Meet the Family

Amy Makice

Born in Indiana in 1969, Amy spent most of her childhood in Bloomington. A devout Hoosier, she graduated from Bloomington High School South in 1987 and attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. After graduating in 1992, Amy moved to Chicago, Illinois and married Kevin Isbister. The two had first met while doing a play (”Coming Attractions”) at DePauw. Amy picked up some work experience at two long-term care facilities before packing up for New Orleans and Tulane University. There, she graduated with a degree in social work (M.S.W.). The couple moved back to Illinois in January 1996. It didn’t take long for Amy to find a job, becoming a therapist and eventually coordinator at Reality House of the Ben Gordon Center in DeKalb, Illinois. Amy left that position in spring 1999 to join Kevin in Bloomington where he was starting a new job at Indiana University. She commuted two hours a day back to Greencastle for several months while working at Cummins, leaving that position to prepare for the arrival of Carter in January 2000. Amy and Kevin changed their last name to “Makice” just before Christmas 1999, with Amy retaining Clendening as her new middle name.

Kevin Makice

Kevin was born in 1968 in Colorado. After his father earned his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Colorado later that year, the family moved to Woodstock, Illinois. Kevin graduated from Woodstock High School in 1986 as valedictorian before attending DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. Four years there produced a degree in physics and renewed an interest in theatre. Ready to attend Renssalear University to pursue a PhD in physics, Kevin took a year off to contemplate that choice and pursue acting training. Accepted into DePaul University’s MFA program, Kevin left the school after one year and got married on August 8, 1992. He followed his new wife — fellow DePauw alum Amy Clendening — to New Orleans and took a job at Kinko’s to help put her through graduate school at Tulane University. Kevin eventually found his way to Xavier University doing graphic design and electronic publication. The couple moved back to the Midwest in January 1996 just as Kevin began dabbling in the internet and web design. A freelance programmer under the company name, “Real World Creations,” Kevin opted to take a job with Indiana University in 1999 as Web Services Coordinator. Within a year, he would have a new house, new name and new child. Currently, Kevin is attending the Informatics program at Indiana University.

Carter Makice

The first Makice ever born to this world arrived in January, 2000 after a lengthy labor (of which he will be reminded for years to come). Carter Orlan Makice was named first for former U.S. President and ongoing humanitarian Jimmy Carter, and for his paternal great-grandfather (Orlan McGrew Arnold). Carter grew quickly in his first few months and charmed people with his bright eyes and chubby legs. Carter’s specialty was slapstick humor, having perfected the “Dick Van Dyke Dance,” he also enjoyed spinning in circles and playing piano. Currently, he is a voracious reader and artist.

Archie Makice

Archie James Makice is the newest arrival, coming into the world on October, 2003. He is named Archie because his parents thought it was a cool name, and James after his maternal grandfather, Gary James Clendening. He delights most in watching his big brother bound around the room pretending to be a superhero. Much of his early life was spent pretending to be a monster and chasing older kids. At age two, Archie had already mastered computer mouse control and could change DVDs (much to his parents’ delight and horror).