Class of 1968
October
2005
’68
Gusties!
Greetings! Hope this letter finds you all in good
health and enjoying life to it’s fullest.
As for us we are enjoying good health and life is good although time is
passing way too fast as we get older.
Lot of times it seems like we are hard pressed to get everything done
with the time allotted but that does add lots of excitement to our lives.
This year
our lives were filled with lots of adventures, travel, attending weddings,
going to “the lake,” catching R & R in our warm hideaway, working at the
floral shop and generally just trying to keep it all going in the right
direction. There must be many stories
to tell and we’d love to hear from you so we could share them with the class,
so feel free to email us at:
(klmoorhead@aol.com) or Paula Navarro at: afton.alps@juno.com any time.
This summer we attended two weddings of classmates’ daughters giving us
the opportunity to be part of two wonderful ceremonies and being able to join
some Gustie classmates.
The first
one was in July at the wedding of Rick and Ann (Dovenberg ’70) Zweig’s
daughter, Keri, out at the Minnesota Arboretum and it was a beautiful day
although it might have been the hottest days of the summer. Ron Witter and his friend, Wendy,
were also there and a good time was had by all. This fall we traveled to Detroit Lakes for the wedding of Ann
Edwards, the daughter of Connie Bohn Edwards. Connie’s brothers, Tom ’63 and Bob ’66 and Mary Beth Anderson
Bohn were there and it was great fun catching up. Mary Beth was kind enough to tell me that she really enjoyed the
class letter that we write and we really appreciated the comment. Ann’s wedding wasn’t the first for Connie
this year as her son, Peter ’98, got married in July and her other daughter,
Katie ’96, will be married next summer.
We saw Barbie Gray Wenschlag in Detroit Lakes and she is in the
midst of building her new home on the Pines Golf Course. Barbie is now retired from teaching but
continues to sub when it doesn’t interfere with playing golf.
Valerie
Jungck Sanders
retired this spring from the San Diego Fire Department after 24 years―she
left the department as battalion chief.
Val and her husband, Bill, also moved from Spring Valley, CA to Emory,
TX where Val will pursue her passion for watercolor painting. She is working on a web site, “Artistic
Adventures.” They will also be doing
some bass fishing as their new home is on a lake.
Liz
Logan Sulik has
retired from her position as executive director of the Rockaway Chamber of Commerce
in New York. Now she has taken a
position as director of external affairs and marketing at Peninsula Hospital
Center, Far Rockaway, NY.
The Niemis,
Jack and Ruth (Johns ’69), are leaving Minnesota for California to be
closer to their sons who are ministers in Northern California. They can afford this because, as Jack puts
it, “they have started an open-ended sabbatical” rather than retire although
Jack has left his position at Gustavus, as most of you already know.
Donna
Widstrom Dunn
received an award this spring as she was selected to receive a Classic Lake
Conference Achievement award for female Distinguished Alumni from Robbinsdale
High School. Donna is director of the
Sexual Violence Justice Institute and associate director of the Minnesota Coalition
Against Sexual Assault.
After 26
years of teaching at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Angie Kuper
Christmann has retired. Angie tells
us that she is having a hard time adjusting to not having a schedule after all
these years but something tells us that this won’t last long. This summer she and her husband, Jim, spent
time in Alaska, fishing and Angie escaped to their Tahoe retreat resting and
sleeping under the stars! Speaking of
Tahoe there is a group of 60-somethings getting ready to go to Tahoe next
summer to celebrate the BIG 60 (birthday don’t we all know now) and continue
their long standing Gustie connections.
The list includes Paula Navarro, Kris Lundberg Moorhead, Liz
Vinz Keller, Angie Kuper Christmann, Diane Ostrom Morgensen, Kathy
Eaton Asted, JanaLee Sponberg, Dawn Nelson, Connie Bohn
Edwards, Barbie Gray Wenschlag, Sue Swanson Foster, Cheryl
Braunworth Carlson, Karen Monson Peterson, Val Jungck Sanders,
Judy Hayenga Barone, Jean Henke Dowdy, Diana Dornack Hoffman,
and Sue Zielske Drexler. We’re
sure that there are more 60th birthday celebrations being planned so
let us know the “when, where and who” details.
Sue
Zielske Drexler is
working for Data Recognition Corp. and spending lots of time in
Pennsylvania. Her husband, Fred
Drexler, is a pilot for Champion Air, flying mostly to Las Vegas. If you’re on your way to Vegas on Champion
ask the crew if Fred Drexler is the pilot.
Mark
Embretson has
retired from classroom teaching in Brainerd, but continues on as assistant varsity
football coach.
Ron
Witter has just
finished building his new home with Wendy down in Le Center and I told Kris
that we’d go down this fall and check out his new spot. Thinking that he had built on a little spot
of about 10 acres it turns out that he has about 150 acres right next to a game
farm that provides pheasant hunting that’s to die for! Naturally, Ron has a passion for pheasant
hunting so throughout the season he enjoys hunting (in his back yard) with
Wendy, Rick Zweig, and on occasion Ron’s son, Jay, and all his buddies.
Gustavus
lost one of it’s all time good-will ambassadors in September with the passing
of Evelyn Sponberg Young ’33 or more affectionately, “Ma” Young, at the age of
93. Evelyn will be fondly remembered
for her years of dedicated service to Gustavus during her career as head of the
food service, almond pie, rye bread and lots more. She gave her unwavering support to Gustavus long after her
retirement. Knowing “Ma” was knowing a
spirit that will live on through all of us for many years to come. There will be a memorial service for Evelyn
on St. Lucia Day, December 8, in Christ Chapel at 2:00 p.m.
Other
Campus News:
A New Year Begins
The 144th academic year began September 7 with 2,600 students and approximately 710 new students, the largest enrollment and new class in college history. Some changes in the general education curriculum were implemented this year, including a foreign language requirement for graduation.
Wind Orchestra Tour
Join Gustavus alumni and parents on a companion tour with the Gustavus Wind Orchestra to Eastern Europe January 17-27, 2006. The trip includes visits to the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria and will be hosted by Tom Emmert, professor of history, and Jon and Anita (Thomsen) Young ’77 ’77.
Nobel Conference
The College’s 41st Nobel Conference, The Legacy of Einstein, was held September 27-28. The panel consisted of scientists in the areas of statistical physics, relativity, cosmology, and unified theories, who discussed current work in the areas of Einstein’s greatest contributions. In addition, a historian of science explored the impact that Einstein’s discoveries and his social and political views have had on science and humanity. Also, a play, Clockworks: Einstein Time, was premiered, the Physics Force group performed, and a symphony orchestra concert celebrated Einstein through music.
Alumni Directory
In
partnership with Publishing Concepts (PCI), a comprehensive alumni directory is
being produced and will be released in 2006.
PCI will be contacting alumni to get current information.
First Frost * A Royal Affair
Since 1977 Gustavus Library Associates has helped raise funds for the endowment of Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library located at Gustavus. Over 1,000 guests will attend First Frost * A Royal Affair, the biennial gala dinner/auction benefit at the Sheraton Hotel in Bloomington on Saturday, October 29. This year Evelyn Young ’33, a long-time GLA supporter, is being honored. The program will feature tenor Mark Thomsen ’78 and will be hosted by former Miss America Gretchen Carlson and physician and Gustavus parent John Najarian. Contact the Office of Public Relations at 800/726-6198.
Athletics Hall of Fame
On Saturday, September 24, Gustavus inducted the following people into the Athletics Hall of Fame: Holly Brodmarkle Cervin ’87, track and field; Marc Illies ’85, baseball and football; Marc Iverson ’89, football; Gretchen Koehler, coach; soccer; Rich Skanse ’84, tennis; and Dick Walters ’75, hockey. Jay Rooker ’85 and Mary Mansour ’85, softball, have also been selected but will be inducted Fall 2006.
Campus Progress
Whether it’s planning for brand new buildings or renovating old ones, the Gustavus campus is always changing. A new web site has been designed to keep you updated on the changes taking place on campus. Check it out at: http://gustavus.edu/campusprogress/
Upcoming
Alumni Events
A
Royal Affair * First Frost — October 29
Christmas
in Christ Chapel ― December 2-4
St.
Lucia Day ― December 8
Wind
Orchestra Companion Tour to Eastern Europe — January 17-27
Naturally,
a new school year means that we kick off a new Alumni Fund drive that will
continue to strengthen the efforts of the college. Last year our class gave over $27,000 and that $27,000 came from 41%
of our classmates. We have over 300
classmates and we would like very much to raise the percentage of our class
giving! Please consider giving this
year to make our goal of 50% or better.
Signing
off,
