Working together in the same environment day after day comes easy for four Baker University couples.
From going to work together, eating lunch together and ending the day together, several couples said they can’t get enough of each other.
Professor of Music John Buehler and his wife, Susan Buehler, assistant professor of music, have worked side by side in the Baker music department since 1984.
“It just so happened that right when Dr. Buehler was hired, they were looking for an organ adjunct teacher,” Susan Buehler said. “Right after I was hired for that position, they also asked me to become a department assistant, so I was juggling two jobs at once.”
Even though they are in the same department, the Buehlers have separate responsibilities.
“The way we are paired in the music department. He is the boss in the choral rehearsal part, and I am completely respectful of that,” she said. “We both try to maintain a level of professionalism that is appropriate in this particular situation.”
John Buehler said he thinks marriage between professors at the same school is fairly common.
“I think more so in the music department than other departments. I actually do not know many faculty that do not have their spouse working with them,” he said.
While several couples came to Baker married, Professor of English Preston Fambrough and his wife, Virginia Fambrough, associate professor of English, met on the job.
“With never meeting before, Dr. Fambrough started to teach at Baker in the fall of 1976, as I arrived in the fall of 1980,” Virginia Fambrough said. “Obviously, as members of the same department, we became acquainted, ending with our marriage in 1995 with a ceremony performed by our good friend (Professor of Religion) Dr. George Wiley.”
On the other hand, Professor of Biology Roger Boyd and his wife, Jan Boyd, technical services librarian, met when they were both students at Baker.
“We both thought it would be kind of neat to go back to the place where we met,” Jan Boyd said. “Dr. Boyd applied a lot of places, and there just so happened to be two openings here at Baker the same time as I was looking for a job.”
The Boyds have lived in Baldwin City for the past 30 years.
“Our son (Jon Boyd) also graduated from Baker and now works here as a groundskeeper,” she said. “Our family is so fortunate to have such a stable relationship through Baker and its opportunities. I love the fact that we all know so many people – I think it gives us a greater sense of unity.”
Sophomore Tracie Spring said she has worked with Jan Boyd for almost a year now and loves to hear the stories Jan tells her about her life outside of work.
“She talks about when they go on trips together, their house and even their dog,” Spring said. “She really seems to enjoy talking about her family, which in turn makes it enjoyable for everyone else around them.”
Even though Roger Boyd is currently in China for a scientific expedition, Jan Boyd said the relationship they have on the job is perfect.
“The best part is that we can still have lunch together every once in a while even though we do not work in the same building,” she said.
Sharing a love for both theater and communications, Assistant Professor of Theater Tom Heiman and his wife, Patti Heiman, adjunct instructor of communication, both enjoy their positions at Baker.
“We have both passed on prior opportunities which would not allow the other one to work alongside each other,” Patti Heiman said.
Tom Heiman said he loves working with his wife.
“We have an understanding of each other’s job. When you come home with a problem, it’s really nice to know your spouse understands exactly what you’re talking about,” Tom Heiman said.
With sharing the same office, Patti Heiman said some disagreements are inevitable.
“As much as we share almost everything, we are very different in our work approaches,” she said. “I actually think it’s kind of neat we don’t always agree on everything – it gives us a chance for a good discussion every once and a while.”
More than anything, both Patti and Tom Heiman said they are very grateful they got the opportunity to share this experience with each other and have grown in many ways because of it.
“Working in the same profession, we both get to bounce ideas off each other to see what the other one thinks,” Tom Heiman said. “Sometimes it’s like I have two brains instead of one.”