Nathan Weemhoff Class of 2001 Role: History | Economics/Government | Understanding The Times | Bible
Wearing Army green, providing security for a United States President-elect, and deploying to the battlefields of the Middle East are a long way from a classroom at TC Christian, but for Nathan Weemhoff, the journey from one to the other makes all the sense in the world. “I love all things military and history,” says Nathan. “Serving in the Army was a natural decision for me.” Nathan enrolled at TC Christian in 9th grade after attending Ebenezer Christian, “a little three-room schoolhouse” in Ellsworth, MI. Before that, he and his siblings, along with mom and dad, had lived in various locales in Michigan as well as a stint in Nova Scotia, Canada. “My Dad was a pastor, so we got to experience several different communities growing up.” TC Christian was a big change from the small school in Ellsworth. More
space, more people, more offerings. Because Nathan’s class was part of the first generation of students, there was a sense of energy in the classes, friendships, and especially the athletic teams they fielded. Nathan quickly found a spot on the Sabres’ Varsity soccer team, a game he has loved since a boy. “I couldn’t wait for the season to start,” he remembers. “We had a great team, too, and we really worked well together.” Nathan’s love of history meant that he found that subject naturally fascinating but another favorite surprised him. “I found I loved English literature,” he says. “Anyone who knows me knows I wasn’t big on grammar, but the depth and meaning in stories captivated my imagination.” It’s still something Nathan gets excited about to this day. “There is nothing like a good story,” he says. Several teachers stood out to Nathan while a student at TC Christian. He credits Judy Radtke with working with him regularly in algebra to get him through to graduation. Tom Broderick’s Bible class was always enjoyable and challenging. And Anthony Weber opened up the world of literature to him. “I’m so fortunate to have Judy and Tom as colleagues now, and to have Anthony serving on our Board. They
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inspire me every day and I turn to them often for advice and counsel. I’m blessed to call them friends,” says Nathan. Following graduation, Nathan attended Calvin College to study history and secondary education. “I liked it so much I spent the next 5 years trying to graduate,” he laughs. “Those years really did shape me for both good and bad, as college does. My faith was tested, but I learned that Christians are called to be agents of renewal in this world even as we share God’s Word.” Another event that shaped Nathan was the terrorist attack on 9/11, and the subsequent War on Terror. “I knew when I graduated where I was headed next,” he said. Following graduation from Calvin, Nathan enlisted in the Michigan Army National Guard as an Infantryman and within a year of graduation was in Ramadi, Iraq, working with the Iraqi police, providing security for President-elect Obama, and doing foot patrols. “I’m proud of the work we were able to do there with the Iraqi Police even though it cost friends.” It cost Nathan, too. “I still need meds to sleep at night,” he says. Following that deployment, Nathan did another tour in Kunduz, Afghanistan, where the work done
