Curtis Falany, a Florida native, joined the Marching Chiefs in 1964, after visiting FSU with his high school band director, Jack Crew. He “fell in love with the Marching Chiefs, the campus, and the ratio of about three women for every guy.” The Chiefs marched a block of 120-132 at the time and Curtis eventually earned a spot as a regular. He served as a Row Leader, and pledged Kappa Kappa Psi in the spring of 1966. As a music copyist in the days before computers, Curtis would copy and transcribe the parts after Charlie Carter wrote the music. He also made and edited the “Skull Session” recordings for the annual Marching Chiefs record albums. After graduating with a BS in Engineering Science in 1969, Curtis went on to become a Florida Registered Professional Engineer, State Certified Electrical Contractor and General Contractor, Class B. He is self-employed and works primarily as a forensic consultant and expert witness.
In 1973, Curtis married JoEllen and moved to Plant City, Florida. They have one daughter, Sylvalyn. They still reside in Plant City and use their musical talents in their church and community choirs. Their love for FSU, and particularly the Marching Chiefs, inspired them to join their fellow alumni in the planning of the first alumni band. Curtis notes that although many things change…”people do not.” They are, and will be, friends and Marching Chiefs of FSU forever.
JoEllen Hicks Falany, a native Floridian, came to FSU and joined the Marching Chiefs as an alternate in 1965. She became a member of Tau Beta Sigma in 1966. In 1967, she attained the rank of Row Leader and went on to become co-editor of the Chieftain the following year, and attained notoriety for her “Super Chick” column. Graduating in 1969 with a BS in Speech Pathology, JoEllen continued her education, received her MS degree, and began her career as a Florida Registered Speech Language Pathologist. She continues in this field today, on staff at South Florida Baptist Hospital with Kessler Rehabilitation. It was upon graduation that she and a few of her fellow Chiefs got together to talk about old times and “dreamed of a group like the Alumni Band.” After dozens of phone calls to former members of the Chiefs, the dream came true and the brand new Alumni Band took the field at Homecoming in 1969. JoEllen’s memory of that first rainy Homecoming: “I stood in the end zone in my new garnety-purple mini-dress and garnety-purple shoes (both of which left garnety-purple stains all over my body!) and a Styrofoam hat from Budweiser, watching water run out of my flute…you couldn’t have dragged me off that field for anything! JoEllen continues to be an active member of the organization that she helped form.