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Wesleyan Today Magazine

Class Notes

We welcome alumni news for the Class Notes section of Wesleyan Today.
Please note that we edit Class Notes for length, with priority given to news specifically about alumni of Dakota Wesleyan University.
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1930s

Marjorie Voas Mayer ’33 celebrated her 100th birthday May 4, 2011.  Her family will meet in Minneapolis this July to celebrate.

Dorothy Alexander Collins ’36 was been honored by the LakeVille Board of Education in Columbiaville, Mich., when they named their new media center the Dorothy Collins Media Center.  Dorothy celebrated her 96th birthday on March 19, 2011.

1940s

Thelma Murphey Herbst ’46 is a resident of the Flathead Valley in Montana, just outside of Glacier National Park.

1950s

Dave ’59 and Pearl Hallett have participated in three volunteer projects this past year: Habitat for Humanity in Las Cruces, N.M., and in Dade City, Fla., and Nomads Project in Delray, Fla.

Roger Tanquist ’59 has completed training at Capitol Medical Center in Olympia, Wa.  He will serve on the team of volunteers who provide spiritual care to patients and their families.

1960s

Gerry Printup c’60 and friend, Michael Lambert, went to Cocoa Beach, Fla., to see the space shuttle Endeavor launch.

Herb ’64 and Judy Mayer Meserve ’64 enjoyed the festivities during the DWU 125th anniversary celebration.  The Kugel Reunion Choir was a great experience.

Penny Fritze-Tietz ’65 is writing her third trilogy mystery entitled, “A Favorite Death Experience.”  The first book of the series, “The Pauline Epistle,” was set on Dakota Wesleyan’s campus during Blue & White Days.

Johannas Asmussen Jordan ’65 was ordained to the transitional deaconate on May 17 at St. James Episcopal Church in Hibbing, Minn.  She is part of the Total Ministry Team at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Bemidji, Minn.

Jack Cooper ’67 retired after 36 years as a teacher, coach and counselor.  He has been married to Charlene for 45 years.  They have three sons and 10 grandchildren.  They spent February in Arizona and were able to connect with four football buddies and their wives.

Deanna Holter Warner ’68 retired after 30 years of teaching.  Deanna and her husband, Hal, have two married children and four grandchildren.

Art ’68 and Donna Herrick Georgopoulos ’69 are both retired, but they now work with handicapped adults.  They have five grandchildren.

1970s

Anna Marie Teachout Thatcher ’70 and husband/business partner, Graham Thatcher, have launched their own platform to provide national webcasts of their continuing legal education movies and workshops.  Since 1994, they have toured live CLE Theatre productions to bar associations and law schools around the country; their programs use theatre as a teaching tool to focus on issues of ethics and professionalism.  Anna Marie is a 1994 graduate of Hamline University School of Law, where their productions were first offered.  The webcasts are now offered for CLE credit in 18 states.  Information is available at http://periaktos.bizvision.com.

Maurine Schimming Bietz ’71 is writing a book about her mother, Ruth Ingalls Schimming ’67, who celebrated her 100th birthday on Nov. 20, 2010.  She was an elementary music teacher, private piano teacher and organist, choir director and hand bell choir director at Zion Lutheran Church.  Previously, she also served as the Barbershop Choir director.

Linda Mannes ’71 says retirement is great.  She highly recommends it!

Raleigh Voas ’73 retired after 37 years of teaching high school and coaching.  He and his wife, Cindy, recently moved to Fort Collins, Colo., to be near their three children and 10 grandchildren.  He is now working as a bus operator for the city of Fort Collins.

Renee Bonine Schultz ’77 was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in June 2011.

Barbara Burgess Love ’79 is working as a teaching assistant in a special needs class at East Meck High School in Charlotte, N.C.  Her husband, John, is a United Methodist minister at a church in Lake Norman, N.C.

1980s

Ron and Rowena Ruge Miller ’80 celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary on Oct. 31, 2010.

Alan Nagel ’80 and his daughter, Tiffany D’Amours, were commissioned on May 29 at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City during the Oklahoma Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.  Alan is currently attending Saint Paul School of Theology on the campus of Oklahoma City University and will graduate January 2012.  Alan continues his appointment at Mt. Vernon UMC in Crescent and now also serves First UMC in Crescent.

Denny Kaemingk ’87 AA, chairman of the South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles and DWU criminal justice adjunct instructor, was named the secretary of the S.D. Department of Corrections by Gov. Dennis Daugaard.

Julie Ortman ’88, Sioux Falls, was recognized by the South Dakota State Historical Society for her efforts in preserving state history by receiving a Governor’s Award for History this May.  Ortman was named the 2011 History Teacher of the Year.  She teaches at Memorial Middle School in Sioux Falls and uses a wide variety of hands-on methods and technologies to engage her students in learning about history.  A previous VFW and Alcester-Hudson Teacher of the Year and a finalist last year for Sioux Falls School District Teacher of the Year, Ortman said she teaches “to make every day an adventure that students can’t wait to take!”

Duane Wince ’88 completed his master’s degree in educational administration from South Dakota State University in December 2010 and is now serving his first year as assistant principal at Douglas High School in Box Elder.

1990s

Roger Heidinger ’92, Tea, began growing sweet corn in 2004 and pumpkins in 2006 and now has expanded from one acre to five with more than 3,000 pumpkins.  His business, Roger’s Country Produce, now offers sweet corn, watermelons, cantaloupe, popcorn, decorative corn, straw bales and pumpkins from 2 pounds to more than 200.  More about his growing business may be found at www.rogerscountryproduce.com.

James and Nancy Dokken Deiter ’95 will celebrate 50 years of marriage in 2012.

2000s

Christopher Hockley ’05 is attending the Pacific School of Religion in Berkley, Calif.

Dane Carlson ’10 participated in an NFL Pro Day and also had tryouts with the UFL and CFL.  Dane was a four-year starter for the Tiger football team and a three-time All-Conference linebacker.

Ashleigh E. Nolz ’10, Mitchell, recently self-published a book, “Spirit: A True Life Tale of a Grieving Sibling,” a story based on Nolz’s experiences losing a younger sister to a car accident.  The story is written as a journal and reveals a story of life, loss, finding hope and redemption, which is meant to comfort others.  The book is available in paperback, hardcover and as an e-book through the publisher at www.xlibris.com, and some versions may also be found on www.amazon.com.

Births

Christopher and Nicki Gale-Youngberg ’96 welcomed a son, Weston Lee, on Feb. 1, 2011.

Austin and Penny Evans Brunken ’97 welcomed a baby boy, Ross Gerald, born on Nov. 8, 2010.  They have two other children, Ray Nicholas, 6, and Ruby Jean, 4.

Jared Budenski ’99 and his wife, Jill, welcomed a baby boy, Jake Dale, on March 11, 2011.

Jason ’00 and Yolanda Jones Price ’00 welcomed a baby girl, Willa Rose, on June 26, 2010.  She joins her brothers, Noah, 7, and Isayah, 5.

David and Billie Jo Beckers Indahl ’01 announce the birth of twin boys, Bryson and Brody, on Dec. 31, 2010.

Brent and Sarah Viedt Taggart ’04 welcomed their second child on Feb. 27, 2011.  A boy, Evan Daniel, joins his big sister, Chloe, at home.

Brian and Jennifer Nebelsick Lowery ’04 welcomed a son, Dawson Dean, born Feb. 4, 2010.

Ryan and Jeana Simons Ahlers ’05 welcomed a daughter, Ruby Jean, on April 12, 2011.

Weddings

Tom Scheer and Jessica Meduna ’00 were married Feb. 20, 2010.  They live in Omaha, Neb.

Adam Bertsch and Kristen Windle ’03 were married Nov. 13, 2010, at the DWU Sherman Center.

Matt Piper ’04 and Ashley Andrews were married on May 1, 2011, in Chicago.

Andrew Blue and Tanya Plagmann ’09 were married June 11, 2010, at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Iroquois.

Deaths

Genevieve Test Peterson c’30 of Worthington, Minn., died June 29, 2009.

Gladys Hershey ’33 died April 6, 2011, in Rapid City.

Adeline O’Brien Willier ex’34 of Springfield, Mo., died April 10, 2011.

Esther Aalseth Frier ’36 of Eden Prairie, Minn., died Dec. 21, 2010.

Doris Rundell Seibert c’37 of Swansea, Ill., died Jan. 25, 2005.

Evelyn Dubois Andersen c’38 died Dec. 24, 2010, in Mitchell.

June Goodwin Fite MH’38 of Fort Meyer, Fla., died Dec. 4, 2010.

Margaret Knodell Steele c’38 of Bismarck, N.D., died April 19, 2009.

Ruth Deetz ’39 of Arvada, Colo., died Dec. 17, 2009.

Don Albers ex’40 of Oklahoma City died Dec. 14, 2010.

Morton Erickson ’40 died Feb. 23, 2011, in Langford.

Edward Deffley ex’41 of Monterey, Calif., died Aug. 24, 2009.

Alma Eggert Gannon c’41 of Mitchell died May 6, 2011.

Corrine Jorgensen Deinert c’41 died Feb. 25, 2011, in Mitchell.

Byron H. Foreman ex’41 of St. Paul, Minn., died Aug. 9, 2010.

Violet E. Somsen c’41 died March 24, 2011, in Castlewood.

Eunice Storla MH’43 of Marion, Ind., died Jan. 14, 2011.

Gwen Greenway Tillotson MH’43 died Feb. 13, 2011, in Mitchell.

Wayne Shuck ex’44 died Dec. 1, 2009, in Belle Fourche.

Darlene Glissendorf Haines ex’45 died Jan. 4, 2011, in White Lake.  She is survived by her son, Wayne Haines ex’76.

Wiona Peshek Tillotson MH’45 died Dec. 27, 2010, in Mitchell.

Esther Hayes Bushnell ex’46 of Rush, N.Y., died July 1, 2009.

Eldon Froke ex’46 of Rialto, Calif., died Oct. 5, 2010.  He is survived by his wife, Lorraine Swanson Froke c’43.

Tessa Ocheltree Silva ex’46 of Carlsbad, Calif., died Nov. 21, 2006.

Leatrice Rask Hoy ex’48 died Dec. 27, 2010, in Bridgewater.

Paul Olinger ex’48 of Hemet, Calif., died Sept. 12, 2009.

Gene Kuyper ’50 of Arkadelphia, Ark., died Nov. 23, 2010.

Virgil Sluka ex’50 of Omaha, Neb., died March 17, 2011.

Gene Sturm ex’50 of Castle Rock, Colo., died Feb. 2, 2010.

LaVerta Anderson c’51 of Glendale, Ariz., died Feb. 21, 2011.

Richard C. Johnson ex’51 of Washougal, Wash., died Dec. 10, 2010.

Orson Gray ’51 died March 17, 2011, in Wessington Springs.

Ronald Carter ex’52 of Lancaster, Calif., died July 30, 2009.

Chuck Johnson ’52 of San Diego died Nov. 20, 2010.  He is survived by his sister, Ethel Johnson Hughes ’48.

Carrol Stewart ex’53 died Nov. 15, 2009, in Reliance.

Nadine Edinger Mickelson ’56 died March 12, 2011, in Yankton.  She is survived by her husband, Ted Mickelson ’52, and son, Clark Mickelson ’83.

Homer Briggs ex’57 died Jan. 23, 2011, in Plankinton.  He is survived by his sisters, Amy Briggs Harry ’71 and Luella Briggs Range ’67, and a brother, Thomas Briggs ’50.

Marlis VanOverscheld Buxcel ex’58 of Gillette, Wyo., died Jan. 31, 2009.

Janese DeGeest MH’58 of Plankinton died March 9, 2010.

Brad Patten ’59 of Raymore, Mo., died Aug. 4, 2010.  He is survived by his wife, Lois Price Patten ’57.

Emory C. Bogle ’61 of Richmond, Va., died Dec. 26, 2010.

Sandie Solum Rice ’61 died April 6, 2011, in Mitchell.

Al Musson Jr. ’62 of O’Neill, Neb., died Feb. 27, 2010.

Warren R. Caton ’63 of Los Angeles died Jan. 25, 2011.  He is survived by his sister, Mary Caton Armantrout ’64.

William Hendrix ex’65 died Dec. 9, 2010, in Mitchell.  He is survived by his wife, Shirley Miiller Hendrix ’67.

Gary Jackson ’66 of Lexington, Ky., died March 3, 2010.

James Dodd ex’69 died Jan. 8, 2011, in Mitchell.

Vera Brewer Fouberg ’70 died March 25, 2011, in Salem.

Thomas Kluthe ’70 died Feb. 7, 2011, in Plankinton.

John Skillings ex’70 of South Fayette, Pa., died Dec. 6, 2010.

Neil Teer III ex’70 of Jefferson City, Mo., died Aug. 19, 2009.

David Jackson ’71, HD’10 of Napa, Calif., died April 22, 2011.

Bob Arehart ’72 of Friend, Neb., died Jan. 10, 2011.

Rod Galland ’72 of Lead died May 24, 2011, in Arizona.  He is survived by his wife, Nancy Zeal Galland ex’67.

Carter Harrison ex’72 of Saint Anthony, Minn., died March 11, 2011.

Gary Hohn ex’72 of Golden, Colo., died Feb. 14, 2011.

Debora Northrup Moody ’78 died April 27, 2011, in Mitchell.

Berlinda Leines Wunder ex’90 died Oct. 19, 2010, in Wagner.

Scott Bruns ’03 died March 21, 2011, in Rapid City.

Friends

Eugene G. Cheever died Jan. 13, 2011, in Rapid City.  Gene was the head football coach at DWU from 1952 to 1954.

Persis Flint died Dec. 16, 2009, in Sioux Falls.  She and her husband, Bob, had served on the Dakota Wesleyan University Board of Trustees.

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