R Connections

Class Agents:

Trista Moffat Larco

[email protected]

781.799.4839

Mike Berens

[email protected]

Spring 2019

Happy March,

It has been a cold and snowy winter here in Wisconsin! We know that most of you won’t believe this, but the weather has been so terrible that Ripon College actually canceled classes and delivered meals to the students in their dorms. Oh how times have changed! We remember walking back-and-forth to classes in -50 degree temperatures and 12 feet of snow…uphill both ways, of course!

Once we dig out of this horrible Wisconsin winter, we are going to be headed towards summer and that means it is time for our 20th Class Reunion. Can you believe it???? We are so old!!! We hope to see all of you this summer at Alumni Weekend, June 27-30. Our reunion is at J’s BBQ, Downtown Ripon from 7-9 p.m. on Saturday (June 29). Afterwards, dessert will be served at The Spot (complete with a chocolate fountain), live music, and s’mores at the fire pit. All for $30 per person. Full weekend details and online registration are coming April 1 to www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend, but also watch your mailboxes for the official Alumni Weekend brochure. If you haven’t been back to Ripon in a while, this would be a good time to make the trip. There will be many more fun activities and it would be great to re-connect with all of your old classmates at Ripon. I hope to see you there!  

We did not receive any updates from our classmates this season, but who needs to just read about them? Come to our reunion and talk to your old friends in-person to see what they have been up to. Make your plans now to visit Ripon!!!!

We hope you had a wonderful 2018 and hope to see you this summer at our 20th Class Reunion.  

Trista Moffat Larco,  Michael Berens

Submitted by: Trista Moffat Larco

Class Agent: Nick Spaeth

[email protected]  / 262.227.6097

Spring 2019

Fifteen years guys…fifteen years.

I’m guessing some of you embrace the passing of that time, and others struggle with the idea. Fifteen years is equal parts unfathomable and impressive. Hard to believe that 15 years ago, we graduated from Ripon…how can we be that old??? Yet, remarkable that it’s been that long, when it oftentimes seems just like yesterday! Regardless, it’s reality. The other reality is that our alma mater has gone through some impressive changes over the past 15 years, yet also retains the identity and personality that attracted us to the campus in the first place. You really need to come back this June for our class reunion and see all the changes for yourself.

If it’s been a few years since you’ve been back, you need to check out the new Willmore Health and Wellness Center. Our old Storzer is hardly recognizable!

If it’s been a decade since you’ve been back, you might not believe that the road running through campus that many of us zipped down on our way to a meal, class, practice, or Miller’s, is no longer. While you’re admiring that change, you can also now sip on a drink from the Starbucks on campus.

If you’ve never been back, well, good luck wrapping your head around all the changes! Do yourself, and all of your classmates, the favor of coming back and revisiting old memories.

The dates are June 27-30. If you golf, plan to be there for the outing on Friday. At minimum, join our class for our reunion dinner on the evening of Saturday the 29th. Book your hotel room now!

Class Notes:

MARY DANIEL DEAN ‘04 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is being honored as a 2018 40 Under 40 award winner by Association Forum. The organization seeks to advance the professional

practice of association management and serves 47,000 association professionals who, in turn,

serve more than 37 million members. Dean is a client executive for Executive Director Inc. in

Milwaukee.

CAROLYN DUVEN ‘04 graduated with her PhD in Higher Education in August of 2018. She moved to Georgia with her husband and started a new position at Gwinnett Technical College in Lawrenceville, GA. She coordinates institutional retention efforts and new student orientation. 

LISA HENKE GRAF ‘04 teaches 8th grade Earth Science at Merrill Middle School in Oshkosh. She is honored to be part of a leadership team that drives PD in our building. She designed a year-long genius hour project for her students that have gained significant momentum. Every day, she contemplates having her students sign up to be part of a reality series about life as a middle schooler! When not in her classroom, she enjoys spending time with her husband Jacob & their 4 kids; Ella (13), Brennan (11), Connor (9), & Addison (7).

SARA WICHLACZ HANEY ’04 and TIM HANEY ’03 welcomed a second son to their family in May 2018.  Sara has returned to work at a private college prep school teaching Grades 1-9 Science in Calgary, Alberta Canada

ANDY MIELKE ’04 lives in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, with his wife Jessica and two boys AJ and Hank. He is the Purchasing Manager for Signicast Investment Castings in Hartford, Wisconsin.

REBECCA PERKINS ‘04 of Dubuque, Iowa completed a master’s degree in

nonprofit management from Our Lady of Lake University.

RACHEL SCHMIDT PUFALL ’04 After 25 semesters (12.5 years) as the 4K-8 and for the last 2 years 4K-6 school counselor in Washburn, Rachel took the reins of the 7-12 Counselor position in the district in January. She’s enjoying reestablishing relationships with former students and building new ones with new students and coworkers. Her brain is constantly challenged as she learns new things every minute. When not enthralled in work she continues to chase around her 2 active young children and husband, Frank.

MIKE ROMAGNOLI ‘04 was required to do six hours of volunteer translation work at an area agency in his first semester as a graduate student studying Spanish at Illinois State fourteen years ago. He chose to work with the Community Health Care Clinic (CHCC), and he’s been with the organization ever since. In early November, Romagnoli became the CHCC executive director. On his first day volunteering at CHCC, Romagnoli was trained by a volunteer physician who was fluent in Spanish. After that first day, however, the physician never returned and Romagnoli suddenly became the only Spanish translator at CHCC. Seeing the need and the importance of the work, he volunteered as much of his time as possible, continuing well past the six hours required for his course and into the next semester. The following summer, he officially transitioned from volunteer to staff member.

MICHAEL TIMM ‘04 of Cudahy, Wisconsin is working with Reflo Sustainable Water Solutions as a Manager for the Milwaukee Water Stories Program.

PAULA RICHARDSON TOMPKINS ’04 will be running in the Boston Marathon for a second time this April.

See you all in June!

Nick

Submitted by: Nick Spaeth

Class Agent: Emily Meyer

[email protected]

(920) 369-8707

Spring 2019

Hi Everyone~

I hope this letter finds you happy, healthy, and warm (especially if you’re in the Midwest that has been perpetually cold since the beginning of 2019). Stephen and I have been settling into a new routine since he started a new career with BNSF Railroad this past fall and we prepare to welcome our 2nd child in April. We’re also on the cusp of signing the final paperwork to purchase our first house (finally) and are very excited to move into something that is not an on-campus, 2 bedroom apartment after way too many years of living on college campuses.  Between Polar Vortex Days, Snow Days, and a busy work schedule, I’m still not sure exactly what month or what day of the week it is. Thankfully, things seem to be calming down a bit, and hopefully our schedules will be back to semi-normal soon-ish.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about out upcoming reunion and how there is no way we graduated 10 year ago! And while somethings never change (like me procrastinating writing this letter until right up to the deadline) and others change very quickly. I’ve been fortunate enough to be back to Ripon and to visit campus frequently since we graduated, and am amazed and the changes, renovations, and improvements that have occurred since graduation. Some are small like the fire pit outside what we know as The Pub (now The Spot), while others were major undertakings like the Willmore Center. While I’m sure we all fondly remember our time at Ripon, it is wonderful to see the college continuing to advance and challenge itself to continue to improve the education that Ripon students receive. This is one of the main reasons I choose to give back financially and in service to the college.

So, now it is time to think about celebrating the past 10 years. Please join me in Ripon for Alumni Weekend (June 27-30). The weekend is full of opportunities to reconnect, celebrate, and honor our classmates (JENAN KHARBUSH ’09 will be receiving an Outstanding Young Alumni Award and BRITTANY DICK ’09 and JOSHUA KRAEMER ’09 will be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame!). Information (and soon registration) can be found online at https://www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend/

Shameless plug: if you’re tired of getting letters from me and are interested in writing one yourself, volunteer to be a Class Agent!  I promise the time commitment is low, and I am happy to answer any questions you may have; I do plan to continue in the role as well, but wanted to extend an invitation if you’re interested in joining me! Contact Amy or Yvonne at [email protected] in Constituent Engagement for more information.

Finally, here are a few updates you all have sent in:

ANN KENSETH BERGFELD ’10 and ROBERT BERGFELD ’09 of Kronenwetter, Wisconsin, write, “Currently married to Robert Bergfeld, Ripon Class 2009 for 6 years. We have two daughters Amelia (4) and Calliope (3). I am a case manager for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Wisconsin and currently finishing up my social work certification through Upper Iowa University and Robert works as a Relationship Manager for US Bank in Wausau.”

SHAWN F. KARSTEN ’09 and CARISSA ZUERCHER KARSTEN ’10 of Ripon, Wisconsin, had a baby boy, Adler Adrian Karsten, who was born on 12/7/18.

JOSHUA KRAEMER ’09 and KATIE KRUEGER KRAEMER ’09 of Cedarburg Wisconsin, manage their nutrition company Isagenix which provides natural nutrition products for weight loss, energy and performance and healthy aging. In addition, Katie manages their Anytime Fitness in Hartford and Josh is the Regional Personal Training Manager for 3 Anytime Fitness locations: Cedarburg, West Bend and Hartford.  Josh and Katie also recently welcomed a daughter to their family!

HALEY MADSON ’09 has been named the new Director of Communication and Special Events for The Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership.

TOM MILLER ’09 has been on staff for University of Minnesota Crookston football program for the past three seasons has been promoted to defensive coordinator. Miller will also retain his title as assistant head coach.

JONATHAN PARETSKY ’09 of Neenah, Wisconsin, is a research scientist at Georgia-Pacific.”

CURTIS SCHMITT ’09 and his wife SARA KUSSMANN SCHMITT ’08, who welcomed a baby boy (Finley John) on October 18, 2017! Curtis and Sara both work from home, which allows them to spend lots of time with Finley.

ELIZA CHERRY STEPHENSON ’09 and BRUCE STEPHENSON ’09 of Ripon, Wisconsin, write, “We welcomed Vivian Lorraine into our family on 5/24 at 8:30 pm. She is so precious.”

Stay warm, stay in touch, and I hope to see you at our 10th Class Reunion at the end of June!

~Emily

Submitted by: Emily Meyer

Class Agents:

Naomi Jahn Skulan

[email protected]

Mara Jensen Poullette

[email protected]

Tim Holme

[email protected]

Spring 2019

Greetings Class of 2014!

Hope you have all been staying warm during this frigid winter (and for those of you who have moved to warmer climates that was smart thinking!) It was hard to believe that it was so cold that classes were cancelled at Ripon. I don’t remember classes ever being cancelled for cold or snow when we were there!

It’s our reunion year! Don’t forget to keep June 27-30 open on your calendar so you can make your way to Ripon for Alumni Weekend and our reunion. The planning team has been able to confirm that our 5th Reunion party location will Knuth Brewing Company’s Beer Hall where we will enjoy delicious woodfire pizzas and wings, along with beer and wine. We’ll celebrate downtown from 7-9 PM and then head back to campus for dessert (complete with a chocolate fountain), live music, and the fire pit (complete with s’mores). All of this for just $25 per person. It is sure to be a great time reconnecting with each other and campus!

Full weekend details and online registration are coming April 1 to www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend, but also watch your mailboxes for the official Alumni Weekend brochure. On campus housing is a fun, nostalgic experience, not to mention, more inexpensive than a hotel ($55 per person per night) and includes continental breakfast. Online pre-registration will be open until June 24, so make your plans to be on campus this spring.

In addition, consider giving a donation to the Ripon Fund by June 30 this year, as it will count towards our reunion class gift. We’ll present our big check (like we did at Commencement) to the College during lunch Saturday (June 29) and we hope many of you can attend that event too. Alumni Weekend is sure to be a great time—we can’t wait to see everyone again after these past 5 years to catch up!

Speaking of catching up, here are a few notes about some of the new and exciting things some of our classmates have been up to this last year.

PENNY SHAPANSKY AUGUSTINE ’14 of Big Lake, Minnesota, is working as an HR information Specialist with Medtronic in Fridley, MN. She reviews background checks and drug screens for interns, candidates and current employees.

NATHAN DAVIDSON ’14 of Elburn, Illinois, is currently working as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Macon County, IL where he handles primarily misdemeanor DUIs.”

BENJAMIN FIRGENS ’14 of State College, Pennsylvania, is pursuing a PhD in Communication Arts & Sciences at Penn State University with a subspecialty in rhetoric with communication discipline.

ANNA GALLE ’14 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, writes “I decided on a career change and moved to Milwaukee to pursue a nursing degree at Marquette. I’ll be graduating in December 2019 with a Master’s in Nursing as an RN!”

LIZ GREVER ’14 of Chicago, Illinois, started a new job in Global Customer Success at LinkedIn and became and awareness speaker for the Selah Freedom organization.

AMANDA FINN HAGGERTY ’14 of Chicago, Illinois, is the Illinois editor and venue relations for Footlights, theatre contributor and social media for Scapi Magazine and a freelance writer. She has won a few WNA awards in her 2-1/2 years with The Wisconsin State Journal and has bylines with American Theatre Magazine, the Isthmus and BroadwayWorld.com.

SOPHIE KLINGENBERGER ’14 of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, got engaged to CHRISTIAN MARTINEZ ’14 and will be getting married in June 2020.

DONALD MALCHOW ’14 of Madison, Wisconsin, writes, “This fall I begin my 2nd year of law school at the University of Wisconsin. Over the summer I worked as a law clerk at Community Justice, Inc, providing legal services to underrepresented communities.”

CASSIE BILOTTO PASBRIG ’14 of Verona, Wisconsin, writes “We had a baby! We also moved back to Wisconsin from Kentucky. I got promoted to Performance Operations Analyst within Conifer Health.”

CAM PLANTZ ’14 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is the Assistant Coach of Men’s Soccer at Ripon College.

MARA JENSEN POULLETTE ’14 and SAM POULLETTE ’13 of Sheboygan, Wisconsin both continue to work at Lakeland University. Sam continues in his role as Director of Admissions, and Mara has recently been named Director of Student Leadership & Community Service for the student development division. Mara is also finishing up her Masters of Arts in counseling degree at Lakeland and will graduate from the program in August with her emphasis in higher education and student affairs. Sam and Mara stay busy continuing to renovate their house and trying to keep their large fur baby, Arnie, out of trouble.

BRITTANY LAHAIE ’14 of Juda, Wisconsin, got engaged to Nathan Martlett in June and will be getting married in May 2019. She is still living in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

DAVID “TRES” REDEMANN ’14 of Spokane Valley, Washington, moved to Spokane, Washington and started working in the marijuana unit of the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board. He took Company Command of a US Army Reserve Unit located at Fort Lewis.

TYLER RUTKOWSKI ’14 of Wyandotte, Michigan, has continued his employment as a state trooper with the Michigan State Police, and recently purchased his first house.

KATIE DREW SCHUMACHER ’14 of Ames, Iowa, and BRIAN SCHUMACHER ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, moved back to Wisconsin and bought their first house. Katie recently started a new position as a marketing coordinator.

NAOMI JAHN SKULAN ’14 and NICK SKULAN ’14 of Morris, Minnesota welcomed baby Charles Xavier Skulan to the world on July 21, 2018 (photo on the left). Nick also started a new position as a One Stop Counselor at the University of Minnesota Morris this fall.

RACHEL WEDEWARD ’14 of Oak Park, Illinois, writes “In addition to my job, I will be teaching a course at the University of Chicago’s Graham School starting in March.”

Hopefully, you will all be able to make it to our reunion in June and we can catch up more then. 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 or news about the reunion! You can also contact the Office of Constituent Engagement with any updates at [email protected].

Best wishes and see you in June!

Naomi Skulan, Mara Poullette, Tim Holme

Submitted by: Naomi Skulan

Florida-Area alumni gather for a night of baseball. Top left: Jean Kirkpatrick Lederer ’73 and Gary Lederer ’72 (second row:) Sue Rewolinski Wiff ’75, Maynard Wiff ’76, Cynthia Sanborn Nyquist ’69and Scott Nyquist ’69 gather together on April 9 for the Ft. Myers Miracle Baseball Game. 

Submitted by: Jean Kirkpatrick Lederer

Elenita Jackson Parker ’72, Linda Brassington Daniels ’72, Karen Teschner Dorn ’72 and Lynne Horn Gasiorek ’72 met for their 15th annual ski trip in Steamboat, Colorado this past March.

Submitted by: Elenita Jackson Parker

Lisa Wollan ’78 visiting Waimangu Volcanic Valley where the world’s youngest geothermal system is located in New Zealand.

Submitted by: Lisa Wollan

Tanya graduated from an endocrinology fellowship at UW Madison in June of 2018 and is currently working as an endocrinologist in the Twin Cities. Tanya and her husband welcomed a daughter named Charli to their family this past December.

Submitted by: Tanya Lisko Blaty

Janet Gorn ’60 of Montclair, Virginia retired with 40 years of Federal Government service as a Diplomat in the field of civil nuclear energy and nonproliferation.  In honor of her distinguished professional career, on the staff of the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Congressional Research Service, and the Brookings Institution, and civil society contributions, she was named a Life Time Achiever by the Marquis Who’s Who in American.  Having traveled to 38 countries and 49 states she is not planning travel for a while.  However retirement has not slowed her down.  In 2019 she was elected to the office of Program Director on the Virginia State Board of League of Women Voters (LWV), joined the Board of Directors of the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial Foundation, and is contributing to the George Mason University Women’s Leadership program.  She also is President of the Kings Highway Republican Women’s E Club (the first virtual club in Virginia), Vice Chairman of the National Federated Republican Women’s (NFRW) Literacy Committee, and the NFRW Membership Committee’s Working Group on the Virtual Club concept.

Submitted by: Janet Gorn

Living in Eagle Colorado for 22 years now and still loving it.  I’m finishing up my fourth year of teaching 5^th grade (career #4!) and I think I’ve finally found what I want to do when I grow up.  I do still work part-time for Vail Resorts as well, and just hit my 25^th anniversary with them which means a lifetime ski pass!  My oldest son, Ben, graduates from the US Naval Academy this May, and is commissioning into the Marines as a 2^nd Lieutenant, heading to Flight School in Pensacola.  My middle son David is finishing his second year at the US Military Academy at West Point, and will be playing with tanks and armored vehicles this summer.  Youngest son Sebastian (currently a sophomore in high school) has been named to the AAU National Karate team, and will be heading to Budapest and Slovakia to compete in June, before heading off on a service trip to Nepal in July.  If anyone ever gets up to the Vail / Beaver Creek area, let me know!

Paul Witt ’86

970-471-5380

[email protected]

Submitted by: Paul Witt

My husband Troy and I welcomed our first baby into the world in April 2019. We are so in love, Ty Edward Risse and family are doing well!

Submitted by: Alison Nowak Risse

The Midwest Chapter of  Medical Library Association is holding a full day workshop so that librarians in the states of Wisconsin, Illinois, and surrounding states, can learn more about being part of the disaster response and preparedness efforts in their communities. Its been great fun to reach out to Steve for assistance in locating local speakers. His position on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors provides him insight into the emergency response workforce in the Madison area.  You never know when a fellow alum will have the exact answers that you need!

Submitted by: Siobhan Champ-Blackwell

On March 7, 2019, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the appointment of 21 members to the Trade Finance Advisory Council (TFAC). Established in 2016, and re-chartered in August 2018, the TFAC serves as the principal advisory body to the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to access to trade finance for U.S. exporters. TFAC members represent commercial banks and other financial services providers, industry associations, exporters and research institutions.

Trustee David Shogren ’84, President, U.S. International Foods LLC. was appointed by the US Secretary of Commerce to serve a 2 year term on the US Trade Finance Advisory Council.

Submitted by: David Shogren

Gene Kain, Professor Emeritus of the Art Department, will be showing recent art at Amy Mietzel’s ’91 gallery in Madison in early May. Mietzel is also a practicing artist whose work is now being shown in several venues.

Submitted by: Gene Kain

Gavin Zastrow ’97 of Oconomowoc, WI- Published a book, A Marshland of His Own, through Orange Hat Publishing, November 2018.

Summary

A Marshland of His Own is author Gavin Zastrow’s first time experience with death.  Twenty Six years ago, Gavin’s friend committed suicide. One year later, he decided at the urging of his friends, family, and teachers to turn that experience from a short to a book.

This book was written from the point of view of a high school student.  Outside of grammatical changes and minor edits, all the thoughts and events hold true to that high school voice.

A Marshland of His Own is divided into three arts: mourning, mending, and moving on, which follows the grief Process Gavin went through and how that process he learned to heal and move on with his life.  This event marked the turning point between the end of the naivety of childhood and the complexity of adulthood.

Available for purchase at:

Barnes and Noble Link: https://www.facebook.com/login.php

Amazon link: https://amzn.to/2qwQw2R

Books N’ Company Link

https://www.booksco.com/book/9781948365482?fbclid=IwAR0E6FQ5hpfovHyKJBl-rsb2vMrQvtxTtiw3-iARjG8ICBWX_saGeQbPXC8

Submitted by: Gavin Zastrow

Ben Firgens ’14 is one of just ten graduate students to receive the Harold F. Martin Graduate Assistant Outstanding Teaching Award at Penn State University.

The award is sponsored jointly by the Graduate School, through an endowment of the same name, and the Office of the Vice President and Dean for Undergraduate Education. You can read more about the program here: http://gradschool.psu.edu/graduate-funding/fellowships/programs/gradteach/

Pictured with Ben is Penn State’s President, Eric J. Barron.

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

Architect, builder, artist, writer, pianist

Claremont resident Nick Livingston died peacefully on New Year’s Day at Oak Park Manor in Claremont. He was 87 years old.

He was known as an architect, artist, pianist, and writer of novels, screenplays and poetry.

He was born in 1931 in the Chicago suburb of Aurora, Illinois to Olga and Burt Livingston. His mother was a homemaker and his father a book salesman.

He graduated from Ripon College in Wisconsin with a degree in history. He then served in the US Army in Germany at the end of the Korean War. After receiving his architectural degree from the University of Illinois, he worked in Africa, Texas, and the Chicago suburbs, designing residential and commercial buildings.

He met his wife, then Ellen Harvell Dohner, in Park Forest, Illinois, where she was serving as lead minister to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Suburbs. They met when he played the piano for services at that congregation and would bring his band for social events.

At the time the congregation was having to rent space for their services. Mr. Livingston offered to design and build a modern cedar-framed building on land the church owned in the woods in Park Forest. He not only volunteered his services but followed through on helping to raise money for the project.

Three years after the dedication of the new building, he and Ellen became engaged. They were wed in 1982 at the new church building which offered views of the forest through the large windows Mr. Livingston had designed.

They became lifelong partners. Mrs. Livingston said he was also her colleague and loyal helpmate in every way possible, both within their shared faith and with work in her ministry.

Four years after they were married, even though they were enjoying the congregation and their light filled Frank Lloyd Wright inspired building, they made the decision to forsake the frigid weather of Illinois; Mr. Livingston persuaded his wife to send her application to what is now called the Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Montclair.

She accepted the church’s call in August 1986. The Livingstons soon fell in love with California and have lived here, first in Rancho Cucamonga and then in Claremont, ever since.

Mr. Livingston transferred his architectural license to California and worked as a freelancer and builder in the inland valley until he retired in 2012. Up until then he was known as the official designer of many additions and improvements at the congregation as well as its maintenance person. As the church’s programs expanded, he designed and built a classroom wing dedicated to and named after him, Livingston Hall.

He was a true Renaissance man, with many talents and accomplishments.

He often left his drafting board and hammer long enough to play the piano for church worship services and social events. His greatest joy was playing favorite songs there and at parties, often held in their home, while friends sang old favorites around the piano. He was often accompanied by other musicians with stringed instruments and drums.

As a painter, he had several shows over the years, both in the Chicago area and in California, where his work was shown at Pomona’s dA Center for the Arts, galleries in Laguna Beach, at the Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation, and most recently at Claremont Village Green. All of his works were painted in California and Mexico, where he was inspired by nature’s variety of gorgeous landscapes.

Four years ago he published a novel, Stained Glass Warrior. In it he portrays a young artist from the Chicago inner city who is drafted into the army, and his struggles to survive injuries sustained on the battlefield in World War II. In the book there is a description of how the protagonist developed artistic projects to encourage alternatives to a culture of war.

Although he served in the US Army during the Korean War as a teacher of enlisted men in Germany, he was a man of peace and was passionate about civil rights and the founding tenets of our democratic republic.

The Livingstons enjoyed traveling and had three places they considered their spiritual homes: Cambria, California; San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; and Ms. Livingston’s birthplace, Boston. They especially enjoyed Hispanic people, culture and places, and traveled to Mexico often.

Even though his accomplishments were many over his 87 years, it was his love of life and people that was his most outstanding gift to others, his family shared. A friend said “Nick knew how to have fun, not take life too seriously. He made me and others around him feel important. To him, all of us were. He made me a better person for having known him.”

He leaves behind his wife, the Reverend Ellen Livingston, who was his soul mate and biggest fan; three stepchildren, Markus and Luke Dohner, and Katherine Dohner Acenas, who share with him his love of art and progressive faith; five grandchildren; his niece Karen Jenneke, her brother David Jenneke, his wife Sandy and their son, Nickolas.

A celebration of Mr. Livingston’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 2 at Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 9185 Monte Vista Ave., Montclair. Contributions are welcome in his honor for the programs at that congregation. To donate online, go to montevistauu.org and click on the “Stewardship” tab.

Submitted by: Kimberly Scanlon

Constance D. Lindsey, 73, of Wake Forest, NC, passed away Friday, May 26, 2017.  Services will be private. Constance received her B.A. from Ripon College in 1965 with a major in German. She then received her M.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Library Science.

Submitted by: Kimberly Scanlon

Ann Margaret (Jones) Stajich passed away peacefully in her sleep in the early morning hours of Feb. 18, 2019.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bert; parents, James A. and Helen Jones; sister,, Janet (Richard Beier); brother, Dr. James D. (Dr. Mary) Jones; and other relatives and friends.

Ann grew up in North Fond du Lac, where she came to appreciate the closeness of a small-town community. Ann had always been someone who got involved, going back to her early days as a Girl Scout leader and camp instructor. She was a social worker in Milwaukee and Madison, and her desire to help others carried over to the family’s move to McFarland where Ann was elected to the Village Board, was a reporter and writer for the McFarland newspaper, and was an active member of the Garden Club. Ann was also an active member and a voice in the church choir at McFarland United Church of Christ.

She was instrumental in helping McFarland build a new public library and in starting its farmers market. In recognition of these efforts, she was honored as Citizen of the Year in McFarland. Ann was clear regarding the achievement of which she was most proud. Chosen by her alma mater, Ripon College, where she also met her husband, for honor as a distinguished alumni, she told the audience at the awards ceremony that she felt her children were her “greatest accomplishment.”

Steve, Sue and Jean survive her with homes in Santa Monica, California, Milwaukee and Madison. All of them will remember Ann as a loving parent, an energetic partner in projects as varied as school activities and decorating bicycles for 4th of July festivities, and as a woman who helped others get things done for her community.

A celebration of life will be held at Maple Tree Supper Club, 6010 Highway 51, McFarland, from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 30, 2019. A private burial was held.

Memorials may be made to Ripon College Student Scholarships in Ann’s name.

The family wishes to thank the staff of St. Mary’s Care Center for the loving care and friendships given to Ann and her family. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Submitted by: Jaye Alderson

Muriel Gehrman Muriel Fay (Morgan) Gehrman passed away in Spokane, Wash., on Dec. 3, 2018, from Alzheimer’s. Once in awhile, you run into someone who changes lives for the better wherever they go. Muriel was one of those people. Maybe it was partly because she grew up in paradise surrounded by Aloha. Muriel was born on Oct. 24, 1937, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and was the youngest of four children. She attended grade school in Wahiawa, Hawaii, and then entered the eighth grade at Kamehamea Schools – a school for children of Hawaiian ancestry. She excelled as a student, graduating with honors in the class of 1955 and received numerous prestigious scholarships to continue her education. She then attended Ripon College in Wisconsin for two years prior to graduating with honors from the University of Wisconsin, where she was a member of the Tri-Delta Sorority. In the fall of 1959, she started teaching social studies at Marshfield High School in Coos Bay, Ore. While there, she met her husband Ted. They were married on Dec. 24 of that year and were married for nearly 58 years.

In June of 1961, Muriel joined Ted in Germany, where he was teaching. This would prove to be the first of many overseas locations that Ted and Muriel would call home. Before leaving Germany, Muriel taught at Wuerzburg American High School and then traveled to Ethiopia for a teaching position. In 1966, they moved back to the United States, where Muriel finished her master’s degree at the University of Massachusetts and taught at Amherst High School. In 1970, their daughter, Tiare, was born. Muriel, Ted and Tiare broadened their international horizons, living in places like Ecuador, Singapore, and Tanzania, where Ted worked as an administrator for International Schools. After serving overseas, they finally settled back into Klamath Falls, Ore., where Muriel ran a fitness business for a few years before finishing up her career as a teacher at Brixner Junior High. Throughout Muriel’s many years of service, here are just a few words directly from some of those she has touched: “Muriel was a wise, kind and beautiful woman. I remember her love of flowers, gardening, fashion, children, and education. She always looked stunning and had a smile and kind word for everyone she encountered. The world is a better place from her loving and generous influence. I am glad she is at peace and can once again hula with delicate grace.”

“She was kind to me and so many of us in high school. I felt blessed to have known her.” “She will go down in history as one of my very favorite teachers and human beings. She did amazing things on this earth and impacted hundreds of lives.” “She was a light in my junior high life; a good soul for sure.” “The best teacher. I was blessed to have known her.” “She was so special to so many people. She touched the lives of so many young people as a teacher and as a kind, loving person. She will be greatly missed.” “I am so thankful that I had the privilege to be a small part of her wonderful and fulfilling life.” “It is difficult to express our collective pain for the loss of our special Muriel. She truly is a unique object of our shared sorrows. Enough of that, says she. Pining for her is the last activity she wants us to engage in. Always a smile on her face, a friend to all, level in fair weather or inclement, almost as gregarious as her spouse, always with a quick complement, graceful in her comportment and stern when righting perceived wrongs. She is bound for canonization. Alas, she takes from me one of my most prized possessions…she takes from me my indomitable doubles partner. Ah, how we love my partner.” “How blessed I am to have a woman in my life who has always been my biggest cheerleader. She has shown up for me and my family countless times. She is a woman of principle and has lived her life in such a way that her core values have always been her compass. Mama has taught me to be kind to all, give sincere compliments, celebrate others successes and scatter sunshine wherever you go. She was driven to do her best and gave 100 percent plus to her family and her students.”

Muriel is survived by her husband Ted, daughter Tiare Michele Gehrman Schlenker, son-in-law Jeff Schlenker, grandchildren Kiana, Kaikea, Kalea, and Makai, and siblings Ralph Morgan and Doris (Morgan) Timeus. She was preceded in death by her mother Carol (Bowers) Morgan and father Julian Monserat Ahu Morgan, and sister Barbara (Morgan) Hasegawa. There will be a Hawaiian luau celebration of Muriel’s life in Spokane, Wash., on July 13. Please watch for more information.

Submitted by: Jaye Alderson