[ class notes ] Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta, Ga. Abby (Anderson) Kendrick and her husband, Cody (’11), welcomed a daughter, Kate Grace, on June 26, 2016. Daniel Krenz and his wife, Andrea, welcomed a daughter, Savannah, in May 2016. Meaghan Laetsch married Brian Mistro on June 4, 2016. Nissa Nordland married Zachary Morgan on June 16, 2016. Abygail (Williams) Switters and her husband, James, welcomed a daughter, Brielle Daisy-Elizabeth, on April 27, 2016. The family resides in Browerville. Kayla (VanKeulen) Thooft and her husband, Brad, welcomed a daughter, Kadynce Ann, on June 18, 2016. 2011 Megan (Lewis) Bonnstetter and her husband, Mike, welcomed baby Elliot Jane to the Mustang Family. Adam Henning (MS ’14) married Greta Evink (’13) on June 11, 2016. Megan (Sandgren) Jahnke and her husband, Ross, welcomed a daughter, Layla Jo, on June 27, 2016. Crystal (Hanson) Johnson was named the new Granite Falls city manager in July 2016. Crystal had served as the Dawson city manager since 2013. Heath Radke and his wife, Heather, welcomed a daughter, McKaylie Luella, on Sept. 2, 2016. Daniel Rath married Kelli Rutgers on Jan. 23, 2016. 2012 Ashley (Johnson) Becker (MS ’14) and her husband, AJ, welcomed Kuiper Jo on July 6, 2016. Craig Gartner and Makenzie Jenkins, both of Olivia, were married Aug. 27, 2016 at Gilfillan Estate in Morgan. Courtney Johnson married Cody Newgard on June 25, 2016 at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Sibley.
2013 Dan Carlson married Becky Arntson on July 26, 2014. Megan Gullickson married Brandon Boerboom on Sept. 24, 2016. Kiriann Lundy welcomed baby Mikiah to the Mustang Family. Molly Manthe married Tommy Linn on May 28, 2016. Corby McGlauflin is the head baseball coach at Bismarck State College in Bismarck, N.D. Brooke (Kramer) Morris and her husband, Robert, welcomed a daughter, Brynlie, in Dec. 2014. 2014 Paula Dunn (MS) recently accepted a position with the Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City School District in Atwater as a Title 1 teacher. Rick Karius (MBA) was named director of men’s basketball operations at the University of South Dakota. Rick was an assistant men’s basketball coach at SMSU during the 2009-10 season. Nate Meissner (MS) is the new K-12 principal at Ashby Public Schools in Ashby. He was previously a social studies teacher in Browerville for eight years. Alison Nagel has been named a women’s basketball graduate assistant at Concordia Texas in Austin, Tex. Alison was the leading scorer and rebounder for the Mustang women’s basketball team during each of her two seasons at SMSU. Kaitlyn Rabaey and Ryan Seiffert were married Oct. 8, 2016 at Stein-Boozier Barn in Wilsonville, Ore. The couple reside in Denver, Colo. Rachel Trueblood married Sean Maday (’15) on Sept. 17, 2016. 2015 Mikeal Cooper married Rebecca Sommer (’16) on May 28, 2016 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Parkston, S.D.
Rachel Groff married Dustin Schulte on July 30, 2016. Matthew Jossart has been promoted to office manager at Gate City Bank in Alexandria. He has been with the bank since 2013 and was previously the mortgage loan officer. Brittany Stewart (MS) was recently named head softball coach at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter. Brittany recently completed her third season at Southwest Minnesota State University where she was the lead pitching and assistant hitting coach. Kayce (Brown) Olson welcomed a daughter, Olivia Noelle, to the Mustang Family. Kayla Overland married Aaron Laabs on Sept. 30, 2016. 2016 Kaitlyn Austin began her teaching career at Fillmore Central Elementary School in Preston as a first grade teacher. Hope Bonlander is the new assistant women’s basketball coach at South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City, S.D. Janae (Vonk) Kazemba has taken a teaching position at Heron Lake-Okabena School, her hometown school district. Kristen Lee (MS) has been named an assistant women’s basketball coach at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. She will also serve as an admissions counselor. Jaden Rasmusson recently joined the Albert Lea branch of Farmers State Bank of Hartland as a customer service representative. Sydney Ristau has taken a position with Blue Earth Area Schools as an elementary special education teacher. She is also a graduate of Blue Earth Area High School. Davontay Stevens and Bobbie Jo Deal welcomed a daughter, Taylin Kaylee, on July 1, 2016. In November,
Several SMSU alumni are serving as tutors and coaches with Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps. Tutors pledge to one year of service in schools to help children become proficient readers by the end of third grade and proficient in math by the end of eighth grade. Pictured are, left to right: Tamara Aanenson (’07); Jessica Dibbern (’11); Kim Maag (’93, MS ’07); Jeanne Toews (’74); Jessica Chaulsett (’01); Laura Jenson (’08, MS ’13); Renee Voller (’06); and Holly Erickson (’15).
Davontay joined the SMSU Office of Admission as a counselor. He’ll be recruiting new Mustangs in Iowa and central Minnesota. IN MEMORIAM Mina J. Beck (’77) passed away Sept. 5, 2016 after a long struggle with lupus. Philip Dacey, emeritus professor of English and creative writing, died peacefully at his home in Minneapolis on July 7, 2016 after a nearly two-year battle with acute leukemia. He was 77. Dacey was a prolific poet known for what Poetry Foundation called a “dexterous use of traditional verse form.” During his teaching career at SMSU, Philip directed the creative writing program and was the founder of the Marshall Festival. Janice “Jan” Gudknecht (’76) of Roseville passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on July 2, 2016 after an extended illness. She was 61. Kyle Hahn (’14) passed away Nov. 4, 2016 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident outside of his hometown,
All cities are in Minnesota unless noted.
Waukesha, Wis. Joseph “Joey” Hollander (’07) passed away on May 31, 2016 in Sundance, Wyo., at the age of 39. Tim W. Johnson (’73) passed away Oct. 20, 2016 at the age of 69. He was a longtime swim coach and teacher at Mankato East High School in Mankato. Donald “Don” Krukow Jr. (’75), 66, of Lakeville passed away on Aug. 27, 2016. Eugene Longstrom (’73) passed away at his home in Pipestone on April 22, 2016 at the age of 64. Karen Ridlon (’96) of Little Falls passed away on May 24, 2016 at the age of 48. Steven Smith (’94) age 44 of Kerkhoven died peacefully at his home on Oct. 21, 2016. Betty Ann (Nelson) Stensgaard (’70) of Ruthton died June 11, 2016 at Avera Morningside Heights Care Center in Marshall. She was 84. WHAT’S YOUR STORY? Share your news with other alumni: email alumni@SMSU.edu call 800-260-0970 click SouthwestAlumni.com mail SMSU Alumni Office 1501 State St. Marshall, MN 56258
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