Ripon College R Connections Fall 2017

Connections A Ripon College Class Letter Publication

Fall 2017

AL

UM

Loo k

NI

WE for im EK info porta EN rma nt c D tion lass r ins ide eunio n !

20

18

Fall 2017 1

CHANGES ON CAMPUS CONTINUE TO PROPEL RIPON COLLEGE FORWARD My tenure at Ripon spans many years, and there have been many changes from one academic year to another. This current academic year may be unique in the sheer volume of significant improvements that have been occurring on campus.

After many meetings and discussions, including an open forum with students late last spring, Sodexo food service is changing virtually all aspects of their operations, including venues, meal plans, a new chef, more flexible catering, and enhanced food options.

Apogee now replaces Charter as our TV provider. This new arrangement allows the viewing of entertainment programming on several devices. There are more channels, including some premium choices, 20 hours of personal DVR storage, and high-definition transmission. There is also a campus channel that we expect will be used heavily for announcements

There has been a growing palpable excitement for

and promotions.

The College always has been interested in offering academic support services to assist both high-achieving students who want to do even better,

the 2017-18 academic

as well as those students who are struggling and can be lifted up

year, which is shaping

Collaborative Learning Center (CLC) attracts large volumes of traffic, and

up to be a very productive one for Ripon College and all who call this

by additional help. Many departments offer student assistance, the Student Support Services has provided tutoring services for years. The exciting news for this fall is free tutoring now is available for all students.

We hope this will lead to increased traffic and remove any financial barriers that may have inhibited use in the past.

Changing trends in higher education are fairly constant, with recent

campus home.”

CHRISTOPHOR OGLE ’80 VICE PRESIDENT AND DEAN OF STUDENTS

years focusing on outcomes of graduates. Despite producing outstanding graduates who continue to be leaders in their professions and communities, liberal arts colleges have come under increased scrutiny in recent years.

Recognizing the importance of career preparations, Ripon College created the Department of Career and Professional Development. During this past

If you have photos for future editions, please send them to

summer, the former bookstore in the S.N. Pickard Commons was renovated to be the new home of our career services.

Yvonne Nicklaus, constituent

Budgeted dollars for infrastructure are used to furnish upgrades, safety and

engagement and outreach

accessibility needs, sustainability, mechanical needs such as roofs, plumbing

coordinator, at nicklausy@ripon.

and electrical, and aesthetic improvements. All these areas were addressed

edu or 920-748-8117.

during the summer: a new entrance on the north side of Todd Wehr Hall,

You also can contact Yvonne if

a new rodent lab in the lower level of Todd Wehr, many light and painting

you are interested in serving as a

upgrades throughout campus, new furniture installed in residence halls

Class Agent.

and West Hall, and a new look for the area formerly known as The Pub in

News to share can be sent to

Harwood Memorial Union.

alumni@ripon.edu or your Class

This refreshment area has been renamed The Spot after a popular downtown

Agent, or can be submitted via the

gathering place that many alumni will recall from their own student days. It

online form at ripon.edu/update-

features many nostalgic memorabilia from the original The Spot donated by

contact-info.

family members of proprietors Bud and Marilyn Fortnum Briese ’43.

But, as exciting as all these changes are, they do take a back seat to the newly renovated and expanded Willmore Center, the athletic, health and wellness facility formerly known as the J.M. Storzer Athletic Center. There is a real “wow” factor in the look, size and various space options.

There has been a growing palpable excitement for the 2017-18 academic year, which is shaping up to be a very productive one for Ripon College and all who call this campus home.

Christophor Ogle ’80 Vice President and Dean of Students

CONTENTS

2

Alumni Sightings

8

Class Letters

55

Staying Connected: Gene Schneider ’90 / P’17 Christopher Graham ’93

57

Campus Snapshots

60

Ripon News

62

In Memoriam

R Connections is published twice annually by Ripon College, 300 Seward St., Ripon, WI 54971-0248. Postage paid at Ripon, Wisconsin. Copyright ©2017 Ripon College.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to R Connections, PO Box 248, Ripon, WI 54971-0248.

Connections Fal l 20 17 Volume 3, Issue No. 1 ON THE COVER: Daniel Benka ’61 and Elizabeth

To submit a note for a future issue or to update contact information, contact Ripon College Office of Constituent Engagement, 300 Seward St., Ripon, WI 54971-0248.

Phone: 920-748-8126 Email: alumni@ripon.edu Web: www.ripon.edu/update-contact-info

Thompson Benka have a “grand” time at the grand opening of Willmore Center during Homecoming and Family Weekend, Oct. 6-7, 2017.

Editorial Staff Yvonne Nicklaus Jaye Alderson Melissa K. Anderson ’02 Ric Damm

Design Ric Damm Ali Klunick

r i pon.edu facebook.com/ripon.college flickr.com/photos/ripon_college instagram.com/riponcollege linkedin.com/company/ripon-college twitter.com/riponcollege youtube.com/riponcollegevideo

Fall 2017 1

Alumni Sightings

VINCENT AYE ’69 and his wife, Tok Aye, live in Madison, Alabama.

PRESIDENT ZACH MESSITTE and ELIZABETH HELGESEN HAUSER ’82 meet up at Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina, September 2017.

LAURA SHIVELY ’15 and KATHRYN SOWINSKI ’15 visit the Grand Canyon.

RICHARD “DICK” WILMES ’68 and his wife, MARY ELIZABETH “LIZ” COCKRELL WILMES ’67, pose together.

SUSAN MEIER ’79 and KEVIN WARMACK ’79, visit a host of Merriman greats.

JONATHAN NEWBERY ’15 and ABIGAIL “ABI” QUACKENBOSS ’15 visit Pensacola, Florida.

TOM ABENDROTH ’81, his wife, Terri, and daughters, Kathryn and Eliza, visit Iceland.

LAURA KREOFSKY ’91, Pham Thi Ngoc Tram and Debbie Leahy connect in Da Nang, Vietnam.

2

Connections

PEGGY GERO DAVALT ’80 and DANIEL “TOM” OAKLEY ’79

DREW DAVIS ’07, MHERETE MHERETE ’17, SARAH ANDERSON ’10, HEATHER MENNE ’99, Chris Tanski, MIKE PEACOCK ’12, LACY ROURKE ’07, CAROLINE ROTHROCK ’12, Ian Kupitz, SOPHIA KAOUNAS ’14, BEN VALDEZ-HEMPEL ’16 and GREGG PETERSEN ’78 enjoy the Brewers vs. Nationals game in Washington, D.C., July 25, 2017.

FRANK ANDERS ’69, BARBARA “BOBBI” SUESS ANDERS ’69, CAROLYN CALANDRA SELSOR ’69 and SCOTT NYQUIST ’69 enjoy Alumni Weekend 2017.

KAREN TESCHNER DORN ’72, GARY LEDERER ’72, JEAN KIRKPATRICK LEDERER ’73 and LINDA BRASSINGTON DANIELS ’72 meet in Bonita Springs, Florida.

Members of the 1977 class gather at Alumni Weekend 2017.

HANNAH ERDMAN ’14, MOLLIE CARLSON ’18 and AMY TINCHER-DURIK ’96 received the Maxine Blake Golden Lion Award for the ADPi Chapter at the organization’s 166th anniversary Grand Convention in Hollywood, Florida. The award is the highest honor presented to collegiate chapters and recognizes chapters which perform with excellence in all categories required by the sorority.

LON MICHELS ’84 and his husband, Todd Olson, opened an art exhibit in September in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Nora Grace Russell was born May 31, 2017, to Jennetta Jackson.

She is the first grandchild of ANDREW JACKSON II ’67 and Diane Miller Jackson.

KRISTY OGLESBY ’15 and JOHN SPADONI ’15 got engaged April 16, 2017. They are happily living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with their two pups, Izzy and Bruce.

CAMERON CASS ’16, TYLER SHIMEK ’16 and ZACHARY PETERSON ’16 enjoy Celtic music at Irishfest in Milwaukee in August.

Sean Aidan Jadoon is the grandson of NANCY WADLEY KEOUGH ’67 and James Keough.

JOHN HYDE ’65 and his wife, Donna, visit a pub in St. Andrews, Scotland.

Fall 2017 3

Alumni Sightings

KATELYN AMELL FEHRENBACH ’13, LAUREN OTT ’13, JESSIE LILLIS ’13 and AMY REULING ’13 were part of CHARLOTTE LEE WAHLE ’13’s wedding, July 29, 2017.

NOAH LEIGH ’04, KEVIN BLACKBURN ’04 and DAPHNE MEYERS LEIGH ’05 party on the Milwaukee 5th Wednesday Edelweiss Boat Cruise on Aug. 30, 2017.

GAIL WIECKI MOORE ’75, SUSAN SAPPINGTON ’75 and LOUISE RENIER BOOTHBY ’75 pose in front of The Spot, formerly known as The Pub, during Alumni Weekend 2017.

JAMES “JIM” DONNELLY ’88, left, KATHY WADE ’88 and MATT KITTELL ’88 visit Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells, Aug. 30, 2017.

RUTH GALES FRECHMAN ’75, center, president of the California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, participated in the annual leadership meeting. Here she is in improv class, joining in a game of “Kneeling, Sitting, Standing.”

ANDREW MACLEOD ’76 enjoys playtime with his granddaughter, Lilly.

4

Connections

Sophomore year Merriman roommates and Redmen football teammates JEFF SURING ’75 and MICHAEL PETERSEN ’75 reunite after 42 years at the Boarding House Supper Club in Jeff’s hometown of Suring, Wisconsin. Mike was in Wisconsin for the annual Packers Shareholders meeting in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

BRYANT VANDE KOLK ’12, SAM MUTSCHELKNAUS ’12 and JEREMY JOHNSON ’12 visit at Alumni Weekend 2017.

GREGG PETERSEN ’78, DARREN FAZZINO ’11, TED BRUCE ’11, SOPHIA KAOUNAS ’14 and LACY ROURKE ’07 join up at the Washington, D.C., Rally Hour at P.J. Clarke’s, Aug. 31, 2017.

SOPHIA KAOUNAS ’14, GREGG PETERSEN ’78, SHELBY DUKES ’13, ANDREW DRECHSLER ’97, LACY ROURKE ’07, SARAH ANDERSON ’10, TED BRUCE ’11 and CHRISTINA SCHWENGEL ’97 mingle at the Washington, D.C., Rally Hour at P.J. Clarke’s, Aug. 31, 2017.

The Class of 2012 holds its five-year reunion party at Alumni Weekend 2017.

LAURA SAVALL ’15 and KONNER FELDHUS ’17 caught up in Windsor, Vermont, last summer before Konner left for Wisconsin again and Laura returned to law school for her third year.

GRETA GLUEK PORTER ’78 poses with husband, Judson, and family.

ERIKA DOSS ’78 and MELANIE CIVIN KENION ’78 traveled to Cambodia and Thailand in July. They are pictured here at Tonle Sap Lake, Siem Reap, Cambodia.

NANCY OSTERMEIER BURROWS ’66 and JOHN BURROWS ’65 celebrate John’s 74th birthday on a British Isles cruise in June.

RC Class of 2038. From left: Ari Stephenson, son of ELIZA CHERRY STEPHENSON ’09 and BRUCE STEPHENSON ’09; Jocelyn Wege, daughter of Melissa and Danny Wege; and TJ Przybyl, son of AMANDA ZAHN PRZYBYL ’05 and Eric Przybyl, take in the Building for Kids Children’s Museum in Appleton, Wisconsin, during the summer.

GINA COMPITELLO ’03 shows off a recovered Willem de Kooning painting, missing from the University of Arizona Museum of Art for almost 32 years.

“Shaler Girls” JEANNE SPYCHALLA LIETZAN ’78, CAMILLE BERGGREN WEHNER ’78, ANN LALUZERNE VANDENACK ’78 and CARLA OLSEN LARSEN ’78 frolic on a Pacific Ocean beach in August at their annual reunion.

DEBORAH JOHNSON VAN SLYKE ’60. She is the Class Agent for the class of 1960.

Fall 2017 5

Alumni Sightings

From left, CHRISTINE “CHRIS” TEMPLETON ’87, SCOTT MULLIN ’87, WILLIAM “BILL” TOURLAS ’87, DORRIE SMITH SCRANTON ’87, JEFF TAYLOR ’87, ALICE LIGHTNER JOHNSON ’87 and MICHELLE MARTIN ’87 in Green Lake, Wisconsin, over Alumni Weekend 2017.

CHARLES FRANZKE ’87, CHRISTINA BOYDSTON ’87, JAMES “JIM” BOURN ’87, RHEA BEHLKE ’87 and JANNAN ROESCH ’87 at Alumni Weekend 2017.

ED HANSEN ’06 wedding in Orlando, Florida, in May. Back row, from left: BRIAN MACAK ’06, ANDREW “ANDY” KITSLAAR ’06, ZACHARY SCHWANDT ’08, JONATHAN “JONNY” GAUSEWITZ ’06, KHAATIM BOYD ’06 and STEPHEN HUEBSCHER ’06. Front row from left: NICOLE KLAAS HANDS ’06, EMILY KIJEK ’13 and ED HANSEN ’06.

Ian Kupitz and CAROLINE ROTHROCK ’12 attended the Brewers vs. Nationals game in Washington, D.C., July 25, 2017.

6

Connections

JERRY WOESTE ’59 and WAYNE WOLFGRAM ’63 on the American Queen traveling down the Mississippi River.

Brian Krysiak, left, Coach DICK BENNETT ’65, STEPHEN RADULOVICH ’03 and Chris Vahl after a round of golf.

Afterward, Bennett hosted them at his house, sharing some stories from his coaching days.

DON NUNEMAKER ’69 and his son, JEFF NUNEMAKER ’02, took a six-day, 188-mile raft trip down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon in August.

JAMIE HAWLEY ’88 started a company called Flatlander Surfcasting. In the photo, he is showcasing a surf casting fish that he caught this summer.

From left, WILLIAM “BILL” TOURLAS ’87, BARRY GOTHARD ’87, JENNIFER BROWN FRY ’87, SALLY BEAUMONT ’87, ALICE LIGHTNER JOHNSON ’87, MARTIN LINDSAY ’87, HEIDI WALKER LINDSAY ’87, CHRISTINE “CHRIS” TEMPLETON ’87, RICK FOSS ’87, JEFF TAYLOR ’87, MICHELLE MARTIN ’87, SCOTT MULLIN ’87, KATHLEEN “KATHY” SCHAUS ARTS ’87, RENEE PFEIFER-LUCKETT ’87, CATHERINE “CATHY” GUARNIERI SULLENS ’87, MELISSA “MISSY” LEAHEY FOSS ’87, DORRIE SMITH SCRANTON ’87, DAN CLARK ’87 and MINDY UHR SCHILLER ’87 at Alumni Weekend 2017.

KEVIN DYKSTRA ’83 and CATHERINE LOTHROP HAGER ’82 visit Alumni Weekend 2017.

PRESIDENT ZACH MESSITTE and SUSAN MULLIGAN ’76 meet up in Raleigh, North Carolina.

PRESIDENT ZACH MESSITTE and JEFF BANTLE ’80 get together in Southport, North Carolina.

PRESIDENT ZACH MESSITTE and RAYMOND ALLEN ’15 chat in Allen’s lab at Duke University, where Allen is a Ph.D. student in developmental biology.

KARISA SIMONSEN ’15 got engaged to ANDY KRUEGER ’14 in the spring, and they will get married Dec. 9, 2017.

President Brien Lewis of Catawba College, GREGG DUNN ’68, KATHY DUNN ’67 and PRESIDENT ZACH MESSITTE get together in Salisbury, North Carolina, in September 2017.

JESSICA SKIBA ’15 and LUKE MORGAN ’14 got engaged in February and will be married Nov. 10, 2017.

RAQUEL MACSWAIN ’15 recently moved to California where she spends her free time hiking and exploring her new surroundings.

PRESIDENT ZACH MESSITTE and VERN CRONEN ’63 visit at University of North Carolina-Wilmington.

WILL RITCHER ’97 and ANDREA WILLE ’96 reconnect at Alumni Weekend 2017.

PRESIDENT ZACH MESSITTE and KENN JACOBS ’53 visit in Wilmington, North Carolina.

1997 20th Reunion at Alumni Weekend 2017: First row: KRISTIN BAZZOLI PIOTROWSKI and SUZIE SOELDNER BARROCK. Second row: MICHELLE KASUBOSKI DIETZLER, MELISSA MOSTELLER, CHRISTINE DOMANIK DUDZINSKI, CHRISTY SCHWENGEL, WENDY DAVIS LONG and BILL SCHULTZ. Third row: KRISTINE PETERSON, JASON CORSTEN, CHRIS CORSTEN and NICKIE PRODOEHL. Top row: RYAN JOHNSON, STEPHANIE BASEL GOLDAPSKE, RYAN PATNODE, RACHEL BERK BATA and ZACH BAITINGER.

ANDREA SCHULNER ’16, left, LAURA SCHIVLEY ’15 and KATHRYN SOWINSKI ’15 went hiking at Seven Bridges in Milwaukee this summer.

Fall 2017 7

Class Letters Obituaries for all class years are listed at the back of the publication.

If you have news to share for the Spring 2018 R Connections, contact your class agent or the College (Office of Constituent Engagement, 300 W. Seward St., PO Box 248, Ripon WI 54971; 920-748-8126; or alumni@ripon.edu).

Alumni Weekend will be held June 21-24, 2018. Further details and registration information will be available at ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.

1930s & 1940s The role of Class Agent is currently vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu.

1950, 1951 & 1952 The role of Class Agent is currently vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu.

1953 The role of Class Agent is currently vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu.

1954 The role of Class Agent is currently vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu.

1955 Art Lundeberg 9256 E. 26th Street, Tucson, AZ 85710 520-296-9281 / artlund@cox.net Dear Class of 1955: Again, sorry to have missed the spring class letter. Hope all of you are as well as we can be what with our vintage age. My summer was the pits, trying to keep out of hospitals and doing the best I can with therapy. In addition, my wife, Alice, fell and fractured her hip, requiring surgery, several days in the hospital and ten days in a rehabilitation center. Thus, we are a household of two trying to keep our walkers from colliding. We are still this side of the grass, so we are grateful. So much for the medical report.

CLASS NUMBERS As a matter of interest, for those who haven’t counted recently, we have 78 members in our class. I’m sure that all of us send our hopes and prayers to all those poor people who were involved in the floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc. I hope that none of our classmates were involved in those areas.

CETER FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION The Center for Diversity and Inclusion is starting its third year. Director of Multicultural Affairs Kyonna Henry, students and others celebrated the center’s two-year anniversary.

The center opened Sept. 11, 2015 and is, according to Henry, a safe space where students will find community building and congregation with peers of like or shared experience based on their cultural identity.

The center works exclusively with students and campus groups to facilitate programming, ongoing support networks, and recruiting strategies to help grow diversity on campus. Henry advocates for often underrepresented students through these efforts.

8

Connections

ROTC Last newsletter, we spoke about the importance of leadership. Along with the leadership provided by the Army officers in charge of the program, the unit also owed its success to the support it received from all the elements of the campus community. The most active supporter of the unit was President Silas Evans, an 1898 graduate of the College. Evans appreciated the value of ROTC scholarships to a college which traditionally drew a large portion of its students from families of no more than modest means.

But, as was the case of presidents of many liberal arts colleges at this time, Evans was drawn to ROTC chiefly for what he saw to be its educational value in building leadership ability, moral character and physical strength in student participants. Evans rarely sought to influence the educational side of the ROTC program but did all he could to promote its success. He attended ROTC events, visited the cadets at summer camp, and even made major efforts to secure musical instruments for the ROTC band. He was particularly persevering in efforts to ensure that the officers appointed by the War Department to serve at Ripon were the best available in terms of moral character and leadership ability.

While the support of other members of the College community was often less visible, it was still important.

Ripon’s Trustees were instrumental in getting a unit initially assigned to Ripon and backed Evans’ support of the unit afterward. Important faculty support came early, in the form of granting college credit for ROTC courses, an issue that proved sticky for years on many other campuses in the nation. Continued faculty support in terms of attending ROTC functions and public comments gave the program a fundamental sense of assurance about its acceptance as an academically legitimate and integral part of the College.

The most vocal campus supporters of the cadets were, of course, their fellow students who participated eagerly in the social events sponsored by the unit, noisily heralded the triumphs of its rifle team, and, overall, granted the cadets a heady sense of status that encouraged even greater performance on their part. Finally, the unit also had the clear support of the town. Townspeople willingly bought tickets to the ROTC shows making them financial successes and continuously provided appreciative audiences for the various drills, parades and other military shows put on by the unit.

RIPON’S HISTORY (CONTINUATION FROM LAST NEWSLETTER) With the resignation of President Edward Merrell in 1891, the focus of activity at Ripon College began to change from the development of a sense of identity to that of modernization. In the three decades between 1890 and 1920, Ripon underwent major change in almost every aspect of its activity, from the curriculum to the nature of student life. This change was not unique to Ripon. Under the inspiration of the “progressives,” whose ideas and energies lay behind much of the modernization of American society, colleges and universities became centrally controlled institutions whose administrative and educational structures and programs were rationalized and modernized to fit the needs of a rapidly industrializing society. Between 1892 and 1909, Ripon was led by two presidents, Rufus C. Flagg and Richard C. Hughes, who were well-aware of the changes going on nationally and sought to emulate them at Ripon. Hughes was followed by Silas Evans, who served as president between 1910 and 1917 and again between 1921 and 1943. During the Evans years, Ripon adjusted to the radical changes brought about by Flagg and Hughes, again developing its own character while beginning to show signs of its potential to develop into a national institution.

1930-60 I extend my fondest and sincerest wishes for a happy and healthy Christmas season. Please send me a note of your activities for future Class Letters. Also, this holiday season is a good time to remember the Annual Fund to keep our alma mater strong.

Phi Beta Kappa. Corrie will attend law school at the University of Chicago in the fall.”

We all look forward to seeing you on campus and at the football game. Be well, do good deeds, stay in touch.

YOUR 1957 TEAM MEMBERS + AGENT #12

ART

1956 The role of Class Agent is currently vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu.

1957 The role of Class Agent is currently vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu.

1958 The role of Class Agent is currently vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu.

1959 Roger Venden vendenr@comcast.com 2017 is the 60th reunion year of Ripon College’s 1957 undefeated, second-in-the-nation for small colleges football team coached by Jerry Thompson. Coach Thompson, in the annals of Ripon College, is considered one of the most significant appointments in our history.

He reaffirmed the greatness of our nation; he understood that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. His journey was never one of shortcuts or settling for less.

It was never a path for the faint-hearted — those who prefer leisure over work or who seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor — who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom. Jerry Thompson contributed unselfishly to the greatness of our nation and to the intellectual and spiritual fitness of our College.

1960 Deborah Johnson Van Slyke 8700 E. Mountain View Road, Unit 1074 Scottsdale, AZ 85258 480-284-5564 / 619-889-5061 The class of 1960 is in a quiet mood as I have received only two replies to my request for news. I much appreciate my faithful correspondents.

JIM PIERCE ’60 of Punta Gorda, Florida, writes that the summer home in Ohio is getting to be too much for him and Susan, so they will be downsizing. They have purchased a home in Canton, Ohio, on Lake Cable.

They are now looking forward to traveling to their winter home in Punta Gorda, Florida.

KARL PIOTROWSKI ’60 is very busy in Honolulu with his business. He has about 200 commercial building inspections to do in the next few months and also is monitoring 20 large construction projects for the banks.

Son Brian is working in Georgetown on his MS and daughter Joy is VP of her med school class, is in top 10 percent of her class, and ran a half marathon. Wife E. Leng is busy with her Chinese singing group. Talk about an active family!

I shall provide a bit of filler with my activities in hot, hot Scottsdale. Summer has not been completely idle as my grandson visited and I went indoor sky diving with him.

Loved it. Plan to do it again next month.

Hope to have more news next time.

DEB VAN SLYKE

In his honor and that of team players, coaches, managers, cheerleaders and classmates no longer with us, the team members, now in their 70s and 80s and able to attend, celebrated their 60th reunion on campus Sept. 30, 2017, and the football game on that date against Grinnell College. The players who made the trip back to Ripon College included: TED PETERSON ’58, DAVID SMITH ’59, PETER KASSON ’59, DAN RAJEWSKI ’59, JOHN WALTERSCHEIT ’59, TOM COOLEY ’58, PETER MATTIACCI ’58, RUSS ROEBER ’58, EVERETT WOOD ’61, JACK FLAKER ’63, JOHN BENKA ’60, DAN BENKA ’61, LORENZO DOSS ’59, JIM WOLFF ’60, BOB OSWALL ’59, TOM TROESTLER ’59, VICTOR “GERALD” WOESTE ’59, DAVE CHASE ’58 and ROGER VENDEN ’59. (My apologies should a name be missing).

PETER KASSON ’59 and JOYCE PROUT KASSON ’61 of Stevens Point, Wisconsin: “We are both retired, Pete as a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Joyce as an RN at St. Michael’s Hospital ICU. We have three children and four grandchildren. All are happy, healthy and doing well.”

SANDRA FOX OSBORNE ’59 of Mequon, Wisconsin: “I attended the Class of 2017 Commencement ceremony where my granddaughter, CORRIE OSBORNE ’17, graduated summa cum laude and also was initiated into

Fall 2017 9

Class Letters 1961 Peter Jochimsen 1010 Woodlawn Avenue Iowa City, IA 52245 319-351-6649 / cutterto@centurylink.net There is a picture of ALWIN JARREAU ’62 on page 8 of the spring issue of this magazine. It reminded me of having taken a picture of Al as he departed for a trip, hitchhiking to Milwaukee, his home and also mine. He was dressed just as you see, and in addition had a suitcase on which he had posted a sign. I don’t remember the exact verbiage, but it was something like, “Have No Gun” or perhaps “No Weapon” or even “Unarmed.” I kept that picture for years after he had become well-known in the music business. When he was performing, I think in Minneapolis where I was in residency at the University, we met after the performance and I gave him that picture. He was very pleased to get it, and we a very good conversation. I am sure he kept it as a memento of a former life.

Many years after that, Al came to the University of Iowa, where I was on the staff of the Department of Surgery.

He returned to Hancher Auditorium where he gave a concert. He, of course, had obtained a master’s degree, I think in psychology, here in Iowa City at the university after leaving Ripon. We again got together, comparing careers and reminiscing about both Iowa and Ripon.

What a nice man and very talented musician.

AKIRA TOMITA ’61 of Japan: “Japan is a small country, almost equal to Montana, and has population of 127 million. My wife, Tomoko, and I visited PETER JOCHIMSEN ’61 in Iowa City in August of 2016. He showed us around to many places. One of the most impressive was his farm, approximately 100 acres, adjacent to Lake Darling State Park.

“On the land he hunts deer and fishes in a two-acre pond that he had put in. I noticed he had a small area where he plants certain grain crops to attract deer. He explained that in the cold winter such plantings attract the deer when food in the woods is scarce.

“During and after the World War II, we had a severe food shortage and we plowed a tiny plot of land, here and there, to grow vegetables. His plantings reminded me of the work I did with my Dad when I was in grade school.

“It was our happy moments when we sometimes had rations of food such as ham, a piece of sliced corned beef, etc., which I brought home and shared with my siblings. U.S. Occupation Forces brought the food to school from time to time. We had ration tickets for food and clothes, but there was not enough supply in stores.

“Compared with such difficulties we had, animals in the forest Peter owns are blessed with the abundance of food. I realized, once again, the U.S. is a country of richness. I vividly remember how surprised I was when I first came over to the U.S. in 1957 to attend Ripon College to find American people were blessed with the abundance of everything, daily necessities in particular.

I am very thankful for these experiences that have widened perspectives in my life.

“I am reminded of my experience in dropping in Phoenix on my way from Chicago to San Francisco prior to my return to Japan after my stay in the U.S. for six years. This also reminds me of some of Western/cowboy songs. I thank you for your warm consideration for including me in your regular email list. By the way, I’m tentatively thinking of making another trip to the U.S., most probably toward the middle of April of 2018.

10

Connections

TIM BURR ’61 invited us come over and to have a visit with him at his home in Oostburg, Wisconsin. He would give us a ride to Ripon. BILL PYE ’61 likes to join us there to have a mini reunion. If you feel like joining us, you’d be welcome.”

TIM BURR ’61: “I’m pretty tapped out regarding any information in addition to what I sent you and which you included in the spring 2017 alumni report. My life is not that eventful.”

“However, are you aware of the response to the letter JERRY BARR ’61 wrote about the photo in one of the College periodicals that showed three Delta Upsilons outside the DU dorm, ca. 1962? One of the DUs was WILLY LYONS ’62, and Jerry provided information about Willy, who came from an Indian reservation in California and got through Ripon on a scholarship and college jobs. Willy’s son, Jamie, saw the article and wrote a remarkable and moving letter asking for any information about his dad — who was killed in Vietnam when Willy’s son was about 3 (the letter is below). He said that a recent fire had destroyed just about everything he owned — plus his mom, KAY SHOREY ’63, a Ripon alumna, had just passed away. We sent out requests for recollections about Willy and Jud Higgins and I met at Ripon, where Kim in the Office of Constituent Engagement, gave us access to a lot of info on Willy, all of which was sent to Jamie.”

Here’s Jamie’s letter: I am the son of WILLIAM JOHN LYONS ’62 and KAY SHOREY ’63. I remember my mom saying she went to school with Al Jarreau — same time at least. Story short, my mom just died 7/2/17. I just received a letter from my cousin, BOB HENRY ’53, with an excerpt about my father Willy Lyons written by Jerry Barr. Looks like Winter 2017, pages 24 and 25. I have five photographs of my father Willy, and that’s all I have.

I have never seen this photo and wondered if there is any way I could get a copy sent to my email address above. I would love to pay for a copy of the magazine with this in it. I cannot even put into words what has happened for me. This man, Jerry Barr, writes that he actually knew my father. I have never been able to speak with anyone who knew him. I would do anything to speak with this man. Can you help put me in touch with him? My phone is 760-497-7437. I go by Jamie.

Like I said, my mother just died and I am so sad she didn’t get to see this wonderful article, though I figure she probably would have cried. My most sincere thanks, William Jamie Lyons “This is a much better story than anything I have to share.”

PETER JOCHIMSEN ’61: “If anyone can help and respond to this letter it would be wonderful.

Hey, Old Doc Pete! (I assume that’s what everyone in your neighborhood calls you). I just talked again to Jamie Lyons, Willie Lyons’ son, who lives just north of San Diego. I’m glad I did — the yearbooks and other documents the Office of Constituent Engagement provided us and which I’d FedEx’d arrived, but his cleaning lady threw away the FedEx box so he had no idea who had sent it! I said he was grateful and delighted beyond words to have all this material and that he’d had a great phone conversation with Russ Ackley — who, I think I told you went through jump school with Willie.

“So here’s a thought: since you and I think this is a great story, maybe there are other people — non-DUs — who also might like to offer recollections of Willie. Alumni who were not in our class. Since you are an official Class Agent, maybe you could contact other agents who could get in touch with alums who remember Willie and have stories to tell. Especially classes of ’62, ’63 and ’64.

1961-63 I’d do it, but I think such a request would carry more weight from another Class Agent.

I had a nice chat with Jamie Lyons, who lives near San Diego with his stepdad (I gather they are very close).

He is delighted to be receiving info from old Ripon DUs (there are no young ones anymore). I FedEx’d him copies of Ripon annuals the Office of Constituent Engagement provided plus other papers and letters they found for us and Xeroxed. I haven’t heard from him, so I hope they arrived. Jud found out that RUSS ACKLEY ’62 and his wife, NANCY HUTT ACKLEY ’63 had actually babysat for Willy and his wife when Jamie was a toddler, and Russ and Willy were at jump school in the Army.”

KATHY EWERS SCHROEDER ’61 of Liverpool, New York: “We spend six months each year near Hayward, Wisconsin, at our cabin on Gull Lake. Oddly, we go back to Syracuse, New York, for the (long, cold) winter but have grandkids and son there plus Orangemen basketball — our winter therapy. Gave up season tickets as our bodies complained about the drive and many steps, but still love the game. Various joint surgeries and arthritis have slowed us down, so we’re glad we did our traveling while younger. Seven grandkids ages 30 to 4 keep us smiling and moving to a senior community seven years ago helps with chores. We both love to read and enjoy God’s creation in all seasons.”

BILL JOCHIMSEN ’61 writes that he has gotten a message that the College has returned to the FCC the license to the College Radio station, WRPN. Bill remembers that during the graduation ceremony when he got his diploma, Dr. Fred Pinkham thanked him for his work in obtaining the license and getting the station on the air.

He sends his sincere thanks to those who helped and facilitated making the dream of the station a reality.

JOYCE PROUT KASSON ’61 and PETER KASSON ’59 of Stevens Point, Wisconsin: “We are both retired, Pete as a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Joyce as an RN at St. Michael’s Hospital ICU. We have three children and four grandchildren. All are happy, healthy and doing well.”

BARBARA KRIEPS LASKIN ’61: “I have just retired from the County of Santa Clara where I worked as a management analyst for the past 18 years. The next phase of my life is in Medford, Oregon, where I bought a cute craftsman cottage for me and my furry folk.”

1962 The role of Class Agent is currently vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu.

THEODORA LEE GREGG ’62 of Athens, Ohio: “Busy in retirement, using my biology background for the Atticus Tree Commission and Master Gardener training. I am enjoying the time with my granddaughters, ages 3½ years and 15 months.”

JUDY HUGHES PHILLIPS ’62 of Appleton, Wisconsin: “Still retired, still volunteering, still enjoying life. I took a trip to England, Scotland and Wales with my daughter, LYNNE PHILLIPS ’98, in August 2016.”

PETER

1963 Wayne Wolfgram 622 Lincoln Road Grosse Pointe, MI 48230 313-882-1712 / waynewolfgram@gmail.com

happened? Not many responses for this letter. I guess everyone’s been busy watching the weather news.

Hopefully, none of you suffered injuries or major damage to your homes or condos.

VERNON CRONEN ’63 of Wilmington, North Carolina, (cronenv@uncw.edu): “My wife and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary this summer with a river cruise along the Rhine River. Great fun. I continue to teach and do research at UNC Wilmington and will continue doing so unless the next hurricane blows us away.”

RUDY OSTOVICH III ’63 of Alexandria, Virginia, (ostovich@parkerostovich.com): “A short summary of my current situation: I reside in the Washington, D.C., area and am a partner in Parker Ostovich & Associates LLC., a defense consulting firm that focuses on the conventional Army and Special Operations aviation markets. I served more than 30 years in the Army and have now been in the business world for nearly 25 years.

I often think of our times together at Ripon College with fond memories. Life is good here, and I hope the same is true for you.”

TONY STEPHANIE ’63 of Cranberry, Pennsylvania, (anthonystephanie@comcast.net) informs us of his new address: 230 Brookside Drive, Cranberry Township, PA, 16066.

LYNN SIEBEL SUNDELIUS ’63 of Kalispell, Montana, (sundeliuslynn@gmail.com): “There is nothing new here except that we are in the most incredible wildfire smoke I have ever seen. Living in a largely forested area in drought and heat is an adventure. We could use some of the excess moisture from the Gulf states.”

JAMES UNDEM ‘63 of Savannah, Georgia, (undemjames@gmail.com) also has a new address: 6206 Waters Ave., Savannah, GA 31406.

WAYNE WOLFGRAM ’63 of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, (waynewolfgram@gmail.com): “My wife, Nancy, and I had a great Memphis-to-New Orleans Mississippi River cruise on the American Queen in late April.

We would recommend it. Met a Riponite at dinner one night — JERRY WOESTE ’59 and his wife, Ann. Jerry, a Merriman alumnus, was a member of Ripon’s ’57 unbeaten football team, and looked like he was still in playing shape! One year, he was in charge of freshman class hazing and regaled us with his humorous adventures. It’s always neat to meet Ripon alumni while traveling. This was especially true for me while in the Army in Germany in the ’60s.

“Like most of you, I’m involved in a volunteer project that I find worthwhile: World Medical Relief. The organization receives donations of medical supplies and surgical instruments from hospitals around the Detroit area and we sort and package them and distribute them to hospitals and clinics in third world countries. It would be interesting in future class letters to learn all of the organizations to which class members contribute their time.”

Well, that’s about all except for two points I would like to emphasize: 1) Please ensure that either the College or I have your correct email address. If you didn’t receive emails from me requesting items for this class letter, it means I don’t have your address. 2) It’s not too early to start planning to attend our 55th reunion next year.

Alumni Weekend will be June 21-24.”

See you there!

WAYNE

Greetings, Class of 1963! Fall already — what

Fall 2017 11

Class Letters 1964 Pat Ostrom Kohnen 3441 Streamside Circle #419 Pleasanton, CA 94588 925-201-7377 / pmko@aol.com Greetings Classmates: As I write this fall letter, it is still the last week of summer and we are having some great California weather, but we are all thinking about so many people in Houston and Florida who have been battered by hurricanes of historic magnitude.

I have done some traveling since I wrote the spring letter. I attended an exciting AAUW national convention in Washington, D.C., in June. One of our dinner speakers was Sonia Sotomayor. I also had an opportunity to visit the new National Museum of African American History & Culture. In July, I traveled to the Philippines to visit my son, Bill, and his family. He now is working for Oracle in Manila. It was fun to see the three little girls in person instead of via Skype. I just returned from a Grand New England cruise with American Cruise Lines. The 175-person American Constellation is new this year. The history and scenery were wonderful, and I traveled with 10 other residents from Stoneridge Creek where I live.

I received the following class note. RONALD HEIDERICH ’64 of St. Paul, Minnesota writes, “Traveling with Grand Circle Travel: Great Rivers of Europe in July and August 2017.”

If you have news that you would like to share, you can either send it to Ripon or directly to me. My son Mark’s wife, Rachelle, set me up on Facebook; so you could become a friend on Facebook. If you travel to San Francisco, please contact me. I continue to be grateful for the time I spent at Ripon. It’s hard for me to believe that my oldest granddaughter is now a senior in college.”

I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving and holiday season with opportunities to spend time with family and friends.

PAT

1965 John Hyde 3004 Dauntless Drive Pensacola, FL 32507 jhyde65@gmail.com JOHN NEWHARD ’65 of Suffolk, Virginia: “We had planned a nine-day tour of London starting Aug. 28, but my Achilles’ tendon rupture ended that. I tore my left Achilles’ tendon playing golf on Aug. 9, had it surgically repaired the 14th, then tore the repair and had surgery to repair it again on Aug. 31. You don’t realize how important your leg is until you cannot use it — but I don’t need to tell you that, John. Aren’t you glad to have been spared by Irma — we are. I remember the ‘Snow Bowl’ game the DU pledges played against the Merriman pledge class. It was at 2 a.m. in the side yard at Merriman House (in January?) 1962 during “Hell Week” in a couple feet of snow. The quarterback for Merriman was DICK BENNETT ’65. Our quarterback for DU was Bill Steinbach. All pledges from both houses participated. The ‘actives’ from both houses stood around the game shouting and seemed to enjoy it.

JIM THORSEN ’65 of Idaho Falls, Idaho: “As they say in Aberdeenshire, Fit Like? (Gaelic for how are you?).

Nancy and I also spent time in Scotland this summer.

My grandfather was born in Glasgow, so I am Clan MacPherson. I hope you enjoyed Scotland, too. We took a small ship cruise around the British Isles, visiting many places that are difficult and/or expensive to see,

12

Connections

including Scapa Flow and Barra Island. Didn’t see any Druids there, although there is a sort of Stonehenge structure. We enjoyed watching the eclipse as the line of totality passed right over Idaho Falls. Glad we didn’t have to travel, as I-15 was a nightmare all the way to Utah. October will see us off to our winter place in Tucson, with a stop at the Grand Canyon. Best wishes to all for a fun, safe winter.”

BARB BRADFORD SEWALL ’65 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin: “We had a great summer with both sons and their families, spending quality time together in Eagle River, Pennsylvania, and on the Jersey shore. Proud to report that all nine Midwestern grandchildren absolutely loved the ocean and boogie boarding in the big surf we experienced. Otherwise, we live a quiet life. Ted fishes and I golf and hang with our dog, an English springer spaniel named Pepper. Life is good.”

GARY NEI ’65 of Lake Forest, Illinois: “Tracked down DAN SCHULTZ ’63 who also has a place near Palm Beach. We plan on getting together after the first of the year. Dan is one of the most unforgettable people I met at Ripon. For those interested in walleye fishing, my book reviewing The Best Walleye Lakes in Northwest Wisconsin (all proceeds benefiting Walleyes For Northwest Wisconsin) is available at Hayward area bait shops.”

PHIL STEANS ’65 of Menomonie, Wisconsin: “All three kids are reasonably close by, so we get to see them and the grandkids (seven total) regularly. Still a Bears fan. Still have a couple of old horses that are ‘family members’ that I care for, but no longer ride.”

ROGER CRASS ’65 of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin: “Thanks for all you do with the Ripon alumni. My notes are few.

I am in two bowling leagues. Still trying to learn how to bowl. Average is about 160. Also still trying to golf. Last time out, I lost seven balls (on a par 3 course). I work at the YMCA about three times a month. I go from room to room to make sure things are going OK and there are no problems. I like playing cards, so I have been playing ‘5 Crowns’ at least five times a day. It’s a fun game. I plan on taking a trip for pictures this fall. My brother and I usually go west to Montana and surrounding area.

Maybe it would be better to go east this time. Probably less smoke. I hope to get to Ripon to take in some of the sporting events this school year.”

CATHY ZENDER CUMMINS ’65 of San Antonio, Texas: “Hi everyone. I am still teaching seven days a week, for 47 years now. I have large reading programs and have basically taught 15,000 children to read. I had 225 kids in my eight-week summer program. I went to Scotland at spring break with my kids. Great trip to Edinburgh and to Glasgow. I have my 501c3, Ninos De la Calle, but it is dangerous to go the sites. Now I am helping to fix backpacks for the children and mothers who have been in detention camps and are now approved to enter the country. We put snacks, little toys, travel games, toiletries and give them cash envelopes for their bus trip to their new home. My daughter, MICHELE CUMMINS ’95, works with me and still has a lot of friends from Ripon. She traveled from Edinburgh to England to see Rachel who was an exchange student from England at Ripon. My son is a photographer who has had 15 art residencies. He got his master’s degree at Maine College of Art. His work is at University Hospital, the airport, the Convention Center and at a new condo complex on the banks of the San Antonio River. I do a lot of volunteer work at the Coppini Academy of Fine Art and served as president for three years.”

FRANK LOCKWOOD ’65 of Sylva, North Carolina: “Starting my 16th year as an associate professor of

1964-65 entrepreneurship at Western Carolina University. We live in the Smoky Mountains one hour southwest of Asheville, North Carolina. Enjoy working with undergraduate students on campus and graduate students online. Cannot figure out how to retire so I plan on teaching for the next several years. Fall is coming with all the beautiful colors. Hoping all is well with everyone.”

JENNIFER LLOYD MAXSON ’65 of Riverwoods, Illinois: “My husband and I are looking forward to celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary by having a Wisconsin weekend, visiting House on the Rock and the Green Lake area at the end of the month. Of course, we’ll be checking in on Ripon, which we haven’t visited in many, many years. Another Ripon note: over the years when making contributions to Ripon, I have usually noted them ‘In memory of Dr. William Martz.’ As often happens, one realizes that someone, an educator, has had a significant impact on one’s life, many years after the fact. Thirty-five years after having had at least three English classes with Dr. Martz, I emailed him through the Ripon College website to express my appreciation for his teaching and was delighted to receive a typewritten letter from him in return. That was about 20 years ago.

This week, his widow, Mrs. Nedra Martz, wrote a very touching note thanking me for the financial support of Ripon in his name and describing his deep commitment to English language and literature and education. He was, as she is, a remarkable individual who made a lasting and highly valued impression on this one of his many students.”

LARRY TICE ’65 of Chicago, Illinois: “John, good to talk to you the other day! Here are a few notes: A ‘shout-out’ to John Hyde and family. I hope they’re doing well in northern Florida. On less ‘climactic days’ here in the Midwest, I’m still traveling between Illinois and Wisconsin. I also travel along Lakeshore Drive in Chicago, either swimming, biking or running (or rather, mostly walking). Any one of these inspires a healthy sense of ASC (altered states of consciousness) on an intrinsically beautiful lake front. I remain semi-retired while MinJa is now fully retired from a 40-year run at the University of Chicago hospitals. On another exciting note, coming up is the realization of the Obama presidential library, which should be finalized in Jackson Park/Hyde Park area. And (forgive me) I am told and reassured there will be books in such a library which may not be the case in the next presidential library, as it is doubtful the current president (I am also told) does not read very much. Best at the moment to you both, John, and special prayers for you in Florida.”

TIM MERKER ’65 of Marion, Iowa: “I got remarried about two years ago, and my wife has a house in Marion, Iowa, so we spend the winter there. I still have my vacation cabin in northern Wisconsin, so we spend summers there. Both healthy, but not very strong anymore. Still manage to get some things done, but with more coffee breaks. Willing to travel and love to visit with people.”

ROBERT “BOB” FLECK ’65 of Columbus, Georgia: “We enjoyed the reunion (again). We have a second home on Green Lake, and several classmates from 1966 and 1965 stayed with us. Our local fraternity, Beta Sigma Pi, held a separate reunion that encompassed multiple class years.

Great time reliving events from the past. Ripon College is working on an oral history project of the fraternity because many of the records have been lost. If you attend the next reunion (as we will if health permits), do attend the Memorial Service on Sunday. It is extremely well-done and moving. My wife, RUTH POTTS FLECK ’66, and I are going to visit two fraternity brothers who live in Hawaii. While we have been to

Hawaii many times, it will be great to see it through the eyes of those who live there. Ruth and I also plan a trip back to Wisconsin and a trip to Colorado and Utah before the year is over. We also will be taking a short trip to Pensacola Beach to visit the ocean and visit my brother, JOHN FLECK ’69 and his family.

“I need to give a shout-out to Dr. Jack Powers who was my chemistry professor at Ripon. We reconnected several years ago. He had faith in me when I was not sure I would finish. Thanks, Jack. But the world is safer because I did not pursue chemistry as a profession.”

CAROLE COOP ATHERTON ’65 of Redmond, Oregon: “Malarkey and I have been quite busy. We bought a house last July 2016. It had LOTS of deferred maintenance but good bones and an unbelievable view of most of the Cascade mountain range. We had contractors build a new barn/garage, fireplace and deck, and replace some doors and windows and skylights. I love to tinker, so I built a brick pathway about 50 feet from the front door to the sunroom door, changed some electrical outlets, changed out the main valve on our sprinkler system, and have painted a bunch of stuff, including the garden shed that came with the house and some touch-up inside the house. For my next project, I plan to re-wire the 12 volt lighting system outside.

“I mentioned the view, but, for a while this August, it was a bit creepy because at night from our front deck, we could see the ‘Milli’ forest fire burning about 15 miles away! Everything appears to be under control now.

“We have lots of fun with family. Most recently, we had two of Malarkey’s daughters and their families here for Labor Day. The grandkids did wonderful chalk artwork all over the driveway. This group of grandchildren are all teenagers but still love to draw. We had a big barbeque and also went inner-tubing down the Deschutes River.

What a good activity for older and younger folks to share because, for the most part, all the participants do is sit there and let the river carry them along. You just have to be able to tolerate having cold, water-logged buns!

“In March/April, we went to visit my son, John, in Japan and had a grand time. How wonderful to have him as a guide as he’s fluent in Japanese and also good at driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road! In October, we are going to Malarkey’s 60th reunion at the University of Virginia.”

CHARLIE LARSON ’65 of Ripon, Wisconsin: “We haven’t done a lot this summer. We took a train trip to Sacramento, California, in May and thoroughly enjoyed the city, although they had a bad mass transit system for a big city. Most of the summer has been spent in and around Ripon. Our backyard pool is a real magnet for our kids and grandchildren, especially in hot weather.

We saw them a lot this summer. In about a week, we are taking a trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas, and spending a week there. As usual, I play a lot of golf and tennis; golf three times a week and tennis twice. In addition, I give a lot of tennis lessons to both kids and adults. I miss getting together with Mike, both for golf, Ripon football games and Packer games. In about six weeks, Karen and I will be heading back to Sun City for the winter. We always stop in Branson, Missouri, on the way to Arizona and take in three or four shows. We love Branson. I will give you a buzz when we arrive in Arizona so the four of us can get together.”

JUDITH DU FRENE HALL ’65 of Roseville, Minnesota: “This may be too late, but I, too, have been out of the country. Retirement continues to be much about family and travel — as was the time when working. My husband, Bill, and I spend our time in the U.S. between California and Minnesota, but mostly California. This past year, we left California in September and didn’t

Fall 2017 13

Class Letters return until June! Most of the time was spent in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. This summer, I have returned to San Miguel twice. Our oldest daughter and her husband and 13-year-old son have recently moved to San Miguel. Our other daughter and her family (15-year-old son and 14-year-old twin sons) live in North Carolina where I will travel later this month. For relaxation, I read and knit and spend time with friends.

Last year, Bill and I traveled to the Yucatán for five weeks, Glacier, Yellowstone the Grand Tetons, Puebla, Mexico, and Costa Careyes.”

JOHN BURROWS ’65 of Jacksonville, Florida: “Time does not seem to slow down as we get older. Our son, Michael, now married at age 40, presented us a third grandchild in January. He and his wife live in Oregon, a long way from Jacksonville. We visited him in April and then spent several days at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. We honeymooned there 49 years ago, and it has really changed. NANCY OSTERMEIER BURROWS ’66 and I still enjoy traveling and had a nice cruise through the British Isles in June. Periodically, we also travel to Orlando and Disney World. Great spot for adults and lots to do. I continue to be active in a number of volunteer organizations, including our church, Meals on Wheels, Habijax and cooking at the homeless center. I also continue to enjoy gardening, including cutting the grass and weeding, and wish some of my neighbors did the same. Looking for shark’s teeth while at the beach is also a favorite pastime. This month, I will be donating my prostate to the trashcan, thanks to Agent Orange in the Vietnam War. Keep the faith.”

DONNA STAEBEN LONG ’65 of Watertown, Wisconsin: “First, I have to apologize that I did not respond to your earlier email as I was on Washington Island taking a class at Sievers. I was without phone service and almost no internet! Therefore, I did not look at my messages and email until I returned. By then it was too late to call and you were on your wonderful trip.

“This summer, we celebrated our 50th with a trip to Ireland with our daughters and their families. Wonderful time was had by all, the pub visits might have had a bit to do with this. My fiber arts, Bob’s two-in-hand carriage competition, grandchildren and travel have all kept us busy in retirement. We recently purchased a threewheel cycle and hope to do short trips on it. Think we are losing our marbles? We plan on continuing these activities as long as our bodies and health allow. Sorry to have missed the 50th reunion, but my dad passed away and his funeral was on that Saturday. Looking forward to our 55th.”

DAVE WORDEN ’65 of Scottsdale, Arizona: “We’ve had a very laid-back summer spending time in our Oceanside, California, condo and our Scottsdale home. Did a lot of babysitting of the grandkids who are 13, 11, 2-year-old twins and our 1-year-old. They can really wear you down. TERRIE KRIKORIAN WORDEN ’66 and I are looking forward to a cruise in a week in Canada and New England enjoying the fall colors. Best to all our classmates.”

MARY “M.J.” SHIRER KROENING ’65 of Naperville, Illinois: “John and I just had another great-grandchild!”

They now have three great-grandsons. They will be coming out to the Pacific Northwest in October to check out the newest addition. While they are here, M.J. is making plans to see all of her relatives and everyone she knows within a 300-mile radius of Seattle! On Oct. 3, Malarkey and I will be meeting M.J. and John somewhere in Portland for dinner. We have not yet figured out the dinner spot but have established where we will be staying. They will be on their way from Seattle to see M.J.’s cousin in Creswell, Oregon, and we

14

Connections

will be at the airport on our way to Malarkey’s reunion in Charlottesville, Virginia.

For years, M.J. volunteered as a storyteller for the Children’s Garden at the Morton Arboretum in DuPage County. Lately, she has traded out the guitar that she played there for a ukulele. She began taking lessons at a local music store and loves it! At Ripon, she was heavily involved in music activities, and her love of making music has continued. She now plays with the “Hix Brothers Soon to be World Famous Ukulele Band.”

She says when she’s playing with the band, she is in her “happy place.” Recently, the band played for two Trader Joe’s 50th anniversary celebrations and at the Fermilab in Batavia for its 50th anniversary. Who knew M.J. would someday be involved with theoretical physics!

JOHN HYDE ’65: “M.J. demonstrated her storytelling skills at one reunion and was the emcee for our 50th!”

CAROL BEVERLY POUROS ’65 of West Bend, Wisconsin, and husband Jim just sent their two sons off to college for their freshman year. Nick is going to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and Alex is at Winona State.

Both young men are interested and participate in bodybuilding. As Carol says, “It’s a whole lot better than drugs,” although she is a bit concerned because she recently discovered that La Crosse has one of the biggest Oktoberfests in the U.S. Since Carol now has some time to herself, she has enrolled to audit several classes at UW-Washington County in West Bend right near her home. She is taking beginning anthropology and beginning American history. Then, after class, she goes to a nearby YMCA to work out. Sounds perfect!

We are both also interested in theater. They have become patrons of the American Players Theater in Spring Green, Wisconsin, near Taliesin. She says it’s a fantastic regional theater, and they recently enjoyed a production of Cyrano de Bergerac there. They also have discovered the Aquila Theater Group, a traveling company headquartered in New York but that travels throughout the U.S. They plan to see their production of Hamlet at the Fermilab in Batavia soon. (What’s with everyone going to the Fermilab?) Carol says, “For anyone interested in theater, keep an eye out online for the Aquila Theater schedule to see if they plan any performances near you because they do a great job.”

TOM FISCHER ’65 of Dunedin, Florida: “Summer was (is) typically hot and humid. With summer comes the threat of hurricanes, which is on our minds now with Irma heading to somewhere in Florida. At this time, it looks like we will miss the brunt of the storm, but, as these things can change direction, we are in full preparatory mode. I enjoy riding my bike and, although limited by the heat, I managed a few rides. Dunedin and surrounding is a great biking area with many choices including the 50+ mile long Pinellas Trail one block from the house. Florida’s flatness eases the pain in the heat. When I don’t feel like pedaling, I ride my restored 1965 Vespa motor scooter around town and get many ogling looks. The heat and humidity makes the pool more inviting, which has been a major activity both in using and maintaining the pool (quite well actually in my role as “pool boy,” putting my chemistry background to use). Sue and I have changed our boating preferences, selling the Grady-White in favor of a more “senior friendly” pontoon boat. We like to take it out and anchor/beach off Caladesi Island or one of the other many other islands within reach of the Dunedin marina where we keep it berthed. Helps to have the marina so close to where we live. Sue’s mom and dad recently moved to Dunedin close to us, and it has been a busy job getting them settled in their condo, compounded

1965-66 by a traffic accident and illness. Both are fine now and living the life in Dunedin. We have hosted many visitors from near and far which is always enjoyable. A special guest has been Joey Biagini, a Toronto Blue Jay relief pitcher, now starter (Dunedin is host to the Blue Jays spring training). Has been fun to see him grow into making the transition from the minor leagues to the big leagues. And more importantly, he is a great kid and it has been a joy knowing him as well as his family.

So sad to learn that MIKE REESE ’65, my roommate in Merriman House, passed away unexpectedly in Wisconsin. RIP Weasel! Best wishes to all!”

JOHN HYDE ’65 adds that MIKE REESE ’65’s passing was quite a shock. He has done much for Ripon and will be sorely missed on the Board of Trustees.

JOHN HYDE ’65 notes, “It has been a good year for Donna and myself. We got together with RETT HUMKE ’65 and JEANNE HYDE HUMKE ’67 near our summer home in northern Wisconsin and with TERRELL HYDE ’94 and Brendan and Trevor and Phyl in the Milwaukee area. Donna and I organized Cousins Camp again this summer for the five grandkids — always delightful.

They love lake activities. We celebrated our first wedding anniversary in Pensacola in August. Heading to Nashville the first week in October, taking in an Ed Sheeran performance. Donna’s son and his significant other will be with us for a week at Thanksgiving in Florida. Christmastime will start in Kansas City with Donna’s mom and family and will continue in Wisconsin with my kids and family through the New Year.”

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all, JOHN

1966 Nancy Ostermeier Burrows noburrows@bellsouth.net 2017 has been a busy year for us for sure. JOHN BURROWS ’65 and I were pleased to welcome another grandchild into the Burrows clan! River Ryan Burrows was born in Portland, Oregon, on Jan. 25 to our son, Michael, and his wife, Kristin! We now have three wonderful grandchildren. Sam, 11, and Lucy, 7, live in Jacksonville and we truly enjoy being with them as much as possible. We just wish that River and family lived closer.

In April, we celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary by spending a week at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. We had not been there since our honeymoon and it has really grown into a fabulous resort.

Recommend it highly. We enjoyed a cruise around the British Isles in May and celebrated JOHN BURROWS ’65’s 74th birthday in true style at sea! Really enjoyed being with good friends and especially enjoyed the Cotswolds. So beautiful and peaceful — really out of a storybook.

We had a family reunion with our children and grandchildren at Ponte Vedra Beach in August. Hot but really fun to have everyone together. John and I still volunteer in the community and at our church and are always happy to see old friends. The Lascody’s (BARBARA BERGER LASCODY ’67 and LARRY LASCODY ’65) stopped by on their way home from their 50th wedding anniversary celebration on a cruise with their family! Great to see them for sure. Please let us know if you are in the area.

PAM KURZ GOODE ’66 of Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin: “It’s been a busy few months since I last connected with all of you. We enjoyed our January stay in the Yucatan of Mexico – so much so that we are taking the kids and grandkids there this year for a couple of weeks this

Christmas! Following that, we are bound for Costa Rica in February 2018, but that seems like eons from now.

We took a spring trip to the Syracuse, New York, area to visit our son and his family and to take our east coast grandson on a road trip. Then they visited us in late June. Great fun! Of course, our daughter and her family live just a couple of minutes away from us, so we see them and our other two grandsons frequently!

“We visited with SUSIE SCOTT LASHLY ’66 and MARK LASHLY ’66 when they were in Door County for their family’s annual vacation in Door County in June, and then we traveled the next week to Green Lake/Ripon to stay with RUTH POTTS FLECK ’66 and BOB FLECK ’65.

Got to see our much younger classmates at the 1967 reunion – had a good time reconnecting with friends from that year. It was almost as good as our reunion.

“I just finished taking a class at Bjorklunden, which is Lawrence University’s facility just down the road from us. Very interesting course taught by Terry Moran from ABC news. My own TERRY GOODE ’66 is teaching a philosophy class there later in August. Tons of cultural and educational things to do in Door County all year round! Come see us!”

SUSIE SCOTT LASHLY ’66 of Chesterfield, Missouri: “Last Fall, MARK LASHLY ’66 and I had a wonderful cruise on the Rhine River from Basel to Amsterdam, which was fabulous. In June, we had our yearly family trip to Door County, Wisconsin, and enjoyed 10 days on the shores of Lake Michigan. We enjoyed a visit with PAMELA KURZ GOODE ’66 and TERRY GOODE ’66 and also caught up with JIM MATTHES ’64 and MARY LEE FRANKE MATTHES ’64. Our summer has been busy and fun. Our granddaughters live nearby so we enjoy our time with them. Mark and I both stay active but find ourselves looking forward to an afternoon nap more frequently. I am convinced this is for good health not because we are getting older. Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying life.”

SUZAN HELGERSON PRUIETT ’66 of Tampa, Florida: “Just spent an evening with a couple who are teachers visiting here from France. They mentioned that one of their favorite American actors is HARRISON FORD ’64. It was great fun telling them about going to Ripon College with Harry Ford. I just wished that more of Dr. Delakas’ French instruction could come to mind.

We didn’t get back to Wisconsin this summer, but we did make a trip to Brainerd and Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota. We brought back wild rice as gifts for the family and friends in Florida (a Minnesota tradeoff for gifted oranges that go north). Our second grandchild, first girl, is due Oct. 1, so no foreign trip for me this fall. Our younger son, Matt, and his wife, Sarah, live here in Tampa. I’m seeing pink for the first time! As I said, nothing of note, but must say I am reminded and grateful every day for the education and experiences from Ripon College that have carried me to this point in my life.”

GARY YERKEY ’66 of Washington, D.C.: “I’ve spent my after-Ripon life as a journalist, putting in a bunch of years overseas, and I can’t seem to give it up.

Recently, I’ve been focusing on writing books (four so far, all nonfiction). I probably have a few more in me somewhere that will need to get out. But who knows?

Maybe I’ll work on my golf game. My latest book, published last year, is He’s Coming to Start Riots: On the Road to Black Power with ‘the Reverend’ Willie Ricks.

One of the true icons of the civil rights movement, Cleveland L. Sellers Jr., has called it a ‘masterpiece,’ which is, God knows, a masterpiece of exaggeration, but I’ll take it anyway. ‘You did a great job of capturing the real essence of my friend Willie Ricks,’ Sellers said to me in a recent note. Currently, I’m working on a book about

Fall 2017 15

Class Letters a pre-World War II test pilot. As a former pilot myself, I’m enjoying the research immensely. Next week, I’ll be traveling to Arizona from my home in Washington, D.C., to interview his 88-year-old son. I’ll probably bring my golf clubs along.”

SANDY RUMMEL RENNIE ’66 of Plano, Texas, reports that the Ripon sisters of Alpha Delta Pi classes of 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1968 held a reunion during the 2017 Alumni Weekend at Ripon. They met Thursday evening at Christiano’s and spent the rest of the weekend enjoying Alumni Weekend activities provided by the College. Also in attendance were ANN HASSLER ’65, PATTY GASS BRAIDWOOD ’66, SHARI VIZANKO MILLER ’66, MISSY KEYES ’66, SUE BOOTHROYD LOOMER ’67, PEGGY GROSS ARAMBARRI ’67, MARGE WILSON BARTZ ’67, CHERYL KLUZ ROMANE ’68, PATRICIA SMITH LARSON ’68, ROSE MADEJ ’68, DIANE KING MIKOLYZK ’68, JANE FABER RUBIN ’68 and KATIE WILSON WROS ’68.

To say that “fun was had by all” is a real understatement.

ROBERT RICE ’66 of Eagle, Idaho: “Our daughter, Becky, living in Salt Lake City with her husband and two boys ages 5 and 9, blessed us with a little girl in May 2017!

Her name is Lilly, and she is doing fantastic. We now have a total of five grandchildren, and they all bring us such joy! We had a big celebration for Penny’s dad on July 29 when he turned 99! She has seven siblings, and they all came to Boise to celebrate!”

PAT KENNEDY SAEWERT ’66 of Venice, Florida: “We’ve had a great and memorable year. Our son and daughterin-law celebrated their 20th anniversary, we celebrated 40 years of our cabin on Big Portage Lake, and best of all, STEVE SAEWERT ’66 and I celebrated our 50th anniversary in January. Besides having the family visit us in July in Wisconsin, we took a cruise to Cuba in January and took the most wonderful trip we have ever had: we did a safari in Africa in February (50th anniversary gift to ourselves!). Amazing in every way. Fall brings a trip to Glacier and Yellowstone, then our return to Florida.

Along the way, we stop in Holland, Michigan, to visit our grandkids (now 17, 15 and 12).”

MARY RASCHKA SIKORA ’66 of Orlando, Florida: “Our current home is Orlando, Florida, with Disney, Universal Studios and Seaworld as backdoor neighbors. I am an upper level mathematics tutor at Valencia College tutoring college algebra, trigonometry, pre-calculus and calculus students. I know of no better way to keep the brain cells active and stay in touch with the younger generation. Additionally, I enjoy being a Stephen Ministry leader, choir singer and YMCA attendee on a weekly basis. I was able to check off a bucket list item last summer – to visit small towns in douthern France after joining Purdue University’s alumni group on a “Glamorous Rivera Cruise.” The last of our three children was married in March of this year wearing my 36-yearold wedding dress and veil (sans the puffy sleeves that were ‘in’ in 1981). I feel extremely blessed to be happily married with children who are also enjoying life with loving spouses, and two granddaughters who are doing well.”

TERRI KRIKORIAN WORDEN ’66 of Scottsdale, Arizona: “Sounds like your summer is much like ours — family get-togethers with kids and grandkids. We just celebrated our 51st wedding anniversary along with our son who got married one year ago on our special day! Our grandson is now almost 1 year old, our twin granddaughters are almost 2. Our oldest grandson is 11 and our oldest granddaughter is 13. We are constantly going back and forth between Arizona and California to see everyone, and enjoying our condo in Oceanside. This Christmas, they are all coming to us, as they did last year. Quite a houseful! We have a few vacations coming up — visiting

16

Connections

a California winery, a cruise down the St. Lawrence and east coast to see fall colors, and next year a trip to Cabo. We are staying very active (mandatory when you are around toddlers!). Life revolves around our family and extended family, DAVE WORDEN ’65 is playing golf; I manage to walk several miles a day (not so much when it’s triple digits)! I also am in the yard, as I love gardening. We enjoy going to the many ‘happy hours’ in our area, but love cooking and BBQ-ing at home, too.”

1967 Kathryn “Kathy” Santimays Dunn 209 Stuart Drive Salisbury, NC 28144 704-633-8999 / mamadunn@hotmail.com “I think if I’ve learned anything about friendship, it’s to hang in, stay connected, fight for them and let them fight for you. Don’t walk away, don’t be distracted, don’t be too busy or tired, don’t take them for granted. Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together.

Powerful stuff.” — Jon Katz Dear Class of 1967: I think those of us at our 50th reunion realized our friendships are, indeed, “powerful stuff.” The warmth, laughter and shared conversations are golden memories I will long cherish. Many thanks to Bill and Sue for an outstanding memory book. I’m sure you all enjoy perusing it every now and then. I urge those of you who were unable to be there in June to visit the campus anytime.

Fall is particularly beautiful in Wisconsin. Fast-forward 50 years and the changes are amazing! Enjoy the cozy fire pit near the Pub — soon to be renamed The Spot. Check out the first floor of the Commons — inviting couches and chairs to lounge in while sipping your latte from the nearby Starbucks. And the pièce de résistance, the brand new Willmore Center for athletics, health and wellness.

You won’t believe your eyes! Top-of-the-line exercise equipment, i.e. bikes, steppers, etc. The indoor track is the best in Wisconsin. And a field house that makes the old gym look like a tattered shoebox!

But the heart of Ripon is its students. That’s who we all help when we give to the Annual Fund. I was very proud to learn that 54 percent of our classmates contributed to our Golden Anniversary Class Gift. I hope we can maintain that level of participation.

Though our reunion is but a golden memory, many, many thanks are owed to the committee that worked for more than a year to make it a smashing success.

NANCY WADLEY KEOUGH ’67, DICK KUEHL ’67, SUE BOOTHROYD LOOMER ’67, DICK WRIGHT ’67, BILL NEILL ’67 and GEORGE GITCHO ’67 are the ones to call if you want great party planners!

I hope you all enjoy a beautiful fall with no major weather events. To quote BILL NEILL ’67, “Always for Ripon.”

KATHY

1966-69 1968 Bob Martin 109 Terra Alta Circle Havertown, PA 19083 porger@verizon.net Dear Classmates: Mark your calendars now for our 50th Class Reunion June 21-24, 2018. This is our golden anniversary, and our steering committee — MARTHA CARRIER ’68, DIANE KING MIKOLYZK ’68, BONNIE BINKOFF RILEY ’68, VICKY PORTH TOBIAS ’68, GUY HENSHAW ’68, JIM CLARK ’68, PAM PRICE SMITH ’68, JUDY WILKINSON NEILL ’68 and myself — is preparing to make it memorable. Here is where things stand now: • We have created a private Facebook group page. If you are on Facebook, I urge you search for the group Ripon College Class of 1968 – 50th Reunion. Once there, click on “Join Group,” and Judy or I can approve your membership. This will give you “read-only” access to the page. To upgrade so that you can post pictures, comments and whether you will be joining us, send a Facebook message to either Judy or me so that we can “invite” you to join.

• VICKY PORTH TOBIAS ’68 has once again volunteered to coordinate the development of a class Memory Book, which will be printed by the College. Please respond to Vicky when you receive her request for your post-Ripon biographical information.

• The Dahm Heritage Room in the Pickard Commons, the prime reunion dinner spot on campus, has been set aside for us. There will be a sound system there, so if you have favorite music from our era on your iPads, bring them along.

• We will have a Hospitality/Memorabilia Room open all weekend on campus, where classmates can loiter and view mementos of our collective college years. Judy and BONNIE BINKOFF RILEY ’68 are in charge of this project. Please send pictures, beanies, Green Lists and whatever else you think might be interesting to Judy at Judith.Neill@gmail.com or mail it to her home: 617 Hillside Terrace, Ripon, WI 54971.

• JUDY ’68 and WILLIAM “BILL” NEILL ’67 will hold our customary class reunion gathering at their home on Friday night, June 22, after the awards banquet.

• We also are looking into two other possibilities: a Green Lake boat excursion and inviting professors from our era as guests. As more information becomes available, we will post it on the Facebook page.

You will be getting a series of mailings, in addition to this one, over the next several months, including a “Save-The-Date” postcard, the biographic questionnaire, a registration form, and a class gift letter. Please note that class gifts are any contribution made to the College between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2018. I’m happy to report that JIM CLARK ’68 and PAM PRICE SMITH ’68 have agreed to head up the class gift effort.

We have only one 50th Ripon College Reunion. Let’s make it a great one! There are numerous things you can do now to be a part of it.

Make your reservation at one of the lodging places that offer a special Ripon Reunion rate: • The Heidel House, Green Lake: (800) 444-2812/(920) 294-3344 • Comfort Suites, Ripon (855) 499-0001/(920) 748-5500 • Boarders Inn, Ripon (888) 693-8262/(920) 748-7578 Get on our Facebook page (see above).

Volunteer to call members of your campus living group and other friends. We would like to have at least one caller per living group. Contact me if you would like a list of current addresses, emails and phone numbers for the Class of 1968. And for those of you who are adept with internet search functions, ask me for the class list so that you can research those classmates for whom the College does not have a current address or phone number. We want to get everyone under our reunion umbrella.

Above all, plan to be with us. If you have any questions, please email me at the above address.

Campus Notes: Classes opened Aug. 22 with 246 freshmen coming on board. Homecoming and Family Weekend was held Oct. 5-7, highlighted by the grand opening of the Willmore Center, the athletics, health and wellness facility that bears the name of DENA WILLMORE ’67, an Honorary Life Trustee.

1969 Scott A. Nyquist 7747 Martino Circle Naples, FL 34112 (h)239-732-0523 / (c)630-632-1619 scott.a.nyquist@gmail.com Hello Class of ’69! This will the shortest class letter I’ve ever written in my 25 years as Class Agent. CYNTHIA SANBORN NYQUIST ’69 and I took our annual vacation trip to Germany on Aug. 12 to visit our daughter and granddaughter. We had a great time as always. After three weeks in Germany, we spent three nights in Vienna, Austria. We were supposed to return home on Sept.

7, but because Hurricane Irma was bearing down on Florida, we decided to rebook for one week later and miss all the “fun” of being in a hurricane. When we got home, the house was fine. No damage. No flooding.

Unfortunately, all of our landscaping was ripped to shreds by the storm. But we didn’t exactly miss all the “fun.” Power was out, along with cable and internet connections, there was a boil water notice, problems with the sewer systems, shortage of ice and gasoline, and we had two refrigerators full of spoiled food. I think you get the picture. I am writing this three days after returning.

Things are getting better every day. We got power back over the weekend (Thank goodness!)

I only heard from only a few of you: BOB FERNBACH ’69, Castle Pines, Colorado: “We are now in our new home in Castle Pines, Colorado. My cell phone and email are the same.”

JOHN FLECK ’69, Pensacola, Florida: “We are planning a Hawaiian trip for our 50th wedding anniversary. We enjoyed our granddaughter’s National Jump Rope Competition in Orlando the end of June but regrettably we missed Alumni Weekend in Ripon.”

DON NUNEMAKER ’69, Novato, California: “I retired in April 2016 and since have been kept busy traveling, visiting our five kids and 10 grandkids (including one great-grandson) working in the yard and struggling to improve my golf game. Even though I have lived in California for the last 20 years, I continue to be a fanatical Green Bay Packers fan. I finally attended my first-ever game at Lambeau Field last December. The San Francisco Bay area is a great place to be an NBA fan, and since I retired I greatly enjoy being able to watch most of the Golden State Warriors games on TV (especially since Kevin Durant joined the team last year.) In July, my son JEFF NUNEMAKER ’02 and I took a six-day, 188-mile long rafting trip down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. The trip has been on my bucket list for years. It was truly the trip of a lifetime! We have already signed

Fall 2017 17

Class Letters up to go back next year and do a rafting trip through Cataract Canyon on the Colorado River beginning in Moab, Utah. In August, I went to Europe to visit for two weeks with my oldest daughter with stops in Athens, Barcelona and Cairo.”

NICK “CHIP” RETSON ’69, Aiken, South Carolina: “I traveled with my dog and Airstream trailer this summer. The main route of my trip was the Lewis and Clark Expedition route following mostly the Missouri River, from near St Louis through Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, across northern Montana (breaking away to visit Glacier National Park). Then it was on to Lolo Pass into a little of Idaho. Saving the trip to the coast until next summer. Headed back across southern Montana along the Yellowstone River (Clark’s route east), then across southern North Dakota and Minnesota to Wisconsin staying about 10 days near Waupaca. After that, I visited relatives in the Chicago area, northern Indiana and then 10 days in Pentwater, Michigan, at my cousin’s lake house. It was a wonderful travel summer and hopefully I can do the Oregon Trail next summer and also catch the western end of the Lewis and Clark Trail, too.

Remember our 50-year class reunion will take place on Saturday, June 22, 2019. I hope all of you will try to attend. Please put this date on your calendar. I am still looking for people to serve on the Reunion Committee.

The work involves participating in quarterly conference calls to plan reunion events, as well as contacting classmates by phone and email to personally invite them to attend the reunion. The committee will begin working on the reunion starting in January 2018, giving us 18 months to create the best reunion ever!

Please remember to send Ripon College your new address if you move and to notify them of a new email address if you create one. Keep in touch. I love hearing from you guys.

Always for Ripon, SCOTT

1970 Susan Hecht Gebhardt 947 Shetland Drive Frankfort, IL 60423 815-464-5761 / 815-260-1656 wmacrogeb@yahoo.com Hello Classmates. Hope all is well with you. BILL GEBHARDT ’69 and I had a wonderful time this winter in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Scottsdale and Sedona, Arizona.

It was great to see CHRIS LYDON JONES ’70 and catch up on our families. We also visited with cousins and other friends and, of course, Bill did a lot of golfing. We love Sedona and soaked up as much vortex power as we could to sustain us for the remainder of the winter. We left just ahead of the storms and flooding that followed us as we drove back to Illinois.

This spring and summer, we have been golfing (Bill a lot and me a little) and making repairs on the family cottage in Wisconsin. Our son, Will, and his family spent a weekend with us. The granddaughters enjoyed their visit to Circus World Museum in Baraboo, home of the Ringling Brothers, and got to ride a real elephant. Back at the cottage, they took a pontoon ride, swam in the lake and tried fishing. It was great seeing the granddaughters enjoying some of the activities their dad and uncle did as kids at the old place. Our son, Matt, the golf pro, has been quite busy at work this summer but hopes to spend some time there this fall. A golfing trip to Green Lake is planned.

I have some sad news. Co-Class Agent BOB UEHLING ’70

18

Connections

died May 15. Bob and I were in Student Senate together, he as vice president and president and I as secretary.

It was a pleasure sharing the Class Agent job with him and pastimes with him at reunions and planning the newsletters. He will be missed by all whose lives he touched. Please take some time to read more in the “In Memoriam” section.

CRAIG SPLINTER ’70 of Libertyville, Illinois: “Nothing new to report from the Splinter household. All is good here. Fortunately.”

Jenner & Block Partner, RONALD PETERSON ’70 recently was named the 36th president of the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees (NABT), which represents the interests and needs of Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustees. His chief goals for his presidency include securing a raise for Chapter 7 trustees — who, since 1994, have received only $60 per no-asset case they handle — and continuing to run high-quality articles in the association’s publication, American Bankruptcy Trustee Journal. His term extends through September 2018.

Ron, a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, is a member of Jenner & Block’s Restructuring and Bankruptcy, Corporate Finance, and Bankruptcy Litigation Practices. Since 2003, Chambers & Partners has named him one of the country’s leading lawyers in bankruptcy law.

DAVE READ ’70 of West Chester, Pennsylvania: “For once I can maybe claim that I am first in our class for something. I think I may be the first to have reached the age of 70 – thanks to five years of high school in Ontario (no, I didn’t fail, we had a five-year program). My wife and daughter managed to pull off a great surprise party with 50 friends attending from as far away as northern Wisconsin and Ontario. DENNY KEMPNER ’70 and KAY INGERSKI KEMPNER ’70 came down from Buffalo to join us, and it was a great party, not quite to the standards of the infamous pledge party in Princeton our freshmen year, but it was a pretty good ‘barn burner.’ Beyond that, I am golfing regularly, and still looking for my first hole-in-one.”

Addendum: On Sept. 1, Dave got his first hole-in-one!

He adds, “So two firsts for me, first in the class to reach 70 and my first hole-in-one. Hope I don’t have to wait 56 years for the next one!”

SUSAN

1971 Jim Beisner 119 Starflower Drive Griffin, GA 30223 770-570-7725 / jim.beisner@gmail.com Greetings, Class of 1971! Here’s to another great year!

It is hard to believe we were starting our freshman year 50 long years ago just as the Class of 2021 is doing now.

Where did the time go? I remember my first few weeks of getting acclimated to classes and the campus as if it was just yesterday. Although there is a large time gap between our start and theirs, the quality of education has not changed in all those years. Through the support of our time, talents and treasures, Ripon College has maintained a superb educational experience. The update on current College activities along with honors of graduates and faculty as noted below, continue to show the excellent contribution Ripon makes to the nation and State of Wisconsin.

As we look back at our experiences at Ripon, we can all see the benefits we derived from that special time.

1969-73 In some way, the Annual Fund assisted all of us. It underwrites all aspects of yearly operations, including, but not limited to, laboratory supplies, technological innovations, library resources, faculty support, financial aid and scholarships, athletics, opportunities to study abroad, the arts and facilities. I urge your consideration to increase this year’s gift in recognition of all we have accomplished as a result of Ripon College. If you gave below the Heritage Society level, consider giving at that level. If you give at one of the society levels, think about increasing your gift annually to eventually elevating to the next highest society.

JIM

1972 Stephanie Greene steviegreene@msn.com Susan Frederick-Clarkson susieclarkson@aol.com Dear Classmates, First of all, please join me in offering SUSAN FREDERICK-CLARKSON ’72 our heartfelt condolences on the loss of her spouse. As many of you know, Susan’s husband had been ill for some time and she has remained strong in the face of the long struggle.

Please feel free to offer your personal wishes of support to her.

Thank so many of you for the outstanding class gift to Ripon College as we celebrated 45 years since our graduation. Our class was in the top two giving classes for the first time and I am very proud of this effort. A special thank-you to SUSAN FREDERICK-CLARKSON ’72, SUSAN MIJANOVICH KEY ’72 and the Ripon College staff members for joining with me to organize our Class Reunion. Although I was unable to attend, I have been told that Alumni Weekend was lots of fun.

This is an exciting time at Ripon College; the new academic year is well underway, and we celebrate the dedication of the Willmore Center, named for DENA WILLMORE ’67. Our campus has never looked more beautiful, and I sincerely hope that each of you will take the opportunity to visit our alma mater in the near future. The new Willmore Center is a great space that will serve the College and the Ripon community for many years to come.

Please continue to support Ripon College so that it will continue the academic excellence that has propelled it into the top tier of liberal arts colleges in the state of Wisconsin and in the nation.

Sincerely, STEPHANIE GREENE

1973 Jean Kirkpatrick Lederer 22001 Sycamore Grove Bonita Springs, FL 34135 239-390-1349 or 630-987-9388 jeanlederer@yahoo.com Classmates: I am writing this as I scurry about trying to prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Irma. By the time you read this, the hurricane will be history, but at this moment it is a scary threat to the whole state of Florida.

GARY LEDERER ’72 and I have the house as prepared for a storm as we can get it, and our hopes are to head up to Tampa tomorrow to catch a plane to California. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Harvey, we in Florida can only hope that Irma passes through quickly and does not wreak havoc on us. We had 17 inches of rain in four days without a hurricane and neighborhoods around us are still flooded, so we really do not need more rain or heavy winds.

Enough about that. As I said before, by the time you read this Irma will be a memory.

Looking ahead to the future, our class will be celebrating our 45th reunion in June. I really would appreciate some of you stepping forward to help plan the reunion. At the moment, it is me, STEVE ILLICH ’73 and our classmate Trustees who are working on it, and it would be really helpful to have more of you involved. And, even if you cannot help plan the event, I hope you will think about attending. Alumni Weekend is always the last weekend in June, so you can mark it on your calendars now. It would be great to have a big turnout! And as always, when it is a special reunion like 45, we will be asking for you to be generous in your giving to the Annual Fund. So if you can’t help with planning or you cannot come to the celebration, hopefully you will be able to write a check in support of Ripon College!

News from classmates is pretty sparse this writing. But here, is what I heard: NOEL DALTON ’73 of Woodstock, Vermont: “Oldest daughter Morgan flying C-12s in Navy; Kent enters U.S. Naval Academy Class of 2021; Megan is sophomore at UMBC; Noel is entering eighth grade at Cardigan Mountain School in Canaan, New Hampshire.”

MICHAEL ZIEGENHAGEN ’73 of Chagrin Falls, Ohio: “Darlene and I became grandparents in December with the birth of Anya in Colorado Springs to Libby and Rupert Tan. Our second opportunity at grandparenthood is coming in October with the birth of Jack in Copenhagen to Nora and Anders Stengel Ziegenhagen. This is a new and rewarding episode in our lives. Meanwhile, 25 years later, I continue to operate Playmatters Toy Stores (www.playmatterstoys.com) in suburban Cleveland, Ohio. Wish we could keep up with those of you who are busy attacking your ‘bucket list’ of travel goals across the globe, but we will hopefully catch up when I finally retire in three years.”

MARK CONRAD ’73 of Chetek, Wisconsin: “I’m still a senior lecturer in the University of Wisconsin System with a considerable amount of online and other distance education modes. Looking to settle into a strictly online position so I can work out of London/Berlin. If anyone has any online leads, please let me know. Here is my official UW bio: http://uwc.edu/bio/mark-conrad. Hope everyone is finding some joy in their lives. To paraphrase as the saying goes, this aging thing isn’t for sissies.”

MICHAEL MIZEN JR. ’73 of Lakewood, Ohio: “PEGGI SEELBACH MIZEN ’75 and I are now grandparents.

Daughter Alison and husband Trip have a son as of April. Kael Francis Gaul continues to develop his own personality each day. We are all in Lakewood, Ohio, so it is easy to see them on a frequent basis. Jennifer and her husband, Joe, have relocated to Greenbelt, Maryland.

She now is working for the U.S. Geological Survey/ Bird Banding program. We will camp with them in October.

Joe has a position with Matworks Flooring Solutions.

RV trips are focused east of the Mississippi this season.

Bourbon Trail in September and Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia in October.”

With the horrific aftermath in Houston from Hurricane

Fall 2017 19

Class Letters SUDY REIGLE ALTHOLZ ’73 of Chicago, Illinois: “THOMAS ALTHOLZ ’72 and I have had a busy but peaceful summer. Doesn’t that sound like they don’t belong together?! Our seventh grandchild, Emma Kate, was born May 13, and the following week we traveled home to see our oldest granddaughter graduate from high school. Wow, time flies. So we have one arriving in the nest and another taking flight! Summer is a regular kind of busy, and now we are ready to leave for South Africa for three weeks in September. We will be returning to Arizona at the end of October.”

KATHY GRAUNKE ’73 of Seattle, Washington: “I went to Israel for nine days in July. William was Invited to a math conference, and we did some fascinating sightseeing.”

JOHN STIERNBERG ’73 of Los Angeles, California, reflects on the loss of Walter Becker of Steely Dan. “Remember ‘Reelin’ In the Years’ — of course you do.

One of their best lyrics: ‘The weekend at the college didn’t turn out like you planned/The things that stand for knowledge I don’t understand.’”

That was it as far as people submitting news. I did hear from MARTIN MORRIS ’73 who said he did not have any news, was unsure about the reunion, and is concerned about the state of the world. A common concern these days. Also, I know PAT WILKE EPTING ’73 and husband LEX EPTING ’72 sustained some damage on their Texas home from Harvey, but were safe in Princeton, Wisconsin, when the storm hit. Since BILL MACLEOD ’73 posted this on Facebook, I know he was at the U.S. Open after seeing Bette Midler in New York City. CATHY MASSON LEWIS ’73 emailed me about a classmate, and I was able to get her in touch with them. Always happy to do that if you want to reconnect with someone. I also saw on the Ripon website that JAMES THOMPSON ’73 will have an exhibit, “Celestial Bodies,” on display in the Caestecker Gallery at Ripon College in October. You can read more about it at this link: https://www.ripon. edu/2017/08/30/james-thompsons-celestial-bodies-artexhibit-to-be-at-ripon-college/.

Other than that, Gary and I plan on attending Homecoming in October for the dedication of the new gym. We look forward to seeing DOREEN CONFORTI CHEMEROW ’73 and anyone else who is in attendance.

Hoping to hear from some of you about helping with the reunion. Now I need to finish getting ready to leave before Irma strikes.

Cheers, JEAN

1974 Jan Petrovski Macleod 2 Gilbert Avenue Clarendon Hills, IL 60514 630-460-0320 / Bookmaven105@gmail.com Greetings, classmates! I hope by the time you read this, all the late summer storms have passed and that you are all safe and healthy. I have to say that here in my neck of the woods, summer has been a treat. The bonus came when the kids returned to school and I stayed at home retired! Those of you who told me I would be even busier than before were correct. I hardly know how I found the time to go to work. How about you? Any new retirees?

And how have you all been spending the summer?

CHRIS OVERLY WALLACE ’74 of Homer Glen, Illinois, dropped me a line to say she had a wonderful trip to Europe this summer. In addition, she has spent a lot of time at the lake and spent as much time with her three granddaughters as possible. Sounds good to me!

20

Connections

DAVID KEIMACH ’74 of Scottsdale, Arizona, attended Phoenix Cooks 2017, where top chefs served up tasty stuff to raise money for Special Olympics Arizona.

ELIZABETH HENDERSON BARRATT ’74 of Carmel Valley, California: “I’m spending my time at the beach! Still undergoing the longest-lasting kitchen remodel in the history of the world, thus the beach!”

I have been in touch with SELMA BAYDOUN CEMAN ’74 of Berlin, Wisconsin, who now has a brand-new granddaughter. Congratulations to Selma and the whole family.

And speaking of granddaughters, ours turned a year old in September, and it has been quite a fun-filled year for ANDY MACLEOD ’76 and I. She is a delight. She loves to go for walks to the park, not only to see the ducks but because Grandpa Andy does wheelies with her in the stroller. Her peals of laughter can be heard all over. Baby laughter is a tonic for whatever ails you — too bad we can’t bottle it!

I haven’t been on campus in a while, but there sure has been a lot going on, so I hope you will read through the magazine and get yourself up to speed. In the meantime, keep me posted on your news. I do enjoy hearing from you.

Take care, and let’s be kind to each other.

JAN

1975 Jondi Gumz 1010 Whispering Pines Drive Scotts Valley, CA 96066 831-461-1120 / jondigumz@yahoo.com Dear classmates, let’s think positive thoughts for folks who have to clean up and rebuild after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston and Hurricane Irma hit Florida.

CAROL VAN WAGNER FRIEDMAN ’75 is in Houston.

KATHY KURKE ’75 and Richard Davis live in Ormond Beach, Florida. DANNA ARNSMEYER NORMAN ’75 is in Melbourne, Florida. MICHAEL PETERSEN ’75 is in Winter Springs, Florida. We’ve got two classmates who live in West Palm Beach, Florida: DOUGLAS DUNCAN ’75 and SHARON SCHECK SINA ’75. SUE REWOLINSKI WIFF ’75 and husband MAYNARD WIFF ’76 are in Naples, Florida.

RUTH GALES FRECHMAN ’75 of North Hollywood, California, is president of the California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the largest state affiliate with almost 7,000 members. “It’s an exciting time to be president because we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,” she writes. While she is president, the state annual conference will be May 3-5, 2018, in Pomona. Her book, The Food is My Friend Diet, is an Amazon best-seller.

More at www.RuthFrechman.com.

STEVE RUGO ’75 of Chicago, Illinois, is married to a president. His wife, Laura de Frise, is president of The Old Masters Society of the Art Institute of Chicago, 500 people with a passion for the art of Europe from the 13th through 19th centuries. Steve, an award-winning architect and principal at Rugo Raff Ltd. Architects, was appointed head of the Housing Committee for Guri, a newly developed city in the Gyeonggi Province of South Korea.

Steve and his wife and daughter Aubrey saw Lady Gaga in concert at Wrigley Field.

JOHN DERGE ’75, a retired U.S. history teacher, and his wife, Shirley Butler, moved from Oak Creek, Wisconsin, to El Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain. How did they pick

1973-75 that location? One of their former students lives there.

“The weather here reminds me of San Diego where I did my Navy basic training many years ago,” John writes on Facebook. “It didn’t take me long to get a dark tan there, and it is already happening to me after being here only two days.”

KATHY KURKE ’75 of Ormond Beach, Florida, is painting and teaching painting. She taught at the “summer camp for adults” offered by the Art League of Daytona Beach and demonstrated how to make simple jewelry out of dried paint drippings. See her work on Facebook. Her paintings were part of a show in May in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, part of the First Saturday Gallery Walk with art and wine. Kathy had a pre-Irma visit with her Ripon roomie, BIRGIT ABROMAITIS RETSON ’77, a public health nurse in Virginia, in Flagler Beach, Florida.

GEORGIANNE BRAVICK ’75 of Appleton, Wisconsin, met up with her Alpha Chi Omega sister JULIE OLSON KEILMAN ’75 near Kansas City, Missouri. And Georgianne saw LEN KACHINSKY ’75 back in March at the Dairyland Brew Pub. LOUISE RENIER BOOTHBY ’75 and her husband, GEORGE BOOTHBY ’74, of Montvale, New Jersey, report a wonderful visit at the Ripon College Alumni Weekend in June. “It began with a serendipitous encounter with GAIL WIECKI MOORE ’75. On Saturday, we, along with SUSIE SAPPINGTON ’75, SUZANNE MONROE POULOS ’75 and MICHAEL POULOS ’77 joined the classes of ‘72 and ‘77 for their combined gathering at the lower level lounge of the Pickard Commons.” Louise said the weather was perfect, the Ceresco Prairie beautiful and there was enjoyable conversation. She took photos, too. Still, she and George look forward to playing Jeopardy at our reunion in 2020.

Our Jeopardy meister, RICK ESTBERG ’75 of Severna Park, Maryland, was in my neighborhood in September helping his mom, who is 92, move from Camarillo to Aptos, California. Rick wanted to stop at Tampico Kitchen, a family favorite since 1964 and making it through the 1989 earthquake in Santa Cruz, but it was recently sold and I think will be demolished as part of a plan to build mid-rise housing downtown.

LEN KACHINSKY ’75 of Neenah, Wisconsin, survived a bout with graft versus host disease, a frequent complication with donor bone marrow transplants. “I was hospitalized from Dec. 15, 2016, to Feb. 1, 2017.

The donor cells attacked my GI system, and my weight was down to 98 pounds. I have recovered some of the weight and recently got a new right hip. When that is broken in, I can resume running.” Len is the municipal judge in Fox Crossing and does criminal appeals parttime. He’s at lkachinsky@core.com.

SUE CHAPMAN CARLTON ’75 of St. Charles, Illinois: “My biggest news item is the marriage of our daughter Kathryn to Jeremy Hall at the Botanic Gardens in Denver on June 24 (my birthday). We are headed to the Jersey shore for a long weekend today, and then I’m ready to stay home for awhile.”

MARY JENKEL DELK ’75: “JACK DELK ’74 will be retiring in April of 2018 after serving at our church for almost 17 years. We are moving to Austin, Texas, to be closer to our grandkids. We are in the process of building a home and would love visitors if any of you are in the area! Very much looking forward to this next season of life.” Mary is at marybethdelk@gmail.com. I am hoping to connect Mary with GAIL BARTKOWSKI ’75 of Elmira, New York, who lived across the hall in Shaler at Ripon. Gail is at gailjeanbart@gmail.com.

BECKY HADLEY ’75 of San Antonio, Texas, is thankful to be healthy and looking forward to hanging up full-time work by early November. “I will continue to work ‘PRN,’ which is a great aspect of nursing; it’ll keep me off the streets some and help fund my husband Peter’s and my extensive bucket list of travel. In the fall, we’re going to several national parks, Canyon de Chelly in Arizona, and Arches and Canyonlands outside Moab, Utah. In January, we’ll check out Oaxaca, a wonderful colonial city, and enjoy the indigenous crafts and amazing food, especially the mole. Our adorable grandson turns 1 in two weeks!”

Becky is active in a book club and supports a nonprofit, Deborah’s House, which helps women transition from drug and alcohol recovery to a productive life and after seeing Hurricane Harvey’s devastation, she’s looking at volunteering for the Red Cross or a similar agency. Her advice: “Life is short — seize the day!”

NANCY LAWS KERN ’75 of Denver, Colorado, has been traveling. She and George vacationed in Provence, France, with Trek Travel in June, and George cycled Mont Ventoux. They saw Gorges de la Nesque and Gordes. The Iceland trip was in September. See her photo of Gulfoss waterfalls on Facebook!

DAVID STOCKDALE ’75 who lives with wife, Tiny, in Alabang, Rizal, the Philippines, spent part of the summer in the U.S., visiting the kids and grandkids in Michigan.

PHIL BOLDA ’75 of Tempe, Arizona, and Deb Clarke traveled to San Sebastian, Spain, in July, enjoying blue skies and beautiful sandy beaches.

KEN PRAY ’75 and his wife, MARY OHLINGER-PRAY ’76, of Cincinnati, Ohio, traveled to Antwerp, Ghent and Paris this summer. And they were part of a giant family reunion at New Buffalo, Michigan, which is on Lake Michigan.

MARK WRIGHT ’75 and MARCIA WILSON WAHOSKE ’75 of North Mankato, Minnesota, went to the Minnesota State Fair. Marcia is in the bell choir at church. Listen to this group on Facebook — the sound is heavenly!

SCOTT TREMBERTH ’75 and his wife, Barbara, of Henderson, Nevada, spent time in Green Lake, Wisconsin, around the Fourth of July.

NAN ANDREWS ’75 of Eagle River, Wisconsin, posted on Facebook about her ancestor, Susannah North Martin, one of a handful of accused witches during the Salem witch trials who did not live in Salem. Verbatim transcripts are at http://goo.gl/VR6e2g LINDA MOCHALSKI CARPENTER ’75 posted her photo of the eclipse she took where she lives in Maryville, Tennessee. “This picture was taken when the total eclipse was achieved. It was just with my cell phone. The tiny black dot in the middle was the moon. It was so amazing to see.”

GREGG SAMELSON ’75 and wife MARY JAMIESON SAMELSON ’76 of Citrus Heights, California, traveled to Kauai in the summer, hiking Waimea Canyon and reaching the waterfall. If you want to buy or sell a house in Sacramento, their son Nate can help you because he’s a real estate agent.

BOB BARRINGTON ’75 of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, got a new T-shirt this summer that made me smile. Two bears at a table with Bob saying “Let’s eat, Bob,” then “Let’s eat Bob.” And the punchline is: Commas save lives.

WARREN BLUHM ’75 of Luxemburg, Wisconsin, is writing and writing. See what he has to say at wpbluhm. wordpress.com.

Fall 2017 21

Class Letters ANN MIJANOVICH PETERSEN ’75 of Atlanta, Georgia, has an adorable grandbaby who can feed himself in his high chair.

our local orchid club.” Matt fishes a lot from his kayak and sometimes even catches fish for dinner. Reach Matt at mrfishnj@gmail.com.

GLENDA HARRIS BARNETT ’75 of Hanover, Maryland, has some cutie-pie grandkids, and you can see the photos on Facebook. If you need cosmetics, she is your Mary Kay gal.

CANDACE HUTCHISON ’76 owns Home Detailing in Louisville, Kentucky, where she stages homes for sale. She won Best of Houzz two years in a row. She’s at candi@4r. com.

NICK VAN DER PUY ’75 of LaPointe, Wisconsin, fishing guide, treaty rights activist and public radio journalist, is working on a book, Younger Brother of the Woods, about infusion in indigenous culture, leading to occupying the Penokees during the 2013-2014 Polar Vortex and stopping the mine.

MARY OHLINGER-PRAY ’76 and KEN PRAY ’75 of Cincinnati, Ohio, traveled to Antwerp, Ghent and Paris this summer. And they were part of a giant family reunion at New Buffalo, Michigan, which is on Lake Michigan.

SARAH KURIAKOS ’75 of Rancho Cucamonga, California: “ ’64 is a great year and a wonderful age, regardless of what anyone says. I know because I’ve been 64 for several months. It only gets better as you get older!”

FRED KLEWIN ’75 of New Berlin, Wisconsin, is semi-retired and works for the Brookfield Highway Department.

Thanks for the birthday greetings on Facebook: PETER SWAN ’75, JILL HARE ’75 , BOB BARTINGALE ’75 , BRUCE GUILFOILE ’75, LINDA MOCHALSKI CARPENTER ’75, CYNTHIA SHARP TOMLINSON ’75, LESLEY AULL SLEPIAN ’75, DAVID STOCKDALE ’75, WARREN BLUHM ’75, NANCY LAWS KERN ’75, JIM WALLEY ’75 and CYNTHIA BOONE WALLEY ’76, LOUISE RENIER BOOTHBY ’75, BECKY HADLEY ’75, ANN MIJANOVICH PETERSEN ’75, PHIL BOLDA ’75, SCOTT TREMBERTH ’75, GREGG SAMELSON ’75, GAIL WIECKI MOORE ’75, GLENDA HARRIS BARNETT ’75, BOB BARRINGTON ’75, LEN KACHINSKY ’75, SCOTT DICKS ’74, JOHNNY RICHARDSON ’74, STEVE SARTO ’78, JAN PETROVSKI MACLEOD ’74, PERRY HOWLAND ’76, STEPHEN ILLICH ’73, DAVID KEIMACH ’74, CANDI HUTCHISON ’76, CRAIG COOK ’76 and JOHN STIERNBERG ’73.

SANDY MATTESON ’75 of Wethersfield, Connecticut, reports that her daughter Pearl is a junior at the University of Connecticut, studying in London.

JOLANDE GUMZ ’75 of Santa Cruz, California, announced that her son and daughter-in-law are foster parents for an adorable baby boy.

One of the most interesting stories I wrote last year explored the reasons behind the historically low teen birth rate in Santa Cruz County by talking with the teens who became leaders of an organization at their high school to educate their peers about birth control options. This story has been selected as a 2017 Clarion Award winner by the Association for Women in Communications, and I’m attending the conference in Dallas. Very exciting! Our big reunion is coming up in 2020, the last weekend in June. Mark your calendar and I’ll see you then. Find me on Facebook and send your news my way.

Your Class Agent, JONDI GUMZ

1976 The role of Class Agent is currently vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu.

MATT RIESZ ’76 and wife Marita moved permanently to Spring Hill, Florida, two years ago. Marita retired last year, and Matt took early retirement from HP Enterprise in June. “We’re enjoying retired life in the Sunshine State and getting accustomed to living on a fixed income. We have over 200 orchids that we grow and are active with

22

Connections

1977 Alan N. Lawrence 153 Northbreeze Drive Appleton, WI 54911-1224 920-730-9515 / alan_lawrence99@yahoo.com This past June, our class celebrated its 40th anniversary during Alumni Weekend. I am happy to report that some of you made it back to the campus. I know that others wanted to join but were unable to. The morning really kicked off with the “March” by class year, followed by speeches and class gifts and lunch. The afternoon provided a multitude of options, leading to our class dinner, which we held in the renovated Commons.

Amazingly, it was very chilly that June evening for the outdoor all-class party.

My own participation was challenged by the fact that I was attending my family reunion in Florida that week and had to leave a bit early. With our alarm clock set for 2:30 a.m., we made it to the airport in time to catch a very early flight back to Wisconsin and made it to Ripon in time for dinner. My wife, Diana, and I were getting tired, but we thoroughly enjoyed catching up with my classmates and friends from other classes.

Each class celebrating an anniversary presented a ceremonial check representing our class gift for the year.

I am happy to report that $47,757.20 was given by our class this year.

We will next gather for our anniversary in June 2022 for our 45th anniversary. But we are welcome back on campus anytime and should consider every Alumni Weekend to be a great time to return for a visit.

The new class of 2021 already has started, much like most of us did in August 1973 (44 years ago). It was probably a bit scary at first, then became comfortable as we made friends and made the College into our home.

It is our task to help make Ripon College into a great time for our current and future students. Please consider helping as you are able.

LARRY MALCHOW ’77: “My short story, Trapped, reached the semi-finals of a fiction contest sponsored by The New Guard Literary Review and will be published in its Volume VII journal in 2018.”

Please write back to me or to the Alumni Office. We’d love to hear from you.

Always for Ripon, ALAN

1975-78 1978 Gregg Petersen 10829 Hilltop Lane Columbia, MD 21044 410-884-0407 / sig29@aol.com Dear Classmates: It’s time for our fall class letter, but most importantly, it’s time to make your plans to attend our 40th (yes, our 40th!) class reunion June 23, 2018, during Alumni Weekend June 21-24! LAURIE MEYER WAGNER ’78, LIZ PECHA-POELKER ’78 and I want this to be our best-attended reunion yet!

For those of us on my email and Facebook groups, I sent a note out in August asking who was planning to attend the reunion, and which classmates and faculty you would like to see at the reunion. To date (Sept.

15), TOM HARRISON ’78, DOUG KINGS ’78, JOE KEEGAN ’78, HELEN HOLTER ’78, MICHAEL POULOS ’77 and SUZANNE MONROE POULOS ’75, DAN DAVIS ’78, GINNY MCGEHEE CONDON ’78, GRETA GLUEK PORTER ’78, SUE FEITH SHANNON ’78, LESLIE SPOON BALESTRACCI ’78, TOM RITSCH ’78, DAVE JUNG ’78, AL BEHR ’78, JOSE ALEMAN ’78, ANITA WALLACE ’78, DONNA HANSEN SCYMANSKI ’78, DENISE BAIRD ’78, LAURIE MEYER WAGNER ’78, LIZ PECHA-POELKER ’78, LISA WOLLAN ’78, MELANIE CIVIN KENION ’78, ERIKA DOSS ’78, BRYAN HABECK ’78, and I are among your classmates that I know of that are making plans to be there.

On the same note, I asked whom others would like to see there that we have not heard from yet: DENISE BAIRD ’78 is hoping MARY DILLON HOLTROP ’78, BETH BENEZRA ’78 and BARB SCHINTZ ’78 can make it, too! JOE KEEGAN ’78 is hoping JOE PRATT ’78, Alpha Chi Omega sorority ladies (Ginny, Sue, Laurie and Liz are planning to attend, but how about DONNA PAIRITZ KONSTANT ’78, AMY ORR LARSON ’78, BARB EDUCATE DOLAN ’78, LINDA KNAAK KORTE ’78, SHARON RAUPP LANGLEY ’78, ANNE JEFFRIES MILLER ’78, BEV SPITTELLLEHMAN ’78, WENDY HAUSINGER SUKOWATEY ’78, MARY ANN SWEENEY ’78, SHARON WEIZENBAUM ’78, KAREN ROGERS YOUNG ’78 and others …?), and some other Merriman fraternity men (such as MIKE RAINEY ’78, BILL MARTIN ’78, DAN BOSTEDT ’78, DAN CHIONCHIO ’78, MIKE LANDIS ’78, TOM MALONE ’78) also attend. HELEN HOLTER ’78 is looking for CAT DEPEW ’78 and MEREDITH VALENTINE JOHNSON ’78 to make the trip to Ripon. I encourage you to reach out to your friends such as JOHN ZINDAR ’78, ANITA WALLACE ’78 and others have done. If JOSE ALEMAN ’78 can make it from Panama, surely many of the rest of us can make the trip!

At the time of the writing, JEANNE SPYCHALLA LIETZAN ’78, ANN LALUZERNE VANDENACK ’78 and LOUISA GEBELEIN JONES ’78 are not sure they can make it. Louisa hoped to see all of us if she can make it herself.

In addition, classmates BRYAN LEMMENES ’78, THERESE DESLAURIERS FOX ’78 and BIZ PENDERGAST ’78 have RSVP-ed regrets that they cannot attend.

Recommended faculty invitations: Doug Northrop, Bill Woolley, Bob Wallace, Elaine Coll and Sara Romersberger, as well as William Schang and Dino Zei, both of whom are deceased.

HEADLINES FOR THIS LETTER: • ’78 Classmate Updates • Sad News: CYRIL DADDIEH ’78, DR. WILLIAM BROOKS 60, PRESIDENT BERNIE ADAMS ‘77

• Washington, D.C. Alumni Events • Nats vs. Brewers Game and P.J. Clarkes Rally Hours • Packers at Bears Watch Party • 40th Reunion Planning in Progress/Additional Details • Class Gift/Annual Fund MIKE CHAMBERLAIN ’78 of Auburn, New York: “I’m hoping SUE HEDMAN ’78 will be at the reunion, as I’d like to catch up with her. I’ve worked a fair bit with the Environmental Protection Agency in the northeast, both during the time I chaired U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Northeast Sustainable Ag program and through my work with New York City’s watershed program over the past 15 years.”

TOM HARRISON ’78 of Incline Village, Nevada: “As for news, I am now spending most of my time in Chicago and keeping Lake Tahoe as a vacation home. I decided to go back to work and am now working for the Baird and Warner doing mostly residential real estate in the near downtown areas of Chicago. It’s fun but a lot of work getting it up and running. I look forward to seeing everyone in Ripon next summer.”

MELANIE CIVIN KENION ’78, of Brighton, Massachusetts, and ERIKA DOSS ’78 of South Bend, Indiana, traveled to Cambodia and Thailand in July. They spent time discovering Angkor Wat and the surrounding temple complex, toured Phnom Penh and Bangkok, took a train over the River Kwai, swam at Phi Phi Island and took a Thai cooking class in Phuket. Look for their picture in R Connections showing them at Tonle Sap Lake, Siem Reap, Cambodia. RUTH MIALE ’81 sent me an instant message that she heard a recent National Public Radio program with Erika discussing her 2012 book Memorial Mania: Public Feeling in America in the context of the current national issue over memorials and statues. As most of you know, Erika is a distinguished professor at Notre Dame.

“Shaler Girls” JEANNE SPYCHALLA LIETZAN ’78 of Appleton, Wisconsin, CAMILLE BERGGREN WEHNER ’78 of San Francisco, California, ANN LALUZERNE VANDENACK ’78 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, and CARLA OLSEN LARSEN ’78 of Wayzata, Minnesota, held their annual reunion in August on the West Coast. Look for their picture in R Connections.

LARRY LAUX ’78 of Dousman, Wisconsin, was in the Hibbing, Minnesota, local news in early April with the curling team that he “skips.” He also got together with his siblings including my Bartlett Hall roommate, DONNA LAUX ’75, and then went fishing in western Ontario. Yup, he caught some. Larry is married to NINA WULFF ’77.

ROB “TEX” MEYER ’78 of Moscow, Idaho, is “still in Moscow, Idaho, finishing another novel, which will also probably go ‘unpublished.’”

When GREGG PETERSEN ’78 of Columbia, Maryland, and his brother, MIKE PETERSEN ’75 of Winter Springs, Florida, attended the annual Packers Shareholders meeting in Green Bay in August, they detoured to visit with Mike’s sophomore year Merriman roommate and football teammate JEFF SURING ’75 of Suring, Wisconsin. It was the first time Mike and Jeff had visited in the 42 years since their graduation. See their picture in R Connections.

GRETA GLUEK PORTER ’78 of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, said “Retirement didn’t take very well for me. Retired after 17 years as a director of religious education for a Unitarian Universalist Church. After nine months at home and enjoying being on hand for the birth of my second grandson, I have become a social worker,

Fall 2017 23

Class Letters doing in-home family counseling for Family Resources, an agency whose mission is to prevent child abuse by supporting families. As always, I am looking forward to attending the Ripon Reunion with my husband, Jud, seeing my small circle of friends and visiting with classmates I somehow didn’t get to know during college years. I have included a photo of my family.” Look for Greta’s photo in this issue of R Connections.

you. One name of our attendees might come in handy on a D.C. visit: NICOLE MALLI ’15 works at the National African American History museum. The museum is the hardest advance ticket to get in D.C. right now. You can join a line to get in on the day of a visit, but if you want advance tickets, you should request them four months before your visit. Nicole helped me out on my cousin’s visit from Wisconsin or we would have been out of luck.

I visited with LINDA BROWN REMICK ’78 of Alexandria, Virginia, and her nephew as she celebrated her birthday at the Packers versus the Redskins preseason game at FedEx Field located in Landover, Maryland, on Aug. 19. I think she had a happy birthday because the Packers won.

PACKERS AT BEARS WATCH PARTY RALLY HOUR NOV. 12: If you are in the D.C. area, please consider joining us at The Exchange Saloon in downtown D.C. to watch the Pack play the Bears at Soldier Field at 1 p.m. Nov. 12.

You won’t need your snowmobile suit, and you will be in good company! The first beer is on me!

DONNA HANSEN SCYMANSKI ’78 of Hamden, Connecticut, published a book in August. The title is Attic Stories. It is historical fiction. She has an opening for her book and paintings on Oct. 1 in New Haven, Connecticut. Her website is donnahansenscymanski.com.

Books can be ordered from there if anyone is interested. I have ordered my copy, and it is on its way.

Out of nowhere, I received an email from former Brockway Independent and friend KIRBY SMITH ’79, who enjoyed reading the combined class letters in the new R Connections publication. He liked our Class of ’78 letter updates for BARB MENGEL ROMANELLO ’78, LARRY LAUX ’78 and IAN MCDONALD ’78. After Ripon, Kirby went to Madison for law school and has been practicing law in Las Vegas ever since.

Sad News: DR. CYRIL DADDIEH ’78 Our friend and classmate Cyril Daddieh passed away on April 8 at the age of 62. He was professor of political science, at Miami University in Ohio. “He joined Miami University in 2006 as director of black world studies and professor of political science. He served as director for five years. After that, he returned to research and teaching in the political science department where he taught international relations and black world studies courses for the next six years.

Prior to coming to Miami, he was the director of the black studies program at Providence College for eight years. From 2000-2004, he was a senior research fellow at the Institute of Economics Affairs in Accra, Ghana.

He earned his doctorate in international relations, comparative politics and African studies in 1984 from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

“Daddieh was born in Jaway, Ghana, and each year, he spent his summer break conducting research in Ghana and the Côte d’Ivoire and writing about his findings.

For several presidential election cycles in Ghana, he participated as an election monitor through the Ghanaian Center for Democracy and Development. He wrote myriad articles on the political economy and electoral system in Ghana. Daddieh published several books on rural development and subsistence farming, including a 700-page tome titled Historical Dictionary of the Côte d’Ivoire, which was published in February 2016.”

DR. WILLIAM BROOKS ’60 passed away March 8 at age 78, and our former Ripon College President from 1966-85, BERNIE ADAMS ’77, passed away Feb. 26 at age 88. More details were published in the spring edition of R Connections.

WASHINGTON, D.C. ALUMNI EVENTS: Nationals v. Brewers Game and P.J. Clarkes Rally Hours.

We had a couple good local alumni events on July 25 and Aug. 31. The Brewers beat the Nationals, and we met some new arrivals to D.C. at the P.J. Clarkes Rally Hour.

I don’t think the attendee names would be familiar to

24

Connections

40TH REUNION PLANNING IN PROGRESS/ADDITIONAL DETAILS: Reunion Plans: The reunion itself will be the evening of June 23. LAURIE MEYER WAGNER ’78, LIZ PECHAPOELKER ’78 and I (mostly Laurie and Liz) already are hard at work planning for the reunion. We have requested the MLK Lounge w/the Rotunda for a bar and the Union Porch for seating as our first choice and the Pub/The Spot as the second choice at the Union so we will be in the middle of all campus activities. If you want to help with the reunion or have suggestions, please let Laurie, Liz or I know. Food will come from a new chef on campus, and we will most likely do appetizers via a sit-down so we can circulate like we did at the last reunion. For music choices, I would expect you all would be happy with tunes from ’74-’78. Bob Seger’s music gave me some challenge five years ago with his copyright issues, but I will work on getting his work into the mix as well.

Room Reservations: Sooner is better because the rooms get booked up. There are blocks of rooms at the Heidel House, Comfort Suites in Ripon and Boarders in Ripon.

You must call and mention the Ripon College Alumni Weekend rate. As far as I know, there are not guaranteed rates so if a conflict should arise, you can cancel later.

This letter will be published in October/November, but you should have received a reminder from the College in September to make your plans and reservations.

Class Gift/Annual Fund: By now, you probably recall that in a reunion year we make a special effort to give and give back to Ripon via our class gift to the Annual Fund and other worthy efforts such as endowments or special gifts.

For our 35th reunion, thanks to your generosity, we won the award for highest participation by a reunion class! It was the first time ever that a 45th or 50th reunion class did not win the participation award. While there are awards for amount given, I am proud and you should be, too, to be a part of a class where we had the most participating in giving back. I encourage you all to make a special effort again this reunion year to help our alma mater.

Class Letter Updates: I need your updates for the next letter please. What’s your current job? What are you doing in retirement? Have you fled south for warmer climes or headed north to a secluded cabin in the woods? Have you run into, traveled or visited with our classmates? Kids going to Ripon? New classes? New career direction? Let your classmates and I know what you are up to.

Best and warmest regards, GREGG

1978-80 1979 Kevin L. Warmack 6110 S. Rhodes Ave Chicago, IL 60637 773-220-5360 kwarmack@gmail.com / kwarmack@sbcglobal.net Greetings All. Just like in college, here I am writing a paper at nearly last minute. But this one is one that I do because I wait to get the news from you, my fellow classmates, so that I can share all that is going on with us. So as I write this letter, the one thing I can say about us is that a lot of us are getting younger – Yes, younger!

Yea, we’re all hitting 60 (me I’m 60¾!!), but we are now becoming grandparents and able to enjoy and cherish our lives. So here is some Class of 1979 news.

KIRBY SMITH ’79 of Las Vegas, Nevada, sent this to me in June. I’m putting this in just as he wrote it because I did promise him that he would lead off the Hit Parade: “I will report in: after 34 years in Las Vegas at a large law firm, I opened my own practice in January 2015, specializing in mediations and arbitrations. With our two kids off to college (University of Nevada and Arizona State), my wife, Sherri, and I are getting further afield in our travels — which we enjoy immensely. We will be celebrating our 25-year anniversary in October. For those who remember the car I drove in college, I still have it and regularly drive that old 1961 Ford Falcon, which has been refurbished and upgraded. My wife is not enamored with the styling. We also return every summer to hang out in Door County and get out of the desert heat for awhile.”

BOB GRANT ’79: “Greetings from Brunswick, Maine. I entered my seventh decade yesterday. The party wasn’t nearly as decadent as those celebrated at Ripon! My wife and I sold our 200-year-old home on the bay and have moved into town. The criteria for our relocation was finding a house close enough to the Little Dog Coffeehouse that I could walk there in my slippers.

Mission accomplished. I am in my third and final career working as a lead carpenter for a small renovation/ restoration contractor. I frequently cogitate on how my Ripon education led me to law enforcement, education and carpentry. Circuitous, it is. I’m still racing sports cars with Hammerheads Racing. We’re on FB if anyone wants to follow the madness. Currently building a BMW for next season. “Don’t quit your day job,” they said. Indeed.

Life is good here in Vacationland. Cheers.”

KEVIN WARMACK ’79 of Chicago, Illinois: “In January, I began working as a contract compliance person for Bankers Life Securities Inc. for a six-month basis. On July 10, I joined them on a full-time basis as a senior compliance specialist. What’s great about the firm is that I work with people that I worked with long ago as NASD examiners. So don’t be surprised if I reach out to some of you to have dinner with me when I’m visiting your towns – yes, I get to travel for my work!

“The next time you come back to campus, get down and see Wilmore Center. Pictures are on the Facebook page, but the pictures just don’t do it justice! Anyway, led by our own SUZY MEIER ’79 and I, a contingent of Ripon faithful contributed funds for a lasting memorial to RICHARD NATHAN “NATE” BOYA III ’79 by dedicating a locker with his name. Part of the inscription reads: “Suck it up Buttercup!”

The dedication of Willmore Center was on Oct. 7. Come Home to Ripon and check out the new facility.

Anyway, it has been a pleasure to write to all of you. But I need more news. So fill up the class Facebook page with your news. You also can send me notes through LinkedIn (where you get to see my handsome profile) or you can

send it by carrier pigeon or snail mail.

Enjoy the fall (it’s already here in Chicago — #BearsStillSuck) and continue to be blessed!

In the spirit of Ripon College and the Class of 1979 – the greatest group I ever graduated with!

KEVIN L. WARMACK ’79

1980 Jeff Penney Granger, IN 574-247-1182 / jeffpenneyno22@yahoo.com Margaret “Peggy”Gero DaValt W11557 County Highway D Columbus, WI 53925 608-658-3779 / gorsetr@gorsetr.com Welcome back, class of ’80! Great news, our Yelp rating is 4.75! It is not 5.0 because T. CLARK WILCOX ’80 and ELIZABETH PALMBACH NEMECEK ’79 were not vocal enough supporters of the Pack. There were rumors that one or both may have questioned Aaron Rodgers dating choices on social media. This may be fake news by the liberal media (which would be me, since I am reporting this), but we cannot support or deny this post. It has been a wild year so far. I just got finished pricing my bomb shelter (remember those from the good old Cold War days, ahh nostalgia) and teaching my kids the almost tried-and-true safety techniques of getting under your desk in the event of a nuclear strike from a Godless Communist state. Imagine the real-time tweets if that happened, and I’m talking about regular people, not just the president. Scary.

Besides our man-made disasters, Mother Nature has decided that she is the princess that everyone should pay attention to. Two storms, back to back, hit our southern states with a wallop, and a few more are stacked up behind, making for an anxious hurricane season. Let’s not forget the wildfire out west and we have a white-knuckle end of summer. Holy apocalypse, Batman! Many of our alumni have been caught in these events of semi-biblical proportions, but seem to have weathered the storms and most importantly are safe. Now comes the cleanup and rebuild. MARK PFUEHLER ’80 and family seem to have adapted a “Jimmy Buffet” mentality through it all.

Hopefully, our other alumni, and we have some that work for NASA, have followed suit. I have taken my bomb shelter money and now need to send it to the Red Cross or other groups with boots on the ground in those areas to help with a momentous task.

I think the biggest disaster we have faced this fall is back to school. Kids or grandkids, creating stress and pressure on us! Did I get the wrong brand of shoes? Is Nike still in? Is it Under Armour now, or Adidas? Does it depend on region or sport, or what brand your college football team wears? Since when did boys care so much about fashion? I would say from my observation that girls have it easy. They can get Chuck Taylor’s for $20 and look, oh so hip. Try and convince my son that Chuck Taylor’s are awesome. So girls are easy, sandals, Chuck Taylor’s and UGGs. That’s it, right? Oh, wait, different colors, different styles of each type of shoes, never mind. Boys are still cheaper. Remember when Converse, Keds or PF Flyers were the only choices you had? I know that Johnny Richter must have had PF Flyers: “They make you run faster and jump higher.” Truly, the biggest disaster would be that we don’t stay connected, reach out and share your life with old friends, you may make new ones! Only a few short years before our 40th, but the College does a great job of welcoming back the flock, so come any year. There are activities, lectures, food and Spotted Cow! Make a fun

Fall 2017 25

Class Letters day trip of it or a weekend. Marty Farrell is still around, and you can complain to him about the bad grade he gave you in American Government! Have a great fall and holiday season!

JEFF PENNEY ’80 has been hired by Elkhart Community Schools to teach Computer Lab in Osolo Elementary School. Besides googling DOS and watching Big Bang Theory, he will instruct the students in all aspects of computer use to help make their academic career a success.

In addition to those duties, he will be coaching the new high school lacrosse program.

PEGGY GERO DEVALT ’80 spent the summer working on being awesome and attained that goal by July 2.

BETH PALMBACH NEMECEK ’80 let us know via Facebook that The Pub in Harwood Memoria Union has been renamed The Spot.

Faithfully submitted, PEGGY and JEFF

1981 Lawrence “Larry” Nikolaus lnikolaus@mitre.org Schiff Hardin LLP is pleased to announce that THOMAS ABENDROTH ’81, partner and Private Clients, Trusts and Estates Practice Group leader, is the 2017 recipient of the Austin Fleming Distinguished Service Award by the Chicago Estate Planning Council. This annual award recognizes a highly regarded estate planning practitioner for expertise in the field and significant contributions to the improvement of estate planning practices.

1982 Peter Hintz W844 Lakeside Drive Green Lake, WI 54941 hintzp@gmail.com Catherine Lothrop Hager 516 Cashew Court San Ramon, CA 94583 cathhager@comcast.net Kristen Rasmussen Olson 1204 - 10th Street, NW Austin, MN 55912 kolsonc21@yahoo.com Dear Class of 1982: On behalf of the 1982 Reunion Committee, we would like to extend our thanks to those classmates who were able to make the trip back to Ripon to celebrate our 35th Reunion this past June. Each of you helped to make it a great event for sharing memories, laughs and catching up on each other’s eventful lives.

In attendance were your Class Agents, KRISTEN RASMUSSEN OLSON ’82, CATHY LOTHROP HAGER ’82 and me, Peter Hintz, and fellow classmates and spouses THOMAS ABENDROTH ’81, KATHY MILLER ALLEN ’82, AMY BAHR ’82, CHRIS SHEPARD ’82, JUDY GILBERT BORDER ’82 and Rick Border, SUSAN BUNDOCK ’82 and MATTHEW JOHNSON ’82, DAVID GOODSPEED ’82, KEVIN HALL ’82 and LINDA JENSEN HALL ’82, ELIZABETH HELGESON HAUSER ’82 and Michael Hauser, ANDREW SCHMIDT ’81 and SUSAN ANGELL SCHMIDT ’80, NANCY BUCK HINTZ ’82, ALEXANDRA SHEPARD KERMANI ’83, KEVIN KING ’82 and LORI JONES KING ’84, JAYNE RASMUSSEN EMORY ’84 and BILL EMORY ’85, TERRY CRAMER ’81 and BRENDA JONES CRAMER ’82, LISA KRCHAK ’82, AMY

26

Connections

GILLSTROM MCCARTHY ’82 and JOSEPH MCCARTHY ’83, ELIZABETH MELCHERT ’82 and Tom Pflugardt, LAURA NORRIS ’82, WALTER PAGE ’82 and Julie Page, JIM PONDEL ’82, GREGG RIEDER ’82, ELIZABETH MURPHY STAMOS ’82, LAUREL STEWART ’82, CYNTHIA TRAYNOR ’81, KEVIN WARMACK ’79, BILL KRIESE ’81, MARTI SPITTELL ZIEGELBAUER ’82, KRISTIN KOHLES JANSSEN ’82, JEFF MCANDREW ’81 and Debbie McAndrew, and DAWN BENNING LABARBERA ’82. My sincerest apologies if I omitted anyone, which is quite possible.

The weekend was filled with activities including a pizza get-together at Roadhouse on Thursday evening. On Friday, the Summer Lecture series, the DOC WEISKE ’50 Memorial Golf Scramble, the Faculty Lunch, the Vines and Rushes Wine Tasting, the President’s Reception and Alumni Association Annual Dinner and Awards, and the 10th annual All-Alumni Reception at Hughes House (now Evans Admission Center) across from Bartlett Hall.

On Saturday, we had the Rally Run and Spirit Parade in the morning, the “That Was Then” alumni story-sharing session in the library, and All-Alumni March and Class Celebration and State of the College luncheon in the Memorial Green Space (where Memorial Hall used to be, and now a tent and gathering space during Alumni Weekend). Theta Chi still hosts their Frisbee Golf tournament during the afternoon, and Greek Socials are held for Greek living groups to get together.

This year, to follow a tradition started by MARTI SPITTELL ZIEGELBAUER ’82 and DORIAN DES LAURIERS ’82 for our 20th Class Reunion in 2002, we organized a special boat cruise on Saturday afternoon on Green Lake on the Heidel House Escapade for the class of 1982 for our 35th Reunion, and we spent a beautiful afternoon enjoying the sun and scenery of Green Lake.

On Saturday night, we had our class celebration of cocktails and dinner in the newly remodeled Lane Library. It was wonderful to see everyone and share stories. After dinner, we met up again at the new fire pit outside of The Pub and requested ’70s disco music on the dance floor in the tent on the Memorial Green Space, just for the grins and chuckles.

The weekend was a full one with many personal and group experiences. I personally loved sharing conversation on the boat ride and dinner with my wife, NANCY BUCK HINTZ ’82 and our classmates, and wandering about campus with KRISTEN RASMUSSEN OLSON ’82, checking out the new Wilmore Center fitness facility. It is awesome — check out the pictures on the school website!

The “That was Then” discussion also was fun. It was attended by at least 40 alumni of all ages. It was moderated by Andy Prellwitz, the College historian. My fellow DU brother Greg Reider and I laughed at pictures projected on the screen and the shared discussion of things like old activities (the grease pole climbing during Homecoming, for example), prominent events (like the Kennedy assassination) and their effects on the campus, favorite professors, biggest challenges as freshmen (especially eccentric freshman roommates), living conditions, weird celebrations, old traditions like Derby Days and Road Rally, freshman hazing, and working for the College Days newspaper and WRPN radio station.

Also a blast for me was meeting up with KEVIN WARMACK ’79 and BILL SCHNESE ’79 at Roadhouse on Thursday night. We talked about the fall of 1978, our freshman year and their senior year, with the arrival of Animal House in the theatres and the first Merriman toga party. I recall going to see the movie with a group of my freshman friends from fourth floor New Scott. If any of

1980-84 you can recall, before the party, the Merriman carried the king around on a sedan chair like a Roman emperor and invited people all over campus to the party. Many bed sheets were used that evening, and much alcohol consumed. As I recall, it was the first major party of the freshman year. Apparently, DU also had a Viking party that night in the quads, so historical anachronism ran rampant that evening, as did somewhat relaxed social behavior. Ahem.

CATHY LOTHROP HAGER ’82, your co-Class Agent, adds that “my favorite part of the weekend was hanging out Friday at the terrace next to The Pub as people were arriving for the weekend. The weather was beautiful, and I had not a care in the world but to see everyone. I also got to see the new Willmore Center in progress. It is amazing.”

KRISTEN RASMUSSEN OLSON ’82, your other co-Class Agent, adds her favorite memories of the weekend: “The 35th Ripon Reunion weekend provided great opportunities for me to catch up with old friends and classmates from near and far. A trip back to Ripon College always brings great nostalgia, and being able to share memories with so many people from our class was truly a pleasure. It’s funny how people change, but then they really don’t. I looked at some of the classmates I hadn’t seen in 35 years, like SUSAN BUNDOCK ’82 and WALTER “WALLY” PAGE ’82, and I knew them immediately. There were so many faces that I remembered but hadn’t seen in years. What great fun it was to catch up on people’s lives!

“Some of my favorite moments were gathering on the lawn at the old Hughes House for wine and conversation with people from every class year, the Ripon Rally Run (always a pleasure to ‘run’ with my sister JAYNE RASMUSSEN EMORY ’84, her old roommate LORI JONES KING ’84 and my old roommate LAUREL STEWART ’82).

And how nice it was to see some of our old professors on the boat cruise and at our class dinner, like Jack Christ, Norm Loomer, Larry Miller and Doug Northrop. The dance-off with the class of 1987 at the Memorial Green Space on Saturday night was particularly fun. That class had nothing on us!

“Each summer brings an opportunity to gather with friends and former classmates during Alumni Weekend.

If you weren’t able to attend this year, put the fourth weekend in June on your calendar for next year. The weather is always great, the company is always fabulous, and the memories are for the making! Hope to see you then!”

Additional Class News: PETRA JONES ’82 of Huntington Park, California: “Louie and I got married on March 17, 2017.”

We hope this letter finds you and your families well.

Thanks to all who came and tried to come, and best wishes to all of you. Please submit any news you’d like to share to us or to the College directly. We’d love to hear from you and invite your input on our next big reunion, our 40th in 2022 (yikes). Better yet, come to Alumni Weekend when you’re able. A group of us will be attending this next summer (2018). It’s always a great time!

Cheers, PETER HINTZ ’82 CO-CLASS AGENT with CATHERINE LOTHROP HAGER and KRISTEN RASMUSSEN OLSON

1983 Barb Williams Clay 14794 Blakeney Road Eden Prairie, MN 55347 612-749-5010 / BarbaraLClay1@gmail.com Greetings Class of 1983: Hard to believe, but we will be celebrating our 35th Class Reunion and Alumni Weekend is planned for June 21-24, 2018. The class of 1983 has rallied to be one the most active and giving classes for Ripon. It would be great to keep that tradition alive.

Please take a moment now to plan ahead and join in this fun-filled weekend. We will keep you posted as our weekend schedule evolves and ask that you talk with your college friends to make this weekend even better with your presence. If you would like to participate on the planning committee, we would be happy to have you join us. Contact Barb Clay (information provided above).

We recently received a wonderful letter from LEXIE SHEPARD KERMANI ’83 outlining the legacy shared with her family members attending Ripon. Lexie’s daughter, MITRA KERMANI ’20, is a sophomore and is loving her experience at Ripon. I know that JOHN CLAY ’83 and I were recipients of gifts from others to attend Ripon, and my favorite line in the letter from Lexie and Mitra was, “Gifts of goodwill from Ripon’s family and friends make stories like this possible for so many of us.” I know for a fact that we would not have had the amazing experiences without you, our friends, and the friends that came before us to help us out.

Please join us for the 1983 35th Class Reunion. It will be great to gather and enjoy the company of loved ones and share our memories.

Class Note: JUDY KOEHLER PEOPLES ’83 of Sun City West, Arizona: “Retired and sold my Once Upon a Child Store in May 2017.”

Look forward to seeing you in June, BARB CLAY

1984 Vicki Vicha Erickson 33195 Cove Road Grayslake, IL 60030 Connie Herbon Moser 33010 North Forest Drive Grayslake, IL 60030 847-372-5410 / clmoser24@gmail.com Hello Ripon Friends: I hope these five or 10 years since graduation have been kind. OK, so my math isn’t what it used to be. It may seem like five or 10 years, but I guess we are all hitting 55 this year give or take a few months.

After many years of reading the news about everyone else, someone tapped my shoulder and asked if I’d write the fall newsletter. Yes, wine was an influencer. All kidding aside, I am grateful to be writing this letter today.

My husband, Tony, and I live in Wildwood, Illinois, and have a staycation home on Gages Lake. We have one daughter – Emilee – who is a senior at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken studying biomedical engineering.

She’s had the opportunity to work on some incredible stuff and is excited about her senior design project which will be presented to a patent board in the spring. She also is looking for a summer internship as she heads into her master’s next fall.

Moving into empty-nester mode has been an interesting journey. We’ve gotten back into some of our old hobbies and taken up a few new things, as well. We still head to

Fall 2017 27

Class Letters Utah every year to ski with CONNIE HERBON MOSER ’84 and her husband, Mike. Had an adventure in Florida to visit with DONNA REARDON GOLDBERG ’84. We daydream about moving out of Illinois. Not sure where – but there will be less snow and less taxes.

Here is news from more of our Class of ’84 mates.

LINDA ANDERSON ’84 of Gurnee, Illinois, is director of recreation with the Deerfield (Illinois) Park District.

CHARLIE CHASE ’84 of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, has been training amateur and professional athletes since leaving a successful career in finance using quantitative analytics to manage large portfolios. He now uses his data crunching skills and mental resilience training to improve the performance of his clients. He keeps in touch with JOHN MORGAN ’84 and JEFF SICKINGER ’84. They all met up in Fort Collins, Colorado, last year to celebrate 55.

KEITH GRANT ’84 of Highland Park, Illinois: “I am approaching my 22nd year as an assistant Lake County public defender in Waukegan, Illinois. I am the chief of the Professional Development and the Special Defense Divisions. I oversee our training program for nearly 50 employees and handle the most serious cases our office has. In 2013, I was elected to a two-year term as president of the Illinois Public Defender Association (representing more than 2,000 defenders statewide). In June of 2014, I was installed as the president of the Lake County Bar Association (the first public defender to be so honored in the LCBA’s 102-year history). Also this June, my wife, Mary, and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary.”

GREGG HALVORSEN ’84 of Suamico, Wisconsin, is a commercial lender in investment real estate for North Shore Bank in Green Bay. He recently published a book, Halved, by Daniel Crowbridge (his pen name), about four golfers who discover that focus and concentration can make your future. It has a positive message with some philosophy, economics and politics. Gregg says he used several memories/stories from Ripon while writing his novel. The book is available on amazon.com.

SUE SHEPHERD ’84 of Moorestown, New Jersey, began 2017 with her annual Polar Bear Plunge into the cold Atlantic Ocean to raise money for Special Olympics. She ran a few 5Ks and took a curling lesson, but she says her biggest accomplishment this year, by far, was signing up and completing her first sprint triathlon. The Tri was a bucket list item. She visited her youngest daughter who is an Army Officer stationed in South Carolina. Sue has been working for Subaru of America Inc. for 18 years but says she is looking forward to retiring in a few years so she can golf more often!

DAVE SHOGREN ’84 of Maplewood, Missouri, has been appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to serve on the District Export Council for St. Louis. Dave is vice president-international for Resource One of St. Louis.

Please feel free to reach out if you’d like to share a little something about what you’ve been up to. Feel free to reach out to me directly or via Facebook or LinkedIn. Peace, VICKI VICHA ERICKSON (AKA FRITZ)

1985 The role of Class Agent is currently vacant. If you have an interest, know someone who might be interested or want to learn more, email alumni@ripon.edu.

1986 Dan McNaughton 10021 Abbott Avenue South Bloomington, MN 55431 612-209-2996 / dan@egpinc.net It is time for me to brag a little and ask for you for some help. My wife and I are currently taking an extended break in Vienna, Austria. We arrived in early September just before the class letters were due. Needless to say, I had a very busy summer preparing to be gone for six months and so did not contact any classmates for the fall letter. I will be emailing you all for the spring letter unless someone else would like to take over as Class Agent.

In the meantime, please email pictures of important moments in your life or events with fellow Riponites or news of promotions, grandkids, awards won or anything you would like to share (dan@egpinc.net).

I spent time with the class of ’85 during Alumni Weekend. It was great to catch up and dance with friends from the second greatest class to graduate from Ripon. I would encourage everyone to go to another class’s reunion. You are welcome every year for Alumni Weekend, there are many all classes’ events to attend, and it’s great to get back on campus. I don’t think it has ever looked better, and Willmore Center for athletics, health and wellness is amazing. You need to experience it for yourself.

1987 Dorrie Smith Scranton 860-455-6108 / dsscranton@gmail.com Chris Templeton 312-402-6207 / ChristineTempleton17@gmail.com We wanted to say “thank you” to everyone who attended the 30th reunion. If you were unable to come, just know it was a great weekend full of laughter and reconnections, so plan accordingly for the next one. All we can say is that the class of ’87 dominated the dance floor! There was also a pretty memorable rendition of “Jesse’s Girl” performed that night. I’m pretty sure that nobody in attendance will soon forget it. And renting a place in Green Lake is definitely the way to go!

Please be sure to send us your news by emailing one of us or by letting us know on our Ripon College Class of 1988 Facebook page. If you haven’t joined yet, now’s the time!

We look forward to hearing from you.

SCOTT MULLIN ’87 of Naperville, Illinois, informed us that he is just about to cross a big item off his bucket list.

He and his church choir have recorded their first album, Christmas for all Seasons, featuring the ever-popular “I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In.” It should be available in time for the holiday season and will definitely make it on our list.

ALICE LIGHTNER JOHNSON ’87 of St Paul, Minnesota, writes that she’s upped her competitive swimming training considerably — her goal is a cold weather swim of the boundary waters – with several Lake Michigan Polar Plunges under her belt, we’ve no doubt that she’ll achieve her goals.

ED BALCZIK ’87 of Chicago, Illinois, has his own law practice. He invites classmates to connect with him on

28

Connections

1984-89 LinkedIn or find him at any one of the local Chicago street festivals.

NAOMI SUGAR ’87 of Berlin, Wisconsin, has partnered with fellow Ripon alumnus RICK BOWHOUSEN ’88 on their own special blend of pickled eggs under the brand name SugaDaddy’s. Look for them on grocery stores shelves if you’re in the Ripon area. We had some at the reunion – and they were TASTY!

degree in pharmacology and toxicology, and Cambridge is a pharma hub with lots of potential opportunities.

In 2013, Jamie started his own side business called Flatlander Surfcasting. He builds fishing tackle bags that cater to the unique needs of saltwater surfcasting fishermen. The power of Facebook and Instagram allowed him to have an Illinois-based business that served clientele on the coasts. Eventually, it became too much to maintain both a day job and Flatlander Surfcasting, and in June 2016 Jamie left his job of 27 years to fully focus on building tackle bags and accessories. Now that Kris and Jamie are living on the south shore of Massachusetts, he is right in the hotbed of surfcasting.

Their daughter, RACHEL HAWLEY ’19, is a junior at Ripon College pursuing a degree in biology/chemistry, and their daughter, Rylie, is a senior at Silver Lake High School.

BILL TOURLAS ’87 of Elmhurst, Illinois, recently wrote his first book, a deep philosophical search for understanding and enlightenment, The Tao That Bit Me. Be sure to get your copy on Amazon soon.

PHIL TROBAUGH ’88: “I ran my first full marathon last October here in the Twin Cities, another one in June 2017 in Charlevoix, Michigan, and I am currently training to run Madison’s marathon on Nov. 12, 2017.”

JEFF TAYLOR ’87 is working at the Bioscience Think Tank, pioneering research on sleep apnea.

DEB WESTPHAL ’88: This year, I expanded my horizons.

I’ve focused more on personal goals and have been having a blast! I got my motorcycle license and purchased my first Harley. (I am looking forward to riding with Lisa Stein and Liz W next year!) I joined our volunteer fire department and have been training to be a firefighter.

It’s been a blast. I’ve also been training for a bicycle trip in Spain. All is well. I’m continuing to search for new adventures. If anyone has some great ideas, I’m in!”

MINDY UHR SCHILLER ’87 of Tampa, Florida, CATHY GUARNIERI SULLENS ’87 of Crystal Lake, Illinois, and SALLY BEAUMONT ’87 of Hinsdale, Illinois, have introduced a women’s workout concept incorporating ’80s music and dance moves. Their first location is scheduled to open later this fall in suburban Chicago.

That sounds way more fun than Zumba to us!

1988 David Jonas 202-251-9640 / djevents@aol.com Kathy Wade 248-470-4336 / wadekas@sbcglobal.net Greetings classmates from David! “We’ve only just begun.”

How many of us remember singing these words at our elementary school graduations in 1980? Kathy and I feel this way every time we begin a reunion year. Here we are in the fall of 2017, and we are feeling young and fresh and like we have only just begun. Fortunately, with social media and a couple of classmates helping plan the reunion, we are way ahead of the game. We are thrilled we have a committee which is still growing (hint, hint).

Speaking of social media, Kathy and I have seen a lot of traffic regarding making plans to return to campus. Please keep up the momentum and share some pictures on our Facebook page, too. We need your feedback on class attendees for the weekend. I have reached out to Ripon to possibly do a book signing. If anyone else has something they would like to do, please let us know.

As always, we will be reaching out over the next several months to increase our class gift. We would like to get to 100 percent participation. It is a hope! Kathy and I would love your support as we believe that Ripon offered so many remarkable opportunities and friendships that have lasted more than 30 years.

As you make your plans for our 30th reunion, we hope you will join us for dinner (details will be on Facebook and emailed soon). Join us for our class photo and our class gift check presentation. Kathy, the committee and I are looking forward to hearing from you. Can’t wait to see everyone in June.

JIM DONNELLY ’88: “My wife, Jan, son, AJ, and I are 1,700 miles into our 5,000(ish) mile trip; we have transited two countries, six states and getting ready to hit the rivers down to the Gulf of Mexico. Always looking to link up with Riponites (Florida here we come)! Follow our blog at https://serenitysstory.blog/ or friend us on Facebook at SV Serenity.”

KRISTEN DIEMER HAWLEY ’88 and JAMIE HAWLEY ’88 had some big life changes in 2016-17. Kris’ job at Takeda Pharmaceuticals was relocated from Deerfield, Illinois, to Cambridge, Massachusetts. Kris just received her master’s

MICHELLE EBERT WITT ’88: “In May, PHIL TROBAUGH ’88 and I met in Eau Claire and ran a half-marathon together. This summer, my husband, Peter, our two sons, and I traveled to the Dakotas. As we went through the Twin Cities, I messaged Phil on a whim and he was able to meet us for lunch! Over the course of eight summers, we have visited 29 state capitol buildings and the Capitol in Washington, D.C. With this trip to the Dakotas and our visit to Mount Rushmore, we have hit “the American biggies” for vacation.”

In closing, as always we love staying in touch either via social media or by email. We would love to have your current contact information. Please send it to us or to the College.

Please consider making a class gift this year as we hit a huge milestone. We want to have a lot of smiling happy faces in that photo as we hand over our HUGE CHECK on campus in June.

DAVID and KATHY

1989 Nikki Zens Lindberg nicolelindberg67@gmail.com Mitch Rosin mitch.rosin2@gmail.com Dear Class of 1989: It has been another music-filled summer for me. Bands from the ’80s that I’ve seen so far include: Depeche Mode, English Beat, Howard Jones, Katrina and the Waves, Men Without Hats, Modern English, Suburbs, Tina and the B-Sides, U2 and part of Band X. ERIK LINDBERG ’89 and I got to go backstage after the Suburbs, and I told Chan Poling that I wasn’t sure if he’d love me or hate me for booking them in about 1986 to our little college. He claimed “loved me.”

It has also been a big birthday year for much of our class.

Erik and I will be heading to New Orleans at the end of September for our celebration. It is also fun to be able to watch as many of us send kids off to school, and even to see some folks welcome grandkids into their worlds.

Fall 2017 29

1851 Club

Fabiola Mercado ‘17, Lizzy Morgan ‘17 and Rachella Bennett ‘16

You just need to follow these simple steps:

Your leadership shapes tomorrow’s leaders.

The 1851 Club, the leadership-level giving society of Ripon College, honors all donors who annually give $1,000 and above. College leaders are alumni, friends and parents—and, like you, they believe in the power of a Ripon College education. Your loyalty and generosity will be honored throughout the year at presidential receptions and other events where you will proudly wear your 1851 Club ribbon.

To join, please visit www.ripon.edu/leadership-societies/ or contact: Kelly Nielsen Associate Director of Annual Giving 920.748.8852 Nielsenk@ripon.edu 30

Connections

1989-91 Mitch continues to travel for work almost 100 percent of the time. He does appreciate all the offers to be his personal assistant but reminds everyone that the assistant doesn’t travel, just makes the bookings. Applications are being accepted, but only MARC HEALY ’89 will truly be considered for this position.

JOE ANDERSON ’89 is safely tucked away in St. Paul, shuttling his kids from hockey to softball to lacrosse and selling houses for RE/MAX Results. In his free time, he is competing in bodybuilding competitions (for those over 50) and hand modeling for a local jewelry store. He is still waiting for JENNIFER DEWEY ’88 to let him model her wares.

ALICE GALLAGHER ARCHABAL ’89 is toying with the idea of opening a “50-something” hostel in Milwaukee and a B&B in the north woods of Wisconsin. In the meantime, she is working at Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin, both in Milwaukee, while hubby John “Arch” ’88 is busy winning awards from his employer and keeping things moving along at home.

Their son, John, is in a career training program and loves it! Bueller, Bueller? Does anyone really read these?

ANNE BURCHMORE MIES ’89: After two years of direct contract work specializing in Shopper Marketing in Minneapolis, Annie finds herself in transition once again – so between interviews and networking for her next favorite career adventure, she finds herself making strudel in a local commercial kitchen and selling it at local wineries, art fairs and breweries. Through networking, Annie reconnected with CHARLIE ROSS ’86 and, it turns out, he works less than 100 feet from her balcony in downtown Minneapolis. They can wave to each other from their windows and are exploring food trucks over lunch on the city streets.

TOBI CAWTHRA ’89: “I finished my master’s of public health from the Medical College of Wisconsin in December 2016. My capstone project was a hospitalcommunity analysis and plan to reduce neonatalintensive care utilization and cost. I am currently working as the senior program officer for the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment focused on an initiative to bring together basic science research and community to address cancer disparities in Wisconsin. And ... I recently got lost in a cornfield with Nikki and Scottie in search of sweet potato fries. Alcohol may have been involved. Got hair??”

PAT FLORENCE ’89: “I continue to grow my beard, deny the existence of all technology (such as cell phones), and tackle class 5 whitewater. Anyone got issues with this can ... well, do nothing. There is no way to reach me.”

CHERYL FRANZKE-FEATHERSTON ’89: After working 15 years with the VA, I took a promotion with OSHA. I also purchased a new home near Stoughton and am now raising ferrets, minks and komodo dragons (which are really much more cuddly that they are given credit for).”

KATHY HAYEVSKY ’89: “It’s been a busy but exciting time of change for me. I moved back to Oak Park, Illinois, in the spring and am glad to be back! I also started singing in a band, and my choir, Apollo Chorus of Chicago, was featured singing Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah on the Netflix show Sense8! In celebration, I have had “Apollo” shaved into the side of my head.”

KRIS PEHLE GRASSE ’89: “I am teaching second grade at a great school close to my house. My best commute ever! Erin is in graduate school in California, and Kate is in her senior year of college. As empty-nesters, we are utilizing some of our free time to begin teaching Western line-dancing to millennials.”

TRICIA POTTER BAUER ’89: “I am busy preparing for a heavy snowstorm in Pennsylvania. I know it is only September, but I am in full nesting mode and have amassed a stock of food, water, and firewood to make it through the impending doom. The summer was spent pickling root vegetables that came from my own organic garden, and I have stockpiles of guns and ammo to fend off the hoards that will attack during the sleety onslaught.

Bring it on mo-fos! I’m ready!”

KATHY WADE ’88: “It was great to hang out with BRUCE BOLIVAR ’88, JIM DONNELLY ’88, Jan Donnelly, AJ Donnelly, NIKKI ZENS LINDBERG ’89, SCOTTIE GIROUARD ’89 and TOBI CAWTHRA ’89 for ‘docktails’ on the Donnellys’ boat SV Serenity as they make their way along the Great Loop. Currently, I am in a legal battle with Dwayne Wade over the copyright for my first initial + Wade (KWADE v DWADE). My peeps in the hood got my back, though, so I’m chillin’ on this. Mic drop!”

All our best to classmates in hurricane-affected areas. We are glad everyone was safe. Good luck to you all during this time of recovery.

NIKKI LINDBERG and MITCH ROSIN

1990 Robert E. Corkery Jr. 283 Sylvan Court Saunderstown, RI 02874 bcorkery@aol.com Christina L. Maggio-Kellerstrass 24 Windsor Drive Elmhurst, IL 60126 christinacl27@aol.com GENE SCHNEIDER ’90 of Oakdale, Minnesota, is now the vice president of merchandising operations at Bluestem Brands.

1991 Samantha Bailey Fast 612-978-4124 / samantha@baileysorts.com Tracy Maher tramtime@att.net Twenty-six years since graduation, and more of us have kids approaching college age or heading off to college themselves.

Time flies! Since the last letter, Samantha learned that there is a section of “filtered” messages in Facebook Messenger that separates out messages from people you are not formal Facebook “friends” with — turns out that I’ve had some updates lost in that wilderness, so sincere apologies about that. You learn something new every day!

MICHELLE RYAN BARTLETT ’91: “After 15 years of being a home parent, raising four kids who are now ages 9-14, I began working part time at University of California, Irvine School of Law with the Chancellor’s Law Professor Michele Goodwin and the Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy. The center is at the forefront of important work with its initiatives in reproductive justice, gun violence and trauma, public health and legal policy, and serves as a reference point for research, policy development and advocacy. Additionally, I’m in my fourth year as board chair for the Community Action Fund of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties, focusing on fundraising, electoral work for local candidates, advocacy and community partnerships. Lastly, this is my eighth year of serving as PTA Fine Arts VP developing art and cultural programs for our elementary school’s 1,200 students. Happily married for 20 years and in my spare time, I drink rosé.”

Fall 2017 31

Class Letters TINA BENDONI-SHELNUT ’91: “I am working as a substitute teacher at an elementary school in rural Missouri. I have had nearly 20 stories published under various pseudonyms over the last 10 years, and am enjoying the mixture of working daily during the school year, and then writing on my days off. My husband, Patrick, and I went to Rome for our 20th anniversary last year.”

SAMANTHA BAILEY FAST ’91: “It has been three years since we relocated to the Twin Cities from northeast Ohio, and we’re feeling more settled here, although Kent still feels like “home.” We finally bought a house this spring and I’m hoping that will help us turn the corner on fully adopting our not-so-new city. It was built in 1904, doesn’t have a level floor in the place, and needs a ton of work — if our previous old-house experience holds, we’ll be happily complaining about what a money-pit our house is while planning the next renovation project for years to come. Our son is in third grade and his first love is video games, followed by soccer, with reading for pleasure a distant contender, much to my chagrin. I’ve been leading the User Experience team at Merrill Corporation for the past two+ years. Now that I’m back into the swing of full-time work, it’s time to launch a new job hunt, but ‘networking’ is a more potent trigger for procrastination than toilet cleaning, so I’m anticipating a big uptick in my knitting output over the next few months.”

KARL FELD ’91: “I am entering my last year of classes to complete a Ph.D. at North Carolina State University. Then it’s on to comprehensive exams and the dissertation. My eldest daughter has joined the workforce and moved out of the house. I have two more in fifth and eighth grades. I am currently a regular Muay Thai practitioner on top of working in GfK’s Public Communication and social science research group.

We were all back in Chicago this summer visiting my parents, and I introduced my girls to Uno’s, the Willis Tower, Navy Pier and the beach, the Magnificent Mile, Frango’s from Macy’s and the Field Museum. Whew!”

RACHEL ANN FERRER ’91: “I’m moving to the Denver area in October 2017 where I’ll continue advocating for safe injection facilities and needle exchange programs.

My daughter is off to Hobart & William Smith College this fall.”

TODD GARDNER ’91: “I’m currently running an aerospace manufacturing facility in Wellington, Kansas.

My twin sons turned 17 earlier in the year, and my wife, Tina, and I have been married for 23 years. Loving life on the Great Plains!”

1992 JuDee Stojsavljevic Fischer 9110 Wildflower Court Hales Corners, WI 53130 262-332-0622 / fofastoj@gmail.com Bonni Dembroski Fredrick 12750 West Bobwood Road New Berlin, WI 53151 262-796-1531 / jfredrick1@wi.rr.com Erin Marie McCormack 1821 Saluda Court Raleigh, NC 27608 erinmack2002@yahoo.com Hello, Class of 1992! Thank you to everyone who made the pilgrimage back to Ripon for our 25th reunion! What a great weekend it was. To everyone who wasn’t able to join us … MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR JUNE 2022!

Some things that I learned while on campus • Farr Hall still smells the same • Frisbee golf is easier when you are sober • Any friendships made while at Ripon will probably stick with you forever • Roadhouse cheese curds are still AWESOME • There is now a fire pit outside of the union!

• The bookstore is now virtual — with a small store on Main Street (hard transition for an “old timer”!)

• The Meet Sheet is no longer a thing We all know that Ripon holds that special place in our lives, but it’s easy to forget how truly special it is. Think about those current students and all the memories they still have to make. Making a donation to Ripon will ensure it is available for generations to come — please consider it.

JAMES SANFORD ’92 of Grove City, Ohio: “Web content specialist at Nationwide. I celebrated my 15th wedding anniversary with my wife, Susan, in Scotland last October. We visited York, England, too, where I spent a semester abroad.”

KAREN MCCULLOCH CHILSTORM ’92 of Austin, Texas: “I completed my doctorate in Slavic languages and literature at the University of Texas at Austin in August 2016.”

STEVEN HOLZ JR. ’92 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, was inducted into the 2017 Fond du Lac High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Holz attended Ripon College from 1988-1992. While at Ripon, Holz started in every men’s basketball game. He was a two-time First Team AllMidwest Conference participant, as well as competing at the NCAA Division III national tournament. Holz was the captain of the basketball team from 19901991. While captain, he led the team to two Midwest Conference Championships. Holz also earned Academic All-Conference in 1992. Holz graduated from Ripon as the 11th leading scorer in school history.

One last thought/memory to leave you with. During Alumni weekend after our reunion celebration officially ended, some of us joined the “all classes celebration” outside of the union. What a great experience that was, standing around the new fire pit sharing stories of “When I was here … ,” eating s’mores and laughing. The only problem with it all was that the Class of 1992 were the old timers!

Hope to see you in 2022!

JUDEE

32

Connections

1991-95 1993 Melinda Trainor Hutchinson triangularfield@yahoo.com Hi, all. I hope you are all doing well. It’s been a very busy summer, and it’s hard to believe that it’s already fall and time for the latest update from the Class of 1993. There is not much to report — perhaps everyone has gone from their busy summers to end-of-summer and back-toschool busy-ness!

One thing to keep in mind over the coming months — our 25th class reunion is coming up next year (what?!).

More information to come as we get closer, but save the date for June 21-24, 2018.

Feel free to send me your news throughout the year for future letters — anything you’d like to share with your Ripon classmates!

If you haven’t heard from me by email, it’s likely because I don’t have an email for you or the one I have is incorrect.

Contact me by Facebook (are you part of the Ripon College Class of 1993 group?) or my email to send me your news. I also can forward your contact info to the College if you’d like. Otherwise, you can contact the alumni office directly with changes at alumni@ripon. edu or via U.S. mail to Office of Constituent Engagement, Ripon College, PO Box 248, Ripon, WI 54971.

Thank you! Regards, MELINDA

1994 Colin Dickerson colin1041@hotmail.com Kimberly Woolley berly@fastmail.com / www.facebook.com/kimbo.woolley www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-woolley-a903959 ANDREW LIMOURIS ’94 of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, was named winner of the Midwest Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 Award in Technology and Talent Services by Ernst & Young. Limouris is founder, president and CEO of Medix in Chicago, an international employment company that places professionals within the healthcare, science and IT industries. In September, Limouris released his first book, Won with Purpose: Positively Impacting Lives On and Off the Field, which details his path to finding a deeper purpose beyond victories and bottom lines in coaching and business.

Since his years as a Red Hawk first team All Midwest Conference linebacker, Limouris has held on to his love of football. He’s found passion around coaching his local youth team while building Medix into one of the largest staffing companies in North America.

1995 Vince Padilla and Amy DeKeyser Padilla 1357 Broadway Drive Sun Prairie, WI, 53590 vincepad@gmail.com / amypadilla@gmail.com Angela Keith 522 Pawnee Flagstaff, AZ 86005 (928) 380-1880 / azee11@gmail.com Hello Class of ’95! I hope this issue of R Connections was a delight to see in your mailbox! It is a gorgeous, temperate day in San Diego, California, and I am currently writing this missive during a presentation on policy affecting rural mental health practice. It is a fascinating topic, yet my mind keeps wandering to the general state of the world. It is September, and the Columbia River Gorge is burning, eating my childhood playground, the fires in Montana have destroyed more than a million acres, taking down part of one of the first National Parks I explored in my young adulthood, the devastation in Texas from Harvey, the current impending destruction of Irma on Florida, not to mention tsunami warnings in Mexico after an off-shore 8.2 magnitude earthquake. It’s like Mother Nature is trying to send us a message that life can be upturned in mere seconds, or just reminding us to truly appreciate the life we have been given.

My heart aches for the destruction around the country as I look out and see blue skies, people sailing and paddle boarding on the bay, or running by on the boardwalk.

I send out positive thoughts to those classmates whose lives have been changed due to these events, and I hope they are receiving the support they need to rise again.

Of course, there are always positive things to focus on — football season has started, with a sign that hell is freezing over as the comeback Patriots took a digger against the newly crowned comeback Chiefs last night, a new school year is starting for our kiddos, we are celebrating anniversaries and birthdays and weddings, some of you may have experienced the full eclipse that happened in August, and others may be reaching new milestones in your careers, plus there are always adventures to be had.

I hope you all see your time at Ripon as a positive memory, and one that helped shape your current life, every peak and valley you’ve come across. The class of 2021 (whoa!) just started their journeys at Ripon.

Please consider donating to the Annual Fund to ensure Ripon can continue to be a part of the lives of our future leaders, scientists, military personnel, mothers, fathers, educators, business owners, doctors, and other important parts of our communities.

As always, we truly enjoy hearing updates from our classmates! If there is something new and exciting in your life, let us know via email, Facebook, or one of those information cards that Ripon sends out when asking for donations to the Annual Fund!

Regards, ANGELA KEITH ’95 AMY DEKEYSER PADILLA ’95 VINCE PADILLA ’95

Fall 2017 33

Class Letters 1996

1997

Jason Wood 83 Monroe Street, Unit 3B Hoboken, NJ 07030 jlwood3773@gmail.com

Kristin Bazzoli Piotrowski

Happy Fall, Class of 1996. WOW – it is fall already. 2018 is right around the corner, and summer seems to fly by too fast every year. I do hope that everyone had a great summer filled with barbecues, picnics, beach time or that amazing summer cocktail. I can tell you that I had another amazing summer keeping busy with travels (all over the country), some beach time and a bit of work for the job. I am taking a few weeks in September and October to re-fresh, re-energize and recuperate before all the fall holidays events and travel start up again.

AMY TINCHER-DURIK ’96 of Des Moines, Iowa, was present when the Delta Pi Chapter of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority at Ripon College received the Maxine Blake Golden Lion Award at the organization’s 166th anniversary Grand Convention in Hollywood, Florida. The award is the highest honor presented to collegiate chapters and recognizes chapters which perform with excellence in all categories required by the sorority. Chapter President MOLLIE CARLSON ’18 accepted the award. Also in attendance were chapter alumnae HANNAH ERDMAN ’14 and JENNIFER BAUER LYONS ’96. Alpha Delta Pi, the first secret society for women, was founded in 1851 at Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia. The Delta Pi Chapter was established at Ripon College in 1960.

If anyone from our class has any new updates, please contact me or you can post on our Facebook page (Ripon College: Class of 1996 or at https://www.facebook.com/ groups/11713062769/). We all love to see what is new and catch up with one another.

As we get into that age, we are starting to know more and more kids that are entering into college. Please if you can, reach out to them and share your experience of Ripon College. Many students probably don’t consider a college like this but, as we all know, Ripon has so much to offer from academics to athletics to extracurricular activities.

By speaking to them about your years at Ripon, maybe you can guide them to a path that will make them as successful as you are.

Try to have a great winter (hopefully it won’t too cold or snowy), and I will touch base with you in the spring!

Regards, JASON WOOD

4609 North Marlborough Drive Shorewood, WI 53211 414-841-8577 / kbazzoli@yahoo.com Hello, Class of 1997. I hope all of you had a great summer. After a late burst of summer weather here in Wisconsin, crisp fall weather is in the air.

I wanted to extend a huge THANK YOU to everyone who attended our 20-year reunion in Ripon in June. It was so nice to see everyone and reconnect. From time downtown to on-campus activities, it was nice to see how much has changed in Ripon and on the college campus — and it was nice to see some things haven’t changed, too! Highlights of the weekend include the class march onto campus, lunch with all of the other reunion classes, tours of campus, and our class dinner at the one and only Roadhouse. While the interior of Roadhouse is unrecognizable from 1997 to today, the mozzarella sticks and pizza taste (happily) the same as ever. Don’t mess with a good thing, right?!

I also wanted to thank our wonderful reunion planning committee — STEPH BASEL GOLDAPSKE ’97, JASON CORSTEN ’97, RYAN PATNODE ’97, KRISTINE PETERSON ’97 and KRISTEN YOST MATUSZAK ’97. They brought so many great ideas forward and brought them to life. As the saying goes, “it takes a village!”

Last, but not least, thank you to CHRISTY SCHWENGEL ’97 for her time and talent to our fund-raising efforts.

Our class raised more than $11,000 toward our class gift.

Thanks to her tireless efforts!

AMBER BERES ’97 is scheduled for her first public speaking engagement on her journey with Tourette’s in October 2017. Congratulations, Amber!

KRISTINE PETERSON ’97 has accepted a position with the facilities department at the University of Wisconsin Medical School. Congratulations, Kristine!

ANGELA FLEEGAL ’97 of Rio, Wisconsin: “I got engaged on Dec. 31, 2016, to Casey Mietzel. Wedding date is June 16, 2018.”

Don’t forget to send along any news or updates to your contact information. You can also connect with our class on Facebook via the closed group “Ripon College Class of 1997.”

Wishing you a wonderful rest of 2017 and a happy start to 2018!

KRISTIN

1998 Sarah Eng saraheng@gmail.com Leilani Kupo deli_by_the_pond@yahoo.com Dear Class of 1998, Ah, fall. First-day-of-school pictures, pumpkin spice everything, and … our last fall letter before our 20th reunion. Just a quick reminder, there’s a Facebook group for the class of 1998 if you aren’t already a member. Watch that space for updates!

JEN ANSTEE CHAVEZ ’98: “I live in Lombard, Illinois, with my two daughters and teach elementary school Spanish in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. I traveled to Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands this summer and it was amazing!”

SARAH ENG ’98 of Chicago, Illinois: “I traveled to Australia with family this spring, and am here to tell you

34

Connections

1996-2001 that kangaroos are creepy up close. Also happy to be able to say that my family in Houston and Florida made it safely through hurricanes Harvey and Irma.”

ABIGAIL WILLIAMS BUDZYNSKI ’98 of Lombard, Illinois: “Recently promoted to head of reference at the Bloomingdale Public Library where I have been employed for 15 years. I live in Lombard, Illinois, with my 5-year-old daughter, Dorothea, and my husband, Brian.”

MITCH GROSS ’98 of Coralville, Iowa, earns tennis coach of the year honors and was featured in an article in The Des Moines Register for being named the newspaper’s All-Iowa Boys’ tennis coach of the year. The article was published June 8, 2017. This is Gross’ second time winning this award. “West’s three titles marked just the third ‘Triple Crown’ in state history,” the article reads.

“The Trojans have also now won the 2A team title five of the past six years.” Gross says in the article: “Watching my team step up and win the team title with Jiung (Jung) injured made me about as proud as I could have been.

You feel good about where your program is when you have guys like that.”

STEPHEN KENNELLY ’98 and EMILY MEYER ’09 of Moorhead, Minnesota adopted a puppy, Hawkeye, in June, “so we are kept on our toes with puppy mischief on a daily basis,” Emily writes.

Hope to see you in 2018!

SARAH and LEILANI

1999 Mike Berens 6472 Wexford Ave SW Port Orchard, WA 98367 617-512-5753 / mikeberens2@hotmail.com

2000 Andre Miksha andre.miksha+ripon@gmail.com Lots of news this season for the 2000’ers!

TIMOTHY BARBER ’00 of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, and his wife, Sarah welcomed a baby girl, Anora Marie, on Oct. 24, 2016, which also happened to be the couple’s wedding anniversary. Anora joins her brother, Owynn, who just turned 4 in September.

ERIN MEYER MATTHEWS ’00 of Bozeman, Montana, married Gary Matthews in 2016. Erin is the senior client advocate with the Montana Pathways Program and has served low-income families in this position for 10 years.

She also will serve as the vice chair of the statewide Pathways Consortium.

KATIE LONG WOLLERMANN ’00 of Union Grove, Wisconsin, celebrated the 10th anniversary of her legal practice, Kathryn Long LLC, which focuses on estate planning.

EDWARD PALMER ’00 of Coloma, Wisconsin, added a second master’s degree to his M.Ed., having now earned one in American history from Norwich University in Vermont.

JESSICA PALMER ’00 of Coloma, Wisconsin, left a third-grade teaching position after 10 years in AdamsFriendship to teach the same grade level in the Westfield School District at their Coloma Elementary School, the same school as the Palmer children.

Red Hawks forever, ANDRE

2001

Trista Moffat-Larco 1523 Remington Road Neenah, WI 54946 920-257-4800 / tlmoffat@yahoo.com

Dante Houston 1418 N 50th Street Milwaukee, WI 53208 414-378-4937 / houstondante@hotmail.com

Greetings, fellow alumni, as students enjoy their first month back on campus and fall brings pleasant and unseasonably warm days to Wisconsin. Trista and I hope you are all well. Check out the Ripon College Facebook page for a cool overhead display of campus and some fun photos of the students moving into the residence halls.

We do not have a lot of updates from our classmates in this publication, but we are pleased to report updates from Ryan in Waunakee and Alex in Singapore!

Nicole Baumann-Blackmore 7535 Lockwood Lane Verona, WI 53593 Baumannn10@hotmail.com / 608-513-9078

ALEXANDER ARIFIANTO ’99 of Singapore: “I am now a research fellow with the Indonesia program, S. Rajaratham School of International studies at Nahyang Technological University in Singapore.”

RYAN MAYRAND ’99 of Waunakee, Wisconsin: “Ryan accepted a marketing manager position in March at WTS Paradigm located in Middleton, Wisconsin.”

TRISTA and MIKE

Greetings, Class of 2001! We hope this letter finds you well. Here are the class notes we have recently received.

As always, we love hearing from you!

NICOLE BAUMANN-BLACKMORE ’01 of Verona, Wisconsin, is now a clinical associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin.

After being away from Illinois for 20 years, DANA DELACH GARCIA ’01, her husband, Angel, and their three boys have moved back and built a home in Naperville, Illinois.

DANTE HOUSTON ’01 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has been appointed chairman of the Milwaukee County Arts Board (CAMPAC).

ZLATAN KRKIC ’01 lives in London, England, and works for Deutsche Bank. He has an 8-year-old daughter and is expecting two baby boys in January 2018!

MICHELLE MIRR THOMAS ’01 and CHRIS THOMAS ’01 of St. Paul, Minnesota are expecting the new arrival of a baby boy in November!

Go Red Hawks!

DANTE and NICOLE

Fall 2017 35

Class Letters 2002 Leigh Mlodzik MlodzikL@Ripon.edu Corryn Siegel Greenwood Corryn.Siegel@gmail.com Dear Class of 2002, Can you believe we just celebrated our 15th reunion? Thank you to all who came out to Alumni Weekend. We would love to see more faces at our 20th reunion in 2022! If you have an update you would like to share, let us know at 2002reunion@gmail.com or you can email Leigh or Corryn at the emails listed above (or the College at alumni@ripon.edu). We would love to hear from you!

JAMIE GRANT ’02 is now the dean of enrollment management at Silver Lake College. She, along with alumnae MARGARET WOLFGRAM ’03 and EMILY LENSMIRE ’15, helped to bring in the largest incoming class in the College’s history this fall.

JEROME JAMES ’02 and KELLY KUJAVA JAMES ’02 celebrated their 10-year wedding anniversary Aug. 4, 2017.

JAMES DAHM JR. ’02 and KAITLYN HENG DAHM ’10 of Chicago, Illinois, welcomed a baby boy, Charlie, in March 2017.

We hope to hear from you soon, LEIGH MLODZIK

2003 Liz Matelski lizmatelski@gmail.com Elayne Monnens Norweb enorweb@gmail.com It’s hard to believe so much time has passed, but we’ll be celebrating our 15-year class reunion next summer at Alumni Weekend. There is much to do and plan before next June, and we definitely need your help!

• MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Alumni Weekend is next June! Historically, 15-year reunions have had lower turnouts than other years’ reunions. We can change history with a massive class showing at this event!

• JOIN THE PLANNING COMMITTEE: We would love as many people as possible involved in the planning of our reunion. If you would like to be a part of planning the reunion events and dinner at next Alumni Weekend, please contact Liz or Elayne.

• FACEBOOK: Check out and join the Class of 2003’s Facebook page. As the celebration approaches, more updates on reunion details and how to be involved will be posted at this site.

• UPDATE YOUR EMAIL: We will send out updates via email, so please send one of us your updated email address so we can be sure to keep you informed!

• DONATE: Show your support for Ripon College and your graduating class with a donation this fiscal year.

Especially in this, our 15-year reunion year, it is important to support RC. TERRI BURR ’03 is relocating to Austin, Texas for a new job.

LOREN DEARBORN DUNN ’03 of Bothell, Washington, gave birth to a baby girl, Allison Valerie, on April 24, joining big brothers Grady and Nathan.

JACLYN KENNY DURHAM ’03 of Elm Grove, Wisconsin: “We welcomed a new daughter to our family this past

36

Connections

January. Born 1-11-17, Grace Renee Durham. Her sisters, Reagan, 9, and Abigail, 5, are so thrilled.”

LINDSAY COOPER EBBERT ’03 of Kenosha, Wisconsin: “Parker started kindergarten this year!”

MICHAEL FRITZ ’03 of Yuma, Arizona, is in his third year as assistant principal/athletic director at Cibola High School, where he has been working since August of 2004. He previously taught PE/health and has served as an instructional coach in football and soccer. He and his wife, Tia, were married June 26, 2010. They have two daughters, Landin, 6, and Jesse, 3.

BRIE TERRELL ’03 of St. Louis, Missouri: “We’re surviving as a family of four. Maya Mae, 3, and Gracyn Isabel, 7 months. It’s been quite an adjustment. I’m still working as a PA in orthopedic trauma at Mercy Hospital St. Louis. I also work a side job at a PA-run walk-in ortho after-hours clinic. We keep quite busy.”

AMIEE PIERSTORFF HANSEN ’03 of Eldorado, Wisconsin: “After 10 years of teaching high school students, I left teaching and am in my third year of owning my own photography studio called Glass Menagerie Photography. I live in Eldorado, Wisconsin, with my husband, Brad, and our daughter, Avonlea.”

RACHAEL LEVIN HEGER ’03 of Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national director of affiliate outreach for I Support the Girls, a charitable nonprofit providing new and gently used bras and sealed menstrual hygiene products to homeless and at-risk women. She writes, “We have 50 volunteer affiliates in six countries and have collectively donated over 1 million products in just 18 months of operation. We’ve been recently featured by George Takei, Upworthy, Washington Post, Huffington Post, NPR, Associated Press, Glamour, Marie Claire, and more.

Want to hold a collection drive to help women in your community? Email me at affiliates@isupportthegirls.org.”

MELISSA KREIKEMEIER ’03 of Kihei, Hawaii: “After three years of teaching science abroad in China and the Marshall Islands, I moved back to the USA. and am now living in Hawaii. I recently started my own free-lance copy editing and proofreading business, 808 Editorial, where I help authors and businesses produce accurate and professional copy. I’ve worked on scientific journal articles for non-native English speakers and will be starting book manuscripts soon. Please feel free to reach out on LinkedIn or Facebook if you or anyone you know needs any help with their writing. My company website is under construction, but will hopefully be up soon. When I’m not working, I am enjoying all of the things I missed about the USA when I was overseas and getting out and about on Maui. If any of you ever visit the Hawaiian Islands, please look me up!”

ROB LENNOX III ’03 of Chicago, Illinois married Amy Fruehwald on Oct. 14, 2017.

ELIZABETH MATELSKI ’03 and her wife, Courtney, enjoyed their first year of living in Boston. Liz is assistant professor of American history at Endicott College. Her first book, Reducing Bodies: Mass Media and the Female Body in Postwar America, was published by Routledge Press in May 2017.

MIKE MAXWELL ’03 of Rolling Meadows, Illinois, has taken on a new role as sales manager at Forte Group.

The company is an IT solutions and search firm based in Chicago with European locations as well. Mike manages the search practice nationally. In October, he gets to stand up in ROB LENNOX III ’03’s wedding along with some fellow Riponites. His one-man show, The Anti-Boss, is in review with a couple comedy clubs in the Chicago area for a run starting as soon as this holiday season. In September, Mike participated in a

2002-04 national marketing campaign on behalf of Ford and the NFL. GINA COMPITELLO-MOORE ’03 of Tucson, Arizona, and her colleagues at the University of Arizona Museum of Art recently recovered Willem de Kooning’s painting, Woman-Ochre, which was stolen almost 32 years ago!

ELAYNE MONNENS NORWEB ’03 of Coral Gables, Florida, is excited to have both girls in preschool this year, freeing up a couple of hours a week for herself!

TODD REINKE ’03 and SUSIE PEERENBOOM REINKE ’03 recently moved to Waterford, Wisconsin, from Howards Grove to be closer to family. Todd started a new position as technology integration support specialist in Racine Unified School District, and Susie is joining Anderson Baumann Chiropractic in Burlington as an associate chiropractor. This has been a big move for their family of five, but so far has been relatively smooth. Their girls, Peyton, 7, and Sadie, 4, started a new school, and Mallory celebrated her first birthday in early October.

AMANDA LUTTENBURGER RIESENBERG ’03 of De Pere, Wisconsin, just completed her fifth marathon and is looking forward to running two half marathons, one in the Grand Tetons and one in Yellowstone, with her husband, Sean, next year to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary. “Joey just entered middle school and loves to play football, basketball and baseball. His favorite subjects are math and science. Brooke is in fourth grade and loves gymnastics and soccer. Her favorite subjects are art and math.”

CHRYSTAL PAGEL STEPHANY ’03 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, moved her business, Phoenix Rising LLC from Ripon to Fond du Lac as Phoenix Rising Counseling & Healing Center. She offers mental health, trauma and substance abuse counseling, along with reiki, biofeedback and sound therapy.

ERIN TRADER STROT ’03 of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, works for Memorial Blood Centers as the training specialist for the Donor Testing Lab. “In June 2017, we welcomed a second daughter, Madeleine, to our family.”

JOE VICARI ’03 of Waterford, Wisconsin, recently completed a hiking trip at the Grand Canyon from the South Rim to the North Rim and is looking forward to doing it again.

SARAH PEERENBOOM VICARI ’03 and JOE VICARI ’03 of Waterford, Wisconsin, enjoyed a trip to Tuscany this past March. Sarah writes, “We love to travel and look forward to our next adventure to Puerto Rico for a dermatology conference. Our children continue to grow and entertain us. Dean just turned 6, and the twin boys — Leo and Bennett — will be 4 in November.”

ELIZABETH ZIRK ’03 moved to Portland, Oregon 2½ years ago. Last year, she took a position at Youth for Understanding USA as a field director and program specialist. She supports volunteers and international exchange students in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Alaska. Lots of road trips! She also just ended her tenure on the board of the Oregon chapter of the International Coach Federation; and she continues to coach through group workshops and events.

ANDY LAST ’03 and RACHAEL SMITHBACK ’06 were married in April 2016.

APRIL MARLEWSKI-HUDZINSKI ’03: “On a personal note, I’ve dove into ‘intentional parenting’ and am trying to teach my kids about food chains and Circle of Life. So we’ve raised and now butchered pigs, hatched chickens (who are now chased by my 2-year-old daily), and harvested honey from our beehives. I’ve YouTubed far too many ‘How to be a Farmer’ videos. Professionally,

my life coaching and business consulting business, ParadigmU.com, continues to rock my world! I’m inspired by the people I work with and have recently gotten my real estate license to help people who want to get into investment/rental properties, small businesses who want to sell and coach those ready to dive in to starting/buying a small business. Almost daily, I say, ‘Holy crap, is this real life!?’”

We would love to hear from many more of you for the spring class letter, especially with our 15-year reunion on the horizon. We welcome updates any time of the year — not just in September and February.

Keep in touch!

LIZ & ELAYNE

2004 Nick Spaeth 810 N 9 ½ Street Monmouth, IL 61462 262-227-6097 / nick.spaeth@gmail.com Greetings Class of ’04. Seven updates — we’re better than that, right? Thanks to everyone who has started using our class-specific email account, 2004classletter@gmail.com, but we obviously have some work to do here. If you’re not getting my call for updates, I don’t have the right email for you. Drop me a note and let’s remedy that.

KATE PETERSEN KINGREE ’04 of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin: “Family moved back to Sun Prairie from two years living in Eau Claire. Case manager in the federal TANF/WI Program.”

ANDREA VIGIL COTE ’04 of Hampton, Virginia: “I married James Cote in 2013, and this past summer welcomed our daughter, June Pepper. I have been in the AEC industry for the last four years and have recently taken a new position as a marketing manager for Facility Dynamics. After relocating from Florida, we now reside in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia.”

NOAH LEIGH ’04 is working at the city of Milwaukee Health Department as an LIS specialist. Noah also was recently elected to the West Allis/West Milwaukee School Board and will serve a three-year term.

SEBASTIAN MEADE ’04 is living in Freeport, Maine, and has been working on many new art projects and started a new online business a few years ago. Pinz and Thingz is slowly and steadily growing over time, creating and making pin buttons for other businesses, nonprofits, and individuals.

HIROKI NAKAJIMA ’04 of Tokyo, Japan: “I am currently working as an individual Swiss boarding school study abroad agent. I opened my new office on June 1 in Tokyo.”

ELIZABETH VORPAL CATES ’04 of Roy, New Mexico: “My husband, Hiram, and I opened a gun shop in Roy, New Mexico, named Oh, Shoot Gun Shop, and I started my own network marketing business: www.libbeycates.com.”

KARI WHEATON ’04 gave birth to a daughter, Izabella Mae Wheaton, on July 19, 2017, and recently started working as head graphic designer for a company in Milwaukee.

JASON NUTTALL ’04 and KATIE MEAD NUTTALL ’11 of Mauston, Wisconsin welcomed their daughter, Ellis Joy Nuttall, in June 2016. She joins big sister Adeline. Jason and Katie both are employed at Mile Bluff Medical Center in Mauston.

Fall 2017 37

Class Letters RYAN JOHANEK ’04 and TARA RABIDEAUX JOHANEK ’07 welcomed their second son, Ryker, in February. His big brother, Adler, thinks he is the coolest, and they have been enjoying all the sweet moments with these two!

2006

Enjoy the fall!

NICK

Ed Hansen hellowilbur@gmail.com

2005

Andrew Kitslaar andrew.p.kitslaar@gmail.com

Amanda Zahn Przybyl W2743 Cherry Lane Green Lake, WI 54941 920-299-1081 / PrzybylA@ripon.edu Daphne Meyers Leigh 7026 West Rogers Street West Allis, WI 53219 414-841-7210 / Daphne05@hotmail.com Greetings Ripon College Class of 2005! It’s that time of year again – fall! Football is back, pumpkin spice is in the air, and everyone is back into the swing of the school year. For many of us, that now means experiencing this exciting time through the eyes of our own newly minted students. Each year, I am reminded how many different emotions go along with the start of a school year – excitement, nerves, fear and wonder, to name just a few.

This year NOAH LEIGH ’04 and I got to send our daughter off to her first day of school. It was amazing to see how she could be both nervous and happy to be there. Other than finally having two school-age children (goodbye, daycare payments!), we have very little to update this year. It seems like many of you are in the same boat.

TOM BEATTY ’05 and ROBIN ROECKER BEATTY ’06 of Princeton, Wisconsin, have a new baby boy, Asher Otto, who was born in July.

CHARLES OBERWEISER ’05 of Johnson City, Tennessee, recently completed a master’s degree in accountancy and earned his CPA license. He’s working at a public accounting firm in the Nashville area.

Congratulations, Charles! Keep those exciting life updates coming in! Isn’t it fun to see and hear about all the great things our former classmates are doing?! We will always be Red Hawks!

NICHOLAS TEACHOUT ’05 and STACY KRUSA TEACHOUT ’07 of Waupun, Wisconsin, welcomed their second child, a baby girl, Isabella Grace, on May 12, 2017.

Until next fall, DAPHNE MEYERS LEIGH

Nicole Klaas Hands nicolemariehands@gmail.com

Ahoy! Ripon continues to evolve and grow, as you can read in this edition of R Connections. Whether it is the increased size of the freshmen class or the new Wilmore Center – a HUGE addition which we wish we had access to while we were there – good news continues to come out of campus. When you walk into the new center for the first time, be sure to take note of the Ripon College Athletic Hall of Fame members who are from of our graduating class: DAVE BILLINGS ’06 (cross country and track), KARALYN DEHN MASSEN ’06 (basketball) and ROSE REICHHART ’06 (softball and volleyball)!

We hope everyone will continue to stay connected by letting us know what’s going on in your life and, when you have a chance, visiting campus. Without further ado …

ROBIN ROECKER BEATTY ’06 and TOM BEATTY ’05 of Princeton, Wisconsin, have a new baby boy, Asher Otto, who was born in July.

KHAATIM BOYD ’06 of Fargo, North Dakota, moved to become the associate director of development for the College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources at North Dakota State University.

HAYLEY DOYLE ’06 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is now a senior project manager at StoneArch in Minneapolis and bought a house in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, this past fall.

ALISHA GARD ’06 accepted the position of manager of promotion and special projects at Prest & Associates in Madison.

ELIZABETH GIEDD GLANS ’06 and her husband, Matthew, of Huntley, Illinois, have a new baby boy, David James, who was born in January. Elizabeth is currently working as an account manager at CDW. TOM HANLON ’06 is living and working in Vienna, Austria.

ED HANSEN ’06 of Tallahassee, Florida, married Megan Deichen earlier this summer in Orlando, Florida. Ed continues to teach at Florida State University, where Megan is pursuing her Ph.D. in social work.

RACHAEL SMITHBACK ’06 and ANDY LAST ’03 were married in April 2016.

KAYLA CASTRO PARSCHAUER ’06 and her husband, Ryan, have a new baby boy, Gabriel Francis, who was born in April.

TIM PETERS ’06 and his wife, REGAN ROGERS PETERS ’07 of Eagle, Wisconsin, purchased a sweet new minivan this past year.

MICHELLE CALDER REPPERT ’06 and her husband, Jeremiah, have a new baby boy, Alex James, born in February.

ALI NOWAK RISSE ’06 of Slinger, Wisconsin, married Troy Risse.

IAN SCHUMACHER ’06 and KAYLA O’BRIEN SCHUMACHER ’06 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, have a new baby girl, Clare Colleen, who was born in February.

COLLIN WEST ’06 of Tallahassee, Florida, married Stephanie Otte of Hemet, California. Stephanie is pursuing her Ph.D. in sociology from Florida State University.

38

Connections

2004-08 AMANDA TAYLOR BAVINCK ’06 of De Pere, Wisconsin, has been the lead baker and bakery supervisor for the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay dining since 2016.

EVELYN BRUNT GREGORY ’06 and her husband are expecting their first baby in March 2018.

MEGAN MANAGERSON ZEMAN ’06 started a new job as the International Service Project manager at The Goodnews Project in Wausau, Wisconsin. She’ll be traveling to Saint Lucia in February to lead her first group of volunteers in building homes for people in need.

TONI-LEE SCARANO VINEY ’06 of Fort Collins, Colorado, and her husband welcomed a baby girl named Cecily Mary on Feb. 8, 2016.

JILLIAN BURRIS ’06 of Waukegan, Illinois, was promoted to project manager for Orren Pickell Building Group. She also will be getting married New Year’s Eve this year.

JULIAN BECKER ‘06 is now a senior crown prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service in London.

Enjoy the winter!

NICOLE, ED & ANDREW

2007 Lindsey Kreye Heil lkreye9509@gmail.com Stacy Krusa Teachout krusast@gmail.com Liz Leach Morrell lizmorrell@outlook.com Adam Krueger krueger.adam@gmail.com Greetings, Class of 2007. We hope you all had a great summer. Remember those days when we got fall, winter, spring and summer breaks? Those were the days!

A big thank-you to all who attended our 10-year class reunion. It was a great weekend filled with fun, laughs and reminiscing. We hope to see you at our 15-year class reunion, which will be here before you know it.

BOB FAULDS ’07 and STEPHANIE SOMMER FAULDS ’08 live in De Pere, Wisconsin, with their children, Mick, 4, and Lennie, 1. Bob is a senior manager for Baker Tilly Search and Staffing in Appleton, Wisconsin, and Stephanie is a demand planner at Schreiber Foods in Green Bay and owns her own business, Babbleheads Photography and Design.

TARA RABIDEAUX JOHANEK ’07 and RYAN JOHANEK ’04 welcomed their second son, Ryker, in February. His big brother, Adler, thinks he is the coolest, and they have been enjoying all the sweet moments with these two!

STEVEN MILLER ’07 spoke about Hinduism for Professor of Religion Brian Smith’s Comparative World Religions class this fall. Steven is an adjunct scholar of philosophy in the Department of Philosophy and Religion and will be giving several lectures during this academic year. His new book, Community and Loyalty in American Philosophy: Royce, Sellars, Rorty, will be published in the Routledge Studies in American Philosophy series this fall.

ADAM RONCHETTI ’07 moved to Mundelein, Illinois, and started a new job at ACGT Inc. in Wheeling, Illinois.

Adam asked his girlfriend (now fiancée) to marry him, and they’ve set the date for September 2017.

REGAN ROGERS PETERS ’07 and TIM PETERS ’06 of Eagle, Wisconsin, purchased a sweet new minivan this past year.

JORDYN RUSH ’07 is working in the data management group at Environmental Standards, an environmental consulting firm, in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. She is also the president of the Philadelphia Modern Quilt Guild.

STACY KRUSA TEACHOUT ’07 and NICHOLAS TEACHOUT ’05 of Waupun, Wisconsin, welcomed their second child, a baby girl, Isabella Grace, on May 12, 2017.

PETER JENSEN ’07 was awarded the W. Charles Redding Dissertation Award from the Organizational Communication Division at the International Communication Association. The title of his dissertation is “Organizing Possibilities: Examining Normative and Alternative Nonprofit Organizing Practices.”

Until next time, ADAM, LINDSEY, LIZ and STACY

2008 Stephanie Sommer Faulds 5543 River Oaks Drive De Pere, WI 54115 608-630-3369 / Stephanie.Sommer@gmail.com Leah Hover-Preiss 1002 North Bowman Road Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965 608-432-2399 / leahhover@yahoo.com Zac Schwandt 8730 South Country Drive, Apt. 101 Oak Creek, WI 53154 920-291-5685 / SchwandtZ@gmail.com Happy fall y’all! Greetings to the Class of 2008! It’s getting to be that time of year again; busy season for teachers, retailers, parents, photographers — everyone? Despite being busy, fall is always a fun time when I enjoy bringing out my sweaters, tall boots, pumpkin spice lattes — heck, pumpkin spice ANYTHING — and I start to notice the beautifully changing colors everywhere I go.

Fall always felt like a fresh start back at Ripon College with new classes, new dorm rooms and a freshly reimbursed meal card. Anyone who has been back to campus in the last 10 years knows that quite a few things have changed. There are a lot of enhancements that have been made to the campus. For those of you who haven’t been back recently, I encourage you to consider coming back for the 10-year reunion next summer. Save the date now: June 21-24, 2018, will be next year’s Alumni Weekend. The whole weekend is a lot of fun, but our reunion get-together will be held on Saturday evening right before the All-Alumni party. Stay tuned for more details — and if you have any ideas to share, reach out to one of your class agents! Planning is well under way and we can’t wait to see you!

If you want to visit before Alumni Weekend to get yourself acclimated to the “new” campus, check out the Ripon College website or watch your mail for information about many events that will be taking place on campus in the near future. Take the time to attend one to see what life is like now on campus!

STEPHANIE SOMMER FAULDS ’08 of De Pere, Wisconsin, lives with her husband, BOB FAULDS ’07, and their two children Mick, 4, and Lennie, 1. She is a demand planner at Schreiber Foods in Green Bay and owns her own business, Babbleheads Photography and Design. Bob is a senior manager for Baker Tilly Search and Staffing in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Fall 2017 39

Class Letters LEAH HOVER-PREISS ’08 of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, and her husband, Zach, had their second child, Harper Theresa, on April 2, 2017. Her big brother Aiden, 5, could not be happier!

ERIN MAGUIRE ’08 of Hot Springs, Arkansas, oversees three different dialysis clinics as a social worker for Fortune 500 dialysis company.

ANDREW MCKEE ’08 of Lacey, Washington: “I just completed 16 months of company command in the 112th Special Operations Signal Battalion (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I am now the Battalion Signal Officer for 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Lewis, Washington. My girlfriend, Jenna, and I are expecting a baby girl this August.”

ERIN OAKLEY ’08 was engaged to Mike Koltes on March 18, 2017. The two were married in Madison on Sept. 30, 2017.

ZAC SCHWANDT ’08 and EMILY KIJEK ’13 got engaged on Ripon’s campus last July!

TAIYI SUN ’08 of Arlington, Virginia: “Hi. I recently received my Ph.D. in political science from Boston University. After being a lecturer at Boston University for six years, I recently took a tenure-track assistant professorship at Christopher Newport University, a liberal arts university in Newport News, Virginia. I have also recently published an article in the journal China Information, on ‘Earthquakes and the typologies of statesociety relations in China.’ I am now living in Arlington, Virginia, a part of the greater D.C. region.”

Please remember to send any updates you would like to share to the Class of 2008 Class Agents or the alumni office. Announcements can be about new jobs, promotions, engagements, marriages, births or adoptions, continuing education, relocating — anything you would like to share with your classmates! Additionally, if you are not a member of the Ripon College Class of 2008 Facebook page, please send a request so you can be added. It is a great way to share announcements, post memories and receive reminders about upcoming class letters or reunion information.

We look forward to hearing from you in the future!

Go, Red Hawks!

Sincerely, LEAH, STEPHANIE and ZAC

2009 Emily A. Meyer emilyannmeyer@gmail.com Angela Olivas Peña mihita.aco@gmail.com Hello everyone! I hope this letter finds you well and excited about the fall! My family and I have recently re-located to Moorhead, Minnesota, and fall has arrived!

Along with our move, I accepted a new position as the assistant director of residence life at Concordia College and am loving my new position and the people I’m working with.

My family also welcomed a new puppy into our lives just shortly before we moved (I know, not the best timing), and we are kept on our toes daily by his antics. Lily is also growing and fast approaching the terrible 2’s! Her personality comes out more and more every day and is especially apparent when she is told “No.” I’ve also recently connected with the Kappa Delta Chapter at NDSU and will be joining their Chapter Advisory Board.

The women there are great, and Greek Life seem to be thriving on campus.

40

Connections

We made our annual trip back to Ripon for Alumni Weekend this summer, and while it was chillier than most Alumni Weekends, we had a lot of fun sitting around the fire pit (a new addition to campus right outside The Pub) and meeting up with alumni from across the years. In addition to the fire pit, there have been several more changes to campus including the opening of Willmore Center and other updates and renovations around campus.

Willmore Center is named in honor of DENA WILLMORE ’67, who STEPHEN KENNELLY ’98 and I (along with other alumni) had the opportunity to meet during our Alumni In-Focus trip to Ripon two summers ago with President Zach Messitte and Professor of History Diane Mockridge. If you ever get the chance to meet Dena, she is a wonderful woman and a lot of fun to hang out with!

I’m so excited that several of you wrote directly to me with updates! This letter is always more fun when I can talk about what you all are doing in your lives! We have several congratulations to make first!

BRITTANY KAUFMAN PRATT ’09 and her husband, Jeremy, welcomed their daughter, Samantha Kay Pratt, on July 10, 2017. Although she was born in Missouri, she already has honored her Wisconsin heritage with a picnic at her first brewery and a first polka dance with Mom. Little Miss is looking forward to her first trip to Ripon this winter!

Congratulations, Brittany, we can’t wait to meet her!

Next up, we send congratulations to HEATHER KOELLER ’09 on her marriage to Andrew J. Plucinski. Heather and Andrew were married Sept. 22, 2017, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We wish Heather and Andrew Plucinski all the best as they start their lives together!

AMANDA KNUTSON ’09 also has some news to share.

Amanda is currently teaching elementary school at an alternative school. She has grades 1-5 in her room, and luckily has a small class! Amanda also is working toward her special education teaching license through the 10 SPED program through St. Mary’s University in Minnesota. Good luck this school year, Amanda, both in your own classroom and with your class work!

GRANT ERICKSON ’09 and CARISSA TURK ERICKSON ’11 are expecting the couple’s second son in January.

ARIELLE DENIS ’09 now is working for the City and County of Denver’s Auditor’s Office Prevailing Wage Division. Arielle started her new job in April 2017.

We hope you’re loving your new job, Arielle. Keep us updated on how that is going!

SHAWN KARSTEN ’09 and CARISSA ZUERCHER KARSTEN ’10 of Ripon, Wisconsin, had a baby girl, Evelina Ann Karsten, born Aug. 14, 2017.

Attorney AMY HANSEN SULLIVAN ’09 of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, has been named a partner of the Pinkert Law Firm LLP as of Jan. 1, 2017. A native of southern Door County, Amy graduated from Ripon College and from the University of Wisconsin Law School. She joined the firm in 2012 and focuses her practice on real estate, estate planning, business law and general practice.

Amy is involved in several community organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club of Door County and Money Management Counselors. She currently resides in southern Door with her husband, Michael.

JUSTIN HOKE ’09 of London, England: “I relocated to London, England, in November 2015 with my wife, Sinem. I am currently working at University College London-Institute of Ophthalmology developing gene therapies for congenital blindness and other retinal diseases. We currently have gene therapies going to clinical trial after they successfully restored or prevented further loss of vision.”

2008-11 BRYAN NELL ’09 of Eugene, Oregon: “I am currently a postdoctoral fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. I will be starting a tenure-track position as an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Minnesota-Morris starting in August. My wife, Kara, and I are expecting our first baby (a girl) in July!”

programming and data analysis.

HANNAH JAHN ’09 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has joined the Milwaukee City Attorney’s Office as an assistant city attorney. Her practice focuses on tax assessment litigation, and she also assists with neighborhood services and enforcement litigation.

Rusty Schultz WRussellSchultz@gmail.com

I believe those are all of the updates I received; if you sent one and I missed it, my apologies!

I hope all of you are doing well and that you’ll consider coming to Ripon in the summer of 2019 for our 10-year class reunion! If you would like to be on the reunion planning committee, I’m sure information will be coming out in the next few months to a year to volunteer. Much of the work can be done remotely with the support of College staff, so this is a great way to stay connected, even if you can’t attend meetings in person! I’ll post info on our Facebook page (Ripon College Class of 2009) when I get more information. If you’re not a member of this page, please join!

Take Care, EMILY

2010 Ross Heintzkill ross.heintzkill@gmail.com Meagan Kochel meagankochel@gmail.com Leeanna Shultz shultz.annabanana@gmail.com Paul Williams pgwilliams5433@gmail.com NICK NOWAK ’10 of Boston, Massachusetts: “Currently residing in Boston, Massachusetts, working as a national director of sales for a green energy start-up. Engaged to Kara Smoltich with a wedding planned for June 2018.”

KAITLYN HENG DAHM ’10 and JAMES DAHM JR. ’02 welcomed a baby boy, Charlie, in March 2017.

ALYSSA PAULSEN ’10 of Ripon, Wisconsin: “I am now the marketing and project coordinator for the Green Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.”

NICK REVELLO ’10 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is a professional poker player.

BENJAMIN FENDRICH ’10 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin: “I graduated this May with my master’s in social work from UW-Milwaukee with a certificate in trauma-informed care.

I also just completed the Wisconsin licensure requirements to become an Advanced Practice Social Worker.”

THERESA KEDINGER ’10 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, is a community economic development promoter with the U.S. Peace Corps. She is stationed in Costa Rica.

SARAH ANDERSON ’10 of Washington, D.C.: “I just moved to D.C. to spend a year serving as a John A. Knauss Science Policy Fellow in the office of Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan.”

CARISSA ZUERCHER KARSTEN ’10 and SHAWN KARSTEN ‘09 of Ripon, Wisconsin, had a baby girl, Evelina Ann Karsten, born Aug. 14, 2017.

JAY HARDACRE ’10 of Racine, Wisconsin, is in his second year with Rogan Shoes where he works in IT doing

2011 April Agamaite Pingel agamaitea@gmail.com

Leslie Sullivan 10285 Dacey Drive Saint Louis, MO 63136 314-304-7482 / lesliesullivan15@yahoo.com As you read this, we’re in the heart of the holiday season. Maybe you’re traveling back home. Maybe you’re hunkered down for a long weekend with some turkey.

Either way, I hope that you’re like me and able to enjoy these holidays with your friends and family. Too often we think of family as being our husbands, our wives, our kids, our parents, etc. But family can be more of than just relatives.

Take a look at some of the amazing things our Ripon family is doing in some of the class notes below. Page through the next Ripon Magazine that shows up in your mailbox and catch a glimpse at some of the amazing work our students and faculty are accomplishing.

It’s probably no secret to you, but what you’ll see as you page through these updates is Ripon has served as one heckuva launch pad to some amazing lives and careers.

It’s no small coincidence that our classmates are doing some pretty awesome things. It’s largely because of the support and preparation they received while studying at Ripon College. Support they received from their Ripon family – alumni, just like you and me.

I’d encourage you to join me in making sure the students walking the halls today obtain the same great education you and I were so fortunate to receive. Contributions to our Annual Fund – no matter how large or how small – make a world of difference in being able to ensure the same sorts of successes you and I have enjoyed are able to continue for years to come.

NICK OSENBERG ’11 of Royal Oak, Michigan, is entering his fifth year at Warren Consolidated School of Performing Arts. He also is in his first year of a graduate school working toward his master’s degree in theatre through Southern Oregon University.

LIBBY RUSSO ECKLER ’11 and her husband, JERRY ’13 relocated and now are living at 200 Dublin Lane Unit X2, Schaumburg, IL 60194.

HANNAH MILLER ’11 is still in her medical residency with only “three more years!”

STEVE BOUCHER ’11 of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, is an admission counselor at Marian University. He is planning to wed in July 2018.

ROSS LEWIS ’11 lives in San Francisco, California, and is employed by IBM. CASEY SCHULTZ ’11 has been a mortgage processor at National Exchange Banks since January 2017. In May, Casey and her boyfriend of 10 years, Craig, were engaged to wed.

MEGAN SOCKNESS ’11 of Des Moines, Iowa, is the youth services coordinator at the Johnson Public Library where she served as the lead project coordinator for a renovation to the Youth Services Area. “I ran my very first half marathon this May and was one of eight chosen women to be an ambassador for the inaugural race and will be running in the Twin Cities Looney Challenge during the Twin Cities Medtronic Marathon Weekend.”

Fall 2017 41

Class Letters MATT ’11 and ASHLEY KIRST INGISH ’11 welcomed their first child June 11, a son named Cooper.

manages a successful art blog: www.figmentedink.tumblr. com.

CHASE ’11 and ROBYN ZAJAC-ELSBECKER ’11: “Nothing really new with us. Chase and I are just enjoying married life and living in our home in Pulaski, Wisconsin.”

JESSE DE ANGELIS ’11 of Madison, Wisconsin, recently wed Dane Miller and the couple purchased a new home in Madison. Jesse is a vocational rehabilitation counselor with the State of Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development. Her address is: 5310 Kingsbridge Road, Madison, WI 53714.

MISSY MEIERHOFER ’11 of College Station, Texas, is pursuing her Ph.D. at Texas A&M where she is studying Wildlife and Fisheries Science. Missy’s thesis, “Texas Winter Roosts and Bats Prior to the Arrival of White-nose Syndrome,” is focused on collecting baseline information.

TYLER LONGSINE ’11 of Oregon, Wisconsin, works in the Wisconsin State Assembly where he is a research assistant to Rep. James Edming.

MAX FINGER ’11 and LAUREN KOENIG FINGER ’11 live in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, with the couple’s 2-year-old daughter, Aubrey. Lauren is taking a break from teaching to stay home and raise Aubrey, and Max is in his sixth year teaching high school English. He also is enrolled in graduate school and hopes to someday be a college professor. The couple are beginning construction of their dream home.

KELLY BIALLAS ’11 of Aurora, Illinois, is a registered nurse at Mercy Medical Center. Her address is: 2255 Oakridge Drive #1 Aurora, IL 60502.

RACHEL KOENIG ANDERSON ’11 is the proud new owner of a puppy. She and her husband, Ted, also just purchased a home.

SARA SISCO ’11 of Seattle, Washington, graduated in June with her master’s degree in nonprofit leadership and fundraising. She is a community engagement manager for the Girl Scouts of Western Washington.

BRENDEN O’BRIEN ’11 and JORDAN SALZER O’BRIEN ’11 of Neenah, Wisconsin, were married in December 2016. Jordan works for Kimberly Clark and Brenden is employed by Menasha Packaging.

TAIMA KERN ’11 recently was named planning editor for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin non-daily publications. She now manages several papers, including the daily Fond du Lac Reporter and several non-daily publications: Door County Advocate, Kewaunee County Star News, Oconto County Reporter, Shoreline Chronicle, News Record and Everest Herald.

ALLEN PUJANAUSKI ’11 is a Firstline technician for Diebold Nixdorf.

GARRISON MCMURTREY ’11 of St. Paul, Minnesota, works for U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) as her outreach director, covering business, workforce development, consumer protection, communities of color, faith communities and taxes.

CARISSA TURK ERICKSON ’11 and her husband, GRANT ERICKSON ’09, are expecting the couple’s second son in January.

AMANDA HASSEN ’11 is an operations data specialist with The College of American Pathologists.

ALEX TOMSHECK ’11: “I recently moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, and started a business, Tomsheck Insurance Services LLC.” Alex currently sells Colonial Life supplemental products. Address is: 2135 Ridgewood Ave SE. Grand Rapids, MI 49546.

RUSTY SCHULTZ ’11 of Madison, Wisconsin, is chief of staff to the body’s majority leader at the Wisconsin State Assembly.

RACHEL VON ARX ’11 of Caledonia, Minnesota, recently received her nursing assistant certification and works in activities at Care and Rehab: Caledonia. Rachel also

42

Connections

ERIC SCHUMANN ’11 and ALYSSA SIGLER SCHUMMAN ’11 live in Dodgeville, Wisconsin with their daughter, Evelyn.

They are expecting their second child, a son. Eric works at EPIC Systems.

SARAH COOPER ’11 lives in Oregon, Wisconsin, and is employed by the Oregon School District.

ALI JENSEN WALTERS ’11 married Tyler Walters Sept.

17, 2016, and they are expecting their first child March 2018. Ali is a salon development partner at Aveda, an Estée Lauder Company.

ZACH HERSHOFF ’11 and INGA JOHNSON ’11 of Ripon, Wisconsin, had a daughter, Ophelia Irene, born Jan. 19, 2017. Zach is the head men’s soccer coach and admission representative at Ripon College. Inga is a seventh-grade teacher at Catalyst Charter School in Ripon.

KATIE MEAD NUTTALL ’11 of Mauston, Wisconsin: Katie and JASON NUTTALL ’04, welcomed their daughter, Ellis Joy Nuttall, in June 2016. She joins big sister Adeline.

Jason and Katie both are employed at Mile Bluff Medical Center in Mauston.

LAWRENCE HONAKER ’11 of Luxembourg: “I recently had an article. ‘Chiral nematic liquid crystal microlenses,’ published in Scientific Reports. I will also be attending and presenting at the 14th European Conference on Liquid Crystals in Moscow, Russia, at the end of June.”

RUSTY SCHULTZ ’11 Class Agent

2012 Erin Schaick 67 Croteau Court Apt. 2F Manchester, NH 03104 920-312-3825 / erin.schaick@gmail.com Katlyn Lee Schumacher 1627 Spring Square Alley Monroe, WI 53566 608-558-9073 / kate020812@gmail.com Brandon Taylor 1075 Space Park Way, Space 142 Mountain View, CA 94043 406-274-4708 / BrandonJTaylor2012@gmail.com Dear friends, Happy fall and greetings from Ripon College! I was thrilled to see many of you at our five-year reunion this summer! It was a great time to catch up and reminisce about our Ripon experiences. While it may not seem like our time there was very long ago, there have been quite a few significant changes on campus, and I’d encourage you to stop by. The new athletic facility looks amazing, and the new campfire by The Spot, formerly known as The Pub, is brilliant. Why didn’t we think of that?

RENEE DEBRUIN EISLEY ’12 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, became an Independent LuLaRoe retailer in March and gets to work from home! Renee and her husband, Ben, celebrated five years of married bliss on Sept. 8 and are expecting their third child, due Feb. 4.

2011-2013 AMY SONIER FOELSKE ’12 of Green Lake, Wisconsin, got married on July 29.

STACEY HAMILTON ‘12 of Billings, Montana, was married May 20, 2016, and in November 2016 they bought a house and adopted a new puppy. On Aug. 1, 2017, Stacey started her new job as director of admissions at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana.

MARY HAMM ’12 of West Allis, Wisconsin, is the business process analyst for Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast.

KURT HARDY ’12 of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, will be keeping his day job in Brookfield while also pursuing a certificate in project management strategy from the University of Chicago.

JEREMY JOHNSON ’12 founded a website with the goal of keeping science strong in the United States. His efforts can be viewed at http://sciencenation.us/.

CHAD KRUEGER ’12 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, is a material handler for Graybar Electric.

AURORA POLLEI LAMEKA ’12 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a first-grade teacher at the Notre Dame School of Milwaukee, teaching math, English reading and writing, and social studies.

JESSICA BRUNGARDT LARSON ’12 of Peyton, Colorado, married her best friend, Drake Larson, on June 10, 2017.

They are enjoying the adventures of life together!

MATT MAGINNIS ’12 of Polo, Illinois, is a product specialist for E.D. Etnyre, designing road equipment. He celebrated his four-year wedding anniversary with his wife, Rachel, in August, and they are expecting their third child and first son, Zander, due Nov. 28. They have two daughters, Cynthia, 3, and Jade, who will be 2 Dec. 12.

ROBERTA MARTIN ’12 of Bellevue, Washington, recently moved to the Seattle area.

KRISTIN MERKER ’12 of Chicago, Illinois recently finished a special education grad school program at National Louis University. She is a middle school special education teacher at Jamieson Elementary School in Chicago, and got engaged at the beginning of August.

MEGAN MCGEE NORRIS ’12 of Kenosha, Wisconsin: “I got married on Oct. 15, 2016, to Adam Norris. We purchased a home in Kenosha and have four rescue dogs. I have my own law firm, Law Offices of Megan McGee LLC in Kenosha, Wisconsin. I’m working with STEPHANIE JENISCH ’12 on starting a new animal rescue, Wish Upon a Rescue, in Illinois.”

TONYA REETZ ’12 of Fairport, New York, still is working for The Outdoor Group and has been promoted to assistant controller. Other than that, she’s playing softball and hoping to secure a championship win and trophy.

BILLY RODGERS ’12 and EMILY BRUNNER RODGERS ’12 of Saint Louis Park, Minnesota, are settled into their new home and have a 1-year-old Bernese mountain dog named Huckleberry. Emily works for the Park Nicollet Hospital System, and Billy owns a financial planning firm.

ERIN SCHAICK ’12 of Manchester, New Hampshire, recently was accepted into the Leadership Greater Concord Class of 2018, which fosters civic awareness in the community and equips participants with information to become more involved in activities that will enhance the region.

HEATHER GAIE SCHULTZ ’12 of Appleton, Wisconsin, just bought her first home with her husband. She is a medical technologist at St. Elizabeth Hospital.

ELISABETH PATTEN SCHULZ ’12 of Saginaw, Michigan, stays at home with her daughter and is expecting her second child.

ERIC SCHUMACHER ’12 of Franklin, Wisconsin, married Sarah Talbert on Sept. 2 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They will adventure all over Italy on their honeymoon!

BRANDON TAYLOR ’12 of Arlee, Montana, is a technology consultant for Accenture, based out of San Jose, California, and is helping high tech clients in the Bay Area achieve their business and strategic goals.

BRYANT VANDE KOLK ’12 of South Bend, Indiana, is in his sixth, and hopefully final, year of a Ph.D. program in nuclear physics at the University of Notre Dame.

This journey recently took him to Italy, California and Scotland for research. He had a lot of fun on his last birthday by officiating a friend’s wedding! ` VICKY WEBER ’12 of Madison, Wisconsin, is starting a new job as a customer success specialist at Healthfinch in Madison. Her previous awesome employer with the free beer closed their Madison office. She took a brief road trip to Point Pelee National Park in Canada to do some hiking and kayaking before she started.

NIKKI WEICHBROD ’12 married ZACHERY BEEK ’15 in November 2016. They purchased a home together in 2016.

SARAH WEINBERG ’12 of Middleton, Wisconsin, moved to South Korea in search of the perfect Kimchi jeon.

RACHEL WEYKER ’12 of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, is an analyst with Kohler Co. in Kohler, Wisconsin. She also sold her first house, bought her second, and got engaged in August!

Thank you to everyone who shared these updates! Feel free to send those to us via email or our Facebook group anytime. Here’s to another great year!

ERIN, KATLYN and BRANDON

2013 Travis Bitters bitters.travis@gmail.com Charlotte Lee Wahle charlotteeslee@gmail.com Lauren Ott lauren.a.ott.42@gmail.com Alexandra Peltier alipeltier13@gmail.com Hey Classmates. Is it just me or did this past year fly by even faster than the last? How is it possible that in just a few months we’ll be celebrating our FIVE-year reunion?!

I feel like it was just last week that I was moving into Tri 217 with Sarah from Seattle, auditioning for my first college play with Jessie Lillis and plotting the start of a women’s lacrosse club with Lauren Ott over nuggets in the caf. And wasn’t it just yesterday that we were frantically throwing the last things out our dorm rooms at 6 p.m. on a very eventful (stressful?) Mother’s Day and waving goodbye to Miller’s?

But, I’m getting distracted. I’m supposed to be telling you about our five-year reunion June 21-24, 2018. It’s going to be everything we ever dreamed it would be, so you should all start requesting your vacation time off and booking those plane tickets and hotel rooms now! Or, if you’re feeling extra nostalgic like me, you can just request to stay in the dorms during Alumni Weekend. There will be a small, reasonable fee to stay on campus (Only in Tri and Johnson, sorry guys), and you can even request who you’d like to stay by!

Fall 2017 43

Class Letters Your reunion committee already is working hard to make our reunion the best of the weekend, but there will be lots of other events for you to enjoy – and lots of free food and beer! There’s going to be new spouses, partners, kids and babies (both human and fur) to meet and new couch purchases to discuss. Whether you come for the night or the weekend we don’t want you to miss this.

Okay, I’ll leave you now to enjoy catching up on everyone’s news! I have just a little news of my own. I got married in July. It was pretty OK, and I didn’t mind that there were quite a few Ripon folks there.

JERRY ECKLER ’13 and LIBBY RUSSO ECKLER ’11 relocated and now are living at 200 Dublin Lane Unit X2, Schaumburg, IL 60194.

CHARLOTTE LEE ’13 of Conway, Arkansas, married Marty Wahle on July 29, 2017.

HANNAH ANDERSON ’13 is the new information specialist at UW Colleges Online in Madison, Wisconsin.

ANDY FEHRENBACH ’13 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a design technologist with Ameriprise Financial, and he and KATE AMELL FEHRENBACH ’13 are expecting their third child, a girl, in November.

EMILY KIJEK ’13 and ZAC SCHWANDT ’08 became engaged on Ripon’s campus last July!

JESSIE LILLIS ’13 is pursuing her M.Litt/MFA in Shakespeare and Performance at Mary Baldwin University in Staunton, Virginia, and her dog, Lady Bird, is still the cutest!

JENNA OSTROWSKI ’13 is a school psychologist in Marshfield, Wisconsin.

SAM POULLETTE ’13 and MARA JENSEN POULLETTE ’14 bought their first house and moved to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in October. They both continue to work for Lakeland University.

CASEY SIMONSON ’13 is a blood processing tech for the American Red Cross in St. Paul, Minnesota.

ANDREA SLOSSER ’13 of Laramie, Wyoming, is pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Wyoming. She is planning her wedding for June 2018.

JOHANNA BURTON ’13 and MICHAEL LANPHIER ’15 of Waterloo, Wisconsin, were married June 24, 2017.

Happy fall y’all!

CHARLOTTE

2014 Naomi Jahn Skulan naomiskulan@gmail.com Mara Jensen Poullette marajensen1992@gmail.com Tim Holme holmet77@gmail.com Greetings, Class of 2014! It’s hard to believe that it has already been more than three years since we graduated from Ripon. It doesn’t feel that long ago that we were chatting with friends in the Commons, going to classes in Todd Wehr, or making the trek down to Rodman or Storzer. It’s even stranger to go back and hear about and see how things have changed (the new Catalyst curriculum and new Willmore Center, to name just a few).

Still, in so many ways, Ripon College remains the place we knew and loved. Every fall, Ripon becomes home for a new batch of students, and they get to enjoy so many of the same things we enjoyed when we were students.

Many of these students rely on alumni like us to help

44

Connections

support the college and allow them to have the same opportunities and experiences that we had. So if you are able, consider supporting the new generation of Ripon College students with a donation.

But, enough about the current students! Let’s see what you all have been up to these past few months.

SAMANTHA ANGELL ’14 of Lincoln, Nebraska: “I just started my fourth year in my doctoral program in school psychology at The University of Nebraska, Lincoln. My fiancé, Josh, and I are getting married June 2, 2018.”

PENELOPE SHAPANSKY ’14 of Menomonie, Wisconsin, married Zwade Augustine in September 2016. Their daughter was born in November 2016.

AMANDA LAMAL CLARK ’14 of Green Bay, Wisconsin: “Wyatt and I are expecting a baby girl in November.”

MICHAEL ENRIGHT ’14 and ELIZABETH AKE ENRIGHT ’14 of Seattle, Washington, were married Aug. 8, 2017, at Ripon College.

HANNAH ERDMAN ’14 of Ripon, Wisconsin, was present when the Delta Pi Chapter of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority at Ripon College received the Maxine Blake Golden Lion Award at the organization’s 166th anniversary Grand Convention in Hollywood, Florida. The award is the highest honor presented to collegiate chapters and recognizes chapters which perform with excellence in all categories required by the sorority. Chapter President MOLLIE CARLSON ’18 accepted the award. Also in attendance were chapter alumnae AMY TINCHER-DURIK ’96 and JENNIFER BAUER LYONS ’96. Alpha Delta Pi, the first secret society for women, was founded in 1851 at Wesleyan Female College in Macon, Georgia. The Delta Pi Chapter was established at Ripon College in 1960.

ADRIANA ZERIU FROM ’14 of Brookfield, Wisconsin: “NICK FROM ’14 and I bought our first home, a condo, in Brookfield, Wisconsin. I started a career as the office manager for Secure Fire and Safety, and Nick is the branch manager for Enterprise Rent a Car in Brookfield.”

SAMANTHA GOODWIN ’14 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is the academic support specialist for Farr Hall at Ripon College.

CASEY GOTT ’14 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin: “I moved to Milwaukee’s east side. Started a job as a project coordinator at Transperfect Iverson office in Milwaukee.

Acting as a board member/startup advisor for The Village MKE, a small nonprofit that provides mentoring to Milwaukee youths to build stronger relationships between youths, families and the community.”

LIZ GREVER ’14 of Chicago, Illinois: “I am head of Key Account Management-NA & APAC for Fit Analytics. I moved back to Chicago recently to better support our U.S. business.”

TIM HOLME ’14 of West Allis, Wisconsin: “Currently still working for Milwaukee AES branch as a crew tech and recently started coaching offensive and defensive line at Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education.”

ALYSSA MANN ’14 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin: “I graduated from UW-Milwaukee with my master’s of social work, and I’m currently working at the VA Medical Center in Milwaukee as the Palliative Care Social Work Fellow.”

ARIANA MYERS ’14 of Princeton, New Jersey, is continuing her quest for a Princeton Ph.D. in history, and her next mission leads her to the centuries-old parchments of the Mediterranean coast of Spain.

KARL OSTERMAN ’14 of Columbia, Missouri, is working in an expanded role as a certified athletic trainer for Mizzou Athletics, with football and women’s

3 THINGS ALL GREAT ALUMNI DO

You just need to follow these simple steps: 1. ATTEND RIPON EVENTS Keep your network alive. You never know who you’ll end up meeting.

2. MAKE A GIFT TO THE ANNUAL FUND Help all current undergrads. Help give the unique Ripon experience you remember so fondly. ripon.edu/make-a-gift

3. STAY CONNECTED Keep us updated with your contact, employment and family information so we can invite you to events, share Ripon stories and help you connect.

Visit us at: ripon.edu/alumni Fall 2017 45

Class Letters tennis. He also married Kimmy Kopp in Milwaukee on June 17, 2017.

ALECIA PASDERA ’14 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is a French teacher at Whitewater High School.

MARA JENSEN POULLETTE ’14 and SAM POULLETTE ’13 bought their first house and moved to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in October. They both continue to work for Lakeland University.

CHEYANNE LEHMAN ’14 of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: “My boyfriend, Ryan, and I are expecting our first baby in February!”

REBECCA RAMAGE ’14 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin: “I am pursuing my graduate degree at Capella University. My program is a master’s in business administration with a concentration in accounting.”

SPENCER REISBICK ’14 of Minneapolis, Minnesota: “I am entering my third year pursuing my Ph.D. in chemical physics from the University of Minnesota studying ultrafast dynamics using electron microscopy. Recent radioactive accidents in experiments have provided me the ability to fly short distances at a time.”

TYLER RUTKOWSKI ’14 of Wyandotte, Michigan, is a Michigan State Trooper with the Michigan State Police.

DEVIN SEAHOLM ’14 of Appleton, Wisconsin: “I am currently working at WFRV-TV Local 5 in Green Bay as an account executive and producer. I do TV/Digital Sales, along with TV production. TV production involves editing commercials, working the switchboard behind the scenes, and also involves filming highlights at local high school sporting events in the Fox Valley.”

NAOMI JAHN SKULAN ’14 and NICK SKULAN ’14 of Morris, Minnesota, bought their first house in Morris, where both of them continue to work at the University of Minnesota, Morris.

KYLUN STEGGALL ’14 and SHAUNNA BAUMHARDT STEGGALL ’15 of Watertown, Wisconsin, are expecting their third child in November.

AUSTIN VAN TREECK ’14 of Sheboygan, Wisconsin: “Just changed careers. Now at Johnsonville as a customer insights analyst. Living in Sheboygan with SYDNEY CHURCH ’15. All good on our end.”

KARLYE WEHNER ’14 of Burlington, Wisconsin: “I graduated in May with a master of science in education degree. I have also received my LPC-IT license and currently working at Chaps Academy with children and adolescents.”

XIA XIONG ’14 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is an assistant branch manager at the armored truck company Thillens.

DONALD W. MALCHOW ’14 of Madison, Wisconsin, started at University of Wisconsin Law School in fall 2017.

NATHAN DAVIDSON ’14: “I graduated from Northern Illinois University College of Law, was magna cum laude, was elected class agent by my peers, have taken the bar exam in Illinois, and am a law clerk at Zukowski, Rogers, Flood & McArdle while awaiting the bar exam results.”

JENNIFER GRANUM ’14, of Schiller Park, Illinois: “I wanted to say that KEVIN CARLI ’14 and I are engaged.

Our wedding will be June 3, 2018. Thank you!”

ELIZABETH BLUM ’14 of Costa Mesa, California, works at College Living Experience to provide post-secondary supports to students with exceptionalities. In her spare time, she runs a youth soccer camp for refugees and immigrants in Orange County.

46

Connections

ANDY KRUEGER ’14 and KARISA SIMONSEN ’15 of Redgranite, Wisconsin, were engaged in the spring and will be getting married on Dec. 9, 2017. They recently bought a house and cute puppy named Benelli together.

LUKE MORGAN ’14 and JESSICA SKIBA ’15 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, will marry on Nov. 10, 2017.

BENJAMIN FIRGNS ’14 wrote a Top Student Paper titled “Mediating Nature: Aldo Leopold’s Ethics of Astonishment” in the Visual Communication division of the National Communication Association.

It’s always great to hear what everyone is doing and see how our lives are unfolding. If you have news that you forgot to get in for this letter, or if you have new news you would like to share in the next letter, please contact us (your class agents) either at the contact information above or on Facebook. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to become a member of the Ripon College Class of 2014 group on Facebook so you never miss a call for updates! You also can contact the Office of Constituent Engagement with any updates at alumni@ripon.edu.

Best wishes, NAOMI SKULAN, MARA POULLETTE and TIM HOLME

2015 Samantha Kay kaysamantha9@gmail.com Kaylie Longley kaylielongley@gmail.com Hello! Today’s musings are brought to you by a text message Kaylie received months ago.

How much of a real adult are you these days? Message received: 11:38 p.m. by an unknown number.

What exactly constitutes “real adult” or even “these days”?

(What’s “real” anymore?). I used to think working my butt off for one job merited adult status. At Ripon, like many of you, I scrambled from job to internship to class, and back again. I’d often buy two grab-and-gos, storing one in an office fridge. I longed for the days of working “just one job.”

Well, at my job, I have a desk in an “open concept” office. I work 9 to 5, which really means biking to work, unlocking the doors at 8:44 a.m., and later riding away at 4:02 p.m./5:37 p.m./6:12 p.m., depending on when one of us remembers to check the clock, realize the time and drudge up the stairs to the great “beyond” outside the office.

Does that mean I’m an adult?

Maybe I live a closer approximation to adult life when I’m waiting for the internet to work, at home, at the office, at the library. Waiting for service isn’t strictly an adult problem, though. I’m learning what adult life means to me, at this time and place: being a work in progress.

Tackling the difficulties and successes, mundane moments, and exciting adventures.

For many of us, gone are the days of assignments given, graded and promptly dismissed. Group projects don’t exist. Works cited pages are distant memories. Being a “real adult” means remembering, but not clinging to, those moments.

Sometimes, adult life means changing priorities. I no longer check social media daily. I spend more time at the gym than with friends.

I have other things to worry about, and I think that’s what adulthood has reminded me again and again: I decide

2014-15 what’s worthy of my time, energy and anxiety. I roll with the progress, respect the people who stumble into and out of my life, and move forward.

I have been shaped by ideals and ideas, and by creating my own concepts of what’s good and worthy, like working hard and being kind, I become a real adult.

Maybe the question should change to, How are you embracing your life these days?

Best, SAM and KAYLIE JAMES ALLEN ’15 of Rochester, Minnesota, is working at the Mayo Clinic, mainly in HIV research.

MICHAEL ANDERSON ’15 of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, is in his third year of law school at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He is working with the Cook County State’s Attorney Office in Chicago. He enjoys long drives across the state of Indiana.

CHELSEA GRAHN ANDREWS ’15 of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, graduated from her master’s program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

ALEX BALDSCHUN ’15 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, received his master’s degree in history of Christianity from the University of Chicago Divinity School in June.

KELSEY BARTZ ’15 of Lake Mills, Wisconsin, moved to Washington, D.C., and started her master’s of public policy program at American University.

ZACHERY BEEK ’15 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, married NIKKI WEICHBROD ’12 in November 2016. They purchased a home together in 2016. Zach began working for the United States Post Office starting in February 2016.

HOPE BELL ’15 of St. Cloud, Minnesota, is an account manager/trainer at NorthGate Marketing in Bloomington, Minnesota.

ETHAN BEMOWSKI ’15 of Kimberly, Wisconsin, has moved to Appleton, Wisconsin, and is a technical recruiter for Aerotek Scientific.

MITCHEL BEILFUSS ’15 of Fremont, Wisconsin, has been a project executive at Bayland Buildings in Green Bay since March 2016.

KATIE BIEDLER ’15 of Saint Cloud, Minnesota, started a MS program in strategic media communications at Saint Cloud State University.

CAT CARBAJAL ’15 of Racine, Wisconsin, spent the summer interning at Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, at their human rights law clinic. She is now in her last year of law school at DePaul University in Chicago with a focus on international business and tax law.

ANDREW CARBALLO ’15 of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, is in his third year of law school at St. Thomas in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is working in the Hennepin County Attorney’s office in the special litigation division and interning at the Department of Homeland Security.

GABRIELLE CHIN ’15 of Voorhees, New Jersey, is living in Atco, New Jersey, where she is pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Rowan University.

SYDNEY CHURCH ’15 and AUSTIN VAN TREECK ’14 are living in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

ZACH CONNERS ’15 of Madison, Wisconsin, is a human resources coordinator for Centerplate Catering at the Alliant Energy Center.

KYLE CRESS ’15 of Bloomington, Minnesota, will graduate from chiropractic school in December 2018.

ELLE DAVIS ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is rediscovering the merits of her English and philosophy studies since transitioning to an HR role with a small but mighty team at Stone Creek Coffee. She’s adopted an adorable cat, Slinky. She’s horseback riding, skiing, doing yoga, and rollerblading, and she’s taken up tennis again.

This fall, she plans to celebrate a quarter century by eating oysters and riding ponies in Florida.

BRANDON DZUBA ’15 of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, is pursuing his Ph.D. in physics at Purdue University. He is working on MBE (Molecular Beam Epitaxy) growth of IIInitride semiconductor materials with Dr. Michael Manfra.

EMELIA ERICKSON ’15 has been promoted to assistant supervisor of the dining room at a retirement community in a Cincinnati suburb. After a recent trip to Wisconsin for a minor Ripon alumni reunion, she realized her dream of running a business out of her home, now called That Blue Coat, on Etsy. While the work/life balance is still elusive, Emelia hopes to continue her online business and day job into 2018. She’s grateful for the support of DIANE SMITH ’14 and SUZANNE PATT ’14.

CHRISTIAN ERTEL ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is continuing his career with the Milwaukee Bucks, which does not including building the new stadium, but working as an account executive.

SERGE FEDOROWSKY ’15 of Kewaskum, Wisconsin, is attending the University of Denver and getting his master’s degree in library and information sciences in archiving and academic librarianship. He is working as a writing consultant and enjoying his new surroundings.

TEAGAN FORD ’15 of Kasson, Minnesota, has been promoted to public relations coordinator at International Quality Homecare Corp.

KAYLYN FREEMAN ’15 is a second-grade teacher in Jasper County, South Carolina, and she got a new car!

DANIELLE GIESCHEN ’15 of Bloomington, Illinois, recently got engaged to AJ ZAYIA ’15 on July 22, 2017.

KAVANYA GRAY ’15 of Rockford, Illinois, is in medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

ALLIE HAEN ’15 of Madison, Wisconsin, is working for the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions and working on her MBA at University of WisconsinWhitewater.

JULIA HASHEIDER ’15 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is now the social media specialist at Alliance Laundry Systems.

PETER HAYES ’15 of River Forest, Illinois, is a platform consultant at Envestnet, a trading proprietary/financial services firm in Chicago.

LUKE HENNINGSEN ’15 of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, is in his second year of medical school at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He got married July 29, 2017.

HANNAH HERZOG ’15 of Appleton, Wisconsin, is a fitness assistant at the YMCA, and she is a smallbusiness owner.

MARIYA HINOJOS ’15 of Madison, Wisconsin, moved to Denver, Colorado, where she lives with a roommate and cats Magnus and Taako, christened after Dungeons and Dragons podcast characters. She’s currently exploring job options in and outside the sciences.

HAYDEN HOERDEMANN ’15 of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois, is a graduate assistant and men’s basketball coach at Illinois Wesleyan University. He’s also in his second year of his master’s program at Illinois State in sports management.

Fall 2017 47

Class Letters GISELLE KAUFFELD ’15 of Ripon, Wisconsin, has been accepted into the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Social Work (2017-2018).

SAMANTHA KAY ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a project manager for the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. She does legislative tracking, manages the outreach and communications committee, plans public education webinars, and supports the society’s official journal Molecular Therapy. Recently, she oversaw the development and redesign of the website. In her free time, she calls, faxes and emails Sen. Ron Johnson to express her concerns about the regressive policies of the current presidential administration.

DAKOTAH KIRCHENWITZ ’15 of Pardeeville, Wisconsin, works in sales at Winsupply in North Dakota.

SAMANTHA KLEIN ’15 of Baraboo, Wisconsin, is a health and wellness coach. This fall, she will graduate from Blue Sky in Grafton, Wisconsin and moving to Denver, Colorado, in November to open her own therapeutic massage practice.

CAROLINE KORDES ’15 of Marengo, Illinois, moved to Kansas last year and plans to take the LSAT in December.

HOLLY KORTEMEIER ’15 of Whitewater, Wisconsin, is pursuing her master’s degree in school counseling at UW-Whitewater. She is a graduate assistant for the Undergraduate Research Program and a server at Fanatico’s Italian Ristorante.

CHRISTIAN KRUEGER ’15 of Winneconne, Wisconsin, completed her master’s of Medieval Studies in April at Western Michigan University. This fall, she started her Ph.D. in early American history at Marquette University, where she also is a teaching assistant.

MICHAEL LANPHIER ’15 of Waterloo, Wisconsin, married JOHANNA BURTON ’13 on June 24, 2017.

ALI LAPIDUS ’15 of Glencoe, Illinois, recently moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to attend Boston University. She is pursuing her MPH in epidemiology with a focus on infectious disease.

EMILY FISCHER LENSMIRE ’15 of Reedsville, Wisconsin, gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Charlotte Renee Lensmire, June 13, 2017.

TAIHUA “RAY” LI ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, earned his M.S. in predictive analytics from DePaul University in Chicago.

He now works for CCC Information Services as a data scientist, building AI products.

SKYLAR LIEBZEIT ’15 of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin is the athletic director for the School District of Manawa. He will graduate with his master’s degree from Concordia University Irvine in October.

MARK LISOWSKI ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, recently moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to attend graduate school at Marquette University. Mark is working toward his master’s degree in communication and also works as a teaching assistant. He enjoys biking around the city and visiting other Ripon graduates whom he missed during his time in Alaska.

KAYLIE LONGLEY ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, mentors an intern at her marketing job. Special shout-out to MELISSA ANDERSON ’02 for embodying leadership with respect, intellect and humor. Upon completing nearly 400 miles of biking and running in four months, Kaylie’s now considering an Iron (WO)Man. Naturally, her suggested Youtube videos are ab workouts and TED Talks. She hopes to finally press “publish” on her website, and she’s writing book reviews for fun.

48

Connections

KYLE LOUGHRIN ’15 of Fremont, Wisconsin is a sales representative at Badger Sporting Goods.

RAQUEL MACSWAIN ’15 of Stillwater, Minnesota, is living in Sonoma, California. For the next 10 months, she will be a naturalist intern for the Sierra Outdoor School. She has been enjoying the great outdoors and spends her free time hiking.

NICOLE MALLI ’15 of Washington, D.C., recently moved to a new apartment in Adams Morgan. She still is working for the Slave Wrecks Project. She will continue traveling for work to South Africa, Mozambique and Portugal in addition to many other places in the United States. She has started scuba diving and will be doing maritime excavations and site monitoring in St. Croix. She is looking forward to planning a trip to Argentina and Peru with a group of friends this coming spring (she does not intend to bring her cats with).

KATIE JO MCGEE ’15 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is a project manager at BrownBoots Interactive in Fond du Lac. CODY MESSERSCHMIDT ’15 of Madison, Wisconsin has been a project manager at Epic since summer 2015.

BRI MILROY ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, recently moved to Shorewood, Wisconsin, and started graduate school for school counseling at Marquette University. She continues to work in the purchasing department at Children’s Hospital.

ZAC NELL ’15 of Saint Germain, Wisconsin, got a dog named Rodgers and is planning to move to Minneapolis soon.

JONATHAN NEWBERY ’15 of Oak Park, Illinois, is living in Florida and enjoys long walks on the beach. He recently completed centrifugal training and selected jet fighter training. He is waiting to class up for advanced flight school and will be sent to SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) School soon to learn about living behind enemy lines. Meanwhile, he’s working on oxygen systems in the survival vests of aviators to monitor toxins, temperatures and pressures, for the training aircraft.

Soon he will be spending nine months in striker training before being sent out on the replacement squadrons for the naval fleet.

KYLE NOVACK ’15 of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, has been working for the Manitowoc Police Department for the past two years. He bought a Siberian Husky puppy, Tundra, in December 2016 and then in January 2017 bought a house with almost four acres in the country for Tundra to run.

He is spending his time coaching football at Denmark High School and coaching track and field at Mishicot High School. When he’s not coaching, he works on projects around the house like pouring concrete in the driveway.

ALYSSA NYCZ ’15 of De Pere, Wisconsin, is in her second year of medical school and is hoping to be a pediatrician in the area someday. She is still trying to keep up with her running, although she “left any speed she had somewhere in Ripon.”

ALEXANDRA PATZA PAULSON ’15 of Ripon, Wisconsin recently became the choir director for Ripon Middle School.

KORRIN PETERSON ’15 of Burlington, Wisconsin, is a long-term substitute teacher and coaches the freshmen softball team.

JAY PETTENGILL JR. ’15 of Medicine Lake, Minnesota, started law school at Mitchell Hamline School of Law this fall. He also started an instagram for his dog, Piper (like every other millennial).

2015 CHLOE PIEPHO ’15 of Rochester, Minnesota, recently moved to Los Angeles, California, to attend graduate school at USC. She is getting her master’s degree in strategic public relations.

MADDIE POULLETTE ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, interned at the Field Museum in Chicago this summer.

Now she is writing her master’s thesis. She also worked on a housing project with a Mexican folk art collection in the anthropology department. She spends what little free time she has hanging out with a cool bobcat named Carol.

ABIGAIL QUACKENBOSS ’15 of Norfolk, Virginia, was commissioned an ensign in the United States Navy on Nov. 10, 2016. A Distinguished Naval Graduate from Officer Candidate School at Officer Training Command Newport, Newport, Rhode Island, Abigail is designated a cryptologic warfare officer. After completing further training in Virginia and Florida, she will be stationed at Navy Information Operations Command Maryland at NSA/Ft. Meade.

MEG RAY ’15 of Wales, Wisconsin, works for Books & Company, an independent bookstore in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

KATIE RODENKIRCH ’15 of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, is a psychiatric social worker at Sainta. She is in graduate school for clinical mental health counseling with a trauma focus and clinical rehab counseling.

BRISTOLE RYFF ’15 recently moved into a townhouse in Tinley Park, Illinois, with her boyfriend, Jersey. In her free time, she upcycles antiques and furniture into new pieces.

CAMPER SANBORN ’15 of Madison, Wisconsin, is a preschool teacher at a Chinese/American school.

LAURA SAVALL ’15 of Ridgeland, Wisconsin, is in her final year at Vermont Law with a focus on environmental justice and water quality. This summer, she worked at Vermont Natural Resources Council and focused on storm water solutions for rural Vermont towns. Communities are beginning to prepare their infrastructure for harsher weather because of climate change. Storm water especially is a leading contributor to river degradation. She also is working with SPEAK Inc., which promotes powerful voices of those both incarcerated and on parole.

DEREK SAXON ’15 and KAITY LUECK SAXON ’15 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, are happily married. Derek got his master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Minnesota and is a chemistry doctoral candidate at the University of Minnesota.

LAURA SHIVELY ’15 of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, recently moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She also started a new job at Premier Real Estate in Brookfield as an administrative assistant. Laura visited Europe for 10 days in August.

KARENA SCHROEDER ’15 of Mankato, Minnesota, is still at Sam’s Club in Mankato and now holds the role of member service assistant manager. She has 75 direct reports, which is significantly more than her previous position. It has proven to be difficult at times, but this is the position she has enjoyed most thus far. In the year that she has held this role, she has had two of the supervisors under her promoted out of the building, one to become a manager at another Sam’s Club and the second to take on an HR director position with another company. These promotions are certainly a highlight of her career and a clear indication of her ability to develop leaders. Finally, the most anticipated update: her cat Bambi is still crazy and entertaining as ever and growing fatter and fatter by the day!

KARLYN SCHUMACHER ’15 of River Falls, Wisconsin, will graduate with her master’s degree in Library Information Studies from University of Wisconsin-Madison this December.

LIZ SIGSWORTH ’15 of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is half done with her master’s program in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

JENELLE SIMON ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a senior high school coach with the College Possible Program at Milwaukee High School of the Arts.

KARISA SIMONSEN ’15 of Redgranite, Wisconsin, is a patient service representative at Aurora Medical Center in Wautoma. She got engaged to ANDY KRUEGER ’14 in the spring and will be getting married on Dec. 9, 2017. They recently bought a house and cute puppy named Benelli together.

JESSICA SKIBA ’15 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, will marry LUKE MORGAN ’14 on Nov. 10, 2017.

JOHN SPADONI ’15 and KRISTY OGLESBY ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin got engaged in April and are planning their wedding for November 2018.

MARA STAEDT ’15 of Appleton, Wisconsin, is a project manager for HawkPoint Technologies.

SHAUNNA BAUMHARDT STEGGALL ’15 and KYLUN STEGGALL ’14 of Watertown, Wisconsin, are expecting their third child in November.

ANTHONY TAUSIG ’15 of San Francisco, California, recently moved to Chicago, Illinois. He started a new position with McMaster-Carr as an operations specialist. When Anthony’s apartment isn’t flooding, he is out enjoying tacos with his girlfriend, ALLISON MACKNICK ’16.

ALEX THILLMAN ’15 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is in his third year of law school at St. Thomas University. He is working as a law clerk at the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust which does municipal litigation and some civil rights work.

COLIN UTHE ’15 of Mokena, Illinois, is starting medical school at Des Moines University.

CASEY VERCAUTEREN ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, is an internal auditor for Allstate. While he rarely visits his friends in Milwaukee, he does really enjoy life in the windy city.

KAMELLE VAN DER LEEST WATERS ’15 and ROB WATERS ’15 are happily married. They recently bought a house in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, and are spending their weekends working on the yard and other fun projects around the home.

KAITLYN WELZEN ’15 of Ripon, Wisconsin moved to Seattle, Washington, in June and is the recycling and compost coordinator for the Woodland Park Zoo. KEVIN WHITENEIR JR. ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, recently finished his master’s degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and now is a circulation assistant at Ryerson Library at the art institute.

LOGAN WILL ’15 of Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, works for the Fond Du Lac County Sheriff’s Office and recently made the SWAT team.

DANNY WOHLFERT ’15 of Middleton, Wisconsin, is a pharmaceutical analyst for Pharmaceutical Product Development.

Fall 2017 49

Class Letters 2016 Sara Driebel ’16 Driebelsara@gmail.com Elizabeth Konieczny ’16 ekonieczny12@gmail.com Zachary Peterson ’16 14179 40th Street Bloomer, WI 54724 zacharyjpeterson@icloud.com Hey, Classmates. I can’t believe it’s already our second fall of being away from our alma mater. As the leaves begin to change, I miss the sights, sounds and smells of the place we all called home for four years, and the place that, to many of us, will always be a home. If you haven’t been back to campus, it’s definitely worth a visit. There have been many updates, the biggest being Willmore Center, Bovay’s Study Bar & Mercantile, C.J. Rodman Center upgrades, West upgrades and The Pub upgrades (now called The Spot).

Even though we haven’t been out of the “nest” that long, our class has made quite the splash. Now beginning our true journeys into adulthood, or as many of our generation like to call it “adulting,” we all are spreading out into our vast array fields with our “Mary Poppin’s Bag” style of a Ripon “tool chest” to grab from. That is what is so great to be a Ripon alumnus — we don’t have only our degrees when we graduate, but we also come out with a vast understanding of how the world works and how diverse it is. It is great hear about all the things big and small that are going on in our classmates’ lives from travels to new homes and jobs, to grad school and the special life moments like the many engagements and weddings.

After a year of “exploration” chock-full of many different meaningful experiences, I decided to go onto graduate school to pursue a master’s degree in public history with an emphasis on historic preservation at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Any of you who know me well knew (I think better than I, myself, did) that I would wiggle my way back toward history in one way or another. Along with being back in school, I accepted a position as a graduate assistant director in the Center for Writing Excellence at UWEC, where I am assisting students from all different backgrounds and disciplines with their writing skills. When I am not busy with graduate school stuff, which isn’t very often, I spend my time sifting through vinyl at one of my favorite records stores, going on little adventures, cooking, and keeping in touch with close friends, from Ripon of course!

On behalf of all of your class agents SARA DRIEBEL ’16, ELIZABETH KONIECZNY ’16 and myself, we hope your year is going great and that you have a joyous and safe holiday season. If you ever have anything that you want to update us with, please feel free to contact any of us via social media or email.

All the best, ZACHARY PETERSON GARRISON ANDERSON ’16 of Fort Collins, Wisconsin, volunteers on the programming committee for the ACT Human Rights Film Festival at Colorado State University.

ALLISON BARNES ’16 of Waukesha, Wisconsin, has celebrated working for more than a year at Direct Supply and loves it! She is now a homeowner in Waukesha, Wisconsin — life is great!

RACHELLA BENNETT ’16 is a logistics coordinator with Oncourse Learning and loves being able to grow within the business. She lives in the Waukesha area and loves

50

Connections

being close to her Alpha Chi Omega and college friends!

She also adopted two kittens that do a great job at keeping her on her toes.

CLAUDIA BEYER ’16 of Shorewood, Wisconsin, is director of scheduling for a Democratic Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate, based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

RAEANN BRIXIUS ’16 of Tomahawk, Wisconsin, is halfway done with her master’s degree in international security at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies. When she isn’t in the library or working for the dean, she usually is hiking and sampling Colorado’s highquality craft beer — but mostly hiking!

KARI BROWN ’16 of De Pere, Wisconsin, adopted a smart, cuddly dog named Remi! He loves people and chasing small critters. Kari is in her second year as an area coordinator at St. Norbert College.

CAMERON CASS ’16 of Janesville, Wisconsin, got married in fall 2016 to Stacey Petter and works at Tallgrass Restoration LLC in Milton, Wisconsin.

EMILY COATES ’16 of Schofield, Wisconsin, is attending a master’s program in occupational therapy at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

CONNOR CUMMISKEY ’16 of St. Peter, Minnesota, is a staff writer at The Journal in New Ulm, Minnesota.

MINH DO ’16 of Vietnam: “I’m currently seeking employment in management training program.”

SARA DRIEBEL ’16 of New Berlin, Wisconsin, is a 4K teacher at Apple Ridge Academy and has seen her first graduating class through to kindergarten! She is so happy to teach with JENNIFER NIGGEMEIER ’16 and to teach the kids about animals through their class pets.

JANEMARIE ERICKSON ’16 of Redgranite, Wisconsin, is an actor at Lexington Children’s Theatre as part of their three-person fall tour. They are performing The Ugly Duckling and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

AMY FELS ’16 of Hubertus, Wisconsin, is a records management intern at the Waukesha County Department of Administration in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Also, she will be attending the master’s of history and MLIS program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

EMILY GARY ’16 of Hartford, Wisconsin, works for BMO Harris. She moved to Milwaukee, lives with JEN KELLER ’16 and coaches for the Midwest Penguins volleyball club.

ASPEN GEHEBER ’16 of Madison, Wisconsin, is entering the USMC as a Marine Corps 2nd Lieutenant. Also, her wedding to Christopher Thompson is planned for June 24, 2017.

JEFFREY GRINDE ’16 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is entering the Peace Corps as a secondary school chemistry teacher in Mozambique, Africa.

IAN HALL ’16 of Madison, Wisconsin, has been traveling and climbed to the top of the tallest mountain in Colorado.

JENNIFER KELLER ’16 of Lodi, Wisconsin, is having a great time living in Milwaukee for the past year and a half! Part of her excitement has been a result of working as the administrative intern for the Village of Richfield, which has reinforced her desire to continue her pursuit of a master’s degree in public administration at UWMilwaukee. She hopes to find municipal work in the area upon the completion of her program. She has had a fun, challenging, adventurous year that she is excited to continue in 2018.

2016 ALYSSA KENNEDY ’16 of McHenry, Illinois, is in her second year of medical school at A.T. Still University in Kirksville, Missouri.

adventures to come. She also keeps busy living the dog mom life with her rambunctious lab puppy, watching a lot of Netflix and wedding planning!

TY KETZ ’16 of Clayton, Wisconsin, works in elementary physical education in the Baldwin-Woodville School District. He is an assistant coach on the football, basketball and baseball teams at the high school. Things are going well so far!

STEPHANIE ROSENOW ’16 is a product coordinator at Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton, Wisconsin. She lives in Oshkosh and is the head coach and marketing director for the Oshkosh Jets all-star cheer program. She enjoys going out with friends, traveling and spending time up north or at fun festivals!

ELIZABETH KONIECZNY ’16 of Brown Deer, Wisconsin, and her fiancé adopted a beagle named Charlie. They are happily living and working in Milwaukee and enjoying last-minute planning for their November wedding.

ALISON LEAVER ’16 of Bryant, Wisconsin, is gaining experience at a veterinary clinic in Columbus that works with dogs, cats and small exotic pets. She is also in her second year of veterinary school at Ohio State University and adopted an eyeless kitten named Nora!

JOSHUA LUNA ’16 of West Allis, Wisconsin, is keeping things humble while he studies at Elmhurst College, where he started graduate school to get his master’s degree in occupational therapy.

MEGAN MAREMA ’16 of Union Grove, Wisconsin, spends her time in lecture, working with patients, fitting and evaluating patients’ functional ability to provide amputees and orthotic patients with the ability to walk.

This hands-on work is part of her education. She has worked with patients with various types of amputations and syndromes and, through a process of many steps, fabricates a prosthetic leg, insert or brace.

ALEXANDER MEHRE ’16 of Pound, Wisconsin: “I spent a year as an assistant manager at the Mauston Shopko. Then I got married and moved to Milwaukee to begin a role as a salesman. It has only been a month, but I have been leading the office for most of that time. The experience I had running a club and doing class projects at Ripon has helped me in the world of sales. I hope to soon run my own company. Here’s to the future!”

ZACH MUENCH ’16 of Franklin, Wisconsin, is currently in PA school at Marquette working toward his master’s degree (his MPAS degree).

ENYA NETT ’16 of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, has been working hard and enjoying time with her new kitten, Nico.

JENNIFER NIGGEMEIER ’16 of Germantown, Wisconsin, co-teaches a 4K program with SARA DRIEBEL ’16. She keeps herself busy preparing for the upcoming school year and walking her dog, Maximus.

AUSTIN SCHLEISNER ’16 of Janesville, Wisconsin, is in Denver working as a manufacturing sales representative for Endres & Associates.

MATTHEW SCHULTZ ’16’s HGTV dreams came true as he closed on a cozy house on Madison’s east side June 30. It has been a slow process, but each day he does a little to make his house a home.

TYLER SHIMEK ’16 moved to Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, and is a mathematics teacher at Stone Bank School in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

LANI SIEMS ’16 of Neenah, Wisconsin, got engaged to Eric Winger and they got a 3-year-old black lab named Fido. She is a project manager at SGS IPS Testing in Appleton, Wisconsin.

FRANK STELTER-HOGH ’16 of Chicago, Illinois, teaches physical education and health at St. Athanasius School in Evanston, Illinois.

KATHERINE TREDINNICK ’16 of Lisle, Illinois, spent the summer as a surrogate mother for hundreds of feathered and furred orphaned critters at Oaken Acres Wildlife Center in Sycamore, Illinois. After a year of wildlife rehabilitation experience, she is looking forward to her next step and can’t wait to see what adventures it will bring!

BENJAMIN VALDEZ-HEMPEL ’16 of Washington, D.C., is an executive assistant at the World Affairs Council in Washington, D.C. KELLI WALSH ’16 of Cedar Rapids, Wisconsin, is spending three months in North Carolina working at Mountain Trail Outdoor School teaching kids about natural sciences through experiential education.

KATIE WARCZAK ’16 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is working on her second year in the English literature master’s program at Penn State.

ALEX NOVOTNY ’16 of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, is a creative content marketing specialist at DealerSocket in Oshkosh.

KELSEA PATTERSON ’16 of Waukesha, Wisconsin, is a veterinary assistant at Bay View Veterinary Clinic in Mukwonago, Wisconsin.

LIZZIE PETERS ’16 of Appleton, Wisconsin, is a substitute teacher in the Neenah School District.

ZACHARY PETERSON ’16 of Bloomer, Illinois, is working toward a master’s degree in history: public history with an emphasis in historic preservation at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He also is a graduate assistant director of the Center for Writing Excellence at UW-Eau Claire for the 2017-2018 academic year.

ERIKA RIEBE ’16 of Roseville, Minnesota, recently traded the Big Lake (Superior) for the Big (Twin) Cities to work as an admission counselor at St. Catherine University.

Though it is a big adjustment from spending the past five years in rural Wisconsin, Erika is excited for new

Fall 2017 51

Class Letters 2017

University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Konner Feldhus ’17 303-280-5835 / konnerfeldhus@gmail.com

REBEKHA CROCKETT ’17 of Mossville, Illinois, is attending the graduate program in anthropology at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Winona Holmes Robbins ’17 650-274-9231 / winonamay94@gmail.com Erin Canon ’17 414-469-5945 / erinc2456@gmail.com A small amount of change in our personal lives sometimes makes everything around us seem different.

After getting used to parts of the “adult life” into which we recently were pushed, we did some reflection. Not surprisingly, we noticed that we still are talking to and spending time with the same people as we were just months ago. Friendships from Ripon College are enduring ones. One of our favorite things about going on Instagram is that we can almost be guaranteed that we will see photos of fellow alumni hanging out. While the College may be seeing some changes, our friendships seem to remain the same. As life changes, cherish and maintain the friendships that Ripon College catalyzed.

Returning to campus the first time after graduation was the strangest feeling ever. The feeling that we’ll never walk into Todd Wehr breathless after rushing up the hill because you stayed in The Pub just a few minutes too long. Or we won’t ever have to spend hours on end in Lane Library studying for a test. It was strange, but it was welcoming. It still felt like home. Whether you are pursuing a higher degree, working a full-time job, still searching for a job, or anywhere in between, don’t forget to take a moment to think about everything you learned at Ripon (and it doesn’t have to be academic).

The memories we made together as a class are and always will be some of our favorites. Also, try not to be too salty about all the great things that happened after we left, such as The Pub facelift and Storzer finally being completed. We know it seems a bit unfair, but you’ll just have to head back soon!

RYAN ADAMS ’17 of Cary, Illinois, is an accounts receivable analyst at Uline in Gurnee, Illinois.

BOBBY APPLETON ’17 of Racine, Wisconsin, is a quality assurance/quality control technician at ST Specialty Foods and is applying to graduate programs in physics, astrophysics and mechanical engineering.

JORDAN BRABAND ’17 of Bolingbrook, Illinois, works in client services with FIS Global in Geneva, Illinois. This is an international financial technology firm, providing client support for institutional investors and brokerdealers who invest in a variety of securities.

EMMA BRONSON ’17 of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, was employed as an intern at Titus Talent Strategies in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but now “I have officially moved to London and started my master’s at University of Westminster studying communication.”

PAIGE BUDDENHAGEN ’17 of West Bend, Wisconsin, will attend the master’s in athletic training program at the University of Indianapolis.

ERIN CANON ’17 of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, is pursuing her master’s degree in administrative leadership with an emphasis in higher education administration at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

EMILY CLIFF ’17 of Mukwonago, Wisconsin, moved to Seattle and received an ARCS Foundation Fellowship to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Washington.

SARAH CONJURSKE ’17 of Forestville, Wisconsin, is entering the pharmacy (Pharm.D.) program at the

52

Connections

NOAH DEBRUYN ’17 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, is a behavior technician at Caravel Autism Health in Appleton, Wisconsin.

VERONICA DELISLE ’17 of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, is a teaching assistant at Northern Door Children’s Center in Sister Bay, Wisconsin.

TESSA DILLENBECK ’17 of Walworth, Wisconsin, is a marketing representative at MVP in Chicago, Illinois.

MITCHELL EITHUN ’17 of New London, Wisconsin is attending the Ph.D. program in computational math at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. He recently published eight pieces of music for handbell ensemble.

ROBERT ENRIGHT ’17 of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, is attending the Ph.D. program in polymer science and engineering at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

ELIZABETH ERDMANN ’17 of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, is an admissions advisor at Lakeland University.

MARIAH EVERTS ’17 of Watertown, Wisconsin, is a field guide in Kanab, Utah.

KONNER FELDHUS ’17 of Madison, Wisconsin, is a clinical laboratory scientist at Exact Sciences Laboratories.

NAOMI FERREL ’17 of Columbus, Wisconsin, is attending the master’s program in the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of WisconsinMadison.

BRADLEY FLOETER ’17 of Neshkoro, Wisconsin, is an inventory control analyst at Alliance Laundry Systems in Ripon, Wisconsin.

EMMA GORAL ’17 of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, is attending the Ph.D. program in counseling psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

COURTNEY GREEN ’17 of Kenosha, Wisconsin, is attending the master’s program in peace studies at the University of San Diego in California.

CAMERON GREEN ’17 of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, is attending the master’s program in athletic training at Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana.

JORDAN GRUNAWALT ’17 of Vacaville, California, is attending the graduate program in English at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

JORGE GUTIERREZ ’17 of Los Angeles, California, is a development and marketing manager for the nonprofit organization Green Lake Renewal.

MATTHEW HECHT ’17 of Sister Bay, Wisconsin, is a boat mechanic at Sister Bay Boat Rental.

NICOLE HERKERT ’17 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is employed in guest services by The Chicago Fire Soccer Club in Bridgeview, Illinois.

CATHERINE HETZEL ’17 of Menominee Falls, Wisconsin, is attending the master’s program in clinical psychology at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

WINONA HOLMES ROBBINS ’17 of Conway, Arkansas, is the assistant swimming and diving coach at Hendrix College. The head coach there, Marty Wahle, previously was the coach of swimming at Ripon College and had initially recruited her to Ripon College.

2017 GABRIELLE HORSTMEIER ’17 of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, is an early childcare teacher at Kid’s Safari Learning Center.

DENNIS MANTY ’17 of Duluth, Minnesota, will attend the master’s program in athletic training at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota.

HAYLEA HOSKINS ’17 of Spring Grove, Illinois, is a marketing intern at Beacon Business Group LLC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

ZACHARY MATSON ’17 of Minnetonka, Minnesota, is a hall director at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri.

AUSTIN HOUSTON ’17 of Waukesha, Wisconsin, is entering the National Guard as a 2nd lieutenant.

TANNER MCCARTHY ’17 of Waukesha, Wisconsin, is a software designer at Joral LLC in Mukwonago, Wisconsin.

NAY HTET ’17 of Yangon, Myanmar, is attending the master’s program in computer science at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.

ADDIE MCCAULEY ’17 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is teaching eighth-grade English at Sabish Middle School.

MIKAYLA HUESMAN ’17 of Mounds View, Minnesota, is a hazardous waste technician at Bay West in St. Paul, Minnesota.

BRENDAN MCCOY ’17 of Peosta, Iowa, is a donor relations assistant with the Ripon College Office of Advancement. He is getting married this fall to MADDIE VANDENHOUTEN ’17.

MEGAN JENSEN ’17 of Waterford, Wisconsin, is a hospitality and special events intern with the Milwaukee Brewers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

ALLWIN MCDONALD ’17 of Milbank, South Dakota, is attending the Ph.D. program in chemistry-biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

LUCAS KILIAN ’17 of Marshall, Wisconsin, is co-owner of Beagle Tree Service LLC in Marshall, Wisconsin.

SETH MCDONALD ’17 of Milbank, South Dakota, was employed last summer as a lifeguard and Swedish language counselor at Concordia Language Villages in Bemidji, Minnesota.

DAVID KLINK ’17 of Appleton, Wisconsin, is a student teacher at Kimberly High School in Kimberly, Wisconsin.

DANIEL KNOX ’17 of Putnam, Connecticut, is attending a master’s program in adult and higher education at Southern Maine University in Portland, Maine. He is a grad hall director at the University of Maine-Farmington.

NOELLE KORZENIEWSKI ’17 of Waterford, Wisconsin, recently moved with her boyfriend and their dog, Grace, to St. Paul so she could continue school at Luther Seminary for a two-year master’s degree program in Bible studies/concentration.

MADELINE KOSTER ’17 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is attending a master’s program in educational leadership at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She is employed in technical maintenance at Lowney’s Landscaping Center in Appleton, Wisconsin.

SHALYNN KRUEGER ’17 of Juneau, Wisconsin, is attending the master of social work program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

LIAM LESNIAK ’17 of Riverside, Illinois, is a project engineer at Power Construction in Chicago, Illinois.

KARLEEN LISKO ’17 of Glendale, Wisconsin, is attending the master of nursing program at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

HANNAH MACKENZIE ’17 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is an associate internal auditor at Oshkosh Corporation in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

ALLISON MACKNICK ’17 of Chicago, Illinois, is a professional actor and dancer in Chicago. Since graduation, she has performed in new shows, awardwinning plays and several music videos.

RYAN MAIER ’17 of Union Grove, Wisconsin, is a yard assistant and delivery driver at Union Grove Lumber and True Value in Union Grove, Wisconsin.

BRITTANY MANGIN ’17 of Chicago, Illinois, is attending The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Counseling Psychology Master’s Program, with a concentration in child and adolescent development. Last summer, she worked with children and adolescents who have behavioral issues, as a youth behavioral specialist at Innovative Services in Green Bay, Wiscolnsin. She also spent two weeks in August on a vacation with her family visiting various National Parks in Nevada, California, Utah and Arizona. She now has visited 14 national parks across the United States.

HANNAH METZ ’17 of Naperville, Illinois, is attending the Ed.D. program in school psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

MHERETE MHERETE ’17 of Takoma Park, Maryland, is a sales and marketing associate at Coast Inc. in Lombard, Illinois.

JULIA MUTCHIE ’17 of Waukesha, Wisconsin, is attending the doctor of physical therapy program at Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon, Wisconsin.

CHRISTINE NGUYEN ’17 of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is attending the Ph.D. program in virology at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

CORRIE OSBORNE ’17 of Mequon, Wisconsin, is attending the JD program at the University of Chicago Law School.

MATTHEW PAETH ’17 of Weyauwega, Wisconsin, is attending the Ph.D. program in chemistry-organic synthesis at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

NICHOLAS PEARSON ’17 of East Moline, Illinois, is attending the master’s program in athletic training at Franklin University in Franklin, Indiana.

DIANNE PEDROZA ’17 of Los Angeles, California, was employed for the summer as an Upward Bound tutor at California State University in Los Angeles, California.

STEPHANIE PETERSON ’17 of Winneconne, Wisconsin, worked for the summer as a dock hand at Door County Boat Rentals in Sister Bay, Wisconsin.

VALERIE PIKE ’17 of Stoughton, Wisconsin, is attending the master’s program in library science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

SYDNEY RADANDT ’17 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin is entering the AmeriCorps City Year Program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

ZACHARY SCHMIDT ’17 of Plainfield, Illinois, is attending the master’s program in counseling with specialization in sports and health at Adler University in Chicago, Illinois.

EUGENE SCHNEIDER III ’17 of Oakdale, Minnesota, is attending the Ph.D. program in chemistry at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

COURTNEY SCHROEDER ’17 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is a behavioral technician therapist at the Fox Valley Autism Treatment Program in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Fall 2017 53

Class Letters SUSAN SHIVELY ’17 of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, is attending the master of science program in clinical psychology at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

RACHEL STANLEY ’17 of West Allis, Wisconsin, is attending the Ph.D. program in clinical psychology at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

RACHEL STEINER ’17 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is a patient services call center agent at Planned Parenthood in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

JORDAN STIEDE ’17 of Seymour, Wisconsin, is attending the Ph.D. program in clinical psychology at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

JACOB TAZELAAR ’17 of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin is an assistant HR manager/HR assistant at Hy-Vee Grocery in Madison, Wisconsin.

MRA THITSA THAN ’17 is working in public relations and integrated marketing and communications for Vero Public Relations in her home country of Myanmar.

TUCKER THIEDE ’17 of Plymouth, Minnesota, is an underwriter at Acuity Insurance in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

NICHOLAS THILLMAN ’17 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, is a financial consultant with UMB Fund Services in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

RYAN TRACY ’17 of Brookfield, Illinois, is a crew technician at Teton County Weed and Pest District in Jackson, Wyoming.

NGAN TRAN ’17 of Pleiku City, Vietnam, is a SAGA Fellow at SAGA Innovations, Chicago, Illinois.

SOE LU TUN ’17 of Yangon, Myanmar, is attending the Ph.D. program in chemistry at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.

MADELINE VANDENHOUTEN ’17 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, is an admission counselor at Ripon College.

AMBER VOELKEL ’17 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is attending the master’s of social work program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

BENJAMIN VORPAHL ’17 of Portage, Wisconsin, worked for the summer at Dells Boat Tours in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.

JACOB WALTER ’17 of Poynette, Wisconsin, is an accounts receivable analyst at Uline in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin.

CECELIA WARD ’17 of Coldwater, Michigan, is attending the master’s program in international relations at American University in Washington, D.C. ABIGAIL WILLIAMSON ’17 of Naperville, Illinois, is a CHAMPS ambassador with the Chicago Fire Soccer Club in Bridgeview, Illinois.

LINCOLN WURTZ ’17 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is attending the MD/Ph.D. dual degree program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

NICOLE ZEMAN ’17 of Sussex, Wisconsin, is attending the JD program at St. Thomas Law School in St. Paul, Minnesota.

We wish you all the best, stay in contact!

KONNER FELDHUS, ERIN CANNON and WINONA HOLMES ROBBINS

54

Connections

Staying Connected with Ripon

A passion for helping the students of today led Gene Schneider ’90 / P’17 to join the Alumni Board The current president of the Alumni Board, Gene Schneider ’90 / P’17, feels strongly about alumni giving back to Ripon College.

“The primary goals of the Alumni Board are to increase College loyalty by creating meaningful alumni engagement and volunteer opportunities, and to network with and mentor current students who will become our next alumni,” he says.

Schneider became interested in the board after participating in the 2014 Career Discovery Tour in the Twin Cities area. At the time, Schneider was leading the Guest Analytics Product and Development team at Target Corp.

He and other alumni working for Target held a half-day tour at the Target Corporate Headquarters.

“It was a fantastic day of meeting smart, passionate, inquisitive current students while helping them gain an understanding of a career at a company like Target,”

strides in our efforts each and every meeting,” Schneider says.

Schneider says. “After the Career

Staying connected with Ripon is

Discovery Tour was over, I was

important to Schneider. “I am a

so excited about my interactions

first-generation college student,

with current students and several

and attending Ripon College

alumni that I reached out to see

was one of the best decisions I

if there were other opportunities

have ever made. Ripon College

to help the Ripon students and

has been instrumental in the

alumni in other ways.”

happiness I have had over my life,” he says. He met his wife,

Schneider was elected to

Joyce Libby Schneider ’90 / P’17

the Alumni Board of Directors and

and many other friends. Their

became the new president this

son, Eugene Anthony “Geno”

year. During the two-year term as

Schneider III is a 2017 Ripon

president, he will speak

graduate.

at Commencement, cohost Alumni Weekend events with Ripon College President Zach Messitte, and host events in the Twin Cities with other Alumni Board members.

“I also have so many lifelong friends from Ripon, and staying connected and being a part of the Alumni Board has helped me continue to meet many

I also have so many lifelong friends from Ripon, and staying connected and being a part of the Alumni Board has helped me continue to meet many other amazing people from all generations.”

GENE SCHNEIDER ’90 / P’17

other amazing people from all

“Overall, the Alumni Board is

generations,” Schneider says. “I

filled with passionate and talented

am very blessed and very proud to

alumni, allowing us to make huge

be a Ripon College alumnus.”

Fall 2017 55

Staying Connected with Ripon

To repay a strong foundation from Ripon College, Christopher Graham ’93 hosts Career Discovery Tour Ripon College fit the bill for firstgeneration student Christopher Graham ’93. “I was looking for a smaller school because I was a first-generation student (and was) in need of that support network,” he says. “Athletics also played an important role.”

Graham, who lives in Colorado Springs, is now commissioner for the NCAA Division II Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

He was a host and presenter for Ripon College’s Career Discovery Tour in Denver in October.

At Ripon, Graham studied business management and played on both the basketball and baseball teams. After graduation, he worked in sales for a year before returning to Ripon to get his certificate in K-12 education. At the same time, he worked for the Ripon College Athletic Department. He says this was pivotal for his future career ambitions.

“I discovered I wanted to get into

Graham attributes much of his

athletic administration and took

success to Ripon College. “A

a job at the Midwest Conference,”

liberal arts education is very

he says. He began his career

valuable in that it exposes you

in athletic administration as

to a lot of different disciplines,”

the assistant commissioner for

he says. “It makes you a well-

NCAA Division III Midwest

rounded individual. It aided

Conference athletics. In 2009,

me with the development of my

he graduated from the University

critical thinking.”

of Wisconsin-Madison with a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy analysis.

his dream job, he still misses aspects of Ripon, which was his

In his current job, he oversees

home for 20 years. And he is

the operations, conduct and

proud of the athletic program at

administration of NCAA Division

Ripon College.

II athletics in a five-state region.

“The favorite part of my job is I get to work with sports every day,” he says. “My ultimate goal is to ensure competitive equity, memorable experiences, and high education experiences to more than 5,000 student-athletes.”

56 56

While Graham says he is living

Connections Connections

“For a Division III campus, the strong varsity athletic programs support the well-being and health of all of the campus,” he says. “Ripon did it the right way, and I am very proud to be an alumnus associated with such a beautiful project.”

Ripon did it the right way, and I am very proud to be an alumnus associated with such a beautiful project.”

CHRISTOPHER GRAHAM ’93

Campus Snapshot Greeks regroup during Alumni Weekend Alpha Chi Omega Alpha Delta Pi Kappa Delta Sigma Chi Theta Chi Theta Sigma Tau

The Class of 1967 celebrates its 50th reunion at Alumni Weekend.

SUSAN BOOTHROYD LOOMER ’67 and NANCY WADLEY KOEUGH ’67 wave and smile during Alumni Weekend.

Classmates from 1992, CHRISTINE DINGMAN of Lakewood, Colorado, and KIRBIE PETERSEN of Arlington Heights, Illinois, represent their class during the AllAlumni March during Alumni Weekend.

KURT THORNBLADH of Farmington, Minnesota, leads the class of 1970 in the AllAlumni March.

The Class of 1992 celebrates its 25th reunion at Alumni Weekend.

Fall 2017 57

Campus Snapshot

Badger Boys State, the annual mock government conference for high school boys, returned to Ripon College for the 76th year. Organized and run by the American Legion, Badger Boys State brings approximately 870 young men to campus every June.

A long-standing, first-week-of-school tradition continued this August. Members of local church congregations provided meals and desserts for a potluck in Great Hall as their way of welcoming Ripon students back to campus. Pictured from left are AMBER LOVELL ’19 of Brandon, Wisconsin; LIBBY SWENSON ’18 of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin; MARSHA SOMÉ ’19 of Ripon; and ROXSANA LUCIANO ’19 of Dallas, Texas.

Director of Teacher Education JEAN RIGDEN visits with CAMERON SCHOEB ’21 and her parents, Michael and Michelle Schoeb, at the president’s house after the Matriculation Convocation.

Once again, members of the orientation committee helped new students move in. Shown unloading a futon from a vehicle are, from left, MALLORY KRUMREI ’18 of Oregon, Wisconsin; KAILEE BETLER ’20 of Berlin, Wisconsin; and MAITLIN ARTS ’19 of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

Dr. Michael Crespin, associate director of the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center at the University of Oklahoma, spoke about “Redistricting and the Future of Congress” Feb. 20, 2017, for the Center for Politics and the People. Other major speakers during FY’17 included Dr. Joshua Landis, director of the Center of Middle East Studies and professor of international and area studies at the University of Oklahoma; Judge Guy Herve Kam from Burkina Faso; David Halperin, a Washington, D.C.-based lawyer; KATHRYN SCHULTZ ’89, U.S. State Department; Dr. Steve Szydlik, associate professor of mathematics, UW-Oshkosh; Sister Celine Goessl, Holy Cross Sisters; Erin Gloria Ryan, senior editor at Daily Beast; Dr. Thomas Holyoke, California State University; and candidates in district and state races. The center was founded with a lead gift by Trustee WILLIAM MACLEOD ’73 and is further supported by Friends of the Center for Politics and the People.

58

Connections

Rally is always a hit among the Lil’ Red Hawks. Here Alex Bata, son of RACHEL BERK BATA ’97 of St. Charles, Illinois, enjoys some fun with the big red bird.

Head Coach of Men’s Basketball Ryan Kane is all smiles with two sons of the late KERMIT “DOC” WEISKE ’50 — Dave Weiske, left, and Michael Weiske. The main performance gym in Willmore Center has been renamed Weiske Gymnasium in honor of Doc, who played on and coached the men’s basketball team for many years.

Tim Lyke greets Honorary Life Trustee and namesake for Willmore Center, DENA WILLMORE ’67. Lyke is the publisher of the Ripon Commonwealth Press and a son of Audrey Lyke. Audrey, who served 19 years on the College’s Board of Trustees, died in August. Before her death, she made a significant gift to support the track in the new field house of Willmore Center.

A new Welcome Week event this year was a glow rage party. Held in Bovay Hall, the event involved black lights, washable neon paint, music and dancing. Enjoying the event, from left, are ANTONY GRADILLAS ’19 of Anthem, Arizona; HOLLY ERICKSON ’18 of Union Grove, Wisconsin; SAVANNAH WHITE ’19 of Carol Stream, Illinois; and JOSE ZAVALA ’18 of Chicago.

These three alumni were members of Ripon’s three-peat Midwest Conference champion football teams of 1964, 1965 and 1966. From left are JOHN CORSO ’68 of Sperry, Oklahoma; DICK WRIGHT ’67 of Denver, Colorado; and GEORGE GITCHO ’67 of San Antonio, Texas.

Members of the Ripon College Chamber Singers are preparing for their annual tour of the Midwest in March 2018. Ripon College alumni are warmly invited to attend a concert in their area. Dates, times and locations are: • Friday, March 9, 7:30 p.m.: St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, 51 W. Division St., Fond du Lac, Wisconsin SUE RIGLER PALMER ’79 visits with friends during the celebration of Willmore Center Oct. 6. Sue and her husband, Jon, made a gift to support the media gallery, or “Rally’s Roost” as it is called, in the Weiske Gymnasium.

• Saturday, March 10, 7:30 p.m.: Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 1935 St. Clair Ave., St. Paul, Minnesota • Sunday, March 11, 7:30 p.m.: Grace Lutheran Church, 321 S Madison St., Green Bay, Wisconsin • Monday, March 12, 7:30 p.m.: Round Lake High School, 800 Panther Blvd., Round Lake, Illinois • Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 550 Lincoln Drive, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

Fall 2017 59

Ripon College News New Willmore Center named in honor of Dena Willmore ’67 Willmore Center, the new athletics, health and wellness center on campus, was officially opened with a celebration Oct. 7 as part of Homecoming and Family Weekend. The facility is named in honor of DENA WILLMORE ’67, a 22year member of the Board of Trustees and an Honorary Life Trustee.

The $22 million facility features a 65,000-square-foot field house with four performance courts and the best NCAA-regulation indoor track in Wisconsin; Agnesian HealthCare Athletic Training Center and physiology lab; a 9,000-square-foot fitness center and cardio balcony; three fitness studios; the Kermit “Doc” Weiske ’50 Gymnasium, Muriel R. Keipe Practice Gymnasium; dining and study spaces, locker rooms, modern offices for intramural and coaching staff, recruiting and club spaces, and more.

Ripon College ethics team places second at international competition The team of DELOU WILSON ’18 of Madison, Wisconsin; LAUREN HINCE ’18 of Blaine, Minnesota; and WYATT MCGILLEN ’19 of Kalispell, Montana, placed as first runner-up at the International Business Ethics Case Competition in Santa Monica, California.

This international event featured 35 graduate and undergraduate teams from around the globe.

Wisconsin foodies honored at Commencement The theme for Ripon College’s 151st Commencement in May was “Wisconsin Food and Entrepreneurship,” recognizing the commitment to food that contributes to the state’s distinctive identity.

Earning honorary degrees were Craig Culver and Stefano Viglietti for their outstanding contributions to food culture as Wisconsin restaurateurs and small business owners.

Culver, co-founder of the popular Culver’s restaurant chain, also gave the Commencement address. He urged graduates to “make the right choices, do the right thing. Let your heart make the decisions. Continue to challenge yourselves. Never stop learning.”

Viglietti is a self-taught chef and entrepreneur with four food establishments in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He contributes to President’s Zach Messitte’s “Old Italy, New Italy” class each spring.

Legendary jazz singer AL JARREAU ’62, who died in February, was honored with the College’s Medal of Merit.

Student presenters continue 16-year Ripon College presence at national honors conference

60

selected for presentation from students across the nation.

For 16 consecutive years, at least one presenter has been chosen from Ripon College.

Grant money supports student travel in Germany A total of $12,000 dollars in grant money was awarded for the Bonn Program and support for student travel to and in Germany. The Max Kade Foundation in New York awarded Bonn Program participants travel grants of $1,000 each to nine students participating in the program this spring. Six of those students were from Ripon College.

The Kaden Fund of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation awarded $3,000 for student travel on Liberal Arts in Focus study trips to and in Germany.

Jerry Thompson honored at Selma, Alabama, museum THE REV. JERRY THOMPSON, a former

professor of religion and chaplain of Ripon College, has been honored with an engraved brick at the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute in Selma, Alabama. The museum is creating a walkway made of bricks engraved with the names of those who played an important part in the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

Thompson, who died in 2010, was chaplain of the College at the time of the Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights March in the spring of 1965, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Ripon College delegation comprised Thompson and students NOEL CAROTA ’67, RICHARD M. GRIMSRUD ’65 and GARY G. YERKEY ’66.

Nine students, two faculty collaborate on publication about patent Nine Ripon College students, along with Assistant Professor of Chemistry PATRICK WILLOUGHBY and Associate Professor of Chemistry JOSEPH SCANLON, wrote about a pharmaceutical patent in the Oct. 13, 2016, issue of Tetrahedron, a leading scientific journal highlighting experimental research.

The students are: ROBERT N. ENRIGHT ’17, JEFFREY L. “JJ” GRINDE ’17, LINCOLN I. WURTZ ’17, MATTHEW S. PAETH ’17, TEKOA R. WITTMAN ’18, EMILY R. CLIFF ’17, YESSRA T. SANKARI ’16, LUCAS T. HENNINGSEN ’16 and CHUCHEN TAN ’16.

The patent is the accepted form of a provisional patent Willoughby and five of the students — Enright, Henningsen, Wurtz, Cliff and Grinde — created in 2015, which “describes a new process for making nitrogencontaining molecules that are relevant to the pharmaceutical industry.”

MRA THAN ’17 and MADDIE VANDENHOUTEN ’17 presented at the

Red Hawks cycling reinvigorated by alumnus gift

43rd annual DePauw University’s National Undergraduate Honors Conference. Communications students learn from one another as well as from attending scholars. The conference is very exclusive, with only up 30 papers

The Ripon College Cycling program received a renewed “kickstart” thanks to a major gift by cyclist KYLE GREENE ’15 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and his family. Their $250,000 donation to Red Hawks Cycling includes funds to

Connections

hire the team’s first full-time varsity coach and establishes The Greene Family Cycling Room within the new Willmore Center for athletics, health and wellness.

Founded in 2009, the Ripon Cycling program is the only USA Cycling varsity program in the state of Wisconsin. The team competes as part of the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference.

Ripon College featured as a ‘best college’ by The Princeton Review Ripon College is one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education, according to the 2018 edition of “The Best 382 Colleges” published

by The Princeton Review. Only about 15 percent of the country’s 2,500 four-year colleges and two colleges outside the United States are profiled.

Ripon College also was included in the “2018 Best Colleges: Region by Region” web feature in the Midwest category; 658 colleges were featured as academically outstanding.

Professor of Biology Robert Wallace publishes article with 22 scientists from around the world ROBERT WALLACE, professor of biology,

published one paper with 22 scientists from 13 different countries. “Fifteen species in one: deciphering the Brachionus plicatilis species complex (Rotifera, Monogononta) through DNA taxonomy” establishes a protocol for other scientists wishing to study the species barriers in rotifers. It was published in the journal Hydrobiologia.

Patrick Willoughby awarded $70,000 research grant A $70,000 grant award has been approved for Assistant Professor of Chemistry PATRICK WILLOUGHBY. The American Chemical Society presented the grant to further Willoughby’s current research to develop new methods for the synthesis of organic molecules.

Ripon College again is named to U.S. News’ best college rankings U.S. News & World Report again named Ripon College a tier 1 National Liberal Arts College on its annual rankings list. Ripon placed at number 117.

Ripon also remains on the list of “A+ Schools for B Students.”

Dean of Faculty Ed Wingenbach presents talk at conference in Germany Professor of Politics and Government and Dean of Faculty ED WINGENBACH gave an invited plenary talk to the 2017 Conference of the German Society for Phenomenological Research, held at the University of Hagen in Germany. The title of his talk was “Populism, Partisan Identity, and the Reconstruction of the Political.”

Associate professors, recently graduated student publish joint paper A collaborative paper recently was published by MCKENZIE LAMB, associate professor of mathematical sciences and chair of the department; ANDREA YOUNG, associate professor of mathematical sciences; and MITCHELL EITHUN ’17 of New London, Wisconsin. “Long-Term vs. Short-Term Strategy in the Game of Monopoly” was published in the Spring 2017 issue of UMAP Journal: the Journal of Undergraduate Mathematics and Its Applications.

Art professor active with exhibits, writings

Professor presents poster co-written by three students

Ripon, Lawrence professors collaborate on course offerings

RAFAEL SALAS, associate professor of

COLLEN BYRON, professor of chemistry

BRIAN SMITH, professor of religion

art, had an active professional year. His work was included in solo and group exhibitions in Rhinelander, Wisconsin; Milwaukee Wisconsin; Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts; and De Pere, Wisconsin.

and chair of the department, attended the 19th International Symposium on Flavins and Flavoproteins in Groningen, The Netherlands, July 2-6, 2017. She presented a research poster, “Mass Spectral Analysis of 4-Hydroxy-2Nonenal Adduction to Electron Transfer Flavoprotein,” co-written by three Ripon student collaborators, DAVID KNAPP ’18, MARGARET BREEN-LYLES ’16 and EVA SCHAIBLE ’19.

and chair of the department, and Martyn Smith of the Religious Studies Department at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, presented a fourweek online book discussion in July with 14 alumni and current students from both institutions. The book, Big Gods, examines how gods got bigger and more universal to cover larger groups of people as humans evolved from nomadic tribes into agricultural and urban populations. Smith says the discussions were lively, and live chats using Zoom went very well.

He wrote several articles and reviews for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper; and a catalogue essay for the Rob Neilson exhibit, “Credo Quia Absurdum,” at the Frank Juarez Gallery in Milwaukee.

He also was the moderator for the panel discussion, “Art as Action: Politics and the Creative Impulse,” for the Center for Politics and the People at Ripon College.

Professor Robert Wallace publishes work on rotifers ROBERT WALLACE, professor of biology

and the Patricia and Philip McCullough 1969 Professor in Biology, had a work published: Serra, M., T. Snell, and R.L. Wallace (in press). Rotifera, in Encyclopedia of Reproduction. Published

by Elsevier, Amsterdam.

Educational studies professor publishes journal article MATTHEW KNOESTER, associate

professor of educational studies, cowrote an article that was published in the journal Social Studies Research and Practice. “Why Do Young Adults Vote at Low Rates? Implications for Education” can be found here: goo.gl/uuUxhY.

English professor Megan Gannon publishes poem in journal MEGAN GANNON, assistant professor of

English, published a poem, “Dispatch from a Viral Video,” in the Spring 2017 issue of the Boulevard literary journal.

The pair now are planning hybrid courses, both online and face-to-face, for next fall for Lawrence and Ripon students. Martyn Smith will offer a hybrid course on Islam for Lawrence and Ripon students in the same course, and Brian Smith will offer “Religion and Politics” with Ripon and Lawrence students. This joint venture is exploring possibilities of more online teaching between the two institutions to supplement the curricula of each.

UPCOMING FINE ARTS PRESENTATIONS

Ripon College Chamber Singers preparing for tour of Midwest The Ripon College Chamber Singers will go on their annual tour in March 2018. Current concert dates, times and locations are: • Friday, March 9, 7:30 p.m., St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, 51 W. Division St., Fond du Lac, Wisconsin • Saturday, March 10, 7:30 p.m., Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 1935 St. Clair Ave., St. Paul, Minnesota • Sunday, March 11, 7:30 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church, 321 S. Madison St., Green Bay, Wisconsin • Monday, March 12, 7:30 p.m., Round Lake High School, 800 Panther Blvd., Round Lake, Illinois • Tuesday, March 13, 7:30 p.m., Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 550 Lincoln Drive, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

ON-CAMPUS EVENTS All presentations will be in C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts.

• Through Dec. 8, 2017: “Built-In Closet,” abstract art by Gyan Shrosbree, assistant professor of art in the Department of Fine Arts at Maharishi University, Fairfield, Iowa.

• Nov. 15, 16, 18, 2017. “Naked Mole Rats in the World of Darkness,” by Mike Folie. Nov. 15, 16, 18, 7:30 p.m.; Nov. 18, 2 p.m. A play that is an amusing romp where love, humor and insight are tucked in together, side-by-side.

• Friday, Nov. 17: Chamber Singers, 7:30 p.m.

• Sunday, Nov. 19: Symphonic Wind Ensemble, 3:15 p.m.

• Saturday, Dec. 2: Orchestra, 7:30 p.m.

production as the subject of their work. Included will be examples by well-known artists and interpretive material written by Ripon College students. Assistant Professor Travis Nygard and students curated the exhibit. Nygard will talk at the opening reception at 7 p.m. Jan. 26.

• Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018: Moira Smiley in Chamber Music and Jazz at Ripon series, 7:30 p.m. The singer’s vocally driven compositions of warped traditional songs, original polyphony and body percussion have been heard on films, BBC and PBS television programs, NPR, and more than 60 albums.

The finale of the Ripon College Choral Festival will open the concert.

• Feb. 28-March 3, 2018. “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, 7:30 p.m. This wonderful, warm-hearted musical follows students striving for recognition and affection in the world of competitive spelling. Winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Musical Book. Friends of the Arts musical theatre discussion, 6-7 p.m. Thursday, March 1.

• March 30-May 4, 2018: Art by Pete Railand and Jenna Valoe.

This collaboration includes works inspired by 19th-century union banners, suffragist banners and modern-day activist banners. Railand is a printmaker, and Valoe a textile artist.

They will speak at an opening reception at 7 p.m. March 30.

• April 13-14, 2018. One-Act Play Festival, 7:30 p.m., presented by student directors.

• April 27-May 13, 2018: Art exhibit by senior studio art majors, a culmination of their studies at Ripon College. Each artist produces a cohesive body of work using media and subject matter of their choice. Art opening with Friends of the Arts Reception and jazz, 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 27.

• Sunday, Dec. 3: Choral Union, 3:15 p.m.

• Friday, Dec. 8: Jazz Ensemble, 7:30 p.m.

• Sunday, Dec. 10: Holiday Concert. 3:15 p.m.

• Friday, Jan. 26, 2018: Spektral Quartet in Chamber Music and Jazz at Ripon series, 7:30 p.m. Selections span centuries, exploring unfamiliar sonic territory and exceptional works of the past with charismatic deliveries, interactive concert formats and an up-close atmosphere.

• Jan. 26-March 9, 2018: “Art and Mass Production: From Ansel Adams to Andy Warhol.” Artists use mass production to disseminate their work and use the concept of mass

Becoming a member of Friends of the Arts helps support all fine arts offerings at Ripon College.

For information, contact Tylor Loest ’08 at 920-748-8359; or LoestT@ripon.edu

Fall 2017 61

In Memoriam ELEANOR HUELSMAN STEWART ’35 of Richardson, Texas, died Aug. 31, 2017. At Ripon, she triple majored in psychology, English and Latin American Studies. Soon after graduating, she married her college sweetheart, JAMES STEWART JR. ’34, and they were married for 62 years until he died in 1999. Eleanor and her husband enjoyed traveling and made many trips in North and South America and Europe. They both enjoyed playing bridge. She taught many people to play and started a number of bridge clubs. Eleanor enjoyed doing volunteer work in many different areas such as Planned Parenthood, day nurseries, church, schools and knitting baby blankets for hospitals. Survivors include one son and two daughters.

MARY SCHIEK SARGENT ’39 of Fairfax, Virginia, died Nov. 6, 2016.

At Ripon, she studied biology and was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She initially worked as a copywriter for advertising, but after World War II broke out, she joined the Red Cross and she took care of injured soldiers in India. She said her service was a necessary part of life and felt everyone owed a “kind of rent” for living in the world. While riding back on a truck from India, she fell off and was temporarily paralyzed. While recovering in a Red Cross hospital, she met Benjamin Sargent. They got married in 1948 and moved to Waukesha, Wisconsin.

In 1962, they entered the United States Foreign Service. She lived in India, Ghana, Afghanistan, Bolivia, Honduras, Somalia and Pakistan.

MARIE ROGNE LACY ’40 of Rochester, Minnesota, died Feb. 19, 2013. At Ripon, she studied history and psychology and was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority.

She married VILAS “CHUCK” LACY ’40, and lived with him on several military bases throughout the United States and Germany. She received her master’s degree in social work and a Ph.D. in guidance and counseling at Colorado State University. She was a social worker until retiring in 1989. She was a member of the Rocky Mountain Region Soroptimist International, serving as governor from 1988-90; the Colorado Springs Assistance League; the Colorado Springs Bridge Center; and a Silver Life Master of the American Contract Bridge League. She and her husband were on the planning board of the Youth Citizenship Awards for middle school students.

VILAS “CHUCK” LACY ’40 of Rochester, Minnesota, died in April 2012. He attended Ripon on a football scholarship and was a physical education major. He attended the Wayne State University master’s degree program and earned a doctorate in education from Nova University. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and after the war served in Special Services.

He was awarded many honors

62

Connections

for service both during and after the war. His winning basketball teams toured Egypt, France and Germany; his Berlin Bears football team was USSAR champion. In 1964, he retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel. He then was athletic director at several colleges and high schools. In 1978, he was selected as the liaison between the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the United States Air Force Academy for the first National Sports Festival in 1978. He was director of administrative services of the USOC and organized the Colorado State Games. He served in many community endeavors, was a member of the American Contract Bridge League and a lifetime Master.

He was married to MARIE ROGNE LACY ’40, who died in 2017.

EUGENE “GENE” ZEPP ’42 of Grass Valley, California, died June 17, 2017. At Ripon, he studied business managment and was a member of the Phi Kappa Pi fraternity. He was a pilot with the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War. He joined General Motors Corp. as a pilot and worked his way up to director of General Motors Air Transport. He retired in 1978. He was active in the community. With more than 18,000 flight hours, he was an accomplished pilot who made significant contributions and received multiple honors related to aviation.He was elected to the Aviation Hall of Fame in 1965. He received a National Business Aircraft Association Million Mile Safety Award and was one of a very limited number of Naval aviators elected to the Navy Golden Eagles.

DONALD BUTEYN ’46 of Holland, Michigan, died Nov. 30, 2015.

At Ripon, he was a double major in history and English and was a member of the Theta Sigma Tau fraternity before finishing his degree at Hope College. He later received his Bachelor’s of Divinity at Western Theological Seminary and a doctorate of divinity at Whitworth College in 1974. Survivors include his wife, Suzanne Rich, 1303 Timber Crossing, Holland, MI 49424; three sons and three daughters.

ARTHUR “ART” LUEPTOW ’46 of Oakwood, Georgia, died April 14, 2017. At Ripon, he studied chemistry and was a member of the Phi Kappa Pi fraternity before completing his degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also received his master’s degree there. He was a proud veteran of World War II, where he served as a fifth grade technician in the 104th Infantry Division known as the Timberwolves.

He married DOROTHY “DOTY” STIEHR LUEPTOW ’49 who died in 2015. He enjoyed golf, fishing and working on handyman projects around the family cottage on Lake Lanier. Survivors include one son and three daughters.

ELEANOR HUELSMAN STEWART ’35

MARY SCHIEK SARGENT ’39

MARIE ROGNE LACY ’40 and VILAS “CHUCK” LACY ’40

EUGENE “GENE” ZEPP ’42

DONALD BUTEYN ’46

ARTHUR “ART” LUEPTOW ’46

VIRGINIA ROCK CRAWFORD ’46 of Washington, D.C., died May 1, 2016. She studied at Ripon for a short time before finishing her degree at the University of Wisconsin. She worked as a researcher for Encyclopedia Britannica. She and her husband moved to Alexandria, Virginia, in 1956, where Morris joined the Foreign Service. As the wife of a diplomat, she raised two daughters while her husband served in Bangkok, Thailand, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Ankara, Turkey. After moving back to the Washington, D.C., area in 1976, she helped found Studio Theatre, where she served as associate managing director for 13 years.

Survivors include two daughters.

SHIRLEY THACKRAY NORTON ’46 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, died April 8, 2017. At Ripon, she studied psychology and sociology.

She received her master’s degree in psychology from Ohio State University. She worked as a resident counselor at Indiana University and a head resident at the University of Illinois. She and her husband, Richard W. Norton, lived in Virginia, Illinois and Minnesota. Survivors include one son, JOEL DUNSTAN ROBERT NORTON ’85; two daughters; and a niece, REBECCA CALDWELL ’71.

JACK SNEESBY ’47 of Denver, Colorado, died Aug. 15, 2017. At Ripon, he studied biology and was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Marquette University in 1953. He served during World War II as an infantryman with the 26th (Yankee) Division. He was captured by the German Army and escaped from prison camp when the Russians were approaching and returned to U.S. forces as they were coming through Germany. He earned a Bronze Star. He had a dental practice in Menomonie for 30 years and was active in the community.

He was awarded the Silver Beaver award for his many contributions to Scouting. After retiring from dentistry, he taught and supervised dental students at Marquette University for another 25 years until he was 90. Survivors include four sons and one niece, TRACY CHRISTOFFERSEN WEMYSS ’95.

MARGARET “MARGY” PODRATZ AMTHOR ’48 of Watertown, Wisconsin, died March 8, 2017.

At Ripon, she studied French and Spanish and was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority. She married FRED AMTHOR JR. ’48 and they moved to Watertown where he was a high school teacher. She later became a preschool teacher, za Brownie and Girl Scout leader and a Cub Scout den mother. She was an expert seamstress and knitter. She belonged to the Watertown Hospital Auxiliary, Rock River AARP and Christ United Methodist Church. She enjoyed jigsaw puzzle parties, Wii bowling, exercise classes and potluck meals. Survivors include one son and one daughter.

MARGARET “PEG” OLSON GORSUCH ’48 of Cambria, Wisconsin, died April 13, 2017.

At Ripon, she studied biology and sociology and was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority. She worked at Cambria High School for 25 years until her retirement. Through the years, she furthered her education in library science. She was a devoted member of the First Presbyterian Church of Cambria where she sang alto in the church choir. She enjoyed antiquing and spending time with her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. Survivors include two daughters.

LEWIS WALLACE ’48 of Cary, North Carolina, died March 15, 2017.

He studied at Ripon for a short time before finishing his degree at Bard College and Kennedy Western University. He was retired from IBM in Charlotte, North Carolina, but spent the bulk of his career at IBM in Kingston, New York, as a Certified Professional Engineer. He was a Scoutmaster for many years.

He enjoyed exploring nature with his family throughout the United States and Canada, taking trips to Germany and Scotland, and writing several children’s books about fantasy stores based on the Carolina coast.

He was a member of his church council member and Luther League for many years, and a veteran of World War II. Survivors include his wife, GERALDINE “JERRI” KONKLE WALLACE ’46, 109 Glenrose Lane, Cary, NC 25711; and two daughters.

WILLARD DHEIN ’49 of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, died April 3, 2017. He served in the U.S. Army 4th Division during World War II, earning several honors. He then attended Ripon for a short time and met his wife of 66 years, ANNETTE SOLWAY DHEIN ’46.

He worked for First National Bank in West Bend for 34 years, retiring as vice president of M&I Bank (formally First National Bank). The couple built a house next to her childhood home in Sturgeon Bay. He enjoyed exploring the country on long road trips, and volunteering at Miller Art Museum in Sturgeon Bay. Survivors include his wife, ANNETTE SOLWAY DHEIN ’46, 4055 Bay Shore Drive, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54234; one son and two daughters.

DOROTHY “DOTY” STIEHR

SHIRLEY THACKRAY NORTON ’46

JACK SNEESBY ’47

MARGARET “MARGY” PODRATZ AMTHOR ’48

MARGARET “PEG” OLSON GORSUCH ’48

LEWIS WALLACE ’48

WILLARD DHEIN ’49

Fall 2017 63

In Memoriam LUEPTOW ’49 of Oakwood, Georgia, died March 20, 2015. At Ripon, she was undecided in her studies and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She married ARTHUR “ART” LUEPTOW ’46. Survivors include three daughters, one son and nieces, including ANNE LUEPTOW TUCKER ’77, MARY LUEPTOW ROHDE ’73, MICHELE MARIE LUEPTOW ’76 and CATHERINE L. LUEPTOW ’83.

ANDREW SPHEERIS ’49 of Sedona, Arizona, died July 24, 2016. At Ripon, he studied English and was a member of the Theta Sigma Tau fraternity. After Ripon, he co-founded Milwaukee’s largest privately owned sporting goods store with his brother PAUL SPHEERIS ’52. After retiring, he contributed years to humanitarian work in rural Mexico and worked at charities throughout Sedona. From the age of 84 to 89, he taught Ancient Greek history, World War II history and other subjects at Sedona’s Yavapai College. Survivors include his wife, Nancy Spheeris, 225 Sierra Road, Sedona, AZ 86336; and two sons.

THOMAS “TOM” HARTNETT ’50 of Waukesha, Wisconsin, died March 24, 2017. After World War II, he attended Ripon College, studied economics and was a member of the Phi Kappa Pi fraternity. He was vice president of personnel with Milwaukee Insurance for more than 25 years. He was an active member of St. John Vianney Parish, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and the Nagawaukee Golf Course Men’s Club. He enjoyed spending time with family, sports, couples bridge club, traveling with his wife, Bunny, and summer vacations at Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin. Survivors include four sons and four daughters.

PATRICIA “PAT” SCHERIN TREMPER ’50 of Fort Wayne, Indiana, died March 9, 2017. At Ripon, she studied biology and was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She went on to get a degree in medical technology at Northwestern University in 1951.

She married BARRIE TREMPER ’49.

In Fort Wayne, she was involved in numerous clubs and activities.

She was a lifelong Cubs fan and was thrilled when the Cubs won the World Series in 2016. Survivors include three daughters.

HANNAH FRANKENSTEIN ZACHER ’51 of Naples, Florida, died Feb. 22, 2017. At Ripon, she double majored in philosophy and psychology. She earned her master’s degree in social work from Columbia University in 1955. She was a social worker at Family & Children’s Service; created Elder Peer Counseling, a volunteer program to assist seniors; had a private practice in geriatric social work and was a volunteer social worker with Catholic Charities. She was active in several community groups, League of Women Voters,

64

Connections

Red Cross, United Way and others.

She enjoyed traveling, gardening, swimming, playing bridge and her investment club. Survivors include her husband, Alfred Zacher, 7654 Pebble Creek Circle, #303, Naples, FL 34108; one son and one daughter.

ROBERT “BOB” LAMBERT ’52 of Dallas, Texas, died Sept. 12, 2017.

At Ripon, he studied economics and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He earned his master’s degree in business from Harvard University in 1956. He began his business career in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was promoted and relocated several times, finally settling in Dallas, Texas, in 1973. There, he continued his career as an executive with aviation services companies, including Cooper Industries, Cooper Airmotive, Aviall and Ryder Systems, until retiring in 1996. His philanthropic and social activities were many, including 30 years on the Ripon College Board of Trustees and eight years as its chair. He received the Ripon College Medal of Merit in 2005. Survivors include two sons, one daughter and his sister, SUZANNE LAMBERT MARVIN ’53.

DOROTHY “DOTY” STIEHR LUEPTOW ’49

ANDREW SPHEERIS ’49

PHILIP IRVING CONANT LIVINGSTON ’54 of Monterey, California, died July 5, 2017. At Ripon, he studied the classics and was a member of the Theta Chi fraternity. He graduated from Nashotah House Seminary with a degree in theology in 1957.

Survivors include his wife, Kateri Picou Livingston, 17 Linda Vista Drive, Monterey, CA 93940; and one son.

THOMAS “TOM” HARTNETT ’50

MYRON PETERSON ’54 of La Crosse, Wisconsin, died Feb. 28, 2017. At Ripon, he was undecided in his field of study. He was proud to be a member of the 1950 Aquinas Blugold State Championship Basketball Team.

He served our country in the U.S. Air Force and was a member of the Roy L. Vinger’s American Legion Post 52 for more than 50 years. He was a huge Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers fan. Survivors include one brother.

PATRICIA “PAT” SCHERIN TREMPER ’50

DAVID RUNKEL ’54 of Palm Beach

ROBERT “BOB” LAMBERT ’52

PHILIP IRVING CONANT LIVINGSTON ’54

Gardens, Florida, died Aug. 24, 2017. He attended Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana, before coming to Ripon. At Ripon, he studied economics and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity.

After Ripon, he served as an infantry pilot in Fort Gordon, Georgia. He retired in 1993 as vice president of marketing for Community Federal Savings. Survivors include two nieces, JUDITH ANDERSON O’CONNOR ’73 and JUDY COX ANDERSON ’67. His wife, JOAN SAMPSON RUNKEL ’55, died May 26, 2017.

ALFRED FISCHER ’55 of Marana, Arizona, died Dec. 5, 2016. At Ripon, he studied psychology and German and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Survivors include his wife, Joan Sieger Fischer, 12866 North High Hawk Drive, Marana, AZ 85653; and two sons.

JOAN SAMPSON RUNKEL ’55 of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, died May 26, 2017. At Ripon, she studied physical education and biology and was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority. She married DAVID “DAVE” RUNKEL ’54. She then studied at Northwest Institutes of Medical Technology for her degree as a laboratory and X-ray technician.

She followed that profession through her husband’s military obligations, moving to Florida in 1958 for more medical technician work. She was an active docent at the Flagler Museum, serving at one time as an interim curator. She was an avid golfer locally and statewide. Survivors include two nieces, JUDITH ANDERSON O’CONNOR ’73 and JUDY COX ANDERSON ’67.

CLAUD THOMPSON ’55 of Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada, died July 3, 2017. At Ripon, he majored in English and was a part of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He earned his master’s degree in English from Columbia University in 1960, a degree in theology in 1964 and then his Ph.D. in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1971. In addition to his serving as a priest, he also taught at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. He retired in 1998 to Nanaimo. He was a hospice volunteer and chaplain for many years. Survivors include his wife, Phyllis Kuhn Thompson, 5030 Vista View Crescent, Nanaimo, BC V9V1L6; and one son.

JAMES PRICE ’57 of Palo Alto,

California, died Feb. 8, 2017.

At Ripon, studied English and psychology and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He earned a Juris Doctorate from Golden Gate University in 1967 and was employed at Lockhead Martin Space Systems as a senior subcontracts administrator. Survivors include wife, Carolyn Price, 158 Walter Hays Drive, Palo Alto, CA 94303; one son and two daughters.

DAVID RUNKEL ’54

LOWELL WEBER ’57 of Denver, Colorado, died March 10, 2017. At Ripon, he studied economics and was a member of the Theta Chi fraternity. He devoted his life to higher education with a successful career in development for Hamline University and the University of Minnesota Medical Foundation.

Survivors include three daughters.

ALFRED FISCHER ’55

JOAN SAMPSON RUNKEL ’55

CLAUD THOMPSON ’55

JAMES PRICE ’57

LOWELL WEBER ’57

Fall 2017 65

In Memoriam DONALD DOMENCICH ’58 of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, died June 27, 2017. At Ripon, he studied chemistry and was a member of Phi Kappa Pi and ROTC. After he served his country in the U.S. Army, he did graduate work at Purdue University.

He taught chemistry at Rufus King High School in Milwaukee and also worked as a chemist for the Department of Natural Resources.

He was a proud president of the American Chemical Society. He retired to Door County in 2000, where he enjoyed bowling, doing crossword puzzles and volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club of Sturgeon Bay. He also loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. Survivors include one son, one daughter and nephew JAMES DOMENCICH ’07.

JOHN COOLEY ’59 of Waterloo, Wisconsin, died March 23, 2017.

At Ripon, he studied English and was a member of Theta Sigma Tau. After Ripon, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a law degree. He was a sales representative for Diamond Carpet Mills and a veteran, having served in the U.S. Air Force. He was a member of the Lake Mills Country Club and volunteered at the Lake Mills American Legion Post No. 67.

He enjoyed golfing and, in earlier years, boating and sailing. Survivors include his wife, Mary, 5118 S Main St., Apt. 20, Cedar Falls, IA 50613; and one daughter.

TERENCE LADWIG ’59 of Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, died March 19, 2017. At Ripon, he studied various subjects and was a member of the Lambda Delta Alpha fraternity. He served in the U.S. Air Force and then enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in electrical engineering. He worked as a television broadcast engineer at WKOW­-TV in Madison for 28 years, and served as union steward of his IBEW Local 715 until his retirement in 1994. He enjoyed “tinkering,” amateur radio, model trains, all things World War II, his large library of fiction and history books and movies, growing vegetables in two large gardens, and cooking on his Weber grill. Survivors include his wife, Helen, 1985 E. Blue Mound Road, Mount Horeb, WI 53572; and three daughters.

DAVID JENNINGS ’60 of Wales, Wisconsin, died June 29, 2017. At Ripon, he studied history and was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He served in the U.S. Army as a captain. He had a successful career in the insurance industry, became a CPCU educator and retired from Chrysler Insurance in 2000.

He loved hunting, fishing, golfing, tennis, baseball, softball, soccer, football, Indy racing and skiing. He was an avid fan of Kettle Moraine athletics and spent many years as an umpire for softball leagues in Wales.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara, 422 Gower Bae, Wales, WI 53183; one son and one daughter.

MICHAEL REESE ’65 of Appleton, Wisconsin, died May 29, 2017. At Ripon, he studied economics and was a member of the Phi Kappa Pi fraternity. He was an incredible supporter and representative of Ripon College. He served on the Board of Trustees since 1987 and received the Distinguished Alumni Citation in 2000. He retired from Pierce Manufacturing as president and CEO in 1999. He also had served on the boards of the Green Bay Packers and The Business Bank in Appleton, and contributed significantly toward the development of the Timber Rattlers’ stadium in Appleton. Survivors include his wife, Kaye, 1108 East Overland Road, Appleton, WI 54911; one son, BRET REESE ’92; and one daughter.

ROBERT UEHLING ’70 of Monterey, California, died May 15, 2017.

At Ripon, he studied history and economics and was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity and ROTC. He served his country at a Nike Hercules Base in Anchorage, Alaska, then earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of South Carolina in 1977 and a master’s degree in accounting in 1978. He was a tax attorney for West Marine Co. and Granite Construction Inc. in Watsonville. He enjoyed golfing, coaching Little League basketball, running marathons and following the Wisconsin Badgers, Gamecocks, Green Bay Packers, 49ers and San Francisco Giants. He served as a class agent for Ripon College for two years. Survivors include his wife, Kitty Nevin Uehling, 1261 Seventh St., Monterey, CA 93940; two sons and one daughter.

DONALD DOMENCICH ’58

JOHN COOLEY ’59

TERENCE LADWIG ’59

DAVID JENNINGS ’60

MICHAEL REESE ’65

ROBERT UEHLING ’70

66

Connections

NANCY DUWEL KIRBY ’71 of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, died May 25, 2017. At Ripon, she studied history and was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She was an elementary school teacher in Oak Creek and worked in sales at Dunn & Bradstreet in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. In 1988, while living in Glastonbury, Connecticut, she and her husband began The Kirby Group, a management consulting business.

She enjoyed vacationing with her husband, family and friends in warm sunny places, volunteering for her church, and visiting family and friends. Survivors include her husband, Norman W. Kirby, 560 Foxtail Drive, Pewaukee, WI 53072; one stepson and three stepdaughters, including KELLY JO KIRBY ’86.

ROGER KAVALER ’73 of San Bruno, California, died March 13, 2017.

At Ripon, he studied English. He received his master’s degree in English from San Francisco State University. He taught English literature and language in both middle and high schools. He recently retired. He loved loved sports and had an encyclopedic knowledge of baseball. He also enjoyed old movies and traveling to places such as the Philippines, Thailand, Bali, Mexico and Europe.

Survivors include one sister.

ADAIN BUMBY ’76 of Grafton, Wisconsin, died Sept. 8, 2017.

At Ripon, he studied economics and was a part of the Theta Sigma Tau fraternity. He loved working in the “wood business” for many years, living and working in the Twin Cities, West Bend, Wisconsin, and Sylvania, Georgia. He was a member of Congregational Church in Fox Point, Wisconsin.

He enjoyed horseback riding, his dogs and working with his hands at landscaping. His mother and father were Ripon College alumni – ADAIN BUMBY ’48 and MARY REICHER BUMBY ’49. Survivors include one daughter; and an aunt, MARY JANE BUMBY ’52.

JANICE NORIMOTO ’77 of Menlo Park, California, died Dec. 19, 2016.

During her short time at Ripon, she studied psychology and educational studies and was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority where she earned the nickname “Spunky.” She worked in the foodservice industry and lived in many parts of the country.

She enjoyed visiting her friends throughout the United States and traveling abroad to discover new places. Paris was her favorite city to visit because of her love of Parisian culture and French cuisine. Survivors include one brother.

CYRIL DADDIEH ’78 of Hamilton, Ohio, died April 8, 2017. At Ripon, he double majored in French and politics & government and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa fraternity. He received a master’s degree in international affairs from Carleton University in 1979 and a Ph.D. in international affairs from Dalhousie University in 1984. He was a professor and director of Black World Studies at Miami University Oxford. Survivors include his wife, Vickie Daddieh, 4571 Randall Drive Hamilton, OH 45011; one son and two daughters.

EDWARD ZIMMERMAN ’79 of Wheaton, Illinois, died Dec. 31, 2016. At Ripon, he studied economics. He received a degree in hospital administration from Rush University in 1985 and a master’s degree in business administration from Indiana University Northwest.

He dedicated his career to the health and well-being of children, working passionately for 26 years at the American Academy of Pediatrics, including Director of Practice. He also had worked for the American Hospital Association.

He loved cats, books and dressing sharply. Survivors include his partner, Jim Provines, 401 Mozart Court, Wheaton, IL 60187; and three brothers, including ROBERT ZIMMERMAN ’70.

MARK GREENE ’80 of Cheyenne, Wyoming, died June 21, 2017.

At Ripon, he studied history and politics & government and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa fraternity. He earned a master’s degree in American history from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. He was a college archivist for Carleton College from 198589, curator of manuscripts for the Minnesota Historical Society from 1989-2000, head of Research Center Programs at Henry Ford from 200002, and director of the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming from 2002 until 2015.

He served as president for both the Society of American Archivists and the Midwest Archives Council. In 2015, he received the Distinguished Alumni Citation from Ripon College.

Survivors include his wife, Kathy, 707 Peach St., Cheyenne, WY 82007.

NANCY DUWEL KIRBY ’71

ROGER KAVALER ’73

ADAIN BUMBY ’76

CYRIL DADDIEH ’78

EDWARD ZIMMERMAN ’79

MARK GREENE ’80

Fall 2017 67

In Memoriam JEFFREY WILCOX ’86 of Cleveland, Ohio, died April 26, 2017. At Ripon, he studied politics and government, was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and played football. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Akron in 1991. He practiced law in Lakewood, Ohio. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved to hunt, fish and play golf.

Survivors include his parents, including JON WILCOX ’58.

LISA INDERMUEHLE BOHOVSKY ’91 of Hartford, Wisconsin, died Aug. 27, 2017. At Ripon, she majored in mathematics, minored in computer science and continued her interest in music, tennis and Circle K Club. She worked in the Milwaukee area as a data analyst in the healthcare claim processing field. Her last employer was Virtual Benefits Administrator in Germantown. They recently presented her with an award of excellence. That award will be presented in her name to future employees. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, where she was active on the Administrative Council, in Women’s Circle, the handbell choir, Sunday School and the Family Promise program. She enjoyed walking with her dog, biking, kayaking and traveling. Survivors include her husband, David, 739 Morgan Drive, Hartford, WI 53027; one stepson and one stepdaughter.

FACULTY, STAFF AND INSTITUTIONAL FRIENDS MARY HOWE ATLEE BRANDT of Chicago, Illinois, died Oct. 23, 2017.

She was the wife of William R. Brandt, a former librarian at the College, who died in 1989. In 2000, Mary was honored as the recipient of the Ripon College Founders’ Day Award in 2000.

She graduated from Wellesley College in 1941 and entered the inaugural class of the registered occupational therapy program of Columbia University in New York. She worked at New York Orthopaedic Hospital. In Ripon, she was director of restorative services for Park View Health Center from 1971 until her retirement in 1984. She was a founder of the Ripon Community Art Center, a volunteer curator at the Ripon Historical Society, member of the local Planning Commission, a member of Prairie Lakes Unitarian Fellowship, and an activist for social justice. She enjoyed weaving, opera, running a family apple orchard, walking trails and observing nature. Survivors include three daughters.

JEAN SCHLAACK KEITH of Ripon, Wisconsin, died Sept. 14, 2017. At Ripon, she was the executive secretary to the president of Ripon College and later administrative assistant, serving under presidents Fred Pinkham, Bernard Adams and William Stott. She retired in September 1987 after 31 years. She was a member of Mount Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ripon Science Club, Ripon Historical Society, Wisconsin Historical Society, Ripon College Retirees, 25 year Professional Secretaries International and AARP, and was a charter member of the National World War II Memorial.

68

Connections

AUDREY REICHERT LYKE of Ripon, Wisconsin, died Aug. 23, 2017. She served on the Ripon College Board of Trustees from 1988 to 2007, and received an honorary degree in 2001.

She and her husband, Doug Lyke, moved to Ripon in 1962 to own and operate Ripon Commonwealth Press and also Ripon Printers. Audrey Lyke handled the company’s bookkeeping, finances and other operations. She also JEFFREY WILCOX ’86 was active in church and community events and organizations and was a strong philanthropic supporter. In 1992, she founded, named and led a new community weekend event that endures today, Dickens of a Christmas.

In addition, she served as the first female director of a Ripon bank, serving on the board of Valley First National Bank in 1975 and later, Valley Trust Co. With the merger of Valley Bancorp and M&I Corp., Lyke joined the board of M&I Central State Bank. She also was MARY HOWE ATLEE BRANDT a founding member of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation. In Ripon, Lyke chaired Girl Scout cookie sales; co-chaired the successful Ripon Medical Center (RMC) expansion in 1995; served on the RMC board; was moderator and Sunday School superintendent of First Congregational Church of Ripon; and was a member of PEO, Educational Club, Ripon Hospital Auxiliary and BZ’s. Survivors include two sons and two daughters.

JEAN SCHLAACK KEITH HARRIET STORZER of Ripon, Wisconsin, died July 20, 2017. She was the wife of John McClain Storzer, a former Ripon College coach and athletic director. She graduated from Pulaski High School in Pulaski, Wisconsin, and attended the University of Wisconsin. She served a medical technology Internship at Milwaukee County Hospital and was employed in hospitals and clinics in Madison, Green Bay, Ripon and Oshkosh. She also served in the Peace Corps in Beni AUDREY REICHERT LYKE Mellal, Morocco from 1989 to 1991.

Her husband, who died in 1973, started at Ripon College in 1957 as assistant football coach and head baseball coach, and a year later became the head football coach. He became the athletic director in 1968. He was inducted into the Ripon College Athletic Hall of Fame posthumously in 1981. Survivors include her son, TOBIN JOHN STORZER ’82.

LOIS MARIE WEISKE of Ripon, Wisconsin, died Oct. 20, 2017. She HARRIET STORZER was the wife of KERMIT “DOC” WEISKE ’50, a former basketball player and coach for Ripon College.

In Ripon, she was a member of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, a past member of the Ripon Women’s Club and the Study Club. She presented and discussed Impressionism paintings to students in elementary schools and also taught water color painting to the Accelerated Art Students in high school.

She enjoyed watercolor painting and golf. Among her survivors are four LOIS MARIE WEISKE children, including JAYNE WEISKE ’76 and STEVEN WEISKE ’78. The new Willmore Center features the Kermit “Doc” Weiske ’50 Gymnasium, named in her husband’s honor.

Fun for the Whole Family ALUMNI WEEKEND AND CLASS REUNIONS

JUNE 21-24, 2018 RIPON.EDU/ALUMNI-WEEKEND

Fall 2017 69

70

Printed sustainably, with respect for the environment.

WEB: ripon.edu/update-contact-info

EMAIL: alumni@ripon.edu

PHONE: 920-748-8126

Contact your Class Agent or the Office of Constituent Engagement

SEND IN YOUR NEWS FOR THE SPRING 2018 EDITION!

Connections

300 West Seward Street Ripon, WI 54971

Office of Constituent Engagement