Spring Break
Community remembers beloved alum killed in Iraq
Issue date: 10/4/07
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At first mention of Colby Umbrell's name, anyone who worked with him in the Admissions Office invariably cracks a smile.
"He was such a character, in the true sense of the word," said Carole Agelopas, who worked with Umbrell as part of a public relations team.
Umbrell, a football recruit who graduated in 2004 with a degree in political science, was killed on May 3, 2007, in Musayyib, Iraq. The 26-year-old paratrooper was a native of Doylestown, Penn. According to the official Defense Department press release, Umbrell was fatally wounded when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was a First Lieutenant assigned to the First Battalion, 501th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.
"We loved him to death, but he'd drive you crazy," said Dale Phelan, who also worked in public relations with Umbrell. She added that he provided lots of agitation, but only "good agitation."
"He was a big practical joker," said Susan Muller, another coworker.
Indeed it seemed that Umbrell always knew what buttons to push in order to get a rise out of someone, or simply to lighten up the work environment. Agelopas recalled that Umbrell would jokingly claim that fitness guru John Basedow - of the gimmicky Fitness Made Simple infomercials - was his hero. One day she came into work to find that Umbrell had changed her computer's background screen to a big, bright picture of the grinning muscle man. To this day that story still makes Agelopas and Phelan laugh heartily.
"He certainly made the day interesting, because you never knew what would happen with Colby," said Phelan.
Debbie Riley, who also worked with Umbrell in Admissions, pointed out that the office often has a very hectic and stressful atmosphere.
Umbrell, however, always "kept it light," Riley said.
Umbrell's energy dominates the conversation whenever those who him speak of him. He brought ample liveliness to the Admissions Office and a great deal of vigor to the football field. Head coach Jim Margraff's memories of this trait of Umbrell's stretch back to his recruitment video, which college coaches use to evaluate high school players. Umbrell had what coaches call "tremendous motor," which means he displayed non-stop, relentless hustling and sprinting action on the field.
"He was such a character, in the true sense of the word," said Carole Agelopas, who worked with Umbrell as part of a public relations team.
Umbrell, a football recruit who graduated in 2004 with a degree in political science, was killed on May 3, 2007, in Musayyib, Iraq. The 26-year-old paratrooper was a native of Doylestown, Penn. According to the official Defense Department press release, Umbrell was fatally wounded when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was a First Lieutenant assigned to the First Battalion, 501th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.
"We loved him to death, but he'd drive you crazy," said Dale Phelan, who also worked in public relations with Umbrell. She added that he provided lots of agitation, but only "good agitation."
"He was a big practical joker," said Susan Muller, another coworker.
Indeed it seemed that Umbrell always knew what buttons to push in order to get a rise out of someone, or simply to lighten up the work environment. Agelopas recalled that Umbrell would jokingly claim that fitness guru John Basedow - of the gimmicky Fitness Made Simple infomercials - was his hero. One day she came into work to find that Umbrell had changed her computer's background screen to a big, bright picture of the grinning muscle man. To this day that story still makes Agelopas and Phelan laugh heartily.
"He certainly made the day interesting, because you never knew what would happen with Colby," said Phelan.
Debbie Riley, who also worked with Umbrell in Admissions, pointed out that the office often has a very hectic and stressful atmosphere.
Umbrell, however, always "kept it light," Riley said.
Umbrell's energy dominates the conversation whenever those who him speak of him. He brought ample liveliness to the Admissions Office and a great deal of vigor to the football field. Head coach Jim Margraff's memories of this trait of Umbrell's stretch back to his recruitment video, which college coaches use to evaluate high school players. Umbrell had what coaches call "tremendous motor," which means he displayed non-stop, relentless hustling and sprinting action on the field.
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