An Edmonds Community College Math Department Love Story

The photograph on Dr. Pat Averbeck’s desktop has long been a source of confusion and gives the first hint of a love connection in the Edmonds Community College math department.

Averbeck, an EdCC math instructor, has a picture of Deann Leoni at her wedding. In the picture, Leoni, also a math instructor, has a man next to her and two behind her. All three men are at least 8 inches taller than the 5 foot 6 inch Averbeck, and he's not pictured in the shot at all.

Averbeck recalled the photograph sparking conversation during one meeting with a student. The student was obviously distracted and didn't seem to understand what they were talking about. He had come in with a question, and had something else on his mind.

“He was thinking about something and it wasn't just the math,” Averbeck said. As a teacher, Averbeck tried to figure out what the distraction was. He followed the student’s gaze to the picture on the desk.

Finally the student, who had Leoni in a previous class, summoned the nerve to ask, “Why do you have a picture of Miss Leoni on your desk?”

“I had to explain to him we are married,” Averbeck said. The photo, he said, featured his bride with several groomsmen, and Averbeck just didn't happen to be in that particular shot.

Leoni said the couple married long before they worked together, and Leoni was already employed at EdCC for seven years when Averback applied for his faculty position. There was no attempt to hide their relationship during Averbeck’s hiring. Since neither one is the boss of the other, there would be no reason for their relationship to be often discussed. 

“I have always known,” said David Chalif, the Dean of the Math and Sciences department. He attributes any confusion to the fact that both teachers have different last names, and there's no reason to explain marital status in a math class. 

Last names aren't the only differences between the two. Averbeck is full of energy. He will apologize at the start of a quarter for the fact that he talks too fast for most people. Averbeck paces the classroom talking as he goes in some classes and becomes really animated when explaining a concept.

This is in stark contrast to the thoughtful, calm demeanor of Leoni. However, the couple share the same smile when talking about their relationship and the confusion is sometimes causes.

It isn’t just the random student; some faculty members are unaware of their relationship as well. It took a former colleague two years to make the connection. After Leoni returned to campus after having the twins, he thought it was a coincidence that two people in the math department would have twins.

The two have never encouraged any misunderstandings or let it go too far. Although Averbeck does admit to having fun with it sometimes.

With the two teaching different classes, sometimes they will teach one math class that leads to the other. Knowing that it was his wife, Averbeck will accuse the previous instructor of not preparing his students for the current level of math. Students have leapt to the defense of Leoni, not wanting her to get in trouble with Averbeck.

 At a time when the two of them had classes next to each other, Averbeck would “work the hallways” as he calls it, looking inside the window of her class and saying, “hey, she is kind of cute.” And make a joke about offering to carry her books after class or ask her out on a date. If history would repeat itself, Averbeck would have to ask her out a few times.

“He asked me out, I turned him down,” Leoni said.

The couple met in 1995 while both were in grad school at Oregon State University. Averbeck was assisting with the TA training when he saw Leoni. “And that is when she flashed me a smile,” he said.

“Regardless of the other people in the room,” Leoni said.

“What other people?” Averbeck asked.

“He has the facts of the location correct,” Leoni said. As the new group of grad students were being introduced, each had to stand up, “and smile I guess,” Leoni said.

Working together at EdCC has its benefits. They both enjoy flexible scheduling. When the twins were younger, the family could use the daycare on EdCC campus. Now that the children are 5-years-old, Leoni and Averbeck's classes can be staggered so one parent can drop the kids off and the other can pick the kids up. This leaves from about 3 p.m. until the twin’s bedtime for quality family time.

“I do a lot of my work at night,” Averbeck said.

Making time for each other is the hardest part, Leoni said. “Spring break, we can just relax together,” she said.

Despite the confusion it causes, Averbeck still hasn’t changed the picture on his desk. Out of hundreds of wedding photos, the one without him in it is still the one he chose.

 “I didn’t want a picture of myself,” Averbeck said, “I can look in the mirror.”