2021 WINTER Re-U-Knight-er

A publication for the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools community & alumni.

WINTER 2021

Knights Bring Home

Three State Titles

FROM THE ALUMNI OFFICE Dear alumni, family and friends,

Our mission... to form a community of faith and learning by promoting a Catholic way of life through Gospel values and academic excellence.

President: Kyle L. Groos Alumni & Communications Specialist: Malorie Adamson ‘07 605.575.3360 Director of Development: Susanne Halverson Gale ‘94 605.575.3342 Executive Director Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools Foundation: Nicole R. Bruning 605.575.3362 Admissions / Recruitment: Jenni Struck 605.575.3358

Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools 3100 W 41st St Sioux Falls, SD 57105

www.ogknights.org

I want to thank you for all your support and kindness over my time at O’Gorman but it is with sadness that I must inform you that I will no longer be the Alumni and Communications Specialist for Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools. While I am excited for a new opportunity that has come my way, I will greatly miss the many, many wonderful people I had the pleasure to work with at this organization. From our incredible alumni, to our dedicated staff, I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to work with every single one of you during my time in this position. This is such a special community and I am so grateful to have been a part of it.

God bless, Malorie Adamson ‘07

When we come together, we can do amazing things.

Let’s raise $50K in ONE DAY... all for tuition assistance.

GO>GIVE>OG day is Monday, May 3, 2021 and is an annual day of giving on which we rally our alumni to give to tuition assistance with the goal of raising $50K in one day!

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the day will go to help students at Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools. A little help can make a HUGE impact for so many.

Your generosity will help families who desire a Catholic education for their children.

Now, more than ever, due to the hardships brought on by the pandemic, they need your help. No child should ever be turned away due to tuition costs. Give on May 3rd to help enable more students the opportunity for the same Catholic education you once received. Every dollar counts and helps make a difference in the life of a student. Mark your calendars and get ready for another great day of giving!

www.GoGiveOG21.GiveSmart.com

GO DIGITAL!

GO DIGITAL!

www.facebook.com/BishopOGKnights @BishopOGKnights @BishopOGKnights

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GO DIGITAL!

If you would like to move to a digital version of the Re-U-Knight-er, go to www.ogknights.org/alumni/contact-form.

You can also email info@ogknights.org or call 605-336-6354. A big thank you to those who have switched to e-issues already. Not only do we save on printing, but postage as well.

O’Gorman - Cathedral

Alumni Hall of Fame The purpose of the O’Gorman-Cathedral Hall of Fame is to recognize our outstanding alumni and former staff who:

• Distinguished themselves through excellence in their profession or • Distinguished themselves through exceptional service, volunteerism or contribution to the community and/or church, or • Distinguished themselves through excellence in athletics, and • Upholds the values of our Catholic faith

An awards committee will determine the 2021 Hall of Fame inductees. Recipients will be honored at O’Gorman’s Homecoming festivites and at the Hall of Fame Banquet.

Please note that once someone has been nominated, they will remain in our files for consideration each year.

You do not need to re-nominate unless new information becomes available.

Nomination Form Nominee’s Name: Class Year: Nomination is for:

Distinguished Alumni Excellence in Athletics

Nominee’s accomplishments (why they deserve the award):

(provide supporting documents)

Nominator’s name: Daytime phone:

Email:

Please remember that you MUST provide supporting documentation that our committees can use to determine winners of these awards.

It is difficult to research the many names that are submitted, so we rely on you to aid in this process. If names are submitted without additional information, it is unlikely that your nominee will be given true consideration for an award. Thank you!

* Nominations must be received by April 15, 2021 in order to be considered for the 2021 Hall of Fame induction.

Mail to: Alumni Office, 3100 W. 41st St, Sioux Falls, SD 57105 or submit online at: www.ogknights.org/alumni/hall-of-fame

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Knights Bring Home

Three State Titles VOLLEYBALL BOYS SOCCER GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

The Knights had some very impressive athletic performances this fall. They brought home, not one, not two, but THREE state championship titles! Volleyball, boys soccer and girls cross country all took home the coveted state championship trophy. Each team faced obstacles and challenges throughout the season but pushed through to end their seasons victorious.

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VOLLEYBALL

The volleyball team had an amazing run this season ending with a 26-0 record and a state championship title! They are the only AA volleyball team since 1991 to have an undefeated season. Their impressive performance even earned them a national ranking. USA Today reported back in September that the Knights were ranked 19th nationally!

After coming in second at the state tournament in 2019, the Knights were determined to finish this year with a state title.

They started the season as the number one ranked team and they proved their spot as they tore through the competition, defeating every opponent they stepped on the court against.

“It is always an obstacle to be the one on top. We had a target on our back every day and, with that, we got every opponent’s best game. It’s an exciting place to be but also can be very trying. We had some tight matches where we took our standing for granted and we did a great job of bouncing back and staying focused on the goals we had for ourselves,” said Coach Emily Byrnes.

Strong leadership on and off the court was led by senior players Brynn Askew, Grace Bengford, Haley Hoffman, Elaina Lubeck, Emma McKay, Josie Niedringhaus and Raegen Reilly. Senior leadership was key to the success of the team and the support shown to every teammate.

“They were brought in and willing to do whatever was best for the team and it created a very competitive and fun atmosphere. Everyone was working together to give their best every day and that is all we could ever ask for as a coaching staff,” said Coach Byrnes. “I think some of my favorite moments of the season were the ways in which we got to see the team rally around each other and celebrate each other’s successes. Every time that we had our underclassmen and non-starters in the match, the team found a new level of excitement and celebration.

Those are the moments when we really get to see the amazing young women that these athletes are.”

The Reilly sisters, Bergen and Raegen, were huge assets to the team this year. Senior Raegan Reilly was named 2020 Miss Volleyball, First Team All-Conference, First Team All-State, Adrenaline Player of the Year and Argus Leader Super Six first team! She finished her senior season with 794 assists, 269 digs, 136 kills and 39 aces. She also ended her high school volleyball career with over 1,600 total assists! Reagan has committed to playing volleyball at North Dakota State next school year. “Winning the state title proves that all of our hard work has paid off. It is such a special thing that I am so blessed to have been a part of,” said Raegan.

Sophomore Bergen Reilly was named the 2020 Argus Leader Super Six Player of the Year and she was the only sophomore to be named first or second team All-American by VolleyballMag.com.

Bergen has been playing varsity volleyball for the Knights since she was in 8th grade and has proven her spot at the varsity level time and time again. Bergen finished the 2020 season with 400 kills, 260 digs, 131 assists and 36 aces. As a young player, Bergen still has a very promising future in front of her.

The state volleyball tournament was held in Brookings on November 19-21. The Knights were favored entering the tournament. They started the tournament by knocking out the eighth-ranked team, the Harrisburg Tigers, and then defeated the fourth-ranked team, the Washington Warriors to make it to the championship game. The championship matchup against the third-ranked Huron Tigers went only four sets. The Knights took the first set 2515, the second set 25-17 but lost the third set 20-25. With just one set left to win in order to earn themselves the state title, the Knights battled through for a 25-18 finish in the fourth set to take the championship and finish with an INCREDIBLE undefeated season.

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BOYS SOCCER

The boys soccer team also brought home a state championship ending with a 10-4-3 record for the season. They faced many challenges and obstacles but overcame them all through perseverance and resilience. Team unity played a big role in their success with teammates recognizing the roles of each player and supporting each other on and off the field.

At the beginning of the season, the Knights were off to a tough start with players out for quarantine and injuries. An early season game against Watertown required over half of the JV players to play in order to avoid forfeiting the game. Once all players were back and hard at work, the Knights battled through for an incredible season finish. “This group of players all came together at the best time of the season and accomplished a well-deserved championship,” said Coach Ryan Beier. Beier is the first varsity coach in South Dakota to win a boys and girls state soccer title. Beier won state championships with the girls soccer team in 2004, 2007, 2008, 2013 and 2015. He switched from being the girls soccer head coach at O’Gorman to the boys soccer head coach in 2019.

Senior and team captain, Riley Aarbo, had a fantastic season and was named United Soccer Coaches SD Player of the Year! “It was never my intention to go into the season winning personal awards; I was only focused on bringing home the first sanctioned state championship for boys soccer. I am very proud to have achieved this award and hopefully can win the other awards that I am up for,” said Aarbo. Riley was a dynamite player for the Knights. In their season game against Yankton, he scored three goals in the last five minutes of the game to win 3-2! He along with seniors Sebastian Althoff, Cade Anderson, Ethan Cox, Jack Pellman, Jacob Reimer and Patryk Stys helped lead the Knights to their victorious season finish.

The Knights took on the Rapid City Stevens Raiders in the state championship on October 17 in Huron.

They were definitely the underdogs, ranked seventh coming into the state tournament. The Knights beat both second-ranked Spearfish and thirdranked Watertown to make it to the championship.

The undefeated Raiders were favored entering the championship game but the Knights triumphed over the Raiders with a final score of 2-1.

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GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

The cross country team saw much success this season, ending with the girls bringing home a state championship title for the Knights. This was the first girls cross country state title for the Knights since 1988! The state meet was held in Rapid City and took place during a good, old-fashioned South Dakota snow storm. That didn’t hinder the Knights as they ended with four girls finishing in the top 10 out of 123 total runners, proving the immense amount of talent on this year’s team. The four runners from O’Gorman that made the top 25 All-State; Alea Hardie (1st), Katie Castelli (2nd), Libby Castelli (5th) and Ruth Pardy (8th).

Junior Alea Hardie defended her 2019 individual state title, finishing first at the state meet. Hardie is the first in O’Gorman history to win back-to-back individual state titles! “It is an incredible feeling that I will never take for granted. It was so special to experience a state championship as a team, and I will cherish the memory forever. I’m so proud of my whole team and all the hard work they have put in. Also, I can’t thank Coach Strand enough for all he does. He definitely deserves this win!” said Hardie. Alea set a school and a state record with her finishing time of 17:58.70 at the state meet.

Senior Katie Castelli finished second place individually at the state meet, helping the Knights seal the state team title. Castelli broke school records at the Kuehn Park, Huron, Nike Course and Brandon meets winning every race up until the state meet. “Ending my senior year with a state championship was the best way to end my high school cross country career,” said Castelli.

Katie was new to the team this year after transferring from out of state. She has committed to Santa Clara University to run at the D1 level next year. “It has been a dream of mine to run at a D1 school and with the cancelled track season last year it was harder for college coaches to decide if you were a good fit for their program. But with a disappointing end to my junior year, I was able to really thrive in the new environment senior year and achieve my goals,” said Castelli.

“Katie Castelli and Alea Hardie ran some of the fastest times in the nation and in South Dakota history. The summer miles and hard work during the season paid off going first and second at state. Their leadership and work ethic are a major reason the Knights were team state champions,” said coach Aaron Strand. This state title is Coach Strand’s first state championship as head coach for the Knights.

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Pass on the gift of a Catholic education. With an easy, affordable gift of just $10/month (or more), you can help send a child to our schools. That’s less than a Netflix subscription or three cups of coffee per month! The 10x12 Alumni Giving Program raises funds for tuition assistance for students at Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools today and in the future. Your monthly or one-time gift to this fund will help families, who qualify for financial assistance, send their children to our schools. Currently, 1 in 4 students at Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools receives tuition assistance and the number of requests continue to grow every year.

Passing on the gift... of faith in education To donate, go to ogknights.org/giving/ways-to-give and click on the blue “Donate Now” button or scan the QR code to the left with your phone’s camera!

SATURDAY, MARCH 27 TH We are excited to announce that this year’s Extravaganza will be virtual! Our goal is to raise $170,000 to help support staff salaries and tuition assistance for all eight Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools. The evening will kick off at 7pm with our MC, Joe Rutten, a 1996 O’Gorman High School graduate!

We are partnering with RWine Bar and McNally’s Irish Pub to create DIY drinks, charcuterie boards and desserts for you to purchase ahead of time. Follow us on social media for more details. You won’t want to miss this year’s event.

We have some EXCITING things happening!

Community is a big part of who we are. We all miss gathering together, so we are bringing JunkFM to do a concert for us outside in June. More information to come!

www.AllKnights2021.givesmart.com www.facebook.com/BishopOGKnights

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@BishopOGKnights

@BishopOGKnights

BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR BISHOP O’GORMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

There are over $19 million* in invested funds held at our Foundation and the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern SD for the benefit of our schools.

Endowment distribution included over $500,000** for: Teacher Salaries, Tuition Assistance, Scholarships, Capital Improvement and more!

There are nearly 350 Foundation members committed to our mission of supporting all eight Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools!

Foundation donors gave annual gifts totaling more than $113,000* to support our daily operations!

Make a direct impact by joining over 1,000 generous donors who supported us last fiscal year!

*Statistics based on FY20 **Statistics based on FY21

Help Us Sustain Our World-Class Catholic Education: Become a Foundation Member Today!

• Give an annual $1,000 sustainer gift to support the operating budget; OR, • Start an endowment for teacher salaries, tuition assistance or capital improvements; OR, • Include the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools Foundation in your planned or estate gift.

"It was a very easy decision to support our teachers through the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools Foundation.

School teachers have a beauty and grace to them that is evident through the love they show to their students. We would recommend joining the Foundation to anyone who is looking to honor our teachers in the way they deserve!”

- Micah and Lindsay Mauney, Foundation Members

For more information, contact us at 605-575-3343 or foundation@ogknights.org.

KNIGHT NOTES NovemBEAR Prayer Bears During the week of Thanksgiving, Kindergarten students at Holy Spirit Elementary each received a prayer bear, made

by Mrs. Smith’s mother, Toni Halverson, for the start of the NovemBEAR week. Students also took part in bear-themed activities in class throughout that week and will use the bears as a reminder for them to pray every day.

Sr. Cephas Maria Visits St. Mary Students

St. Mary Elementary students received a special visit from Sr. Cephas Maria ‘10 (formerly Katie Ridder) in December! She talked with students about her vocation and shared her love of Jesus.

St. Nicholas Classroom Visits St. Nicholas visited St. Lambert Elementary students on December 4, 2020. He taught students about his history and gave them and their teachers a special, little Christmas treat.

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OGJH Service Projects Students at O’Gorman Junior High raised money through a student hunger drive in November.

They raised over $7,500 for Feeding South Dakota. They also held an Advent Baby Shower in December to benefit the Diocesan Advent Baby Shower. Way to go Knights!

Elementary Advent Giving Projects Students at the elementary schools each raised money and donated items to various charities or did service projects for the Advent season. St. Lambert Elementary students collected socks and underwear for the Bishop Dudley House. Christ the King Elementary students held a food drive for Feeding South Dakota. St. Katharine Drexel Elementary made cards for hospital staff and nursing home residents. St. Michael Elementary students wrote letters to Santa to benefit Macy’s Believe campaign which supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation and sold luminary bags to support tuition assistance. St. Mary Elementary students collected gift cards and made cards for the Benedictine Sisters. And Holy Spirit Elementary students collected 759 boxes of baby wipes for the Society of St. Vincent De Paul Diaper Ministry. Our students are learning what it means to serve others.

St. Lambert

entary

Elem Holy Spirit

Elementary

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O G O WAY T St. Michael

Elementary

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What’s up at COMPETITIVE CHEER

COMPETITIVE DANCE

The competitive cheer team placed second at the state competition this year, making it the second year in a row they received the runner-up spot at the state competition. Congratulations on a great season ladies!

The competitive dance team placed fourth in pom and eighth overall at this year’s state dance competition. Nice work ladies!

WRITING AND PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD WINNERS Ryleigh Tupper

Olivia Darby

Amy Longo

Junior Ryleigh Tupper placed first in the ATPI Fall Photo Contest for her submission in the Constructed Image category. Freshman Olivia Darby received a Silver Key and an Honorable Mention at this year’s Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Junior Amy Longo received two Gold Keys for two different pieces of artwork in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Amy’s work will be submitted to the National Scholastic Art Awards where she will compete against other young artists around the country! Way to go Knights!

Ryleigh Tupper’s Contest Image

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SUPERIOR NEWSPAPER AWARD

FALL CHILDREN’S PLAY

The Knight Scroll was recognized by the SDHSAA with a Superior Newspaper award. Junior Ryleigh Tupper also received two Superior Journalistic Photography awards for her work with the Knight Scroll.

The theater department performed the Children’s Show, Cinderella, at the Lorang Theatre this fall. Limited attendance was allowed at the shows but it was still a fantastic performance!

NEW CLUBS LAUNCH AT OG

Environment Awareness Club

Fashion Club

OGHS launched two new clubs this year for students; the Environment Awareness Club (EAC) and the Fashion Club. The EAC has made multiple efforts to help keep OG green and environmentally friendly. The Fashion Club has assisted with The Knight Locker; styling and modeling Knightwear for sales through the store and online.

MEDIA LITERACY CHALLENGE WINNERS Liz Jones

ADVENT PROJECT

Ella Greble

Junior Liz Jones and sophomore Ella Greble won the Thomson Reuters National “Fact or Fiction” Media Literacy Challenge. Each will get a virtual mentorship opportunity with Reuters’ media professionals to help guide them with their future endeavors in media and journalism.

Students collected goods for the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House for their annual Advent service project. They collected 240 stockings full of personal care items; 200 for adults and 40 for children who stay at the shelter during the holiday season. They also filled 40 large moving boxes with supplies for the shelter to use throughout the year including hundreds of pairs of socks and hundreds of dollars of gift cards.

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Catholic Schools Week This year, Catholic Schools Week took place January 31 through February 6, 2021. Throughout the week, each school celebrated their faith in learning with service projects, dress down days and special activities.

Students and staff weren’t able to gather together for an all-school Mass this year as they usually do, but Bishop DeGrood led Mass at O’Gorman High School on Tuesday, February 2nd. The Mass was streamed online for students at the junior high and the six elementary schools to watch while high school students were able to attend in-person.

In Bishop DeGrood’s homily, he said, “I thank God to this day that my parents made the choice… and made great sacrifices so that I could go to Catholic school.” So why do parents make those sacrifices? For many of our students’ parents, it’s simple. Faith is always at the forefront. Christ is centered in every facet, creating a very tight-knit community of faith in our schools. Mike Heineman, a 1996 O’Gorman graduate and current parent of Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools students, said, “We love the faith-based learning and how it is incorporated into everything the students do. The teachers and administrators create such a family atmosphere that Students and lives on long after you leave staff celebrate d Mass with DeGrood for Bishop C atholic Schoo school.” Stacy Adamson, a ls Week! Ma held at OGHS ss was and the othe 2006 O’Gorman graduate r schools we watch the ce re a le ble to b ra ti o n via livestre and parent of students at am.

St. Lambert Elementary

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said, “A majority of a young person’s time and personal development happens in the school setting. It is crucial for them to see the faith as something that infiltrates their whole life, not just something for Sunday.”

The impact our schools leave on students is immeasurable. “Every passing year, the value of my Catholic education impacts me more deeply… As an adult, I can see the foundation a Catholic education laid for me, truly enabling me to go where I wanted to go. I will send each of my children to Catholic schools because of its impact on my life—and so do many of my friends!” said 1995 O’Gorman graduate and parent of St. Mary Elementary students, Rory Kelly.

“We love the faith-based learning and how it is incorporated into everything the students do.”

- Mike Heineman ‘96 The community at Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools is like none other. The ability to express, celebrate and learn in the Catholic faith as a community creates an atmosphere of love and support that extends beyond the classrooms.

Brooke Wegener, a 2002 O’Gorman graduate and current parent of students at St. Lambert Elementary, said, “I am still so thankful and grateful that my parents made the sacrifices to send me and my siblings to Catholic school.

So many wonderful teachers, coaches, administrators and mentors, at each stage of my life, helped me find my passions. The teachers are wonderful and extremely dedicated, and the parent volunteers make for some of those special moments that everyone in the school community gets to experience.”

Catholic Schools Week is a time in which we celebrate all those things. From celebrating the students and families to the faculty, communities, parishes and vocations, we get to recognize what a blessing Catholic schools truly are. Through activities, service projects and faith celebrations, Catholic Schools Week allows us to take the time to really highlight everything that makes our schools so special. We are so grateful to everyone in our Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools community and are immensely appreciative of all they do to make our schools and the community so extraordinary.

tary had mbert Elemen La .

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Students at St . Katharine D rexel put toge special art pro ther a ject for Catho lic Schools W eek.

hools Week, For Catholic Sc rist the King students at Ch n ented Fr. Samso Elementary pres s te rman with no and Deacon Boo them expressing they wrote to do on for all they their appreciati h. it fa r ei ow in th to help them gr

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‘58 Sharron (Johnson) Erdman writes, “I turned 80 years old - I survived it all.”

‘58 Paul Dysart published a book called Can’t We All Just Get Along?: The Paul Dysart Story. The book includes lessons about welcoming family, voicing your truth and sharing love. His family was the first black family to attend St. Joseph Cathedral and he and his siblings were the first black students to attend Cathedral High School. The book can be purchased on Amazon.

‘58 John Crangle is still playing ice hockey at age 80. He writes, “I’m the oldest hockey player in South Carolina. Learned to play at Covell Lake while a student.” ’65 Mark Stoebner and his wife, Paula, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 26th with their four children and their spouses and their 16 grandchildren! Mark writes, “Lucky it was a nice day so that we could have a safe outdoor celebration.”

‘68 Archbishop Thomas Gullickson recently retired and moved back to Sioux Falls. His email address is te.gull@gmail.com ‘75 David Faragher has retired after 32 years of medical practice. His email address is davidcfaragher@yahoo.com ‘80 Carol (Barnett) Nesbitt writes, “Well, since there weren’t a lot of EVENTS to attend here (or anywhere for that matter) this past summer, my husband and I spent most weekends hiking and climbing mountains here in Colorado. I’m pleased to

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share that I have officially climbed my first two “14ers” (mountains at least 14,000 feet). Not bad for an old lady. Pictured with my husband, Curt, our son, Joey ‘08 and his wife, Alena.

Looking forward to more adventures this summer.”

‘84 Ellen WelchFeuerhelm moved back to Beach, ND and on October 1, 2020 she completed EMT Training in Antigo, Wisconsin. Her email address is elli_welch@yahoo.com ‘99 Justin Ollerich and his family live in Roseville, MN. In October of 2020, he returned from a year-long deployment to Kuwait where he served as a Logistics Officer. He is happy to be home with his wife, son, parents and siblings. He writes, “Laus Deo!” His email address is justin.ollerich@gmail.com ‘00 Shawna (Reinesch) Roorda and her family reside in Sioux Falls. She is an RN at the Sanford Children’s Hospital and her husband, Luke, serves in the SD Air National Guard. They have two boys together, Reid (11) and Owen (8).

‘05 Elizabeth (Freitag) Broders and her husband, Mark welcomed their fifth child, Frederick Aloysius Broders on February 23, 2020.

He joins older siblings Henry, Catherine, Adeline and Rosalind.

‘07 Chelsi Gunderson married Dan Mancini in 2020.

They live in Orange County, California and are both residential real estate brokers. Her email address is Chelsi.gunderson@compass.com ‘07 Michael Klein received a bachelor’s degree in Computer and Network Security from DSU in 2011 and a Master’s degree in Information Assurance in 2012. He works at SDN Communications in Sioux Falls and married Amanda Stidd in October of 2018. ’07 Isaac Gerdes and his wife, Alexis, welcomed Blake Edward Gerdes into the world in October of 2020. He joins older brother, Jackson.

‘08 Kayla (Lindberg) Beck and husband, Derek, welcome a son, Colton James Beck, born June 29, 2020.

She writes, “He joins big sister MacKenzie and has added so much joy to our family!”

‘08 Rylee Nelson has now been a Field Agent with Knights of Columbus Insurance for five years. He qualified for MDRT in 2021.

‘09 Joe Klein received a Bachelor of Science from Beloit College in 2013 and a Masters degree in Anthropology from the University of Santa Cruz in 2017. He is currently working on his doctorate in Anthropology at the University of Santa Cruz, studying climate change and the coral reef. He has studied much of the time in Indonesia. ’09 Taryn (Gerdes) Peterson and her husband, Erik, welcomed Blaise Steven Peterson into the world in November of 2020.

He joins older brother, Maximilian.

‘12 Peter Klein received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 2016 from USD. He is currently employed as a South Dakota Highway Patrolman and a member of HPSD SWAT team.

‘14 Alex Linneman and his wife, Haley, had a baby boy, Oliver Valentine Linneman, on October 21, 2020.

‘14 Emily Klein received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 2018 from USD and is employed at the Minnehaha County Public Defender’s Office in Sioux Falls.

‘16 Regina Fischer married Grant Suddarth at St. Lambert Parish on July 4, 2020. She graduated from the University of Lincoln in May of 2020 and is currently attending school at Nebraska Methodist College for Occupational Therapy.

Class of ‘71 is hoping to “Re-U-Knight” safely for our 50th reunion in the fall of 2021.

Please update your email address at ogclassof71@gmail.com Check this reunion’s specifics as they become available AND for all other class reunion updates at

www.ogknights.org/alumni/ alumni-happenings

Shop for your favorite Knightwear items...

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Questions: 605-575-3391 or email: theknightlocker@ogknights.org

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* Full obits available at www.ogknights.org/alumni/in-memoriam

FORMER STAFF:

Tom Waggoner passed away on June 3, 2020. Tom was the principal at St. Mary Elementary from 1977-1982. He is survived by his wife, Karen “Casey” (Sigurdson); his children, Jenny Petticord ‘87, Megan Williams, Gretchen Kliafas, Nathaniel, Sasha LaGrange; 14 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brothers, Richard and David; and sister Carol Quien. He was preceded in death by his parents, Helen and Otis “Lefty”; and brother Steve. A celebration of life is planned for August of 2021.

ALUMNI: ‘42 Sr. Alexius Portz, SSND died on December 13, 2020. She is survived by her nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and the SSND community. She was preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Caroline; her brothers Alex ‘40, William ‘36 and Rev. Bernard ‘38.

‘43 Rose Ann (Ashoff) Ryan passed away on November 15, 2020. She is survived by her siblings, Barbaralee Hansen, Ronald Aschoff, Gerald Aschoff; sisters-in-law, Glenda Aschoff and Edith Aschoff; as well as many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, Mercedes Usey, Angela, Elsie Weis, Francis, William, an infant brother; brothers-in-law, Duane Hansen, Bill Usey, Jerry Weis; and sister-in-law, Lucile Aschoff. Memorials are being directed to Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools Foundation, 3100 W 41st St, Sioux Falls, SD, 57105.

‘44 Mary McGowan died on October 13, 2020. She is survived by many dear nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; and two sisters, Jean Cobert ‘42 and Peggy Begeman ‘49.

‘49 Tom Skaff passed away on October 10, 2020. He is survived by his children Tom Jr. ‘75 and Sherry Amburn; son-in-law, Darwin

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Jaqua; sister, Mary Jo Donnelly ‘55; 10 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Tom is preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Bonnie; daughter, Deb Jaqua; parents, Joseph Sr. and Agnes; siblings Maureen ‘38, Rita ‘42, Mickey, Audrey ‘44, Barbara ‘48 and Joseph “Bud” Jr.

‘58 James “Jim” Woods died on October 15, 2020. He is survived by sisters, Jeanne Ditter ‘61 and Margaret Zerfas ‘64; nieces and nephews, Chad, Kim, and Drew Ditter, Aimee Morlan and Tobin Zerfas; and special friend, Patricia Gildemeister. Jim was preceded in death by his parents.

‘50 Alfred English died on October 28, 2020. He is survived by his children, Thomas, Amy Spinti, Mary Vendrell, Susan Theis ‘84 and Tim; six grandchildren; and brother, Stuart ‘58. He is preceded in death by his wife, Alison; brother, Richard “Dick” ‘62; and his parents, Catherine and Les.

‘62 Mary (Bruggeman) Plucker passed away on October 23, 2020. She is survived by her husband, Ron; children, Jennifer Jones ‘90 and David; and six grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Veronica; her son, Jon; and brothers, John, Cletus, Denis ‘55 and Tomas ‘58. A celebration of life is planned for this summer.

‘51 Deacon James Wall passed away on August 31, 2020. He is survived by his beloved wife Harriet “Joey”; children, Brenda Overton, Kathleen Sturm, James T., Cecilia, Eileen Gray and Mary Scerbo; 18 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and godchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother, Lucius “PQ”; and his sister, Eleanor Wall Sullivan.

‘55 Pat Wuebben died December 25, 2020. She is survived by her sister, Barbara Stich ‘56; as well as many in-laws and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Norman; her parents; and siblings, Mike Myers ‘54, Sally Myers ‘62 and Connie Marr ‘68.

‘57 Jerome Hunter passed away on December 1, 2020. He is survived by his daughters, Joan Ullom, Mary Giolitti, Kathy and Karen; four grandchildren; two greatgrandchildren; brother, Thomas ‘61; sister, Mary Lou Scott ‘55; sister-in-law, Charlotte; and brother-in-law, Ronald Bisson. Jerry was preceded in death by his son, Paul.

‘57 Richard Kinney died on December 13, 2020. He is survived by his wife, Ruth (Hawn) ‘57; children, Anne Morstad ‘79, Jane Brumels ‘82, Richard and Robert; eight grandchildren; and sister, Kathleen Schmidt.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Marie.

’64 James “Jim” Cloutier passed away on January 7, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Laura; sisters, Mary Bengtson ‘67, Joan Myer ‘66; brother, Steven ’73; mother-inlaw, Lettie Loper; and nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and his father-in-law, LeRoy Loper.

‘65 Rochelle (DeBoer) Anderson died on October 30, 2020. She is survived by her son, Peter; two grandchildren, Jackson and Mackenzie; and their mother Lindsey Schoffelman; brothers, Tom and Paul; brothers and sisters-in-law, Eldine Murphy, John, Irene DeBerg and Cheryl; special friend/cousin Doreen; ex-husband Paul and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sister-in-law Jane Leite, and brother-in-law Kai. ‘66 James “Jim” Hexamer passed away November 19, 2020. He is survived by his wife, Mary Anne ‘66; children, Emily Wilson ‘92, Katie Hanson ‘93 and Meghan Wilkens ‘96; grandchildren Annalise Wilson, Charlotte Hanson, Everett Hanson, Owen Wilkens and Emma Wilkens; his sister, June Albers; his brothers, David ‘68 and Pat; as well as many loving nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

‘67 Lois Anderson passed away on November 25, 2020. She is survived by her siblings, Gail Villotta ‘65, Teresa Stoll ‘68, Eileen Koster ‘69, Larry ‘70 and Rita Pederson ‘73; 15 nieces and nephews, including Ryan Stoll ‘97, Neil Stoll ‘98, Eric Stoll ‘00 and Mary Pribyl ‘02; and 19 great nieces and nephews.

Condolences can be sent to Teresa Stoll (2712 S Lincoln Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57105).

Memorials are being directed to Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools Foundation, 3100 W 41st St, Sioux Falls, SD, 57105.

‘73 Debra Walsh died on November 30, 2020. She is survived by her husband, John Harrington; son, Connor Harrington; daughter-in-law, Dakkota Harrington; granddaughter, Noah Hazel; mother, Kay; and her seven siblings, Patti Cornell ‘74, John ‘76, Colleen Stich ‘79, Tim ‘81, Mark ‘83, Susan Banck and Steven ‘86. She is also survived by an aunt, uncles and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her father, Cliff.

‘79 Robert “Bob” Harris passed away on December 23, 2020. He is survived by his siblings, Bill ‘77, Teresa Henrickson ‘81, Donna Harris McQuade ‘82, Kathy Engeman ‘85 and Cindy Dougherty ‘86; brother-in-law, Andy Henrickson ‘78; as well as his partner Cynthia Keller and her children, Jared, Julius, Justice, Julion Alician and Rosalind; and many nieces and nephews.

‘79 Lisa Neuroth died December 3, 2020. She is survived by her daughters, Sharona Neuroth and Stacia Johnson; seven grandchildren, Trinity, Tyler, Aiyanna, Madison, Michaela, Avery and Omri; siblings, Sandra Brown ‘68, Sheri Olawsky, Suzanne, Shannon Feekes ‘73, Scott ‘74, Joe, John and Kelly ‘83; and many nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends. Lisa was preceded in death by her parents, Bernard and LaVonne; and her older sister, Stephanie Blair ‘67.

‘80 Tobin “Toby” Green passed away on October 27, 2020. He is survived by his wife, Susan; children, Courteney and Connor; grandchildren, Kiran and Kairi; and his brother, Tom ‘82. He was preceded in death by his twin brother Tony ‘81 and father David ‘53.

‘84 Michele “Missy” (Huff) Rausch died on January 1, 2021. She is survived by her husband, Ken; her children, Mike and Rachel; her father, Joe Huff; sisters, Marilee Kontz and Vicki Hayes ‘83; sister-in-law, Carol Huff; and many nieces, nephews and extended family. She was preceded in death by her mother, Mary Huff and her brother Joe Huff ‘72.

‘86 Tony Spader passed away on January 8, 2021. He is survived by his former spouse, Stephanie (Peters) ‘92; his children, Maasa ‘18, AJ ‘19, Catherine and Teresa; his parents, Duane and Elaine; his siblings, John ‘84, Patty Spader-Edwards ‘87, David ’94, Brian ‘96, Mark ‘00 and Ann; sister-in-law, Kelli ‘00; his nieces and nephews, Micah ‘17 and Macy ‘20, Josi and Jhaimann Huntington, Briggs and Nash; and a multitude of aunts and uncles. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Rebekah.

‘89 Becky Vander Woude died on January 10, 2021. She is survived by her siblings, Anthony ‘90 and Lori ‘94; nieces, Clarissa ‘12 and Stella; nephew Kahlen ‘14; many aunts and uncles; and numerous cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Susan; grandparents, Albert and Florence and Roy and Frances Bingen; and aunts and uncles, Albert and Doris, Marie, Wayne ‘53 and Sandra (Turco) ‘58, John Bell, Gloria, Gerald, Sandra (Bingen) Nies, and Richard and Karen (Bingen Opbroek) Meeker.

‘92 Regan (Fox) Laughlin died on October 20, 2020. She is survived by her husband, Cullan; daughters, Haley Nerland ‘14 and Alexandra ‘20; mother, Sandy Justus; sisters, Erin Fox and Alyssa Justus; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Sue and Gary VanDoren; sisters-in-law, Amy Mitchell and Brandi VanDoren; many cousins, nieces and nephews; her dogs, Sweet Pea, Ella, and Izzy; and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Jim Fox; her maternal grandparents, Darlene and Allan Hagestuen and Mattie Wood; her uncles, Gerald (Uncle Bud) Fox and Charlie Catchpole; her aunts, Mary Ann Catchpole and Kathy Alesi; cousin, Randy Reit; and other extended family members.

‘15 Bailey Lauret passed away on January 5, 2021. He is survived by his parents, Curt and Rochelle; sister, Madeine ‘16; grandparents, Curtis and Lorraine; and paternal and maternal aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents John and Marge Van Sambeek and cousin Christopher Van Sambeek.

Memorials are being directed to Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools Foundation, 3100 W 41st St, Sioux Falls, SD, 57105.

FAMILY OF ALUMNI: James “Jim” Spomer, husband of Mary (Wehling) ‘78.

Robert “Bob” Plimpton, father of Pamela Klatt ‘80, Julie Wulf ‘82, Christa Poppenga ‘85, Robert Jr. ‘87, Shelly Schnetter ‘88 and Jennifer Daniels ‘90; and father-in-law of Tom Schnetter ‘86 and Craig Daniels ‘90.

John L. Mulligan, father of Amy Paul ‘95 and Andy Mulligan ‘93; and father-in-law of Elizabeth (Kneip) ‘96.

Agnes Fillaus, mother of Robert Jr. ‘67.

James Bruns, father of Jim ‘88 and Jenny Skyberg.

Vanette Satlak, mother of Van ‘69, James ‘71, Madonna Gamboa ‘73, Candace Walters ‘76 and Margaret Frey ‘78.

Chris Hargens, father of John ‘65, Christine Andresen ‘66, Mary Torretta ‘68, Jim ‘70 and Steven ‘73.

Mark Willard, husband of Carlotta (Dysart) ‘68.

Keith Severson Sr., father of James ‘72, Keith Jr. ‘75 and Christopher ‘90.

Carol Leesch, mother of Mark ‘91 and Dawn Clausen ‘93.

Kelly Loudenslager, father of Elizabeth Bianchin ‘09, Maggie ‘12 and Isabelle ‘15.

Renee Kreun, sister of Deborah (McGuire) McCauley ‘73, Keith McGuire, Jim McGuire, Kim (McGuire) Hochhalter ‘80, Daneen (McGuire) Curley ‘82 and LeAnn McGuire ‘85; and sister-in-law of Kevin Curley ‘82.

Lillian Leitheiser, preceded in death by her daughter Deborah Martell ‘70 and son Jerry; mother of Denny, Diane Gunderson, Bonnie Dewar ‘62 and Dorothy Koska ‘63.

Dorothy McGinnis, mother of Glen ‘66 and Rodney ‘68; and grandmother of Molly ‘95, Patrick ‘97, Maureen ‘99 and Daniel ‘05.

19

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