classnotes
Love of accordion incorporated into teachings
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While playing the accordion, Keith Lambertsen ’65, ’69, ’99 is often accompanied by the vocal harmonies of his wife, Joann Kuhr Lambertsen ’66.
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earning to play the accordion can be a difficult feat, but for Keith Lambertsen ’65, ’69, ’99 it comes as second nature. The accomplished accordion player has 55 years of experience with the instrument and has also taken up yodeling to add to his repertoire of talents. Lambertsen uses his musical ability not only for an amusing pastime, but for teaching. As a lay speaker for area churches, Lambertsen would occasionally fill in for the pastor and speak at neighboring churches. His “Squeezebox Ministries” presentation is appropriately titled since he incorporates the accordion with scripture teachings. He speaks about each of his unique instruments and compares it to the diversity of the community. “Getting to do what I love everyday is one of my greatest accomplishments,” Lambertsen said. “Knowing that my talent is helping someone else is another great joy.” As an at-risk youth coordinator for The Salvation Army, Lambertsen helps mentor troubled youth in his community. He has 35 years of experience in teaching and administration in Mis-
souri and Iowa and was principal in Shenandoah and Treynor, Iowa. When he was a boy, Lambertsen’s family bought one of the first electric amplified accordions, which he has to this day. “My family had a traveling salesman come to the door and demonstrate accordions. He gave us a 90-day trial to see if we liked it enough to buy it,” he said. “I definitely wanted to keep it.” Lambertsen met his wife, Joann Kuhr Lambertsen ’66, while in high school and they dated at Northwest. Though she does not play the accordion, she is an accomplished vocalist who sang in Northwest’s Tower Choir and harmonizes with her husband. “She feels like my sidekick sometimes,” he said. Their daughter, Kenna Jo Lambertsen ’94, sometimes joins in and accompanies her parents. The couple live in Garwin, Iowa, and have traveled across the state to perform, and he recently received second place at the Iowa State Fair in the piano accordion category. “There aren’t a lot of accordion players out there anymore,” Lambertsen said. “I want to help keep the music alive.” n
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has been superintendent of the Burlington (Iowa) Community School District for the past three years and is now superintendent of the Diocese of Davenport schools. He has spent 35 years in public education and 27 of those years as a superintendent. His wife, Sandy, is employed at the Prairie Area Education Agency in Burlington, Iowa. They have nine children, seven of whom are adopted.
1983
Bob Glasgow
is the activities director for the Raytown School District, overseeing two high schools and three middle schools. He and his wife, Tammie, a teacher and counselor in Oak Grove, have two sons, Kellen and Riley.
1986
Doug Ruse (master’s ’88)
is the offensive coordinator at Western Illinois University. He previously was the quarterbacks
files that have been inactive for 10 years (since 2000) have already been destroyed. n
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coach and offensive coordinator at Northwestern State University in Louisiana and at Arkansas State University.
1988
Michael Hayes
is the vice president and owner of ProPrint in North Kansas City. He and Tami Gittings were married in July 2008 and between them have four daughters, Regan Hayes, 10, Jenna Hayes, 8, Icil Gittings, 8, and Ainsley Gittings, 5. They live in Parkville.
1989
Yashushi Suzuki
has finished a five-year mission in Rome as general manager of JCB International Italy S.p.A. and is now a senior vice president in the headquarters of the company in Tokyo. Georann Collins Whitman
is a vocal music instructor at Spring Hill (Kan.) High School and was chosen as the district’s Secondary Teacher of the Year.