ken Vetrovec was a Theta Chi Fraternity brother of mine at UIUC.  His nickname there was “Pipe” because he took up smoking a pipe during freshman year. Upon our graduation in ’72 we went our separate ways and I didn’t know anything about his career.  Evidently, Ken’s tireless efforts to help make our fraternity a better place for all was just the beginning of his dedication to community involvement, as evidenced by excerpts of his obituary in the Racine Journal Times: Dedicated public servant Ken Vetrovec dies after motorcycle crash Jul 7, 2009 Racine County lost a dedicated public servant and volunteer Monday in a motorcycle crash in Nevada. Ken Vetrovec, 59, was killed just outside Ely, Nev., heading home from a motorcycle trip along Route 66.  The motorcycle ride was an annual summer cross-country trip for Vetrovec. Vetrovec was a former Racine county supervisor and board chairman. For the past five years he had been the executive director of Gateway Technical College's foundation.  He served six terms as a county supervisor from 1994 to 2006. Vetrovec loved his Indian motorcycle, according to Pamela Zenner-Richards, a county supervisor and chair of Gateway's Board of Trustees. "He was doing what he loved," she said. Ron Coutts, who was elected Caledonia Village Board President after a race against Vetrovec in 2007, said Vetrovec was the kind of community volunteer who could always be called upon to help with any issue. "He'd be right there to jump in and help out," Coutts said.  He said even after the election, Vetrovec told him he would be willing to help serve in any capacity Coutts needed him to. He was a volunteer with the Boy Scouts in Racine County. An Eagle Scout, Vetrovec also earned the District Award of Merit. In 2007 was honored with the Cliff Dochterman Award, which is given to Rotarians dedicated to scouting. "His heart was always in the right place," said Racine County Executive William McReynolds. "He was very community minded; very involved. He attempted, always, to bring people together." RIP, Pipe. Howard Anderson