Tributes To Father Aase
Testimonials were taken from several sources including a survey, the HBHS MUN Alumni Facebook page, and an online guestbook. If you would like your testimonial added, please reach out by email.
“MUN was the most interesting class I had in all of high school. It kept me going to school because of the challenge it presented and the interesting students it attracted. It set in motion a lifelong interest in foreign affairs and an expat career for which I will always be thankful. Aase knew how to get out of us what we didn’t know we had.”
“Lynn Aase was a great man who positively impacted many, and I’ve used the MUN experience all over the world to include a stint as a UN Peacekeeper, at an Embassy, and many other interesting places. He in many ways was with me in those assignments.”
“I graduated in 1985. Mr Aase and MUN were instrumental for me getting accepted into the Air Force Academy. After serving 20 years I retired from the Air Force and took up teaching largely because of the impact Mr Aase had on my life. So glad I had a chance to visit with him in 2015 when I traveled back to California for my 30th HBHS reunion.”
“Mr. Aase, my life is better because of you. You somehow terrified me every single day while also instilling in me more confidence than any high schooler should ever have. Because of you, public speaking has always been the least of my worries (and I have a lot of worries). Because of you, I’ve won A LOT of arguments. Because of you, I care about the world in which we live. Because of you, I am me. Rest in Peace, Mr. Aase.”
“Mr. Aase remains one of my all-time favorite teachers (that includes college, grad school, and two teaching credential programs!). Under Mr. Aase’s mentorship, I grew as a teacher, public speaker, writer, researcher, and well-rounded human being. More recently, I had the pleasure of taking Mr. Aase’s film class at the HB Adult School. Enrollment was typically limited to senior citizens, yet Mr. Aase was happy to make an exception. My dad and I attended for several years and owe our extensive knowledge of obscure film trivia solely to him. To Mr. Aase’s family – thank you for sharing him with us! I am truly sorry for your loss. Please know that you are not alone, both in your grief and your appreciation for having known him.”
“Mr. Aase was a wonderful teacher and mentor. He was always there with the right word, whether stern or kind, to help you through whatever difficulties you were facing. The MUN program he built at Huntington is an amazing experience for anyone with the privilege to have gone through and will truly serve as an enduring legacy to the countless lives he enriched.”
“Mr. Aase the teacher who inspired me to do my best, face my fears, and stand out from the crowd. Mr. Aase believed in me and I always wanted to do my best to make him proud. I remember using songs and singing as an opener during my MUN speeches and it definitely left a mark and got us the wins! Mr. Aase gave me the courage to speak eloquently in front of 100+ people and now teaching and presenting are some of my passions as I advance in my advertising sales career. Your memory will live on within all of us! Thank you for everything Mr. Aase.”
“MUN lead to my love of international politics and issues, my major, and my career in Law.”
“MUN helped me overcome crushing shyness; gave me the opportunity to perform at the highest level.”
“Mr. Aase brought a level of wisdom and perspective to the high school experience that continues to shape me 20 years later. On 9/11, at the beginning of my sophomore year, we gathered in Aase’s room during lunch because we knew he was the best person to help us make sense of it all. That day, Mr. Aase drew parallels with Pearl Harbor, “a day that will live in infamy,” and made some prescient observations about how America would change post-911. Our MUN trips were an unforgettable part of high school for me, just as Mr. Aase predicted when he was convincing us to go. He gave me my first airplane flight, taught me that war is hell, and got me to appreciate cinema as an art form. Thanks for everything, Mr. Aase! Learning from you has been a profoundly transformative privilege.”
“There are not many of us, who when we take our last breath, leave this world knowing that we changed even one person’s life for the better. But Mr. Aase – he made the world a better place for hundreds, if not thousands, of young people. What he taught us changed the trajectory of our future. While I’ve had many professors, Mr. Aase continues to be the most influential teacher of my life. My little daughter would call him a super-hero. Indeed I thought he was invincible. It’s hard to imagine this world without him. But I know without a shadow of a doubt, that all of his students will carry on his legacy of speaking up, doing good and changing the world.”
“Thank you for toughening us up, Mr Aase, and also making it super fun!”
“Mr. Aase and MUN taught me confidence and resilience.”
“Thank you for the invaluable lessons, Mr. Aase. Your passion for the Cold War made your classroom more compelling than most, and your guidance on how to conduct ourselves bears dividends to this very day. All roads lead to Vietnam, and so much of our collective success leads back to you.”
“Four years (1975-1979) in the HBHS MUN program shaped my view of the world and of myself. How lucky we were to be mentored by this great man.”
“Aase’s MUN went the distance.”
“Mr. Aase did more than teach us about international relations and research skills and debate techniques; he taught us what it meant to be a professional. Unlike our competitors, we would enter conferences wearing suits and carrying briefcases packed with months of well-organized material, along with a laser focus on our mission. With apologies to Al Davis, he taught us what it meant to conduct yourself with pride and poise, and a commitment to excellence. Essentially, Mr. Aase showed us all what it meant to be a grown-up rather than a high school teenager. And for that, along with all the wonderful moments of success and achievement, I’ll always be grateful to Mr. Aase.”