CLASS NOTES 1960s & 1970s
Jim Leamon ’63 retired in October 2020 after 54 years of full-time active ministry with the United Church of Christ. Leamon and his wife, Carol Lillard ’63, have been married for 57 years and have three children, four grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter who was born in May 2020.
1944 A Red Cross blood drive on
campus supported the Allied effort during World War II.
1960 Victor E. Bluejay atop an 1890s bicycle won first place in the annual Homecoming Parade float contest.
Sandra (Cone) Ludwig ’63 recently published a memoir and two novels. The memoir, Don’t Drink the Water! A Story about God’s Saving Grace, details her experiences teaching English in Colombia after graduating. Her first novel, Home at Last, is a Christian romance, and the second, Count Your Blessings, features a Christian social worker. She’s currently working on a third novel, All God’s Children. Alexander Rassogianis ’69 is receiving positive reviews for his book Clouds Over the Aegean (Outskirts Press), which was published in June 2020. A thriller set on the Greek island of Naxos, the book combines mystery, murder and international intrigue. “Fans of the sunshine noir genre will undoubtedly enjoy the descriptions of Greece, while the characters endeavor to unravel the mystery,” Eleni Sakellis wrote in The National Herald. Douglas Warne ’69 recently purchased the largest and most profitable winemaking store in greater Toronto. Warne says he’s enjoying the fruits of his labor.
1969 Boxing legend and social activist Muhammad Ali spoke on campus and met with students in January 1969.
Marilyn (Hinchley) Nielsen ’70 is auditing classes at the University of Wisconsin– Whitewater. She is studying piano and
has completed courses in the history of rock ’n’ roll, music appreciation, music theory and the history of jazz. Roseann (Hotz) Woodka ’70 published her first book in July 2020. Precious Moments with Dick and Jane (Mariana Publishing) is a children’s book that tells the true story of Woodka’s two rescue puppies and their journey to becoming therapy dogs. Woodka is a licensed psychologist, and Dick and Jane serve as her co-therapists. Fred Gretsch ’71, H ’16, and his wife, Dinah Gretsch, celebrated their grandson, Zach, who earned a doctor of physical therapy degree in May 2020. Zach follows in the footsteps of his grandfather, president of the Gretsch Company, who received an honorary doctor of music degree from Elmhurst. Charles Grippo ’72 wrote a play, A Wife’s Tale, that was published by Smith Plays. He plans to license the script for worldwide productions. Grippo is an entertainment lawyer, theater and film producer, playwright, and author. His books The Stage Producer’s Business and Legal Guide and Business and Legal Forms for Theater (Allworth Press publishing) are both in their second editions and are used as definitive texts on theater law for non-lawyers. Currently, he is working on producing a livestreamed series of shows with actor and playwright Hershey Felder.
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