The (1970s)
C S E PUNN M O A C (C
) N O I T
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IN THIS (ISSUE) News from your class agent News From Your Class Agent What’s New With You? Class Updates Keeping Time Homecoming 2011 Family of the Year Special Reunions Football Game Coupon Fall Alumni Events From the Desk of Lisa Tilma
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Rick Fitzgerald, G’70 1970s Class Agent cfitz1@cox.net
Read about Homecoming 2011 inside!
Jacob Donald Tjaden II, G’70, lost his battle with cancer June 30, 2011. Jake was a cowboy his whole life, working for the Great Plains Cattle Company for about 15 years. He later retired from the fuel co-op in Iuka, Kan.
“Big Jake” was a very good defensive tackle for the Falcons for three seasons. Looking at the 1968 media guide, Jake was listed at 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds. He had a handlebar mustache that stuck out of his facemask on each end, which made him very intimidating to his opponents. His baby brother, Rick Tjaden, G’72, was the other starting defensive tackle. Jake had two brothers and one sister. All the kids worked on the family farm near Clearwater, Kan., during their youth. Their father, Donald, passed away in 1952, leaving their mom, Mardelle, to raise the family. She worked at the Clearwater bank for many years and never remarried. Mrs. Tjaden made sure the kids had the basic necessities while growing up, but also made it clear that they would go to college. That college turned out to be Friends University. All four attended and three graduated. Their sister, Vick (Tjaden)
Waldschmidt, was a Friends student before getting married and leaving early to raise her family. The three brothers, Jake, Rick and Randy, G’74, all played football at Friends and graduated with their degrees. Rick went on to coach football for nine seasons at Friends. Randy went to the University of Oregon and received his Ph.D. The Tjaden family has three college degrees and many fond memories of their time at Friends University. Congratulations to Mrs. Tjaden for a job well done. Rest in peace, “Big Jake,” your Falcon teammates will miss you.