The mighty Menloves
There are no comments for this page [ Add Comment ]Monday, July 16, 2007
By Trent Toone
Standard-Examiner staff
WEST FIELDING -- He's a guy with a pickup truck who likes high school football, sudoku puzzles and working with his hands.
She enjoys dark chocolate, reading, discussing politics and spending time with family.
They reside in a modest home in a rural, agricultural area and live frugal lifestyles. But your average Joe and Jane this Box Elder County couple is not.
They're high-profile educators whose actions and administration influence thousands from Logan south to the state Capitol.
He's superintendent of more than 10,000 students in the Box Elder School District and a prominent leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
She's vice provost for regional campuses and distance education at the 23,000-student Utah State University in Logan. She's also a state lawmaker.
Meet Martell and Ronda Menlove.
Not many couples in Northern Utah possess as much combined public power or influence. Those who know the Menloves, however, describe them as family-oriented, religious, community-minded and humble.
"We're not into it for the fame or fortune -- we just want to be seen as normal people," Ronda said. "We try hard not to be more than that."
That isn't the easiest thing to do when you oversee a budget of $74 million, 26 schools and more than 10,600 students and 1,200 employees. As president of the Fielding LDS Stake, Martell also presides over eight wards and more than 2,800 church members. Altogether, he devotes about 65 to 70 hours a week to his work at school and church.
Ronda's duties also resemble a three-ring circus. As a vice provost, she manages off-campus centers across the state that provide education opportunities for more than 20,000 traditional and nontraditional students a year.
She also serves as the state representative for District 1, which covers Box Elder and Tooele counties. She estimates she works about 60 hours a week, not including a few hours spent each night responding to e-mail.
This October marks the 30th wedding anniversary for the Menloves, who are parents to five children and will soon celebrate their first grandchild.
Deal or no deal?
The Menloves met in the mid-1970s through a mutual friend when both were beginning teaching careers in Salt Lake City, even though the friend told Ronda that Martell wasn't her type.
He was working on a master's degree at the University of Utah, and she had already earned hers from Indiana University.
Their first date included a drive in his truck and on a motorcycle, and was topped off with ice cream. Things progressed from there. Before long, he was invited to haul hay with Ronda's family in West Fielding.
"(My family) loved him because he had a 4x4 truck and knew a little about farming," Ronda said. "My mother swears he came from heaven because I was 25, considered an old maid, and my father wanted me to get married."
Martell remembers it differently.
"Her family liked me because the previous guy she brought home had a hippie van," Martell said.
The family joke goes that Ronda's father, Ross Rudd, liked Martell so much, he offered him 40 acres if he would marry his daughter. They were married on Oct. 27, 1977, but Martell is still waiting for the 40 acres.
"Instead of 40 acres, I got seven years' hard labor," joked Martell, although Ross recently gave them an acre for a new house near their current West Fielding residence. They are building their new home themselves, as Martell learned construction skills almost exclusively from reading books.
Within two years of their marriage, a child was born -- Sara, the first of five to come over the next six years. The last two were twins.
His and hers
The defining moment of Martell's career came in 1971, when his father, Ralph Menlove, was involved in a car accident that left him with severe brain damage. Ralph was then superintendent at Juab School District, and it was then that Martell decided to follow in his father's footsteps.
Despite the balancing act of various jobs in education, the time required to earn a doctorate degree and helping to raise five kids, he reached his goal by age 36, when he took over the Rich School District.
In the next decade, he took the helm of the Box Elder School District. In 2005, he was named the Utah Superintendent of the Year. In addition, he has served on several state boards and committees, including the State Textbook Commission, and led the Utah School Superintendent's Association.
He loves education because he delights in seeing students succeed.
"There are some kids you know will make it, and there are some who are first in their family to graduate (from high school)," he said. "That's where it's really at."
Ronda's path to vice provost began in special education. Along the way, she gained experience as a teacher, an elementary school principal in the Cache School District and high school assistant principal at Mountain Crest High School.
It was her passion for serving people that also led her to run in 2004 for a spot in the Utah House of Representatives.
"I love serving the communities. That's what I really love," she said. "I believe education transforms lives and provides opportunities. There is nothing more thrilling to me than going to a graduation."
So who wears the pants in the marriage?
"It's a good partnership," Ronda said. "I would say he does, but he would probably say I do."
Agreeing to disagree
The Menloves stay on top of their busy schedules by sitting around the kitchen table on Sunday nights and mapping out the next week on the family calendar, a tradition started when the kids were young.
And though they make the balancing of career, family and other obligations look easy, the couple is the first to confess they are not made of steel.
One of Martell's bigger frustrations is trying to meet the varied needs of students with limited resources.
"You make decisions that are best for the whole community and district, but some of those are not good for individuals," Martell said.
"We've closed three schools in 10 years, and they have all been gut-wrenching. But when you look at the overall picture of trying to provide a quality education for 10,000 students, everyone has to give a little, even when it's difficult."
Another aggravation for Martell is working with the state Legislature. It is not uncommon for Martell to disagree with the way Ronda votes on bills, but they can always agree to disagree.
"If people think I just vote to reflect my husband, they don't know us very well," said Ronda, who confessed they sometimes have "heated" debates around the kitchen table about education or economic development.
"I believe the people elected me to make hard decisions. I will receive criticism, and it isn't easy to take," she said, "but I try to remember why I'm doing it, and as long as I do my best, that's enough."
Legacy of education
To say education is a priority in the Menlove household would be an understatement.
With parents in administrative positions, the Menlove children agree they were held to a higher standard, but problems were rare because they shared their parents' love of learning.
They also knew that if a problem with a teacher did arise, their parents would side with the teacher.
"If they were in trouble with a teacher, they better not come home," Martell said.
Growing up, the childrens' lives revolved around education and their parent's duties. Vacations were usually planned around events one of their parents had to attend. When Ronda decide to run for a seat in the Legislature, the children became her campaign team.
With the example and support of their parental tutors, each child is enjoying success as they pursue their careers. Four of the five work in education-related fields.
Sara Menlove, 28, earned a master's degree and works for the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. Taylor Menlove, 27, recently finished law school and works in Denver. Megan Menlove, 24, is a schoolteacher in Utah County while she completes a master's degree. Rebecca Ward, 23, has a bachelor's degree in special education, and her twin, Ross Menlove, is pursuing a double major in special and elementary education with the goal of becoming a university administrator.
They all say their parents' examples taught them the importance of hard work, a positive attitude, being assertive and helping others.
"If I could be like them, I would die happy," Ross said.
Being there
When either Martell or Ronda have a bad day, they have learned to pick up the signals and support each other. It's after those rough days that the Menloves let everything go.
Box Elder couple builds on future
Whether it's meeting at a restaurant for dinner, an uplifting conversation on the phone with one of their children or doing a small act of service for someone, the couple has learned to disregard criticism and go forward.
"There are some lonely and frustrating moments," Ronda said, "but I can't imagine dealing with it all without a loving husband and family."
The Menlove File
Martell and Ronda Menlove
Ages: Both 55
Martell's job and responsibilities: Superintendent of Box Elder School District; president of the Fielding Utah LDS Stake; serves or has served on several state boards and committees
Ronda's jobs and responsibilities: Vice provost for regional campuses and distance education, Utah State University; Utah state representative, District 1, Republican
Martell's hometown: Nephi
Ronda's hometown: West Fielding
Married: Oct. 27, 1977, Salt Lake City LDS Temple
Children: Sara, 28; Taylor, 27; Megan, 24; twins Rebecca and Ross, both 23
His hobbies: Attending high school football and basketball games, sudoku puzzles, working on a new house, spending time with family in the outdoors
Her hobbies: Politics, reading, working on a new house, spending time with family
His preferred treat: Ice cream
Her preferred treat: Dark chocolate
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