Obituaries

1942

Ralph Graham Jr., 98, of Quincy, Ill., died Sept. 15, 2018. He graduated with a degree in chemistry and was a member of Theta Chi. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he began a 40-year career with Frank Chatten Apple Orchards, which eventually became Graham Orchards. The College’s Graham Hall was named after his father, Dr. Ralph Graham (Class of 1897), and his grandfather, Professor Russell Graham (Class of 1870). He was also preceded in death by his wife, Constance Chatten Graham ’42.

Peggy Walworth Hafner, 97, of Lake Bluff, Ill., died July 9, 2018. An English major, she completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois. She worked as an elementary teacher in a two-room school, as a cartographer during World War II, as a field adviser for the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York, and as a researcher for Clark Associates.

1943

Ethel Burrill Boostrom ’43

Ethel Burrill Boostrom, 97, of Monmouth, died Oct. 26, 2018. An English major, she held a variety of jobs, starting with “Rosie the Riveter” work during World War II while her husband flew bombers in England. She also farmed with her husband and, among other positions in Monmouth, served 15 years as deputy county clerk. She and her late husband were married more than 50 years. All three of their children attended Monmouth—Deborah Boostrom Fuess ’69, Rusty Boostrom ’77 and Carolyn Boostrom Ault ’81—as did two of their grandchildren—April Ault Young ’90 and Amy Ault Glenn ’08.

Barbara Fleming Harris ’43

Barbara Fleming Harris, 96, of Canton, Ill., died Sept. 1, 2018. She graduated with a degree in music and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Harris was a fourth-grade teacher in Canton for many years, retiring in 1985. She was preceded in death by a brother, David Fleming ’46. Survivors include her husband of 67 years.

1944

Clifford Davenport ’44

Clifford Davenport, 95, of Galena, Ill., died July 2, 2018. He left college in 1941 to work for Illinois Bell Telephone Company, and he worked there for 41 years, the last 25 as wire chief and commercial manager of the exchange in Galena. Davenport served in the Marines from 1942-46, stationed in the Pacific theater. He was a city council member in Galena for 13 years and was very active in other organizations in the town he called home for 72 years.

Ruth Oliver Larson ’44

Ruth Oliver Larson, 95, of Arvada, Colo., died June 21, 2018. A member of Alpha Xi Delta, she studied elementary education and taught briefly. After raising a family, she was an auditor at the Air Force Finance Center. She and her husband traveled widely and she remained active in her Alpha Xi Delta alumnae group, attending a function last spring.

1946

John Allaman ’46 poses by the covered bridge built by his great-grandfather that he helped restore.

John Allaman, 94, of Rozetta, Ill, died July 18, 2018. He was a member of Theta Chi. Prior to attending Monmouth, he was a corporal in the Army during World War II, stationed in Algeria and Italy. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois, studying agriculture. Allaman was a lifelong grain and livestock farmer in Rozetta. Active in the community, he was part of reconstructing the historic Henderson County Covered Bridge, which was originally built by his great-grandfather. Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Mary Lou Rinker Allaman ’49.

1950

Dennis McDade ’50

Dennis McDade, 89, of Greenwich, Conn., died Oct. 20, 2018. He graduated with a degree in physics and was a member of the swim team. McDade began working for Price Waterhouse in Chicago in 1956 and, 10 years later, he was a partner in the company’s Buffalo office. By 1981, he was a partner in the New York office. McDade also worked in London for eight years for Chase Manhattan Bank.

Joyce Chatten McKinley, 90, of Quincy, Ill., died Oct. 2, 2018. She graduated with a degree in Spanish and was a member of Alpa Xi Delta. McKinley earned a master’s degree at Western Illinois University and taught for 30 years, including 28 at Quincy Senior High School. Survivors include her husband, Donald McKinley ’50.

Lillian Smith, 92, of Kewanee, Ill., died May 23, 2018. She graduated with a degree in physics and taught math and science in East Moline, Ill.

1951

Gerald Boelke, 89, of Monroe, Wis., died Sept. 22, 2018. A member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, he graduated with a degree in sociology, then served in the Air Force for four years. Boelke was a personnel and human resources director at three companies in Chicago, retiring in 1992. Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Susan Barrett Boelke ’53.

Edythe Schmucker Gray of Olympia, Wash., died July 27, 2018. She graduated with a degree in history and was a member of Kappa Delta. She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Gray ’51.

Marcia Hickok Johnson, 88, of New Windsor, Ill., died Aug. 14, 2018. She was a member of Alpha Xi Delta. Johnson worked for the Winola and Sherrard school districts and, with her husband, owned and operated the New Windsor Car Wash for 44 years. She was preceded in death by a grandson, Bryant Luxmore ’09.

1952

Betty Rossell Sheneberger ’52

Betty Rossell Sheneberger, 88, of Midland, Mich., died July 25, 2018. She graduated with a degree in English and was a member of Pi Beta Phi. A preschool teacher, she was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Jack Sheneberger ’52.

1953

Jo Ann Williams Olsen, 86, of Roswell, Ga., died July 19, 2017. She studied psychology at Monmouth and was a member of Alpha Xi Delta before completing her undergraduate degree in speech therapy at the University of Iowa, where she served as sorority president. Survivors include her husband of 64 years.

1954

James Anderson, 86, of Lombard, Ill., died June 1, 2018. He studied chemistry while a student at Monmouth.

Shirley Edwards Furst ’54

Shirley Edwards Furst, 86, of New Castle, Penn., died June 7, 2018. A member of Kappa Delta, she graduated with a degree in psychology and also studied early childhood education at Slippery Rock University. Furst worked for the American Red Cross for 20 years and was a preschool teacher for 16 years. Survivors include her husband of 62 years.

1955

Jean Balch Kay Christensen, 84, of Park Ridge, Ill., died Aug. 1, 2018. A member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, she graduated with a degree in French. A homemaker, she was also an avid crafter, golfer and Chicago sports fan. She was preceded in death by her first husband of 51 years.

1956

William McKinley of Glenwood Springs, Colo., died Oct. 15, 2018, two days short of his 85th birthday. An Army veteran, he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega at Monmouth. McKinley also attended the University of Colorado and the University of Denver. He owned the First Agency Insurance Company in the 1960s and 1970s before starting William McKinley & Associates, Ltd. Realtors in 1976.

1957

Dorothy Barrett Jacobsen ’57

Dorothy Barrett Jacobsen, 82, of Ballwin, Mo., died Sept. 28, 2018. She graduated with a degree in English and was a member of Kappa Delta. Jacobsen completed a master’s degree in library science at the University of Illinois. A former librarian at Beloit College, she was passionate about reading. She was preceded in death by her husband, Monmouth trustee emeritus Jim Jacobsen.

1958

Betty Gerhardt Martin, 82, of Nauvoo, Ill., died June 9, 2018. After attending Gem City College in Quincy, Ill., and Monmouth, she was accepted into the music program at Julliard. She owned and operated Martin’s Accounting and Tax Services for more than 40 years, almost the length of time she was organist at the Nauvoo Presbyterian Church.

Sandra Mason Schwiebert, 82, of Bluffton, S.C., died July 6, 2018, of ALS. She majored in physical education and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Survivors include her husband of 59 years, David Schwiebert ’59, and a sister, Mary Mason ’61.

Walter J. “Jack” Wilson IV ’58

Walter J. “Jack” Wilson IV, 82, of Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., died Sept. 23, 2018. He studied physics and was a member of Alpha Tau Omega. Wilson also studied at the University of Michigan and Wayne State University. The Navy veteran worked at General Motors for 43 years, where he enjoyed designing vehicle tests. Survivors include his wife of 54 years.

1959

Gary Cagle, 79, of St. Paul, Minn., died June 18, 2018. He graduated with a degree in philosophy, then did doctoral work at Indiana University. He taught there, as well as at Kansas State University and Grinnell College. He also taught computer classes and turned that into a second career, working for Control Data in St. Paul and later starting his own consulting business. Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Sally Charvat Cagle ’60, whom he met at Monmouth.

Marvin Olson ’59

Marvin Olson, 82, of Peoria, Ill., died Oct. 6, 2018. He graduated with a degree in physics and was a member of Theta Chi and the football and track teams. After Monmouth, he earned three engineering-related degrees, including master’s degrees from the University of Alaska-Anchorage and the University of California. He worked for the Federal Aviation Administration for 32 years before retiring to the Peoria area to own and operate Marv’s Construction. Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Jan Nowlan Olson ’59, and a sister, Evelyn Olson Preuninger ’57.

1960

Donald Hellison ’60

Donald Hellison, 80, of North Canton, Ohio, died June 6, 2018. Hellison was best known for using physical education, sport and physical activity to teach children social skills and responsibility, improving the lives of at-risk youth. He dedicated more than 40 years of his life to developing and sharing this teaching philosophy across the globe. A history major, he was a member of the Octopus Club and Tau Kappa Epsilon. He received the Monmouth College Young Alumnus Award in 1974. Hellison did graduate work at Kent State University and earned his Ph.D. from Ohio State University. After developing an interest for teaching in the U.S. Marine Corps, he served as a professor at Portland State University for 16 years, then moved to the University of Illinois-Chicago, where he was a professor of kinesiology, teaching physical education at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He also directed the Urban Youth Leader Project for underserved children and youth in Chicago. Throughout his career, he received numerous awards, including the Gulick Medal, several UIC teaching awards, and the prestigious International Olympic Committee President’s Prize for significant scholarly contributions to physical education and sports pedagogy in 1995. Four years later, he was inducted into the National Association for Sports and Physical Education Hall of Fame. Two of his published books, “Youth Development and Physical Activity: Linking Universities and Communities and Teaching Personal” and “Social Responsibility through Physical Activity,” are considered must-reads for professionals who work in urban schools or programs.

1964

Todd Bush, 75, of Suffolk, Va., died Dec. 13, 2017. He was a lieutenant in the United States Navy and owned a CPA firm in Norfolk, Va.

1965

John Cation, 79, of Galesburg, Ill., died Oct. 9, 2018. He graduated with a degree in economics.

1967

Lois Lingwall Helble, 95, of Oneida, Ill., died Aug. 17, 2018. Prior to attending Monmouth and graduating with a degree in elementary education, she was Oneida’s first kindergarten teacher. She was a second-grade teacher in the ROVA district for many years, retiring in 1973.

1968

Bruce Wilson ’68

Bruce Wilson, 72, of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, died Oct. 8, 2018. He followed his father, Newton Wilson ’31, to Monmouth, studying business administration and joining Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Wilson served in the Air Force from 1968-72 during the Vietnam War. Following his military service, he was an enrolled agent for H & R Block.

1969

Carol Hale Clark, 71, of Oquawka, Ill., died June 22, 2018. She graduated with a degree in physical education. Clark taught in the Monmouth area for four years before starting a 26-year career as a reporter for the Galesburg Register-Mail.

1970

Marilyn Watson Jahde Bruch, 90, of Monmouth, died July 10, 2018. A Knox College graduate, she later received her teaching certificate at Monmouth and taught fifth grade in Monmouth for more than 30 years. Survivors include her husband, Richard Bruch ’52.

1972

Katherine Lenhart, 68, of Downers Grove, Ill., died May 25, 2018, after a brief illness. She graduated with a degree in government and worked in medical accounting for several different organizations in the Chicago area.

Gary Macari, 67, of Crystal Lake, Ill., died June 14, 2018, after a valiant battle with cancer. A business administration major, he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega. He was an office manager for many years at two car dealerships. Survivors include his wife, Nancy Hayward Macari ’73, sister Carol Macari Bowman ’60 and brothers Robert Macari ’69, Larry Macari ’72 and Ronald Macari ’77.

1973

Dale “Butch” Witlock ’73

Dale “Butch” Witlock, 67, of Chicago Heights, Ill., died Sept. 9, 2018. A member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, he graduated with a degree in biology. He earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in animal pathophysiology from the University of Georgia. His career included research on animal parasitology for the United States Department of Agriculture, but he also pursued other avenues, including teaching physiology at Trinity College in Washington, D.C., serving as a production and general manager for woodworking and custom cabinet companies, and working as a registered nurse. Witlock was the author of 34 scientific research papers. As a hobby, he built and flew two World War I replica aircraft and was a reenactor of WWI aviation.

1974

James Koch ’74

James Koch, 66, of Wilmette, Ill., died Aug. 4, 2018, from pancreatic cancer. After attending Monmouth for a year, he studied political science at Loyola University in Chicago. He earned his law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law. Koch was the co-founder of the Chicago law firm Gardiner, Koch, Weisberg and Wrona, focused on securities, commodities and criminal law, twice taking cases to the nation’s highest court. “He was the most important person in the law firm,” said co-founder Tom Gardiner. “He set the culture for the firm (and) he hired virtually every person working in it.” Koch earned a master’s degree in education and social policy from Northwestern University in 2001 and taught graduate and law courses there.

Roger Moore ’74

Roger Moore, 75, of Monmouth, died Oct. 6, 2018. He graduated with a degree in history. Moore worked nearly 40 years at Security Savings Bank in Monmouth, serving as a loan officer and vice president of lending.

1976

David Oliwa of Lemon Grove, Calif., died from a brain aneurism in October 2017. A speech communication arts major, he was active in the campus radio station.

1977

Paul Adams, 63, of Monticello, Ill., died July 16, 2018. Born in South Korea, Adams studied history and political science at Monmouth and was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. He earned a master’s degree in urban and regional planning at Western Illinois University and got a position as a planner for Davenport, Iowa. He was also senior planner for Champaign, Ill., before starting work as director of the community outreach program Prairienet. That work expanded from Champaign to include East St. Louis, Ill., and a city in West Africa, which led Adams to create a non-profit organization in Tanzania.

Linda Walters Crandall ’77

Linda Walters Crandall, 63, of Monmouth, died Oct. 16, 2018. A business major, she later worked at Monmouth in the college relations office, which followed a stint as sales office manager at WMOI radio in Monmouth. She earned a master’s degree in religion from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and worked in two related positions until returning to the Monmouth area to serve as coordinator of the Single Parent program at Lutheran Social Services. Crandall also wrote the Kendra the Kat series of inspirational children’s books.

1978

Ronald Hills, 62, of Havana, Ill., died Oct. 31, 2018. A member of Alpha Tau Omega, he graduated with a degree in business administration.

Glenn Lewin, 63, of Freeport, Ill., died March 27, 2018. He graduated with a degree in English.

1979

Pamela Depew Luton-Tiedman ’79

Pamela Depew Luton-Tiedman, 75, of Newport News, Va., died Dec. 16, 2017, after a long battle with cancer. A 1962 graduate of Ohio University, she returned to school to earn a degree in education from Monmouth. A distinguished special education teacher, she taught at various locations around the U.S., as well as at the Tehran American School in Iran.

1985

Ann Gardner-Marull, 56, of Galesburg, Ill., died Aug. 1, 2018. An art major, she was a substitute teacher for many years in Warren and Knox counties.

1996

Jennifer Johnson, 44, of Edgington, Ill., died June 22, 2018, after suffering a stroke in 2017. A history major, she taught that subject in the Quad City area.

William Weatherly ’96

William Weatherly, 44, of Rockford, Ill., died Oct. 21, 2018. A high school graduate at the age of 16, Weatherly attended Alcorn State University and Monmouth before completing his undergraduate degree at Western Illinois University. He then earned his J.D. from the Northern Illinois University College of Law and was an attorney in the Rockford area for 16 years.

1998

Karen Gagliardo, 42, of Sherrard, Ill., died Aug. 5, 2018. She graduated with a degree in communication and theatre arts and dedicated her life to work in social services and education.

2005

Julie Cahill McVey ’05

Julie Cahill McVey, 37, of Monmouth, died July 27, 2018. She graduated with a degree in elementary education and was a member of Alpha Xi Delta. McVey later earned a master’s degree in reading from Western Illinois University. She worked at three local schools, including United West Elementary School, where she was the RTI coordinator.

TRUSTEES, FACULTY AND STAFF

Harold Knapheide III

Harold “Knap” Knapheide III, 72, a former trustee who, along with his sister, was the lead donor to the recently constructed Pi Beta Phi house, died Aug. 28, 2018. “Vicki and I both feel connected to Monmouth through our mother,” said Knapheide in 2014 of the $1.2 million gift. “She took a lot of pride in the College. This gift for the house is good for the College and is a way for us to honor our mother.” Knapheide and Vicki Wood made the gift in honor of their mother, Mary MacDill Knapheide ’35, who was a member of Pi Phi during her two years at Monmouth. His mother’s ties to Monmouth also influenced Knapheide to join the board of trustees in 1975. He served through 1996 and took on another term from 2002 to 2005. Knapheide was president and CEO of Knapheide Manufacturing in Quincy, Ill., the nation’s premier producer of steel service truck bodies. It dates to 1848, when it got its start as a wagon company. Knapheide began working there as a high school student in 1962 and had served as president since 1978.

Lawrence Beck

Lawrence Beck, 90, of Harbor Springs, Mich., a former trustee of the College, died June 28, 2018. Beck co-founded Waste Management in 1971. Survivors include his wife, Nancy Glennie Beck ’53, and a daughter, Holly Beck Riordan ’78.

Mona Hanford

Mona Hanford, 75, of Washington, D.C., who taught Russian at Monmouth in the 1960s, died Oct. 27, 2018. She was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, William Hanford ’65.

Kenneth Richard, 72, of Seguin, Texas, a former Fighting Scots football coach, died Aug. 26, 2018.

Ronnie Lee, 65, of Monmouth, a former worker for Aramark food service, died Sept. 4, 2018.