Pepper Tree Park
Board Members
The Pepper Tree Park Board of Directors consists of seven members elected to rotating three year terms. The current board members are:
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Jodi Tritsch, President, Term expires 2022
I grew up in Topeka after moving here with my family in 1969. I have two lovely daughters, Maddie and Morgan, and one son-in-law, Cody, plus my current fur-baby, Beckham that some of you may have seen me walking with. I enjoy a variety of pastimes and activities, that include home renovation, reading, sewing, crocheting and jigsaw puzzles, to name a few. I retired in 2016 after spending the majority of my career working for the State of Kansas and for several agencies. I spent the last 26 years with the Department of Administration where I worked on their Employee HR and Payroll system and retired as the Deputy Director of the Office of Systems Management where I oversaw the IT staff for the HR/Payroll and Accounting Management Systems. I moved to Pepper Tree in June of 2017 and am thrilled to be here. I decided to volunteer for the board as I believe it is important to be involved with your neighbors and neighborhood. I’m dedicated to holding our property values up by keeping Pepper Tree Park a desirable place to live. |
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Jerry Behrends, Vice-President - Term expires 2022 - Jerry Behrends was born in 1941 in Hasting, Nebraska, and grew up in Trumbull, Nebraska, population 170. He graduated from Trumbull High School and attended Kearney State.
He then moved to Lincoln where he was employed by Sears, and later was co-owner of a construction company which built a number of houses. While in Lincoln, his three children (Jeff, Stephanie, and Steve) were born. About fifteen years later, Jerry and his family moved to Grant, Nebraska, so that he could help his brother-in-law operate a plumbing and excavating business. Ten years later he took a position as head of maintenance for the Perkins County Schools. Later he started his own construction company. During his years in Grant, Jerry served on the City Council for seven years, and also served on the volunteer fire department for fourteen years. In 1997, Jerry moved to Abilene, Kansas, where he continued to work construction. In 2000, Jerry moved to Topeka, and that same year he married Carol Stephens. Since then, Jerry has operated his own handyman business. In addition, Jerry takes care of the maintenance for two commercial buildings. Jerry has six grandchildren and nine step grandchildren. Jerry and Carol moved to Pepper Tree in October, 2017. |
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Don Daniels, Secretary - Term Expires 2023 - In 1952 Donald Herbert Daniels (Don) was born in Medford, Or - the last born with 3 older sisters. In 1957 the family moved to Leavenworth, Ks. Don graduated from Leavenworth High School and then graduated from Kansas State University in 1974 with a BS in Mathematics. While at KSU he held several positions including President and Treasurer of his Phi Gamma Delta frat house, and a justice on the Student Tribunal. He began his professional career as a computer programmer for defense contractor IBM’s Federal Systems Division in Owego, NY. Among other systems, the facility designed and manufactured the AP-101 computers used in the Apollo spacecraft and still used today in military aircraft. In January of 1975 he married Nancy Knopp from Dickinson County, Ks who was also attending KSU. They met while he was serving as rifle range instructor at Kansas 4H’s Rock Springs Ranch during the summer of 1973. Nancy was the dining room supervisor. They moved to Topeka in spring of 1975 when he accepted a position as a programmer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. He worked on Medicare, Medicaid, and BCBS claims and membership systems. He retired from BCBSKS in 2007 as project leader for their internet systems team. After a year working at a golf course, he accepted a position as Data Analyst for the Kansas Health Policy Authority. He resigned from that position in 2011. Don has served on two non-profit boards, most recently Topeka Habitat for Humanity.
Don and Nancy moved to PTP unit 32 in 2011. They have two children - Stacie who lives in Houston with her family, and Eric who lives in Topeka with his family. All 6 grandchildren from those families have enjoyed the PTP pool. Don has served on the PTP Bylaws and Covenant Review Committee. |
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Nobel Morrell, Treasurer - Term expires 2021- Noble grew up in Winfield, Kansas and received a bachelor’s degree from Wichita State University in 1963. Noble completed a variety of courses from Rockburst College, Central Missouri State University, and the University of Kansas. Before retiring from the Kansas Department of Transportation in 2005, he taught school in Birmingham, Alabama, held a variety of positions in New York City, worked for the Missouri Division of Employment Security, and the US Department of Labor. He moved to Topeka in 1980 when he took a position with the Kansas Department of Human Resources.
Noble moved to Pepper Tree Park in 2008 after marrying his wife Jan Keeler who is a retired minister. Shortly after moving to Pepper Tree he started maintaining our swimming pool and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2015. Among his interests in the park are to help see that the infrastructure is well maintained with available resources and that we have community of friends who look after the interests of one another. He and Jan share six grandchildren who live in Kansas and they enjoy volunteering at Pepper Tree and First Christian Church. They continue to make progress with their travel bucket list. |
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Bonnie Carroll, Director - Term Expires 2023
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Brenda Jarboe, Director - Term expires 2021 - I have enjoyed living in Pepper Tree Park since October of 2013. I was retired when I moved in but took a job with K-State Research and Extension in February 2016. I serve as the coordinator for all community gardens in Shawnee County, as well as a SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educator, teaching nutrition, resource management, food safety, and healthy habits to low-income individuals. I also serve as president of the Board of Directors of Topeka Common Ground, a non-profit, community garden support organization. I share my home with mother, Doris Ottman -- she has an apartment in the basement, and I maintain the two upper floors. We share our Brussels Griffon, Toby.
I moved to Topeka at the age of seven and graduated from Topeka West and Washburn University. I have served on the PTP HOA Board since 2015, two years as vice-president and currently as Secretary since 2018. I have learned so much and have appreciated being able to serve the neighborhood. I find my experience as a former REALTOR for 25 years and previous experience serving on HOAs helps guide me in the decisions I make when voting for the good of the entire neighborhood, instead of special interests. I have three married daughters -- one, Nicole Jarboe-Paxson, also lives in Pepper Tree Park. I have four grandchildren: one granddaughter and twin grandsons in Delia, KS. and a grandson in Alexandria, VA. |
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Connie Wood, Director - Term expires 2022 - I was raised in the small but active town of Lindsborg, Kansas. I attended Bethany College for 2 years and then continued my education at Trinity Lutheran Hospital in Kansas City and became a registered nurse. I have worked and lived in small cities as Lindsborg and large cities and hospitals in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Kansas City, Missouri. I moved to Topeka with my family many years ago...raised 3 children here and now have 10 wonderful grand children. I became an active member of the Topeka community by becoming involved with activities at Westminister Presbyterian Church, Topeka Symphony and other organizations. I continued with my career after my children began to grow up. I became a member of the first hospice team in Topeka and then moved to Stormont Vail Health Care eight years later to start a program for older adults, "HealthWise 55".
I became a widow too many years ago but continued my life with children, friends and career. Sixteen years ago I was looking to make a move from taking complete care of my property and began my search. I moved to Pepper Tree because of friends who lived here, the pool and the relaxing surroundings. I have made many new friends since my move. As a member of the Pepper Tree Board of Directors I want to continue my experience of our community as a great place to live, enjoy friends and neighbors and maintain the beauty of Pepper Tree Park. |
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For a roster of PTP board members from 2004 to present click here.