Wesleyan Today
Spring 2002

a publication for alumni, family, and friends

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.
    
1930s
Myrna Carpenter Coyle c'33 retired from teaching after 50 years. Myrna now has art classes at both senior centers in Rapid City where she and her husband, Bill, live.
Amber Van Burnham '35 and her husband, George, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary last summer. George died Dec. 18, 2001. Amber lives in Asheville, N.C.
Eldora Petersdorf Moses c'35 is still active in art guild work. She recently won second place on an oil painting at an art show. Eldora and her husband, Robert, live in Chula Vista, Calif.
James Lundstrom '39 has Alzheimer's disease and is in the veterans' hospital in St. Cloud, Minn. His wife, Ruth McCaskell Lundstrom c'37, lives in Park Rapids, Minn.
1940s
Ruth Gehring Hottmann c'42, BA'54 is looking forward to Alumni Days in June and renewing friendships from her college days. Ruth lives in Rapid City.
Joseph '43 and Mavis Van Schaick '45 Thompson celebrated the arrival of their sixth great-grandchild. The Thompsons live in Minnesota in the summer and Florida in the winter.
1950s
Don '51 and Mary Kaye '49 Rose enjoyed the winter in Texas in the Rio Grande Valley. The Roses live in Royalton, Minn.
Elaine Perkins Roberts Bouzek '52 and her husband, Wayne, are enjoying traveling in their retirement.
Dorothy Hubbard Schwieder '55 has recently published a book about Presho and her family history called "Growing Up with the Town: Family and Community on the Great Plains." Dorothy and her husband, Elmer Schwieder '55, live in Ames, Iowa.
1960s
Charlotte Cooper Erdahl '60 retired last June and moved from California to South Dakota. She and her husband, Don, live in Crooks.
Darwin Peterson '61 will retire in July from the Hanson School District. He has served as a teacher, guidance counselor, principal and superintendent. Darwin and his wife, Darlene, live in Alexandria.
Richard Lucas ex'61 has retired from the Durham VA Medical Center and the Duke Medical Center and now lectures occasionally and teaches part time. Oil painting and part-time private practice in psychotherapy keep him busy. Richard and his wife, Cynthia, live in Durham, N.C.
Bruce Thalacker '61 retired in May. He has taught school and coached for 20 years. Bruce started a career with American Family Insurance in 1981 and is completing his 21st year. He currently holds the position of state director for the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. Bruce and his wife, Shirley, live in Victoria, Minn.
Herb '64 and Judy Mayer '64 Meserve have recently retired from teaching and are enjoying their time off. They look forward to traveling. The Meserves live in Shoreham, N.Y.
Charlotte Nold '64 took a course in London in January while working toward a doctorate in philosophy and church history. She is the pastor at St. John United Church of Christ in Chicago.
Linda Jenson Shaw '65 and her husband, Derald, moved to Owatonna, Minn., last June. Linda is a substitute teacher and a pharmacy technician.
Jeff Wetjen '66 retired from the U.S. Army in 1998 after 31 years. He is now an adjunct faculty member of Pikes Peak Community College teaching speech communications. Jeff and his wife, Jean Heitmann Wetjen '67, live in Monument, Colo.
Nyla Harringon Hilfinger '67 works in the local drugstore in Tully, N.Y., and enjoys the people, especially the senior citizens. Nyla and her husband, Marty, live in Tully.
Don Baird '67, retired after 35 years of teaching elementary and middle school classes in Sioux Falls. Don and his wife, Trudy Cheeseman Baird '67, live in Sioux Falls.
Wrenda Herther Fuller '69 will retire in June as a teacher for the Russell County School Board. Wrenda and her husband, Larry, live in Lebanon, Va.
Carol Berry '69 works for Child Evangelism Fellowship in southeast Wisconsin. Carol lives in Racine.
Wayne Heisinger '69 has been named the 2001 Minnesota Class A Girls' Track and Field State Coach of the Year by the Minnesota Track and Field Coaches Association. He is also the current president of the Minnesota Girls' Track and Field Coaches Association. Wayne and his wife, Cheryl Miller Heisinger '69, live in Heron Lake, Minn.
1970s
Bill Gran '71 received an Ecclesiastical Endorsement for Hospital Chaplaincy from the United Methodist Board of Higher Education in January 2001. His wife, Brenda Hoyer Gran '71, received the Character Builder Award for her work with elementary school students. The Grans live in Sioux Falls.
Devonia Puetz Oster '71 is retiring as the part-time school librarian in Ethan. She began teaching there in 1972 and has taught in the middle school and the high school, in addition to being the librarian.
Luiz Lemos '74 has become the senior pastor of the Hispanic Ministries at Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, Calif. The Crystal Cathedral sponsors "The Hour of Power," which has been on the air for 38 years. Luiz and his wife, Carmen, live in Orange, Calif.
Larry Goins '75 is the athletic director and boys' golf coach at Sierra Vista High School in Las Vegas. His wife, Elaine Wells Goins '74, is a counselor with the Nye County School District. The Goinses live in Pahrump, Nev.
Ev Demetros Wheelhouse '75 has been teaching at Highmore since she graduated. She has been a Title I teacher for the last 12 years. Ev and her husband, Dwayne, have two grown daughters.
Lynn Frederick '77 received the South Dakota High School Activities Association Distinguished Service Award at the State AA Basketball tournament in March. Lynn and his wife, Mary Vessey Frederick '76, live in Brookings.
Glen Grace '77 is co-owner of a new masonry business specializing in stonework. He has recently vacationed in the British West Indies and Key West, Fla. Glen lives in Ligowier, Pa.
Kermit Culver '77 serves as the pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Bismarck, N.D. His wife, Sue Niehus Culver '93, is an art instructor at Wachter Middle School. The Culvers live in Bismarck. They have two grown sons.
Dennis Thompson '79 recently umpired his third straight national softball tournament. He was inducted into the National Indicator Fraternity in October. Dennis and his wife, Heidi Meier Thompson '80, live in Mitchell.
1980s
Darla Hadrick '89 was recently promoted to the detective division of the Sutter County Sheriff's Department. She is also assigned to the search and rescue team and the dive recovery team as a hostage negotiator, and is a volunteer for the Northern California Golden Retriever Rescue. Darla lives in Yuba City, Calif.
John Higgins '89 teaches English at Si Tanka/Huron University in Eagle Butte. This summer he will participate in a Fulbright trip to Brazil.
1990s
Marc Rentschler '90 was promoted to director of field compensation services at Minnesota Life in St. Paul, Minn. His wife, Lisa Pekas Rentschler '90, is a financial projects consultant for RHI Management Resources. The Rentschlers and their daughter, Taylor, live in Savage, Minn.
Rick Pruett '92 received his master's degree in exercise science in May. He has been teaching and coaching at the university level for eight years, and is currently the head women's volleyball and head softball coach at Concordia University at River Forest, Ill.
Lori Doyle Holmberg '95 started as the executive director of the Mitchell YWCA in January and is excited to be serving the Mitchell community. Lori and her husband, Chad, live in Mitchell.
Nicole Morrison '96 plans to get married in June. She has completed her master's degree in management at the University of Mary.
Craig Nehring ex'99 is in his first year of Master's of Divinity study at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. Craig and his wife, Wendy Mead Nehring '98, live in Lauderdale, Minn.
Bryan Diekmann '99 received his master's degree from Northern State University in Aberdeen and now works at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colo. The clinic specializes in knee and shoulder surgeries and sees many professional athletes from around the world.
Josh '99 and Stacy Zimmer '99 Oltmanns both teach in the Hanson School District. They live in Alexandria.
Coleen Liebl Smith '99 is an advocate at the Mitchell Area Safehouse. Colleen and her husband, Ryan, live in Mitchell.
2000s
Katherine Patrie '00 recently moved to Sioux Falls and is looking for a job in the human services field.
Weddings
Laura Durfee '01 married Perry Ptacek Sept. 1, 2001. Laura is the director of college relations at Presentation College in Aberdeen where they live.
Births
Curtis and Kristina Weber '88 Sage announce the birth of a son, Bailey Robert, born Jan. 12, 2002. The Sages live in Freeman.
Dan and Tara Leonard '93 Gill announce the birth of a son, Grant Leonard, born Nov. 9, 2001. Grant joins a sister, Olivia, at home in Yankton.
Jared and Leah London '94 Storm announce the birth of a daughter, Erica Marie, born Jan. 1, 2002. The Storms live near Ethan.
Chad '94 and Kris Gantvoort '95 Lauseng announce the birth of a son, William "Will" Russel, born Jan. 20, 2002. The Lausengs live in Lincoln, Neb.
Alan and Janel Selland '94 Van Ruler announce the birth of a daughter, Abigail Jean, born April 1, 2002. The Van Rulers live in Montrose.
Lee and Lisa Gould '99 Schroeder announce the birth of a son, Peyton Michael, born Oct. 29, 2001. The Schroeders live near Alexandria.
Ryan and Kelly Musick '98 Tupper announce the birth of a son, Max William, born Feb. 13, 2002. The Tuppers live in Mitchell.
Jeff '00 and Amanda Bloom AA'00 Determan announce the birth of a son, Tommy Wyatt, born July 18, 2001. The Determans live in Belle Fourche.
Troy and Stacy Huiett ex'02 Katen announce the birth of a daughter, Brooke Jaree, born March 18, 2002.
Deaths
Jeannetta Jenney Lytle '20 died March 20, 2002, in Portland, Ore.
Virginia Haynes Cone '25 died Feb. 17, 2002, in Sioux Falls.
Norma Lambert Peterson c'26, BA '28 died April 8, 2002. She lived in Edmond, Okla.
Bernice Hurlbert Putman c'28 died Jan. 13, 2002, in Bryant.
Alice Nieveen Johnson '28 died Feb. 27, 2002, in Tuscon, Ariz.
Alma Fish Waack c'35 died March 15, 2002, in Sturgis.
Herbert Rowley ex'36 died Oct. 27, 2001. He lived in Sun City, Calif.
Vivian Pust Boucher '37 died Dec. 26, 2001, in Tucson, Ariz.
Harold Oxwang '37 died March 30, 2002, in Hood River, Ore.
Ellen Fairfield Johnson c'39 died March 3, 2002, in Hutchinson, Kan.
Harold Grant '39 died March 22, 2002, in Mitchell.
Paul Rollins '40 died March 19, 2002, in Rapid City.
Shirley Tobin Hershey c'41, BA '68 died March 8, 2002, in Huron. Survivors include her daughter, Vae Hershey Albright '67.
Ronald McKee '42 died Aug. 7, 2001, in Fort Myers, Fla. Survivors include his twin brother, Don McKee '42.
Maybelle Halverson Ashland ex'44 died Feb. 28, 2002.
Muriel Barns-Francis MH'44 died April 12, 2002, in Mitchell.
Francis Guptill ex'46 died Feb. 16, 2002, in Interior.
Donald Collins ex'47 died Jan. 28, 2002, in Sioux Falls.
Wayne Rundell '47 died in February 2002.
Marvin Jared '48 died Feb. 11, 2002, in Sioux Falls. Survivors include his wife, Kaija Bruget Jared c'46.
Bill Gollesch '50 died April 26, 2002, near Dell Rapids.
Leo Titze ex'50 died March 19, 2002, in Watertown.
Herb Teske '50 died July 11, 2001, in South Dakota. Survivors include his wife, Marilyn Johnson Teske '54.
Anthony Camillo '50 died Jan. 16, 2002. He lived in Mount Prospect, Ill.
Joyce Thomas Chaffin Lloyd MH'51 died Dec. 28, 2001, in Mesa, Ariz.
Deloris Reinicke Reed MH'52 died Dec. 24, 2001, in Madison.
Norma Doty Hall ex'52 died Feb. 8, 2000, in Naples, Fla.
Royal Wilkins ex'53 died March 19, 2002, at his home near Northville.
Douglas "Pat" Wray '60 died Feb. 9, 2002, in Yankton. Survivors include his wife, Jackie Lalley Wray ex'62.
Jule Boxeth Trode ex'60 died April 23, 2002, in Rapid City.
Roger Gamo ex'62 died March 25, 2002, in Sioux Falls. Survivors include his wife, Virginia Metz Gamo ex'62.
James Aldrich ex'67 died Feb. 27, 2002. James lived in San Francisco. Survivors include his sister, Barbara Aldrich Koster ex'71, of Mitchell.
John Bittner '67 died April 10, 2002, in North Carolina.
Laura Urban Somers c'68 died Feb. 2, 2002, in Chamberlain.
Mike Barber '74 died Jan. 22, 2002, in Rapid City.
Bill Henjum '76 died Feb. 18, 2002. Bill was a member of the 1976 mile relay team that holds the DWU record. He was a former school record holder in the 440-yard hurdles and was a member of several other record-holding relay teams. Bill lived in Sioux Falls.
Robert Rousseau AA'85 died March 19, 2002, in San Fidel, N.M.
Irene Sulzbacher Hantke AA'86 died March 16, 2002, in Mitchell.

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