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.
Click HERE to update your information

Doris Eaton Shipley c’33 is still an active retiree living in her own home.  She enjoyed an early fall 2009 trip to the Canadian Rockies.  Her special activities groups are Retired Teachers of Black Hills, Church Women of UCC and Black Hills Pioneers.  She plays Bridge many afternoons.

Ted Smith ’44 is still ballroom dancing and preparing to publish his third book, “Practical Psychology.”

Shirley Fillmore Ness ex’51 has published her second book, “Mom’s Old Testament Heroes and Scoundrels,” which can be purchased at www.authorhouse.com.

Lin Jennewein ’57 was recently nominated to the mayor’s committee on human relations in Rapid City.  She is currently a member of the S.D. Hall of Fame Board and the S.D. Humanities Council Board.

Curtis Rolfe ’57 spent January in Colombia and February in the Dominican Republic.

June Wolf Briggs ’62 retired Aug. 31, 2009, after 26 years of music ministry at Trinity Lutheran Church in Las Cruces, N.M.

Charlotte Ruth Nold ’64 has served as pastor of St. John UCC for 21 years.  She will go to China in July.

LaRee and Loren Opdahl ’64 enjoy spending winters in Palm Springs, Calif.  They continue to participate in two woodcarving clubs and love the pastime.

Dan Rice ’64 is serving his 10th year as dean of the College of Education and Human Development at the University of North Dakota.

Bill Thayer ’64 is enjoying retirement.  He and his wife, Janet, now have 11 grandchildren.

Carol Stoops Hildebrand ’65 and her husband, Duane, enjoyed participating in a choir tour to China last summer.  They sang in Beijing (in the Forbidden City) and in Shanghai.

Judie Van Winkle Stewart ’65 and her husband, Gordon, celebrated their 45th anniversary in Hawaii.

Wayne Heisinger ’69, a member of the Minnesota Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the DWU Athletic Hall of Fame, joined an elite group of Minnesota’s most successful coaches when he was inducted into the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in October 2009.  Wayne is married to Cheryl Miller ’69, and they live in Heron Lake, Minn. They have four children and seven grandchildren.

Carol Berry ’69 has worked with Child Evangelism Fellowship for 32 years and has been in Milwaukee for 11 years.

Wrenda Herther Fuller ’69 has retired from 35 years of teaching government and choir, although she continues to direct the church music program and the southwest Virginia children’s choir.  During the past five summers, the highlight has been directing the music, art and drama camp through her local community college.  Wrenda and her husband, Larry, will celebrate their 40th anniversary in August.

Ron Povolo ’69 retired on April 30, 2010, from his position as assistant director of the Monmouth County Division of Mental Health & Addiction Services after 26 years with the county and a total of 41 years in the addictions field.  In recognition of his retirement, the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, by way of a formal resolution, presented him with a certificate of recognition naming April 14, 2010, as “Ronald V. Povolo Day” in Monmouth County, N.J.

Kathy Caldwell ’70 retired in July 2009 from her corporate training position and constant travel to focus on her professional music (oboe), speaking and writing full time.

John Kilbride ’71 and Charlie Whipple ’73 met in Greensburg, Pa., in December for a weekend visit.  Charlie continues to preach to his congregation at McConnellsville, Pa., and John has completed 34 years with Amtrak out of East Windsor, N.J.

Dale and Christine Grinager Howard ’71 have owned the Hardware Hank store in Arcadia, Wis., for 35 years.

Bruce Wynkoop ’71 published his book, “RE-Cycling, Taking Up Bicycling Again as an Adult,” in July 2009.  He is an avid cyclist and will embark on a three-month bike trip to raise money for wells in Ghana.

Karen Lambert ’72 has been honored as the February Employee of the Month at the South Dakota Human Services Center, Yankton.

Bob Knebel ’73 is director of development and public relations at Oklahoma Methodist Manor in Tulsa, Okla.  He moved to Tulsa in December 2008 from Stratford, Conn.

Dennis ’74 and Jill Warner Franck ’74 became grandparents to grandson Gabriel.  He was born in New Zealand to their daughter and her husband.

Ron Kogel ex’75 retired from UPS after 35 years of service out of the Mitchell center.

Brian Hefer ’84 is director of faith formation for two parishes.

Bev LeBeau ’84 moved to Boise, Idaho, in June 2010.

Scott Dornbush ’85 has been serving as the senior pastor of First United Methodist Church, Huntsville, Texas, since June 2009.

Don Jorgensen ’87 was recently nominated for a regional Emmy from the National Academy of Television for his stories on Honor Flight, which sent hundreds of World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to see the memorial built in their honor.

Xanti Weinkauf ’89 is the discharge planner at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rhinelander, Wis.

Denny Lindamood ’90 is now a pastor and serving as director of King’s-Will AA in Blaine, Minn.

Rose King Reinhart ex’90 is the registrar at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C.

Jackie Davis ’91 has been named the director of capital giving at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa.  Davis has been employed at DWU since she graduated, with more than 17 years in the institutional advancement office.  She worked with the annual fund, major and campaign gifts, alumni relations, planned giving and administration.  She also served as the university’s coordinator of campus wellness and activities for two years.  She has been an active volunteer at Mitchell Christian School and Northridge Baptist Church, as well as a board member for the Mitchell Area Safehouse Foundation.  Her campus involvement has included service on numerous committees, including accreditation, inauguration, spiritual development, staff relations and employee recognition.

Nicole Morrison-Mathern ’96 and a business partner have started an Internet radio station at www.URLradio.net, a mix of local talent and hits from the ’80s and ’90s.  Nicole is also the assistant director of the Harold Schafer Emerging Leaders Academy at the University of Mary.

Dan Kopfmann ’02 is working as a patrol officer for the city of Mitchell.  Carri Jewett Kopfmann ’01 is working as a registered nurse at Sanford Children’s Clinic in Mitchell.

Rob McCoy ’03 was recently promoted from assistant coach to head coach at Niagara University in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Eric Walth ’03 is featured on the website for Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.  Walth is completing his M.B.A., and he is the business manager for Rock 30 Games, a Bismarck, N.D., business he and Andrew Zoeller ’02 started when they were students at DWU.

Melissa Bassett Ramsey ’06 is working in the biomedical field.

April Rokusek ’06 works at the Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls.

Jason Konechne ’08 is currently working for the Janesville Jets hockey team.  They are a Junior A team in the NAHL.

Brett Abbotts ’09 is working at White Lake School as a fifth- and sixth-grade teacher, junior high/JV girls’ volleyball coach and junior high/JV boys’ basketball coach.

Renee Butler Betancourt ’09 is working as a polysomnographic (sleep) technologist at Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital.

Danielle Bordewyk AA’09 is working at Sanford Mid Dakota Hospital in Chamberlain as a medical surgery nurse.

Megan Burke AA’09 is working as an RN in surgery at Sanford USD Medical Center.

Andrea Dalzell ’09 is a billing specialist at Barnabas Home Health Care Services in Brainerd, Minn.

Cassie DeRocher ’09 is working as a third-grade teacher at Kadoka Area Schools.

Katie Dietz ’09 is working for New York Life Insurance as an insurance agent in Plano, Texas.

Heath Eggleston ’09 is pursuing his Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Colorado – Denver Medical School.

Tiffany Stevens Feller AA’09 is working at Sioux Falls Surgical Hospital as an operating room nurse.

Colby Fitzgerald ’09 is distribution manager at Kiwi Indian Motorcycles in Mitchell.

Nichole Foos AA’09 is a unit coordinator RN at Golden Living Lovington Heights in Canton.

Jacqueline Bechen Gall AA’09 is an RN at Avera St. Benedict Certified Health Clinic in Lake Andes.

Tiffany Hixon ’09 is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in drug and alcohol studies.  She is working as a chemical dependency counselor at Stepping Stones.

Thomas Hoek ’09 is working at Ethan School District as a middle school and high school computer instructor, head junior high football and boys’ basketball coach, and assistant varsity football and boys’ basketball coach.

Jill Jones AA’09 is a nurse manager at Southeastern Behavioral in Sioux Falls.

Jennifer Jorgensen ’09 is working at Comfort Inn and Suites of Mitchell as a front desk clerk and assistant manager.

Makel Juarez ’09 is working at Klock Werks Kustom Cycles as an inventory control/purchasing agent.

Sara Borgstadt Klich ’09 is working at Snow, Huether & Coyle CPA Firm as an assistant accountant and bookkeeper.

Ali McCormick ’09 is pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at Sioux Falls Seminary and working at  Hy-Vee and the Christian Center Daycare.

Dylan Moro AA’09 is an RN at Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Jaci Larson Moser AA’09 is an RN on the cardiac postsurgical floor at the VA Medical Center in Sioux Falls.

Jamie Spoelstra Munneke AA’09 of Corsica is an RN at Avera Platte Care Center.

Kathryn Nelson AA’09 is an RN at Sanford Hospital in the pulmonary unit.

John Olson ’09 is pursuing a Doctor of Optometry degree.

Tanya Plagmann AA’09 is an RN at Huron Clinic and Miller Good Samaritan Center.

Anna Quinn Roeder ’09 is a family link care manager at Volunteers of America-Dakotas.  She is obtaining her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Walden University.

Chris Sheckler ’09 is pursuing a master’s degree in sports science, health, physical education and recreation at SDSU.

Nicole Simon AA’09 is an RN at the VA Medical Center in Sioux Falls.

Melissa Tompkins AA’09 is a nurse at Tschetter & Hohm Clinic and SunQuest Healthcare in Huron.

Amy Torgerson AA’09 is an RN at Rapid City Regional Hospital and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Rochelle Van Dam AA’09 is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing and working full time as an RN on the pulmonary unit at Sanford Hospital.

Jonie Lupkes VanLerberghe AA’09 is an acute care RN at Hendricks Community Hospital in Tyler, Minn.

Deb Walz AA’09 is a charge nurse at Firesteel Health Care Center in Mitchell.

Jason and Denise Fosheim Overweg ’98 of Pierre announce the birth of their son, Sawyer Michael.  He was born on Jan. 10, 2010.

Dan ’02 and Carri Jewett Kopfmann ’01 had a son, Owen Ray, on Aug. 20, 2008.

Dave and Jamie Day Henkel ’02 of Mitchell announce the birth of their son, Devin John, born Oct. 30, 2009.

Derrick ’04 and Emily Overgaard Robinson ’04 announce the birth of their daughter, Ruthie Anne, on June 13, 2009.

Jason and Emily Walter Feldhaus ’05 announce the birth of their son, Owen William, born Sept. 4, 2009.  They live in Howard.

Andy ’05 and Jennifer Walker Newell ’05 announce the birth of their son, Gabriel Walker, on April 29, 2009.  They live in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

April Rokusek ’06 had a baby girl, Aubrey Rose, in July 2009.

Jared and Desiree Sperlich Bultje ’07 announce the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth Ann Bultje, on Oct. 22, 2009.  They live in Corsica.

Ron Povolo ’69 married Linda Gabriele on Feb. 26, 2010.  They reside in Keansburg, N.J.

Don Rollins ex’69 married Kristian on Feb. 20, 2010.

Kelly Mandel ’96 and Mike Lauck were married June 13, 2009.  They live in Brandon.

Bertha Wolbert Olsen c’24 of Battle Ground, Wash., died Jan. 28, 2010.

Wilfred Gross ’32 of Geddes died Dec. 20, 2009, at Lake Andes.

Elsie Brugger Schneider ’32 of Kirkland, Wash., died April 23, 2010.

Leona Marshall Haley c’33 of Arcadia, Calif., died Nov. 23, 2009.

Genevieve Dodds O’Connor c’35 of La Honda, Calif., died Jan. 21, 2010.

Paul Shore ex ’37 of Wheatland, Wyo., died Jan. 6, 2010.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Jeanette Fairbrother Shore ’35, Nov. 9, 2009.

Florence Brisbine McGovern c’38 of Westlake, Ohio, died Jan. 18, 2010.

Mary Edge Kammerud ’39 of Franklin, Tenn., died Feb. 12, 2010.

Evertye DeGooyer Dittman c’40 of Madison, Wis., died Feb. 8, 2010.

Alice Giese La Tomme ’40 of Florence, Ore., died Sept. 12, 2009.

Mabel Nielson ’40 of Mitchell died April 27, 2010.  She is survived by her brother, Wally Nielson ’54.

Louila Scott Wasserburger ’40 of Huron died Jan. 29, 2010.

Arleen Hindman Nelson ’44 of Watertown died May 1, 2009.

Mildred McGovern Brady MH’46 of Brandon died May 4, 2010.

Lois Judd Cressy MH’45, ’47 of McMinnville, Ore., died March 6, 2010.

Evelyn Hawkins Crockett ex’46 of Plankinton died Feb. 11, 2010.

Margaret Sailer Hart MH’46 of Simpsonville, S.C., died Dec. 12, 2009.

Frances Lambert Rydel MH’48 of Minneapolis died April 21, 2009.

Donna Burrill Carpenter ex’50 died Nov. 17, 2009, in Watertown.  She is survived by her husband, Doug ’50, and a brother, Wally Burrill ex’50.

Cliff Johnson ex’51 of Loveland, Colo., died May 27, 2009.  He is survived by his wife, Kathy Harmon Johnson ’50.

Elaine Hofer Jones MH’56 of Baxter, Iowa, died Sept. 16, 2009.

Doris Deuchar Kalb c’56 of Yuma, Colo., died May 18, 2009.  She is survived by her husband, Bill Kalb ’56.

Jerry Ptak ’58 of Winter Haven, Fla., died March 1, 2010.  He is survived by his wife, Lila Lee Ptak ’57.

William Griffith ex’59 of Montrose died April 26, 2010, in Sioux Falls.

We recently learned of the death of Donna Ohlsen Hejna MH’59 of Mason City, Iowa.  She died March 7, 2005.

Grace Moquist Skinner ex’60 of Abingdon, Md., died Dec. 19, 2008.

Jim Sweeden ’60 of Tomball, Texas, died May 17, 2009.

Martha Pike ’62 of Redlands, Calif., died March 27, 2009.

Myron Kindopp ex’67 of Watertown died Jan. 22, 2010.

James Weber ’67 of Pierce, Neb., died Dec. 13, 2009.  He is survived by his wife, Marjorie Goudy Weber ’67.

Gene Cooper ’69 died Feb. 4, 2010, in Bethany, Mo.

Gary Mahoney ’73 of Council Bluffs, Iowa, died Jan. 13, 2010.

Gertrude Van Schaick Carlson ’74 of Wessington Springs died Jan. 20, 2010.

Bernard Hickenbotham ’74 of Spearfish died June 17, 2009.

Clark Routh ’74 of Watertown died Jan. 20, 2010.

Mel Placek ’75 of Pierre died March 6, 2010.  He is survived by his wife, Linda Jensen-Placek ’75.

Leslie Goetsch AA ’78 died March 31, 2009, in Hot Springs.

Arvella Palmer Martin ’97 of Coudersport, Pa., died Dec. 6, 2009.

Chris Wermers ’08 of Mitchell died March 22, 2010.

In the last edition of Wesleyan Today, we neglected to mention that Gordon Rollins, who passed away in August 2009, was preceded in death by his son, Norman Rollins ex’62.

Mary Weinkauf, English professor and chairwoman of the English department from 1969-89, administers the Northwoods (Wisconsin) and Western Michigan Lay School for Mission for the Northern Great Lakes Synod.  She teaches exegetics courses and substitutes as preacher and organist where needed.  Mary was ordained in 1993.

Loran Hills, professor emeritus of chemistry, died June 4, 2010.  Hills retired in 1987 after serving DWU for more than 25 years.  Among his accomplishments, Hills was instrumental in securing a grant that gave DWU its first computer lab in the early 1980s.