New Members

David & Gayle Ekstrom

PLACES LIVED: David grew up in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago, and Gayle grew up in Pilsen. Other than a brief time in northern Wisconsin, they’ve lived in the Chicago suburbs all of their married life.

FAMILY: The Ekstroms married in 1978, and they have an adult daughter, Abigail.

9 TO 5: David currently works as a pharmacy tech, but for most of his life he has been in pastoral ministry. Gayle works in the retail banking sector; prior to that, she developed technology and engineered systems in the telecom industry.

PASTTIMES: David likes “to make silly gadgets of no practical purpose”; Gayle enjoys reading, membership at the Art Institute and travel. She loves planning their family vacations, which are “destination unknown” to David and Abigail!

Nicholas Girgis

FAMILY: Nicholas (and his sister Danielle, also a new member) is from a large family which includes seven brothers and sisters. He lives in Western Springs and has extended family in the area.

9 TO 5: Nick is a dental student at the University of Illinois in Chicago – in his second year of four.

PASTTIMES: Enjoys time with friends and family.CHURCH INVOLVEMENT: Small group, serving in HYACKs and ushering.

Grant & Lisa Gibbons

PLACES LIVED: Grant was born in Bakersfield, California. Lisa grew up in Wheaton and attended College Church.

FAMILY: Grant and Lisa met at Wheaton College; they lived in California for a couple of years, and then moved back to Wheaton about three years ago. Terry and Vonnie Van Someren are Lisa’s parents. The Gibbons have five children.

9 TO 5: Grant works as a general contractor. Lisa is a homemaker, and also works with Grant with design and other areas for their company, Remnant Homes.

PASTTIMES: He enjoys time with their extended families, reading, listening to music, being in the outdoors and woodworking. She enjoys the outdoors, cooking, exploring, creative projects and being with people.

CHURCH INVOLVEMENT: Grant—small group, Boys Brigade, men’s events; Lisa—children’s and women’s ministries.

Danielle Girgis

FAMILY: Danielle (and her brother Nicholas, also a new member) is from a large family which includes seven brothers and sisters. She lives in Western Springs and has extended family in the area.

9 TO 5: Danielle is a first-year psychiatry resident at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.

PASTTIMES: She enjoys baking, exercise, listening to music and podcasts and taking long walks.

CHURCH INVOLVEMENT: Small group, HYACKs adult leader

Caleb & Lydia Krumsieg

PLACES LIVED: Caleb grew up in North City St. Louis, Missouri, where his parents started a church and other community development ministries.

FAMILY: Caleb is the youngest of four children; Lydia is the second oldest of the nine children of Dave and Julie Sohmer. She has several sets of aunts and uncles and cousins at College Church. Caleb and Lydia had their first child, Hudson, who was born at the end of last year.

9 TO 5: Caleb was a commercial real estate broker for a few years, and now works in sales at First Trust. Lydia is a stay-at-home mom and also has an RN license in Colorado.

PASTTIMES: They love being outdoors and spending time with friends and family.

CHURCH INVOLVEMENT: HYACKs leadership; Lydia is involved in Women’s Bible Study and has served with HYACKs and Wonders of Worship in children’s ministries.

Lois Logan

PLACES LIVED: Lois grew up in India, Pakistan and South Africa as a missionary kid. Later, her husband and she served as missionaries in Zambia.

FAMILY: Lois is widowed and has four adult children, including College Church member Rebecca Fox.

9 TO 5: She is a retired missionary nurse.

PASTTIMES: Enjoys housekeeping, playing word games, praying, singing hymns and listening to the Bible being read.

Scott & Sonja Lilly

FAMILY: Scott and Sonja were married in 2003 at College Church but lived in Plainfield for a time after that. They moved back to Wheaton and College Church around 2007. Sonja’s parents are Robin and Joann DeGroot.

9 TO 5: Scott is a college counselor at Glenbard East High School and worked for years prior to that as a counselor at Wheaton North. Scott coaches volleyball and bowling at the high school where he works. Sonja is a registered dental hygienist and works part-time at a small office in Wheaton.

PASTTIMES: They enjoy riding bikes together and time with their dog. Scott enjoys trivia, basketball and working with his hands. Sonja enjoys making people feel comfortable by cooking and baking for them. She also loves reading.

CHURCH INVOLVEMENT: The Lillys have served along with Sonja’s parents, the DeGroots, as cooks for the STARS Friday Night Fun. Sonja has been involved in Apples of Gold and they both

Jason Liu & Jane Wang

PLACES LIVED: Jane was born and raised in Shanghai, China. Her family moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 2016.

FAMILY: Jason and Jane were married in 2010. They have one son, Nathan, who is nine years old.

9 TO 5: Jason is a PhD New Testament student at Wheaton College. Jane completed five years of professional training in architecture, and currently is the product manager in a software company. She worked for the same company in both Shanghai and Boston. Now she works remotely.

PASTTIMES: Jane enjoys movies, baking and reading. They both enjoy spending time with their son.

CHURCH INVOLVEMENT: Veritas, Women’s Bible Study. Jason and Jane are passionate about international missions.

David & Sally Madio

PLACES LIVED: David grew up in Norwich, Connecticut. He has studied in Connecticut, South Australia and Pittsburgh (PA). Sally grew up in downstate Illinois and spent the last two years of high school in northern England.

FAMILY: David and Sally married in 2006 and lived in Texas for a while until moving to the Wheaton area.

9 TO 5: David has taught physics in various places around the country. Sally has owned and operated her own interior design business.

PASTTIMES: They enjoy time with friends and family using their gifts of hospitality. They also enjoy travel, music and reading.

CHURCH INVOLVEMENT: They have both sung in church choirs.

Donna Motto

PLACES LIVED: Donna is a widow and has lived in various places in Illinois.

9 TO 5: Retired 15 years ago from AT&T after 42 years of service.

PASTTIMES: She enjoys time with her extended family, including lots of time boating in the Lake Geneva area.

CHURCH INVOLVEMENT: Women’s Bible Study and GriefShare.

Kaitie McCollum

PLACES LIVED: Born in Geneva, Illinois. When she was nine years old her family moved to Bogota, Colombia, as missionaries. Subsequently they moved to Maryland where Kaitie lived until attending Wheaton College.

9 TO 5: Kaitie teaches math classes at West Chicago Community High School. She is also taking graduate classes toward a master’s in education and ESL.

PASTTIMES: Kaitie enjoys running, biking, hiking, sports, reading, board games and watching movies with friends.

CHURCH INVOLVEMENT: Small group and has served in Kids Harbor. Participated in College Group and the 20s ministry.

Bill & Ardyth Peterson

PLACES LIVED: Bill and Ardyth live in Carol Stream.

FAMILY: Bill was married to Esther for almost 57 years before the Lord called her home. Ardyth lived as a widow for 19 years before bringing Bill into her life. Bill and Ardyth have been married almost five years. They each have three adult children, who are married, and each of them has three children, so they have nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren!

9 TO 5: Bill was in the Naval Reserve for more than 15 years, and then in publications for 30 years. He taught at Judson College and has now been retired since 1990. Ardyth was a homemaker for many years until she joined family business in a showroom to the design trade at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago.

PASTTIMES: Bill and Ardyth live at Windsor Park and enjoy traveling and spending time with their family. Bill also enjoys swimming laps at the pool – almost a mile three times a week. Ardyth enjoys painting with watercolors.

David & Susan Price

PLACES LIVED: David grew up in southern California, and came to Illinois for graduate school.

9 TO 5: David is retired as professor of mathematics at Wheaton College and financial engineer for Merrill Lynch.

PASTTIMES: David enjoys puzzles and reading, and they both enjoy spending time with their grandchildren. Susan is a quilter and, between 2009 and 2013, she made and gave 164 throw size quilts to the missionaries supported by College Church. She continues to contribute quilts to missionaries Joe and Holly Greeson for use in their ministry.

CHURCH INVOLVEMENT: Veritas Adult Community and small group. Before moving away for a while, David helped with our audio team on Sunday mornings.

Tom & Robin O’Neill

PLACES LIVED: Tom was born in Philadelphia and raised in central New Jersey. Robin grew up in Chicago near Midway Airport.

FAMILY: They have three adopted adult children. Robin is thankful to have five siblings.

9 TO 5: Tom was in mortgage finance for more than 40 years and has recently retired. Robin is retired after 20 years in professional banking and 10 years as adjunct faculty at College of DuPage.

PASTTIMES: Their children and first grandchild all live within 30 minutes of them, so Tom and Robin see them often. They have also recently picked up golf and pickle ball.

CHURCH INVOLVEMENT: Small group, Women’s Bible Study.

Melissa Milford

FAMILY: Her mother, Laura Vossbruch, also attends College Church.

9 TO 5: She is a grad student at Northern Illinois University studying viola performance, and runs a private studio teaching viola, cello and violin.

PASTTIMES: She enjoys writing letters, baking, reading and anything outdoors (when it’s not freezing!)

Eric & Delena Ollila

PLACES LIVED: Both grew up in Michigan; they moved to Naperville four years ago.FAMILY: Eric and Delena have two young daughters.

9 TO 5: Eric is a CPA. They are both musicians; Delena is on the music staff at College Church, is involved in directing at Wheaton Christian Grammar School, and teaches privately.

PASTTIMES: Eric is an avid golfer and family chauffeur. They enjoy a lot of traveling.CHURCH INVOLVEMENT: Small group, choir, children’s music.