Class of 1958

 

April 2007

 

Dear ’58ers,

 

It’s wonderful that spring might actually have arrived in the northland.  Classmates like BOB PETERSON returned from Florida just in time for January-type weather and a snowstorm in the middle of April.  I read today that if the Twins have their new outdoor stadium, five of the first six home games would have been postponed.  Yuk!

 

Thanks to BILL BINGER for an article in the Lakeshore Weekly News about BUD BOBERG.  Bud, who is lay pastor for outreach at Ridgewood Church in Minnetonka, was featured in the newspaper article about his volunteering as a chaplain with the Minnetonka Police Department.  Minnetonka is one of the first communities in Minnesota to have such a program to assist both police and families in crisis situations.

 

STEVE and ARLENE HILDING have two grandsons in their first year at Gustavus:  Benjamin, the son of Jonathan ’84 and Juli Hilding, and Derek, the son of Karen and Gregory Hilding ’81.  The Gustavus news office provided me with more information on the death of MARLENE GASTLER PETERSEN last August.  Marlene had been active as a social worker, a day care coordinator and director of the Elbow Lake Senior Nutrition program.  Her husband, Pastor Paul Petersen ’59, preceded her in death.

 

My sympathy to MARDY DAHLQUIST SOTEBEER on the passing of her husband, BOB ’57, on March 29th.  Bob was employed by 3M, Control Data and the Eden Prairie school system.  He loved to sing and was a lifelong member of S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A.

 

The Gustavus news office also supplied stories from at least three Minnesota newspapers on the retirement of DR. LEROY MUELLER from the Hendricks Community Hospital and Clinic.  LEROY interned at Bethesda Lutheran Hospital after completing medical school and then spent 43.5 years in Hendricks.  He was selected Family Physician of the Year by the Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians in 2000.  GLORIA SAFFEL MUELLER ’63 is also a Gustie graduate, as are three of their children, BRIAN ’87, LISA ’88 and LAURA ’92.

 

The spring edition of the Gustavus Quarterly not only included another wonderful photo by ANDERS BJORLING of the Gustavus hillside in the spring, but also featured a story on the journey ANDERS and Professor Roland Thorstensson made last summer to Swedish Lappland and northern Norway.  They will be presenting a multi-media presentation on their travels on April 24, the evening before the Linnaeus Symposium on campus.

 

Thanks to the following classmates for their recent contribution to the GUSTAVUS ALUMNI FUND:

 

Bob Baugh, Russ Braun, Bob Brolin, Chuck Busch, Carole Lambert Cameron, Kay Jacobson Carlson, Jerry Hesser, Steve Hilding, Meryl Nelson Jessen, Linda Eckblad Knochenmus, James Mc Pherson, Marjorie McKay Miller, Kenneth Nelson, Susan Elam O’Connor, Donald Olson, Martha Telleen Peterson, Nancy Johnson Peterson, Bob Peterson, Sonya Berg Pitt, Robbie Robinson, Roger Roettger, Owen Sammelson and Carolyn Lund Sandvig.

 

There is still plenty of time before the Fund deadline on May 31. I will soon be sending out my reminders, either by e-mail, regular mail or maybe even a phone call!  There are many worthy programs and places for your gifts to Gustavus ranging from scholarships, to the football stadium, Old Main renovation, Christ Chapel endowment, The Linneaus arboretum, Gustavus Library Associates.

 

I hope the rest of you will join those who have sent their contribution!

 

CAMPUS NEWS

Alumni Awards Announced

The Alumni Association announces the following 2007 awards selected by the Alumni Board of Directors.  Greater Gustavus Award – Given to those who, by deed, have notably advanced and aided Gustavus Adolphus College:  Russ and Jan (Ledin) Michaletz ’74 ’74

 

Distinguished Alumni Citations – Recognizes outstanding and exceptional professional achievement

Paul Peterson ’94, principal, St. Peter High School, Minnesota State High School Principal of the Year.

Margaret Anderson Kelliher ’90, house speaker, Minnesota House of Representatives.

 

First Decade Awards – Recognizes early professional achievement

Jennifer Pleuss Spande ’97, diplomat, Political and Economic Section, U.S. Embassy, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Alexander Hill ’97, senior scientist, Medtronic, Inc.

 

The Greater Gustavus Award and Distinguished Alumni Citations will be presented at the Alumni Banquet on Saturday, May 26, and the First Decade Awards will be presented during Homecoming Weekend, October 13.

 

 

Linnaeus Symposium Celebrates Birth of Carl Linnaeus

In celebration of the 300th anniversary of the birth of Carl Linnaeus, Gustavus will host its second Linnaeus Symposium, Linnaeus @ 300, on Wednesday, April 25, 2007. The daylong conference will feature presentations by ethnobotanists Mark Plotkin and Paul Alan Cox, and Linnaean scholars Hans Odoo and Paula Robbins. The day will also include tours of Linnaeus Arboretum, a special photography exhibition by Anders Bjorling, music, dance, and a Scandinavian feast. Visit <gustavus.edu/arboretum/> or call 507/933-6181 to learn more.    

 

 

“Community Food Security” is Theme of MAYDAY! Peace Conference

"Community Food Security" is the theme for this year's Gustavus MAYDAY! Peace Conference, to be held on May 2.  This is an annual conference, devoted to a topic relating to human rights and social justice.  Among other events, the daylong conference will feature presentations from author Janet Poppendieck, who wrote Sweet Charity?: Emergency Food and the End of Entitlement, and Mike Hamm, Ph.D., chair of sustainable agriculture at Michigan State University.  For more information call the Office of College Relations at 507/933-7520.

 

Gustavus Choir Reunion to Celebrate 75 Years

Alumni and friends of the Gustavus Choir are welcome to attend a reunion on Saturday, May 5.  The day will include an alumni choir rehearsal, a banquet for past and current members of the choir, and a full concert with both the alumni choir and the Gustavus Choir.  For more information, contact the Office of Fine Arts Programs at 507/933-7013.

 

Celebrating 75 Years of Theatre at Gustavus

The Department of Theatre and Dance celebrates 75 years of theatre at Gustavus with a reunion on May 11 and 12.  Highlights of the weekend will include an afternoon program sharing memories and monologs from the past 75 years and viewing the performance of The Tempest in Anderson Theatre.  For more information and to register, go to the theatre reunion section of the Alumni website at <gustavus.edu/alumni> or call the Alumni Office at 800/487-8437.

 

Upcoming Alumni Events

Linnaeus Symposium - April 25

Gustavus Association of Congregations – April 28

MAYDAY! Peace Conference: Community Food Security - May 2

Celebrating 75 years of the Gustavus Choir - May 5

Lindau Symposium – May 8
Celebrating 75 years of Theatre Reunion  - May 11-12

Class of 1962 - 45th Anniversary Reunion – May 25 & 26

Class of 1957 - 50th Anniversary Reunion – May 25 & 26

50 Year Club Reunion – May 26

 

Remember, May 30 and 31 of 2008 will the celebration of our 50th year!

 

Enclosed with this letter is an invitation to the LINDAU SYMPOSIUM on Tuesday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m. in Alumni Hall.  PHIL and NANCY LINDAU endowed an annual symposium to provide a forum in which diverse intellectual voices and mainstream beliefs and values might be brought together.  The first topic will be on “Religion in American Public Life.”  The May 8 Lindau Symposium will be webcast (live video and audio) online at:
gustavus.edu/events/lindau

 

I hope to hear from you!

 

Cheers!

Owen Sammelson

1958 Class Agent