Connections A Ripon College Class Letter Publication
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Spring 2016 1
Meeting Sam Dougan ’48 It is 90 degrees at 9 a.m. I am in Tucson, Arizona, and there is a mountain lion outside my rental car. So began my meeting with Samuel Wallace Dougan, Ripon College Class of 1948. Sam first came to Ripon from Oconomowoc in 1940, but college wasn’t for him just yet. Even before Pearl Harbor, he signed up for the U.S. Army and later fought the Nazis across Europe, serving heroically in North Africa, Italy and France. He came back to Ripon after the War on
“Sam keeps up on Ripon College news
the GI Bill. He worked cleaning the biology labs and graduated with a degree in history in 1948. His favorite professor was Dr. William Fleming in political science.
from the magazine,
A high school teacher, Sam taught in Wisconsin and then in Arizona
and I was stunned by
where he also served as a liaison to the University of Arizona’s teacher
how much he knew
training program. He retired in 1983, but now at 93 years old he keeps
about his alma mater.”
we talked about the presidential campaign and his collection of stamps
ZACH MESSITTE
and involvement with philatelic organizations. He also collects Native
plenty busy. Physically fit (he did five pushups for me in rapid order),
American artifacts and cultural objects. Sam keeps up on Ripon College news from the magazine, and I was stunned by how much he knew about his alma mater. He quizzed me about our admission numbers, the new Storzer project and other recent developments on campus. Now approaching 70 years since he graduated from Ripon, I wanted to make sure I met him personally and thanked him for all that he has done for the College through the years and for his commitment to our future. Last spring, he created The Samuel W. Dougan Basketball Fund that will one day help endow the program. I told him how proud he would be of Ripon’s current basketball teams, both men’s and women’s in the conference playoffs, and our wonderful coaches. He smiled, thanked me for coming to see him and we went outside in the desert heat and took a photo to record the visit.
Zach Messitte President of Ripon College
If you have photos for future editions, please send them to Lori Schroeder, assistant director of Constituent Engagement and Outreach at SchroederL@ripon.edu. You also can contact Lori if you are interested in serving as a class agent. News to share can be sent to alumni@ripon.edu or your class agent, or can be submitted via the online form at ripon.edu/update-contact-into.
CONTENTS
2
Alumni Sightings
4
Class Letters
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Staying Connected:
62
In Memoriam
Richard Russo ’76 Susan Bundock ’92
R Connections is published twice annually by Ripon College, 300 West Seward Street, Ripon WI 54971-0248. Postage paid at Ripon, Wisconsin. Copyright © 2016 Ripon College. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to R Connections, PO Box 248, Ripon, WI 54971-0248.
Connections Sp r i n g 2 0 1 6 Volume 1, Issue No. 2 On the Cover: ERICA
To submit a note for a future issue or to update your contact information, contact Ripon College Office of Constituent Engagement and Career Services, 300 West Seward Street, Ripon, WI 54971-0248. Phone: 920-748-8126 Email: alumni@ripon.edu Web: www.ripon.edu/update-contact-info
SMITH KRONCKE ’98 of Neenah, Wisconsin, examines a photo with Janet Ernst, left, wife of Head Coach of Football Ron Ernst, and
ri p on. ed u
Erica’s daughter, Kenzie.
Editor
facebook.com/ripon.college
Amanda R. Liethen ’07
flickr.com/photos/ripon_college
Editorial Assistants Jaye Alderson Lori A. Schroeder ’13
Design Ali Klunick Ric Damm Liz Newman
instagram.com/riponcollege linkedin.com/company/ripon-college twitter.com/riponcollege youtube.com/riponcollegevideo
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AlumniSightings
Elizabeth Kennelly, daughter of
EMILY MEYER ’09 and STEPHEN KENNELLY ’98.
Rippin’ Good Cookies made an appearance as a late-night snack at the wedding reception for ALLISON WINTERS
POSNER ’08 and Asa Posner in August. From left: ASHLEY RETZLAFF ’12, MEGAN CAPTAINE ’09, AMY DORMAN ’08, SARAH BROWN ’09, ALLISON WINTERS POSNER ’08, NICK OSENBERG ’11, BRANDI GASPARD MANS ’10, ZAC MANS ’09, KIMBERLY LARSON ’08, JEANNA SPERBER MATUSZAK ’08 and PARISSA D’JANGI ’08.
DANA MCELROY DEMARCO ’69
TOM MACE ’69, pictured with his wife, Nancy Krueger.
DAVE LEACH ’69
ALICE HALL HAYES ’69 and her family visited the White House in December 2015 for the holiday decorations tour.
STEVE LEITSCHUH ’69 Celebrating their collective birthdays in Quebec City are Barbara
and his Harley.
BERGER LASCODY ’67, MARY ULLAND PERABO ’67, KATHY SANTIMAYS DUNN ’67 and DIANE VAUGHAN LONGCORE ’67. During Homecoming weekend,
JUDY HUGHES PHILLIPS ’62 ran into DAVE HARTMAN ’64 in the Commons; they were on campus for the alumni board meeting and trustee meeting, respectively.
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CINDY KLINGEL SPRING ’69
DJ LILLY ’90 showed her school spirit for an employee tailgate Three Duffie girls revisited
party last fall. She writes, “In the heart of Penn State country, I ALWAYS get questioned when I wear a Ripon shirt: ‘Ripe-on College? WHERE
the Ripon campus last fall.
is THAT?’ to which I proudly respond, ‘It’s Rip-on and it’s in Wisconsin
From left are SUGAR MALTBY BALMES ’61, MARA LATSONS WARREN ’61 and MARY BACHUS MILLER ’61.
which is like Pennsylvania without the mountains. AND it’s the best college ever!”
Pictured left to right are: RANDY KAWAMOTO ’69 (top), PAUL MIZUE (KNEELING), RUBY IBARAKI MIZUE ’70, JEAN KAWAMOTO, MELISSA ANDERSON ’02 (interim vice president for advancement), PRESIDENT ZACH MESSITTE, CAREY INOUYE ’70, IRIS NAKAMURA INOUYE ’71, LARRY OSBORN ’69 and DAYLE MIYAMOTO OSBORN ’70. The group gathered for dinner during Zach and Melissa’s recent trip to the Hawaiian
Meeting up in California were
NITA JACKSON PARKER ’72, GARY LEDERER ’72 and JEAN KIRKPATRICK LEDERER ’73.
Islands to visit alumni and high schools.
The third “Men of Ripon Dinner” was held Saturday, Dec. 19, at Harry Carey’s restaurant in downtown Chicago. In attendance
LORI STICH OBLUDA ’91 and her husband, Bernie, spent time traveling in Southeast Asia
at this dinner were, from left: BLAINE GIBSON ’81, KEVIN
WARMACK ‘79, STEVE SARTO ’78 and MARK COLEMAN ’79, along with their wives (“bosses”).
this winter, where, among other experiences, they got to meet tigers up close.
MARILYN FORTNUM BRIESE ’43 and Bud Briese (of The 2015 Vermont Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame inductee
GINNY MCGEHEE CONDON ’78.
Spot) as depicted in drawings at Bud and Marilyn’s, a restaurant in Philadelphia which is co-owned by their granddaughter, Marcie Turney (see ’68 class letter).
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CLASSLetters Obituaries for all class years are listed at the back of the publication. If you have news to share for the Fall 2016 R Connections, contact your class agent or the College (Office of Constituent Engagement and Career Services, 300 W. Seward St., PO Box 248, Ripon, WI 54971; 920-748-8126; or alumni@ ripon.edu). The 31st Annual Alumni Weekend will be held June 23-26. Further details and registration information is available at www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.
1930s & 1940s The role of Class Agent is vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested, or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu.
JAMES MEGELLAS ’42 of Colleyville, Texas, was honored in March 2016 when President Barack Obama signed legislation introduced by Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson to rename the Fond du Lac Post Office as The Lt. Col. James “Maggie” Megellas Post Office.
1950, 1951 & 1952 Jo Klawiter Cochrane ’51 & Jim Cochrane ’52 415 Wells Street #206, Lake Geneva, WI 53147 262-348-1900 / 847-951-2969 gilbertlake@sbcglobal.net Greetings from Lake Geneva. As we started putting this letter together, we looked over our 2014 and 2015 spring letters and were struck by our reports of heavy snow and sub-zero temps. Strange, here in southeastern Wisconsin we’ve had only a few light dustings of the white stuff and considerably warmer temps. Yesterday it was 50 here, and 50s are forecast for the coming weekend. Sadly, the beautiful sculptures from the National Snowsculpting Competition a week or so ago are really drooping, and will soon be history. Also, you probably saw or heard on national news that, during the Lake Geneva Winterfest a few weeks ago, a number of cars parked on the ice on the lake fell through — most were total losses. We’d be interested in getting your thoughts and comments regarding this new class letter and College news format and presentation which was introduced with last fall’s letters. It sure makes our job easier — no more trying to pick and choose and condense the volumes of news generated by the College. One caveat though: Some of us need to employ a good magnifying glass because the print is pretty small. But, hey, c’est la vie! All in all, we think it’s a big improvement because everything is in one publication, we can read about what’s happening at our alma mater, and enjoy the goings-on of alums from other years. And while we’re on the subject of class news, over the years, we’ve asked many times for your help in making these letters more interesting. We’ve asked you to let us know what’s happening in your lives, to share information with us we can include in these letters. But very few of you have responded. If we have to resort to cajoling, begging and pleading, maybe there’s no need for a class letter! As some of you know, from time to time we send out bits of news and items of interest via email to those of you whose email addresses we have.
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And many of you have told us you enjoy getting them. But, at last count, out of the 200+ alums in our three classes, we have email addresses for only 72 — a pretty pathetic number, we say. Granted, like many of our grandchildren, some of you may have “graduated” from email and are into Facebook, Twitter or some of the other social media. Please know, we haven’t and probably won’t. So, if email is still your thing and you would like to be on our mailing list, please let us know. We’d love to have you join us! And now for some news from and about our classmates …
MARY JANE WERNER ROBERTS ’50, who lives in Oceanside, California, is on 24-hour home care but enjoys reading, playing cards, birding, and still can laugh.
CARL PATTERSON (AKA OLD SARGE) ’51: “At 87 years young, I continue to work at the same sales job I have had since returning from Korea in November 1953. Still cover the Midwest with a few customers that the Chinese, Sri Lankans, Pakistanis and Indonesians have not yet forced out of business. In May, I’ll be attending (Lord willing) my 70th high school reunion at Culver Military Academy with a few old crocks. Hope all is well with you two.”
COL. (RET) WILLIAM F. “BILL” BRENNAN ’52 was the guest speaker at the Fox Valley Battalion ROTC Banquet held in the College’s Great Hall on Nov. 6, 2015. Upon graduation from Ripon, Bill was one of four cadets to receive a regular Army commission as a 2nd Lieutenant, and served his country for more than 28 years, attaining the rank of full Colonel in 1974. Bill’s decorations include the Combat Infantry Badge, the Bronze Star, the Army Commissioning medal with cluster, the Army Parachute Badge, the Korean Presidential Unit Cluster, and seven other unit and individual awards. During his years at Ripon, Bill was a valued member of the football team. He was elected to the Midwest Conference’s All-Conference Team both as a junior and senior, and set a Ripon Redman school record by scoring five touchdowns in one game — although tied three times since, it still stands 60+ years later.
CHAD GIBBONS ’52: “I’m in Fort Lauderdale until May. The weather is finally warming up — around 80 today. Still keeping up with the investment scenario, having been in the business for more than 40 years. Never saw it so muddled!”
ROBERT G. “BOB” HESS ’52 sent us a photograph taken at the Ripon College alumni meeting held in Ann Arbor, Michigan, last spring, attended by seven alums who represented the classes of 1952, 1983 and 1997. Bob says that, for the occasion, he wore the “66 year-old red sweater I received as a member of the 1948 freshman football team.” And he adds, “A good time was had by all who attended.” PATRICIA R. PORTER ’52, East Troy, Wisconsin: “No retirement for me as long as family property requires maintenance. Class of 1952 welcome to visit on Lake Beulah.” As for the two of us, we manage to stay busy. There are always things to do, people to see and places to go — even if just up to our favorite bakery in Sheboygan to buy a supply of crullers. We’re still actively involved with the Boggs Rural Life Center in Keysville, Georgia, an organization that strives to be a beacon of hope for youths in rural southeast Georgia. We’re also still very much involved with our church’s annual youth mission trips, which we’ve been helping lead for the past 40 years. It probably won’t be long before it’s time for us to open our Gilbert
1930-54 Lake cottage for the season and begin our spring and summer chores which, this year, include grand plans (by our two Edina, Minnesota, sons) to remodel the bathroom. We’ll see how that goes. Another son and his family in Virginia and a daughter and her family in Michigan round out our crew, all of whom make it to the lake over the summer. We would remind all of you that during Alumni Weekend this year (June 24-26) we will recognize the Class of 1951’s 65th anniversary. It would be great to see some of you there — especially you ’51ers! Make your plans now to attend. If we can help, email us. In closing, we would once again remind you to LIVE WELL, LAUGH OFTEN and LOVE MUCH! ALWAYS FOR RIPON..........
JIM AND JO
1953 & 1954 Ron Balej ’53 3111 Toledo Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55416 952-929-6398 / rmbalej@hotmail.com Hi to you all! From CHUCK ’53 and JO HURLEY VAN ZOEREN ’53: “Chuck and I are trying to get a few of our Ripon friends together in February. JIM ’54 and DEE CUNNINGHAM will be visiting us and we have set a date. Happy New Year, Love and Best Wishes.”
NED LUFRANO ’54: “Received your email this afternoon and figured that I better answer it right away before I forget about it. You know us old folks do have a tendency to forget things. I am happy to report that all of the Lufranos are happy and healthy here in Chicago. I will report on two things. “1 – This winter I have been following the Ripon basketball team. They are doing quite well and we are blessed to have TY SABIN ’17 playing for us. This past Saturday, he scored 51 points against Cornell to break the school single-game scoring record. The record had been at 48 points for the past 31 years. Next year, he will break the total points record as he becomes the first player in school history to score more than 2,000 points. He is one of the finest Division III players that I have ever seen play. “2 – Our Ripon ’50s Reunion Group will be gathering again this fall in Ripon and Green Lake. This year, we will be staying at The Greenway House, a new bed-and-breakfast that was built right across the street from the Oakwood Lodge (where we stayed for many years). We will be there the weekend of Sept. 29–Oct. 2. The members of our group include: NED ’54 and JOAN LUFRANO, VERNE ’54 and LORI CHURCHILL, RON ’53 and MARY ALICE MILLER BALEJ ’55, DAN BOORAS ’54, CHARLES BRINTLINGER ’53 and PAT ZOELLER, MARY JANE BUMBY ’52, DON ’56 and MAGGY DEIKE, BILL DONALDSON ’54, JOHN ’53 and MARTI FRISVOLD, DICK ’53 and ANNE BARBER HALLOCK ’53, KENN JACOBS ’53, JIM ’56 and CAROLINE CALLAHAN LANDWEHR ’55, WOODY MOY ’56, PAUL ’52 and DEBORAH NANCARROW, DUKE ’54 and CAROL PEPKE, SYDNEY ROUSE ’54, DOC ’50 and LOIS WEISKE, BOB ’55 and PAT WITT, ART ’53 and ELAINE WONG, BILL ’67 and JUDY WILKINSON NEILL ’68, JOHN FUCHS ’53, and SMOKEY ’51 and CAROL BLOCHWITZ.
It is too early to tell who will be coming this year. I will be sending out a mailer in the next few weeks to get the process going. Be well and best regards to all.”
RUSS BREMNER ’53: “All remains good at the Bremners. Health is about the same, kids and grandkids are well, and we remain busy. Travel last year included Raleigh, North Carolina, and Seattle. Coming up is a trip to Colombia plus a month in Florida to thaw out. And it seems to be true — the older I get, the better I was. Hello to all.”
HELEN BILLET WARREN ’54: “My most interesting activity these days is my English Conversation class, every Monday morning. I’ve been doing this for many years, and have seen a lot of change in the clientele. For example, it used to be mainly Asian women, here with husbands who were graduate students and post-docs in engineering, and they liked to discuss cooking. Now, these women may also have professional degrees and jobs in China or Korea, and topics are much more diverse. There are also a few men here accompanying wives who are the visiting scholars. A recent class included individuals from Brazil, Spain, El Salvador, Korea, China, Japan and Saudi Arabia. I am learning a lot!” JOHN FUCHS ’53: “I just looked at the calendar for June and the dates for Alumni Weekend. Unfortunately, I will not be able to make it. At that time my whole family, all 15 of us, will be going to Vienna and then 150 miles south to visit my father’s hometown of Neustift. I still have a few distant relatives living there. I’m fortunate to have a couple of daughters and a granddaughter who are fluent in German and are arranging the whole thing so I can just tag along. I will have to do a lot of reviewing of my German and try to make Dr. Schneider proud. There is more snow on the way for tonight and tomorrow, and I used to like snow. Remember the football games we had in the snow on lower campus under the watchful eyes of Abe Lincoln?” DICK “TEX” ’53 and ANNE BARBER HALLOCK ’53: “I don’t know about you, but we are getting kinda old. In spite of creaks and cracks, however, we are both still vertical and mobile. Annual family trip was to Glacier National Park last August. Our trip advisor — daughter-in-law Molly — found a large very nice family home near the park and we, all 13 of us, had a very nice week hiking, sightseeing and visiting. Eleven adults went through a lot of cheap red wine in that visiting period. Kids gave us a helicopter ride through the glaciers — very exciting. Summer 2016 will be a visit to the California redwoods. As I write this, I think of all you Midwesterners at zero degrees F. I shall momentarily grab a bottle of beer and go sit on our patio swing at 72 degrees F. C’mon if you would like to visit!”
VERNE CHURCHILL ’54: “Lori and I continue to live a blessed and happy life, the details of which would be mightily boring to anyone else. I can only offer an opinion about what I sense is a real effort on the part of Ripon College to embrace the school’s alumni in a very positive manner. The number and quality of communications going out about Ripon and its achievements is most impressive, and hopefully they are having a desired impact. I still can never find any scores for Ripon’s basketball or football teams in the Chicago Tribune, but hope springs eternal.”
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CLASSLetters JIM CUNNINGHAM ’54: “Going down to visit CHUCK ’53 and JO HURLEY VAN ZOEREN ’53 next week at Gasparilla Island. Hoping to see a few other notable alumni from Ripon College. Busy season with spring coming on. One way of getting though the very mild winter here is a few days of very careful skiing and a few days of sun. Still active with three days of tennis, a men’s book group, and Rotary.”
SYDNEY ROUSE ’54: “Looking forward to spring and then the June Alumni meeting at the College. Hope many of you can attend. I am running for re-election this spring, for supervisor on our Town Board as well as for the school board. So far, only opposition for Town Board.”
PAT JENKINS STEAFFENS ’53: “Here are my few words: 1 – I was in the class of 1953 – NOT 1954 – as was published the last letter. 2 – In my previous news I mentioned that I’d found a Ripon College Christmas album from the ’50s and wondered if anyone still had a turntable and could use it. To my great surprise, I had an answer from ARDENE STECKLER GETZEL ’54 in Muskego who wanted to hear the Ripon College Choir directed by William Peterman again. I was able to send it to her via UPS and it arrived in great shape. She generously sent me a check for the packing and shipping. Now if I could only find someone who would want some great jazz records from Goodrich High School in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, circa early 1970s! My favorite used to be ‘Norwegian Wood.’ During the recent polar plunge, I again remembered the end of January 1951 when we had two days of really cold weather – down to -50 degrees and -49 degrees F. We still had classes and walked to and from the Union for our meals. There was no wind and the sky was blue! My future husband, BILL ’50, was employed as a construction manager for Scott Hall, awaiting his recall into the Navy later that winter. His car started the first morning but not the second. Think it wasn’t as comfortable out at ‘Siberia’ for the men assigned to those old Quonset huts. Thanks for the wonderful job you do and keeping us informed.” Editor’s Note: Google and the National Weather Bureau confirm that on Jan. 31, 1951, the temperature in Lone Rock, Wisconsin, some 30 miles southwest of Ripon, registered 53 degrees below zero, a record low at that time for the state of Wisconsin. What a shock for our ’53 class’ coldest winter in Ripon. As far as we male students were concerned, those ROTC-issued winter coats were saviors to our existences. I was living in the barracks at Thorne Hall out in what was called ‘Siberia,’ and the walk through the woods to my waiter’s job at breakfast in the dining hall on campus was a real experience for this Chicago boy whose Chicago winters rarely offered more than two or three weeks to do our outdoor ice skating and where a temperature of zero degrees was a rarity. rjb
BETTY BUTCHER FOX ’53: “No, I’m not in a rocking chair, yet, nor do I expect to be any time in the near future. However, rocking chair or no, there is not much to share with classmates that would be of interest to anyone. Maybe the fact that I’m still here is excitement enough? I am ‘fit as a fiddle,’ which segues to my participation as a violinist in the Kalamazoo Philharmonic Orchestra. Now is the letter ‘worth reading?’ Hmmm – maybe not. Oh well.”
JOHN FRISVOLD ’53, basking in the Florida sun: “Marti and I are finally settled in our new home in Moorings Park, Naples. We love it and are making many new friends. We will still spend some of summer in Minnesota and visit our kids at Christmas, but Florida remains our permanent
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residence. We are thankful that our health is good and we proudly watch our family continue to grow. It is approaching 45. It’s nice to continue to hear from a number of our Ripon College friends.”
KENN JACOBS ’53, quite possibly traveling the deepest part of the Congo, his pith helmet shielding him from the scorching African sun: “Leo Tolstoy took four years to write War and Peace. Marcel Proust needed 13 years to write Remembrance of Things Past, which was completed posthumously. For 25 years, I’ve been working on a book project I call The Iconic Lion. It’s still a work in progress. Since retiring in 1990, I’ve traveled to more than 250 cities, town and villages in 52 countries to photograph statues and other representations of the King of Beasts. My quest has led me from Aachen, Akron and Auckland to Zagreb, Zaragoza and Zurich. I’ve survived without as much as a scratch. Even with the advent of Google and other Internet research aids, locating, identifying and actually photographing lion statues has been a challenge. I’m grateful to friends, whose assistance has made the search easier. To cite one such ally, I’d point to classmate RON BALEJ ’53, who kindly drove me from our 2008 ’50s reunion in Green Lake to Oshkosh, where I photographed the lion statues guarding the entrance to the public library. As I prepare to leave my home in coastal North Carolina for my next photo safari, I welcome any suggestions from fellow Riponites. You can reach me at lionman@gmail.com.”
RICHARD L. KAY ’53 of Lawrence, Kansas, has self-published Little News: Polly Kay’s Letters from Richland Center, Wisconsin 1949-1995. The book, containing letters written by CAROLYN “POLLY” PARSONS KAY ’26, is available on amazon.com.
MARY KAFER THOMSEN ’53 of Wautoma, Wisconsin, “I never did graduate from college – after Ripon I took some courses at Augsburg College, but I was married to Mark Thomsen for 61+ years. Now at age 84, I am still recovering from his untimely death from cancer and my stroke. Still enjoy reading class notes, and I belong to two book clubs. I am grandmother to eight delightful, talented young adults! I have six great-grandkids. Live here in the country in beautiful Wisconsin. Cheer on the Packers every chance I get, and rooting for Hillary. Good Ripon memories. I’ve lived in six states and three countries. God is so good.” ARLAN J. WELCH ’53 of Roseville, California: “I was a student at Ripon 1949-51. Active in drama, including Ver Adest. Graduated BA from Santa Barbara. Commencement speaker Dr. Clark Kuebler. Attended Santa Barbara 1951-54 and Berkeley 54-56. Taught art until I retired in 1988 (with my wife who taught 21 years). Grandson at UC Sacramento – where our money goes. Full life for an 87-year-old. Happy remembrances of Ripon.”
JANE CAPPELL DOVENBARGER ’54 of Wausau, Wisconsin: “The loss of Dr. Bill Dovenbarger in November 2014 changed a lot of things except for the closeness of all of our eight kids, 14 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. A warm, loving atmosphere for this 83-year-old. Thanks to all.”
WALTER S. HOFMAN ’54 of Glenview, Illinois: “On Nov. 7, 2015, I retired after 57 years as a dentist. We live in an independent living facility, called the ‘Vi’ of Glenview.”
RENE MALES ’54 of Hillsboro Beach, Florida: “I am pleased to see Ripon awarding scholarships from the family trust set up in memory of BARBARA YOUNG MALES ’52.”
1954-57 RON BALEJ ’53: Well, here we are again at the bottom of another of our class letters. Thanks to all of you who have responded. Not as many however, as our letter last fall, as undoubtedly attrition is setting in. But still enough of you have sent your letters to make our class letters admirable and interesting. MARY ALICE MILLER BALEJ ’55 and I, along with WOODY MOY ’56 and JIM ’56 and CAROLYN CALLAHAN LANDWEHR ’55 and SMOKEY BLOCHWITZ ’51 are planning to return to Ripon for Alumni Weekend, the last weekend in June. If any of you are planning to attend that weekend, please let me know (rmbalej@hotmail. com). And also, if any of you who receive this class letter feel left out, it is because I don’t have any email address for you and can’t badger you to send me something for the letter. Mary Alice and I are in reasonable health for two octogenarians. We here in Minneapolis have had a mild winter with little snow so far worth shoveling. March, however, is often a snowy month so I haven’t put the snow shovel in the garage just yet. The furthest south we have gone for the winter is to the Target store in Bloomington, Minnesota, some seven miles south of our home. It wasn’t any warmer there, so it was a waste of gasoline. Whenever I gather and organize your input for our class letters I keep my four Crimson yearbooks next to me on the computer desk. I open it to either your graduation picture or sorority/fraternity picture and there you all are in your white buck shoes, girls in flowing, below-theknee skirts. We are all young again, smiling without any of the cares of the world that may lie ahead. I thank you all for the lifetime friendships I made a Ripon — friendships that linger to this day. It has been a wonderful journey. Regards and love to all,
RON BALEJ ’53
1955 Art Lundeberg 9256 E. 26th Street, Tucson, AZ 85710 520-296-9281 / artlund@cox.net Dear Class of 1955, ART LUNDEBERG ’55 has asked me to write on his behalf this spring. He has had some significant health challenges recently and finds that he is unable at present to write a letter of the caliber you have come to expect from him. He hopes to have something for you again in the fall. However, he mentions that should you be interested in working with him as a co-class agent or taking over for him, he would be happy to hear from you. In the meantime, Art shares that he and his wife, Alice, recently welcomed the first great-grandchild to their family. He sends his warmest wishes to you all for a happy and healthy spring and summer. Sincerely,
AMANDA R. LIETHEN ’07 Assistant Director of Advancement Services, Data Analyst
1956 The role of Class Agent is vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested, or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu. 60th Reunion activities for the class of 1956 will be held during Alumni Weekend, June 23-26, 2016. On Saturday, June 25, class members will join other Golden “R”s at 5:15 p.m. for cocktails in the upper lobby of S.N. Pickard Commons, followed by dinner at 6:15 in the Pickard Dining Room. Details and registration information are available at www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.
1957 Joan M. Raymond 2859 Wyndham Way, Melbourne, FL 32940 321-631-6428 / marcojr@aol.com Dear 1957 Ripon College Classmates: Last year when I agreed to serve as our class agent after our longtime class secretary Paul Kegel ’57 died, I made a somewhat nostalgic trip back to the Ripon campus. Although I had thought that our 55th Reunion in 2012 would be my last visit to the College, I thought it was important to visit the Alumni Office for a briefing on our class and the procedures for communicating with the College and, frankly, with you as well. I stayed at Lawsonia and played golf there as well. It remains a hidden gem with wonderful staff and beautiful and spacious grounds. I visited many of our old “haunts” in Ripon and although most have changed, they still brought back memories of the good times we enjoyed during our time at Ripon. There are more stores, shopping and restaurants, and the center of the town has certainly seen progress, but it is still Ripon and, at least for me, it is still the same as it was a half-century ago. My visit was near the end of August so the campus was fairly empty, although many of the studentathletes were in attendance. I roamed the campus and talked with some of the young men and women whom I found engaging and so much younger than we ever were. There are, of course, major changes from our days at Ripon. I think you would be surprised at the ingenuity of the structural changes at the College and the overall layout of the central campus. Very impressive. You may wish to check out the College website at www.ripon.edu/news. It is very informative and certainly provides a great deal of information about activities and happenings at the school. It also offers details on alumni events throughout the year. It is unfathomable that we will celebrate our 60th reunion next year. After helping to coordinate and organize our 25th, 40th, 45th, 50th and 55th reunions, I thought that those celebrations would be a thing of the past. Now, however, it seems that for those of us who are still involved and interested in renewing old memories and friendships, our class should meet again and remember the good times we shared once upon a long time ago. So, notwithstanding my pledge to retire from the reunion business, I will assume the responsibility for planning our 60th which is scheduled for 2017 from June 22-25 at the College. I will be sending you periodic updates over the next year, and I hope you will be able to attend. This might be the last one until our 75th in 2032, so please start planning for it now.
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CLASSLetters As you know, PAUL KEGEL ’57, our class agent for so many years, had an active network of contacts of many of our classmates. He made phone calls, sent emails and I know attended many functions at the campus. He often organized and attended mini reunions with members of our class. Unfortunately, and regrettably, I do not have such a network; and I have been struggling to find news which I could share in this newsletter. After a few calls, I learned that there is a common pattern to our lives; retirement, grandchildren, vacations and various hobbies ranging from painting to golf to club activities along with a myriad of interesting ways to enjoy these, the best years of our lives. It is my hope that those of you who wish to continue your Ripon connections will help me build a network for our class. I am in the process of developing an email directory for the Class of ’57 which will be my primary basis of maintaining contact with you as well as you with me. Hopefully, I will be able to become the clearinghouse of updated information on our class with news that I can then share with all of you and for our newsletters. My email address as well as all my contact information is at the beginning of this letter. Please contact me with any news or suggestions which you may have to help us maintain an active system of communication. I sincerely appreciate any assistance you are able to offer.
JOAN ANDERSON BACHUS ’57 of Penn Valley, California: “Busy playing golf, volunteering, watching my seven grandchildren grow up. Oldest graduated from UC Santa Barbara 2014; one in second year at the U of Idaho; one in first year at Cal Poly.”
RAY G. BESING ’57 of Lighthouse Point, Florida: “To improve my health, I moved from Santa Fe, New Mexico, at 7,000 feet altitude to Deerfield Beach at sea level. Hope to find some Ripon grads in Florida.” So, until our 60th Reunion in June of 2017, I wish you good health and fond memories of our Ripon days.
JOAN RAYMOND
1958 The role of Class Agent is vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested, or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu.
DONALD F. DOMENCICH ’58 of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, is a retired chemistry teacher.
RONALD C. GILLARD ’58 of New Berlin, Wisconsin: “We are starting to accumulate great grandsons — three so far!” CAROLYN SCOTT HUDSON ’58 has moved to Vienna, Virginia.
1959
writes, “Busy year – five grandchildren still pursuing their undergraduate degree.”
DAVE SMITH ’59 reminded me that in 2017, the Ripon College 1957 undefeated football team (8 - 0), second in the nation small colleges (now Division III), will hold its 60th year celebration on campus at Ripon College. All players from that era, playing both offense and defense, and their spouses or significant others are asked to attend and be part of the campuswide celebration with a group of College players now in their late 70s and early 80s. BE THERE! More to follow, soon. ROGER D. VENDEN ’59: Our intended move to Stratham, New Hampshire, on Feb. 16 and completing our “down-sizing” action was greatly extended. Our effort goes something like this: Manon and I put our lovely garrison home for sale, plus a barn, studio, a small shed and 5.9 acres. No animals as I had enough of them after my years on a dairy farm in Brooklyn — that is in southern Wisconsin, should you have forgotten. Instead, the initial 12 flower beds grew bigger — much bigger — after 15 years of intense nurturing by my sweetheart. I had little if anything to do with it! We put everything on the market mid-July 2015 after which our Realtor brought 27 families over the next five months to view, walk and discuss the pros and cons of purchasing Paradise. Although all loved the house, grounds, etc., their general comment can be condenses as “we love the house, barn, etc. and what you all have done in 15 years, however we do not wish to do all the work you have done or pay someone to do it for us.” Bottom line — they all walked! In late December, a couple did take an interest in purchasing the property. New England has extensive granite sources which impacts both high radon gas and arsenic levels in the water. Both can be corrected to bring both levels within “new” NH state levels at considerable dollars to do so. The buyers signed a contract to purchase the NH “Live Free or Die” property; a few days later walked away afraid of the radon and arsenic, although both had been reduced to meet state levels. Meanwhile, we purchased our down-sized home in Stratham and found ourselves with a second home. In mid-January 2016, a new buyer appeared, viewed the property three times, and made an offer and scheduled to close on Feb. 16. Although December and January both had above-normal winter temperatures and NO snow, snow and wind arrived in early February with an accumulation of 13 inches over a two-day period at 6 degrees below zero with a minus 36 degree wind factor. That sounds like Wisconsin weather! To our amazement, however, the next two days were in the high 20s/low 30s for the Gentle Giant Moving Company to pack, wrap, crate and load one truck and deliver it to Drumlin Road the next day. We dodged a bullet and are truly blessed. Send your news for next time,
ROGER VENDEN
Roger D. Venden 11 Drumlin Road, Stratham, NH 03885 vendenr@comcast.net Dear 1959 Classmates:
ANN SACHS KLEBOE ’59 of Pittsboro, North Carolina, is a sculpture artist (website: http:// annkleboe.com). She recently donated one of her statues to Lane Library.
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DAN C. RAJEWSKI ’59 of Schaumburg, Illinois,
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1960 Deborah Johnson Van Slyke 8700 E. Mountain View Road, Unit 1074, Scottsdale, AZ 85258 480-284-5564 / 619-889-5061 / advanslyke@cox.net Well, I have just returned from the pool; it is 86 in Scottsdale and here I am loyally slaving away with the class letter. I almost feel guilty with this note from CLAUDETTE BEALL LEE-ROSELAND
1957-60 ’60, who writes, “I am still here in cold and snowy Wisconsin being very busy with the local art scene. Took first place at our guild’s annual show this year and just finished a commission of a golf course to hang over my client’s fireplace. Any other golfers out there that would love their favorite hole hanging in the den? “I am inflicted with spinal stenosis, a hereditary back problem which makes it painful for me to walk very much so my new toy is an electric assist, recumbent bicycle which I love and the neighbors kids think is quite the thing! My husband had prostate cancer surgery in January which has kept us close to home, but he is doing very well. “Hopefully, for the next reunion, some of you will show up! You owe ERIC PETERSEN ’60 and me a drink for last year. They put us with the ‘really old people!’ ”
JIM PIERCE ’60 writes, “OK, cat lady; you have shamed me into a rather dull reply — and that may be the reason so few of us have responded to our whereabouts and doings, as there is seldom any earth-shattering news when you reach these ‘golden years.’ At breakfast at the ELKS this morning, the omelet maker said that old age is like frying bacon in the nude; you know it will probably hurt but you cannot be sure where. “Where? Well it IS winter. Susan and I are somewhat warm in Punta Gorda, Florida. In the last several years, still trying to figure out what we really want to do, we have lived in a condo/marina; a home on a Punta Corda canal with a sailboat in the back/ front yard; then after hurricane Charlie in a ‘toyhauler’ fifth wheel in the same city; and now in a manufactured home, also in Punta Gorda, on a little lake or retention pond, depending on what advertising you are reading. Staying busy digging up the back/front yard (water side) and re-sodding in an attempt to be able to look at more than weeds and water from the deck. “Next large event will be my 80th, but that occurs in January when we are in Florida so I think we will hold the celebration in Canton, Ohio, during the Fourth of July celebration. It is only fair to celebrate on another national holiday, since I have been celebrating my birthday on Martin L. King’s real birthday, but didn’t know it at first, as he was as unknown as I am in the early years. Keep smilin’, guys!” As Jim says, there’s not much different from year to year. Kids, of course.
ED SIEBEL ’60: “We had kids late and so ours are
(literally – half the conversations are in a language other than English or Spanish) wants to vacation, thinking about traveling takes a different mindset. “Meantime, our other kids, the ones we represent who have developmental disabilities and need some advocacy to receive from local school districts the services they need — and are legally entitled to — continue to offer interesting challenges. No one presents exactly the same issues as any other — Autism spectrum, ADHD, processing problems (e.g. dyslexia), and the other more serious disabilities impairing hearing, speech, cognition, motor acuity, etc. People keep asking whether we’ve retired. We’re not sure what we’d do if that millennium ever occurred. That’s enough. Greetings from the Left Coast – Balboa Island, Newport Beach, California.”
DAN ’60 AND DEE GRAY HOLDEN ’60: “Dan and I are having our usual wonderful snowbird season in Arizona. Dan has been volunteering with the Phoenix Airport Navigator Program for several years. Donned in his purple sport coat, he is the font of information for bewildered travelers. He always comes home with interesting stories — how to get on the plane to an international destination with an expired passport, where to pick up Granny without knowing the airline, connecting flight data, or, one time, the actual date. “Dee is recovering from another medical maintenance, this time arthritis surgery to her hand. Pain and ibuprofen are companions. Her Mom, who continues to live with us, turned 99 in February, which saw us celebrating with various houseguests for a month. More Abbey Springs people are spending extended time in Arizona, so spring is busy with dinners, outings, golf, etc. with those visiting friends. It is true that fun makes time fly. “The two trips to Europe last summer, one with grandson Evan and one with son and daughter-inlaw, were both fun. The first was in Austria with every adventure we could find for a teenager: rock climbing, glacier skiing, ropes course, parasailing alpine coaster, summer bobsled. We did some of them, too! The second trip was our first river cruise (Rhine), and we liked it so much that we will do another this September. May will find us in Lake Geneva for summertime activities. Life is good.”
BOB BORGER ’60: “Just a note to let you all know we are in our winter home in Naples, Florida, and we are having cool and rainy weather! Have had our share of maladies, but doing all we can to enjoy! Have been to Vegas, New York, Michigan, and Villages in Florida. Wish you all well and good health!”
still producing offspring of the new sort. Son, Jed (38), who’s a Navy doc at the Naval Hospital JAX in Florida just introduced his second – a young man named William. Looks like a baby, all red and squiggly. His mother will call him William. As she calls her first Jameson (2). The rest of us prefer Mundy for her first. Perhaps Will or Willy or even Wills for the second? Two of Jed’s sisters, Julie (53) and Liza (41), fly back this week to observe, examine and report back on Jacksonville domesticity. We’ll probably drive back in June for Jed’s graduation from residency. See for ourselves. While the girls are gallivanting off to Florida, we’ll share parenting duties for Liza’s boys, Harry (7) and Tucker (just 4 but going on 6), with their dad and his parents. And their two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
CHARLES MORGAN ’60 of The Villages, Florida:
“Not much travel. For a Valentine’s proposal, I offered Susie a long weekend either in San Francisco or at Smoke Tree Ranch in Palm Springs. She is considering her options. When you live at the beach where it seems like everybody else in the world
DEB
“Give my best to all my classmates – I’m making great progress after triple bi-pass surgery.” I had my 15 minutes of fame this fall. I auditioned here in Phoenix for “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” I was selected and flew to Stamford, Connecticut, for the filming of the show in October. The episode aired in November, but my appearance was one of several that had to be cut due to lack of time. The good news is that I did win $5,000. No, I will not be paying for the next reunion — OK, maybe some beverages. Please remember to keep me informed of what you are doing. Even if you think it is not exciting but we all like to hear from each other.
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1961 Peter Jochimsen 1010 Woodlawn Avenue, Iowa City, IA 52245 cuttertoo@centurylink.net Greetings. One advantage of graduating in the Class of 1961 is that it moves us closer to the front page of the R Connections publication, and the way things are going, we likely have only 20 or 30 years to go before we make the first page or two. I wish that more folks would offer input, but in spite of that, there is some news to share. My wife, Grace, and I recently returned from what has become an annual trip to New Orleans the week before Mardi Gras. We take the Trailways Bus from Iowa City to Chicago. This year, because we bought early, the round trip cost for two of us was, astonishingly, $7. The bus station in Chicago is only a few blocks from Union Train Station, where we left our luggage and spent a few hours at Boston Blackies, a great watering hole. Caught the AMTRAK, City of New Orleans, and 20 hours later got to the Big Easy. Six nights in the city and then left on Friday for home, four days before Fat Tuesday, which for us is just perfect. It is really a fun city. On March 13, midway through their spring tour, the Ripon College Chamber Singers performed in Iowa City. I had learned of their coming by reading about the tour in a message sent online by the College. The tour included stops in DeKalb, Illinois, St. Louis, Missouri, and Brookfield, Wisconsin. The program was really quite wonderful and varied. Included in the program was music of not only well-knowns like Palestrina, Monteverdi, Rachmaninoff and Randall Thompson, but also new works, one of which was commissioned by the choir. The program was complete with original libretto and English translations, as the non-English works were sung in the original languages. Clearly, those 16-17th century Italian composers were an earthy lot, which might have been missed save for the translation. Particularly well-received, as was the entire program, was the familiar Scottish tune, “Loch Lomand,” featuring a beautiful tenor solo. The performance house was the Congregational Church of Iowa City, which was appropriately filled with an appreciative audience. Many of the more senior attendees wore Ripon shirts and sweaters, and one couldn’t tell if they were graduates of the school or parents and relatives of the singers. As I was listening to this remarkable ensemble, it came to me that I likely was older than the parents of these singers. The group’s director, John C. Hughes, received his DMA from the University of Iowa, so his connection with the city was well-known. He brings great credit both to the University of Iowa, as well as Ripon College. It was a wonderful way to spend a lovely spring Sunday afternoon.
SUGAR MALTBY BALMES ’61 writes that three Duffie girls revisited the Ripon campus last fall (Sugar, MARA LATONS WARREN ’61 and MARY BACHUS MILLER ’61). It was a great time, just before Mara got new knees and Sugar a new hip. These three dynamos are looking at options for their next trip. This newsletter is really a way for old friends to reconnect. TIM BURR ’61, who contacted me, was trying to find FRED HABERLAND, who was listed in the Alumni Office as a member of the class of ’63. Tim was certain that he was a freshman in the class of ’61, because he, Tim, had been trounced in an intramural wresting contest. Tim contacted BILL PYE ’61 to explain this, not the fact that he had been trounced, which according to Tim was a “no-brainer,”
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but how Fred got put into the class of ’63. Bill responded to Tim, that “Zorro,” Fred, had dropped out in his junior year and was readmitted and did very well academically, and indeed professionally, as he went on to obtain two master’s degrees and became a professor of business at a Georgia college and retired as a professor emeritus. He lives outside of Atlanta with his wife Nancy. Tim remembers Fred as Tim was conscripted as an intramural wrestler for Lambda, as he was the only available 130-punder. He describes his first match with, he believes, ERIC PETERSEN ’60, who went by the name of “Toad.” Tim describes him as 6 feet tall, so it was a bizarre match-up, with the two circling around each other for 3½ minutes, trying to figure out what to grab and then finally charged at the same time, fell down and Tim ended on top of him and “inadvertently pinned him.” Tim’s final match was with Fred, who Tim feels must have been an Ohio high school state champion. He says he could have been pinned in the first 12 seconds but wasn’t. “Instead he just sort of respectfully played with me for two rounds, at one point he even whispered something like, ‘good move, Tim.’ ” At the beginning of the third period he was pinned, and he remains appreciative that he wasn’t humiliated. Tim signs his communication, “Tim BurrEntertainer.” I asked him to fill this in, but he has left it at that. Perhaps more to come.
AKIRA TOMITA ’61 has in the past, as I noted in one of the previous newsletters, asked about BILL PYE ’61. Akira and I have had a recent and extensive communication, some of which I wish to share for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that he and his wife are going to visit the United States in August, and will spend a few days with us here in Iowa. I, in fact, though we had emailed back and forth some number of times, remembered Aki as a classmate for only a short time; in fact, I didn’t remember him outside of our freshman year. There was a reason which follows. Aki writes, “I’m so glad you write and I am more than happy to respond. If I’m correct in understanding what you asked me as to why I transferred to Greenville College, I’m going to answer the question to the best of my knowledge. I had nothing to complain about and I was only genuinely thankful for all that the College had arranged and provided me. I got a foreign student scholarship that was practically free of costs. Living expenses (room and board) were expensive, and I was not able to pay for that. Everything was fine at Scott Hall. My roommate was Eric Gilbertson — do you remember him? — and meals served at the dining hall were far better than I expected, and I’d never forget my feeling of appreciation for that. I know of a son of a popular Japanese novelist who once attended Ripon. Mr. Niwa — he got married to a German lady whom he met in NYC while traveling. A person like that, I assume, didn’t have much problem for paying tuition/living expenses. I met him and his wife about 15 years ago when the president of Ripon College visited Tokyo. I arranged to have a small welcome party asking about 15 alumni to attend. “To be frank with you, I had $26 in cash when I left my home for the United States to come to Ripon. My father exchanged yen for $20, my American missionary friend gave me $5 as a parting gift and a friend, $1 which was originally given to her by the missionary. I needed extra for my personal expenses, but I was not able to get much extra money. I used to
1961-63 stay at Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago, a homeless shelter in the South Loop section of Chicago. I met in that rescue mission an old man who came there from time to time as a volunteer to help those who came in to understand God’s words. He was so kind to me and tried to understand the difficulties I was facing. One day, he took me to his home in Rushville, Illinois — that was close to Greenville. I visited the college and obtained the catalog. I found living expenses (room and board) was less than a half of that in Ripon and they accepted my application for tuition scholarship. This was the story why and how I transferred from Ripon to Greenville. I tried to explain to you as much as I could, but if you would like to know more in detail about it, please ask.” I particularly appreciated the following that Aki wrote concerning his studies at Ripon and the insight it gives about several of the people who were so important in day-to-day activities at Ripon. Aki writes, “I took a class in political science at Ripon. The professor was Dr. Fleming. He had a strong German accent, and I was not able to understand well either what he was talking about or what was written in the text book. I was extremely poor in understanding written English and spoken English, as well. As I recall, I flunked it, getting ‘F.’ Have I told you that Dr. Kirwin, a professor in English, was much worried about my English, pronunciation in particular. He wrote a letter to Dean Ashley, telling him that I need some help. As a result, I had a lesson in English pronunciation in his office, for one semester, twice a week for 50 minutes each and the College paid him for that. It was such a BIG help for me. We’ve been exchanging letters, a few times a year until several years ago. It’s very unfortunate that we haven’t been able to exchange letters for about 10 years now as he has been in some nursing home in Newfoundland, Canada, because of a heart attack he had. Though I never hear from him any longer as he is not able to write anymore, I still continue to send him letters and cards, etc. I’d like to cheer him up and also I’d like to express my appreciations to him for all those fine things he had done for me.”
DAN BENKA ’61 of Hopewell, Virginia, was selected as Outstanding Member of the United States Junior Chamber International Senate.
TENA SCHULTZ FRANZEN ’61 of Florence, Kentucky: “My husband and I are enjoying retirement, planning on an Alaskan trip, and taking everything easier now.”
“After graduation, Bill went on to work professionally in Green Bay and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and then Columbia and Spartanburg, South Carolina. He found his true home in South Carolina, hosting his morning show “Awake with Drake” on WOLI-AM and FM 105.7 for over 38 years — from 1976 until shortly before his death in July 2014. During his tenure, he was named South Carolina Radio Personality of the Year three times and was awarded The Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest honor, in 2004. Among his many other honors, Bill was given a Ripon College Distinguished Alumni Citation in 1994 and served as an adjunct professor of public speaking at the University of South Carolina Upstate for over 27 years. He was the longtime public address announcer for Wofford College football and basketball. “I had the chance to speak with Bill a few months after the ’61 Class Reunion in 2011 to tell him of the video that had been created to commemorate WRPN’s Golden Anniversary and to discuss how the station had changed and developed following our respective stewardships. It was during our conversation that Bill mentioned his wife, Judy, had been a nurse at Evangelical Deaconess Hospital in Milwaukee, where Peter and I were born as well as where our father interned and subsequently practiced. It really can be a small world. “Bill’s memorial service was broadcast live on both AM and FM radio. Bill is survived by Judith A. Drake, his wife of 49 years, as well as their three children and four grandchildren.” That is all the news from Lake Wobe … Iowa City.
PETER JOCHIMSEN
1962 The role of Class Agent is vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested, or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu.
BOB AIKINS ’62 of The Villages, Florida, is now retired from Qivana.
HENRY A. HOLZKAMPER ’62 of Bonita Springs, Florida: “Love life in Naples. And Ripon is a significant reason why life is good. Owning and managing our multi-family housing is actually enjoyable in Naples. Retire? No way. Just bought a yacht again! I call the Naples City Dock, the Dock of Dreams. Some realized, many regretted!”
In Memoriam
BILL JOCHIMSEN ’61 submits the following about WILLIAM BENNETT “BILL” DRAKE ’63,
1963
who died July 11, 2014: “It is with sincere sadness that I write about the passing of Bill Drake, my successor as station manager of WRPN-FM. In 1960, the station was the most desirable extracurricular activity on campus, as judged by the size of the staff in the ’61 yearbook. While many students wanted to join the station staff with the hope of getting on air to become a new Franklin McCormack, Jaye Andres or Sid McCoy, Bill had no problem joining because his ultimate goal was always a career in broadcasting. With his deep, rich baritone voice, he was a natural for radio and indeed was soon hired to broadcast at the local commercial AM station while continuing his work at WRPN. Bill quickly went on to become WRPN’s program director in 1960, while I devoted my energy to putting the FM station on the air with the help of FRED JAYE ’61.
Wayne Wolfgram 622 Lincoln Road, Grosse Pointe, MI 48230 313-882-1712 / waynewolfgram@gmail.com Greetings Classmates. I hope everyone’s 2016 is going great and you are enjoying the on-going political circus.
ARTHUR SCHARFF ’63 of St Louis, Missouri (I hadn’t heard from him since graduation) and
LARRY HAMILTON ’63 of Dallas, Texas (who always has something interesting to say) immediately responded to a bribe I offered them. If they submitted an article, I would buy each of them a Greekers hot dog during our 55th reunion in 2018 — only two years from now!
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CLASSLetters From Arthur: “Most would not recall that I was the last high school student admitted to the class of ’63. I was notified two weeks before the start of the school year that they had one opening left (I had been rejected the first time I applied). I graduated with a 2.01 GPA and President Pinkham, as he moved my tassel from one side to the other said: ‘I never thought you would make it, Scharff, much less in just four years.’ I didn’t know how to thank him for his kind words. “I proudly served in the U.S. Coast Guard as a 6X8 reservist and then entered my family business where I diligently worked my way up from son of boss to boss. Sometimes it pays to be in the lucky ovary club! In spite of my stellar academic record at Ripon, I was asked to consider becoming a trustee for the school about 15 years ago. They must have lost my performance records. I did not join the board but was flattered to be asked. “It took me three wives to find Susie, my soul mate, and I have two biological and two stepchildren and five grandchildren as part of my extended family. “HARRY FORD ’64 still owes me $25, and Wayne reminded me that I lent him my car for a trip to his home and back. When we talked today, we figured that Wayne owes me $6 for the gas he used (at 19 cents per gallon). That number is not compounded. Note: In 1993, Arthur started The Presidents Council for St. Louis (www.presidentscouncil.biz.) “I have been a poor correspondent to the many friends that I had at Ripon, and Wayne, I am clueless as to what you will do with catch-up communications from a 53-year hiatus. Good luck and God bless.” From Larry: “A couple of weeks ago, I got a cold call from a guy promoting a firm called Delos who wanted me to include a bunch of wellness rooms in the boutique hotel we are developing in downtown Dallas. He said they recently converted 140 rooms in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to wellness rooms that they are able to upset at a premium. He suggested I watch a video about it at delos.com. I did, and the video opened with Bill Clinton and Terry McAuliffe declaiming about how great this program is, but I still didn’t learn any specifics. When I got a return call from the Delos guy, I started asking him about actual amenities and how Delos would get paid, etc., and he said he would have someone call me who was more involved and that person’s name is Jordan Belfort. He said I might have heard of him if I saw the movie ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ where he is portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio. I have, in fact, seen the movie, but so far no return call from Jordan Belfort although it has only been a few days. Anyway, it struck me as amusing that I might be hearing from someone recently portrayed as the biggest scumbag in American capitalism. As I read this, it doesn’t seem as entertaining as it seemed to me at the time so maybe I just have an odd sense of humor.”
DANIEL SCHULTZ ’63 of Silver Spring, Maryland: “We started being snowbirds last year heading down to West Palm Beach, Florida, for the dreary and cold winter months and really enjoyed it, so we have done it again this year for January through April. Another great year to do it because of the huge snowstorm this month back home in Maryland. Golf game getting a bit better, lots of good books to read on the beach and definitely the good life. “We welcomed our 10th grandchild this past summer, breaking a streak of all boys for the last nine with Memphi, daughter of my youngest, Maggie. In addition, Maggie is in the process of moving back to Baltimore from NYC which will be nice as we will then have three grandchildren and four kids in the
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area. I remain in my semi-retirement stage of life and am beginning to think I will stay with it instead of quitting completely, as I still enjoy the work now that I don’t have to endure the stress of actually trying cases. “I have remained in contact with Spud Hannaford, who is still in Ripon, teaching one class and holding his own. One of the best things about Ripon was being able to have lasting friendships with the professors! If anyone is in the Palm Beach area, please give me a call (310-775-4139) so we can get together! Best to all!”
CAROLYN QUILLING WOLF ’63 of Valencia, California: “We’ve lived in Valencia for 21 years and have now moved to a 55-and-over community called Belcaro. It’s about a mile-and-a-half from our other house. We really love living here because there are a lot of social activities. We went to a Valentine’s dinner at our clubhouse and listened to Cole Porter songs sung by a couple of wonderful singers. It was lovely. We’ve also been to about four other parties here. We go to happy hour every Friday and I go to the exercise classes they have every day. There’s card games, book club, men’s and women’s club, tennis, swimming, pickle ball and bocce ball, but we don’t have a golf course. It’s a relatively small community of about 300 homes. I’d have to say this is the best house we’ve owned. We have a downstairs master bedroom plus a whole upstairs loft, bedroom and bath and a separate casita which is a separate building with room and bath. It’s great for guests or if we need a caregiver someday. Tom is still working and plans to do so until he’s 70. We have three grandchildren in the San Francisco Bay area.” PENNY BUCHER SCHEIBACH ’63 of Grafton, Wisconsin: “We recently purchased a condo in Indio, California. We live here from October until April. Two of our children and their spouses also call the California desert home.” MARGO “PEGI” BISSON WHEATLEY ’63 of Mill Valley, California, was a very close friend of LYNN GABEL BROCKELMAN ’63, who died Oct. 16, 2015. She shares these memories: “Lynn was incredibly upbeat during the more than two years of palliative care for her spinal cancer. We shared vacations and had regular contact with Lynn and each family member; in fact, we shared their Labor Day family ‘in-gathering’ for many years — including 2015. “Picture Lynn and moi with as many as three children, her twin and eight grandchildren all piled into a huge bed with as many as four dogs at a time. Just as she did in college, Lynn ‘made’ the party with her enthusiasm and interest in everyone. Except for discovering that our Golden Age brings accumulating loss of loved ones, Rick and I are lucky to count each day as a blessing with so many opportunities for joy and laughter! (A Lynn Gabel Brockelman lesson on ‘enthusiasm’ is taken to heart personally, even as it has also been in non-profit, golf and even corporate boardroom circles.)” Every time I compile a class letter, I think of all the effort MARCIA MACLEISH HIGGINS ’63 and JUDY ELLICSON KOVARIK ’63 put in for years as our class agents. Their efforts helped to keep our class together and are much appreciated. A few Ripon memories: the friendliness of everyone, missing the intimacy and family atmosphere of the dining hall when the new cafeteria opened our senior year, and Indiana University’s Music School’s production of Rigoletto in the Big Red Barn—my first opera—loved it!
1963-65 Those of you who haven’t provided either the College or me with your email address, please do so. If I don’t have your email address, you will miss out on the chance for a free hot dog!
memory — it was just 50 years ago this week that we all started our freshman year at Ripon — in my case, both sad and happy about leaving home, but anxious and excited about the future.
WAYNE WOLFGRAM
“I was reminded about my first footsteps on the campus when GREG THOMPSON ’65 told me at the reunion just over a year ago that he had a bittersweet memory of his mother dropping him off in front of the Student Union and driving away. He then carried his suitcase up to Scott Hall to find his room.
1964 Pat Ostrom Kohnen 3441 Streamside Circle, #419, Pleasanton, CA 94588 925-201-7377 / pmko@aol.com Greetings to the Class of ’64. It seems like time keeps going faster and faster. We are actually having springlike weather here in California with flowering trees in bloom. However, when I check the weather news around the USA, I know that many of you are still experiencing cold and snow. At the end of January I enjoyed a cruise that sailed from Fort Lauderdale to the western Caribbean, Haiti, Jamaica and Cozumel in Mexico. I traveled with friends from the Stoneridge Creek Community where I live. Sadly, my motherin-law died Feb. 7. She would have been 98 on her Valentine’s birthday. She was fortunate to live a long and wonderful life. I will miss her. Two classmates have news to share.
DIANNE W. ASHLEY ’64 of Eastham, Massachusetts, married JEFF C. BUMBY ’65 on June 20, 2015. Her second grandchild was born Aug. 16 — named Cyrus Wolf Wilde; first grandchild is 4 — named Dashiell Wolf Wilde. RICH L. MOSCHEL ’64 of Sun City West, Arizona: “My son, Rick, got engaged this summer. Wedding is expected to be next fall. My three sons, Bob, Rick and Brett, came up to our summer home for five days of fishing. This was their first trip together in the years we’ve had the home in Ely, Minnesota.” I hope that you will join me in making a donation to Ripon. I continue to be grateful for my time at Ripon. Of course, I had the bonus of meeting JIM ’64 at Ripon. If you come to San Francisco, please call or email me so that we can get together. I would be happy to host you here at Stoneridge Creek or I can easily travel into the city by BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). My phone number is 925-201-7377, and my email is pmko@aol.com. If you have news to share you can either email me or send it directly to Ripon. Happy spring,
PAT KOHNEN
1965 John C. Hyde 3718 Silver Birch Road, Conover, WI 54519 414-530-4041 / jhyde65@gmail.com Having just celebrated our 50th Reunion, 50 years since we graduated in June 1965, I thought it would be appropriate to look back to the beginning — that is our first week or so freshman year on the Ripon campus. This letter is a combination of your thoughts that were first gathered in the Fall 2011 class letter and my present request for your similar information. The initial idea for the Fall 2011 class letter originated from Craig Ferris. Classmate Recollections of their Early Days at Ripon (From Fall 2011)
CRAIG FERRIS ’65 wrote, “With the nation preoccupied by the events of 9/11 a decade ago, I woke up this morning with a much more pleasant
“His memory reminded me of getting to Ripon on my own. My parents had left a couple of days earlier to take my sister to school so I took a train to Chicago, a taxi to Midway Airport, and then a North Central flight to Oshkosh via Milwaukee. “Once I got to Oshkosh, I had no idea how to get to Ripon. I asked about a bus, but there didn’t appear to be any. I was told a taxi was probably best, but that was going to be expensive and I didn’t want to eat up a chunk of my earnings from my summer job. I was contemplating hitchhiking, but I had a large suitcase and that didn’t seem as if it would work so well. While waiting for my suitcase at the baggage area, I noticed a blonde woman my age waiting as well. I swallowed and asked her if she was going to Ripon. Yes, she said. I asked how she was getting to the school and suggested that I would share a taxi with her. She said a couple of guys from the school were going to pick her up and drive her there. ‘But I could ask them if you can ride along,’ she said, as the two of us walked out of the terminal. “Sure enough, a couple of minutes later two Nordiclooking guys, juniors or seniors, who looked as if they were right out of Animal House driving a candy-apple red Chevy convertible pulled up to the curb with a hand-lettered sign that said Ripon College. To make the story short, they said they would give me a ride, but seemed disappointed that they would have extra baggage along while trying to impress the blonde frosh. For the life of me, I don’t remember either who the blonde co-ed was or who the two guys were. “They dropped me off in front of the Union at the same time they dropped the co-ed off at the Tri-dorms and gallantly carried her suitcase up the sidewalk to the front door of, I think it was, Shaler. And like Greg, I picked up my suitcase and walked along the path in Bowen’s Woods to Scott Hall — anxious to find my room and see who my roommate was. Then there was frosh orientation week (by the way, freshman are now called First-Year students) including the Green Beanies (remember you were supposed to touch the red button when you passed an upperclassman on hill walk) and the sophomore hellers — I remember one was a big tall guy named Gary and the other was Karen, but I don’t remember their last names. Anybody remember?”
LEE WARCHUS ’65: “If my memory serves me correctly, the names of the Sophomore Hellers were GARY MEVIS ’64 and KAREN GLATFELTER SIMONSEN ’64. I don’t remember much regarding my arrival at Ripon other than I arrived with my parents in the family car after our trip from northern Indiana. They went with me up to my Scott Hall room. I think we all went to a ‘Welcome’ at the President’s house. John Wheeler ’65 (my roommate) didn’t get there until later that day. During our Orientation, I have memories of the Baptist Retreat at Green Lake, the Tug of War at the Mill Pond and the Greased Pole Fight. All GOOD memories!” JOHN WHEELER ’65: “My first shock when I arrived at Ripon College was that it was pronounced ‘rippin’ and not ‘RipON.’ It wasn’t surprising that I didn’t know how to pronounce the name of the
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CLASSLetters place. The only reason that I was even there was because I had sent an application to some sort of central clearinghouse that my mother had read about. Colleges that couldn’t afford to be too picky about who they let in would then send literature to those that met their minimal standards. All this literature was spread out on our dining room table when our next-door neighbor, a doctor who was active as an advisor to the Seattle Chapter of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, stopped by to visit with my parents. He just happened to notice something from Ripon. Immediately, he said ‘Ripon; that’s a really good school. We just put a Phi Delt chapter in there.’ My mother, who loved the idea of me going to a small liberal arts college, was immediately enthralled with the school. “Before I could say, ‘Hell, no, I won’t go’ I was on a United Airlines plane headed for Chicago and on to Ripon to join Phi Delta Theta. During the flight, I had a chance to locate Ripon on the airline map. What a shock! I was picked up at the Oshkosh airport by someone holding a sign that read ‘Ripon’ and driven to Scott Hall, where I met my roommate, Lee Warchus ’65. He seemed like a nice enough guy, but I couldn’t figure out why instead of jeans, he wore tight, skinnylegged black pants. “My next memory is of the pay phone in the hall ringing and Lee answering it. It was a councilor from one of the Tri Dorms. She said there were a couple of girls that were looking for dates for the evening. Lee volunteered us. My most vivid memory of our date was buying her a bottle of Pepsi. She complained that there was too much Pepsi in the bottle, and I finally said, ‘Well, you don’t have to drink the whole thing.’ Lee had a good laugh. Fortunately, I didn’t realize at the time that this event foreshadowed my social life for the next four years. Ripon was wonderful; you guys are (still) all great.”
MARK LEDGER ’65: “I don’t remember much about arriving, but I do remember the pass-the-lifesaver game at the frosh picnic at Lawsonia at which I received the lifesaver onto my toothpick from a fiery red head named SUE PURTELL KULLICK ’65. It was all over from that moment!” KEN VON KLUCK ’65: “I do not remember much about the day. I recall my parents driving me to Ripon. I was impressed that Dean Harris greeted me by name (because of his summer study of the Green List). However, he did have a good memory because he greeted my parents by name when he saw them, out of my presence, and he had not seen them since attending high school with them. I roomed with Fred WIED ’65. FRED, WALLY ZIMMERMANN ’65 and I went to the same high school and knew each other pre-Ripon. I do remember that I was only 17 and unlike many others I could not get beer (legally) until January of 1962.” WALLY ZIMMERMANN ’65: “I remember the second night because my roommate came home from The Spot and hurled all over my bed. I was still 17 and had not had a beer because my dream was to play right field for the Cubs. Little did I know that Andy Pafko, the right fielder in 1961 for the Cubs, was pretty much a drunk.” RUDY VON WATZDORF ’65: “I knew of no one who had attended Ripon, nor had I ever (no money) visited the campus. So, for me, having arrived from Germany four years earlier and attended a small boarding school in western Massachusetts — incidentally, that was as far west as I had gotten in the USA — my initial reaction was one of bewilderment! In fact, I felt out of place. My old school had a total of 128 students from some 20 nations with an equally
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international teaching staff. Trips to Boston and New York were common. Thus, the Midwest was a change, a place and people I learned to appreciate and love only over time.” A classmate who wished to remain anonymous: “I remember being dropped off by my folks, who said good-bye and left after they saw me up to my room and met my roommate, DOROTHY LISKA HUNTER ’65. Some helpful upperclassmen carried my small amount of luggage up to our room in the Tri-dorms. Dee and I had been writing during the prior summer so that we were pretty organized; we also had asked for bunk beds as a means of space saving. This was good as Dee brought a large trunk full of supplies and reference books from her high school career! This was the beginning of a good roommate situation, and we shared a room for three years, splitting up only during our last year to accommodate two wonderful Korean girls who came to Ripon as seniors: Soon Hoon Lee and Young Soon Shin. That first day, however, the racks of clothes that others brought to school, compared to my two suitcases, left a lasting impression.”
JENNIFER LLOYD MAXSON ’65: “I was very nervous about starting out this college career (had never seen the school prior to arrival for the fall semester) and much appreciated a welcome letter during the summer from an upper classman, CAROL PICKHARDT FANCHER ’62, who offered to answer any questions I might have. I enthusiastically wrote her back with a few idiotic questions, such as what sort of classroom supplies I should purchase before coming to campus, knowing full well that anything needed could be acquired readily at the student union store. The letter was a therapeutic exercise for me, but it was amusing to me that Carol stopped in that first day to say hello and to see what sort of naive kid Ripon had accepted. It didn’t take long to settle into the college routine and lose the nerves. One of my favorite memories (and there are many) is of getting up early to be one of the first at the union rotunda to select a ‘perfect’ donut, fresh from the bakery, and a cup of coffee or juice that was free for the taking.” M.J. SHIRER KROENING ’65: “I don’t remember much, but a couple of things have stayed in my memory. My parents both attended Ripon and they were so pleased that I had selected the college. I had been dating CHUCK OSGOOD ’64, an upperclassman, while in high school, (even wore his Sigma Nu ring for a while), but our relationship had fizzled. That caused a few awkward moments, but we got over that. Actually, he gave me my nickname of ‘MJ’ somewhere along the line. Anyway, my folks dropped me off at Shaler, helped me take my stuff upstairs, and then they left. I really felt alone and nearly cried, but then I saw DICK GRIMSRUD ’65! He and I had walked or carpooled to school together from elementary school on. That familiar face made me feel at home.” CHAD NELSON ’65: “I remember traveling to Ripon for my freshmen year, riding with my parents along Interstate 94 in our 1959 Ford Galaxy listening to Andy Williams singing ‘Moon River’ through the static as the Minneapolis AM radio stations were fading. In 1961, Interstate 94 ended at Eau Claire, and we soon found ourselves traveling a web of two-lane roads through the countryside and through Wisconsin towns that I would get to observe time and again during the next four years. My thoughts during that ride were many: wondering whether I would succeed at college and whether I would find true friends. Unlike many of my high school friends who were going off to college ‘together,’ I was the only one from
1965 my graduating class who was entering Ripon. Upon arriving at Ripon, my fears about making new friends soon faded. I have had the fortune of sharing many, long-lasting friendships.”
BARB BRADFORD SEWALL ’65: “During my senior year of high school in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, I discovered quite unexpectedly during an English class that RUTH CARWITHEN SATTERTHWAITE ’65, a fellow classmate, was also going to be a freshman at Ripon College that fall. We were surprised that two out of our class of 550+ were both going to such a small college so very far away! It was arranged that my parents would transport both of us to Ripon; neither of us had visited the school and had no idea what to expect. Leaving Milwaukee on what was then called Lovers Lane Avenue, we saw a sign giving the mileage to Green Bay. My father growled quietly, as an Eagles fan who during those years bitterly disliked the Green Bay Packers (substitute ‘e’ for the ‘a,’ in his words.) I remember heading west on Highway 23 and passing through what must have been Rosendale, which featured a sign that said ‘Mudville, Population Increasing.’ What in the world were we getting into, we wondered! We pulled up in front of the Tri-Dorms; Ruth headed into Evans and I made my way to the third floor of Wright Hall. My parents, in leaving, reminded me that Thanksgiving was not that far away, and my father’s parting words were something to the effect of ‘I know it gets cold here but don’t worry, it’s a dry cold and you won’t feel it as much.’ Yeah, right, Dad. Fortunately, I loved everything about Ripon almost immediately. The beanies, the hellers, the dining hall, the donuts and coffee in the rotunda in the morning, the endless bridge games, and most of all, The Spot! What fun we had.” JOHN HYDE ’65: “My parents and I drove from the south side of Chicago for Ripon in the fall of 1961. I remember being very eager and excited about coming to Ripon and being on my own. The phrase ‘brighteyed and bushytailed’ may have been appropriate. I found myself initially ‘taking in’ versus judging these new experiences. I found freshman hazing by the sophomores to be a high energy, socially bonding experience. In hindsight, I found hazing at Ripon to be within appropriate physical and psychological bounds. Wearing ‘green beanies’ and carrying toothbrushes to early morning roll-calls by the hellers, GARY MEVIS ’64 and KAREN GLATFELTER SIMONSEN ’64, was part of the ’60s. I recall seeing a picture of LARRY TICE ’65 and myself next to Gary Mavis in the 1961 yearbook after the Greased Pole Fight. Larry and I were covered with grease and crankcase oil from our efforts to get the prize at the top of the greased pole! “My academic intention was to attend Ripon on their ‘3-2 Program,’ i.e. attending Ripon for three years, taking chemistry, physics and mathematics, and transferring to MIT to complete an engineering degree. Engineering careers were highly promoted in the ’60s. However, I found I had a limited interest in physics and chemistry courses, so I changed my major to psychology and kept the math minor and went on to complete a Ph.D. in organizational psychology and developed a practice in Milwaukee.”
JANE PERSON ’65: “My Ripon College initial days story is a little bit different in that I was a transfer student. I had spent my freshman year at the University of California-Berkeley. I was overwhelmed by Cal — huge place with 500+ students in a class, professors clear in their wishes not connect with the undergraduates. I heard one of the profs, a wellknown history expert and author, scream at a TA to keep the students away from him.
“I first visited Ripon College when I was 7 years old and multiple times after that. My father’s family lived in Oshkosh. Ripon was on my radar as a possible college. I was discouraged by my family as it was so far away from my California home. But after Cal, Ripon was even more a place I wanted to attend. When I first arrived on campus for Freshmen Orientation, I knew no one there. I knew no one who had ever attended the College. I remember sitting at the back of the Red Barn panicking that I had made another terrible college decision. Then things changed. We each were given cards with our faculty advisor’s name and address. My advisor was Dr. Davis, head of the English department. I, along with maybe eight freshmen, went to his home that evening. I remember three things: His wife served tea and cookies, the living room had an Oriental carpet on the floor, and there was a calm excitement in the room. It certainly wasn’t Berkeley. I was now at home and at peace with my decision.”
WIN RYDER ’65: “50 years after graduation, I am still working, 10 days a month. Very stressful, but if I get a scotch by 5 p.m., I can handle the pressure. I am a wire and cable consultant to the electric utility industry. The job requires a lot of travel which I still enjoy. My wife, MARY ALICE KIJESKI RYDER ’68, goes with me depending on the venue. Cleveland and Pittsburgh are not high on her list. We live on Lake Michigan nine to 10 months a year. We are cowards and prefer Florida in the winter. I enjoy golf, gardening, fishing, hiking and travel. We try to make one trip to Europe each year. We have two married daughters. Each has three kids and lives in the Chicago area about two hours from our home here in Michigan. We see them often during the summer and vacation with them in the winter.” JENNIFER LLOYD MAXSON ’65: “These days, my husband and I keep very busy with many social activities: bridge, friends, church activities, movies, concerts. By far the most fun to me is time spent at our lakeside condo just north of Indy and minutes away from our two grand-girls, ages 2½ and 7 months. We also visit my brother in Columbus, Georgia, and at his picturesque home in Brittany during the late summer. We feel very blessed to have these joys in our lives at this stage of the game. We also are in regular contact with ROGER MILLS ’64 and Joanne Mills, TOM HAMILTON ’65 and LEANN JOHN DESPOTES ’67, as well as with my Ripon roommate DOROTHY LISKA HUNTER ’65. I very much enjoyed seeing the photos from the 50th Reunion.” DAVE WORDEN ’65: “Sorry I missed the reunion last year. Looked like a lot of fun, and I did get the class picture. What I remembered the first time I got to the campus was how big it seemed to me. Funny how small it got by our senior year. Scott Hall was a great experience. We were all together with our beanies plotting how to get back at the sophomores. The Heller was GARY MEVIS ’64, and he looked like a giant to me. “Fifty years passed by fast, and while not all the years were fantastic, I can’t say as I’d change anything. TERRI KRIKORIAN WORDEN ’66 and I have been blessed with a wonderful family. Our oldest had twin girls last September and our son is being married this August on the same day as our 50th wedding anniversary. Pretty special since they asked me to be the officiant and perform the ceremony. Our main interests revolve around family in Arizona and California. Best to all my classmates.”
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CLASSLetters CHARLIE LARSON ’65: “As usual, Karen and I are wintering in Sun City, Arizona. Lousy weather during December and January, but February has been a delight with temperatures well above normal. Lots of tennis and golf. Karen and I took a riverboat cruise on the Columbia and Snake rivers in Washington and Oregon last September and had a delightful time. Spent Christmas in Wisconsin with our kids and grandchildren at an indoor waterpark in the Milwaukee area. Had a ball! Hope to get to the Indian Wells pro tennis tournament in California in March.” TOM HAMILTON ’65: “My first freshman roommate was not initially taken with me. He returned from The Spot one night vowing to kill me. He spent the evening instead vomiting and sleeping in the shower room. We ended up as pretty good friends. Currently, I am in a new play — at least new for me — The Island of Doctor Moreau, based on the H.G. Wells novel. I am Captain Davies, a truly nasty drunk. I seem unable to get over this problem of type-casting.”
RUDY VON WATZDORF ’65: “Last fall, my wife and I moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, after transferring our farm to our eldest daughter and her family. For those who do not know Bethlehem, there is a lot more to the place than a steel empire that once was, such as two universities and two colleges and, of course, the Moravians, with their very interesting history. Anyway, we downsized and now live in the historic section of the town. In October, it’s off to Tuscany for our 50th wedding anniversary with our kids and their families, followed by excursions (at least that is the plan right now) to Germany and England. We’ll have to see about Christmas. It was magical last year in Bethlehem, but the 130 inches of snow in the mountains around Santa Fe that our friends are telling us about are awfully tempting. In other words, life is (very) good, my disability from Vietnam days not-withstanding.”
TIM MERKER ’65: “My experience will be a little different from most of you. I graduated from high school in the spring of 1958, but appeared at Ripon for the first time in the fall of 1959 as a ‘Freshman with Advanced Standing’ and was billeted in North Hall. Some friends of mine from Milwaukee — who were not Ripon students — came up from Milwaukee to see what Ripon was all about, but mostly to party. They’d lean out of the car window and call: ‘Button frosh!’ And the frosh, unaware of who they really were, would button immediately. My friends thought that was a hoot. I had Dr. Martz for English and chemistry with Dr. Powers. Got an A in chemistry which led me to become a chemistry major until I finally took organic chemistry from Miss Oyster. That ended my career as a chemistry major. I remember spending a lot of time at The Spot, and even attempting to get a job at Green Lake. But then my mid-term grades were terrible, so I had to quit the job and work on my grades instead. But other than that, those memories are long gone. “Last summer, I married Annette Noble on the deck of our summer home in Presque Isle, Wisconsin. Annette works as a check-out for Hy-Vee Foods in Marion, Iowa, and I do as much of the housework as I can manage. My snowplow truck caught fire last fall, so that will be the next project this summer. For those of you who remember it, the infamous Dodge Power Wagon is still alive and running after only 64 years. Everybody ought to have a Power Wagon, or better yet, a neighbor with one. Otherwise, I’m fully retired and loving it.”
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JEFF C. BUMBY ’65 married DIANNE W. ASHLEY ’64 on June 20, 2015. Her second grandchild was born Aug. 16 – named Cyrus Wolf Wilde; first grandchild is 4 –named Dashiell Wolf Wilde.
PHIL STEANS ’65: “Still a trial lawyer. Grandkids, and — regrettably — still the Chicago Bears. More trips in the motorhome.”
DIANE BOLTON BERES ’65: “The noteworthy thing for us was accompanying a group of nine Ripon students to Costa Rica on an ‘In Focus’ course, Field Studies: The Challenges of Biodiversity Conservation in Costa Rica, January 1-17, 2016. PROFESSOR MEMUNA KHAN from the biology department and I were the co-leaders of the class. KARL BERES ’65 accompanied me. The trip was preceded by a twocredit prep course which I taught during the second half of fall semester. At the moment, we’re avoiding Wisconsin winter by hanging out in Phoenix.”
JAMES THORSEN ’65: “OK, here goes: my folks and I drove to Ripon from Wilmette in our ’58 Ford, arriving shortly after noon. After settling-in in my room, 208 Scott Hall, and meeting fellow students LEE WARCHUS ’65 and FRANK LOCKWOOD ’65, I, along with virtually every male newcomer, was greeted by name by Dean Harris. This, of course, was the excited topic: ‘how the hell did he know my name?’ “We continue our 35-year involvement with our Japanese sister city. Last fall, we were among the few gaijin (foreigners) allowed to tour the original Emperor’s Palace in Kyoto. We continue our biannual visits to Europe to see our friends, though sadly their numbers are declining, too. We now are spending winters in Tucson, but still maintain our residence in Idaho and our cabin in the Teton Mountains.”
THOMAS BUESCH ’65: “I transferred into Ripon my sophomore year, so I have never felt totally integrated into the class of ’65, since I also made many friends in the class of ’66. I came to Ripon because my best friend from childhood, JOHN BURROWS ’65, was attending, and his father, my ‘second dad,’ was so enthusiastic about what a great school it was for John. I majored in German and English and immediately loved the liberal arts environment, small classes, and very rigorous academics. That was the year the freshmen won the greased pole fight, a rare occurrence. We also won the tug of war against the upperclassmen by attaching the rope to a car! “My great liberal arts education at Ripon prepared me well for graduate school and my current teaching career. I went to the No. 1 grad school in German studies at the time, Northwestern, and was able to excel against Ivy League students, being one of the four in a class of 20 to earn the Ph.D. in German language and literature. I taught for three years at the University of Illinois-Chicago, but did not like the big urban university and the lack of emphasis on teaching. So I went to work for Robert Bosch Corp., the American headquarters of the huge German automotive products firm, and became an application engineer, designing diesel fuel injection equipment for John Deere tractors. I surprised myself by staying there for 17 years and loved all the technology (I had been a hot-rodder as a kid, and still am). Then I moved ‘back’ to Aspen, Colorado, where I had spent all my summers and winter vacations since my father had built a house here in 1949. I returned to teaching at Colorado Mountain College, a community college here in Aspen that offers some four-year degrees, and have had the happiest part of my life so far, teaching literature, philosophy, humanities and music with great success. I have been doing this full time, year
1965 round, for 25 years now. I am way past retirement age and still going strong, thank God. I also teach for the Aspen Music Festival in the summers, a class called The Listeners Master Class, where I play and discuss great works of classical music that fit in with the Festival’s theme for the year. “I have a total of five children from two different families, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. My two younger children, who grew up with me here in Aspen, are Greg, who is at the University of Illinois in computer engineering, and Katrina, who graduated from the University of Puget Sound last year and is playing ice hockey on the No. 1 women’s team in Germany this year. Of course, I brought them up as great skiers and they love the outdoors, as we all do here in Aspen. “None of my life would have been possible without the excellent liberal arts education I got at Ripon. I have the fondest memories of my three years there, even though I was a Gamma Delta Iota and did not have much of a social life because I always had my face buried in the books. But it was the right place for me, and I got in to Ripon with a group of 20 kids who had not done well at large universities and were accepted on probation, a scheme developed by Dr. Pinkham as detailed on the Ripon website when I spoke about it with one of the student writers last year. “Still teaching year ’round, skiing and hiking, building a hot-rod, and enjoying life in the mountains. I invite visitors from the classes of ’65 and ’66 to come and stay anytime. And I’ll always be a Redman.”
DOROTHY LISKA HUNTER ’65: “Hi all! In response to the initial impression of Ripon freshman year: my first view of Ripon was the old sock factory on main street in town and I wondered what in the hell had I gotten myself into! I had never been to Ripon before. However, since my father and siblings and niece had gone to Ripon, it must be a good place. Then I saw the campus and I felt better. I was excited to be on my own and anxious for my parents to leave! It seemed to be a safe cocoon for the next four years.” ROBERT FLECK ’65: “Good grief, where has the time gone? I can still remember my first days on campus and hazing (I still have my beanie and name tag). I remember the dean of men greeting me by name just based on my photograph in the ‘Green Book.’ I also remember football games, The Spot, and … But in retrospect, what I now realize is how all those college experiences changed my life and direction. So I have two points in time mentioned in the request: remembering the first day(s) at Ripon College and the other point, ‘What am I doing now?’ “The first historical point is easy to describe. If my life were a straight line between the two points, it would be easy to say what I am doing now — it would be an extension from the first point. But that is not the case. I came to Ripon expecting to become a professional chemist. While I did complete my chemistry major, I was not the student the department would point to as a shining example. The world is safer because I never became a chemist. I left that career to my younger brother who also graduated from Ripon. Through all the experiences, including chemistry, physics, drama club, and Ripon College Radio, I learned much about technology. “My avocation turned out to be computers and information technology. I received my Ph.D. in business from the University of Illinois and my dissertation was on artificial intelligence (a phrase coined long after my dissertation). After completing my doctorate, I joined the ranks of academia and university administration. In those roles, I moved
often and traveled much presenting papers. That is not the trajectory I imagined at Ripon in the chemistry labs. But Ripon and the University of Illinois prepared me well for an ever-changing career path. “When I finally retired for health reasons from Columbus State University, my wife and I expanded our travel destinations as my health improved. In recent years, I was working full time online for Northcentral University. I can tell you about Starbucks in London, Singapore and Barcelona. So travel has become almost an addiction for me and my wife of more than 50 years. We have been on every continent except Antarctica, and I have been to more than 40 countries. “While we are now concentrating more on domestic travel because of safety and health concerns, there are still many unexplored roads. Did you know that Columbus, Georgia, where we live is the site of the last major land battle of the Civil War and hosts the National Civil War Naval Museum and the National Infantry Museum? Some of the early residents of Columbus fought for Texas independence. History is so much more alive when you visit the sites and understand the people and culture. “Because I was in academics so long, I never developed much of a hobby that required the use of my hands other than keyboarding. I ‘inherited’ a Shopsmith from my father. After letting it sit in the garage for years, I taught myself how to use the lathe with some help from friends. I now turn out designer pens, yo-yos, gavels, manual razors, cutlery handles, etc. I am active in Sons of the American Revolution, and my wife is involved with Daughters of the American Revolution. Some of our children and grandchildren are active in Children of the American Revolution. Both of us are active in our church and are trying to spend as much time as possible with children, grandchildren and one great-grandson. Life is full and fun. It just takes longer to do things. “We travel back and forth between our primary residence in Georgia and our second home on Green Lake. I am writing this now while listening to the wind howl from the northwest across Green Lake. We were married in Ripon (January) after we graduated and we like to visit the snow around the time of our anniversary. I bought a second Shopsmith and do occasional projects while house-bound at the lake. We have found so many great local restaurants in the area and we always visit an Amish bakery and an Amish Country Store. We are saddened that the Cookie Outlet has closed and that downtown Ripon has seen better days. This year will be my wife’s 50th class reunion and we are already planning on hosting several alums at our Green Lake house as part of the celebration. I wish I had started coming to alumni weekends sooner, but family and work always came first. Warmest wishes to all who attended Ripon College.”
STEVE PETERS ’65: “There are only a couple of things that stand out from my early days at Ripon. During one of our orientation social gatherings I was talking to Dean Harris and learned that my high school senior English teacher told him that of all the kids in my high school class, I was the only one who was a good fit for Ripon. That was how I learned that my English teacher and Dean Harris were in the same Army reserve unit and discussed me at the reserve meetings. “The second incident happened at the end of the first week of classes. At the end of that week, the freshmen and sophomores held a tug of war — and the freshmen won. As we were running through
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CLASSLetters Scott Hall in joyful celebration, I noticed my parents’ car parked on the street. I broke away from the celebration and went out to see what was up as I didn’t expect them. As we were talking, Dean Harris came out of Scott Hall and headed for his car. My youngest brother, who was 5 at the time, hollered out the car window, ‘Hi, Dean Harris. We came to get Steve’s dirty laundry.’ Dean Harris never forgot that. Much later I learned that at the parents-orientation meeting they were told not to come to campus until Parents Weekend, which was at the end of October. I wonder what else our parents were told that we weren’t supposed to know. “More recently, I had to cancel my trip to our 50th reunion at the last minute because I had to prepare for another bladder cancer surgery. Fortunately, the tumors were once again low grade and non-invasive. At the same time, Denali, my Alaskan malamute, was confined to the yard because he was suspected of having giardia. Fortunately, that turned out not to be the case, but he is now on a daily probiotic. Thus, those who attended the reunion did not receive malamute hugs and kisses and were deprived of the opportunity to go home with ‘Denali souvenirs.’ “I am still a volunteer project archivist in the Central Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan University Archives and enjoy arranging and describing collections. It’s fun to discover that what appears to be a mundane collection actually contains items of national significance. I also play bridge on a regular basis and continue to learn more about the game and develop my abilities. I was introduced to the game in those first weeks as a freshman in Scott Hall, but I had to put bridge aside in favor of studying.”
DAVID MEISSNER ’65: “Still retired as professor of psychology from Alfred University, New York, and avid collector of antique toys (mostly cannons!). Love to spend summers at our family vacation home in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. I came across a dozen or more old black-and-white photos of campus buildings and scenery, circa 1961-65. Would anyone at Ripon be interested in them (maybe for Archives)? Thanks for any suggestions.”
JOHN NEWHARD ’65: “One of the things I remember as a freshman, the first day or two, was Larry Wilkes ’65 playing the grand piano (beautifully) in the main lounge of Scott Hall.” DAVE HERTEL ’65: “Since the reunion, I’ve been busy with the usual. As soon as I got home, I planted the cherry tree I bought in Green Lake on reunion weekend. We had lots of family here for Christmas, including our four grandchildren who are the brightest and most handsome/beautiful children in Louisiana. The three boys already know how to play Sheepshead. Their parents are bringing them up right. Of course, Grandpa bankrolls them before we start playing. Recently I did a little research on the history of the cigar-making industry in early Watertown and then gave a talk to a local group at which I displayed a collection of Watertown cigar boxes from my collection. I also told them about my short cigar smoking career at Ripon. (Read the reunion book.) Otherwise, I’ve been enjoying our Wisconsin winter which has been mild, but we are looking forward to spring.”
JOHN BURROWS ’65: “I know you suggested two topics, but today a friend wrote the following devotional for our Lenten walk. His thoughts are mine, as well, and express perfectly how I feel about my life. ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven: give, and it will be given to
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you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back. (Luke 6:31, 37-38) Today’s collect and three readings seem to reflect our life’s journey. They remind me of looking in the mirror as a young person with little frame of reference as to who was looking back, later finding my way with family and friends, school and church, and understanding life as a journey of growth, effort, love, disappointment, faith, hope and reconciliation, humor, surprise and blessing. A gift indeed! The Church and scripture have, for me, been as edifying a road map home as any facet of my life and study. Certainly I have enjoyed my marriage and family, my profession and associations. I see all of life as God-given. As I get older, I seem to have a stronger appreciation for my blessings and those of my family and friends who have their origin in our faith through fellowship and the scripture (the church).’ I could not have said it any better.”
FRANK LOCKWOOD ’65: “Sorry I missed the great reunion. PETE COOPER ’65 did bring my copy of the class book – thanks. Retirement? What retirement? I am having too much fun teaching a full load at Western Carolina University in our undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurship programs. Moving to Asheville (an hour from our campus) to a retirement community. I can continue teaching because many of my classes are online. I sit on several nonprofit boards of directors and actively consult with those starting new ventures. Like many of our classmates I am enjoying being a grandparent (also a greatgrandparent). If any member of the Class of ’65 wanders to my area of the country, please give me a shout.”
CHAD NELSON ’65: “June 2015 was an eventful month for us. First, I thoroughly enjoyed out 50th Reunion. It was great seeing so many Ripon classmates. Thank you JOHN HYDE ’65 and the entire Reunion Committee for arranging a great and memorable program. I especially enjoyed MARY ‘MJ’ SHIRER KROENING ’65’s rendition of ‘Hello Mudder, Hello Fadder.’ Thanks, MJ, for making the evening special for all of us. “June was also the month that Nancy and I moved into a newly-constructed 55+ Independent-Living Community in Wayzata, two miles away from our home on Lake Mooney (which we are keeping). I am ecstatic because the new apartment has four coffee shops within one block. Nancy is ecstatic because there are four coffee shops within one block to keep me supplied with my minimum daily requirement of caffeine. I am much easier to live with if I have a good cup of coffee. “We continue to travel, mostly to Carbondale, Colorado (down valley from Aspen), where our son and his family live. We try to visit them every couple months, largely driven by our obsession to see three granddaughters, ages 2, 4 and 6. When we are in the Twin Cities, our other two grandchildren (ages 8 and 11) keep us busy. We are still adjusting to the new apartment, and we continue to spend much of our time looking for the possessions that we have kept — or possessions that, at least, we THOUGHT we had kept.”
JOHN HYDE ’65: Ripon was a special experience. It has been wonderful how our class has shared many memories over the years since we first arrived on campus in the fall of 1961.
1965-68 For me, it has been very enjoyable working with you regarding our class communications and in organizing our reunions. We will continue with our class letters and will decide with you about additional reunions going forward. I want to thank the many classmates for their continued involvement and contributions to our class letters and reunions. Also, I thank you for your efforts in getting to know Donna. As many of you know, we will be getting married Aug. 12 of this year in Eagle River, Wisconsin, and honeymoon at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.
Tried our best to master concepts Lofty and humongous Republicans are misanthropic Luther was defiant Christianity’s not dead As mortals we’re reliant Reinhold Niebuhr, Aristotle (The Greek, but not Onassis), Socrates, Democritus, Paul Tillich, Heraclitus Of things I’d rather not have learned I number not among them Life seen through eyes philosophized In Bill Tyree’s tutorems.
All the very best,
JOHN
1966 The role of Class Agent is vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested, or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu. 50th Reunion activities for the class of 1966 will be held during Alumni Weekend, June 23-26, 2016. On Saturday, June 25, class members will enjoy a cocktail reception from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The class photo will be taken promptly at 5:30 p.m. in the lower level of S.N. Pickard Commons, followed by Golden “R” Club induction and dinner in the Heritage Room at 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively. More details and registration information are available at www.ripon. edu/alumni-weekend. Alumni Weekend is especially special for the 50th Reunion celebration with a hospitality room and memory book, along with classmates being involved in planning the Service of Remembrance. The weekend as a whole features more than 30 events ranging from lectures to campus tours to a golf scramble benefiting athletics to interaction with PRESIDENT MESSITTE and PROFESSORS EMERITUS DOUG NORTHROP and SPUD HANNAFORD.
NANETTE MACKNCIK JOHNSON ’66 of Fort Mill, South Carolina: “Made two antique buying trips to England in 2015. Also went to the Globe Theatre, Haymarket Theatre, British Library, etc. Our younger daughter got married March 12, 2016.” BOB BLAIR ’66 of Berlin, Massachusetts, sent in a poem following PROFESSOR BILL TYREE’s death, which Bob originally composed as a tribute to him on the occasion of his retirement. Bob writes, “I hope it evokes a recollection or sparks a smile from someone who reads it.” Remembering My Friend and Teacher, Bill Tyree I honor the achievements of My friend and teacher, Bill Tyree And think with fond affection Of the things he would’ve learned to me (Had I but been more scholarly) He said (at least I think he didMy hand was mad transcribin’) That transcendal metaphysics Works beyond describin’ While presidential sychophants Like Nixon’s shady elephants Had limited horizons Thesaurus at the ready And my preconceptions cavin’ I scarcely knew how close I drew To Bill’s idea of H’aven The tension grew as doctor strew The seeds of thought among us And we, with post-pubescent zeal And minds like dry new sponges
1967 Kathryn “Kathy” Santimays Dunn 209 Stuart Drive, Salisbury, NC 28144 (704) 633-8999 / mamadunn@hotmail.com “Imagine that every person in the world is enlightened but you. They’re all your teachers, each doing just the right thing to help you learn patience, perfect wisdom, perfect compassion.” — Jack Kornfield Dear Classmates: I do think I am the only unenlightened person because I don’t have much news to report! With the new booklet format for all class letters, it becomes redundant to write about College news because it’s all in there! I do enjoy reading the other letters and some are full of notes from classmates. Unfortunately, not much news from our classmates! I have tried to solicit info from you, but it’s as hard as trying to get Apple to submit info to the FBI! I did hear from two faithful members, PETER H. ENGELKING ’67 and ARLENE ROSE GRAHAM ’67. Pete: “2015 was a milestone year – I am now retired (and enjoying it immensely!)” Arlene: “My shop, Fiberworks, expanded in June to accommodate all the yarn, books, fibers and equipment we carry for knitters, crocheters, spinners and felters. Hope you’ll stop by if you are in the Dayton area!” Remember our 50th reunion is NEXT year! Please, please let me know your thoughts and ideas about this amazing milestone! If you would like to help with a class booklet, dinner entertainment, etc., tell me. I am looking forward to spring, as I’m sure you are. Stay healthy, happy and active!
KATHY DUNN
1968 Bob Martin 109 Terra Alta Circle, Havertown, PA 19083 porger@verizon.net Whenever I attend an alumni forum on the state of Ripon College, I try to break the ice by asking, “What will it take to bring back The Spot?” Well, now I have just about the closest thing and right here in Philadelphia. At 13th and Locust streets is a new restaurant named Bud and Marilyn’s. Its co-owner is Marcie Turney, the granddaughter of Bud and MARILYN FORTNUM BRIESE ’43. Inside the restaurant are a mural depicting the beloved owners of the Spot (1950-1990) and drawings of the two (see photo section beginning on page 2).
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CLASSLetters When you walk the impersonal streets of a big city and then see this tribute to a small-town mom-andpop business that was central to your college years, it warms the soul. Watch the video on the restaurant’s website (www.budandmarilyns.com). Fond memories will follow. Perhaps your reaction will match that of PETER UHRIG ’68, who wrote on Facebook, “I can hear the music and smell the smoke now.”
CAROL HARRISON KLEINER ’68 of Colorado Springs, Colorado: “My husband, JOHN KLEINER ’66, retired last year, so I have cut back on volunteer endeavors so that we can travel. I am still very involved with our public school foundation and the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. In retirement, John has become a docent, taking kids on Safaris at our Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. We still have our home in Colorado Springs but are spending more winter time between Aspen and Mazatlán, Mexico. We are heading for the Cook Islands this spring and Indonesia and Australia next year for snorkeling trips. Our four children produced 10 grandchildren, so we also spend a good bit of time being Nana and Pop Pop.”
MICHAEL CLAREY ’68 of Sydney, Australia: “Life continues in Sydney with our younger daughter having her first baby (grandchild number five) soon. 2015 was great fun with three months spent in Ireland, mostly to escape scaffolding on our apartment building here in Sydney with major work being done. I caught up with old friend, JIM CLARK ’68, for a week of golf on Ireland’s famous links courses and had a great evening with TOPHER SMALL ’67 and COLLEEN DURKIN SMALL ’67 in Connecticut before heading off to Ireland. Also, in March 2015, CHIP JULIN ’68 came down from Los Angeles and we met for dinner in San Diego. Chip has had a career in commercial real estate management.”
DAVID SMITH ’68 of Kennebunk, Maine: “Our first grandchild, a girl, is now a year old and is living in San Francisco — Macarleigh Lynn Houlles-Smith. Such a joy and very happy, really tuned-in. Retirement is full and rewarding, while Jane still enjoys working at present.” Best wishes,
BOB
1969 Scott A. Nyquist 7747 Martino Circle, Naples, FL 34112 239-732-0523 / 630-632-1619 scott.a.nyquist@gmail.com Hello Everyone. By the time you read this it will be spring and we will all be planning summer activities. I hope one of yours will be a trip back to Ripon for Alumni Weekend 2016. Just because the class isn’t celebrating a reunion this year doesn’t mean you can’t come to Alumni Weekend. Cynthia and I have often done this and enjoy the freedom of attending multiple reunion celebrations where we spend a few minutes talking to friends from other classes before she and I head off to dinner somewhere. This year, classes that end in “1” and “6” are celebrating reunions. Also, remember that many fraternities and sororities hold reunions over Alumni Weekend. These events are an opportunity to meet up with those in your house who were a few years ahead of or behind you. When I received the announcement of the passing of DR. WILLIAM TYREE, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Ripon, it made me stop and think about the professors who had an impact on me: Earle Scott
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(Chemistry), Karen Weinke (Biology), Bob Clarke (Art History), Dave Harris (Psychology and Dean of Men). These are the ones I remember most. Email me the names of the professors that you loved the most. Sadly, most of the faculty at Ripon from 1965 to 1969 are no longer with us. Don’t forget there is a Facebook page for Ripon College Class of 1969. Post something there! I heard from quite a few of you since the last letter. Most of you seem to be enjoying retirement and grandchildren. Here are the emails I received:
FRANK ANDERS ’69 and BOBBI SUESS ANDERS ’69 of Chesterfield, Virginia: “We had an unexpected surprise this year. JOHN HEYER ’67 called, having seen the notice of our move to Virginia in the new class letter. Bobbi and I met John and Carolyn for lunch in Chester, Virginia, the day after Christmas and had a delightful time catching up.”
RICK BRANDT ’69 of Tallahassee, Florida: “Nothing exciting here. Second granddaughter, Margot Vacovsky, born last September. Trying to sell the house in California and spent six weeks out there working on it back in September and October. Visited JEFF SCHEFERMAN ’69 and CAROL ENGEL SCHEFERMAN ’70 on the way back. Visited my kids at Thanksgiving and again at Christmas. Got sick from the grandkids for three weeks.” TERRY BROWN ’69 of Richmond, Virginia: “In August, after having been retired from UPS Freight for about a year, I drove to Alaska to sightsee with a friend. We drove up into Canada from Winnipeg through the Alaskan Highway to Fairbanks, then to Denali National Park and Anchorage. Then we took a half-day boat ride from Seward to see whales and glaciers, plus dolphins, puffins, sea otters and sea lions. On the way back, I stopped at the Devils Tower National Monument. Anchorage to Richmond, Virginia. is about 5,000 miles and I enjoyed the trip, but was happy to rest afterward.”
DANA MCELROY DEMARCO ’69 of Port St. Lucie, Florida: “Finally did it! Retired! ME time and loving it. Everybody asks me what do you do with all your time? What time? I’ve never been busier — but now only with things that give me a peaceful heart. Went to my 50th high school class reunion last summer in Wisconsin. Boy, that was a trip down memory lane. Some things looked the same but I didn’t recognize the house I grew up in. Very weird. Just got back from a long weekend in the Florida Keys. The Keys are very different from the rest of Florida —almost like going to a foreign country. Nice getaway. I keep busy in the local orchid society, cooking a free meal on Thursdays at a local church and more time for yoga. I’m a happy camper!” BOB FERNBACH ’69 of Pasadena, California: “We are doing well here. Visited with JEFF SCHEFERMAN ’69 and CAROL ENGEL SCHEFERMAN ’70 in Houston in October, frequently see DAVE RICHARDSON ’69 and Marci Richardson and BARRY MORTON ’69 and Jane Morton several times a month. We do music whenever we get together. In late October, Barry, Dave and I performed a two-hour concert for the retirement community that Barry and Jane reside in — our fifth such concert for them over the past four years. Also had a couple of trips to Colorado where we bought some property, visited with Angus and Zandra Foster (more music!) and also to the Pacific Northwest to visit our daughter and visit with friends and relatives. We plan to retire at the end of the year and then figure out where we will live and what we will do!”
1968-69 BILL GEBHARDT ’69 of Frankfort, Illinois: “SUE HECHT GEBHARDT ’70 and I got away for the winter again this year. Three months in Florida before returning home in April. We welcomed our second granddaughter in early February.”
PAUL GELB ’69 of Palm Springs, California: “Still enjoying retired life in Palm Springs. Playing lots of bridge and traveling to tournaments in different areas of the country. I just attained the rank of Gold Life Master. Looking forward to attending the Nationals in Reno, Nevada in March.”
ALICE HALL HAYES ’69 of Washington, D.C.: “Retirement is coming along nicely for me. I have found several organizations that I enjoy supporting by volunteering my time — from areas of children’s literature to seniors aging in place. Additionally, I am a book club member with a club that is in the process of celebrating its 50th year of operation. My husband, Ed, and I had an amazing and unexpected December with a trip to Cuba for vacation followed by a trip to Oakland, California, for my brother-in-law’s memorial service. Who knew so much could happen in December besides Christmas! We have agreed that travel provides an enjoyable outlet for Ed and me, and we look forward to doing more. One regular trip that we enjoy making is to New Orleans to visit my daughter and her husband and participate in the myriad parades and wonderful celebrations that are always occurring. A European trip is hoped for this year to recognize our 43rd anniversary. Additionally, Ed and I have a great time regularly with our two local grandsons, now ages 4 and 1½ when their parents can share them. We hope that 2016 will continue to allow us to enjoy the wonderful arts community here in the DC/MD/VA area – art museums, live theatre and music, and a wealth of history. All the best from the Hayes Family.”
DAVE LEACH ’69 of Mesa, Arizona: “OK, here’s the scoop on the last 45 years. I’ve been married to Linda for 46 years in June. After more than 30 years in the appliance repair business, I will be retiring in March to continue to keep busy part-time with several businesses, rental properties, repairs and travelling in our RV. We moved from Massachusetts to Mesa in 2002 and have never looked back. Love the desert and the heat; don’t miss snow and shoveling at all. All in all, life is very good. We have a great church, good friends and plenty to do. Our kids are grown and gone, one of each, our daughter, is still in Massachusetts with two teen-aged granddaughters and our son and his wife live in Knoxville, Tennessee. If anyone is in the Phoenix area, please give a call; we’d love to see you and rehash old times, (although like fish, the stories tend to grow longer with time, thank God there is so little documentation.) Outside of Facebook, I haven’t seen or heard from any of the old crew in years, but I would like to; it appears that none of us are as spry as we were. Or as they say, ‘Why is it that everyone my age is so old?’ ”
STEVE LEITSCHUH ’69 of Fort Myers, Florida: “I thought retirement might be boring, but I find my days stay very busy. I still consult for physicians from the practice from which I retired. I do get to work from home, so no commute! I exercise, as Mary (my wife) and I have three dogs, and I walk five miles with a neighbor several times a week. I am also trying to get back into playing tennis regularly. My really fun stuff is riding my Harley as often as I can. I’m planning another bike trip to Key West, and in April I ride up to Leesburg, Florida, and then visit with my uncle (85 years old) in The Villages.
Last spring, I went to Vermont to visit my brother ROB LEITSCHUH ’72 and see his daughter, Lydia, graduate from high school. This spring, I go again to Vermont for his son, Jonathan’s, graduation from college. Rob and I do ride our Harleys when we get together. The ride in Vermont is awesome! Mary and I are home together and we like going to restaurants or cooking on the grill, going for walks, and shopping. Hard for us to take trips with three dogs and a cat. I very much enjoyed the Ripon Class of ’69 45th class reunion. I am already planning for the 50th! Will it really be half a century since the ‘Good Old Days?’ Great to see my brother Beta Sigs and catch up. Life seems to move more quickly as I move more slowly. But I just keep on biking!”
RANDY KAWAMOTO ’69 of Honolulu, Hawaii: “President Zach Messitte was in Hawaii last week to visit high schools and Ripon alumni on Oahu, the Big Island and Maui. A few of us who were at Ripon at the same time (along with spouses) had a chance to have dinner with PRESIDENT MESSITTE and with MELISSA ANDERSON ’02, interim VP of Advancement. Those in attendance included: RUBY IBARAKI MIZUE ’70, CAREY INOUYE ’70, IRIS NAKAMURA INOUYE ’71, LARRY OSBORN ’69 and DAYLE MIYAMOTO OSBORN ’70. It was great to reminisce about our days at school as well as to hear how things are going on campus these days. Oh, yes, Melissa said they planned to see JIM DAHLBERG ’69 when they were on the Big Island.” THOMAS MACE ’69 of Menasha, Wisconsin: “Nancy Krueger and I were married Aug. 15, 2015. ERIK FORSGREN ’70 was best man. We also went on a trip to Jordan and Israel. Quite an eye-opener. Without getting too political, Israel’s oppression of the Palestinians quite simply serves to make the problems there worse. The highlight of the trip, however, was hiking through Petra in Jordan. A truly amazing site. “ NICK “CHIP” RETSON ’69 of Aiken, South Carolina: “Last July, my consulting contract with the Savannah River Nuclear Solutions LLC ended, so I guess I am now ‘retired.’ It still hasn’t hit me yet. However, in September and October I took a fiveweek trip with my trailer to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio. I attended the Prairie Home Companion Radio Show; my 50th high school reunion in Appleton; enjoyed staying in many wonderful state parks; and visited the AirStream Factory in Ohio. It was difficult for me to end the trip and come home, but I hope to get ‘on the road’ soon. We also adopted a dog we have named Packer.”
ART SCARLETT ’69 of Glenshaw, Pennsylvania: “I retired last April after almost 15 years with the VA Hospital in Pittsburgh. A terrific time in the imaging department, working with very talented doctors and surgeons, operating very expensive, cuttingedge, imaging technology that could show you body parts you never knew you had. It was all focused on helping veterans of all ages. The VA has its issues, but the quality of care our vets receive is second to none. A very rewarding career. My overly generous co-workers gave my wife (SHERYL SWENNES SCARLETT ’70) and I a wine-tasting river cruse (fun), a fall color river cruise (pretty) and a day at Pittsburgh International Race Complex where I got to drive a Ferrari 458 Italia — 560hp. I hit in excess of 130mph in the straight-a-way! (Wow!) Retirement, so far, has not been restful. Mainly catching up on delayed house projects: re-capping a fireplace chimney, re-building and refinishing a deck, painting, gutter repair, actually mowing the lawn regularly and several trips to visit family and friends. I have remained in close contact with several members of Beta Sigma Pi. In past years, in-concert
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CLASSLetters with alumni weekend, Harvey Keck has organized an informal Friday Fish Fry in Green Lake; just a couple of hours of dinner and conversation. It has grown and he is trying to expand his email list to include as many Brothers as possible. So, if you have gotten emails from ‘Keck,’ you’re on his list. If you have not, then send a note to either acscarlett@gmail.com or scott.a.nyquist@gmail.com and we’ll get the info to him. He’ll keep you posted on future plans.”
CINDY KLINGEL SPRING ’69 of Meredith, New Hampshire: “My husband, DON SPRING ’68, has Parkinson’s but is doing OK so far. We are both retired, have taken some car trips but mostly stay home by the fire enjoying our books, our kids and our grandkids. Life is good!” BOB “OTTO” WACHHOLTZ ’69 of Papillion, Nebraska: “Yogi Berra had me in mind when he said ‘It’s deja vu all over again.’ No changes this past year other than seeing a bunch of old people at my high school 50th reunion. Unless the flight surgeon says otherwise (I see him this month), I’ll continue in my flying job for another year.” JOHN WIECHMANN ’69 of Estero, Florida: “I am mostly retired, splitting my time between Estero and Bozeman, Montana, where I still ski as often as I can. And once a year I get together with the Merriman guys for a golf outing.” Don’t forget we will celebrate our 50-year class reunion in June 2019. Make sure that date is on your calendar. I am beginning a project to collect pictures of members of the class to present at the reunion. So if you have photos from our years at Ripon or from any of the class reunions over the years or from gettogethers you’ve had with Ripon classmates, please send them to me. If possible, scan the photos and email them. If that’s not possible, send me the photos and I will have them copied and return them to you. As always, I close by thanking those of you who made a gift to Ripon during their last fiscal year (July 2014-June 2015). Our class is one of the best when it comes to doing this. Most of us got some sort of scholarship or grant-in-aid or work grant while at Ripon so we could afford to go there. (BTW, it was $2,200 a year in 1965. It’s more than $44,000 today.) Back in the ’60s, alumni from the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s gave to Ripon to help finance our education, so now it is our turn to give back and help those who are there today. So please give to the 2015-2016 Annual Fund if you have not already done so. Any amount you give is much appreciated. Why not give your gift in memory of your favorite professor? Or in memory of a classmate? In addition, please consider becoming one of the Partners in the Legacy by including Ripon College in your estate plans. It’s easy to do. Contact Michelle Lippart in the Advancement Office if you have questions: 920-748-8351 or lippartm@ripon. edu. See you on campus some time! Always for Ripon,
SCOTT
P.S. Email me and let me know what you think of the R Connections format. P.P.S. I’m trying to track down a fraternity brother and roommate, WILLIAM A. “SKIP” VALENTINE ’69. Skip was from California. I’ve lost track of him. He last lived in Denver in the ’80s. If you think you have info that might help me find him, please email me. So far I’ve learned there are several thousand people with his name living all over the country.
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1970 Susan Hecht Gebhardt 947 Shetland Drive, Frankfort, IL 60423 815-464-5761 / 815-260-1656 wmacrogeb@yahoo.com Bob Uehling 1261 Seventh Street, Monterey, CA 93940 831-373-4821 / 831-239-5754 / bobuehling2@global.net Greetings from not too sunny Florida. Yes it is time for another newsletter. It seems as though you are all leading very boring lives, as am I, or that you are all so busy that you have no time to share your news with your old classmates. I hope that the latter is the case. As for BILL GEBHARDT ’69 and me, we spent six weeks in Florida last winter and are here for three months this year. We are renting a condo in a golf course community in Fort Pierce, on the Treasure Coast, the east coast, about an hour south of Cape Canaveral. Bill’s brother DAVE GEBHARDT ’66 and his wife have wintered here for 16 years. It is much less crowded than the gulf side, and easier to get tee times and restaurant reservations. I mentioned that it is not too sunny. Also it has been colder and rainier than normal. We actually broke the record for rainfall in January by 300 percent. The golf course here has been closed for 15 days and is very wet. That has really cut out a lot of golfing, swimming, and soaking in that vitamin D. I have been catching up on reading and quilting. We do have some exciting news to share. Our younger son and his wife had their second daughter Feb. 4. She is a cutie and so far a mommy’s girl. That’s a nice balance since their first daughter is a daddy’s girl. We flew home for a week to meet and begin spoiling her, and also to visit with my dad, who was 95 in March. When we return home in April, we hope to do a lot of redecorating and sprucing up of our house. It is time for some updating and then we hope to begin the process of downsizing. I am not looking forward to this, having almost completed getting my parents’ house ready for sale. It is not easy getting rid of memories. I did find a lot of Ripon stuff, which will come in handy for our 50th reunion. And now for Bob’s news ... Hello from sunny Monterey, California. Not to steal from Sue, but golf was also my theme for February 2016, as I volunteered again for the 10th straight year as a marshal for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-AM. I had a choice assignment on the iconic 17th and 18th holes at Pebble Beach overlooking Carmel Bay and the Pacific Ocean. This year, it was a record crowd of 195,000 fans visiting the three courses over the four day tournament. I’m still working full time as a tax manager at Granite Construction. My wife, Kitty, and I had two weeks off over the Christmas holidays to visit our three grandchildren and children living in Newnan, Georgia and Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina. It was quite a cross-country plane ride and lots of driving back and forth in a rental car, but so rewarding to see those grandchildren. Now I am looking forward to the summer, because for most of us this is going to be the summer to celebrate our 50th high school reunion! I graduated in ’66 from Madison West High School with 680 others in my graduating class, so I am looking forward to seeing my classmates. However, at the time I didn’t realize how great the experience of studying at a small liberal arts school like Ripon College would be. But now, many years later, it is fun to reflect on all those memories and rewarding experiences from those school years. As your class agents, Sue and I want to
1969-73 catch up with all of you. So please let us know your whereabouts and let us know about your retirement, travel, spouses and grandchildren. Sue and I do not want to keep talking about ourselves. Please send us your updates by the summer so it is easier to fill this space. Send them to Sue, Bob, or the Alumni Office when you send in your donation to the Annual Fund.
SUE HECHT GEBHARDT and BOB UEHLING
1971 James Beisner 119 Starflower Drive, Griffin, GA 30223 770-227-2410 / beisner@bellsouth.net Class of 1971: Our 45th class reunion is this year, and one has to wonder where the time has gone. In the coming months, you will receive more detailed information concerning our class reunion activities. I want to encourage each of you to consider returning to Ripon this summer to celebrate our 45th anniversary of graduating from this outstanding institution and renew friendships that may have faded over the years. Our 45th class reunion gathering is on June 25, 2016. Watch for the Alumni Weekend/Class Reunion 2016 brochure, including registration form. You also can visit www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend for more information and online registration. This will be a great time to come back together as a class to reminisce and catch up on 45 years of experiences. As of the end of December 2015, we had 21 class members donate to the College. This is a great start toward meeting our class goal. I encourage all classmates to support our efforts in making our 45th reunion gift the best in recent years. I urge your consideration to increase this year’s gift in honor of our reunion year. If you gave below the Heritage Society level, consider giving at that level. If you give at one of the other society levels, think about increasing your gift annually to eventually reach the next highest society.
TERENCE L. CAPES ’71 of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin: “We have two additions to our family. Our daughter, TRACY CAPES ’99, had grandson Beau in September 2015. Our son, ANDY CAPES ’02, had grandson Jai in April 2015.” I look forward to seeing you on June 25!
JIM BEISNER
1972 Susan Frederick-Clarkson susieclarkson@aol.com Stephanie Greene steviegreene@msn.com
JACK FREIHEIT JR. ’72 of West Bend, Wisconsin, is a Lutheran minister.
1973 Jean Kirkpatrick Lederer 22001 Sycamore Grove, Bonita Springs, FL 34135 239-390-1349 / 630-987-9388 / jeanlederer@yahoo.com Dear Classmates: A big thank-you to all of you who answered my pleas for news to put here in R Connections! It was great that so many of you came
through. You know all of us love to hear news about the people who were at Ripon when we were. The fun part of this publication is now we get to see the news from those classmates who were there when we were, but either graduated before or after us. Anyway, I always feel better when I have lots of news for the 1973 section. So again, thanks to each of you. And especially a big thank-you to those who are reporting in for the first time ever, or for the first time in a long time. If you feel like you have been slighted by not getting my requests for information for the letter, it is because I, or the College, do not have your correct email address. Contact me at jeanlederer@yahoo.com and I will gladly put you on my contact list. Do not worry, I do not send out anything but requests for news from you, or bits of news from the college which I think you should know. Also, if you are on Facebook, we do have a class group, and we are happy to have you join the 50+ of us that are already a part of the group: RIPON COLLEGE; Class of 1973. No one sent any pictures to include in this issue of R Connections. Please remember you can submit photos for this publication. I do not promise they will get printed, but it is worth a try. I think all the pictures that were sent to me last time were in the last issue.
JOE SANDRIN ’73: “There were a couple of anniversaries of note in December. On 2 December, we celebrated six years in Saudi Arabia. I am closing in on 300 dives since taking up the sport in August 2013. Then, on 23 December, Janice and I celebrated 43 years of marriage plus four years of dating before that. What a great life we have had together around the world and through the years. We had a nice quiet evening out at an Italian restaurant here in Jeddah. “Of late, we have started weekend desert treks with our friends exploring interesting places within a couple hours of Jeddah. Most recently, we went to Wadi Mur where we saw the volcanic areas and fields that are present on the west coast of the Arabian Peninsula. We also saw a large gathering of more than 70 greater spotted eagles, native to the area. We also visited Qasr Alyaa, an old Ottoman fort on the pilgrim pathway from Syria to Mecca. “Our oldest daughter, ROCHELLE SANDRIN ’99, is now the science curriculum specialist for the Milwaukee Public School District and will receive her administration and curriculum certifications this June. Rochelle plans to visit us in March. Our youngest daughter, Adrienne, completed her master’s degree at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and is now employed in the Milwaukee area. Our son, Joe, and his wife, Jenny, relocated to Philadelphia where he works in the legal department for a large mortgage firm. “Our middle daughter, Shea, is busy with her job as an executive assistant at the BonTon corporate offices and with raising three daughters with her husband, Rod. The oldest of our granddaughters, Tristin, will start high school in the fall while her twin sisters, Gwen and Cheyne, will move to 7th grade. They are growing very fast and look different every time I get home to see them. Life moves on, and still we grow with family, friends and new experiences.”
JOANN SELLECK ’73: “I just spent a weekend in beautiful snow-covered Ripon for a board of trustees meeting. The snow was a refreshing change from sunny and warm San Diego. Ripon is truly beautiful in winter and the students seem so impervious to the climate (youth!!). There is great excitement about the renovation of Storzer into the new health and wellness center. The plans for the new field house with multi-use courts and a certified track, as well as
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CLASSLetters the incredible new space for cardio, strength training, yoga, classrooms, student gathering areas, remodeled and expanded locker rooms, etc., etc. are very, very exciting. I predict this may become the new center of campus. The opportunities for student ‘recreation’ are certainly much more exciting than what I recall from our college days — and apparently greatly in demand at Ripon.
JANE STEFFEN KOLAKOWSKI ’73: “Husband Pete and I just spent a month in Key West, Florida. Enjoyed it so much we plan to go back next year. Loving retirement! I am teaching reading and writing to immigrants twice a week. I am also serving as a court-appointed special advocate for foster kids. Still living in Fredericksburg, Virginia.”
“I have made many friends of RC graduates spanning several decades, along with current students, as a result of the few years I have served on the board of trustees. The passion for Ripon and its future is the binding element and is very rewarding to be a part of.
will be retired for seven years, and it seems I have the ‘seven-year itch,’ which LEX ’72 has graciously indulged me in. For the past several months we have been involved in landscaping and interior projects. Some have been planned, like the new deck in Texas, and others not so much, like when the refrigerator went out. It’s amazing how good you feel with a fresh coat of paint and some flowers blooming in the yard! In the next few weeks, we will be officially wrapping up the projects and we plan to enjoy our new surroundings and some leisure time. We are looking forward to long walks on the beach, some fishing and lots of time with grandkids.”
“Looming in my not too distant future is that BIG birthday. JANE SCHORE ’73, who I see periodically, and I continue to speculate about what the idea of ‘retiring someday’ might involve. I wonder when I might figure that out. My exciting birthday celebration this year involves my doing a weeklong fund-raising bike ride for the Challenged Athletes Foundation from San Francisco to San Diego. Stay tuned!”
BETSY MOLL REZEL ’73: “Love keeping up with news on Facebook. We visited daughter Beth in New Zealand for Christmas and did several Great Walks. I’d recommend any of the Great Walks — terrific scenery, nice camping accommodations at the huts and defined backpacking trails. Bill and I are still working, but I definitely know what we’re going to do when we retire (soon).” TIM PETERSIK ’73: “I retired from full-time teaching at Ripon College last May. As soon as I can sell my condo, I hope to move to Milwaukee, teach part time, and drink beer with JIM STONE ’73 and JANE RUNKEL FREDERICK ’73.” KATE PARISH MILLER ’73: “I spent six weeks with my daughter and her husband’s third child in November and December. All are healthy! My son went back to school to finish a bachelor’s degree and has been invited to the honors college! For me, I am working on projects in Kalamazoo concerning low-income housing, conservation and, most recently, food deserts. Also, my recent hobbies are woodwork, travel and photography. Last year, I was invited to join a bike group called the Gear Geezers. Much fun!”
DAVID TITUS ’73: “Still live in Racine, Wisconsin, but retired last year from BMO Harris Bank, after 42 years in the banking business. Gayle and I enjoy traveling, with our latest cruise to Europe set for this summer. Retirement will give me more time for my music interests, as I have been a bass player for many years, but haven’t had enough time to enjoy it. Been fortunate enough to play Summerfest in Milwaukee over the years with some great local musicians. Our daughters, Andrea, in Racine, and Sarah, who recently moved back to the Milwaukee area from Seattle, each give us a granddaughter, for which we are very grateful. I met LOUIE NICKELL ’72 in Appleton for the Ripon-Lawrence football game last fall, then spent the night in Ripon to reminisce (and a few beers).”
BILL STARKE ’73: “The summers of 1970 and 1971, I worked at Glacier Park Lodge. I hiked about 140 miles in the park and climbed five mountains. Last summer, my wife, Janet, and I attended the 100-Year Anniversary of Many Glacier Hotel meeting many of the former employees from various lodges. I am a member of the Glacier Park Foundation also. They had three nights of Hootenanny music, and we hiked 23 miles on the trails. I spent 12 years in Minneapolis-St. Paul in banking. Moved to Tucson, Arizona, in March 1985. Live in Vail, Arizona, 14 miles east of Tucson, near the Rincon mountains. Janet and I have been married nearly 36 years. I miss all the great times at Ripon College!”
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PAT WILKE EPTING ’73: “In May of this year, I
STEVE ILLICH ’73: “Just over 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer, the early prognosis was, if left untreated, I might live five years, and with the state-of-the-art care available at that time, possibly 10. Since then, having undergone routine followup care and increasing optimism from my medical team, I am proud to share that I have been declared ‘cured.’ I will always live with a tracheotomy tube in my throat, as well as the disfigurement following surgery. So what, one might ask. While I can’t make singing a second career, I am finally pursuing learning to play classical guitar as a student of an outstanding classical guitarist, who also, incidentally (and pardon the pun) was instrumental in getting colleges and universities to offer an applied music major in guitar. It also means I can look forward to spending time with at least one grandchild. My older son and his wife are expecting, due around the end of August. Hopefully, Ripon College, Class of 2037 or thereabout. I’m anxious to hear what others are doing as they transition into retirement — AND TO SEE PICTURES! Our next reunion is just two years away. Looking to totally revamp a Class of 1973 slide show.”
KRIS DAVIS ’73: “Greetings, everyone. I am excited about reducing my hours as a Christian family therapist to two days a week this March. My husband Jim is retired from counseling and we like to see the grandkids weekly (my step-grandkids: Ivy, 6; Isaac, 4; and Quinn, 1). The tree-planting, prairie grass, and native flower restoration we’ve done up north – Bowler – on Jim’s 40 acres has created a highly diverse ecosystem and beautiful setting where we spend the weekends. We had a weekend semi-reunion there for his class of ’64 last year which we hope will be an annual get-together. Some of the group is going to see Motown when it comes to Appleton in April. My extracurricular activity is teaching praise and worship dances to the Christian day school teachers of our church synod. Some health challenges — it’s that time of life — but all in all, we’re very blessed.”
JERRY CIANCIOLO ’73 and his wife, Kathleen Brennan, recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of their business, Emerson & Church, Publishers (www. emersonandchurch.com), which specializes in fundraising, marketing and management books for the nonprofit sector. Jerry and Kathy started the business in February 1986 with the goal of lasting one year before finding “real” jobs again. JANE SCHORE ’73: “I was in Ireland in September and now off to Cuba for my 65th birthday. Trying to make up for 28 years of working nine days a week. I won’t slow down, but I decided I need to put one or two vacations a year on my schedule from now on.”
1973 DARCI JAEGER JAYNE ’73: “BRIAN ’76 and I are enjoying retired life and expecting our first grandchild in May. Luckily, she will be a Wisconsinite, since our son, Ryan, accepted a job in Madison after graduating from law school. The other sons are still West Coasters, so we are able to travel to lots of nice, warm places. A highlight of last year, though, was a visit to the Apostle Islands with TOM JAYNE ’73 and Lizz Jayne. Next on the bucket list: a trip to Maine and New Brunswick this fall. Any sight-seeing suggestions from alumni are welcomed!”
JOHN STIERNBERG ’73: “Stiernberg Consulting is finishing its 23rd year and is going strong. We continue to have many interesting projects and clients around the world. We are also co-producing the second annual Capital Summit at ISE, a major AV/IT industry trade show in Amsterdam. This is a panel discussion and networking event geared to both buyers/investors and sellers. Here is a link to get the full details: www.iseurope.org/capital-summit. Jeanne is doing fine and sends her regards too. Last year, she led our team on the completion of seven separate market intelligence reports for clients on three continents. Pretty interesting stuff!”
MARTY MORRIS ’73: “I am going to retire in April for good this time. Taxpayers, you are welcome! My plan is to join a group of local citizens who assist seniors and the disabled with household repairs and maintenance as well as taking care of my own place. Perhaps a few road trips are in order, too.” ROB LEITSCHUH ’73: “Well I’m still here in Vermont. I’m still working as I have two beautiful children in college. (We started late!) My son will be graduating from WPI Worchester, Massachusetts this spring with a robotics and computer science double major. Kid is wicked smart (where did that come from?) My daughter is going to Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts — her front door from her dorm is the Atlantic Ocean. My view at Ripon — the quads. I’m also doing some healing work with people. I’ve learned a new modality called Tong Ren. It’s very interesting and my mentor is from the Boston area, so I get to see him quite often. He travels the world and teaches what he does, and it is growing. I spend time with FUZZ ’74 and ANNE FREESE ’74 on occasion and we go dancing at the Freight House in Laconia, New Hampshire, to blues and other music. Last year, Fuzz got me to snowshoe for the first time. Said we would do the yard at his house. I forgot he owns 100 acres! Well, that’s it. I filled a little space on the newsletter. Feel free to make up any stories about Fuzz.” PAUL NAKAO ’73: “I have a totally replaced knee. Trying it out in Sierra snow (finally) in a couple of weeks.”
MARK ’73 and JACKIE FARMER ANDREWS ’73: “Mark is getting ready to chair the Bike Sebring 12/24 hour bike race, which is a Race Across America (RAAM) sponsored by his Rotary Club. This is his 17th and last year to head up this major fund-raising event attended by elite cyclists from around the world. I, on the other hand, will be attending the Wuertz Gourd Festival in Arizona to participate in several classes and hopeful bring home some great gourds! I will get home just in time to visit with JACK ’72 and RUTH ANN DELESS SEAVER ’73, who will be escaping their cold, snowy winter in sunny, beautiful, shell-laden Sanibel Island! We so enjoy catching up with our Ripon College friends — Ruth Ann and I were roommates freshmen year way back when! Otherwise, we plan on attending the Florida Folk Festival in May on the lovely Suwannee River in North Florida.”
MIKE MIZEN ’73 and PEGGY SEELBACH MIZEN ’75: “Completed 2015 with the celebration of our younger daughter, Jennifer, receiving her Ph.D. from the Ohio State University School of Environmental Sciences, Fish and Wildlife. Peggi and I will ski in February. RV adventure in eastern Canada last year was a great experience. Thinking of heading west to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service; 39,000 miles in the past 10 years.”
KATHY GRAUNKE ’73: “I am looking forward to retiring on June 1 and spending time gardening and traveling.”
JIM TASWELL ’73: “Retirement is not in my vocabulary in spite of my advancing age. Theresa and I have done a fair amount of traveling last year, both work-related and for pleasure. Theresa returned back to school several years ago and recently passed her RN boards. A mid-life course change! She was hired on immediately on the surgical floor, and she already works on vascular surgery. I have a suggestion for the Ripon class letter – pick lots of classmates’ names out of a hat and then make things up (humorous)!!!! I am sure you will get plenty of feedback for the next class letter. I will definitely try it, if I do not hear from anyone next issue. Sure could be fun!
SUDY REIGLE ALTHOLZ ’73: “TOM ’72 and I have been rolling stones and gathering no moss. We spent three weeks in southern India in November. What an amazing experience. It is so different from northern India, and we loved the country and the people. We were lucky enough to spend Christmas time on Kauai with our family, including all the grandkids, aged 2 to 16. We made wonderful memories! We enjoyed San Francisco for a long weekend to catch up with friends and attend a beautiful wedding. Now we are looking forward to spending the winter in Tucson and staying close to home.” GARY SHARPE ’73: “Running unopposed and expecting re-election as circuit court judge — Fond du Lac County Branch 4. Attending the wedding of PETER TULLIO ’73’s daughter in LA in April.” BRONNA WOLLMAN ’73: “When I retired from teaching dance/physical education at the Fine Arts Elementary School in Racine, they named the gym: The Bronna Wollman Center for the Performing Arts.” Thanks again for all of your input. In addition, the alumni office sent me the following: RON V. RACINOWSKI ’73 of Boerne, Texas, is a retired vice president and general manager at the Mid-Atlantic regional office of the United States Automobile Association.”
GARY LEDERER ’72 and I are enjoying life in Florida. Gary plans on retiring in May and keeps telling everyone his new job will be trying to take things off my bucket list faster than I can add them on. We will see! He and I did take one thing off the list late last fall when he took me along on a business trip and I got to visit the Taj Majal. It took my breath away! Would love to go back and see more of India. In the meantime, our trips take us to the Chicago area to visit with our son, Andrew, and our daughter, Beth, or out to San Jose, California where we visit our youngest son, Steve.
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Looking for an easy way to help Ripon College this year? David Hartman ’64 Trustee, Ripon College Provides charitable gifts to Ripon College via his IRA
THE IRA CHARITABLE ROLLOVER IS PERMANENT! If you are 70½ or older, you can make a gift from your IRA account to support Ripon College and benefit. Gifts made from your IRA (up to $100,000 per year) are not reportable as taxable income. They also qualify for your required minimum distribution (RMD) which can lower your income and taxes. To learn more about the benefits of making an IRA charitable rollover gift today, please contact us. Michelle Lippart Director of Annual Giving and Estate Planning lippartm@ripon.edu 920-748-8817
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1973-74 Recent visits with Ripon friends included dinner with LINDA BRASSINGTON DANIELS ’72 and husband Dave as well as dinner at our home with KAREN TESCHNER DORN ’72 and her husband Al. Gary and I look forward to seeing NITA JACKSON PARKER ’72 and her husband Dennis on our next visit to California in late March.
DEBA HORN-PROCHNOW ’74 of Ripon,
As STEVE ILLICH ’73 reminded us, our 45th reunion is only two years away! Put it on your calendars now for Alumni Weekend 2018. It would be amazing to have a tremendous turnout!!
TIM VERNIER ’74 of Tomah, Wisconsin, reports
Wishing you all a warm and early spring! Thanks again for all the news. Cheers,
JEAN
1974 Jan Petrovski MacLeod 2 Gilbert Avenue, Clarendon Hills, IL 60514 630-920-2450 / Bookmaven105@gmail.com
Wisconsin, has embraced retirement completely. She says, “phrases like ‘have a good week’ and ‘have a good weekend’ have disappeared from the vernacular!” I might add that I no longer text her a jolly “TGIF” on Fridays because she doesn’t care what day it is. that the second book in his Dick Stranger series is complete and now in the editing process. He and his beautiful wife, Denise, celebrated their 40th anniversary with a trip to Italy to visit friends and Germany to visit their exchange student daughter. He is still teaching and training for the Brenengen Auto Group, and Denise loves being at the Tomah Veterinary Clinic.
MARY FERRIS GRAY ’74 will soon be moving from Fishers, Indiana, to Brownsburg, Indiana, to be closer to her son and his growing family. Grandson number two is expected in July, so lots of fun in her future! That’s great news, Mary!
CHRIS OVERLY WALLACE ’74 of Homer Glen,
Greetings, Classmates! The Chicago area is enjoying a very warm day and it’s hard to believe it’s still February. Soon we’ll be turning the clock ahead, the days are getting longer, so that means it’s time for a new class letter!
Illinois, recently welcomed her third granddaughter. Kitty Josephine – named for her late Grandpa JOE ’74 – arrived to join her two big sisters, and the entire family is doing well. Give all three a hug for me, Chris!
I don’t know about you, but ANDY ’76 and I have noticed the days seem to be speeding up. Our daughter and son-in-law celebrated their first anniversary last month but it seems like the wedding was just yesterday. Our younger daughter turned 28 in October, but it wasn’t that long ago I was baking cupcakes for her first-grade class celebration. Many of our friends and coworkers are making plans to retire (or have already retired) and life feels like it’s going into a transition.
MARGE ZELLMER ’74 of Shaker Heights, Ohio, has become a big fan of party busses and vodka with cranberry, all since celebrating her birthday in Philly and NYC with her family. If you want the details, you will have to ask her, since, according to her nephew, what happens on the party bus, stays on the party bus!
While most of these changes are happy ones, some are not. On January 10th, my father passed away — and even though he was 93, he had not been ill so it came as an awful shock. He will be remembered for his patriotism, his sense of humor, colorful language, and his wonderful, quick smile. The support of loving family and friends is impossible to underestimate at times like this; those of you who have suffered these losses know this first-hand. Their calls and notes, texts, emails, and hugs, continue to sustain us. Classmate News I received a phone call from BILL BRENNER ’74, of San Francisco, California, a few days after Dad died, and it was wonderful to hear his voice. (Most people contact me by email or Facebook message these days.) He has been retired several months from the Federal Reserve and said for a while it was hard to believe he didn’t have to get up and go to the office or the airport every day. He is getting used to it now and keeps busy with his two crazy dogs. His partner, Jeremy, is still working, so he says he is not too worried they will “end up on the street.” You still have that crazy sense of humor, Bill! Next time, I will call you! And speaking of retiring, SELMA BAYDOUN CEMAN ’74 of Berlin, Wisconsin, will be retiring from the Wautoma School District in June 2016. Come to Alumni Weekend, Selma, and we will all help you celebrate!
DEBORAH EVANS CLEM ’74 of Boulder, Colorado: “Still dancing, still singing, enjoying five grandchildren ages 1 to 6, skiing, bird-watching. In 2015: in touch with LINDA MOGICATO SASSER ’75, DAN COLUCCI ’76, XAVIER POLANSKI ’74, SHAKUNTALA JAYASWAL ’74, KATHY GRAUNKE ’73, MOLLY NIVEN ’75, DOUG MEADE ’74! Now and then GAIL DOBISH ’76!”
AL PACH III ’74 of Summit, New Jersey: “I am still working on infectious diseases and vaccine introduction in developing countries, but more parttime. I just started a master’s of divinity program at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, where our beloved DR. WILLIAM TYREE also went.”
JANE RUNKEL FREDERICK ’74 of Shorewood, Wisconsin, wrote that her daughter, Sarah, is doing well with the DNR in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, as a hydrogeologist. Sad to report her mother-in-law passed away about the same time as my Dad in early January. She and husband, JOHN FREDERICK ’73, have lots of trips planned, both for business and pleasure in the next few months, so both will be busy as always.
MARY BREESE RAY ’74 of Plainfield, Illinois, has been keeping very busy with her career as a travel agent, and when she’s not busy sending others on fabulous trips, she is busy taking them herself. She and husband Charlie have been to New Mexico and Colorado, then a trip to Galena in October with GRETCHEN PETERSEN BREITZMAN ’74 and her husband Mike to celebrate their anniversaries. This girl never stops! So Mary, when will we see you in Ripon?
Spring 2016 27
CLASSLetters MIKE SNYDER ’74 and wife JANET APPEL SNYDER ’74, of Rochester, Minnesota, bowled me
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over with all the things that keep them busy at this point in their lives. Mike has been retired for more than 13 years, so as he said, he had a lot of time to think about what to do next. As of this moment, his big passion is still puzzles of all kinds. He designs them, creates them, collects them and trades them. He added that more than 20 of his puzzles are part of the Slocum Puzzle Collection at the University of Indiana Lilly Library, and can be viewed online; and he just found out a half-dozen of his puzzles are now in a museum in Mongolia! Janet has been volunteering at RideAbility (equine therapy) for many years and is now volunteering about 400 hours a year, doing everything that needs doing, such as horse leader, wagon driver, facilities maintenance, etc. She also has taken over as the head of her tae kwon do school. She recently took a group to Texas for the AKATO annual seminar, which included training with some of the best in the business. Bravo, you guys. You are an inspiration.
Jondi Gumz 1010 Whispering Pines Drive, Scotts Valley CA 95066 831-461-1120 / jondigumz@yahoo.com
A big surprise was hearing from ERIC SCHUSTER ’74 of Janesville, Wisconsin. He works in financial services and they tell him they won’t let him retire because he is the only one who knows the billing system! That stinks, but don’t buy it, Eric! No matter what they say, it is NOT the Hotel California. Good to hear from you. Stay in touch!
DENNIS FRAHMANN ’74 of Cambria, California, and his husband, Robert Tieman, are on an extended cruise — in Singapore as I write this. Dennis has been writing about it in his blog as well as on Facebook, and it certainly sounds like the adventure of a lifetime. Thanks for giving us a glimpse into the excitement! TERRY HOFFER ’74 of Danville, Vermont, has written to me about a few of the trips he and his wife
KATHY WILLIAMS HOFFER ’74 have taken since their retirement; it’s given me lots of food for thought and we thought we’d pass it along for anyone else who might be interested. As he put it: “I’m imagining not an extended trip but a long weekend — maybe two nights — in a cool place where we can recreate in a variety of ways. It could be Chicago or anywhere such that we could travel by air and join the parade. If someone were to say there is a wonderful exhibit at the Art Institute, or something at a theater, or a concert, as options, comfortable place to stay but not necessarily swanky, or a unique place to eat.” I think we all get the idea; a gathering of friends to get back together in a spot where we all might find something interesting to do while we reconnect. Andy and I have done this with a few Ripon friends, even just met a plane to have dinner while our friend is in Chicago on business. It’s a real tonic. So I join Terry in putting the idea out there for anyone who might be interested. It’s fun to rekindle the old Ripon camaraderie.
JAN P.S. As I was finishing my letter, Andy and I got some fabulous news and I had to share it with you. We are going to be grandparents in September! Stay tuned!
Dear classmates: Let’s say happy birthday to Dick Van Dyke, who has still got dance moves at 90. Thanks to JILL HARE ’75 for the link to a Disney tribute with the chimney sweeps doing “Step in Time” from “Mary Poppins.” It’s http://abc.tv/1QPhztQ. I loved that movie when it came out and learned all the songs. Still love it! I saw Dick Van Dyke in person with his lovely wife Arlene in Santa Cruz. He was doing a Q&A interview with Peter “Candid Camera” Funt for our local hospital. So many stories to tell. Afterward, I got to meet Dick and Arlene. He has a fabulous smile, and fantastic hair! For some reason, I thought he was taller. At any height, he is a charmer! My guess is this will be a grandparent edition. Thanks to GLENDA HARRIS BARNETT ’75 for suggesting I ask two questions: Where are they now, and what is retirement like?
JILL GRAVES HARE ’75 is in Pinos Altos, New Mexico, running auditions for Once Upon a Mattress in the Silver High School Little Theatre. Yes, she is a grandmother and she’s on Facebook!
GLENDA HARRIS BARNETT ’75 is in Hanover, Maryland. She writes in mid-February: “We’re getting the polar vortex again! It’ll be 9 degrees tomorrow morning! I’m here shivering in the cold! It’s as if Maryland has become Wisconsin! I’m busy working my own Mary Kay business, teaching other women how to grow their own businesses, and enjoying my incredibly smart and beautiful granddaughters.” You can check in with Glenda on Facebook. Congratulations to BOB BARRINGTON ’75 who was named a “Legal Innovator” by the State Bar of Wisconsin in November. Bob, who is in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, writes: “I converted our District Attorney office to a completely paperless system. We actually call it ‘paper on demand,’ to make it sound less intimidating. We did it at virtually no cost and have realized huge savings. We were the first office in the state to do it. It’s now the model for the entire state. Next I worked with the State Court System to develop, pilot and integrate electronic filing in criminal cases. We’re the only county allowed to e-file at this point, but the courts will be rolling out our system statewide beginning later this year.” Don’t you love the idea of our government providing service and saving money? More news from Bob: He was elected president of the State Bar’s Government Lawyers Division, and his wife, KATY GRIFFIN BARRINGTON ’77 Ph.D., is taking a group of master’s degree students to a conference in Tuscany, Italy, and their daughter gave birth to their second grandchild in January.
PETER SWAN ’75 writes: “Happy Valentine’s Day! You picked a good time to email me. Today is the coldest day in Charleston, South Carolina, since I moved here 2½ years ago! Therefore, I am staying inside and starting the taxes. I recently retired from my second calling as a teacher. Since then, I have become the polling manager for Adams Run for the upcoming election cycle. I am also going to usher at the Charleston River Dogs baseball games starting in April. Bill Murray is the director of fun for the organization, and I will be reporting to him.” THE Bill Murray!?!? We will be expecting a detailed report, Peter! He also reports his son, Gregory, is a Ph.D. candidate in immunology at Duke. Congrats on that!
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1974-75 LEON PASCUCCI ’75 of Rancho Mirage, California: “Retirement and marriage are great! Life is good in the Coachella Valley, and I’m active in local politics and supporting the arts community.” I have not heard from SCOTT TREMBERTH ’75 but he is out in Henderson, Nevada, enjoying retirement and looking good, judging from the Facebook photos.
MIKE DAVIS ’75 is enjoying his retirement as CEO of IMPACT in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. CHRIS JAMIESON ’75: “I have decided to retire in June after 39 years with the Racine, Wisconsin, school district. I hope that my wife, Sandy, and I now can do some traveling and pursue hobbies.” Chris posted on Facebook a photo of the house his parents bought 55 years ago. It’s where he grew up in Racine. He’s turned the keys over to new owners, a bittersweet moment that struck a chord with a lot of our classmates, including BRUCE GUILFOILE ’75, LORI SISSON 75, and JOHN WALLEN ’76. JOHN WALLEN ’76 has a Theta Chi pledge class photo for his Facebook page. I see BRUCE GUILFOILE ’75, BOB BARTINGALE ’75 (Bob, where are you?), GEORGE LONG ’75 (George, what are you up to?), DON SPECK ’75 (How’s Billings, Montana, treating you?), and PERRY HOWLAND ’76. PERRY HOWLAND ’76 has a photo posted on Facebook from Halloween 1971. He’s with ALBERT LOCK ’75 and JEFFREY MUELLER ’75. Oh, the memories ! Perry, by the way, is in Novelty, Ohio. Are you missing out if you are not on Facebook? You are, so go ahead, set up an account. I use mine basically for Ripon College stuff. You could do the same.
BRUCE GUILFOILE ’75 is in Tokyo, Japan. He posted on Facebook a photo from the takoyaki party he attended, takoyaki being a Japanese street snack known as octopus balls. Bruce dropped off our class list I’ve got him back on. LORI SISSON ’75 is in Pittsburgh. She is on the staff of JFilm running the Teen Screen program and ad sales for the JFilm Festival. In February, she saw Here One Day, a documentary produced by Kathy Leichter about her mother’s suicide. Important subject.
DAVE STOCKDALE ’75 writes: “My wife and I became grandparents for the second time in November. We are ticking our 12th year in the Philippines. My wife runs the credit bureau here and I am teaching and consulting. TED DAVIS ’72 moved here last year. We are hoping to move to that side of the planet. The 13-14 hour time zone difference and 24-hour travel times make keeping up with family more challenging.”
STEVEN SWANSON ’75 writes: “I am once again on a 12-18 month short tour (just as in the Army, except I wear coat and tie!). My job relocated me to Miami this past August (2015). The family remains in Manassas, Virginia, for a number of reasons (a high school senior; the school support system for three beautiful grandkids; and a growing real estate business in the Fredericksburg area (Interested? Send me an email and I can hook you up with some very savvy investors or Miami!). Steven retired from the Army in 2001 after 26 years with the honor and the pleasure to serve this great nation in various global areas. “One of my most memorable tours was witnessing first-hand Ronald Reagan telling Mikhail Gorbachev ‘Take down this wall’ — amazingly, RICK ESTBERG ’75 was present.” As for the next retirement, he says, “Stay tuned.” Steven and his wife, Barbara, celebrated 32
years of marriage on Feb. 18, and daughter Margaret is eyeing Ripon College for theater, debate and liberal arts. Speaking of Florida, KATHY KURKE ’75 is in Ormond Beach, where she just completed a beautiful piece of art titled “Norma Jean’s Textures.” It is acrylic paint and painted paper on a 24”x30” canvas. Kathy is retired from NASA as legal counsel so she has time to paint and make jewelry. Check out her Facebook page.
NICK VAN DER PUY ’75 writes from Mellen, Wisconsin, about a half hour south of Ashland and Lake Superior. On the Bad River, population 750, home of Copper Falls State Park: “I’m working on a book — Brother of the Woods is the working title — about the last 30 years of Indian activism, culminating two years ago during the polar vortex winter occupying wigwams and wall tents in the water-rich Penokee Hills of northwestern Wisconsin, stopping a 21-mile long, 1,000 foot deep iron ore mine. Plus, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and ice fishing.”
ALAN LAWRENCE ’77, class agent, posted this update from Appleton: “The ski trails at Bubolz this afternoon were about as awful as I’ve ever seen them. Last weekend was too warm and the trails are all very icy. Fortunately, new snow is on the way. Anyway, it was very peaceful and beautiful on the trail.”
JOHN DERGE ’75 and his wife, Shirley, live in Oak Creek. They are enjoying retirement from Milwaukee Public Schools. They both taught at Rufus King I.B. High School. She retired in 2004, and John retired in 2010. During the past two years, John completed a paralegal certificate program at Milwaukee Area Technical College. A big project for him this year is co-chairing his 45th high school reunion at Hartford Union High School (Wisconsin). They are planning a reunion weekend to coincide with the high school homecoming. John writes: “I love Facebook, and I wish more classmates would use it. It is a great way to stay in touch.” Two retirees from education: RANDY GOREE ’75 of Muskego, Wisconsin, and GLEN NESPER ’75 of Eagle River, Wisconsin.
SUE CHAPMAN CARLTON ’75 writes from St. Charles, Illinois: “Right now, I am caught in the Generation Gap. My mother, 91, in West Bend, fell and is in a rehabilitation center. Our younger daughter is planning a wedding for 2017 and our older daughter is having baby number two in April. To top it off, my husband had major surgery last fall. I guess you would say my retirement is full of care-giving.” Sue says she is very active in her church and was elected to Session, the governing board of the Presbyterian Church. “One of my fellow session members’ son works for CHARLES MARDER ’75 in Bridgehampton, Long Island. Small world!” Each winter, Sue hosts an Alpha Delta Pi get-together for gals in the classes of 1973 to 1977 in St. Charles. As many as 19 sisters including Jean Woolley have attended. It’s so cold this year that Sue and her husband planned a trip to Florida in March, taking advantage of a timeshare in the Fort Lauderdale area.
GREGG SAMELSON ’75 is deep into his new career in photography. See his Facebook page for some really awesome photos. Plus, he is holding an adorable baby. Gregg’s wife, MARY JAMIESON SAMELSON ’76, has a very cute baby photo posted on her Facebook page. They are in Citrus Heights outside Sacramento where the price of gas dropped to $1.97 per gallon if you pay cash.
Spring 2016 29
CLASSLetters It’s $2.11 a gallon here with a credit card. Haven’t seen anything below $2 but CYNTHIA BOONE WALLEY ’76 in Leavenworth Kansas, reports gasoline there is $1.57 a gallon. I’d like to hear what WILLIAM SCOTT ERICKSON ’77 says about healthcare reform. He owns Optimus, a healthcare management consulting practice, working in the field for almost 20 years. He’s in Dorset Vermont.
DEE AUSTRING ’75 works in health as director at USANA Health Sciences Inc. in faraway Aotearoa, New Zealand, which means land of the long white cloud. She writes: “My youngest son and his wife now live in Perth, Western Australia, and I have a 10-month-old granddaughter named Natasha. My eldest son is a software tester and lives in Auckland. I’m dogless at present, but my Burmese, Bijou, is the delight of my life! Still working at the library, the theatre and my home businesses, including promoting USANA Health Sciences’ products for wellness. Summer in Aotearoa is HOT and dry, and I love sitting in my hammock seat on my back deck looking out over Putiki Bay when I take some leisure time.” JIM CURTIS ’75 is in a cooler clime in Clinton, Connecticut. See the photo his wife Cindy posted on Facebook of a ski chair from an old lift turned into a swing on their deck in Vermont. Reuse and recycle!
MARK WRIGHT ’75 and MARCIA WILSON WAHOSKE ’75 have a new address in North Mankato, Minnesota. Same phone number. I’d like to hear from JESSE ESCHENHEIMER ’75 in Newport, Rhode Island. I hear his daughter Morgan plays the ukulele and sings. Quite a voice. See her on YouTube. Thanks to PHIL BOLDA ’75 who saw this article refer to VIRGIL STUCKER ’75 and his common sense approach to mental health. Virgil is founding chairman of the Foundation for Mental Health Excellence and founding executive director of the CooperRiis Healing Community. Dr. Allen J. Frances pointed out that Virgil knows medications are important in improving the lives of people who need them and understands the concerns of those who have been harmed by psych medications. Here is Virgil’s perspective: “I was recently in Iowa on an emergency trip, thinking I was going there possibly to bury my 97-yearold father. He was declining rapidly, experiencing profound hallucinations, severe confusion, and disorientation. It began with a fall that led a doctor to prescribe Tramadol. I reviewed this drug’s side-effects and discovered it can produce hallucinations and confusion. When I presented this information to his prescribing doctor, the Tramadol was discontinued immediately and my father was back to himself within a day. The medication, which I also initially endorsed for his pain, could have led to his death, something that happens far too often in our country. This weekend we are celebrating my parents’ 70th wedding anniversary. I am glad and joyful that they can both be there! “During most of these past 40 years, I have lived in therapeutic communities, in close day-to-day contact with people who have severe mental illness. I have seen psychiatric medication save lives and I have seen it harm lives. “Often, I have helped orchestrate life-saving medication for people suffering from the dangerous hallucinations of psychosis. But other times, I have helped to create supportive conditions within which our psychiatrists could help people do much better by coming off what had been excessive cocktails of
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over prescribed medication. I have so many memories both of people harmed by meds and of people saved by them. It’s not black-and-white. We need to find a common sense middle ground between opposing wholesale beliefs that psychiatric medicine is all good or all bad. We need to focus instead on the benefits of more selective, moderate and minimal use of medications. How do we achieve this selective use model? Our current medical culture has set a high value on ‘evidence-based medicine,’ that is, on treatments that have been shown to produce overall improvement in large groups of subjects in research studies. Unfortunately, research studies cannot capture the individual differences among people that are critical in mental health recovery. Whether or not medications are supportive for a particular individual’s recovery is best decided by shared collaboration in an ongoing and trusting relationship between a person seeking recovery and well-trained clinicians, with openness on both sides to the observations of loving friends and family and a careful consideration of what has worked and what has not in the past. There is no one-size-fits-all. And it often takes time and patience to discover what will work best for any given person.”
RICK ESTBERG ’75 of Severna Park, Maryland, lived a decades-long dream in October when he returned to the Ripon College campus as a guest speaker in the Great Hall. He spoke on his career with the National Security Agency, how a frat rat turned into a Cold Warrior in the space of just a few months. About 100 people attended, including folks from the town and a local reporter. Rick writes: “After discussing career opportunities in the intelligence community the questions inevitably turned to Edward Snowden. Though few in this country have followed the actions of that gentleman since his ‘relocation’ to Russia, dozens of his highlyclassified, pilfered documents continue regularly to leak and be published in the European press and online. This continues to cause immense turmoil in numerous friendly countries, even though the U.S. has since moved on to new topics. Nothing, it seems, is as short as the public’s memory.” Rick spoke to two government classes in the afternoon, appreciating the opportunity to interact with students. Remember when our reunions used to coincide with homecoming? Now when we return for our reunions in the summer, few students are on campus. Rick has spent a milestone 40 years in government service with no plans for an imminent retirement. He says he’s having too much fun in the foreign relations world. He manages to get back to Germany every so often on official business; most recently he was in Munich, Darmstadt and Berlin. In his spare time, he tutors inmates at a local jail, helping them work toward their GEDs (he tutors them in math, a subject he hasn’t studied since high school!). He’s into community theater, appearing in Miracle on 34th Street and Side Man with 12 Angry Men up next. He says he’s counting the months until our next class reunion. Aren’t you? Not much space left, but I hope to see Rick when I attend a conference in Washington, D.C., in May. My husband and I plan a camping trip to the Black Hills and Teddy Roosevelt National Park in South Dakota this summer. My son and daughter-in-law have become foster parents to a 5-year-old girl. We skipped the diapers and went right to the alphabet. My favorite song: “Bailando,” by Enrique Iglesias. The Spanish version is best. I heard it all last year at Jazzercise. Check it out on Vevo! Your class agent,
JONDI GUMZ
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y e k e h t u Yo to our success! Help Ripon College raise an additional $1 million for the Annual Fund today!
YOU ARE THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS Show your pride in Ripon College by making a gift today and joining others to help raise an additional $1 million for the Annual Fund by June 30. Your participation is key to our success – no matter the size of your contribution.
As a special thank you for your gift to the Annual Fund, you will receive a fun Ripon decal for your keyboard!
ripon.edu/make-a-gift Spring 2016 31
CLASSLetters
1976 Julie Carlson 9701 West Waterford Ave., Greenfield, WI 53228-2160 414-545-9197 / jcarlson5@wi.rr.com Hello Classmates! If you haven’t already, consider making a gift designated for the Storzer Health and Wellness Campaign and it will also count toward our big 40th reunion class gift. WAIT A MINUTE! Did I just say big 40th reunion class gift?! Holy cow! What a great transition to the real topic of this letter! Seriously, by the time you read this, our 40th reunion will be right around the corner. You should have read about it in last fall’s class letter, received an e-mail about our Facebook page tracking who’s coming and who hopes to make it (thanks to CANDI HUTCHISON ’76), and received the official solicitation for our special reunion class gift telling you about our $76,000 and 50 percent participation goals.
TOM BROMAN ’76, SHARON GRIGGINS ’76, RICH RUSSO ’76, PETER TUZ ’76 and I stated our case for giving five times in that letter, so I won’t be redundant, but as you well know, participation is almost as important as cash, so please send in a check or let your fingers do the giving on your smart phone or tablet or iThingy right now. If you’re not a regular donor, consider $76 or even $40. If you are a regular donor, please think about bumping up to a giving society (or a higher one) during this special effort. Thank you in advance for your generosity. Of course, the class gift is only part of the reunion. It’s really about getting together with old friends and having a great time. You may have already received the invitation to Alumni Weekend, but if not, here are the specifics for our great time: Saturday, June 25, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the MLK Lounge in the Union (with spillover onto the front porch). $35 per person: complimentary beer, wine and soda; munchies and dips; heavy hors d’oeuvres; make-your-own-burger bar; and strawberry cheesecake and triple chocolate bread pudding. AND, to keep the good time going, there’s an all-alumni after-party in the old Memorial Gym greenspace with more complimentary beer, wine, soda and eats! If you can make it to campus Friday night, sign up for the Alumni Association Awards Banquet – always an inspirational and enjoyable event. If you’re coming on Saturday, be sure to make it by 10:45 for the class march and the 11 presentation of class gifts to PRESIDENT ZACH MESSITTE. There are trophies for classes with the highest reunion gift participation, largest reunion class gift, best Alumni Weekend attendance, and highest total five-year gift for the class. We ought to be able to win at least one of these! As of early March (when I’m writing this), here’s who’s planning to attend (in no particular order): SHARON GRIGGINS ’76, STEVE PUGH ’76, STEVE BINKLEY ’76, JUDY REISINGER DAVIS ’76, RICH RUSSO ’76, ALLEN MCCUE ’76, CANDI HUTCHISON ’76, TOM KLEWIN ’76, PERRY HOWLAND ’76, PEGGY ZAREK ODDO ’76, BETSY CARLSON KRIZENESKY ’76, JEAN JANES ’76, JIM HANEY ’76, TOM BROMAN ’76, JEFF GILLIS ’76 and GAIL DOBISH ’76. Plus, DAN BURK ’76, DAN ’76 and JODY LONG SHERMAN ’76, ELLEN COLE SMITH ’76 and ANDY MACLEOD ’76 are in the “hope to make it” category.
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As mentioned above, you can follow what’s happening with our 40th on Facebook. Search for “Ripon College, Class of 1976 – 40th reunion” (be sure to use the exact punctuation — I tried without it and Facebook couldn’t find us) and indicate if you’re Going, Interested or Not Going; invite all your Ripon friends; add a photo of days gone by; or post a comment to the rest of us. If you’re not on Facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/ events/609227472568375. YA GOTTA COME TO OUR 40TH! That’s all there is to it. No fuss. No muss. Just a good time catching up with Ripon friends. No excuses either! Send in your Alumni Weekend registration to the College TODAY! (Adding your name to our Facebook list is not the same as registering.) Finally, here’s a bit of news from some of our classmates:
KEN BURBICK ’76 retired from IBM after 26 years and is now working part time for the City of Seattle. He plans to fully retire at the end of this year.
JEFF ’76 and BETH GALLER GILLIS ’78 recently hiked Mount Cook. It sounds pretty innocuous, doesn’t it? It’s not. Yikes. Look it up. Then, congratulate Jeff and Beth when you see them at our reunion! JIM HANEY ’76 retired in January. He was a faculty member and administrator at UW-Stevens Point for 25 years and worked for nearly 10 years in Madison at the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Jim’s retirement plans include traveling, reading, part-time consulting, and volunteering for nonprofit organizations. PERRY HOWLAND ’76 retired last July 3 after 37 years in the adult beverage business. He said he received his “formal education at The Spot.”
TOM KLEWIN ’76 is retired and volunteering at a local VA hospital. His wife, Kathie Fazekas, works for the Center for Disease Control and was involved in the Bamako, Mali, terrorist event last November.
EILEEN SMITH ’76 retired from Stanford University as a business analyst and software developer. She now lives in Applegate, Oregon. That’s all I have for now, gang. Keep checking the Facebook page for updates on our reunion and additions to the “Who’s Coming” list. If you have any questions or suggestions for the reunion, let me know ASAP. I can’t wait to see you on June 25!
JULIE CARLSON ’76
1977 Alan Lawrence 153 Northbreeze Drive, Appleton, WI 54911 920-730-9515 / alan_lawrence99@yahoo.com Dear Class of 1977: With the new format of class letters, which began last fall, I’m writing less about the College and more about our class. The new publication format is intended to make it easier for you to be connected with other class years, and not just our own. We all developed friends in other class years, and I recognize that I am curious about those whose years overlapped mine. The new format makes it all the more important that you share your news either with Ripon College or with me so that it can be included. Otherwise it is a skinny column. I’ll have to work harder to reach out to you. There are 242 classmates in the contact list database the College sends to me, and many are without email addresses. Please make sure our College knows your email address.
1976-78 Alumni Weekend is June 23-26. Some of us try to attend more frequently than our five-year anniversary years. I have made it annually in recent years and always look forward to the visit. Next year (June 2017) our class returns to celebrate 40 years. Expect to hear more this fall as we begin making plans for a get-together and raising a class gift.
DENNIS P. HICKMAN ’77 of Salinas, California, is the faculty development specialist at the Military Language Institute. Some Ripon College alumni classes have their own Facebook pages to improve contacts. I’m considering getting one started. What do you think? Would you “like” it? Please keep in touch, either directly to Ripon at alumni@ripon.edu or to me.
ALAN N. LAWRENCE
1978 Gregg Petersen 10829 Hilltop Lane, Columbia, MD 21044 410-884-0407 / Sig29@aol.com Dear ’78 Classmates: Greetings again from Columbia, Maryland, where earlier this year, the all-knowing meteorologists said that because of El Nino, we would have no snow this year. They got the forecast perfectly except for the 36 hours we got 3 feet of snow in January. Good thing that Shirley and I were out of town and our great neighbors cleared all the snow out for us before we got back! We love our neighbors here! The fun trivia question for today’s letter is: “What do Rudy Vallee, Calvin Coolidge, and our good friend and classmate GINNY MCGEHEE CONDON ’78 have in common?” See below for the answer. This will be a shorter letter than usual. I only have a couple updates to share with you, and I thought I would let you see what the letter looks like without some outreach and research on my part as I usually try to do. The point is that I need more updates from you when you have a moment. 40th Reunion Project: Recall that MIKE CHAMBERLAIN ’78 wanted to enlist your assistance on a class reunion bio project in support of our upcoming 40th reunion on June 23, 2018. I know it seems like a long time from now, but the project will take time. If you are interested in helping, please send Mike an email at Michael_Chamberlain@ juno.com. To this point, we have no volunteers to assist Mike … DC Happy Hours and Nats/Brewers Event: There will be three Washington, D.C., Happy Hours this year: March 30, June 30 and Sept. 29. I will be hosting the one in June at the Crystal City Sports Pub in Crystal City, Virginia, right next to Reagan National Airport. I expect to attend the September Happy Hour, as well, but will miss March because I’m headed back to Wisconsin for a wedding and to experience a maple syrup harvesting event with some family pals. The Brewers are coming to D.C. July 4-6, so we are beginning to plan to attend one of those games as a Ripon group. Details to follow for you in the D.C. area. ’78 Classmate Updates: After I said her postemployment time was boring in our last letter, DANNI CALDWELL ’78 of Henderson, Nevada, wrote back to indicate that her retirement was NOT boring! She said, “I think that I am doing my best to make the most of retirement! I hike almost every
Thursday with a group of women that I met by happenstance within the first six months of moving to the Las Vegas area. We’ve hiked at many local parks and recreation areas, including the Red Rocks Canyon Conservation and Lake Mead Recreation areas, and Valley of Fire State Park. We’ve also taken weekend trips to hike in Sedona, Arizona, and at Zion National Park. Alan and I have also visited and hiked at Bryce Canyon National Park and the south rim of the Grand Canyon. I also am learning tai chi, and I bowl in a women’s league every week during the fall and winter. Alan and I both work as officials at Clark County high school swimming meets every spring, and also volunteered as officials for UNLV swimming meets during the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 seasons. We have also taken trips to Napa Valley; Yosemite; Glacier National Park; Sante Fe, New Mexico; Reno; Oxnard, California; and San Diego. We’ve also been visiting steak houses in downtown Las Vegas and local casinos (those casinos not found on Fremont Street or the Strip). I’ve got recommendations to share with anyone contemplating a visit to southern Nevada! So, no, retirement is not boring me at all. “Finally, with respect to your class letter mention of college-branded attire, I frequently wear my Ripon College T-shirt while hiking and to the local rec center that I work out at, and it’s not uncommon for me to encounter another alumni or alum family member who notices my shirt and strikes up a conversation. I’ve only heard positives during those encounters, so I’m pleased that Ripon’s fine reputation is so widespread!” I agree, Danni’s retirement is not boring. And I think our classmates would like to hear how you others are spending retirement or continuing to work.
GINNY MCGEHEE CONDON ’78 of Colchester, Vermont, was one of three people honored with induction into the Vermont Association of Broadcasters (VAB) Hall of Fame in December 2015. The VAB HoF is the ultimate honor for Vermont broadcasters and honors those men and women who have demonstrated excellence throughout their careers, have enhanced the broadcasting industry and have contributed to the betterment of their communities. Other members of the VAB HoF include Calvin Coolidge and Rudy Vallee. Here is Ginny’s citation: “Ginny McGehee is the longest serving full-time female radio personality in Vermont history. A native of Philadelphia, Ginny began her broadcasting career in Saranac Lake, New York in 1980 where she hosted a daily show and broadcast local high school hockey and football play-by-play. In 1983, She moved to Burlington after being hired by WJOY Program director Joel Najman. Outside of a successful stint as the afternoon disc jockey on sister station WQCR-FM (now WOKO-FM), Ginny has spent most of her time on the air at WJOY. She and Steve Pelkey began hosting the weekday “Breakfast Table” program in 1993 and Ginny has hosted the show by herself for the past 15 years. Ginny serves as the Public Service Director for all five Hall Communications stations in Vermont. She is longtime board member of the Vermont and New Hampshire Chapter of the American Red Cross and is a former board member of Champlain Valley Crimestoppers. She emcees numerous events, including the Alzheimer’s Walk and the Burlington Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. She received a Distinguished Service Award from the VAB in 2011.”
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CLASSLetters Also my apology to BARBARA “BABS” JANSSEN PUGH ’78 for referring to her as “Barb” in our Fall class letter. A gaffe on the level of referring to JUSTIN NIEBANK ’78’s award a few letters back as an Emmy instead of a Grammy. Sorry about that, classmate! All errors are solely mine and not the College’s fault. That’s all for this letter. Plan to return to Ripon for our 40th reunion June 23, 2018, if not sooner! Please send in your updates. Best and warmest regards,
GREGG
ANTHONY J. PONCE DE LEON ’79 married Elizabeth Ryckman, June 26, 2015. They live in Chicago.
1979 Kevin L. Warmack 6110 S. Rhodes Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 773-220-5360 kwarmack@gmail.com / kwarmack@sbcglobal.net Greetings all. As I write this class letter, I’m going to start by looking back at the last letter. It was written in September, the day after Bears/Packers. As I mentioned, I survived the taunts and beat downs from all over including JANE RUNKEL FREDERICK ’74, NATE BOYA ’79 and SANDY BIASSEY MANTZ ’79 among others. But my words at that time stated “All I can say is, wait until Thanksgiving night in Lambeau!” If I recall correctly, the score on that night was Bears 17 – Packers 13! And to top it off, wasn’t Brett Favre having his number retired that night?! There is a God! Anyway, now that I got that off my chest, here’s news from our class (what little there is). Unless you were under the proverbial rock and hard place, you should have received the R Connections magazine for the Fall 2015 with a rather handsome guy (ME!) on the cover! Believe it or not, I had no idea that I would be the Cover Guy for the initial publication! I only learned of it from a Facebook posting by PEGGY GERO DEVALT ’80. Let me add some background to the picture. That picture was taken on Saturday afternoon, June 27, during Alumni Weekend and the All-Campus March. That was the first time there was actually a sign for each of the classes during the march because in the past, I would have been grouped in with “Classes of the ’70s.” Although it looks like I’m signaling for four beers (I haven’t changed), I was actually waiving to BOB SCHMITT ’79. As to the reaction to my cover shot, I am still both honored and humbled to have been chosen to be the initial cover guy for the first publication of R Connections, especially because of the feelings that I have for Ripon College. I have received congratulations from Ripon alumni from all over the Ripon College class spectrum! And let me end this by saying that the cover picture is featured on my work computer and a copy is framed in my home office. The third Men of Ripon Dinner was held Saturday, Dec. 19, at Harry Carey’s restaurant in downtown Chicago. In attendance were STEVE SARTO ’78, BLAINE GIBSON ’81, MARK COLEMAN ’79 and me, along with our wives (“bosses”).
BOB SCHMITT ’79 recently was named vice president of provider contracting and relations for Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative, a Qualified Health Plan Cooperative based in Brookfield, Wisconsin. He lives in Sun Prairie.
SUZY MEIER ’79: “I have the privilege of working for three days with the 10 2015 CNN Heroes in Los Angeles, thanks to CNN and Annenberg Foundation (and my colleague Dave Sternberg). It’s a great
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program to help these passionate entrepreneurs build stronger organizations. One of the heroes is Sean Gobin, founder of Warrior Expeditions. The organization guides veterans who served in combat zones on arduous three- to six-month hikes (i.e., Appalachian Trail) to help them deal with PTSD and ‘finally come home.’ Powerful. Check them out at warriorhike.org. My deep gratitude to them for service, and a shout out to all the vets I know, including NATE BOYA ’79, LARRY MALCHOW ’77, JIM LAUFENBERG ’79 and TIM BEAUCHAMP ’79.”
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BONNIE BUELL WANG ’79 enjoys living along the Hay River in Prairie Farm, Wisconsin, where she can see osprey diving for fish and bald eagles perched across the water at sunset. KATHLEEN PESCH PLATT ’79 is a nursing supervisor at NorthShore Health Department in Milwaukee County. Her new grandson was born Dec. 5, 2015.” TOM OAKLEY ’79 joined with a number of us and became a grandfather. His reaction is like most of us grandparents: “Truth be told, this is how it feels — pretty awesome!” I need news from all of you to fill this page up. You can send it to the email addresses on the top of the letter or you can join the Class of 1979 Facebook Page! Anyway, it has been a pleasure to write to all of you. But I need more news. So fill up the Class Facebook page with your news. You can also send me notes through LinkedIn (where you get to see my handsome profile) or you can send it by carrier pigeon or snail mail. The groundhog said that there will be an early spring, which will lead to a blossoming summer! So get out and enjoy! In the Spirit of Ripon College and the Class of 1979 — The Greatest Group I ever graduated with!
KEVIN L. WARMACK ’79
1980 Margaret G. “Peggy” DaValt W11557 County Highway D, Columbus, WI 53925 608-658-3779 / gorsetr@gorsetr.com Jeffrey C. “JC” Penney 15931 Ashville Lane, Granger, IN 46530 574-247-1182 / jeffpenneyno22@yahoo.com To my dear classmates of the Ripon College Class of 1980. Wow!! Can you all believe that it is just a few short days until spring will be sprung? This past weekend in Wisconsin was reminiscent of an early-spring day —warmish, windy, damp, foggy and overcast. I heard the honking of geese overhead, and I groused at the mud in the yard that three dogs brought in — let’s see, that’s 12 paws and lots of mud. For those of you who aren’t a member, please consider signing up or asking me to add you to the Ripon College (WI) Class of 1980 Facebook page. I know, it’s social media. I know, you don’t want to. However, I will tell you that lots of fun happens over there. As I try to entice you, encourage you and engage you into sharing your lives with all of us who really do care about you! You are enough and you are loved!
1978-81 What’s happen in Facebook land, since the last R Connections’ edition? The current sisters of Alpha Delta Pi, Delta Pi Chapter (Ripon) were highlighted by the National asking what they were grateful for. This photo was of five current sisters who were jumping for joy with the backdrop of the Ripon College Prairie. The expression on their faces was truly priceless. I am reminded of this French proverb, “Gratitude is the heart’s memory,” which was perfect for Thanksgiving time. In December, there was an announcement of a 94year old, Ripon resident, RUTH KONOW BIRGE ’43, who was a “secret” millionaire and left $246K to Ripon College and to the Ripon Medical Center. No one knew that this widow was secretly a millionaire. She was a retired school teacher from Ripon who loved to travel. What an awesome windfall for our alma mater. Also, in December, a movie hit the theatres featuring former Ripon College student HARRISON FORD ’64. My brother, PAUL GERO ’82, took a trip down memory lane from his home state of California and a visit to Hollywood. Paul’s story was amazing and synchronistic all at the same time. He reflected that he had seen the first Star Wars movie in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin in 1977. I visited the same theatre to watch the newest episode the day before he published his blog (http://paulfgeroblog.com/star-wars-riponcollege-hollywood-and-harry-ford/). Paul’s blog was amazing as he shared things that he recalled from then Dean of Men David Harris and Dean Harris’ gift for sharing neat facts about HARRISON FORD ’64 and his time at Ripon College.
DAVID J. REMONDINI ’80 of Indianapolis, Indiana, recently was promoted to interim executive director of the Indiana Supreme Court’s Division of State Court Administration. He also recently returned from his fifth trip to Ukraine, where he presents on court and media relations for the United States Agency for International Development’s Rule of Law Project. SUSAN ANGELL SCHMIDT ’80: “I sit on two boards. I am a member at large for the Humane Society of Marathon County. I am the Ski Swap coordinator for the Rib Mountain Ski Club. Like BLAINE GIBSON ’80, our son is a sophomore in college.” In December of 2015, ELLEN BARTH ’80 and I got together in Portage, Wisconsin, for dinner and to catch up on life. Both continue to work for the State of Wisconsin. Ellen continues her work for the Department of Natural Resources as an area wildlife supervisor and recently celebrated 25 years of employment with the state. I am employed by the Department of Health Services at Central Wisconsin Center/Mendota Mental Health Institute as an information technology professional and will celebrate 25 years of employment in the fall of 2016. I recently returned from an exciting trip to the 140th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in NYC. A colleague, Dawn Hamilton, and I are mentoring Georgia Killoran from Pardeeville, Georgia, showed Dozer, a 4-year old Gordon setter in the invite-only Junior Showmanship portion of the dog show. This was her first year of trying to qualify, and she was one of two Wisconsin invitees. An article in the Portage Daily Register shared portions of an interview with Georgia and me (http://www.wiscnews.com/ portagedailyregister/news/local/article_68be99aa365e-56df-a277-e78ed21b0be9.html). I have been involved in showing dogs since 1984.
Sadly, in early January, 2016, I heard that the amazing PROFESSOR WILLIAM E. TYREE passed away at the young age of 98. He taught at Ripon College for 33 years prior to retiring in 1983. The press picked up some of the history between Dr. Tyree and HARRISON FORD ’64 which also reflected positively on Ripon College. I was a student of Dr. Tyree’s. He made me think more than I really ever had to. He was a most interesting and flamboyant teacher and kind soul. He actually told me that I would not be a good lawyer … hmmm … maybe he had a channel to a higher source, or was just that intuitive. It’s amazing the memories that his passing brought back to me (and I’m sure others).
PEGGY
And…last but not least, how could I not share with classmates and friends, the closing of an established business we knew as Rippin’ Good Cookies (ConAgra – Ripon West). The last batch of cookies rolled off the line on Jan. 29, 2016. This closure cost 300 people their jobs in Ripon and truly signified the end of an era that affected us as well. Can you smell the cookies?
Greetings. Hope to see you back on campus for our 35th Reunion June 23-26. On June 25, we’ll gather in West Hall from 6:30 to 9 p.m. for an hors d’oeuvres buffet with beer, wine and soda. The class of 1986 is joining us, so it should be a good time. Full weekend details are available at www.ripon.edu/alumniweekend.
To Ripon,
1981 Joe Tolan 57 Joy Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63119 314-963-0553 / 314-609-6834 / jtolan@swbell.net
I also asked for some stories and highlights from your lives and some of you stepped up and shared and I am grateful.
PAM GOODDEN KEETON ’81 of Easton, Maryland, is a retired public affairs officer from the U.S. Army Reserve.
To my fellow class agents KEVIN WARMACK ’79 and CATHY LOTHROP HAGER ’82, I am so grateful for you and your classmates who spend time in and around the Class of 1980’s Facebook Group. It’s so much fun to share and to see what’s going on in each other’s lives.
KARL C. KIRCHMAN ’81 of Fairfax, Virginia, is a retired LTC from the U.S. Army Reserve.
KRISTIN E. CARBON ’80 of Chicago, Illinois, is an
KIRK J. MASON ’81 of Gurnee, Illinois, is a retired senior manager from Abbott Laboratories. All my best,
JOE TOLAN
admissions associate at Sacred Heart Schools.
BLAINE GIBSON ’81 shared this with me via the Ripon College (WI) Class of 1980 Facebook page: “I passed my CFP (Certified Financial Planner) exam, my youngest is off to college, and we are emptynesters.”
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CLASSLetters
1982
NANCY BUCK HINTZ ’82 of Ripon, Wisconsin,
Catherine Lothrop Hager 516 Cashew Court, San Ramon, CA 94583 cathhager@comcast.net Peter Hintz 722 Woodside Avenue, Ripon, WI 54971 hintzp@gmail.com Dear Class of 1982: As I write this, some of you are hoping to keep warm and safe and dry. Meanwhile, some of us are hoping that El Nino decides to aim back here to California and give us the rain we so desperately need. The hills are green now, and more rain for longer periods of time will keep them that way. We need the snow pack, too. For those of you who don’t know me, especially from other classes, I am CATHY LOTHROP HAGER ’82, and I am a co-agent for the Class of 1982. I graduated with a major in music, a minor in math and teaching credentials in both. Now that would have been considered a double-major. I married my husband, John (who is from Oak Park, Illinois) in 1984, and we moved around the country courtesy of the U.S. Navy. One stop included five years in Hampton, Virginia, where I was able to get my MBA from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg in 1995. After our twilight stint in Gales Ferry, Connecticut, we retired from the Navy in 1998 and moved back to the San Francisco Bay area and have lived here since. I am a senior accountant for Albertsons/Safeway. My husband is a field service technician for Mitsubishi Electric. We have three boys: Andrew, 26, a chef; Stephen, 23, an electrical technical technician; and Thomas, 12. Both of the older boys are Eagle Scouts, and the youngest is in Boy Scouts, too. My family and I had such fun seeing ANDY ’81 and SUE ANGELL SCHMIDT ’80 with their son, Alex, last spring. We ended up having pizza at one of our favorite places in my backyard. And, when DAWN BENNING LABARBERA ’82 was in town for a conference, I jumped on a BART train and met her for dinner at a place called the Dirty Habit. That was a blast. If you are out in the area, I would love to see you.
KATHY MILLER ALLEN ’82: “My husband, Rich, and I just celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary this year. I have been working for the State of Illinois for 28 years as a health physicist. I’ve moved around the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (previously the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety) over the years, getting involved in different programs within the Agency. Prior to my current assignment, I ran the Chemical Emergency Planning section that helped Illinois counties train and plan for chemical emergencies within their jurisdictions. I think my experiences at Ripon really helped with that — good, solid science background, plus the ability to communicate orally and in writing with both technical and non-technical audiences. My husband retired from the state as a health physicist, also, and he went back to college to get his teaching certification. Now he is a substitute teacher in the area and the coach of the Athens High School Junior Varsity Scholastic Bowl team. For fun, I volunteer to moderate Scholastic Bowl meets.”
JUDITH GILBERT BORDER ’82 of Des Moines, Iowa: “After 30 years in Crystal Lake, Illinois, we have relocated to Des Moines, Iowa. Have nicely eased into a more relaxed pace — commuting to work is a breeze. If you are in the area, stop by!”
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is now the senior development director at Ripon College. Congratulations! While it seems like far away, our (gulp) 35th reunion is just next summer, and we need to start planning. We really could use help planning this. I am putting my hat in and unless something major comes up, to be there. PETER HINTZ ’82, PETRA JONES ’82, TIM BABCOCK ’82 and LINDA JENSEN HALL ’82 have offered to help with this endeavor. Meanwhile, if you are in town or nearby this summer, go to Alumni Weekend and partake in as much as you want. Also, we can start thinking about if we want to nominate someone from our class who has done outstanding work in his/her industry/community. Now is the time to start thinking about that and submitting the forms for the Distinguished Alumni Citation. We have had some outstanding alumni from our class receive this award, and I know there are more out there. PETRA JONES ’82 and DORIAN DES LAURIERS ’82 are two that come to mind. Find me on Facebook. You can text me or call me, and I am on LinkedIn, too.
CATHY
1983 Barb Williams Clay 14794 Blakeney Road, Eden Prairie, MN 55347 952-949-0218 / jbemtclay@msn.com 2016 Spring greetings from the Clay Family. Minnesota provided a very easy winter experience with minimal snow and only a couple weeks of bitter cold. Spring is in the air, and we have our tickets booked for Molly and Lizzy’s CSU graduation in May. Thaysen successfully finished his first freshman semester and joined the SAE fraternity. In January, we enjoyed reconnecting with our Polish exchange student from 2010, Ola, who is attending grad school at the University of Minnesota Carlson School for a semester. The kids will be coming home in March to spend a long weekend together with Ola and also celebrating my mom’s 90th birthday. JOHN CLAY ’83 received an amazing honor. John made a major impact on a student years ago who has become a family friend and he just added his fourth child, second son, to his family. The baby was named John Robert in honor of John and his grandfather Robert. John’s response was, “what an honor to be in the company of Bob.” Lesson to all: teaching and mentorship makes a difference in the life of a child. We can’t forget that! Work life has been very fulfilling for me as the Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF) has made major strides in launching a program that combines technology and financial health coaching for the underserved low-to-moderate income families along with first-time home buyers, renters and those re-entering the housing market. HPF is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to guiding consumers onto the path of sustainable homeownership and improving their overall financial health. HPF believes that everyone should have a place to call home and the ability to achieve their financial dreams. Check out our consumer portal, HPF Connect, and our personal financial management tool, BluePrint by HPF, at www.hpfconnect.org and use the promo code: HPFFamily. Feel free to provide your feedback and share it with others.
1982-84 We hope you are enjoying this new approach for sharing school and class news. Please make sure to look through the publication to find the information and updates that are of interest.
LARRY D. HUEBNER ’83 of Owens Cross Roads, Alabama: “With the completion of my 25th year of civil service to NASA, I recently finished leading one of 13 teams that supported the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) Critical Design Review. SLS is NASA’s new rocket that will be used for crewed exploration beyond low earth orbit, and the review was a critical step in proceeding to vehicle manufacture and design certification. My team consisted of technical experts from five of NASA’s field centers and reviewed more than 100 documents, drawings and databases in the areas of structures and induced environments. Now that the review is complete, I am back to supporting a variety of NASA’s space and technology development projects and serving as chairman of the Joint Army Navy NASA Air Force Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee.” TODD JAEGER ’83 of Ixonia, Wisconsin, is a vocal music and piano director at Kettle Moraine High School.
GEORGE A. QUARSHIE ’83 of Moseley, Virginia, recently published a book, A Healer’s Love —The Fine Science and Art of Medicine: A Doctor’s Journey. It includes a chapter about Ripon College. The book is available on Amazon.com. The Theta Chi gang is headed to St. Louis this year for their annual March Madness trip, marking at least 10 years of this tradition. The usual crowd is BOB BRANDFASS ’83, MARK FRANZEN ’83, MASOUD KERMANI ’83, SCOTT FLEMING ’83, BRYAN GHALIOUNGUI ’83 and JON GREEN ’83. Thank you very much for your support! Please keep your updates coming to Ripon, update your email address, and feel free to contact me at the email address listed. It would be great to share your news with our classmates.
BARB WILLIAMS CLAY
1984 Krist Enstrom 510 Bede Circle, North Aurora, IL 60542 630-892-9156 / kenstrom@evergreenpark.org Connie Herbon Moser 33010 North Forest Drive, Grayslake, IL 60030 847-372-5410 / clmoser24@gmail.com Greetings Class of 1984! I hope this letter finds all of you happy and healthy. For this class letter, I really have been thinking a great deal about a balanced life. Are we all using our experiences from Ripon and elsewhere to lead an interesting, happy and balanced life? Last May, I sat in a Ripon College Board of Trustees meeting and listened to presentations from upcoming graduates. They discussed what Ripon College meant to them, where they were headed and what life goals are. I heard so much balance from them; a focused direction, a solid educational experience with its ups and downs, and a balance around stewardship and community service. What I found so interesting is their similarities and yet their diversity; one was headed to medical school, while another was venturing into research, while yet another was headed into not-for-profit work. They all had different career paths in mind yet their perspective on “paying it
forward” was communally strong. It does not matter what field you go into, all should be celebrated. The question is, do you have balance? Their presentations deeply impacted me and made me think, “Is my life balanced?” The answer to that question for me is that it is a work in progress. Every day I ask myself, “What more can I do? How else can I serve? Does what I am doing fulfill me and take care of my family?” Some days the answer is maybe, some days a definitive yes and some a no, not so much. So, you go through life working on that balance. I had the fortunate opportunity to hear from three class members for this letter who have provided an update on their journey toward balance. Such interesting roads they have all traveled. Diverse, heartache, exciting, innovative and caring are all words I would use to describe their lives. I hope you enjoy the update from these three whom we have not heard from in quite some time. I spoke with SARA SHARER ’84, my senior roommate at Hughes House whom I have not talked to in decades. I had such a warm feeling invade me as we started up our conversation, almost as if we had just spoken to each other yesterday. Sara (or Sally to those who knew her at Ripon College) was a bit disappointed in Ripon College and the perceived lack of focus on not-for-profit careers. I spoke with Sara about the diverse presentations at the board meeting and agreed that the College should emphasize the work it does to support individuals whose career goal is to help people in the not-for-profit sector. Sara would like the College to ask questions of alumni like: Are you satisfied with how you contribute to your community? Do you enjoy your lifestyle? What gives you pride? Do you have any regrets about your path since college? Again, the balance question. And I truly appreciate Sara taking the time to emphasize balance in her journey in the not-for-profit sector. Sara’s journey summary: “I am somewhat satisfied by my career, which includes 29 years of working with people with disabilities in capacities ranging from legal advocacy to individualized education and parent training. Layer on this, 16 years of working at the cutting edge of alternative education, including starting a public Montessori and directing a Charter School. I am currently pursuing my master’s in education with the aim of researching and developing blended (community-based, classroom, online) and individualized curriculum. “I am very satisfied with my lifestyle. My home is the rural West, in the small town of Paonia, on the west slope of Colorado. Located two hours from Aspen, Crested Butte and Telluride, the area is home to dying coal mines, organic agriculture including grapes, fruit trees, vegetables, livestock and legal marijuana. I could not have imagined 30 years ago that I would dread coming home to the smell pervading the neighborhood, but there you have it. It is here, with my husband, that we have raised two well-adjusted (I sort of have to say that after the previous comment), intelligent and kind children who attend public schools and regularly question authority, not so much authority figures, as much as the foundations behind the authority (bless you Dr. Cole). “I do not dine at 5-star restaurants, but eat some of the best food on earth. I cook using seasonal ingredients including hand-foraged mushrooms, (if you visit, I will show you my spot) garden vegetables and local meat. We river raft, fly fish and ski, both cross country and downhill. Most recently, we rafted the main fork of the Salmon River in Idaho, wild,
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CLASSLetters undammed and oh, so scenic, it offered big beaches and crystal clear water; I recommend it be added to everyone’s bucket list. “What I am most proud of? My marriage, my children, rowing a class VI rapid, having saved someone’s life (yes, both were in the same experience), surviving a dislocated ankle/tibia/fibula compound fracture, up a slot canyon in Utah (I’ve got pictures to prove it); and this goes after the prior incident, skiing The Hanging Wall at Snowmass, again. “What I don’t have but would like: marble countertops, a big retirement account, business connections, and some dope blues/funk music (no JOHN MCNAIR ’84, blue grass does not fill the void). “As a teacher, I try to help my students identify what they value, what brings them joy and what might be a stimulating career. I think I have some insight into what high school students are looking for in a college. “Recommendation to Ripon: if Ripon does not resonate with me, how can I recommend it for them? Ripon’s recruitment could benefit from highlighting graduates with nonprofit careers and lifestyles that may be considered alternative.” Now, I turn to another class member, JANET COOPER ’84. After a reach-out through email, she sent me a wonderful summary on what her life consists of now: “I think I’ve always been a generalist (and probably ADD before anyone gave it a name!), and love to pack things in. I became happier when I surrendered to those tendencies, even if that means it’s not easy to describe my recent years in a couple of sentences! “I’m writing this from my home office in Victoria, B.C., looking out at the ocean and marveling how the sea became such an integral part of a Colorado girl and former Midwestern student’s life! In recent years, I’ve worked to compete at the world level in outrigger canoe and dragon boat racing in age and open (mixed, all age) categories, most recently in Ravena, Italy. I also enjoy my modest side business — personal training in my gym — and love helping people become happier, healthier and more mobile. “My ‘day job’ is a diverse and dynamic quilt, including tech consulting for a photonics business in the United States, graduate work in conflict analysis and management (soon to be applied to negotiation and mediation after further study at the Justice Institute of Vancouver and the Harvard Program on Negotiation), and creative writing. I am nearly finished with the second draft of a novel, Fears, Frauds and Polar Bears, and my dream is to publish this year, thanks to my amazing editor who gives me the audacity to think it’s possible. “I am engaged to a wonderful man. Between us we have four dogs, three boys, two girls, two homes and one cat. (34 and one short of a Brady bunch, if you’ve lost count!) Amongst the humans, we are a lawyer; a budding engineer-physicist, physicist and cell biologist; a pro-bound soccer goalie; a young artist; and myself.” And finally, last but surely not least, JOHN MCNAIR ’84 (or for those who remember him as “Goatman”): “My first wife passed away from complications resulting from ovarian cancer in the spring of 2014. I remarried to Shelley, and we have a little toe-head boy named David. We moved from New Mexico to Portland, Oregon, a year ago, and coincidently live in a Goose Hollow condo with another Ripon alum, CHRISTINE PETERSON ’73. It turns out that Christine was in the same class with JAMES
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THOMPSON ’73 who was my favorite art teacher (and friend) at Ripon. James is a critically acclaimed artist and professor at Willamette University (www. willamette.edu/cla/arts/faculty/thompson ). My daughter also moved to Portland a few months ago, transferring from NYU to PSU to escape from New York. “I have worked at Intel for over 21 years now. For the past three-plus years, I have focused on improving, optimizing, standardizing and globalizing human resource processes, with a specific focus on data and analytics. Complex and nerdy stuff, but it just goes to show that you never know where a double major from Ripon in art and history (plus an executive MBA from UNM) will get you! “I’ve recently been in touch with other Ripon graduates and alums. I just had lunch with DOUG BORER ’85 and his wife, Jodi. Doug and I are in frequent contact with DAVE SORUM ’85, CHRISTINE ELLIOTT ’86, and JOHN ’87 and KIA KJENSRUD LABRACKE ’87 to support Dave through a recent diagnosis. Doug and I paid Dave a visit in August, and Christine and I met up with Dave in November. I think Christine’s youngest daughter will be attending Ripon in the fall. I also text with DAVE CALDWELL ’82, now a recently retired Spanish teacher, to see how the fish are biting or to lament over the poor performance of the Green Bay Packers. We saw Dave and his wife last Christmas while visiting family and friends around Chicago and southern Wisconsin. We met up with MATT HOYNES ’84 on that trip, as well. Matt was a Merriman that ended up not graduating from Ripon like his older brother (“The Big Huh” JIM HOYNES ’82) did, but we frequently conjure up a Ripon memory — often including CHRIS ‘THE GOOSE’ SENNOTT ’84 — during our conversations.” To all: I hope you have enjoyed the journey summaries from Sara, Janet and John. I found them diverse, entertaining, heartfelt, honest, open and balanced. Because what is a balanced life? You define it, you live it and you create it. I also hope you realize from the introductory paragraphs that Ripon’s focus on diversity of career, thoughts and stewardship is strong. Everyone has their journey, and KRIST ENSTROM ’84 and I look forward to sharing many more journeys with all of you. Take care and Happy Spring!
CONNIE HERBON MOSER
1985 The role of Class Agent is vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested, or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu.
STACY HEINRICH SHUDA ’85 of Faribault, Minnesota: “Mike and I enjoyed a fabulous 10-day vacation on Cozumel Island, Mexico, the first week of November 2015. I really enjoyed the water-based activity (snorkel, scuba), and seeing all the aquatic life.”
1984-87
1986 Dan McNaughton 10021 Abbott Avenue South, Bloomington, MN 55431 612-209-2996 / dan@egpinc.net Dear Class of 1986: I hope a large number of you are able to head to Ripon, Wisconsin, for Alumni Weekend, June 23-26, 2016, and share your exploits and future dreams. On Saturday, June 25, we will hold our reunion in West Hall from 6:30 to 9 p.m. There will be an hors d’oeuvres buffet with beer, wine, and soda and a cash bar. The class of 1981 will join us for the party. I know the degree of change has accelerated for some of us. JOE CULLEN ’86 recently moved to Helena, Montana, for adventure and a new job with the state of Montana.
ROB NEEDHAM ’86: “I’m still overseas with the State Department working in my eighth country in the past 24 years. We’re currently in Belgium where I’m in charge of the management issues for all three of our Embassies here — the Embassy to Belgium, the U.S. Mission to the EU, and our mission to NATO. I will complete my assignment here later this year as I’ve been asked to go to Afghanistan to manage our embassy there for a year. Should be interesting. Last year, I went to one of the American cemeteries here in Belgium to represent the Embassy during a grave adoption ceremony. Local Belgians ‘adopt’ the grave of a fallen serviceman and visit the grave and leave flowers or mementos. When I arrived, I was expecting just a few people, so I was a little surprised to find there were several hundred local people there. In addition, there were Belgian military and officials, a U.S. military band, and a U.S. color guard. In this cemetery of more than 6,000 graves, more than 4,000 of them have been adopted by locals. Families pass them down from father to son and consider it an honor to visit the graves of these servicemen that they never knew to honor their memory. Really impressive and quite humbling. There were even several busloads of local kids who sang both national anthems. I stuck around afterwards to talk to some of the people and thank them, leading to some great anecdotes. One 92-year-old told me she harbored a wounded U.S. serviceman and hid him from the Germans. She was quite apologetic that she could no longer adopt graves, but her daughter, who looked to be close to 60 herself, has taken over all three. Another young man told of his great-grandmother who was with the resistance throughout the war only to be betrayed and executed during the liberation of Belgium. He was very emotional in describing what an honor it was to adopt these graves. He couldn’t have been more than 30. Truly amazing to me that people of his generation would still feel such gratitude and bond to the U.S. 70 years after the liberation. These ceremonies take place regularly at our cemeteries, as well as numerous other events, such as the annual commemoration of the Battle of the Bulge in the town of Bastogne. Really amazing that after all this time, the people of this country still take time to remember their past and show their gratitude.” KRIS SCHLUTZ IIDA ’86 will not be able to make reunion this year: “My 17-year-old son, Sam, is swimming at the Olympic Trials reunion weekend in Omaha, so I’ll be there cheering him on. He won’t make the Olympic Team most likely. He would have to be the top two in his event to do that, but it will be an exciting chance for him to swim against the big boys. I sure am proud of his hard work to get where he has gotten at this point. Otherwise, life just goes on! I’m still working as senior counsel for Walgreens.”
BOB J. DRENSKI ’86 of Random Lake, Wisconsin, is an operation analyst at F.I.S.
DANIEL L. MALLOCK ’86 of Nashville, Tennessee, writes that his first book, a history of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson called Agony and Eloquence: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and a World of Revolution, was released on Feb. 2, 2016, by Skyhorse. It is available on Amazon and at other online and brick-and-mortar locations. His website (danielmallock.com) provides an introduction to the people and events in the book.
ERIC P. NIKOLAI ’86 of Saint Jacob, Illinois: “Continue to combat weapons of mass destruction as a contractor representing the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. I worked on efforts against Ebola, Syrian chemical weapons, and many other projects.” Good luck Sam, congratulations Bob, good luck with the book Daniel, and keep up the good work Eric! Visiting my freshman son, Evan, at Ripon last fall brought back tons of memories of folly and accomplishment from our time on campus. I am looking forward to discovering the way Ripon has flavored our class’ lives over these past 30 years. I hope most of you can make it back and celebrate the life you have and the future you look forward to with your ’86 classmates.
DAN MCNAUGHTON
1987 Dorrie Smith Scranton 429 New Sweden Road, Woodstock, CT 06281 dsscranton@gmail.com Christine Templeton 2520 West Argyle Street, Chicago, IL 60625 christinetempleton17@gmail.com Dear Members of the Class of ’87: We hope this letter finds you well, whether you are enjoying a relatively mild winter like us, or a live in warmer parts of the country or the world. The spectacle of this year’s election makes 1988’s Bush vs. Dukakis election – the first the most of us were eligible to vote in – seem quite calm by comparison. Still, it hardly seems that long ago.
MICHELLE MARTIN ’87 would like to set the record straight that she is not the Michelle Martin from the Mad Rollin’ Dolls roller derby club. Though she does reside in Madison, Wisconsin, and she does aspire to actually make the team. This fall, as a goodwill ambassador, Michelle travelled to Cuba. Very cool! ANDREW IRVING ’87 claims he has nothing to report. But we learned from a very reliable source (read: Google) that Andy is in his 10th season as a member of a Madison, Wisconsin, hockey team. We think that’s a pretty cool achievement and can only imagine that those checks hurt a lot more at 50.
BILL TOURLAS ’87 completed his first 10K run, inspired no doubt by a “training run” with ALICE LIGHTNER JOHNSON ’87 and us a few years ago at our 25-year reunion.
GEOFF BLANCO ’87 enjoyed a family cruise ship vacation, but struggled to understand why he couldn’t fish off the side of boat.
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CLASSLetters PERVAIZ JUNEJO ’87 writes to us from Pakistan: “After graduating from Ripon, I joined government service in my country. These days, I am a Joint Secretary in the Economic Affairs Division of Pakistan in addition to taking care of the family’s agriculture business. The official job requires resource mobilization, particularly external, for development projects. The family and I live in Islamabad, a relatively calm place in the foothills of the Himalayan range. I love to travel and have been visiting countries in the east and west including the U.S.. Would love to meet and host anyone from Ripon College who passes through this part of the world.”
BETSY MEYERS KNIGHT ’87 is a behavioral health program coordinator for San Diego County. That’s all the updates for now. You have a few months to generate some news, so get on it. Feel free to email us even the most mundane information about yourselves. We are more than happy to spice it up a little bit. And please, join our Class of 1987 group on Facebook. Please update your email addresses, too — we still have lots of outdated Hotmail, AOL and Yahoo addresses in our records.
DORRIE SMITH SCRANTON and CHRIS TEMPLETON
1988 David Jonas 202-251-9640 / djevents@aol.com Kathy Wade 248-470-4336 / wadekas@sbcglobal.net So today I am reflecting on one of my literary heroes passing. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird shaped my high school life and my decision to become an English major in college. Looking back almost 36 years, I can’t imagine a more influential novel in freshman English class. I also reflect on the teacher who lead the class and the opportunity she gave for us to explore the subject matter in a politically and racially charged atmosphere on Chicago’s South side in the early ’80s.
late June. As for other news, Peanut Butter Plan has expanded to Portland, Oregon. We have had record numbers of volunteers lately. In December, 196 people made 6,300 PBJs in two hours; we then made 5,000 more with 175 volunteers in January! As exciting as this is, we are trying to find individual and corporate sponsors that will donate funds to buy thousands of Ziplocs each month, as well as bottled water and fruit to pass out to homeless people in need.”
MATTHEW C. KITTELL ’88 of Waunakee, Wisconsin: “We recently moved back to Wisconsin after seven years in Pennsylvania. Will miss all of our friends in the eastern Pennsylvania area, but we are happy to be back. The kids, Elena (11), Camille (8), and Corinne (6), are adapting nicely and enjoying the area and the schools. Cathy has started a new job as a para-educator in the Waunakee school district. She loves her students, co-workers and the school district. I accepted a promotion to ops manager with Old Dominion Freight Lines at the Tomah facility. We are looking forward to seeing our families and dear old friends while making many new friends.”
TANYA R. SCHWARTZ-ROEPER ’88 and RANDY H. ROEPER ’88 of Ripon, Wisconsin: “Randy was named the chief operating officer for Theda Care Physicians. I continue to teach papermaking workshops and sign language and coordinate exhibits featuring my dad’s artwork. Our boys are 11 and 14.”
KATHY WADE ’88 and I think the new format for the class letter is great. Please take the opportunity to look at what our fellow alumni are up to as you peruse the other letters. Also, we want to send out a big Happy Birthday to our fellow classmates. I told someone the other day I don’t feel 50! If you have made your Annual Fund donation before January, thank you! We have until June 30 to make the class donation. Oh, and just wanted to plant a bug in your bonnet: TWO MORE YEARS until our 30th Reunion!!!!!!!
DAVID JONAS and KATHY WADE
Only four short years later would I have the same opportunity as a double major at Ripon College to explore the authors and historians who had paved the way for Harper Lee to be able to express her views in the Deep South. This same exploration gave me the opportunity to grow my own voice and gave me the opportunity to follow my dream to become a writer.
1989
I chose Ripon because of the intimate class sizes and the ability to participate, excel and find my voice, which I found hard to fathom at the larger universities I had looked at during my junior and senior years in high school. Ripon’s professors made me feel welcome and heard. I have begun to miss the opportunities to thank some of my teachers. Sometimes the lessons learned in the classroom are understood years later. One of the biggest lessons I gained from Ripon was that everyone has something to contribute to the conversation. So it took over 25 years to figure it out.
Greetings! It has been a rough six months, losing three classmates in quick succession (rest in peace CYNTHIA OTTO YOUNG ’89, LENNY COOPER ’89 and JIM GIROUARD ’89) and then PROFESSOR SCHANG. I know others have suffered the loss of a parent or other important people in their lives, faced health, work or other life challenges. But we can also celebrate the joys in life (some shared below). It is fun to virtually stay in touch through our Facebook group where we can learn about cool accomplishments by our classmates (and their kids); to follow folks on their adventures near and far; and to realize, that although we are all approaching a milestone birthday, we often still are our 20-something selves.
I am really excited I found a publisher for my children’s books. The first book should be available in late spring or early summer. I will keep everyone posted via social media.
ZEV BARNET ’88 of Aurora, Colorado: “Hope to be in Chicago this year and catch up with some Ripon folks. I don’t think I am going to make it to Alumni Weekend because I am getting married to my sweetheart Rachel Kogul on May 15 (at Red Rocks Amphitheater!) and leaving for my honeymoon in
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Nikki Zens Lindberg nicolelindberg67@gmail.com Mitch Rosin mitch.rosin2@gmail.com
I continue to have a crazy job situation. Although I still say I am a free-lance graphic designer, I spend most of my time working for two neighborhood associations in Minneapolis (more grassroots work, building community and helping residents and businesses). I also volunteer for the Southwest High School Foundation and Gracie’s Room (the nonprofit
1987-90 I helped start). ERIK ’89 took a senior director position back in new product development but still with Thomson Reuters (truly the stable one in our relationship). Our family survived our epic road trip around Lake Superior (all 2,200+ miles) in a pop-up camper last summer. Next up is a week in Puerto Rico!
KATHY HAYEVSKY ’89: “I’m teaching 9-12-yearolds at Lemont Montessori School, where I’ve been for 11 years. I’ve also been keeping up with my singing. Last year, I was lucky enough to be a backup singer for Josh Groban, and this year I have been chosen to be a soloist with the Handel Week Festival of Oak Park. In my spare time, we’re still working on restoring our old Victorian house.” KATHRYN SCHULTZ ’89: “I continue to enjoy putting into practice both my major (POGO) and my minor (music). I’m in my 19th year of federal service, working in the State Department’s Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation where I lead our efforts related to South Asia. I’ve been blessed to travel the world for my job and on tour with one of the choirs in which I sing. I also founded and direct the State Department’s choral ensemble. And one of my favorite things about my job is that I get to talk to Ripon students about all the cool things you can do with a liberal arts education.” PATRICK “WALLY” SCHMIDT ’89 is president of Value Consulting Group in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He also teaches finance worldwide for ExxonMobil, and will be in Buenos Aires, Prague and Calgary this year, and would love to connect with any alumni who happen to live in or close to any of these towns. Wally is still happily married to Stephanie, with daughter Megan a freshman at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas (go Frogs!) and son Colin a sophomore at Wayzata High School. DARLENE HONIE-LOYER GERICK ’89: “In August I accepted a new job at the University of Michigan, in the same department I have been with for 12 years. I am now the facility manager for MCIT (Medical Center Information Technology). We have a staff of 600, and I have been working on a plan to downsize two suites and consolidate staff in our remaining eight suites, while keeping teams together. If I could get the department managers and the executive directors to grasp the concept of ‘the plan is frozen, no more changes’ we would be half-done. Actual moves started last month and by the end of April I will have moved 230 staff. On the home front we are waiting for my daughter, Marina, to get her arm cast off and hoping she achieves her Girl Scout cookie sales goal of more than 600 boxes so she can attend the Cookie Awards. We have many cookie booth weekends ahead of us. Add to that the adoption of a 70-pound lab-border collie mix, Goose, that our Pomeranian, Maverick, loves and our Jack Russell, Radar, hates, and it’s just a typical day at the Gericks’.”
CAROLYN AGACINSKI CLARK ’89: “Life continues to tool along very nicely in the PNW. Brad, Norton the pooch, and Doris the cat are still doing great. I am still a corrections nurse at our county jail. This past summer, Brad and I headed to four countries in Africa for our bi-annual international trip. What a great experience! This April, we’re heading to middle America to get the last of my ‘50 by 50’ states out of the way. (She now has been in Oklahoma — the last state of the 50!) We’ll also be in Minnesota (gonna see Sarah and Annie, depending on schedules) and Texas due to getting direct flights to/from each to Seattle, and South Dakota because it’s in the way.”
Borrowing from Shel Silverstein, MITCH ROSIN ’89 reports that he cannot go to school today. He has the measles and the mumps, A gash, a rash and purple bumps. His mouth is wet, his throat is dry. He’s going blind in his right eye. His tonsils are as big as rocks, He’s counted sixteen chicken pox. And there’s one more - that’s seventeen, And don’t you think his face looks green? His leg is cut, his eyes are blue, It might be the instamatic flu. He coughs and sneezes and gasps and chokes, He’s sure that his left leg is broke. His hip hurts when he moves his chin, His belly button’s caving in (except for the beer belly). His back is wrenched, his ankle’s sprained, His ‘pendix pains each time it rains. His toes are cold, his toes are numb, He has a sliver in his thumb. His neck is stiff, his voice is weak, He hardly whispers when he speaks. His tongue is filling up his mouth, We KNOW his hair is falling out. His elbow’s bent, his spine ain’t straight, His temperature is one-o-eight. His brain is shrunk, he cannot hear, There’s a hole inside his ear. He has a hangnail, and his heart is...What? What’s that? What’s that you say? You say today is … Saturday? G’bye, I’m going to Benders! Lovingly, your class agents, NIKKI and MITCH
1990 Robert E. Corkery, Jr. 283 Sylvan Court, Saunderstown, RI 02874 bcorkery@aol.com Christina L. Maggio-Kellerstrass 24 Windsor Drive, Elmhurst, Il 60126 christinacl27@aol.com Dear Classmates: We hope that his letter finds you doing well and anxiously awaiting the arrival of spring. It’s hard to believe we are entering our 26th year since graduating from college. Many of you already have children going off to school or even graduating from college themselves. As we remember our fun days at Ripon, we are now seeing the value of education, and of those times we needed to spread our wings (possibly at Benders), through the eyes of our own children or children of our classmates and other friends. At this time of year, I recall the sense of victory that we may have felt surviving another harsh Wisconsin winter and welcoming the beauty of spring as grass became green and flowers bloomed all around our campus home. Perhaps some of you might recall Springfest, playing stickball in the quads, Frisbee Golf, listening to WRPN through their open windows or even a spring break trip to somewhere as exotic as Florida! Fast forward and now many of you might be busy with your children’s hectic school, sports or other extracurricular activities this spring.
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CLASSLetters Wherever you are (and I know that we have classmates all over the world), please take a moment and remember that beautiful, sunny May day we stood together and walked across the stage to begin our new lives. That is my perfect Ripon memory and between the fresh spring air and the laughing and smiling of all of my classmates and their families, one of my happiest. A few fun tidbits below are from some of our fellow classmates. As always, please keep sending us your news!
LAURA BRADY ARMSTRONG ’90 of Berkeley, California, is in a senior position at Twitter. PHILLIP J. DEPPERT ’90 of Monterey, California, is a colonel and detachment commander in the U.S. Army–Military Intelligence.
ANNE SCHACHTSCHNEIDER MORELLO ’90 of Englewood, Colorado, is a manager at the TriZetto Group.
JUNE M. STUEBS-PROCHASKA ’90 of Watertown, Wisconsin, is self-employed for a daycare company.
JOHN R. TINCHER ’90 of Ypsilanti, Michigan, is an email administrator at Flint Group. Have a great spring and summer. BOB and CHRISTINA
1991 Samantha Bailey 2821 32nd Ave South, #1, Minneapolis, MN 55406 612-978-4124 / samantha@baileysorts.com Tracy Maher 1437 Marchbanks Drive, #7, Walnut Creek, CA 94598 401-225-9189 / tramtime@att.net Dear Class of ’91: Big year for us, so we’ll begin with news about our 25th Reunion. We are really excited about seeing so many classmates in June. The 31st Annual Alumni Weekend will be held June 23-26 and will feature numerous events, including: a Kickoff Happy Hour, the eighth annual Red Hawks Golf Scramble, the Alumni Association Awards Dinner and Presentation, the All-Alumni Reception, a fun run/walk, “That Was Then…”, All Alumni March to the Class Celebration and State of the College, All Campus Lunch and Gathering Spot, Greek Socials, Alumni Lacrosse Game, English Department reception in memory of PROFESSOR BILL SCHANG, Class Reunions, All Alumni Party, Service of Remembrance and Farewell Breakfast. We are pleased to announce that the 1991 25th Reunion Party will be held on Saturday, June 25, in the Joyce Lounge (lower level) of S.N. Pickard Commons from 6:30 to 9 p.m. We will be serving a selection of heavy hors d’oeuvres along with beer, wine and soda. A cash bar will be available for cocktails. Again in 2016, following the class reunion parties (8 p.m. to midnight), an All-Alumni Party will take place in the Memorial Green Space Tent. This party is an opportunity for all alumni (including those nonreunion year folks) to gather and celebrate together with complimentary food, beer, wine and soda, plus enjoy music and dancing. It is not to be missed! Full weekend details are available at www.ripon.edu/ alumni-weekend.
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SAMANTHA BAILEY ’91: “I’m settling into my new role as director of user experience for Merrill Corp., which is a huge relief after what felt like a rather arduous 14-month job search. Transitioning back into full-time work after seven years of part-time consulting was quite an adjustment! I started taking piano lessons last year as part of an effort to get my son more interested in playing the piano — very little success on converting the child, but I’m having a wonderful time, although I’m looking forward to the day when I’ll have advanced to some more compelling pieces. It’s a little cringe-inducing to have a repertoire that includes such hits as ‘Bill Grogan’s Goat’ and ‘She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain’ when YouTube is full of 5-year-old virtuosos playing Mozart.” ERIKA DAVISON-AVILES EVENSEN ’91: “I live in Neenah, Wisconsin, and I work (still) for WageWorks out of San Mateo, California, as VP of sales development. My daughter, Hannah, is a junior at Marquette University, and my son, Matt, is a freshman at UW-Fox Valley. I took up scuba diving a year ago and have experienced some amazing trips. Looking forward to catching up with everyone this summer at the reunion!”
KAREN MILEWSKI DYMOND ’91: “I am in the last semester of an elementary level, master’s of education program. I am currently doing my student teaching in a wonderful third-grade class. I look forward to having my own classroom next year. (Fingers crossed!)”
BRIAN FREY ’91 and BECKY HUSTAD ’91: “Brian had exciting research accomplishments this year with a paper published in Science Translational Medicine. Typically, he is doing research that is difficult to put into words for most of us, but this collaboration with a speech pathologist to grow functional human vocal cords seemed to resonate with a wider audience. It was widely covered in the popular press with 30 million webpage views in both the Huffington Post and Fox News, among other web, TV, radio, magazine and newspaper coverage. (Granted, he was doing the protein analysis part that doesn’t get talked about as much, but it was still exciting for him to be a part of this research.) Here is a link to the front-page article from the Wisconsin State Journal, and also to the audio interview that Brian did with the BBC: • http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/healthmed-fit/uw-madison-scientists-grow-functionalvocal-cord-tissue-in-lab/article_72fad68f-979a5ac5-811c-9e0920b6d4e1.html • http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p037t5f3 (his segment starts at the 7-minute mark and goes 5 min.) “Along with that we are doing the fairly usual tasks associated with raising two teenagers (technically the youngest is only 12, but the second child often peaks sooner). Looking forward to a trip to New Orleans this year and a reunion in Ripon. See you there!”
KRISTEN GRAY ’91: “I am living and working in San Francisco and Denver these days. My private practice keeps me busy and interested. I’m working with people on language, literacy, learning and access through assistive technology. Since August, I’m mostly in Denver and go to San Francisco two days per week. I went to a favorite vacation spot in Mexico with MAURA MURPHY ’91 and JULIE ARMATOSKI ’91 last March. We had a wonderfully relaxing trip bobbing in the water, eating guacamole and sipping piña coladas. I’m looking forward to seeing people in just a few months.”
1990-91 THOMAS GREVE ’91: “Quick update on me:
HENDERSON PARSONS ’91. As for work, I am
married to Meg (who I met at a wedding at the Republican House — so while she is not a Ripon grad (Arizona State ’92), I met her in Ripon, for what it’s worth. We live Chicago (Lincoln Park neighborhood). Two kids, girl, 17, and boy, 10. I work as a free-lance writer and nonfiction kids’ author. Still in frequent contact with four or five Riponites. All Ripon memories are fond ones.”
assistant general counsel at General Mills. Eat your Wheaties! Or your Cheerios or Totinos or Annie’s! I plan to attend the reunion, so hope to see many of you there.”
LAURA KREOFSKY ’91: “After moving from Portland, Oregon, back to Madison in the fall of 2014 and enduring one blistering cold Wisconsin winter, Laura now lives (again, and permanently) back in Portland. She and her partner, Debbie, are renovating a condo in a circa-1883 Victorian row house – all Riponites are welcome to visit when the dust settles. Laura continues do healthcare technology strategy and planning work, travels extensively, and makes time for yoga, cycling and trail running with her dog, Sprocket.”
ELIZABETH LAKE ’91: “I have been married to PHILLIP TROBAUGH ’88 for 22 years. We have two children, Dutcher, 8, and Olivia, 6. I volunteer in both their classrooms and coordinate the school library volunteers. We also have an 8-month-old puppy, Violet, named for the Dowager Countess. After nearly 20 years of professional fundraising, I am starting a custom greeting card-making business, targeted toward folks looking for just the right message. I integrate the message with nature photography, water colors and paper art. For now, you can find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Elizabeths-cards-1696480393943761/. “My ‘Smith Hall Babes’ are and will forever be my nearest and dearest. I have the good fortune to live within lunching distance from JULIE ARMATOSKI ’91 and MAURA MURPHY ’91. CHRISTINE ROBERTS HAMMER ’91’s boy is in multiple sporting events that often bring them to the Twin Cities. Facebook and unlimited long distance keeps me close, when the distance makes it harder. I am VERY MUCH looking forward to the reunion and being back on campus in June!”
TRACY MAHER ’91: “It’s been a busy six months. At work, I’m on a new project that takes me to Omaha, Nebraska, one week each month for four months. It’s been interesting to see how things work at our corporate headquarters. In addition to work travel, I spent Thanksgiving in NJ/NYC and Christmas in Florida. It took several years of lobbying to get my family to agree to Christmas in Florida, but it was worth it to be able to sit on the beach and get a tan on Christmas Day. I look forward to seeing everyone in our class at the reunion in June!” BILL M. MCCORMICK ’91 of Hull, Massachusetts, is an inside sales specialist at Strategis.
AMY MIETZEL ’91 continues to be busy with her art studio, Bare Knuckle Arts (www.bareknucklearts. com) in Madison, Wisconsin. Programs for children and adults encourage experimentation with techniques that range from fiber crafts to fine arts along with a lot of fun.
MAURA MURPHY ’91: “I am living in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, with my husband, Steve Fillbrandt, and children Truman, 11, and Claire, 9, plus the exciting new addition to the family, Benji, a labradoodle puppy. Benji is an adorable handful. We are thrilled and really tired! I predict a great love affair between Benji and ELIZABETH LAKE ’91’s dog, Violet. I am really looking forward to a February getaway to Mexico with JULIE ARMATOSKI ’91, HEATHER THIEME ’91 and RONA
LORI STICH OBLUDA ’91: “As recent emptynesters, husband Bernie and I have been getting over missing our kids by enjoying some serious travel no longer tied to the school calendar. In November and December, we took a South American cruise from Valparaiso, Chile, down through Patagonia and around Cape Horn to Buenos Aires, and just returned this week from traveling in Southeast Asia since the first of the year (a week each in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia). Amazing animals (tigers and elephants up close), romantic temple ruins, gorgeous natural beauty (mountains, waterfalls and rivers), interesting museums where we’ve been learning lots of local ancient and recent culture and history, and warm, friendly locals everywhere. Back to real life, we’re frantically catching up with work, enjoying the local excitement about the Broncos’ Super Bowl win, and hoping to get away for some skiing in all this fresh snow! Hoping to make it to Ripon this summer to catch up with everyone!”
KRYSTIN BURRALL TRUSTMAN ’91: “I write a blog (accessibledenver.com) that rates the places I visit here in Denver on their handicap-friendliness. I use an electric scooter to get around (I have MS) and have found that a majority of the locations I go to are not as accessible as they should be. I rate each location on a scale from 1 to 5, and add details that give answers to the questions I ask before I visit somewhere for the first time. I also send letters to the owners/property managers of the businesses I write about. My blog might not prompt any changes, but you have to start somewhere, right?”
RICH WHIPPLE ’91: “I am still working at Riverside Community Care. I just started my 10th year there as a residential counselor working with individuals with special needs. Nancy is now working for Wegmans in the bakery bread department. Nancy and I moved two years ago to a bigger house to accommodate our growing family. Julia, our oldest, is going to preschool this year and is loving it. She has started gymnastic lessons. Elizabeth, youngest, has Down syndrome and is doing incredibly well with early intervention. She has started walking and climbs like a little monkey. She has climbed out of her crib for the first time at 2 years, 4 months, while our oldest has not yet climbed out of the crib. Elizabeth has several signs to communicate but no words as of yet. “I will not be attending the 25-year reunion because it falls on the fifth anniversary of our son’s first Oreo cookie. We are planning a big party with everyone eating Oreos on this date. It will be an Oreo-themed party, and we are still working on the details. Maybe we can have our class remember Alexander and think of families touched by childhood cancer by eating an Oreo at the reunion? For those of you who do not know, Alexander was diagnosed at 8 months of age with neuroblastoma cancer and passed away 13 months later at 21 months. He would be 7 years old now if he had survived.” If you’re on Facebook, please ask to join our Class of ’91 group for updates and Ripon news. Alternatively, send your email address to Samantha and I can add you to the group that way. Best wishes over the coming months!
SAMANTHA BAILEY and TRACY MAHER
Spring 2016 43
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1992
ERIC R. PILSL ’93 of Wautoma, Wisconsin, is an eighth-grade math teacher in the Adams Friendship School District.
JuDee Stojsavljevic Fischer 6714 Bobolink Road, Racine, WI 53402 262-681-8509 / fofastoj@gmail.com
And something about me, MELINDA TRAINOR HUTCHINSON ’93: I recently crossed something off
Bonni Dembroski Fredrick 12750 West Bobwood Road, New Berlin, WI 53151 262-796-1531 / jfredrick1@wi.rr.com
my bucket list by taking taekwondo classes with my kids. They have been in it much longer and are much better than I am, but I’m enjoying it!
Erin Marie McCormack 1821 Saluda Court, Raleigh, NC 27608 erinmack2002@yahoo.com
Thank you to all who shared news with our classmates. Please feel free to send me your news throughout the year for future letters—anything great or small that you’d like to share with your Ripon classmates!
Hello Class of 1992. Can you believe it will be 24 years since we graduated on the sunny day in May 1992? (I don’t feel old enough for that ...) During the last year, I realized how special my time at Ripon was as I was touring colleges and universities with my daughter, Katarina, a high school senior. I tried to get her to love Ripon as much as I did, but it didn’t work — she didn’t even apply! But I guess that’s the point. A college should trigger that “ahhh, this is the right place for me” feeling. And that’s what Ripon was for me. Try to bring up some of those old memories and remember what it was like as you walked around the Ripon campus during some of the first warm spring days. That should keep a smile on your face for the rest of the day! Remember next June 2017 we celebrate our 25th reunion over Alumni weekend. Let’s try to have the best turn out ever!
WENDY KLAWITTER GRIBBEN ’92 of Wausaukee, Wisconsin, announced her campaign for the 8th Congressional seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
RENEE METZGER JACOBSON ’92 of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, is a sixth-grade teacher in the Manitowoc Public School District.
KIRA HERDER WADRO ’92 of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, is an international trade compliance officer with CommScope. Sincerely,
JUDEE STOJSAVLJEVIC FISCHER
1993 Melinda Trainor Hutchinson 465 ½ Penkwe Way, Eagan, MN 55122 651-259-3459 / triangularfield@yahoo.com Marla K. May RN 807 20th Street, Mosinee, WI 54455 608-212-0595 / marlakmay@gmail.com Hi All. In case you haven’t heard, I’m helping MARLA MAY ’93 with the class letter. I hope you are all well and enjoying a lovely winter. (I have been!) A few classmates have shared some news with us:
EDWARD BLAISE ’93 represented Ripon College in Vermont as a delegate in the academic procession for the inauguration of Middlebury College’s 17th president on Oct. 11, 2015. CHAD JOHNSON ’93 recently moved back to Connecticut and took a job with the Institute of Living at Hartford Hospital as a special education teacher. He also completed his master’s in education from Edgewood College. DEB JENSEN LAHTEINE ’93 was elected president of the board for the Boys & Girls Club of Plymouth. She has been a volunteer for more than 10 years and an active board member since 2008.
44
Connections
Regards,
MELINDA TRAINOR HUTCHINSON
1994 Colin Dickerson colin1041@hotmail.com Kimberly Woolley kimberlywoolley@yahoo.com Dear Class of 1994: I was recently back on campus for meetings; the campus was dusted in snow and looked beautiful. I had the opportunity to meet some particularly impressive students and talk to them about their goals. If you have not been back to campus in recent years, I definitely recommend going back while school is in session. Thank you to the classmates who reached out to me with updates.
ERIC ATKISSON ’94 is still writing speeches for a living and fiction for fun. The first half of his latest story, a novella, can be read online at www. HeroicFantasyQuarterly.com. The second half will appear in the following issue. He also has been accepted for fall admission to George Mason University’s Creative Writing (Nonfiction) MFA Program and will again appear as an “extra” in a TV show; this time as a Continental soldier in the third season of AMC’s Turn: Washington’s Spies.” NELLE AVERITT SOMERVILLE ’94 started her dream job in October 2015. She is assistant director for the Office of Events at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). When ASHLEIGH HENRICHS ’94 isn’t busy as the executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Racine and Kenosha Counties, she finds time to run ultramarathons. She has two ultramarathons under her belt, and she’s currently training for another.
KEVIN PRATT ’94 is a senior manager in the PST Program Management division at AbbVie. BROOKE TIREMAN KONOPACKI ’94 moved back to Wisconsin from Texas and is opening up her own travel agency, Xena Travel. KATY HERBOLSHEIMER LINDBERG ’94 recently was invited to the Farmers Insurance PGA tour at Torrey Pines (La Jolla, California) in recognition of being one of the top five agents in her five-state territory.
JASON LOEWE ’94 is the director of operations at Accurate Controls Inc.
TRACY M. RISCH ’94 is the chief information officer for JC Penney Co. Inc.
1992-97 KATHERINE L. BRADY ’94 was behind the installation of nine Little Free Libraries in Irvine, California. The “libraries” are located in four city parks, a child resource center, two senior centers, a fine arts center, and a farm and food lab. I hope you are all doing well. Please feel free to update me via email (kimberlywoolley@yahoo.com) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/kimbo.woolley) with news regarding career changes, birth of children, moves, sporting achievements, etc. All the best,
KIMBERLY WOOLLEY
1995 Vince Padilla and Amy DeKeyser Padilla 1357 Broadway Drive, Sun Prairie, WI, 53590 (608) 834-8873 vincepad@gmail.com / amypadilla@gmail.com Angela Keith 522 Pawnee, Flagstaff, AZ, 86005 (928) 380-1880 / azee11@gmail.com Hello classmates! Happy spring to all! Getting right down business, we have a few class notes to share with you!
ANN E. DINGMAN ’95 of St. Paul, Minnesota, has a new position as a stewardship and donor relations manager for the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota. STEVE J. BOUSLEY ’95 of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, is the principal at Southern Door High School. AMY DEKEYSER PADILLA ’95 celebrated 13 years with Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. and is the company’s vice president of human resources. She and VINCE PADILLA ’95 celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary this past summer and are enjoying life in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, with their three rescue dogs.
VINCE PADILLA ’95 currently has a body of his artwork — his “Dreams” series — on display at “O” Gallery in Nashville, Tennessee. Just ask ANGELIQUE GIANAS FONG ’95, who visited the gallery this winter! Vince’s work can be seen at www. vincepad.com.
be where I am today. I know that Ripon College has opened up so many doors, and I have the amazing opportunity to head to Cuba tomorrow to see a country that is still stuck in the past. From everything people have told me, so many of their people don’t have that opportunity or foundation that we were so fortunate to receive. So we all have to remember to highly value what we created at Ripon. Alumni Weekend at Ripon will be June 23-26, and we will be celebrating this milestone of ours. I hope that majority of you can attend. (Please make your plans now; I already have.) The gathering will be held at one of my favorite Ripon hangouts, Roadhouse Pizza. We made it very informal, so besides you making it, please bring your spouse, any other Ripon friends or whoever else. The date for the gathering is Saturday, June 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the upstairs space at Roadhouse. If you have any other ideas to bring to the table, please send them my way (jlwood3773@gmail.com) or post to the Ripon College Class of 1996 Facebook page (www.facebook. com/groups/11713062769/). Please mark your calendar NOW for the weekend of June 24, 2016. If I can make it from the East coast, you all from the Wisconsin area better be there.
JULIAN D. BOARDMAN ’96 of Appleton, Wisconsin, is a programmer at Pace Analytical. Regards,
JASON WOOD
1997 Stephanie Bosman Fernhaber 633 Braeside South Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46260 812-320-2976 / sfernhaber@hotmail.com Kristin Bazzoli Piotrowski 4609 North Marlborough Drive, Shorewood, WI 53211 414-961-1059 / kbazzoli@yahoo.com Dear Classmates, We hope this newsletter finds all of you well! Spring is upon us, and we already are counting down the days until summer. While this isn’t a reunion year for us, we always encourage you to go back to Ripon for Alumni Weekend, which will be held June 23-26 this year. For more information, go to www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.
Many other updates are seen daily on Facebook, of course. It’s a great way to keep in touch with each other!
Next year will mark our 20-year reunion! We can’t wait to start planning and hope to see many of you there. Stay tuned for more information (likely this fall) as the planning process begins.
We hope you all have a great summer, and perhaps even get a chance to visit Ripon.
As always, we hope you enjoy these updates from our class.
All our best,
AMBER L. BERES ’97 of Indianapolis, Indiana,
AMY, VINCE and ANGELA
1996 Jason Wood 83 Monroe Street, Unit 3B, Hoboken, NJ 07030 jlwood3773@gmail.com Hello Class of 1996! Can you believe it is already the spring of 2016? Where have those 20 years gone to? It almost seems like yesterday that we were hanging out on campus in the Quads or Johnson Hall or a night at Millers, Benders or the infamous Molly’s (well I don’t know if I remember the entire night always). I am so grateful for the foundation Ripon College has given to me, not only with the academic portion, but also with all the connections I have had created there and that continue today. Without it, I know I would never
started a new job in July 2015 at vCom Solutions as a senior Telecom analyst and was named Q4 vCom Ambassador. Congratulations, Amber!
TYSON H. KENDALL ’97 of Maple Park, Illinois, is a client relationship specialist at ACO Laboratories. JESSIE LOBERG ’97 of Littleton, Colorado, is now the Southwest area veterinary practice consultant for the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). She is also getting married in July. Congratulations, Jessie! PETER J. MAHLER ’97 of Athens, Wisconsin, is now a manager of insurance and business risk at Church Mutual Insurance.
KRISTIN and STEPHANIE
Spring 2016 45
CLASSLetters
1998
NICOLE PACKARD LANGENFELD ’99 is a
Sarah Eng 1945 West Argyle Street. Apt. 1, Chicago, IL 60640 312-404-6732 / saraheng@gmail.com
AURORA NELSON ’99 is a news producer with
customer service representative at Ripon Printers.
Leilani Kupo 575 Matmor Road, Apt. 76, Woodland, CA 95776 419-308-8574 / deli_by_the_pond@yahoo.com Dear Class of 1998: Both Sarah and I hope that you are doing well. It is difficult to think that in just a few months Ripon College will be hosting commencement for the Class of 2016 (though by the time you read this it may already have taken place). If you are interested in catching up on current news and events, take a look at the website: www.ripon.edu. The students, staff, and faculty of our alma mater have been keeping the liberal arts education legacy alive in innovative and exciting ways.
MATTHEW R. CONRAD ’98 of Jackson, Wisconsin, is a retired nuclear machinist mate from the U.S. Navy.
WILL DEPPIESSE ’98 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and his wife, Danae, are expecting their fourth child (third son) in early April.
IVAN K. KANAREK ’98 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a tech support representative at Graff.
STEPHEN J. KENNELLY ’98 and EMILY A. MEYER ’09 of Hays, Kansas: “We welcomed Elizabeth Katherine (Lily, for short) to our family on Oct. 22, 2015. Lily is the first grandchild of MARY LAWRENCE MEYER ’81. Stephen is also working toward his master’s degree in communication at Fort Hays State University, where Emily works as a hall director.”
V. LEILANI KUPO ’98 of Woodland, California, served as a scholarship reader for last class of high school seniors selected for the Gates Millennium Scholars Scholarship sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. MEGAN E. MACKEY ’98 of Portland, Oregon, is the fishery program manager at Ecotrust.
LEIGHANNE D. METTER-JENSEN ’98 of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, is a teacher and effectiveness coach for the Sheboygan Area School District.
6ABC in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
CHRISTINA NINEDORF MOJICA ’99 of Raleigh, North Carolina: “I currently teach first grade at Willow Springs Elementary in Willow Springs, and a son, Garin Gurlit Mojica, joined our family on Jan. 1, 2015. Our daughter, Evelia, is over the moon with joy.”
BRETT MUELLER ’99 was the voice of U.S. Customs and Border Protection during a recent interview with ABC4 news concerning counterfeit hoverboards.
JEREMY KASUBOSKI ’99 works in business development with Vacasa. We would love to receive any updates about how you are doing and what exciting things are going on in your lives. We would also encourage you to pledge your financial support to Ripon College so that future generations of students are able to enjoy the Ripon College experience. You should be receiving mailings where you can pledge your support or you can contact the College directly to make a donation or update your contact information. We wish you and your families and happy and healthy spring!
MIKE BERENS and TRISTA MOFFAT-LARCO
2000 Andre Miksha 11956 Hazelton Drive, Noblesville, Indiana 46060-9101 andre.miksha@gmail.com Dear Class of 2000, So, with the spring of 2016 we come to realize (after anthropomorphizing some paper) that our Ripon diplomas are able to drive cars now. Feeling old yet?
H. LAUREN FIRER FINCH ’00 has a new job with the U.S. Department of the Army as the director of budget and finance in Brussels, Belgium. Lauren made the move from Alexandria, Virginia, with her husband and three daughters.
Please continue to send us (or the College) your updates. It is great to keep up with classmates near and far!
ELLEN SORENSEN ’00 owns Dear Prudence,
Warmly
Please keep the news rolling in – either directly to the school (alumni@ripon.edu) or to me via email or via this website: goo.gl/forms/e0I7GRL8zm. Take care until next time!
SARAH ENG and LEILANI KUPO
1999
a stylish clothing store in Ripon with a focus on American-made and fair trade items.
Red Hawk forever,
Mike Berens 6472 Wexford Ave SW, Port Orchard, WA 98367 617-512-5753 / mikeberens2@hotmail.com
ANDRE MIKSHA
2001
Trista Moffat-Larco 1523 Remington Road, Neenah, WI 54946 920-257-4800 / tlmoffat@yahoo.com
Nicole Baumann-Blackmore 7535 Lockwood Lane, Verona, WI 53593 608-829-2501 / Baumannn10@hotmail.com
Hello Class of 1999! We hope that you had a happy holiday season and that you are preparing for spring. As we sit writing this letter, it is quite cold and gloomy here in Wisconsin, but the sun has made a brief appearance once or twice this week. With any luck, warmer days are ahead!
Dante A. C. Houston 8551 North Servite Drive, #215, Milwaukee, WI 53223 414-378-4937 / houstondante@hotmail.com
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Connections
Hello Fellow RC Class of 2001 Classmates! Can you believe we walked across the Harwood Memorial Union stage almost 15 years ago? We hope you feel as fondly about your time at Ripon as we do. Well, it’s time that you venture home and re-live some of those memories. We won’t have to re-live freshman
1998-2003 year orientation or RA meetings, but we will have an opportunity to catch up and raise a glass.
DEREK J. BLACKMORE ’01 and NICOLE L. BAUMANN-BLACKMORE ’01 of Verona, Wisconsin, welcomed a daughter, Amelia Rose Blackmore, Oct. 16, 2015.
DANTE A. C. HOUSTON ’01 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is the director of recruiting and outplacement services at MRA – The Management Association. In 2015, he and his wife, Jennifer Houston, adopted their daughters Annalise, 11, and Gianna, 8. MIKE R. MISSAK ’01 of McHenry, Illinois, coordinated a Toys for Tots fundraiser with his Jeeps on the Run club.
MARK BECKER ’01 is married to Stacy Normington Becker. They have three kids, Ada, 4, Luke, 3, and Jack, 2, and live in Delavan, Wisconsin. In 2009, he co-founded Geneva Supply and currently serves as the COO. BONNIE SIERLECKI ’01, an assistant professor in communication studies at Edgewood College in Madison, was a guest speaker for the Ripon College Department of Communication in October 2015. Her talk was presented in Kresge Little Theatre, East Hall, on the campus. “Baller-in-Chief: Barack Obama and the Rhetoric of Sports” addressed what sports fandom has to do with being a U.S. president and how politicians have harnessed the persuasive power of sports to shape their public images and talk about American values.
ERIC HERMAN ’01 and his partner, Cassandra, live in rural southeastern Arizona. In 2015, he started a business, and they love sustainable, organic farming. They also keep busy with their cats and the wild animals that can be seen on their property. MOLLY ELLENBECKER DUERR ’01 has a new role with the American Diabetes Association as director of corporate development and stewardship, Midwest region. Alumni Weekend & Reunions: June 23-26, 2016. Mark your calendars for Alumni Weekend and Reunions, June 23-26, 2016. We will celebrate our 15th Year Reunion class dinner at the remodeled Roadhouse Pizza in downtown Ripon. Full details and registration are now posted on www.ripon.edu/ alumni-weekend.
NICOLE BAUMANN-BLACKMORE and DANTE A. C. HOUSTON
2002 Leigh Mlodzik MlodzikL@Ripon.edu Corryn Siegel Greenwood Corryn.Siegel@gmail.com Dear Class of 2002: I don’t know about you, but we really enjoyed the new class letter format. We would love to hear from you! Here is the latest on our classmates.
JUNG-WON CHOI ’02: “I’m a certified veterinarian here in South Korea, specialized in general small animal care. Currently, I’m an assistant physician in small animal clinic here in Busan. Sometime next year, I am planning to open my own clinic in the city. It will be a very small-sized clinic, but am looking forward to make my clinic uniquely family veterinarian-esque. My wife, Angelina Hyunjin Park,
and I have been married for two years now, and our daughter, Loha Choi, is 1 year, 3 months, old now. My wife is a soprano, performed mostly in Germany during her days living in Germany, and now in Korea. She also teaches at Pusan National University, School of Music, Pusan Arts High School, and Seoul Arts College.”
HEIDI FOSTER DUSEK ’02 and her husband Brent welcomed their third child in 2015. Their son, Micah Lange Dusek was born Aug. 5. Big Brother Caleb, 5, and big sister EllaMae, 3, have thoroughly enjoyed the promotion to bigs! ANNMARIE IBIS KREITZER ’02 and her husband Greg, along with their daughters Elsa Marie, 5, and Greta Marie, 3, welcomed daughter Hanna Marie on Jan. 1, 2016. She was a healthy 8 pounds, 10 ounces, and 20½ inches long. Everyone is doing well!
ALEXANDRA LISKA ’02 moved to sunny San Diego in June 2014 for work. Alexandra currently resides in Carlsbad, California, and is a QA specialist for a medical device company called Hologic. She recently became an ASQ-certified quality improvement associate.
JOSH MASON-BARKIN ’02 welcomed a daughter, Sela Penina, Feb. 19, 2015. She joins Charlie, her older brother, 3. ZACH MORRIS ’02 will finish his residency training this summer and join the faculty in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He’ll specialize in providing radiation treatment for patients with sarcoma and melanoma. In addition, he will spend much of his time running an independent research lab exploring novel approaches to cancer treatment using radiation together with immunotherapies. Camie continues to teach criminal justice and sociology at Carroll University. Lincoln, 5, and Adelle, 3, are doing great, and we are all enjoying time with our new puppy, Snoopy. Please keep in touch! Drop us a note on Facebook or email us at 2002reunion@gmail.com. Sincerely,
LEIGH MLODZIK and CORRYN SIEGEL GREENWOOD
2003 Liz Matelski lizmatelski@gmail.com Elayne Monnens Norweb elayne.norweb@gmail.com Happy Spring, Class of 2003! I bet it is a fun and exciting time to be on campus. With the upcoming presidential election, I am sure there is a ton of lively debate. The spring thaw is right around the corner, and the lawns will be filled with fun activities again. Check out our Facebook group, “Ripon College Class of 2003,” to reconnect with old friends and get the most up-to-date news.
EMILY HANSON BROOKS ’03 had a baby boy on Jan. 11, 2016 — Liam Tesla Brooks. He was 10 pounds and 20½ inches long. In her words: “unexpectedly ginormous.”
LAYNE SAMPSON BURKETTE ’03: “Blair and I welcomed our third child, a little girl, Hartley Hope, on Jan. 6, 2016. Big brother and sister (and parents!) are smitten with her.”
Spring 2016 47
CLASSLetters GINA COMPITELLO-MOORE ’03 is the marketing manager at the University of Arizona Museum of Art. She married Jeff Moore in December 2013, and together they run Arid Adaptations, a cactus and succulent nursery. They live in Tucson with seven dogs, three cats and 50,000 cacti.
As we mentioned in the fall, our list of classmate updates seems to be getting smaller. We have a very outdated email list that we would love to update. Please contact Elayne at enorweb@gmail.com or via text at 917-509-4826 with your current email address.
RACHAEL LEVIN HEGER ’03 of Indianapolis, Indiana: “I’ve started an organization that provides new and gently used bras and new feminine hygiene products to distribute to homeless women in Indianapolis. In less than two weeks, I’ve collected more than 600! Please help me by collecting bras, pads and tampons and sending them my way (Support the Girls, Attn: Rachael Heger, PO Box 30249, Indianapolis, IN 46230). Check out my Facebook page: Support the Girls – Indianapolis.”
ELAYNE NORWEB and LIZ MATELSKI
MELISSA A. KREIKEMEIER ’03 of Majuro, Marshall Islands: “After spending a year teaching in China, I moved to the Marshall Islands (a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean) to teach science at a small community college. I’ll be here for another 1½ years. I am loving the sunsets and relaxed island life.”
HEATHER BRAUND KOTLESKI ’03 started a
2004 Nick Spaeth nick.spaeth@gmail.com / 2004classletter@gmail.com Greetings Class of ’04. To best provide you with updates about your fellow 2004 graduates, please send information along to 2004classletter@gmail.com. We have a good number of emails, but not nearly everyone. There’s a lot going on with our class… and even more that comes through the social media interwebs that isn’t listed below.
MELISSA BARRIBEAU BROWN ’04 and Kory Brown welcomed baby boy Andrew on Jan. 27.
new job at GoVirtualOffice as a support software consultant. “It’s a completely different career change, but I’m loving the challenge!”
SCOTT BUCHHOLZ ’04 of San Jose, California, is
Routledge Press will publish a revision of LIZ MATELSKI ’03’s Ph.D. dissertation, Fat Bodies, Ideal
13, 2015, and welcomed daughter Pearl Edison Walterman on Sept. 3.
the technical program manager at Nest Labs Inc.
MARY DEAN ’04 married Erin Walterman, July
Bodies: Reshaping Postwar America.
CAROLYN DUVEN ’04 married Kenneth Wakeland
MIKE MAXWELL ’03 has been keeping busy with
on Sept. 4, 2015. She is seeking her Ph.D. in higher education.
comedy, mainly in the Midwest. Aside from clubs, He’s been adding corporate shows such as Charter Communications and AllState. He was accepted into the 2015 Chicago Fringe Festival with his one-man show, The Anti-Boss, a slightly interactive, mock new-hire orientation. It was picked up for a four-week run in May at The W.I.P. Theater in Chicago every Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. This summer will be his second year performing his scripted satirical river and architectural tour of Chicago on the Anita Dee yacht.
ELAYNE MONNENS NORWEB ’03 has been busy keeping up with her little ones in Miami and is enjoying the year-round sun!
ERIN MURPHY ’03: “In August, I accepted a new position at Consultants Laboratory in Fond du Lac (where I have been working since graduation). In my new role as a client services specialist, I have the opportunity to use the clinical skills I have acquired in 12 years of lab work and all the great communication, leadership and teamwork skills that I learned at Ripon to better serve our customers. I assist the physicians and nursing staff in placing lab orders and problem-solving. In addition, I am working closely in developing our new lab computer system and training new associates. I am very excited to take on this new challenge!”
TONY VENEZIANO ’03 of Indianapolis: “After spending a few years in Detroit (2011-14), working at a marketing agency in the auto industry, I moved to Indy at the end of 2014 and returned to sprint car racing. From 2006-2010, I had been the director of public relations for the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, traveling nearly 200 days a year to 90+ race events from coast-to-coast and in Canada. I now work for SLS Promotions, and we promote about 20 World of Outlaws races a year across the Midwest, including at Beaver Dam Raceway in Wisconsin (June 24) and Wilmot Raceway near Kenosha, Wisconsin (July 30).”
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KATIE ERNST FOLEY ’04 and her husband, Benedict, have relocated to the Bahamas, where they work at an international school. He teaches high school English, and she teaches primary Spanish.
RYAN JOHANEK ’04 and TARA RABIDEAUX JOHANEK ’07 of De Pere, Wisconsin, welcomed their first child in September.
DIANE KEELING ’04 married TOM BECKER ’05 in 2015 and is in her third year as an assistant professor of communication studies at the University of San Diego.
AMY GABRIEL GERRETSEN ’04: “We moved to Ripon (finally!) this past summer and are loving being officially back even though I’ve worked at Ripon College for 9+ years. Our oldest daughter, Kenzie, is loving kindergarten, and her sister, Piper, is enjoying all that being an energetic 4-year-old has to offer. We are spending a lot of time at Red Hawks sporting events and at the Commons, where the girls love socializing and eating ice cream. Since July 2014, I have been the director of Constituent Engagement and Career Services here at Ripon, combining the College’s alumni and parent programs and former career development office. It has been an exciting opportunity to set Ripon apart from other ACM and WAICU schools. Our focus is to connect students and alumni for social and professional opportunities both on and off campus. If you’re interested in sharing your career path or area of expertise with our students, let me know: gerretsena@ripon.edu or connect with me on LinkedIn. Otherwise, I hope to see you at future Ripon events in your area. Recently, I’ve been able to catch up with AMANDA SCHELLINGER ’04, ADAM FIELD ’04 and MATT MANGERSON ’04 at events in Waukesha, Madison and Milwaukee.”
KATE HERSEY ’04 is expecting a second child in April to join soon-to-be big sister Adele.
2003-05 JOSEPH M. LULLO ’04 of Plattsmouth, Nebraska, has become very involved in the Omaha theatre community. He has performed with and composed for Nebraska Shakespeare and the Rose Children’s Theatre, and has been teaching, composing, directing and doing sound design at Iowa Western Community College. He and his wife, Alanna, were married last year, and are expecting a baby this fall.
MELISSA LUND LUNDT ’04 and husband TYLER LUNDT ’04: “Tyler is a hardware field sales manager at E.A. Langenfeld Associates LTD in Mount Prospect, Illinois. Melissa is the special services coordinator at Child’s Voice, a listening and spoken language program for children with hearing loss. We live in Lake Zurich, Illinois, with our 4-year old son, Trey.”
LIZ KOEPNICK MILLER ’04 and husband Allen welcomed their first child, Arielle Marie, on Dec. 29, 2015. HIROKI NAKAJIMA ’04 of Tokyo, Japan, works for Switzerland’s Leysin American School as an associate director of admissions, based in Tokyo.
CANDICE NORTH ’04 is a hospitalist at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, California. RACHEL PUFALL ’04 is a certified Yoga Calm youth instructor and continues to practice as an elementary and middle school counselor in the Washburn School district in Washburn, Wisconsin.
TYLER SCHWIRTZ ’04 and ETTA HILLIGOSS SCHWIRTZ ’04 both enjoy their jobs in special education and spending time with their two young children. They are expecting a third child in August.
MISSY SKURZEWSKI-SERVANT ’04 is the dean of general education and business at Mid-State Technical College.
BRIAN STERR ’04 is a math teacher in Stuyvesant High School in New York City.
MICHAEL TIMM ’04 led a Milwaukee hackathon team in designing a game called Three Degrees, which won second place in the nationwide Climate Game Jam competition sponsored by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in late 2015. Three Degrees was honored among climate education games showcased at the Smithsonian Institution in early 2016.
ALISA ZABEL ’04, along with a fellow manager, purchased our beloved Roadhouse Pizza on Dec. 28, 2015. Nothing changed — just the ownership.
CHRIS ZEMAN ’04, wife MEGAN MANGERSON ZEMAN ’06, and kids Aida, 6, Eli, 4, and Evie, 2, are moving to Wausau where he’ll be attending the Medical College of Wisconsin in July. Warm regards,
NICK
2005 Amanda Zahn Przybyl W2743 Cherry Lane, Green Lake, WI 54941 920-299-1081 / PrzybylA@ripon.edu Daphne Meyers Leigh 7026 West Rogers Street, West Allis, WI 53219 414-841-7210 / Daphne05@hotmail.com Greetings from the Class of 2005! I’m so glad to have so many interesting stories to share from classmates, since not much has changed for me since my letter last year!
RENAE BEIER ’05: “I have lived in Madison, Wisconsin, for the past eight years. I completed my master’s of science in organizational leadership in 2013. I currently work for UW-Madison in the gastreonology department as an operations analyst. I volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County. In my spare time, I shoot trap, hang out with my dog, go hiking and kayaking, travel and sew.” HALLIE BECKER BREWER ’05: “Got out of the Army in ’09 as a captain, came back to Chicago, started volunteering for an amazing nonprofit that works with ex-offenders and addicts and the like, met my now-husband (five years!) through that organization. I work for a medical association, College of American Pathologists, here in Chicagoland and love it. I have a super feisty and adorable parrotlet (you can see pics on my Facebook if you’re super bored), and I’m learning how to make French pastry!” HEATHER SUTTER HADDOCK ’05 and TYLER HADDOCK ’06 welcomed their second child, a son, Jack Tyler Haddock, on Jan. 27, 2015.
TERI SOLARZ HATFIELD ’05 and MICHAEL HATFIELD ’05: “Michael and I are doing well. Our daughter, Alexa, will turn 5 in April. Kindergarten is around the corner! That came so fast! Lexi is starting cheerleading this summer! I am more excited then she is, I think. We also welcomed our son, Lucas, in November 2014. He is a running, talking toddler now. Work remains the same for both of us. I am still with National University of Health Sciences, and Michael continues to work for Unibor. In addition, I have continued my role as financial advisor on Alexa’s preschool board, and Michael is a member of our church council. Life is busy, but good! We hope 2016 brings you and yours health and happiness!”
BJ DERNBACH ’05: “In December, I was promoted to division administrator of Wisconsin’s Worker’s Compensations program at the Department of Workforce Development. The WC division administers programs designed to administer the workers’ compensation law in the state of Wisconsin to ensure that injured workers receive required benefits from insurers or self-insured employers; encourage rehabilitation and reemployment for injured workers; promote the reduction of workrelated injuries, illnesses and deaths.” CHARLES JOHNSON ’05: “I’m still living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. My beautiful daughter, Charli, just turned 1. I am still heavily invested in real estate and now currently own and manage 14 residential properties. The hope in the upcoming year is to add another two to three onto that. In addition to my real estate venture, I own and manage a Snap Fitness franchise in the Twin City Metro area. I am the lead trainer there as well and focus on weight loss, lean muscle building and functional training. Other plans include spending every moment with my daughter that I can!” CORY MCEWEN ’05: “I recently moved to sunny South Florida outside of Miami living in Plantation. I’m currently teaching physical education and health in Homestead, Florida, at Everglades Preparatory Academy to sixth- through 10th-grade students. I taught the previous eight years for Milwaukee Public Schools, again as a physical education and health teacher. I was married two years ago in November to my new wife, Lindsay, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at the Church of the Gesu. In August 2015, she also took a new job in Miramar, Florida, for Spirit Airlines Corporate office as a manager with her CPA and CIA.” LORYN OHLAUG ’05: “This past summer, my husband and I took a trip to Alaska, leaving the boys
Spring 2016 49
CLASSLetters at home with grandparents. It was an amazing trip where we got to see humpback whales, bears and moose as well as do adventures such as white water rafting, hiking and exploring of Denali National Park. Currently, we are anxiously awaiting baby number four, due in April. Also, for the past year I have been working on the Boeing commercial crew capsule for NASA. Growing up, I always wanted to work for NASA, so being on this project has been very exciting and I can’t wait for the first manned flight! (Have you seen The Martian? If you have, when Mark takes a lot of the weight out of the MAV toward the end of the movie, one of the things he does is take off the cone top and replaces it with a tarp. That cone looks a lot like what I have been working on lately.”
to come back to campus, to reconnect (in person, not electronically), and potentially to try to relive, even if just a little bit, the fun we shared during the years we spent together on campus. A committee of our classmates is working hard to plan a fun weekend for us June 23-26. Our reunion will be Saturday night at 314, a new College-owned space downtown, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. It’ll be catered by Ripon’s own Knuth Brewery, featuring pizza, appetizers, beer, wine and soda. Even if you’ve never come back to an Alumni Weekend before, make plans to join us because it’s a bound to be a wonderful time, remembering old memories and making new ones. Full details and registration are now available on www.ripon.edu/ alumni-weekend. We hope to see you there!
AMANDA ZAHN PRZYBYL ’05: “On Dec. 18, we had our second little boy, Thomas James (TJ) Przybyl. He was 8 pounds, 15 ounces, and 20 inches long. A little full of drama as he was sideways until the doc turned him the day we had him. Other than enjoying time at home snuggling with TJ until my maternity leave is over and finding ways to make sure Edward (our oldest) still feels special, nothing much is new here. I would love to see any of you on campus, so let me know if you come for a visit!”
LINDSAY R. BAHN ’06 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin,
MACKENZIE ROYAL ’05: “Last year, my boyfriend and I had a great 2½-week to trip to Europe. We cruised the Mediterranean (Spain, France and Italy) and visited Switzerland for five days. It was the trip of a lifetime! My boyfriend and I bought our house this last summer and did a major remodel. We have a new kitchen, and I’m happy to not be washing the dishes in the sink. We also got all new floors and paint. Otherwise, I’ve been skiing a lot. Be sure to contact me if you visit Denver, and I’d love to ski with you!” All the best!
AMANDA ZAHN PRZYBYL
2006 Nicole Klaas Hands 1409 Grace View Place, Fayetteville, NC 28305 414-514-9231 / nicole.klaas@gmail.com Ed Hansen 901 Riggins Road, Apt 321, Tallahassee, FL 32308 920-279-8906 / hellowilbur@gmail.com Andrew P. Kitslaar 4514 Midmoor Road, Monona, WI 53716 608-469-7784 / andrew.p.kitslaar@gmail.com It’s hard to imagine, but as we mentioned in our fall letter, this coming summer will be our 10th reunion. Take a moment and think back to 2006. Some of us were still reluctant to use “The Facebook,” as we were perfectly happy to set our AOL Instant Messenger away messages to let our friends know what we were doing. Very few of us had cell phones, and no one had a “smart phone.” We crammed into dorm rooms to watch the latest episodes of 24 and/or Lost, as no one had heard of DVR. We (somehow) shared our iTunes accounts across campus, the Quads still hosted lounge parties, and when the wind was just right, the smell of Rippin’ Good Cookies made all of us hungry as we walked to our next classes. Obviously a lot has changed since 2006, including the closure of Rippin’ Good Cookies this past January. What hasn’t changed is our tie to Ripon College, the friendships we’ve made, and the fact that we can still come back to relive all of the fun times we shared there. Keeping in touch with everyone from Ripon, in our class or others, has become easier than ever through Facebook and email, but our 10th Reunion is a time
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recently returned to Wisconsin from an active duty Air Force assignment at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. She is a certified nurse midwife at Aurora Medical Center-Oshkosh, and this fall she will begin studies toward a Ph.D. in public health with a concentration in community and behavioral health promotion at UW-Milwaukee.
EVIE E. BRUNT ’06 of Denver, Colorado, is a veterinarian.
ALEJANDRO CASTILLO-TERRIQUEZ ’06 of San Leandro, California, is a manager at Kaiser Permanente.
STEPHANIE CHACHARON ’06 of Seattle, Washington, is a senior writer and editor at Slalom Consulting on the creative/marketing team. She’s also freelancing for a startup, Fitcode. She and her husband, Adam, are enjoying watching their son Levi, who will be 2 in July, during his time of constant learning and new achievements. ZACHARY CHITWOOD ’06 of Berlin, Germany, now has a daughter, Olivia Magdalena, born Nov. 19, 2015. Professionally, he has published several new articles over the past year. These include seven articles on Greek Orthodox foundations: “Religiöses Verdienst und weltliche Ambitionen” (“Religious Merit and Temporal Ambitions”), “Gedenken und Kultus” (“Commemoration and Cult”), “Wohltätigkeit und Bildung” (“Charity and Education”), “Stiftungsvermögen” (“Foundation Endowments and Revenues”), “Stifter” (“Founders”), “Stiftungsbegünstigte” (“Beneficiaries of the Foundation”) and “Stiftungsorganisation” (“Foundation Organization”) in Michael Borgolte (ed.), Enzyklopädie des Stiftungswesens in mittelalterlichen Gesellschaften. Band II: Das soziale System Stiftung (“Encyclopedia of Foundations in Medieval Societies. Volume Two: The Social System Foundation”). Berlin: De Gruyter 2016: 61-72; 147165; 242-257; 324-336; 407-420; 486-497; 557-570. He also published “The Scholiasts Speak: How Middle Byzantine Jurists Construed the Legal Status of Jews,” in Robert Hoyland (ed.), The Late Antique World of Early Islam: Muslims among Christians and Jews in the East Mediterranean (Studies in Late Antiquity and Early Islam #25) Princeton: Darwin Press 2015: 87-105.
HAYLEY A. DOYLE ’06 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, married Joe Johnson, April 4, 2015, in Minneapolis. ROSE MCNULTY EBEL ’06 and SHANE M. EBEL ’07 of Monona, Wisconsin, had a baby girl, Lucette Ebel, born Sept. 16, 2015.
DANIELLE PAIZ GUNTER ’06 of Boerne, Texas, is the executive director of community giving for the PM Group.
2005-07 TYLER HADDOCK ’06 and HEATHER SUTTER HADDOCK ’05 of Neenah, Wisconsin, welcomed
MATT J. WEISENSEL ’06 of Delavan, Wisconsin,
their second child, a son, Jack Tyler Haddock, Jan. 27, 2015.
NICOLE KLAAS HANDS, ED HANSEN, and ANDREW KITSLAAR
MATT J. JANSMA ’06 of Midland, Michigan, is an associate research scientist at Dow Chemical Co. GEORGE MCHENDRY ’06 of Omaha, Nebraska, recently published two essays: “The Re(d)active Force of the Transportation Security Administration” in the journal Criticism, and “Finding Fascism in the Comments Section: Online Responses to Viral Videos of the Transportation Security Administration” in the book Debates for the Digital Age: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly of Our Online World. He and his wife AMANDA HOEFNER MCHENDRY ’09, also volunteer with a local dog rescue group, MidAmerica Boston Terrier Rescue. They foster dogs that have been surrendered by their owners or released from puppy mills. Over the last 20 months, they have taken in 15 dogs, helped to train them, care for their medical needs, and find them forever homes. He says it is a passion for both of them, as they have seen too many of these pups needlessly suffering for want of a safe and warm home. Their love of Boston terriers began at Ripon while visiting JOSH DE WAR ’02’s one-eyed Boston terrier, Buster.
COURTNEY L. MCNEAL ’06 of Kenosha, Wisconsin, started working at Marquette University as the program coordinator for the Hartman Literacy and Learning Center in August 2015. MICHELLE PAULY NIKOLAI ’06 of Port
works in customer service at Target.
2007 Adam Krueger 30 Littell Road Apt. 3, Brookline, MA 02446 krueger.adam@gmail.com Lindsey Kreye Heil 15229 Spring Brook Terrace, Savage, MN 55378 lkreye9509@gmail.com Liz Leach Morrell 303 Linden Street Upper, Fond du Lac, WI 54935 lizleach.morrell@gmail.com Stacy Krusa Teachout 510 Cochrane Street, Waupun, WI 53963 krusast@gmail.com Dear Class of 2007: It is hard to believe the time has come for another class letter. Time seems to be moving as quickly as it did during our time at Ripon. Nine years ago, we would have been spending our spring semester engaging in a variety of activities, such as: • Sipping champagne at our 100 days party • Wondering who would be the headlining band at Springfest
Washington, Wisconsin, volunteers with various groups. At Open Door Bible Church, she helps organize family events and has been on the Sunday school director team for the past three years. She’s also active at the elementary school that her two children attend. She, TIM NIKOLAI ’07, and their children passed through Ripon last summer on their way home from a church family camp. They took a self-tour of campus and enjoyed showing their children where Mom and Dad met.
• Getting a sneak peek at the Campus Apartments
AARON PARK ’06 of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, is in
• Exercising in the Bovay Fitness Center
• Fundraising for our class gift • Sledding down Sadoff one last time during a late-season snow • Patronizing various downtown Ripon establishments during our Senior Pub Crawl (some of which no longer exist) • Cramming for final exams in Lane Library
his final semester of grad school in speech-language pathology. He will graduate in May with a master’s degree in speech-language pathology and a bilingual English-Spanish certificate in speech pathology. He plans on working as a speech-language pathologist in the Milwaukee area.
DREW B. C. DAVIS ’07 of Fairfax, Virginia, is
TIM W. PETERS ’06 and REGAN ROGERS PETERS ’07 of Eagle, Wisconsin, had their second
SHANE M. EBEL ’07 and ROSE MCNULTY EBEL ’06 of Monona, Wisconsin, had a baby girl, Lucette
child, Greenlee Jean, May 1, 2015. They also recently moved to Mukwonago and built a house.
MICHELLE CALDER REPPERT ’06 of Appleton, Wisconsin, and her husband, Jeremiah, welcomed their first baby, Owen Edward, June 22, 2015. IAN SCHUMACHER ’06 and KAYLA O’BRIEN SCHUMACHER ’06 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin,
• Chatting over meals in the Terrace engaged to Louisa Gilson. They are planning a December 2016 wedding in the Washington, D.C., area.
Ebel, born Sept. 16, 2015.
TARA RABIDEAUX JOHANEK ’07 and RYAN M. JOHANEK ’04 of De Pere, Wisconsin: “We are expecting our first child in September. We cannot wait to meet our baby boy!”
KELLY SOLBERG WILHELME ’06 of Appleton,
ADAM R. KRUEGER ’07 of Brookline, Massachusetts, is a business operations manager at Harvard Business School within the Global Experience Office.
Wisconsin, married Dustin Wilhelme in November 2014. She is an inbound marketing consultant with Weidert Group.
AMANDA R. LIETHEN ’07 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is the assistant director of advancement services and data analyst at Ripon College.
JENNY R. VAN MERSBERGEN ’06 of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a medical laboratory technologist at Einstein Hospital.
TYLOR S. LOEST ’07 of Ripon, Wisconsin, and his wife, Katie, had a baby girl, Meryl Rose, on March 28, 2016. He is now the director of major giving at Ripon College.
are married.
Spring 2016 51
CLASSLetters TYLER P. OTTO ’07 and ALISON KRINGS OTTO ’08 of Omro, Wisconsin, had a baby boy, Thomas
information (can you believe our 10-year reunion is only a couple of years away?!).
“Tommy” Alan Otto, on Feb. 1, 2016.
LEAH HOVER-PREISS ’08 of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, passed her comprehensive examination and began writing her dissertation focusing on high school transition programs and graduation rates. She is anticipating a summer of 2017 graduation date from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota with a doctorate in educational leadership. She currently teaches high school math in Poynette, Wisconsin.
REGAN ROGERS PETERS ’07 and TIM W. PETERS ’06 of Eagle, Wisconsin: “We had our second child, Greenlee Jean, May 1, 2015. We moved to Mukwonago and built a house.”
WESTON RADFORD ’07 of Columbus, Ohio: “Moving to Oshkosh in June to start my practice in general internal medicine.”
LACY ROURKE ’07 of Alexandria, Virginia, writes, “New degree, sold my couch, moved — You know, just the usual!”
ERIC R. SAARI ’07 of Madison, Wisconsin, is the divisional practice lead for Aerotek Inc.
HILARY SMITH UYHELJI ’07 of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: “Married May 16, 2015, to Michael Alexander Uyhelji. New job with the FAA as a functional genomics research geneticist.” You may have noticed the updates from our class of more than 200 people seem a bit sparse. While many of us keep in touch directly or through social media, we want to be able to share our news with the larger Ripon College alumni network. We encourage you to share your news with a Class Agent, the Alumni Office, or through our regular call for updates on Facebook. Also, the new format of R Connections allows us to share photos! Are you gathered together with other Ripon alumni doing something fun? Snap a photo and send it in!
baby girl, Teagan Georgiana, on Nov. 11, 2015. In April 2015, Leslie became director of childcare at La Petite Academy in Madison.
PAMELA SCHUMACHER MUMM ’08 and BRANDON MUMM ’05 of Ripon, Wisconsin, welcomed a baby boy, Charlie, on July 11, 2015.
STEPHANIE SOMMER FAULDS ’08 and BOB FAULDS ’07 of DePere, Wisconsin: “Bob manages Baker Tilly Search & Staffing team in Appleton. Stephanie is a supply chain planner at Schreiber Foods and is still running her photography and graphic design business — Babbleheads Photography & Design — on the side. Their 2½-year-old son, Mick, is keeping them busy, and they are excited to share that they are expecting a baby girl in April.”
ALISON KRINGS OTTO ’08 and TYLER P. OTTO ’07 of Omro, Wisconsin, had a baby boy, Thomas “Tommy” Alan Otto, on Feb. 1, 2016.
ALLISON WINTERS POSNER ’08 of St. Paul,
Sincerely,
LINDSEY, ADAM, LIZ, and STACY
2008 Stephanie Sommer Faulds 5543 River Oaks Drive, De Pere, WI 54115 608-630-3369 / Stephanie.Sommer@gmail.com Leah Hover-Preiss 1002 North Bowman Road, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965 608-432-2399 / leahhover@yahoo.com Zac Schwandt 8730 South Country Dr., Apt. 101, Oak Creek, WI 53154 920-291-5685 / SchwandtZ@gmail.com Greetings, Class of 2008! Thankfully, it seems as if spring is right around the corner and we will be packing up our winter clothing, snow shovels and extra blankets and getting ready to enjoy warmer weather. With the change in the seasons, it is a good time to think about the wonderful times we spent enjoying nice weather and the promise of soon-tobe summers at Ripon. It seems like just yesterday that we were studying in the grass in front of dorms, playing intramural softball, taking a nice hike through Ceresco Prairie, or cheering the Red Hawks sports teams to victory! If you are missing the great times spent at Ripon, take the time to visit campus again for one, or many, of the wonderful upcoming events detailed at www.ripon.edu/news. We hope you enjoyed the new format for class letters this past fall. R Connections is a great way not only to stay up-to-date about what members of our class are up to, but also to see what is happening at the College and in the lives of other Ripon grads. If you are not a member of the “Ripon College Class of 2008” Facebook page, please send a request so you can be added. It is a great way to share announcements, post memories, and receive reminders about upcoming class letters or reunion
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RYAN A. LUEDTKE ’08 and LESLIE REINKE LUEDTE ’08 of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, welcomed a
Connections
Minnesota, married Asa Posner, Aug. 28, 2015, at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. KIMBERLY LARSON ’08, PARISSA D’JANGI ’08 and MEGAN CAPTAINE ’09 were members of the wedding party. In the fall of 2014, Allison was promoted to public information manager for Ramsey County.
ADAM M. WOODS ’08 and ALYSSA WRIGHT WOODS ’09 of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, were married Aug. 6, 2011. Adam just completed the middle school/high school English certification program at Concordia University.
LEAH, STEPHANIE, and ZAC
2009 Emily A. Meyer emilyannmeyer@gmail.com Angela Olivas Peña mihita.aco@gmail.com Greetings Class of 2009! I hope this letter finds you well and that you are excited for spring to soon join us! Spring is trying to come to Kansas, as we’ve been flirting with 70- and 80-degree days, although it still gets pretty chilly in the evenings. I continue to live on campus as a hall director at FHSU, and really enjoy it. This semester, I’ve had the privilege of seeing Kid President and Jason Collins speak on campus at two separate, very well-attended events.
STEPHEN KENNELLY ’98 and I welcomed a little girl, Elizabeth Katherine (Lily for short), to our family in October. She has kept us on our toes since she arrived, and it has been great to watch her grow in the few short months she has been a part of our family. I am still working in Kansas, although hope to move a bit closer to the upper Midwest in the next 1½ years or so. We still make time to come visit the upper Midwest and are excited that we will again be
2007-11 in Ripon for Alumni Weekend this year (June 23-26). We hope to see you there! While it is not a reunion year for our class, there are always lots of people to reconnect with, opportunities to reconnect with our favorite faculty and staff members, and fun events planned throughout the weekend. Visit www.ripon. edu/alumni-weekend or check out the Facebook event.
As always, please consider making a donation to the College. Money can be designated for things such as scholarships, capital improvements, athletics, greatest need, and many other categories! I donate because I benefited from the generosity of other alumni who gave; why do you donate?
SARAH J. BROWN ’09 of Brandon, Wisconsin, is the operations director at the Ripon Children’s Learning Center.
2010
PETER R. HOLLMAIER ’09 of Neenah, Wisconsin: “I participated in a team international plumbing challenge in India in the beginning of November, and we (Team USA) won!”
Meagan Kochel meagankochel@gmail.com
SHAWN F. KARSTEN ’09 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is the development associate for major giving and athletics at Ripon College.
JENAN J. KHARBUSH ’09 of Arlington, Massachusetts, graduated from Scripps with her Ph.D. in chemical oceanography on Sept. 29, 2015. She is now a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University. Jenan married Roland Kersten on March 21, 2015.
JENNIFER R. LAMBRECHT ’09 of Cottage Grove, Oregon: “In 2014, my long-term partner and his son moved to Oregon. Moving to this beautiful state opened some new doors for our family to help ‘pay it forward.’ We own a rental property, and our tenants are a very young couple with a new baby — no rental history, short work history, but a couple of great kids in need of someone to take a chance with them. In the wake of the UCC tragedy, we fast-tracked our dreams of a donation-based pastry business, Pastry It Forward TM. Our business plan is unique in that we desire to function almost completely on a donation basis. We feel strongly about helping our community with no expectation of return — just pay it forward. It may seem a little like the movie, but one good deed in someone’s life truly has the power to change the world. And I want to change the world with cookies.”
JOSHUA A. LEGREVE ’09 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, teaches Spanish for the Green Lake Schools and is president of the Wisconsin Association of Foreign Language Teachers. JONATHAN D. PARETSKY ’09 of Madison, Wisconsin, completed his Ph.D. in chemistry at UC-Irvine. He and his wife, Jessica, recently moved to Madison, where he is completing a postdoc at UWMadison. Their son, Oliver Quinn Paretsky, was born Nov. 30, 2015.
MEGAN A. SIKOWSKI ’09 of Appleton, Wisconsin, is a library assistant at the Kaukauna Public Library.
BRUCE J. STEPHENSON ’09 and ELIZA CHERRY STEPHENSON ’09 of Ripon, Wisconsin, had a baby boy, Ari Thomas Stephenson, born in the early morning of Nov. 30, 2015. Bruce recently became a customer service representative for 4Imprint in Oshkosh.
ALYSSA WRIGHT WOODS ’09 and ADAM M. WOODS ’08 of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, were married Aug. 6, 2011. Alyssa is a patron services librarian for the Frank L. Weyenberg Library of Mequon-Thiensville. Adam just completed the middle school/high school English certification program at Concordia University.
EMILY
Ross Heintzkill ross.heintzkill@gmail.com
Leeanna Shultz shultz.annabanana@gmail.com Paul Williams pgwilliams5433@gmail.com
ANDY A. BEAN ’10 of Chelsea, Michigan, is now a student at the University of Michigan.
LUCY A. BURGCHARDT ’10 of Carrboro, North Carolina, passed her comprehensive exams as part of her doctoral program in communication at the University of North Carolina. JEFF D. DAVIS ’10 and GWEN CASEY DAVIS ’12 of Cross Plains, Wisconsin, were married Oct. 3, 2015, in Amherst, Wisconsin.
HANNAH WENDLAKE DUFFEY ’10 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin: “I got married in July to John Duffey.”
HOLLIE BECKER MEALY ’10 of New Berlin, Wisconsin, married Kyle Mealy. Hollie is a first-grade teacher in the Franklin School District.
TALYA M. PETERSIK ’10 of La Crosse, Wisconsin, is a school counselor at Eagle Bluff Elementary in the Onalaska School District. CHRISTOPHER J. SCHAEFER ’10 of Kimberly, Wisconsin, announced his candidacy for the Wisconsin State Assembly, District Three.
KATHERINE V. STOTIS ’10 of Glencoe, Illinois, recently graduated from the University of WisconsinMadison with her master’s degree in library and information science. ELIZABETH A. WEIGLER ’10 of Denver, Colorado: “I received a research grant from the Wenner-Gren foundation and will be moving to London in March 2016 for a year while I complete research for my Ph.D. in cultural anthropology.” She recently got engaged to Tyler Goldammer.
PAUL WILLIAMS
2011 April Agamaite Pingel agamaitea@gmail.com Rusty Schultz WRussellSchultz@gmail.com Leslie Sullivan lesliesullivan15@yahoo.com Dear Fellow Classmates: Real life happens right before your eyes. One moment you are moving along on your way to work and the next thing you know, you are offered a new job, planning a wedding, having a kid or, unfortunately, going to a loved one’s funeral. As we all have experienced in the five years since we left Ripon College, life happens. In many
Spring 2016 53
CLASSLetters cases, it happens without notice; it happens without acknowledgment of your last name or how much money you have in the bank; it happens without prejudice; it happens without your opinion. Not every moment in life is a good moment. However, our college days started in teaching us this lesson and life experiences continue to reinforce the lesson: it doesn’t matter what happens to you, the way you respond is what defines you and your success.
HEATHER M. NENNIG ’11 of Ventura, California:
So, even with all the bad things happening in the world, we need to continue to look for the good in the people around us, in the actions of others you don’t know, the support from friends and family, or it could be in your pet when you return home. Your own alma mater is another place to find support and people working to better others. At Ripon College, we all had our ups and downs. However, when looking back on your college years, think about all the support you received from a kind professor, the caring gestures from the residence hall staff, the cute jokes from the Sodexo chefs, the encouragement from the bookstore clerks, or the late-night study sessions with friends to help you through the next test or paper. The list goes on and on. These small gestures of good created a larger, incredibly positive college career. Now, it is time to celebrate all the good in our lives. We need to celebrate our college careers and all the other wonderful things that have happened in the last five years since we walked down the Union Lawn to our graduation.
APRIL AGAMAITE PINGEL ’11 of Luxemburg,
Even though we have all had our bad times, our down times, and our times of great disappointment, we need to continue to celebrate the extraordinary opportunities we have gained through our education. Come celebrate our Ripon College experience at our five-year reunion! It’s here already. Our Reunion will be held on Saturday, June 25, from 6:30 until 9 p.m. at The Terrace in Bovay Hall. We’ll have an hors d’oeuvres buffet with beer, wine and soda, and a cash bar for cocktails. Details are at www. ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.
“I graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in May 2015. I started my residency in family medicine at Ventura County Medical Center.”
MELISSA FLADHAMMER NOLTE ’10 of De Soto, Wisconsin: “I married Luke Nolte ’12, Feb. 28, 2015. We will be welcoming our first child in March 2016.” Wisconsin: “I had a change in career. I am now working at a nonprofit, The Einstein Project, as the marketing and events manager.”
SARA D. SISCO ’11 of Seattle, Washington, is a placement specialist at Girl Scouts of Western Washington.
SAMUEL B. SONDALLE ’11 of New Haven, Connecticut, was awarded an F30 fellowship from the National Institutes of Health. This is a highly competitive pre-doctoral fellowship to support research by individuals pursuing an MD/Ph.D. He credits Ripon for teaching him how to write a research grant proposal.
CARLOS J. SOTO ’11 of Tallahassee, Florida, is a doctoral student in bio statistics at Florida State University.
RACHEL E. VON ARX ’11 of Caledonia, Minnesota: “I am starting a job at the Caledonia branch of Merchants Bank. I have a steadily growing art blog (figmentedink.tumblr.com) and a newly opened shop on Society 6 (https://society6.com/figmentedink).”
APRIL AGAMAITE PINGEL
2012 Katlyn Lee Schumacher 1627 Spring Square Alley, Monroe, WI 53566 608-558-9073 / kate020812@gmail.com
ERIN BAVERY ’11 of Stoughton, Wisconsin: “Looking to complete student teaching/on-the-job placement in special education beginning in the fall.”
Erin Schaick 67 Croteau Court Apt. 2F, Manchester, NH 03104 603-513-9965 / Erin.Schaick@gmail.com
MAX C. BELLMORE ’11 of Birmingham, Alabama,
Brandon Taylor 367 Santana Heights, Apt. 5030, San Jose, CA 95128 406-274-4708 / BrandonJTaylor2012@gmail.com
is a student at Stanford University.
JULIA HEINRICH FARLEY ’11 and MATTHEW L. FARLEY ’11 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, were married in October 2014. Julia has been employed at Marquette University since June 2013 as an academic advisor for the College of Arts and Sciences. This year, she added on the role of pre-health professions advisor.
ASHLEY KIRST INGISH ’11 of Mukwonago, Wisconsin: “Living in Mukwonago with my husband, Matt Ingish ’11, and working as a physical education teacher at Waterford Union High School. I am the varsity volleyball coach and assistant softball coach.”
KATIE E. LAVIOLETTE ’11 of Appleton, Wisconsin: “I am a third-year student at Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine and passed my Part 1 Board exam this past summer. I will be starting 15 months’ worth of clerkship rotations beginning in January. I spoke to Ripon’s Pre-Med Society about the podiatry profession in November.” ROSS W. LEWIS ’11 of San Francisco, California, works for IBM as a big data technical sales specialist.
JOHN R. MCCLUSKEY ’11 of Des Moines, Washington, is a captain in the U.S. Army.
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Dear Class of 2012: Can you believe that the students will be enjoying spring break in a few weeks (or a few weeks ago, depending on when you read this)? Why don’t we have days like that anymore — a whole week off in March and three months off during the summer? It is hard to think that we have been away from campus for more than four years now and that the newest alumni of our wonderful institution will be finishing up their school year in May. As we move forward with our lives, filled with the knowledge bestowed upon us by our favorite professors, it is with this, the Spring 2016 Class Letter, that we hope you find helpful in keeping up-to-date and connected with your classmates and alma mater.
NATHAN C. ALDEN ’12 of Marengo, Illinois, is a cashier at Target.
SAMUEL M. BURTON ’12 of Kimberly, Wisconsin, is a trade coordinator for Foremost Farms.
ELLIE BYLER ’12 married Nick Koller on Oct. 31, 2015, and adopted a 1-year-old rescue corgi mix named Sheriff.
2011-13 GWEN CASEY DAVIS ’12 and JEFF D. DAVIS ’10 of Cross Plains, Wisconsin, were married Oct. 3,
BRANDON TAYLOR ’12 of San Jose, California, is a
2015, in Amherst, Wisconsin.
BEN WERNER ’12 works for the New England
ARIEL B. DICKINSON ’12 of Verona, Wisconsin: “I’m working for a software company (Epic) as a trainer and got engaged during the summer of 2015.”
KATHERINE SHADLE GAILS ’12 married RYAN GAILS ’13 on Dec. 20, 2015. BRAD T. HABERT ’12 of Grand Chute, Wisconsin, works for Pace Analytical in Green Bay. He reports that since graduating he has been lucky enough to work on projects in the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Apache National Forest. He also completed an internship at an organic farm that provides job training for veterans as well as individuals getting out of rehab and working to overcome their addictions.
STACEY HAMILTON ’12 is engaged to Clay Hall, and will marry on May 20. They have two adopted pups, and last year Stacey was promoted to assistant director of admissions at Sierra Nevada College.
AMANDA A. HERRMANN ’12 of Chicago, Illinois, is a prop designer at Looking Glass Theatre.
ROBERTA MARTIN ’12 of Ripon, Wisconsin, graduated in December from Loyola University Chicago with a master’s degree in community development and social justice with a certificate in urban ministry. She recently was promoted to assistant director at the Green Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.
MEGAN MCGEE ’12 is engaged to Adam Norris and they have four dogs. They bought a home in Kenosha, and Megan has started her own law firm working mostly in immigration law.
LUKE NOLTE ’12 of De Soto, Wisconsin, married MELISSA FLADHAMMER NOLTE ’10 on Feb. 28, 2015. They are expecting their first child in March 2016.
MIKE PEACOCK ’12 started his new job with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) in September 2015. TYLER J. PIERCE ’12 of Buffalo, New York, received
technology consultant for Accenture. Center for Children out of their sister school in Abu Dhabi.
ANDREA ZAK ’12 graduated with her master’s degree in educational leadership with her principal license from UW-Oshkosh in December. She is in her third year of teaching middle school social studies in Princeton, Wisconsin.
KATLYN, ERIN & BRANDON
2013 Travis Bitters bitters.travis@gmail.com Charlotte E. S. Lee charlotteeslee@gmail.com Lauren Ott lauren.a.ott.42@gmail.com Alexandra Peltier alipeltier13@gmail.com Writing this letter in the middle of February definitely makes me miss going to Springfest and the all-day activities that led up to the headliner. It also makes me think about the times travelling around a bit warmer Wisconsin, going to golf meets and building long-lasting friendships. However, I shouldn’t complain. Before I know it, the weather will be changing, students will be getting excited for Springfest, and I will be right back on the course. It’s crazy to think that it’s already been three years since we’ve graduated. It seems like yesterday we were “First Years” looking out toward junior year, wondering how we would ever get there. Now we’re finishing graduate school, starting families and working all over the country. It’s awesome to hear from so many of you, and I hope this section gets bigger and bigger each passing semester. If you ever have recent pictures with classmates or other Riponites, send them our way and we’ll be happy to include them here.
his master of science in professional development from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2014. He is now a football graduate assistant at SUNY-Buffalo.
Juan Island, Washington.
JESSICA M. SCHMIDT ’12 works for Mayo Clinic in
AMY J. NOWAK ’13 completed her master’s in
Rochester, Minnesota, as a financial representative.
HEATHER GAIE SCHULTZ ’12 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, married Kory Schultz, Oct. 10, 2015. She is in her clinical internship at St. Elizabeth Hospital and will graduate with a degree in medical technology and take her certification exam in May.
CAL M. SMITH ’12 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is a warehouse coordinator for Alliance Laundry Systems in Ripon and is working to expand his career into logistics management.
ALEX TANDE ’12 works as a kayak and mountain bike guide in New Zealand. He will return to his manager position at a company on San Juan Island, Washington, for the 2016 season. He has been developing his photography business, TMC Depictions. A few companies have used his work for their stock photography needs. Over the past year, he participated in multiple shows and events throughout the Madison area. He also started contributing to a website called Outbound Collective, providing both writing and photography of different adventures and trips throughout the world.
DAVID L. FORSETH ’13 and BREANNA GRACZ FORSETH ’13 were married June 5, 2015, on San
modern history from King’s College in London this spring.
SHELBY DUKES ’13 is in Alexandria, and just got a job with Inova Fairfax Hospital doing genomic medicine research and development. “Brad and I are still cohabiting. Other than that nothing has really changed.”
WALESKA HERNANDEZ RUSS ’13 married SPENCER RUSS ’12 in September and is going back to school to get her teaching certificate. “The best part about spring at Ripon is Springfest and being able to lay out on the lawn and people-watch.”
CHARLOTTE LEE ’13 has joined the board of the Arkansas Shakespeare Theater and is now the head coach for the local girls’ lacrosse team. She’s training for another half marathon in March. “Favorite springtime memory: Being able to study out on the grass again. I’ve also been missing Wendy’s pancakes in the café a lot recently, but that’s not a spring memory particularly!”
Spring 2016 55
CLASSLetters KATE AMELL FEHRENBACH ’13 welcomed baby Nate on Dec. 10, is primarily a stay-at-home mom while doing a bit of office work on the side for Interim Home Healthcare. ANDY ’13 is studying software development at Prime Digital Academy. “We are hoping to be officially living in the Twin Cities by this summer! One of my favorite memories of Ripon in the spring was when the weather finally turned nice and suddenly the lawns in front of the dorms were full of students studying or hanging out just enjoying the sunshine.”
MAYNA MUENCHOW ’13 accepted a chemist position for Fresenius-Kabi USA in Melrose Park, Illinois, and moved to Buffalo Grove, Illinois.
JENA ROSCIZEWSKI ’13 is the new program coordinator for Margaret Ann’s Program, a grief support group run by volunteers for children who have lost a parent, guardian, caretaker or sibling in the Racine/Kenosha area of Wisconsin. The program is run through Family Service of Racine. THOMAS ALBRECHT ’13 is an AVP portfolio manager for Associated Banc-Corp. in La Crosse. You’ll be glad to know, his couch is making the move with him.
BRIANA DRAEGER ’13 will graduate in May with a master’s in athletic training from The College of St. Scholastica.
HANNAH PEARSON ’13 got engaged to Matt Haase in September and will marry in June 2017. AMANDA VIRTUE ’13 was promoted to project coordinator at MCD Inc. in Madison.
LINDSEY WHITE ’13 will graduate in May with a master’s in clinical mental health counseling from UW-Oshkosh and is on the job hunt! RACHEL STAEDT ’13 is a project assistant at the National Criminal Justice Training Center at Fox Valley Technical College.
TRAVIS BITTERS ’13 is assistant operations manager at All City Communications, and will be getting married next year.
LISA AGUILAR ’13 is a third-year doctoral student in the school psychology program at Mizzou.
ELIZABETH BROWN ’13 is still a librarian at Central Washington University and going into her fifth term of teaching classes. “One of my articles was recently published in PNLA Quarterly and will begin its life cycle in the pit of academic literature that will be probably only be meaningful to a few, very discipline-specific individuals. I am the proud new owner of a downy sleeping bag! But have yet to own a couch or living room furniture.”
CASEY SIMONSON ’13 is student-teaching at Minnetonka High School through April — two sections of general chemistry and two of general biology.
JOHANNA BURTON ’13 and MICHAEL LANPHIER ’15 have moved to Michigan, and
ANDY FEHRENBACH is working his rear end off at Prime Digital Academy.
TRAVIS, CHARLOTTE, LAUREN and ALI
2014 Tim Holme 5408 Aster Court, Middleton, WI 53562 608-333-9526 / holmet77@gmail.com Mara Jensen 1012 North 27th Street, Apt. 204,Sheboygan, WI 53081 952-412-1420 / marajensen1992@gmail.com Naomi Jahn Skulan P.O. Box 95, Neosho, WI 53059 920-342-7288 / naomi@jahn.ru While it has now been almost two years since we graduated from Ripon (crazy right?), I know that Ripon still holds an important place in my heart, as I hope it does in yours. So check out what the school, the professors and the current students have been up to! Keep in mind, too, that many of the amazing experiences we were able to have at Ripon were made possible by generous alumni, so if you haven’t already, consider donating to our awesome alma mater.
SAMANTHA ANGELL ’14 is in her second year of the school psychology Ph.D. program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. ALICIA BARNES ’14 moved to Florida in June 2015 and is an accounts payable specialist with the law firm Holland & Knight. CASSIE BILOTTO ’14 is a sales associate at Pear and Simple.
BAILEY BODEEN ’14 is pursuing a master’s degree in biology and working as a graduate assistant at UW-Oshkosh.
JEREMY BROUWER ’14 is an assistant director at the YMCA.
EMILY DOZIER ’14 is approaching one year in her position as admissions advisor for John Wood Community College in Quincy, Illinois.
AMANDA FINN ’14 splits her time between being a reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal, Madison editor/venue relations for Footlights Magazine, and Madison contributing editor for BroadwayWorld.com. BEN FIRGENS ’14 is finishing his master’s degree in communication arts and sciences at Penn State. He has been accepted to continue for a Ph.D. in the same program. ADRIANA ZERIU FROM ’14 and NICK FROM ’14 will be married for one year in March. Nick is the assistant manager for Enterprise Rent a Car at the Eau Claire location. Adriana works for the Wisconsin Early Autism Project at the Eau Claire Clinic. They have a cat named Christopher.
CASEY GOTT ’14 is the pre-teen program
JoHanna is now the operations assistant at AmCane sugar.
coordinator at the Riverwest building of COA Youth & Family Centers in Milwaukee.
HANNAH ANDERSON ’13 will graduate in May with her master’s from the UW-Whitewater counselor education program with an emphasis in higher education. “I am living with my boyfriend, Tim, and the lovely JENNA OSTROWSKI ’13 in Whitewater. We also have a cat named Gandalf now.”
MADELINE SOCKNESS HERRMANN ’14 and her husband, MAX HERRMANN ’13, moved into their first home in January. She is starting her master’s in educational studies through Appleton Area School District and UW-Oshkosh this spring. She also coaches girls’ varsity hockey and girls’ varsity track and field.
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2013-15 MARK HINNER ’14 is a compliance analyst for Midvale at American Family Insurance. BENJAMIN JONES ’14 moved to California to enter an independent circuit and is working as a telemarketer.
BRIAN KOLLATZ ’14 is a reporting analyst at Cielo Talent.
BRITTANY LAHAIE ’14 is a K-8 Spanish teacher for the Prairie du Chien School District. She also is assistant coaching the varsity girls’ basketball team.
AMANDA LAMAL ’14 and her fiancé, Wyatt, purchased and moved into their first home in February. She is working at Wisconsin Public Service as a customer service representative.
ERIC LANGMAN ’14 is a lead teacher at Ripon Learning Center.
ARYNN MARTIN ’14 is in her second year of graduate school at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She is finishing up her master’s degree in industrial-organizational psychology. She also is an associate compensation consultant for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in St. Paul, Minnesota.
KARLYE WEHNER ’14 is pursuing a master’s in professional counseling with an emphasis in clinical mental health, and working as a graduate assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. KATHLEEN WENDEL ’14 now lives in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, with SPENCER HOFFMANN ’14, where Kathleen accepted an internal job offer from her employer, Pace Analytical Services Inc., to run the Chicago Service Center in Shaumburg, Illinois. SAMANTHA YOUNGLOVE ’14 is the residence life coordinator at Cardinal Stritch University and will start medical school in July at A.T. Still University in Missouri.
TIM HOLME, MARA JENSEN, and NAOMI SKULAN
2015 Sam Kay kaysamantha9@gmail.com Kaylie Longley kaylielongley@gmail.com
DONALD MALCHOW ’14 is the phonathon coordinator at Ripon College.
Logan Soich soichlogan@gmail.com
DANIEL MIKESELL ’14 teaches English at English
Since our last letter, so much has changed. Life shifts, sometimes quickly. From law school to chosen careers, we’ve come a long way, and that’s something to be proud of. Remember: you made this happen.
First in Changchun, China. He will begin a volunteer stint with Americorps NCCC FEMA Corps this summer.
ARIANA MYERS ’14 is still in graduate school. KATIE RAYMOND ’14 is a probation and parole agent.
REGINA RINELLI ’14 and her boyfriend got two rescue dogs this past year. She works for KBX logistic (formerly Georgia-Pacific) transportation department as a dedicated planning specialist.
TRES REDEMANN ’14 lives south of Seattle and has graduated from the Washington State Law Enforcement Academy. He is a police officer for the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. SPENCER REISBICK ’14 is in the Ph.D. program of chemical physics at the University of Minnesota. He is studying photon-induced near field electron microscopy (PINEM) using ultrafast electron microscopy (UEM). MAXWELL ROY ’14 has been promoted to resource
There have been many changes for a lot of us, most notably walking across that stage almost a year ago marked the start of them. It’s not as easy to find people for 2 a.m. Kwik Trip runs. And people aren’t across the hall anymore. It’s a wide world out there, and we’re making a stamp on it. And as much as we like to think that life has changed, Ripon still lives. There’s a whole new graduating class in a few months. Our professors are probably saying the same jokes, or variations of them. Students still manage school, work, organizations, internships, the occasional full night of sleep, and having something of a social life. Somehow, we did. And that’s strange to think about because our time at Ripon may have felt like something distinct. But it was. We had Army cadets, editors-in-chief, advocates for change, debaters, athletes, artists, and humanitarians (and so many more). And those people will continue to refine themselves. We all will. We can thank Ripon for shaping our lives, at least temporarily.
development and special events director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington County. He has one year left in his master’s of public health program at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and he will be getting married June 4, 2016.
JAMES ALLEN ’15 of Rochester, Minnesota, works for Mayo Clinic as a clinical research coordinator. James oversees clinical trials.
KRISTYN SOMMERS ’14 is director of the
CHELSEA GRAHN ANDREWS ’15 of Sun
Wyocena Public Library and a writing tutor at Madison Area Technical College.
AMANDA SPATCHEK ’14 is an accounts payable processor at Bay Valley Foods. She also is working on her master’s and CPA certification. She and her fiancé recently bought a house, and they will be tying the knot this September. JILL VANEPEREN ’14 teaches eighth-grade math at Freedom Middle School and assists with the Freedom Lady Irish basketball program. RACHEL WEDEWARD ’14 will graduate in May with her master’s in library and information science from Dominican University.
Prairie, Wisconsin, is attending the Ph.D, program in psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She will present her research at the Jean Piaget Society annual conference in Chicago this June. She also has a paper under revision for publication.
KELSEY BARTZ ’15 of Lake Mills, Wisconsin, is an intern for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and taking courses at the University of WisconsinMadison. KATIE BIEDLER ’15 of Saint Cloud, Minnesota, began working for Preferred Credit Inc. as a contract processor in November 2015. MITCHELL BUSCH ’15 of Appleton, Wisconsin, has been working for Building Envelope Solutions since June 2015.
Spring 2016 57
CLASSLetters CATHERINE CARBAJAL ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, will study abroad in Austria next semester for an international tax law program.
ANDREW CARBALLO ’15 of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, is attending the JD program at University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis. He will intern for a Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice this summer in Madison.
GABRIELLE CHIN ’15 moved to Atco, New Jersey, and is a counselor at Archway Program/Washington Towns. She works with children with severe emotional troubles. After years of working in water colors, she has decided to try out acrylics. ZACH CONNERS ’15 of Hollandale, Wisconsin, is the assistant pastry chef at The New Glarus Bakery. Additionally, he is the member services coordinator at Planet Fitness in Madison.
BRANDON DZUBA ’15 of West Lafayette, Indiana, is pursuing a Ph.D. at Purdue University, and is also a teacher’s assistant. He is a “house mom” to the Theta Chi chapter at Purdue and is experienced in stopping house flooding. SERGE FEDOROWSKY ’15 of Kewaskum, Wisconsin, is a free-lance writer for Crossways Camping Ministries.
EMILY FISCHER ’15 of Reedsville, Wisconsin, is an admissions counselor at Silver Lake College and head women’s volleyball coach. She is happy to announce her engagement to Sam Lensmire of Cleveland, Wisconsin. TEAGAN FORD ’15 of Mantorville, Minnesota, works at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
ALLIE HAEN ’15 of Madison, Wisconsin, is a mortgage banking examiner at Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. She will attend a conference in Phoenix this spring.
PETER HAYES ’15 of River Forest, Illinois, has
She will continue to work for the Fox Valley Autism Treatment Program as a line therapist and at the Gateway Café as a waitress for fun.
HOLLY KORTEMEIER ’15 of Whitewater, Wisconsin, is pursuing her master’s degree in school counseling at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She is a graduate assistant for the undergraduate research program and a server at Fanatico’s Italian Ristorante. MICHAEL LANPHIER ’15 of Westland, Michigan, runs his own Tradehome Shoes store in Detroit, Michigan. TAIHUA “RAY” LI ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, is studying for a master’s degree in predictive analytics at DePaul University in Chicago.
SKYLAR LIEBZEIT ’15 of Jefferson, Wisconsin, is the membership director for Anytime Fitness. MARK LISOWSKI ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, lives in Kansas while working on a service project for Americorps. In April, he will move to Thorne Bay, Alaska, to begin a project to improve educational and economic opportunities while also increasing the services of the public library for residents of the area. Mark hopes to stay with this program until April 2017 and then possibly join the Peace Corps.
KAYLIE LONGLEY ’15 of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, is a marketing associate at JB’s on 41 in Milwaukee and is excited for the company’s new website, billboards and virtual tour. She also writes book reviews. NICOLE MALLI ’15 of Washington, D.C., is pursuing a master’s degree in anthropology with a focus on international development. She is a project manager for the Slave Wrecks Project, and will travel to Mozambique this spring and South Africa this summer. KATIE JO MCGEE ’15 of Ripon, Wisconsin, works at Accurate Controls in Ripon.
worked in investment and insurance operations for Northwestern Mutual since September 2015.
BRI MILROY ’15 of East Grand Rapids, Michigan,
LUKE HENNINGSEN ’15 of Rice Lake, Wisconsin,
KATRINA O’NEILL ’15 of Minocqua, Wisconsin, is the assistant manager for the new Sherwin Williams in Minocqua.
will start medical school at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in August.
JORDAN HIBBARD ’15 of Sugar Camp, Wisconsin, will be married in October. He works at BMO Harris.
HAYDEN HOERDEMANN ’15 of Bloomington, Illinois, has moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, to work in an internship at Impact Basketball until June. He is a basketball coach and trainer for post-graduate high school basketball players and helps assist in training NBA players who stop in to train.
MARIYA HINOJOS ’15 of Madison, Wisconsin, is attending the Ph.D. program in chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a teaching assistant for a general chemistry course. CASSIE HINTZ ’15 of Eden, Wisconsin, began working for Exact Sciences as a resolution associate in Madison. SAMANTHA KAY ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, moved back to Milwaukee from Minneapolis and is working as a field organizer for the League of Conservation Voters. She just got back from a training in Baltimore.
SAMANTHA KLEIN ’15 of Baraboo, Wisconsin, is employed at Crossways Camping Ministries in Waupaca as a retreat host. She also will be the naturalist at Pine Lake Camp from May-August.
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will enter a graduate program in psychology this fall.
KRISTINA OGLESBY ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is teaching seventh- and eighth-grade language arts.
NATHAN PARKOS ’15 of Madison, Wisconsin, is a certified nursing assistant at St. Mary’s Hospital. BEN PAULSON ’15 and ALEXANDRA PATZA PAULSON ’15 of Ripon, Wisconsin, were married Aug. 1, 2015. Alex is a K-5 music teacher at Eden Elementary School. Ben is a bid coordinator at Block Iron in Oshkosh.
BRANDI PELTIER ’15 of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, works at Prader-Willi Homes of Oconomowoc, assisting individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome. This syndrome causes a chronic feeling of hunger, cognitive disabilities and behavior problems.
KORRINE PETERSON ’15 of Burlington, Wisconsin, is a long-term substitute teacher and coaches the freshman softball team.
SAMANTHA PETROSKI ’15 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, attends the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Bradenton, Florida.
CHLOE PIEPHO ’15 of Rochester, Minnesota is a communication associate for development communications within Mayo Clinic’s Department of Public Affairs.
2015 ABIGAIL QUACKENBOSS ’15 of Saint Cloud, Wisconsin, is a development associate for annual giving at Ripon College.
ANTHONY ZAYIA ’15 of Three Lakes, Wisconsin, is a physical education/adaptive physical education teacher at Northland Pines in Eagle River.
DANIELA SANTIAGO ’15 of Green Bay, Wisconsin,
As time ticks by, don’t forget to live. Enjoy it. Go explore. Take risks. Live. Learn.
works in Student Support Services at NWTC and as a CNA at Manor Care.
LAURA SAVALL ’15 of Ridgeland, Wisconsin, attends Vermont Law School with a focus on environmental and social justice advocacy. She also is involved with the Vermont Prison Debate Initiative which provides inmates critical reading and thinking skills, along with professional skills they can utilize after being released.
We’ll always be connected to Ripon in some way, whether it’s over Snapchat, visits to our alma mater, helping the Annual Fund, or even reading this letter. And that’s something that will never change.
KAYLIE, SAM and LOGAN
DEREK SAXON ’15 and KAITLYN LUECK SAXON ’15 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, were married June 19, 2015. Derek attends the Ph.D. program in chemistry at the University of Minnesota. Kaitlyn works at Thrivent Financial.
LAURA SHIVELY ’15 of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, is a PM at Thermo Fisher Scientific in Brookfield. She just finished her first season coaching the Divine Savior Holy Angels High School swim and dive team.
KARENA SCHROEDER ’15 of Mankato, Minnesota, is the marketing and sales manager at Sam’s Club.
BRIAN SCHUMACHER ’15 of Ames, Iowa, is pursuing a Ph.D. in organic chemistry at Iowa State University, where he is researching organic chemistry and catalysis with the Stanley group.
i like the size
& the personal attention i receive from my professors.
S H A N E STR A B L E Y ’ 1 9
KARLYN SCHUMACHER ’15 of River Falls, Wisconsin, is attending the master’s program in library science at the University of WisconsinMadison.
JESSICA SKIBA ’15 of Algonquin, Illinois, is a media specialist with .orgSource and .orgCommunity, managing their websites, social media accounts and blogs, and creating graphic design for their promotions/branding.
NATE SIUDAK ’15 of Cedarberg, Wisconsin, is regional sales manager and assistant marking director with American Signal in Milwaukee.
JOHN SPADONI ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is an inside sales representative for Dynamis Software Co.
EMILY STACKER ’15 of Appleton, Wisconsin, bought a house. She is a compliance and IT support specialist for Partnership Community Health Center.
ALISON THIEL ’15 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is the project manager for a local nonprofit, the Green Lake Association. AMEL TOPIC ’15 of Denver, Colorado, began working for Life Care Centers of America in January.
DRE TINGLIN ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, works for AWI Engineering.
KAMELLE VAN DER LEEST ’15 of Lake Mills, Wisconsin, is a member services specialist at Dean Health Plan in Madison. She is engaged to Rob Waters ’15, and the couple will tie the knot in August 2016.
ROB WATERS ’15 of Lake Mills, Wisconsin, is a customer service representative at Saris Cycling Group. He and Kamelle Van Der Leest ’15 will marry in August 2016.
KAITLYN WELZEN ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is the sustainability coordinator for Sodexo. She manages college interns, including one from Ripon College. She is now a master’s student in sustainable management at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
Share your photos with us. Send pictures from your vacations, alumni gatherings, chance Ripon encounters, even historic images from your college scrapbooks to instagram@ripon.edu. Spring 2016 59
Staying Connected with Ripon
Richard Russo ’76 paying it forward with scholarship fund “I attribute much of my success to the liberal arts education I received at Ripon,” says
RICHARD RUSSO ’76 of East Grand Rapids, Michigan, a member of the Ripon College Alumni Board of Directors. Russo and his wife, Kathy, (who did not attend Ripon), have been giving back to the College for more than 30 years. “I did not know how critical my education at Ripon was until I attended graduate school at George Washington University,” Russo says. “I found the skills I obtained at Ripon helped to set
of potential academically and
He addressed the Russos directly:
me apart from other students.
has been willing to give back to
“Thank you for this scholarship.
With a liberal arts education,
society in general,” Russo says.
It’s a huge help for my financial
I took courses across a broad
The first recipient of the
spectrum of subjects, which gave
endowment, BRIAN WILSON
me a well-balanced background
’18 of Campbellsport, Wisconsin,
Megan Sohr ’18
in several fields of study.”
fits that description. Wilson,
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
The Russos wanted young adults
though undeclared at the
to be able to receive the same
moment, believes he would like
type of education he did at
to major in psychology. He then
Ripon, and they are aware of how
would like to attend graduate
difficult it is for young people
school and become a clinical
to afford college. “As student
psychologist, or get into law
numbers have declined over
enforcement, which offers myriad
the past several years, a strong
options in itself.
endowment and, specifically,
Wilson loves attending Ripon for
more scholarships have become
the professors, small class size
critical to attract more students
and sense of community among
by reducing their out-of-pocket
students. “The moment I first
cost,” Russo says. “We wanted to
walked on this campus, I knew
give back to the institution that
it was the best campus for me,”
gave me a step up in my life in
Wilson says.
education, I took courses
The Russos aim to lower student
across a broad spectrum
general and help me to become more successful as a person.”
debt and thus make attending
The Richard K. 1976 and
college a less stressful experience.
Kathy Russo Family Endowed
Wilson says the endowment
Scholarship has no requirements
is doing just that for him. “It’s
based on the student’s major
a tremendous help,” he says.
or background, but the Russos
“We all know Ripon is not the
hope the scholarship helps
cheapest school. But others are
certain kinds of students. “We
helping me, and it makes the
want a student who shows lots
tuition easier.”
60 60
Connections Connections
situation. Ripon is the school I want to be at.”
“I found the skills I obtained at Ripon helped to set me apart from other students. With a liberal arts
of subjects, which gave me a well-balanced background in several fields of study.” RICHARD RUSSO ’76
Staying Connected with Ripon
Susan Bundock ’82 hosts Career Discovery tours to open students’ eyes attracted by the small college, the small class sizes and the ability to get to know her professors. “I went to a very big high school, and I really liked the idea and the feel of a small college,” she says. She had a self-designed major in politics and communication and feels that her liberal arts education has had a “huge” impact on her successful career. “I manage a staff of six, and we produce the television programming that’s on C-Span 3 every weekend,” Bundock says. “It’s all related to American history.” “I have basically spent my whole career at C-Span. I’ve been assigned to produce all kinds of different subjects from history to Susan Bundock ’82 is an
here in Washington, D.C. During
politics to international affairs. A
executive director for American
that semester, we met with a lot
broad liberal arts education, even
History TV at C-SPAN. She
of adults working in the city, and
if you’re not an expert in any
twice has hosted students on
having the opportunity to meet
of those subjects, is extremely
Career Discovery Tours visiting
them and hear about their jobs
helpful — just having a general
Washington, D.C.
was very influential.”
knowledge about a lot of
The tours are sponsored each
Bundock says all it involves is
semester by Career Services staff
“carving out a few hours of your
with support from the Alumni
day and talking to these students
Board and others. They are
about your work. By doing so,
designed to expand student-
it hopefully opens their eyes to
alumni career networking
possible career paths.
opportunities by offering students the opportunity to travel for a week to vibrant cities across the United States to gain first-hand knowledge of a variety of careers directly from successful Ripon alumni and friends.
different disciplines. The liberal arts education at Ripon, which required a great deal of writing and research, absolutely helped me in a career in journalism.”
“I’ve enjoyed it very much. It just kind of takes you back to that point in your life when
“The main reason
most people don’t really know
I said ‘yes’ to this
what they want to do. Some people have a clear career path.
was that when
Many students are searching for
I was a junior at Ripon,
“The main reason I said ‘yes’ to
a career and what they want to
this was that when I was a junior
do in their work lives. If there’s
I participated in the
at Ripon, I participated in the
anything I can do to help them
Washington semester program,
along the way, it’s personally and
Washington semester
so I was here for a semester in
professionally satisfying. It’s fun
Washington, D.C.,” Bundock says.
to see their enthusiasm.”
“That was a major factor in my decision to want to live and work
Bundock came to Ripon from Deerfield, Illinois, and was
program, so I was here for a semester in Washington D.C.” SUSAN BUNDOCK ’92
Spring 2016 2016 61 61 Spring
InMemoriam WALTER E. LEHMANN ’39
PATRICIA PECK PERRY ’43
of Edina, Minnesota, died Oct. 28, 2015. At Ripon, he studied German, music and psychology, and was a member of Omega Sigma Chi fraternity. During World War II, he served with the U.S. Army as a paratrooper. He enjoyed bowling and was active with his church, leading weekly Bible study. Survivors include one son and three daughters.
of Columbia, South Carolina, died Oct. 29, 2015. At Ripon, she studied biology, was a member of Alpha Gamma Theta sorority, and met her husband, EUGENE M. PERRY JR. ’43, who died in 1975. She taught biology in Shakopee, Minnesota, and was involved with her church, the Retired Officers’ Wives Club and garden club. She was a patron of the local theater, state museum and Riverbanks Zoo. Survivors include one son and one daughter.
ROBERT J. HILDEBRAND ’40 of St. George, Utah, died Jan. 9, 2016. While at Ripon, he was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha fraternity. He graduated from the Marquette University School of Dentistry. He served as a Captain and Major for the U.S. Army Air Corps Dental Corps from 1942 to 1947. Survivors include three sons, including MARK E. HILDEBRAND ’73; and one daughter.
EMILY “BILLIE” GENGE KOLB ’40 of Overland Park, Kansas, died March 17, 2016. At Ripon, she studied psychology, was a member of Alpha Gamma Theta sorority, and met her husband, ROLAND L. KOLB ’39, who died in 2001. They lived in many places, including Germany, Japan, Turkey, Hilton Head Island and Punta Gorda, Florida. She enjoyed sculpting, painting, crafting, sewing, gardening, playing piano, reading and traveling. Survivors include one daughter, CHERYL KOLB ROHT ’65.
JACQUELINE BROWN GERTH ’43 of Northbrook, Illinois, died Dec. 10, 2015. At Ripon, she studied mathematics and was a member of Pi Delta Omega sorority. She completed her degree at Northwestern University and also received her master’s degree in mathematics there. She married FLOYD H. GERTH ’42 in 1943, and he died in 2008. Jacqueline was an assistant engineer at Illinois Bell Telephone and taught for many years in the Evanston and Glenbrook school systems, retiring in 1981. She was a member of several genealogical organizations and self-published a book with information about 20 of her family lines, some dating to the 1600s. Survivors include one son.
62
Connections
DEAN A. EMANUEL ’45 of Marshfield, Wisconsin, died Feb. 28, 2016. At Ripon, he studied biology, was a member of Phi Kappa Pi fraternity, and enlisted in the Army. He earned his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1947. He was called to active duty in the Army and served from 1956 to 1958. Afterward, he joined the Marshfield Clinic as a cardiologist and developed the first cardiac catheterization lab and performed the first heart catheterization. He was active in agricultural diseases research, receiving several grants, and helped found the Auction of Champions gala to support the National Farm Medicine Center at Marshfield Clinic. After his retirement, he made yearly trips to St. Lucia to see and treat cardiology patients. Survivors include his wife, Lorraine Emanuel, 305 S. Chestnut Ave., Apt. 224, Marshfield, WI 54449; sons, including PETER D. EMANUEL ’81; and two daughters.
Walter E. Lehmann ’39
Dean A. Emanuel ’45
DEVERE “DUTCH” L. VANDERVORT ’45 of Burnsville, Minnesota, died Feb. 1, 2016. At Ripon, he studied mathematics and physics and was a member of Delta Sigma Psi fraternity. He had a distinguished career with Kodak Corp., retiring after almost 40 years with the company. For many years, he was a class agent for Ripon College.
DeVere “Dutch” L. Vandervort ’45
DOROTHY NEESE EVANS ’46 of Miami, Florida, died Jan. 10, 2016. At Ripon, she studied music and Spanish, was a member of Alpha Gamma Theta sorority, and met her husband, MARVIN L. EVANS ’49, who died in 2002. She was an elementary and special education teacher for many years. She loved music, singing in her church choir for more than 40 years, and in various music clubs. She also loved Ripon College, returning for class reunions and Alumni Weekend each summer, and was looking forward to celebrating her 70th reunion in June. Survivors include two sons, including JAMES C. EVANS ’79; and two daughters.
MILES E. GIBBONS ’49 of Kimberly, Wisconsin, died Dec. 29, 2015. At Ripon, he studied economics. He earned another degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in North Africa, France, Corsica and Italy. He had a 25-year career with Thorp Finance Corp., and taught banking at the University of Colorado-Boulder and Iowa State. Survivors include his wife, Margery Gibbons, 101 Somerset Lane, Kimberly, WI 54136; one son and three daughters.
of Rockford, Illinois, died Nov. 27, 2015. At Ripon, she was a member of Kappa Sigma Chi sorority. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and worked as a speech therapist in Salem, Oregon, Wausau, Wisconsin, and Rockford, Illinois. She loved to volunteer and enjoyed traveling to remote areas of the world to learn about different cultures.
LOUIS F. LANZER ’49 of Torrance, California, died Feb. 13, 2016. At Ripon, he studied mathematics and met his wife of 65 years, ELIZABETH CARMAN LANZER ’49. He received a master’s degree from Northwestern University. He joined the aerospace industry, working in avionics. After retiring, he collected rare books and prints of Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. Survivors include his wife, ELIZABETH CARMAN LANZER ’49, 4229 Paseo de las Tortugas, Torrance, CA 90505; one son and one daughter.
PATRICIA HELANDER PFIFFNER ’48 of Madison,
HAROLD E. ST. ARNAULD ’49 of Marquette, Michigan,
SHIRLEY NOERZ KLEIN ’48
Wisconsin, died Sept. 18, 2015. At Ripon, she studied psychology, was a member of Delta Phi Sigma sorority, and met her husband of 65 years, DAVID M. PFIFFNER ’48, who died in 2014. She was an avid golfer and curler, enjoyed knitting and sewing, and could fix almost anything. Survivors include two sons and one daughter.
SEVERA “VERA” LAUFENBERG BAUMAN ’49 of Middleton, Wisconsin, died Feb. 22, 2016. At Ripon, she studied for only a short time. She was active in her church and her community, including the Middleton Historical Society. Survivors include two sons and four daughters.
Dorothy Neese Evans ’46
Severa “Vera” Laufenberg Bauman ’49
died Feb. 7, 2016. At Ripon, he studied economics and was a member of Alpha Pi Omega fraternity. He worked as a branch manager for CIT Loan Corp. and as an executive director of the United Way of Marquette County. He was involved in his church, the Kiwanis Club and Elks Lodge, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and city planning board. He enjoyed golfing, bowling and spending time with family and friends. Survivors include his wife, Norma St. Arnauld, 209 W. Kaye Ave., Marquette, MI 49855; and one son.
CLAYTON C. TINKHAM ’49 of Anaheim, California, died Oct. 3, 2015. At Ripon, he studied economics, was a member of Phi Kappa Pi fraternity, and met his wife of 66 years, FLORENCE ZICK TINKHAM ’48. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean War. He was a railroad signal engineer for 49 years and was an active member of his church. Survivors include his wife,
FLORENCE ZICK TINKHAM ’48, 3123 W. Teranimar Drive,
Anaheim, CA 92804; one son and two daughters.
Spring 2016 63
InMemoriam GEORGE “BOB” R. GRAY JR. ’50 of Ripon, Wisconsin, died
ROBERT “BOB” H. DANIELSEN ’53 of
Oct. 8, 2015. At Ripon, he was a member of Omega Sigma Chi fraternity and participated in Ver Adest. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and worked as a pharmacist and owner of Gray’s Rexall Drug Store (eventually Ripon Drug), retiring after 49 years. He served with the U.S. Navy in 1945-1946 in northern China. He was active in his church, Ripon Rotary, Ripon Jaycees, Ripon Chamber of Commerce and Ripon Medical Center. He enjoyed sports, especially golf. Survivors include two daughters.
Minneapolis, Minnesota, died Sept. 28, 2015. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. At Ripon, he studied economics and was a member of Phi Kappa Pi fraternity. He worked and traveled in the western United States before settling in Minnesota. His surviving children include a daughter, JILL DANIELSEN MCRAE ’84.
PATRICK “PAT” M. LLOYD ’51 of Middleton, Wisconsin, died Nov. 14, 2015. At Ripon, he studied economics. He served in the U.S. Air Force, and earned a law degree from the University of WisconsinMadison. He practiced law for 50 years, bringing once case before the State Supreme Court. He also served on numerous boards, was active in his church, and enjoyed antiquing, playing cards and following Marquette University men’s basketball. Survivors include two sons and one daughter.
ROBERT “BOB” D. MORDECAI ’51 of Moorehead, Minnesota, died Sept. 22, 2015. At Ripon, he studied chemistry. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and worked for Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. Survivors include one son and one daughter.
DELYLE G. REDMOND ’51 of Roseville, California, died Sept. 1, 2015. He served with the U.S. Marine Corps. At Ripon College, he studied economics and was a member of Phi Kappa Pi fraternity. He was an officer in the U.S. Army for 29 years, serving in Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Germany and Iran. Reaching the rank of colonel, he received more than 40 citations for valor and meritorious service. Survivors include his wife, Evelyn Redmond, 103 Cloverdale Court, Roseville, CA 95661; one son and two daughters.
64
Connections
BETTERAE ELLESON IHSSEN ’53 of Fort Wayne, Indiana, died Feb 16, 2016. She graduated from Ripon College with honors and was elected to Ripon’s first Phi Beta Kappa chapter. She was one of the first part-time teachers at Messiah Lutheran Pre-school and an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. She read stories to local kindergarteners and sold tickets at school sports events. For 10 years, she administered an exchange program between Concordia and Holy Hope Lutheran School in Japan. In 2004, she and her husband were recognized by the Lutheran Foundation for the Maxine Rippe Award for diligent and faithful service in the church and community. She loved to read, knit and go bicycling. Survivors include her husband, WILLIAM IHSSEN ’55, 6723 South Anthony Boulevard, Apt. E235, Fort Wayne, IN 46816; three sons and one daughter.
JAMES K. MOHR ’53 of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, died Oct. 16, 2015. At Ripon, he studied economics, was a member of Omega Sigma Chi, participated in Ver Adest, and met his wife, JANICE MUIR MOHR ’53, who died in 2008. Survivors include one son and one daughter. EDWIN S. WATKINS ’53 of Fulton, Mississippi, died Nov. 1, 2015. He served in the U.S. Army before attending the University of Mississippi. At Ripon, he studied economics and was a member of Omega Sigma Chi fraternity. He earned his MBA at Stanford University. He worked in marketing and product management for companies like Sunbeam, Hamilton Beach, Singer and Allstate Insurance. In his retirement, he enjoyed making improvements to his property, visiting with friends and being involved with his church. Survivors include one son.
Robert “Bob” D. Mordecai ’51
DeLyle G. Redmond ’51
Robert “Bob” H. Danielsen ’53
VIRGINIA FOERTSCH GLENN ’54 of Midland,
KAREN KEYSER HEUSER ’56 of Clarkston, Michigan, died
Texas, died Nov. 28, 2015. She attended Ripon College for two years before transferring to the University of Illinois ChampaignUrbana. Her husband’s career took their family to South America and North Africa, before their return to the United States. She was active in her community and enjoyed golfing, playing bridge and reading. Survivors include one son and two daughters.
March 5, 2015. She enjoyed gardening. Survivors include her husband, SIEGFRIED H. HEUSER ’57, 10001 Ellis Road, Clarkston, MI 48348; one son, SIEGFRIED K. HEUSER ’89; one daughter, CATHERINE HEUSER AUSTIN ’80; and a granddaughter, ELIZABETH M. AUSTIN ’07.
LOIS ZIMMERMAN KIESER ’54 of Neillsville, Wisconsin,
died Sept. 24, 2015. At Ripon, he studied economics and was a member of Omega Sigma Chi fraternity. He was an avid sailor and was a member of various yacht clubs. He owned a business repairing boats. He also was a professional singer, performing as a baritone and later as a tenor with numerous different opera companies in Missouri, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut until retiring in the mid-1990s. Survivors include his wife, Sara McPherson, 41 Parkview Way, Appleton, WI 54913; and one son.
died Dec. 21, 2015. At Ripon, she studied English and was a member of Pi Tau Pi sorority. She taught for two years and later worked for the Clark County Press and for the county in the judge’s office until retiring in 1996. She enjoyed quilting and gardening, and was a member of the Candlelight Homemaker’s Club. Survivors include her husband, Frederick Kieser, 18 Court St., Neillsville, WI 54456; and two sons.
FRANCES MANFREDINI VANDEN HEUVEL ’54 of Highland Park, Illinois, died March 1, 2016. At Ripon, she studied mathematics and was a member of Pi Tau Pi sorority. She worked for Illinois Bell, Highland Park Public Library, Pasquesi Travel and Insurance, and the Illinois State Scholarship Commission. She was a member of the Highland Park Women’s Club and was active in her church’s choir and liturgy group. Survivors include three sons and one daughter.
GRACE CLOUGH MARTIN ’55 of Appleton, Wisconsin, died Jan. 30, 2016. At Ripon, she studied education and was a member of Delta Phi Sigma sorority. She operated the Tre Fisk American Plan Resort in Rhinelander. She later was coowner of the Armory Corp. and The Roundtable Restaurant, and owned and operated Carlson’s Closet in Neenah for many years. She served on the board of the Chamber of Commerce and as a member of several area professional organizations, and she volunteered with her church, St. Joseph’s Food Program and PEO Sisterhood. Survivors include her husband, Joseph Martin, 195 Harry’s Gateway, Appleton, WI 54914; one son; one daughter, ELIZABETH
ROBERT E. MCPHERSON ’57 of Appleton, Wisconsin,
WAYNE BENJAMIN WEGNER ’60 of Ripon,
Lois Zimmerman Kieser ’54
Robert E. McPherson ’57
Wisconsin, died Oct. 9, 2015. After briefly attending Ripon, he moved to the family farm where he farmed all of his life. Survivors include one son and two daughters.
KENNETH MYLES MITCHELL ’61 of Shalimar, Florida, died Nov. 30, 2015. At Ripon, he studied psychology and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. He earned a master’s degree in counseling from Michigan State University and a law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Survivors include his wife, Cecilia Mitchell, 26 Marlborough Road, Shalimar, FL 32579.
CARLSON KRIZENESKY ’76; one stepson and four
stepdaughters.
Spring 2016 65
InMemoriam ROBERT W. HAUBRICH ’62 of Colorado Springs, Colorado, died Oct. 6, 2015. At Ripon, he studied physical education and was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He served in the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of full colonel at the time of his retirement. He served in the Korean War and completed two tours of duty in Vietnam. Among his accolades were two Bronze Stars, a Bronze Star of Valor, two Purple Hearts, and the Legion of Merit. Survivors include his wife, Lorraine Haubrich, 20 Luxury Lane, Colorado Springs, CO 80921; one son; and a sister, DONNA HAUBRICH REICHLE ’59.
ELSIE DUNCAN LANCE ’62 of Fort Worth, Texas, died Dec. 2, 2015. She attended Ripon College briefly before moving to Arkansas and then finally to Texas. She had a 28-year career with Frank Kent Cadillac, retiring in 2000. Despite suffering from polio, she enjoyed volunteering for the local shelter and tutoring, as well as playing bridge.
SALLY LANGE PAYNE ’62 of Appleton, Wisconsin, died Nov. 14, 2015. At Ripon, she studied economics and was on the staff of College Days and WRPN. She had her own tax service for many years. She enjoyed spending time with family, reading, crocheting and traveling. Survivors include one son and one daughter.
JACQUELINE J. ADAMSKI ’63 of Ripon, Wisconsin, died March 3, 2016. At Ripon, she studied history. She earned a master’s degree from Rosary College at Dominican University. She was a librarian at Northwestern University and in New York City. She enjoyed volunteering time with charity organizations.
LYNN GABEL BROCKELMAN ’63 of Lake Wales, Florida, died Oct. 16, 2015. At Ripon, she studied physical education and was a member of Alpha Phi sorority. She volunteered in local school systems, serving on boards and PTA, and was involved with the Bok Academy rocket program. She enjoyed photography and golf. Survivors include her husband, Curtis Brockelman, 94 Mountain Lake, Lake Wales, FL 33898; two sons and one daughter.
66
Connections
LINDA HUDDLESTON YENGLING ’65 of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, died March 6, 2016. At Ripon, she studied psychology and was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority. She enjoyed nature, animals, reading, birdwatching, kayaking, volunteering and traveling. Survivors include her husband, ARTHUR C. YENGLING ’66, 900 S.W. 12th St., Apt. 105, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315; one son, one daughter and a sister, MARY HUDDLESTON BOCK ’53. Lynn Gabel Brockelman ’63
GARY W. PARENT ’67 of Melissa, Texas, died June 7, 2014. At Ripon, he studied mathematics and economics, and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. He was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force, serving in the Vietnam War and later as an instructor in Arizona and Suffolk, England. He earned an MBA from Golden Gate University and began a second career as a pilot for American Airlines. He was an avid golfer and a skilled craftsman and coin collector. Survivors include his wife, Rita Parent, 39 Meadowcreek Drive, Melissa, TX 75454; and two daughters.
LINDA M. BRYSON ’69 of Brookfield, Wisconsin, died Sept. 22, 2015. At Ripon, she studied French and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She earned a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and worked in writing and video production for various businesses and organizations. Survivors include one brother, M. SCOTT BRYSON ’73.
MILLICENT MANN ’72 of Cottonwood, Arizona, died Feb. 4, 2016. At Ripon, she studied art. She worked for Electronic Data Systems in Dallas, Texas, and then American Express in Phoenix, Arizona, until retiring in 2010. She traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia; enjoyed whitewater rafting and scuba diving; and even tried sky diving. BARBARA CURRIE SILVER ’75 of Mesa, Arizona, died April 25, 2015. She attended Ripon College and San Diego State University, and worked as an educator and writer. Survivors include one son.
Gary W. Parent ’67
WARREN C. MCNEIL ’77 of
DANIEL J. RUPAR ’85 of
Stone Lake, Wisconsin, died Dec. 1, 2015. At Ripon, he studied business and was a member of Phi Kappa Pi fraternity, finishing his degree at Dominican University and earning his MBA at DePaul University. He worked in sales and owned a business representing manufacturers. He enjoyed boating, clay shooting, pheasant hunting, hockey and traveling. Survivors include his wife, Julie McNeil, 6824N Fleur de Lane, Stone Lake, WI 54876; and three daughters.
Merrill, Wisconsin, died Jan. 30, 2016. At Ripon, he studied politics & government and economics, and he earned a law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was a member of Phi Kappa Pi fraternity. He was a corporate and estate planning attorney and served as chair of the Trust and Estate Practice Group at Ruder Ware. He was an avid cyclist, hiker, mountain climber and adventurous vacationer, and was active in the Wausau community, serving on the YMCA board for 20 years. Survivors include his wife Deborah Rupar, W4445 Eagle Ridge Lane, Merrill, WI 54452; and two daughters.
THOMAS R. PAPENTHIEN ’77 of Waunakee, Wisconsin, died Dec. 1, 2015. At Ripon, he studied economics and was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He received his MBA from Washington University. He had a 40-year career in banking, recently retiring from Bankers’ Bank in Madison where he served as CEO and president. He enjoyed skiing, golfing, boating and four-wheeling. Survivors include one son and one daughter.
SANDRA K. GEHLER ’79 of Killeen, Texas, died Feb. 14, 2016. At Ripon, she studied art and business education. She was involved with Officer Wives’ Clubs and Army Community Service during her husband’s military career, and was a leader in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. She worked at Dillard’s in the children’s department and retired as a human resource manager. She was active in her church and enjoyed sewing, painting, stamping, genealogy, gardening and traveling. Survivors include her husband, Stanley Gehler, 406 Terrapin Drive, Killeen, TX 76542; one son and one daughter.
Thomas “Pete” P. Winn III ’79
JAMES A. WAISBROT ’88 of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, died Nov. 2, 2015. At Ripon, he studied business management and German. He earned an additional degree in web and digital media development from the University of WisconsinStevens Point.
ELIZABETH CLARK JOHNSON ’97 of West Bend, Wisconsin, died March 22, 2016. At Ripon, she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority and played soccer. She was an educator and enjoyed bowling, tennis and traveling. Survivors include her husband, Korey Johnson.
Daniel J. Rupar ’85
Elizabeth Clark Johnson ’97
THOMAS “PETE” P. WINN III ’79 of Rolesville, North Carolina, died March 7, 2015. At Ripon, he studied politics and government and was a member of Theta Chi fraternity. He worked for 30 years as a journalist, most notably with Focus on the Family and CNSNews.com. He loved music, was an avid reader, and volunteered as a radio announcer. Survivors include his wife, Margaret Winn, 509 Fish Pond Court, Rolesville, NC 27571.
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InMemoriam
Faculty and Staff DR. WILLIAM E. TYREE of Rushville, Illinois, died Jan. 2, 2016. He held degrees from Illinois Wesleyan University, Garrett Evangelical Seminary at Northwestern University, the University of Edinburgh and Union Theological Seminary. He served as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He taught philosophy at Ripon College for 33 years, serving as chair of the department for 23 of those years, retiring in 1983. In 1989, he received an honorary degree from the College. He loved singing, traveling, baseball, ice skating and ballroom dancing. He was a Methodist minister and preached at several churches in Illinois and New York.
R. DOUGLAS ZIEGLER of West Bend, Wisconsin, died March 5, 2016. He served as a trustee of Ripon College from 1968 to 1991. He had a successful career in business and was involved with boards of directors for many businesses, nonprofits and civic organizations. He enjoyed sailing and spending time at his second home in Colorado fishing, hiking and skiing. Survivors include his wife, Sharon L. Ziegler, 5409 German Village Road, West Bend, WI 53095; two sons, including PETER D. ZIEGLER ’71; and four daughters, including DEBORAH A. ZIEGLER ’76.
Dr. William E. Tyree
KERMIT “DOC” G. WEISKE ’50 of Ripon, Wisconsin, died March 17, 2016. At Ripon, he studied physical education, played football and basketball, and was a member of Alpha Phi Omega fraternity. He earned his master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Doc was Ripon’s “Mr. Basketball” and set a scoring record that stood for 28 years. He coached the Ripon men’s basketball team (1958-66 and 1972-80) to five Midwest Conference championships, two NCAA Division III playoff appearances, and a 203-148 collegiate coaching record. After coaching, he worked in insurance and securities, opening the Weiske Agency. He was a trustee of Ripon College and received the faculty Severy Award, Distinguished Alumni Citation and Medal of Merit, as well as being inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Survivors include his wife, Lois Weiske, 522 Fairview Lane, Ripon, WI 54971; three sons, including STEVEN P. WEISKE ’78; and one daughter JAYNE M. WEISKE ’76.
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Connections
Kermit “Doc” G. Weiske ’50
R. Douglas Ziegler
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