Greetings, Class of 2012!

Hello, Class of 2012, and Happy Spring!

I always enjoy reading your updates, and this year it seems especially optimistic to see many of you doing well despite all the extra challenges to overcome. Thank you to everyone who contributed to these updates, as well as to those who have contributed financially to Ripon College over the past year. I’ve really appreciated seeing how our alma mater has adapted to our weird reality and wish all the current students and faculty well! I encourage you to visit http://www.ripon.edu/news to learn about what’s happening and to participate in the life of the college. They have been offering tons of virtual programming on a variety of subjects, too. Additionally, please save the date for #OneDayRally, Ripon’s annual giving day, on Wednesday, April 28!

We have good news regarding Alumni Weekend. Alumni Weekend 2021 will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen with two distinct summer weekends of Ripon alumni programming for us. No matter how you’d like to connect, virtually or in person, the Office of Constituent Engagement is developing a variety of activities to continue to follow CDC, Fond du Lac County and College guidelines in both June and August. Full schedules, lodging, and programming details will be posted soon to www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.

JUNE 2021

• In honor of our June Alumni Weekend traditions, virtual alumni programming will be held Tuesday, June 22 through Saturday, June 26, and will include: an alumni town hall, R Connections webinars, affinity socials, a summer book club, and special recognition of the 2020 and 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees.

• The only in-person event, the Doc Weiske ’50 Memorial Golf Scramble, will be held off-campus on Friday, June 25.

AUGUST 2021
A combination of virtual and in-person Alumni Weekend programming will be held the first week of August. We will continue to evaluate the state of COVID-19. If circumstances change at the local and national level and we need to cancel in-person programming, that decision will be made and communicated by July 1, 2021.

• Virtual programming will be held Tuesday, August 3 through Saturday, August 7 and will include: a reunion-focused alumni town hall that also previews the new academic year, additional R Connections webinars, the summer book club capstone, and the traditional “That Was Then” storytelling session.

• In-person, on-campus programming will be held Friday, August 6 through Sunday, August 8 and will focus on alumni awards recognition; 2020 and 2021 reunion celebrations, and will feature other outdoor events like Rally Run and prairie walk.

• Additionally, the Class of 2020 will officially be welcomed to our alumni community with a special commencement ceremony.

Here’s what our group has been up to:

JESSICA BRUNGARDT LARSON ’12 of Colorado Springs, Colorado, added another dog to her zoo, leaving them with two dogs, three cats, and a toddler. She also got promoted to Assistant County Attorney III and still works in child protection. She loves her job even though it’s been a trying year.

ARIEL DICKINSON ’12 of Madison, Wisconsin, adopted a second dog, Cookie Monster, in February of 2020. She likes to sleep with her feet near her face. Ariel celebrated working at her company for five years and they’re expecting their first baby – due in July!

HEATHER GAIE SCHULTZ ’12 of Appleton, Wisconsin, and husband Kory welcomed their little girl, Kelsey, on August 20! She left her job at St. Elizabeth Hospital in November and is now working at Primary Care Associates of Appleton. She is still working as a medical laboratory scientist, but now gets to enjoy clinic hours and no longer has to work weekends and holidays!
STACEY HAMILTON ’12 of Groton, New York, is about to celebrate her three-year anniversary as an Assistant Director in the Financial Aid Office at Cornell University. This year will also be her five-year wedding anniversary!

KATE HAMM ’12 of West Allis, Wisconsin, is welcoming two babies in May 2021!

LISA HILLEREN ’12 of Chicago, Illinois, co-founded a women’s bike racing team and they’re now sponsored by Schwinn.

BRANDON KASUBASKI ’12 of Olympia, Washington, and his wife, Sarah, welcomed their second son, Everett, in October. The Army moved them to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington in April. He also earned his Masters of Science in Space Studies from American Military University in April.

SHARON KLAPPERICH DOLL ’12 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, welcomed a new fish into her family. This little guy gets his own tank, away from the other three fish, to keep her company while she’s teaching from home for now. She is still teaching English Language Arts (ELA) at Preble in Green Bay. She finally conquered knitting with double-pointed needles.

KATLYN LEE SCHUMACHER ’12 of Monroe, Wisconsin, welcomed her first child, Isaac, in May of 2020–he’s the happiest boy! She switched her career over to the web side of merchandising in August.

JEFF MARQUARDT ’12 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just celebrated his second wedding anniversary, started a handmade dumpling business with his wife, and is working as a Private Chef for the Milwaukee Bucks. #FearTheDeer
MEGAN MCGEE NORRIS ’12 of Kenosha, Wisconsin, and husband, Adam, had their second baby in April. Their son, Colton, is two and keeps them on their toes. They made it through 2020. Adam’s still with the post office and she’s loving her job as a solo practitioner doing juvenile and family law. Her office building survived the riots with just a few broken windows. Like most of downtown, we are still boarded up. #blacklivesmatter #kenoshastrong

ALAINA NESBITT BENNETT ’12 and AJ BENNETT ’12 of Greenville, Wisconsin, are living in the Appleton area and are still running and trying to keep up with their daughter, Madison, who is a year and a half and full of sass!

EMMA ROBINSON ’12 of Madison, Wisconsin, adopted a hedgehog in 2020. Her name is Mabel and she helps Emma grade papers when she’s not too busy sleeping or eating bugs.

ERIN SCHAICK ’12 of Concord, New Hampshire, is the Assistant Vice President, Director of Development and Community Relations at CATCH Neighborhood Housing. She misses her friends and family in Wisconsin terribly and she hopes to safely visit soon!

KATRINA SCHAULAND WATKINS ’12 of Kodiak, Alaska, is still in Alaska where her husband is stationed with the Coast Guard. They added to their Alaskan adventure on January 16 with the birth of their daughter, Rosalee.
KATHARINE SHADLE GAILS ’12 just got promoted to office manager of a newly opened Aspen Dental office in her hometown!

BRANDON TAYLOR ’12 of San Francisco, California, started a new job at a consulting firm after taking some time off from his previous employer. He purchased a house with his fiancée in February 2020, just before lockdown, and got his puppy, “Waffle”, shortly thereafter. They are currently debating new dates for their wedding that was originally planned for this summer.

BRY TUDOR GAWLIK ’12 and JUSTIN GAWLIK ’12 of De Pere, Wisconsin are enjoying living in the Green Bay Area. Justin still works in athletics at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (UWGB) and BRY is a deputy with the Brown County Sheriff’s Office.

BRYANT VANDE KOLK ’12 of Baltimore, Maryland, completed a one-year fellowship with the National Nuclear Security Administration, took a position with Northrop Grumman, and moved to Baltimore – all in June last year. Lockdown inspired him to fill a few planters on his patio with herbs, start a paint-by-numbers project, and hike a bit more. Plus, he’ll be an uncle this February!

NIKKI WEICHBROD BEEK ’12 and ZACH BEEK ’15 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, welcomed a baby girl, McKinli, to the world on September 16, 2020.

SARAH WEINBERG UNDERHILL ’12 and JORDAN UNDERHILL ’11 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, got married on Halloween with just their parents and siblings. Sarah started her graduate program for a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She also learned to roller skate and can’t wait until the snow melts so she can get back out there!

Thank you again to everyone who shared their updates! Please stay safe and healthy and we hope to see you at a reunion soon!

Erin Schaick ’12
(920) 312-3825

Brandon Taylor ’12
(406) 274-4708

Katlyn Lee Schumacher ’12
(608) 558-9073

Submitted by: Class Agents: Erin Schaick, Brandon Taylor, and Katlyn Lee Schumacher

Greetings, Class of 2013!

What a year it has been. I (CHARLOTTE LEE WAHLE ’13) can’t even quite believe it’s been a year – wasn’t it just March 2020? Then I realize that my quiet, just walking, one-year-old is now a two-year-old who is tearing around the house and shouting. What a year it has been. But here you all are! Somehow, life has gone on. New jobs and new homes; Quarantine babies and pandemic weddings; Graduations and so many Zoom meetings!

For myself, the excitement of the past year has been purchasing a robot vacuum and our very first big-kid couch! That fact that I’m even writing about those things here is how I know I’ve gotten old. Well, that and the fact that Tik Tok says my side part and skinny jeans are out of fashion. I’ve also completed my graduate program and will be graduating this May with a master’s in higher education administration!

I hope you are all safe, well, and hopeful. I look forward to when we can all catch up again in person! In the meantime, enjoy these life updates from our classmates. And if we haven’t heard from you in a while, please reach out! We want to hear how you are.

Good news regarding this year’s Alumni Weekend. Alumni Weekend 2021 will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen with two distinct summer weekends of Ripon alumni programming for us. No matter how you’d like to connect, virtually or in person, the Office of Constituent Engagement is developing a variety of activities to continue to follow CDC, Fond du Lac County and College guidelines in both June and August. Full schedules, lodging, and programming details will be posted soon to www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.

JUNE 2021

• In honor of our June Alumni Weekend traditions, virtual alumni programming will be held Tuesday, June 22 through Saturday, June 26, and will include: an alumni town hall, R Connections webinars, affinity socials, a summer book club, and special recognition of the 2020 and 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees.

• The only in-person event, the Doc Weiske ’50 Memorial Golf Scramble, will be held off-campus on Friday, June 25.

AUGUST 2021
A combination of virtual and in-person Alumni Weekend programming will be held the first week of August. We will continue to evaluate the state of COVID-19. If circumstances change at the local and national level and we need to cancel in-person programming, that decision will be made and communicated by July 1, 2021.

• Virtual programming will be held Tuesday, August 3 through Saturday, August 7 and will include: a reunion-focused alumni town hall that also previews the new academic year, additional R Connections webinars, the summer book club capstone, and the traditional “That Was Then” storytelling session.

• In-person, on-campus programming will be held Friday, August 6 through Sunday, August 8, and will focus on alumni awards recognition, 2020 and 2021 reunion celebrations, and other outdoor events such as Rally Run and prairie walk.

• Additionally, the Class of 2020 will officially be welcomed to our alumni community with a special commencement ceremony.

Class Notes:

ELLIE HEDBERG BEERS ’13 of Minneapolis, Minnesota writes, “Let’s see…January 4th of 2020 I had my wedding in Edina, MN followed by a honeymoon to the southern Caribbean. At the end of February 2020 I took my NCLEX, passed, and have been working as an RN in a long-term care community since then and have worked my way up to working as charge nurse. I am currently pregnant with my first child (EDD April 30th). My husband and I are currently house hunting…hoping to put an offer in soon! I am also currently working on my BSN degree and will be graduating at the end of the year. It has been a busy past year or so for me!”

AMY BROWENDER ’13 of Saint Paul, Minnesota, writes, “I’m attempting new things during quarantine including knitting my first sweater and taking a (virtual) watercolor class! This spring, I look forward to volunteering with the Minnesota State Arts Board again to inform public funding for organizations across the state. I hope everyone is staying healthy and safe.”

ABBY MILBRATH DEBBINK ’13 of McFarland, Wisconsin, writes, “I started my 5th year as a school counselor and have been in between working virtually and in-person. I have two kids: Miles-2.5 years and Murphy Mae-9 months (as of Feb ‘21).”

KAYLYN FREEMAN ’13 of Beaufort, South Carolina, writes, “I am getting married on April 10th, 2021, Covid willing!”

EMILY MILES HAHN ’13 of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, writes, “In Dec 2019 I got engaged and successfully defended my dissertation for a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from North Carolina State. I then moved to the Madison area in January 2020 and I am thankful to have found a job during the pandemic. I now work for the USDA at UW Madison researching cranberries. My husband, Corey, and I were able to pull off a mini-wedding in September (with AMANDA VIRTUE ’13 and RACHEL STAEDT ’13 by my side) and wrapped up 2020 by purchasing a home in Cottage Grove”.

JOHANNA BURTON LANPHIER ’13 of Lincoln, Nebraska, writes, “MICHAEL ’15 and I bought our first home in the spring of 2020 in Lincoln, NE! Also, ALEXANDRA MARTIN ’13 and I now live in the same city, so we can reminisce about our good old Ripon days in person now!”

JESSIE LILLIS ’13 of Staunton, Virginia, writes, “My newly formed theatre company, Starling Shakespeare Company, is producing their first festival on Mackinac Island in August! If you’re in the area, come see a show!”

SARAH MOEHRKE ’13 of Florence, Oregon, writes, “I got a promotion at work in August, so my new job title is “Economic Development Catalyst” for the City of Florence on the Oregon Coast. I’ve been able to support businesses through the COVID-19 connecting them with needed resources like funding and PPE. Recently, I’ve distributed over $55,000 of PPE to local businesses, secured a $35,000 grant for the local Boys and Girls Club, and secured another $40,000 grant for the local Community College”.

CHRISTINA MOONEY ’13 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, writes, “I bought a house in Milwaukee and am learning how to use a screwdriver”.

LAUREN OTT ’13 of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, writes, “I got engaged to KYLE GREENE ’15! We have moved to a house on the Mississippi and I am taking any and all gardening tips. We also got a COVID puppy named Gus!”

ALI PELTIER ’13 of Polk City, Iowa, writes, “I have begun tackling my MBA at the University of Iowa with an expected graduation date of 2023, while continuing my career with Meredith Corporation in Des Moines. I live with my fiancé, Jonathan. We will be married in September 2022.”

MEGHAN RAEBEL ’13 of Appleton, Wisconsin, writes, “I am starting a new job as an Assistant Laboratory Supervisor at Lawrence University!”

STEPHANIE RHYNER ’13 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, writes, “My fiancé and I bought a house in Milwaukee and I am teaching art history at UW Milwaukee, UW Eau Claire, and at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD).”

AMANDA VIRTUE ’13 of Lake Mills, Wisconsin, writes, “I was the maid of honor in my best friend’s wedding (EMILY HAHN ’13)!”

ZACHARY WIELAND ’13 of Appleton, Wisconsin, writes, “My oldest son became Picasso and used our entire house as his canvas, while our youngest son decided to go all “Rampage” on the house. Also, we adopted a dog.”

Stay safe and stay well, classmates!

CHARLOTTE LEE WAHLE ’13
(971) 222-5905

LAUREN OTT ’13
(651) 399-4363

ALI PELTIER ’13
(608) 228-0733
Your 2013 Class Agents

Submitted by: Class Agent: Charlotte Lee Wahle

Greetings, Class of 2014!

As we approach the one-year mark of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m finding myself reflecting a lot on change. The transition into spring tends to get me thinking about this topic each year anyway, but this year is different. Usually when I think about change, it’s in a much more gradual sense, but I’m finding it amazing to reflect on just how quickly our world was turned upside down as a result of the pandemic at this time last year.
A student of mine last week likened it to Thanos snapping his fingers in Avengers: Endgame, and it feels like the most accurate description of how we were all forced to process this life-altering change. What’s been really amazing, though, is seeing how the typical changes on the micro level of our personal lives continue to occur despite what sometimes felt like the real-life “end game.” As is evidenced by the below class updates, positive things were still happening this year! Our classmates have been buying houses, having babies, getting promotions, completing graduate programs, and a whole slew of other impressive and inspiring things. It’s comforting knowing that even a global pandemic can’t completely snuff out the joy of these life changes.

Class Notes:

RACHEL ZEMAN ADREANI ’14 of Northbrook, Illinois, writes, “I am still working at Northwestern Memorial Hospital as a labor and delivery nurse (what a time to be a nurse, whew). I got married this past summer to Peter Adreani in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. We now have a beautiful Bernese Mountain Dog puppy named Luna. She’s keeping us pretty busy during this crazy time.”

BRITTANY LAHAIE BARTLETT ’14 of Campbellsport, Wisconsin, and her husband, Nathan, welcomed their first child on January 6, 2021. They are so excited to be new parents to their daughter, Vivian Rose.

ALLY BRETL ’14 of Door County, Wisconsin, writes, “Within the last six months, I sold my home in Milwaukee and moved to Door County. I started a new job at Door County Medical Center as a Behavioral Health Therapist working in two different outpatient clinics through the hospital. I’m very happy to be back home and closer to family!”

SAMANTHA ANGELL EASTBERG ’14 of Marshfield, Wisconsin, graduated from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln with her Ph.D. in School Psychology in August 2020. She and her husband currently live in Marshfield, Wisconsin, where she is completing a post-doctoral fellowship at the Marshfield Clinic.

JAY FISH ’14 of Columbus, Wisconsin, bought a house in May of 2020 where he now lives with his daughter, Nevaeh. He continues to work at American Family Insurance and just finished his third year coaching freshmen boys’ basketball for Sun Prairie.

SAMANTHA GOODWIN ’14 of Dover, New Hampshire, moved from Wisconsin to New Hampshire in early November 2020. She is currently living with her grandparents and looking for work in her new city.

AMANDA FINN HAGGERTY ’14 of Chicago, Illinois, is still doing travel and arts journalism but because of COVID-19 is also doing communications work with Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin since September 2020.

MADELINE SOCKNESS HERRMANN ’14 and MAX HERRMANN ’13 of Appleton, Wisconsin, welcomed a baby boy, Fitzgerald, to their family on January 13, 2021.

SPENCER HOFFMAN ’14 and KATHLEEN WENDEL HOFFMAN ’14 of Carol Stream, Illinois, were married on August 16, 2020. Shortly thereafter they purchased their first home. They just recently welcomed their first child, Isaac, on January 27, 2021.

DANIEL MIKESELL ’14 of Bologna, Italy, taught English across China, Japan, Italy, and the U.S. for five years after graduation and is currently working toward his master’s in international affairs with a concentration in energy, resources and environment at Hopkins Nanjing Center in Nanjing, China. You can access a feature story on Ripon College’s website here.

ALI NEMECEK ’14 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, writes, “My boyfriend Mike and I moved a mile across town to the Third Ward in Milwaukee on the coldest weekend of the year with the help of JOHN SPADONI ’15 and KRISTY OGLESBY SPADONI ’15. I will be graduating in May with my Juris Doctor from Marquette University, and I am currently working as a law clerk for a local employment attorney, as well as a research assistant for a professor. My mom, BETH PALMBACH NEMECEK ’79, is still seeking a kidney after she had COVID-19 in October – reach out if you are interested in learning more on how to help!”

RICHARD NOGAL ’14 of Palos Park, Illinois, is a veterinary assistant at Banfield Pet Hospital.

MARA JENSEN POULLETTE ’14 and SAM POULLETTE ’13 of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, welcomed their son, Owen Samuel, to the world in September of 2020. Parenthood has proven to be simultaneously the most rewarding and exhausting experience for both of them, but they’re figuring it out together and are living for all the baby smiles and snuggles. They both continue to work at Lakeland University – Sam as the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Mara as the Director of Cooperative Education. Mara also continues to teach additional courses in professional development to Lakeland students. She has also continued to serve as a volunteer advisor for Ripon’s chapter of Alpha Delta Pi sorority, and has enjoyed being able to stay connected to the College through this role.

LIZ WALSH ’14 of Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada had the one year anniversary of her move to Northern Alberta on February 21. She still loves her postdoc working with honey bees and the diseases that plague them. Her Texan dog, Stella, vehemently disapproves of Canadian winters, but has learned to live with it.

NIKKI GLASHEEN WEAVER ’14 married CHRIS WEAVER ’16 in November 2020. They are currently living in Lisle, Illinois, with their dog, Zeus.

As the world slowly creeps towards feeling “normal” again, I look forward to hearing about even more of these personal changes and successes and being able to celebrate them together! Don’t hesitate to send us your updates at any time.
We have good news regarding this year’s Alumni Weekend. Alumni Weekend 2021 will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen with two distinct summer weekends of Ripon alumni programming for us. No matter how you’d like to connect, virtually or in person, the Office of Constituent Engagement is developing a variety of activities to continue to follow CDC, Fond du Lac County and College guidelines in both June and August. Full schedules, lodging, and programming details will be posted soon to www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.

JUNE 2021

• In honor of our June Alumni Weekend traditions, virtual alumni programming will be held Tuesday, June 22 through Saturday, June 26, and will include: an alumni town hall, R Connections webinars, affinity socials, a summer book club, and special recognition of the 2020 and 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees.

• The only in-person event, the Doc Weiske ’50 Memorial Golf Scramble, will be held off-campus on Friday, June 25.

AUGUST 2021
A combination of virtual and in-person Alumni Weekend programming will be held the first week of August. We will continue to evaluate the state of COVID-19. If circumstances change at the local and national level and we need to cancel in-person programming, that decision will be made and communicated by July 1, 2021.

• Virtual programming will be held Tuesday, August 3 through Saturday, August 7 and will include: a reunion-focused alumni town hall that also previews the new academic year, additional R Connections webinars, the summer book club capstone, and the traditional “That Was Then” storytelling session.

• In-person, on-campus programming will be held Friday, August 6 through Sunday, August 8, and will focus on alumni awards recognition, 2020 and 2021 reunion celebrations, and other outdoor events such as Rally Run and prairie walk.

• Additionally, the Class of 2020 will officially be welcomed to our alumni community with a special commencement ceremony.

Stay well, friends.

MARA JENSEN POULLETTE ’14
(920)-946-8498

TIM HOLME ’14
(608) 333-9526
Your 2014 Class Agents

Submitted by: Class Agents: Mara Jensen Poullette and Time Holme

Greetings, Class of 2015!

What will 2021’s story be?

We’re all looking for solutions, but the thing is… we don’t know.

And that not knowing what’s next is okay. Sometimes, not knowing results in not doing anything. We hold onto old experiences, relationships, stuff, or ideas of what we were “before” the pandemic (or any situation, for that matter). We hold onto what we know because it is known, even if it’s not particularly comfortable. Because even a little uncomfortable feels better than unknown, right?

But I urge you to consider change, for yourself and for society. The unfamiliar is scary, absolutely. The lack of control of how you or others will feel is a very real feeling. Sometimes not knowing the results can result in peace. This year, COVID-19 forced many changes to my routine. From attempting to sit still with meditation to daily exercise, I focused on personal change. I try to give positive energy. Life is breath, after all.

For society, we have to get better at change. The Zoom routine feels like an inescapable vortex where days are dripping from one to the next. We’re all in this vortex. Once we acknowledge this shared experience, we can examine the truths of this era: it’s been scary for pretty much everyone. Regardless of who is doing well and who is not, which we should always keep in mind if we don’t start embracing change, we’re not going to get anywhere.

We still have so many choices. There’s the intentional choice of letting go of the pandemic. There’s the choice of showing up, too, to make a change.
We have good news regarding Alumni Weekend and our 5th Class Reunion! Alumni Weekend 2021 will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen with two distinct summer weekends of Ripon alumni programming for us. No matter how you’d like to connect, virtually or in person, the Office of Constituent Engagement is developing a variety of activities to continue to follow CDC, Fond du Lac County and College guidelines in both June and August. Full schedules, lodging, and programming details will be posted soon to www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.

JUNE 2021

• In honor of our June Alumni Weekend traditions, virtual alumni programming will be held Tuesday, June 22 through Saturday, June 26, and will include: an alumni town hall, R Connections webinars, affinity socials, a summer book club, and special recognition of the 2020 and 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees.

• The only in-person event, the Doc Weiske ’50 Memorial Golf Scramble, will be held off-campus on Friday, June 25.

AUGUST 2021
A combination of virtual and in-person Alumni Weekend programming will be held the first week of August. We will continue to evaluate the state of COVID-19. If circumstances change at the local and national level and we need to cancel in-person programming, that decision will be made and communicated by July 1, 2021.

• Virtual programming will be held Tuesday, August 3 through Saturday, August 7 and will include: a reunion-focused alumni town hall that also previews the new academic year, additional R Connections webinars, the summer book club capstone, and the traditional “That Was Then” storytelling session.

• In-person, on-campus programming will be held Friday, August 6 through Sunday, August 8, and will focus on alumni awards recognition, 2020 and 2021 reunion celebrations including our 5th Class Reunion, and other outdoor events such as Rally Run and prairie walk.

• Additionally, the Class of 2020 will officially be welcomed to our alumni community with a special commencement ceremony.

Class Notes:

RAYMOND ALLEN ’15 of Durham, North Carolina, writes, “I am excited to announce that I was awarded one of the inaugural 2020-21 Race and the Professions Fellowships! This is a new Duke fellowship created to “explore [the] challenges of racial inequities and the work of anti-racism in the professions.” My Tribal community has taught me to always bring my Native perspective to everything I do, and to be proud of it. I’ve been talking about race inequities in science and academia for a long time now, and it’s refreshing to have the work I’ve been doing for it be recognized! I’m also delighted to bring a Queer Indigenous perspective to the cohort!” RAYMOND is also featured in an article in the 2021 winter edition of the Ripon Magazine.

ZACH BEEK ’15 and NIKKI WEICHBROD BEEK ’12 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, welcomed a baby girl, McKinli, to the world on September 16, 2020.

CAT CARBAJAL OLIVER ’15 and AUSTIN OLIVER ’14 moved to Crested Butte, Colorado, in November and were married in January.

ANDREW CARBALLO ’15 of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is engaged to the woman who will mother his and her children. They will be married in Milwaukee in 2022. Throughout the pandemic, Andrew has not improved at Call of Duty War Zone.

ZACH CONNERS ’15 of Madison, Wisconsin, works as recruitment coordinator at Raven Software which is part of Activision Blizzard studio. He recently celebrated the release of Call of Duty: Cold War in November. Zach has taken on recruiting for another studio called Vicarious Visions. He hopes to plant a garden this spring!

KORRINE PETERSON COVALT ’15 and STEPHEN COVALT ’17 and of Crystal Lake, Illinois, welcomed their son, Carson, into the world on February 24, 2021.

CHRISTIAN ERTEL ’15 of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, got a new job at Chicago Title as an account executive focusing on residential real estate transactions.

WYLIE GAHART ’15 of Kenosha, Wisconsin, is currently working as an Elementary School Counselor in the Elkhorn Area School District and obsessing over her golden retriever puppy, Wren.

CHELSEA GRAHN ANDREWS ’15 of Maryville, Illinois, completed her Ph.D. in Psychology from UW-Madison in May 2020. Chelsea and her husband, Callon, rebooked their Alaska vacation for May, in hopes of finally celebrating her graduation.

TEAGAN FORD ’15 moved to Jackson, Minnesota, in October 2020. She has been working for Daktronics as the North Central Live Events Project Coordinator. The company manufactures large LED/scoreboards, so she helps the coordination of getting large displays installed at venues, colleges, sports, arenas, etc. She’s currently getting the Kansas City Royals an LED Live Video scoreboard. Ripon is in her region!

PETER HAYES ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, is working as an investment product manager at Envestnet. He is currently in a part-time MBA program at DePaul. Peter loves to take his pup Mac on long walks.

SAMANTHA KAY ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, continues to work as the Global Outreach and Advocacy Manager for the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy. She manages programs focused on increasing access to potentially curative gene therapies in low and middle-income countries such as India, Brazil, and South Africa. Sam volunteers as an election worker because it’s the last line of defense against voter suppression. She was vaccinated in February and March and would highly recommend it.

ANDREW KLINE ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, has been working as an Account Executive at Copado, which is a Salesforce Developer Operations platform for the past two years. During the pandemic, he has been binge-watching TV and doing a puzzle here and there with his girlfriend. Andrew is planning to travel to Europe once that is safe.

CHRISTIAN KRUEGER ’15 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is plugging away on her Ph.D. at Marquette!

SAMMY LARSON ’15 of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, got another promotion, to “QRC Project Coordinator” at Kimberly-Clark, and it appears she’ll be moving back to Wisconsin. In addition, she’s also pursuing a sustainable management master’s degree, and plans to pursue a Ph.D. afterward in green plastic science and development!

ARIEL LEE ’15 moved to San Antonio, Texas. She currently works as an author’s assistant with her own brand/business where each day is different.

EMILY FISHER LENSMIRE ’15 of Reedsville, Wisconsin, is living her best hermit life with her husband and two children. She knows there is a God out there as Disney Plus has been a blessing to preoccupy the munchkins as VHS’s are starting to get a bit obsolete and crackers in the old VHS player aren’t exactly good for it even if the girls insisted it was hungry. As if raising two children, working full time at Lakeland University, and farming with her husband wasn’t enough, she decided to start a photography business as well. Shameless plug for that. Overall life is good!

KAYLIE LONGLEY ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is writing a book on the opportunity cost of behavior change. If you’ve committed and omitted habits, reach out to her! She’s still working at Bardon Bowling Centers and Ebenezer Stone Ministries, a southeastern Wisconsin food pantry. Food insecurity is real, but there is help! Call 211 to get help finding food, paying bills, and locating other resources near you.

EMILY MENGERT ’15 of Maricopa, Arizona, adopted a corgi named Luna and got a promotion from payroll to Case Resolution Associate.

NATE SIUDAK ’15 and BRI MILROY SIUDAK ’15 got married in December 2020 in Michigan. Bri is working as a school counselor in West Allis, and Nate is working at Titus Talent Strategies as a recruiter.

CHELSEA MOLDENHAUER ’15 of Ripon, Wisconsin, graduated from the National University of Health Sciences in Chiropractic Medicine.

NICOLE MALLI ’15 of Washington, D.C., has been exploring her hobbies during the pandemic: painting, cooking, crying in the shower. Nicole also got a Discover + subscription to watch 90-day fiancé and murder shows.

ALEXANDRA PATZA PAULSON ’15 and BEN PAULSON ’14 of Ripon, Wisconsin, celebrated their son, Theodore’s, first birthday recently.

CHLOE PIEPHO COREY ’15 and her husband, Luke, of Rochester, Minnesota, welcomed their daughter, Ava Rae Corey, on October 10, 2020.

MADDIE POULLETTE ’15 moved to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, and is the proud aunt to a fifth generation Ripon legacy, baby Owen Poullette (son of SAM POULLETTE ’13 and MARA JENSEN POULLETTE ’14). She is working from home in HR consulting.

JESSICA SKIBA MORGAN ’15 of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, got a new job. She is working as a social media manager for Alliance Bible Church and The Student Union. LUKE MORGAN ’15 and Jessica bought a new house and are really excited. They are close to the Kettle Moraine and have upcoming summer plans to go backpacking and camping!

BRISTOLE RYFF ’15 of Orland Park, Illinois, moved into her first apartment with her boyfriend, Mike, and his son, Leo. She will be graduating in May 2021 with a Master’s in Special Education from Purdue University. She is currently completing her student teaching rotation in eighth grade during a pandemic, who would have thought? But all is well, and she is excited to graduate and finally have her own classroom!

LAURA SHIVELY ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, left Premier Real Estate Management LLC in November to join the Client Concierge team at Accunet Mortgage. She continues to try a new recipe every week. Laura enjoys sharing the spoils, so that her boyfriend doesn’t feel obligated to eat an entire cake every week. She has been able to continue doing yoga at home and will be participating in a virtual 5K run this spring. Her weekends continue to have time dedicated to exploring take-out from local restaurants. This spring, she hopes to expand her plant family to have a small vegetable and herb garden on her balcony.

BRIAN SCHUMACHER ’15 and KATIE DREW SCHUMACHER ’14 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, are enjoying watching their son, Mason, grow up and develop new skills. They are looking forward to warmer weather so they can all spend more time outside.

ANTHONY TAUSIG ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, celebrated three years at Broadspire. He was the best man in TIM SINKOVITZ ’13’s wedding in 2020. Anthony has entered into the world of homeownership and paying Chicago property taxes and now spends a lot of time at Home Depot and Menards. He and ALLISON MACKNICK ’17 have been together for six years this April.

CASEY VERCAUTEREN ’15 of Chicago, Illinois, married Allison in October 2020.

ROB WATERS ’15 and KAMELLE VAN DER LEEST WATERS ’15 of Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, have been enjoying working from home with their Weimaraner, Jake. Kamelle celebrated five years at Dean Health Plan in February. Her current work, as a Grievance & Appeals Specialist, is in the office every other day. Rob spent a large part of 2020 renovating their home. He is starting a new job in the green industry in March. They are both very excited to take a week off and celebrate Rob’s sister’s wedding in August in Gulf Shores, Alabama. They have been thankful for many video happy hours spent with fellow alumni and look forward to the day we can all visit with friends again in person.

KAITLYN WELZEN ’15 of Kenmore, Washington, got promoted to ‘Sustainability and Purchasing Manager’ at the zoo, so she now runs two departments and gets to focus on general sustainability and waste.

CETONIA WESTON ’15 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is planning to open Niche Book Bar in May 2021 in the historically Black neighborhood of Bronzeville in Milwaukee. The business will offer Black literature in all genres, wine, tea, and coffee service, cozy spots for reading, and a place to sponsor book clubs, author events, and storytimes. More information on this news note can be found in the 2021 winter edition of the Ripon Magazine.

Cheers, classmates! Hope you to see you at our 5th Class Reunion celebration this summer!

SAMANTHA KAY ’15
(414) 587-5958

KAYLIE LONGLEY ’15
(262) 212-7394
Your 2015 Class Agents

Submitted by: Class Agent: Samantha Kay

Greetings, Class of 2016!

I was so happy to touch base with you for this Class Letter, and I can’t wait to share some exciting news about Ripon with you as well.

 Students and staff are back on campus for the spring semester, with in-person, online, and hybrid learning models with plenty of testing to keep everyone as safe as possible. We, of course, have a lot to hope for with Alumni Weekend – it has been FIVE whole years – and we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible attend our Reunion. If you’d like to join the efforts to plan our Class Reunion or help with outreach, please reach out to us!

Alumni Weekend 2021 will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen with two distinct summer weekends of Ripon alumni programming for us. No matter how you’d like to connect, virtually or in person, the Office of Constituent Engagement is developing a variety of activities to continue to follow CDC, Fond du Lac County and College guidelines in both June and August. Full schedules, lodging, and programming details will be posted soon to www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.

JUNE 2021

• In honor of our June Alumni Weekend traditions, virtual alumni programming will be held Tuesday, June 22 through Saturday, June 26, and will include: an alumni town hall, R Connections webinars, affinity socials, a summer book club, and special recognition of the 2020 and 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees.

• The only in-person event, the Doc Weiske ’50 Memorial Golf Scramble, will be held off-campus on Friday, June 25.

AUGUST 2021
A combination of virtual and in-person Alumni Weekend programming will be held the first week of August. We will continue to evaluate the state of COVID-19. If circumstances change at the local and national level and we need to cancel in-person programming, that decision will be made and communicated by July 1, 2021.

• Virtual programming will be held Tuesday, August 3 through Saturday, August 7 and will include: a reunion-focused alumni town hall that also previews the new academic year, additional R Connections webinars, the summer book club capstone, and the traditional “That Was Then” storytelling session.

• In-person, on-campus programming will be held Friday, August 6 through Sunday, August 8 and will focus on alumni awards recognition including for our very own JJ GRINDE ’16, a 2021 Outstanding Young Alumni Award recipient; 2020 and 2021 reunion celebrations including our 5th Class Reunion, and will feature other outdoor events like Rally Run and prairie walk.

• Additionally, the Class of 2020 will officially be welcomed to our alumni community with a special commencement ceremony.

I am thankful for the friendships we have grown and continue to develop for these five years after graduation! Please do not take these connections for granted – especially in a time like this. Reach out to a friend, send some love, and do your best every day to find some light (even if it is just “Wow, that is a cool bird that I saw on my way to work!”).

Class Notes:

ALEXANDER MEHRE ’16 of Veazie, Maine, has decided to return to school to get a B.S. in mechanical engineering. He is enjoying living with his wife in their first house near the University of Maine.

ALYSSA KENNEDY ’16 of McHenry, Illinois, has graduated medical school and started her residency training at the Mayo Clinic in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in the past year! Starting her new job in the middle of the pandemic has been challenging but rewarding. Additionally, she and JORDAN POLK ’16 got engaged!

ALYSSA NYCZ ’16 of West Hartford, Connecticut, has less than 500 days until residency graduation (not that she’s counting….). In the meantime, she is preparing to spend part of the summer practicing medicine in Alaska (assuming COVID-19 cooperates). She and her significant other are currently searching for a new place to call home in Connecticut AND jobs in exploring emergency medicine (him) and pediatrics (her) with the hope that their career search lands them in Wisconsin! When they are not attempting to be real adults, they are probably watching Survivor reruns.

BRANDON MASTALISH ’16 of Mayville, Wisconsin, is moving to California to be roommates with another fellow Ripon alumni in the coming months to start a career and try something new!

CARL MEISNER ’16 of Minnetonka, Minnesota, is coming up on his second year of putting his degree to use, working at a healthcare software company. He has spent the pandemic playing a pile of board games, and practicing smoking ribs and brisket.

COURTNEY BLOOMER ’16 of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, moved back to Wisconsin after graduating nursing school in April and is working as a nurse in the ICU in Berlin, Wisconsin!

ELIZABETH KONIECZNY YAMAT ’16, of Glendale, Wisconsin, her husband Brady, and their son, Theo, are enjoying lots of extra time at home with their two dogs. They are loving watching all the Disney movies – especially Theo’s favorite, Moana!

EMILY GARY WESTPHAL ’16 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was married to Derek Westphal in October of 2020 and is still spending a lot of time with their very hyper and spoiled Mini Goldendoodle, Maggie.

ERIKA RIEBE NELL ’16 of St. Paul, Minnesota, transitioned to Assistant Director of Admission at St. Catherine University in August! She is also working towards her MBA with a concentration in Integrated Marketing Communications and plans to graduate in 2022. She and ZAC NELL ’15 recently celebrated four years with their rescue pup, Rodgers, and are amazed/in denial about how white his face is already. They can’t wait until they can travel again and see people at our joint Class Reunions!

HALEY SORBO ’16 of Nekoosa, Wisconsin, has been with Visit Rome for two years as of May of this year and is happy to know that Rome is rapidly growing with Sand Valley!

JAMES-MARK OOKO-OMBAKA ’16 of Mount Vernon, New York, is a Project Manager at Code for Africa (CfA) – which is partnered and founded by Google News Labs, World Bank Group, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. CfA is the continent’s largest network of open data and civic technology labs! James continues to be passionate about social justice and economic empowerment. James also recently did an interview with the BBC on strategies that young/busy professionals should employ to deal with insomnia that recently aired! He was wearing some Ripon swag in the interview. For a sneak peek, check out BBCAfrica on Instagram!

JENNIFER KELLER ’16 of Mequon, Wisconsin, had a new career move! She said goodbye to the awesome team she worked with for four years in Richfield, Wisconsin, and began her role as Village Administrator in the Village of Jackson, Wisconsin, in January. She is looking forward to also being a back-to-back annual Wisconsin state parks pass holder. Any fellow alums with park recommendations, feel free to pass them along!

JENNIFER NIGGEMEIER ’16 of Germantown, Wisconsin, has been COVID-19-free since ’94.

JORDAN POLK ’16 of Greenwood, Indiana, has moved back to Wisconsin and recently started working as an admission counselor for Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is the head varsity boys’ basketball coach for Hillsboro High School. Finally, he and ALYSSA KENNEDY ’16 got engaged!

KARI BROWN ’16 of De Pere, Wisconsin, has been working at Associated Bank for a year-and-a-half now and has definitely found her career! In June 2020, she was fortunate enough to marry her best friend – though their original May wedding was scheduled, they opted for a smaller ceremony as soon as they could. She and Chris love spending time with their families and goofing around with their 75-pound lap dog. She is certainly looking forward to what 2021 brings!

KATIE TREDINNICK ’16 of Madison, Wisconsin, has spent the last few months finding ways to incorporate the outdoors into her daily routine of sitting and looking at her computer all day. Sometimes she goes on walks around the neighborhood or sits on the porch in the sun or goes cross-country skiing with her beau, PAUL MEUER ’16. The computer is teaching her things, though!

KAY LULING SENGLAUB ’16 of West Allis, Wisconsin, has been surviving one day at a time. She’s been taking the dogs hiking when she can, and is in training mode for some events coming up! She tries to celebrate life through food and indoor activities on the weekends.

KELLI WALSH MYERS ’16 of Ripon, Wisconsin, married JOHN MYERS ’20 and they are looking forward to the first spring in their new home!!

LIZZIE PETERS ’16 of Appleton, Wisconsin, is still teaching 4K and 3rd grade at St. Edward School and is loving it! With COVID-19 causing pools to close or only open minimally, she hasn’t been able to be a lifeguard or teach swim lessons for almost a year. However, she has taken on being a Dog Trainer’s Assistant!! With this job, she helps the dog trainer and the clients train their puppies and answers their questions. She says, “It has been really fun learning how to train and work with puppies…a new way to use her educational skills!”

MCCAYLA THOE ’16 moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, and works for the Minnesota Department of Management and Budget as a Project Coordinator. In her free time, she is an independent artist through her small business, Selcouth Artistry at selcouthartistry.com.

MINH DO ’16 of Hanoi, Vietnam, changed his job and is currently working as a business analyst for a bank in Vietnam.

NICHOLAS LUEDTKE ’16 of Appleton, Wisconsin, completed a successful internship at Integrated DNA Technologies in Coralville, Iowa, where he progressed the prediction algorithms of CRISPR gene editing tools. He is finishing his Ph.D. in chemistry and is trying to answer the question of why enzymes are so big. He has been keeping himself sane with copious amounts of cycling and running and even took the opportunity to complete the rim-to-rim-to-rim at the Grand Canyon nonstop.

RACHEL ROKUSEK ’16 of Chesapeake, Virginia, was engaged over Labor Day weekend while in the Outer Banks and is currently planning their wedding for November 2021 when they can hopefully have a mask-free and safe celebration with their friends and family. She and her new coworker, Larry the cat, have finally figured out how to successfully work from home with very little interruptions to his catnap schedule.

RACHELLA BENNETT ’16 of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, bought a house in Menomonee Falls, got promoted, and is pregnant!

RAEANN BRIXIUS-FAHNRICH ’16 of Alexandria, Virginia, is wearing her mask, social distancing, and anxiously awaiting COVID-19 vaccination!

SIDNEY BLODGETT DEMASTER ’16 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, has had a crazy year! Her daughter Eliza is growing like crazy. She just started to walk, so they are starting to babyproof everything. Sidney is currently working as an all virtual second-grade teacher for North Fond du Lac and is loving it (thanks COVID-19)!! She and her husband decided to put their house up for sale and moved in May. They then had a house fire in their new home in June. It was very scary, but they are all okay. Everything in the entire house had to be redone, but they were finally able to move back in November. It has been so nice to be home and settled. Sidney’s husband, Aaron, started Centerpoint Church in September and it has been going really well! They are growing and it’s been super fun to meet so many new people. They have services in the Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac every Sunday at nine a.m.

SAM CANNING ’16 of Wheaton, Illinois, is living the dream of working from home with her dog.

SARA DRIEBEL ’16 of New Berlin, Wisconsin, is still working as a Human Resources Generalist and spends a lot of time working on growing an indoor jungle! She is anxiously awaiting the day she can get back to work at the zoo and misses seeing the critters and teaching the kiddos there a ton. Sara would also like to shout out JENNIFER NIGGEMEIER ’16 of Germantown, Wisconsin, for helping with this edition of the Class Letter!

SAMANTHA DEY ’16 of Union Center, Wisconsin, and ALEX SNELL ’16 of Brooklyn, Wisconsin, are engaged, expecting a baby, and buying a house!

TY KETZ ’16 of Clayton, Wisconsin, moved back to Ripon this past summer. He is coaching men’s basketball at Ripon College, bartending at Roadhouse, and is a caregiver for Comfort Keepers.

LUCERO PENA ’16 of Platteville, Wisconsin, is the Accounting Specialist for the City of Platteville.

Sincerely,

SARA DRIEBEL ’16
(262) 347-1484 / (262) 439-8124

ELIZABETH KONIECZNY YAMAT ’16
(414) 369-7430
Your 2016 Class Agents

Submitted by: Class Agent: Sara Driebel

Greetings, Class of 2017!

We hope everyone is thriving and that 2021 has brought a fresh start to your lives! Ripon College is starting 2021 off strong with an on-time start to the semester. They have also implemented a COVID-19 surveillance program in which they will frequently test students to find cases before they have any ability to gain a foothold. The college was lucky in the fall semester to have a limited number of cases. They limited cases by quarantining COVID-positive students on one floor of Anderson Hall until the infection cleared and those students could be released. Best of luck to the College for the rest of the spring semester in limiting the spread of COVID-19!

Although it may feel far away, our five-year Class Reunion will be here before we know it! Start marking those calendars for Alumni Weekend 2022 (June 23-26)! We can be hopeful that vaccines will open the world back up by 2022 such that we can have the Class Reunion of a lifetime! Until then, stay well and stay hopeful!

We have good news to share regarding this year’s Alumni Weekend. Alumni Weekend 2021 will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen with two distinct summer weekends of Ripon alumni programming for us. No matter how you’d like to connect, virtually or in person, the Office of Constituent Engagement is developing a variety of activities to continue to follow CDC, Fond du Lac County and College guidelines in both June and August. Full schedules, lodging, and programming details will be posted soon to www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.

JUNE 2021

• In honor of our June Alumni Weekend traditions, virtual alumni programming will be held Tuesday, June 22 through Saturday, June 26, and will include: an alumni town hall, R Connections webinars, affinity socials, a summer book club, and special recognition of the 2020 and 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees.

• The only in-person event, the Doc Weiske ’50 Memorial Golf Scramble, will be held off-campus on Friday, June 25.

AUGUST 2021
A combination of virtual and in-person Alumni Weekend programming will be held the first week of August. We will continue to evaluate the state of COVID-19. If circumstances change at the local and national level and we need to cancel in-person programming, that decision will be made and communicated by July 1, 2021.

• Virtual programming will be held Tuesday, August 3 through Saturday, August 7 and will include: a reunion-focused alumni town hall that also previews the new academic year, additional R Connections webinars, the summer book club capstone, and the traditional “That Was Then” storytelling session.

• In-person, on-campus programming will be held Friday, August 6 through Sunday, August 8, and will focus on alumni awards recognition, 2020 and 2021 reunion celebrations, and other outdoor events such as Rally Run and prairie walk.

• Additionally, the Class of 2020 will officially be welcomed to our alumni community with a special commencement ceremony.

Class Notes:

EMMA BRONSON ’17 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just purchased her first house in Bayview. She was also accepted into the U.S. Global Leaders Coalition Next Gen year-long mentor program. She is also still drinking beer and judging everyone.

KONNER FELDHUS ’17 of Des Moines, Iowa, is finishing up his third year of medical school and will begin applying for residency in the fall to general medicine programs.

NOELLE KORZENIEWSKI ’17 of Ripon, Wisconsin writes, “After receiving my Masters of Bible in Minnesota, my partner and I moved back to Ripon in 2017. I took a job at a plasma donation center in an attempt to learn something new and out of my comfort zone. Since starting a little over a year ago, I have been promoted twice and now am the Training Lead Tech, helping and teaching new and current employees learn phlebotomy! I love my job, and am so proud to be working in healthcare at this time. Our plasma center was one of the first to start taking plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients in order to create the life saving therapies for those struggling with COVID-19. If you are able to, please, go donate your plasma or blood. My significant other and I are now looking to buy our very first house in Ripon. (If you or someone you know is looking to sell their single-family home here in Ripon, Wisconsin, soon, please reach out [email protected]!) We absolutely love the community of Ripon and want to officially call it home.”

BRENDAN MCCOY ’17 and MADDIE VANDENHOUTEN MCCOY ’17 are both still working at Ripon College in the Office of Advancement and Office of Admission, respectively. They celebrated their two-year wedding anniversary last fall and are looking forward to spending time outside this summer with their dog, Finn.

JORGE GUTIERREZ ’17 of Ripon, Wisconsin, is the new academic support specialist for the fine arts department at Ripon College. He hopes all of you will be able to attend future fine arts events at Ripon College in the future and if you do, please say hello. His bearded dragon, Cheezit, and his many plants are keeping him company as he social distances and stays safe. He does hope to see many of you at next summer’s 5-year Class Reunion!

Sincerely,

KONNER FELDHUS ’17
303-280-5835

WINONA HOLMES ROBBINS ’17
650-274-9231

ERIN CANON ’17
414-469-5945
Your 2017 Class Agents

Submitted by: Class Agents: Konner Feldhus, Winona Holmes Robbins, and Erin Canon

Greetings, Class of 2018!

What seems like the longest year of our lives has finally come to a close. Some of us have changed jobs, moved cities, adopted pets, or completed other various life milestones. Despite all of the different things we have been up to we all have one thing in common, resilience. This year brought a lot of challenges and things we weren’t prepared for, but hopefully from this experience, you’ve found something positive. Perhaps you picked up a new skill or rediscovered an old hobby. Maybe you used this time to connect with an old friend or reflect on your current job or living situation. Whatever that may be, we’re hoping you’ve come out on the other side of this stronger and more aware of who you are and where you want to be.

Perhaps this sounds corny but many of us, three years post-graduation, are still working through what’s next. It is normal to question what we are supposed to do with our lives or who we are supposed to be. All this free time spent inside our homes has allowed us more space to question these things. Wherever you are in your life right now we hope you find clarity and peace.

The College has announced plans for this summer’s Alumni Weekend. Alumni Weekend 2021 will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen with two distinct summer weekends of Ripon alumni programming for us. No matter how you’d like to connect, virtually or in person, the Office of Constituent Engagement is developing a variety of activities to continue to follow CDC, Fond du Lac County and College guidelines in both June and August. Full schedules, lodging, and programming details will be posted soon to www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.

JUNE 2021

• In honor of our June Alumni Weekend traditions, virtual alumni programming will be held Tuesday, June 22 through Saturday, June 26, and will include: an alumni town hall, R Connections webinars, affinity socials, a summer book club, and special recognition of the 2020 and 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees.

• The only in-person event, the Doc Weiske ’50 Memorial Golf Scramble, will be held off-campus on Friday, June 25.

AUGUST 2021
A combination of virtual and in-person Alumni Weekend programming will be held the first week of August. We will continue to evaluate the state of COVID-19. If circumstances change at the local and national level and we need to cancel in-person programming, that decision will be made and communicated by July 1, 2021.

• Virtual programming will be held Tuesday, August 3 through Saturday, August 7 and will include: a reunion-focused alumni town hall that also previews the new academic year, additional R Connections webinars, the summer book club capstone, and the traditional “That Was Then” storytelling session.

• In-person, on-campus programming will be held Friday, August 6 through Sunday, August 8, and will focus on alumni awards recognition, 2020 and 2021 reunion celebrations, and other outdoor events such as Rally Run and prairie walk.

• Additionally, the Class of 2020 will officially be welcomed to our alumni community with a special commencement ceremony.

Given our climate and state of things as your Class Agents, we did not want to push too hard for life updates this cycle. We hope that you and your family are safe and healthy. As a reminder, the Class of 2018 has a Facebook group you can use to be updated on all things Ripon College. If you’d like to be added please reach out to one of us. You can also send us updates on your life any time of the year. We will make sure they’re included in the next letter.
Sincerely,

LAUREN HINCE ’18
(763) 706-7473

HOLLY ERICKSON ’18
(262) 497-7796

ELEANORE MUELLER WOOD ’18
(920) 539-2935

Submitted by: Class Agents: Lauren Hince, Holly Erickson, and Eleanore Mueller Wood

Greetings, Class of 2019!

As spring sets in, we wanted to wish you and your families a safe and healthy 2021. The previous year has been challenging for many of us, to say the least. COVID-19, racial injustice, natural disasters, and the unrest across the country have left impressions on each of us that will follow us for the rest of our lives. Many of us have gone the extra mile to support one another, our communities, and ourselves. Whether you are currently working in healthcare, COVID-19 relief, fighting for what’s right, or simply delivering meals to those who need it, we send an extra heartfelt thank you.

Reading our class updates always reminds us that we are all still out there making a difference in our communities. While we may be located all across the globe, we remain connected as the Class of 2019. We hope these class updates bring you joy and memories of times when you were not-so-socially-distanced with your classmates.

We also have some updates about the place we all call home. Enrollment is already 30% higher compared to this point last year, with nearly 40% of the first deposits coming from first-generation students. #OneDayRally is April 28th, with a theme of Ripon Over the Years. Be sure to support the school in whatever way you can when the time comes. More details on #OneDayRally will be available as we get closer. We’ve also heard that the new food service provider, SAGE, is an immense upgrade over Sodexo. Those unfortunate students will never know what it was like to have cereal and vanilla ice cream as their only dinner options.

As we move into warmer weather, we look forward to hearing more about your successes, tribulations, and goals. We hope there will be future events soon where we can see each other (probably virtually), pick up where we left off, and maybe even share a beer again.

We have good news to share regarding this year’s Alumni Weekend. Alumni Weekend 2021 will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen with two distinct summer weekends of Ripon alumni programming for us. No matter how you’d like to connect, virtually or in person, the Office of Constituent Engagement is developing a variety of activities to continue to follow CDC, Fond du Lac County and College guidelines in both June and August. Full schedules, lodging, and programming details will be posted soon to www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.

JUNE 2021

• In honor of our June Alumni Weekend traditions, virtual alumni programming will be held Tuesday, June 22 through Saturday, June 26, and will include: an alumni town hall, R Connections webinars, affinity socials, a summer book club, and special recognition of the 2020 and 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees.

• The only in-person event, the Doc Weiske ’50 Memorial Golf Scramble, will be held off-campus on Friday, June 25.

AUGUST 2021
A combination of virtual and in-person Alumni Weekend programming will be held the first week of August. We will continue to evaluate the state of COVID-19. If circumstances change at the local and national level and we need to cancel in-person programming, that decision will be made and communicated by July 1, 2021.

• Virtual programming will be held Tuesday, August 3 through Saturday, August 7 and will include: a reunion-focused alumni town hall that also previews the new academic year, additional R Connections webinars, the summer book club capstone, and the traditional “That Was Then” storytelling session.

• In-person, on-campus programming will be held Friday, August 6 through Sunday, August 8, and will focus on alumni awards recognition, 2020 and 2021 reunion celebrations, and other outdoor events such as Rally Run and prairie walk.

• Additionally, the Class of 2020 will officially be welcomed to our alumni community with a special commencement ceremony.

Class Notes:

JUAN BAEZ ’19 of Dallas, Texas, says, “Just started my new position as a Supervisor at AMF Garland. I started my own video business back in Dallas that is starting to pick up.”

LANE BARNES ’19 of Selma, California, says, “I am leaving the country in April to go play pro football and start a career path in coaching. Hope everyone is doing well during these tough times! Stay strong.”

CARLY WESNER BOWMAN ’19 of Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin, says, “Been married for 6+ months now! Ryan and I adopted a rabbit that we named Bandit. He’s super fun! We are exploring other job opportunities around the country and hope to move this spring.”

SAM GINKEL ’19 of Mequon, Wisconsin, is working on two Children’s Books, one about Cryptids and a second about an Uncle and Niece playing pretend.

MELISSA MICALE HACKBARTH ’19 of Neenah, Wisconsin, says, “I have one year left of grad-school at Northwestern University! I will be receiving my Masters of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I am more than halfway done!”

EMMA HALL ’19 of Derby, Kansas, recently graduated Sedgwick County Law Enforcement Training Academy and started as a patrol officer for the City of Wichita in our South Bureau.

OLIVIA HECK ’19 of Bloomington, Indiana, says, “I’m finishing my second year of the School Psychology Ph.D. program at Indiana University Bloomington. I’m looking forward to spending another warm spring in Bloomington going on quarantine walks and bike rides!”
RACHEL HAWLEY ’19 of Madison, Wisconsin, says, “I am finishing up my second year of pharmacy school at UW-Madison from the comfort of my own home with my two quarantine kitties: Pippa and Oliver. This summer I will be working for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals as a Regulatory Affairs Intern.”

VINCE HRIBERNIK ’19 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, says, “I’m working as a video operations associate at Forever’s media conversion center in Green Bay. I started the job back in August after a long job hunt.”

KATIE KING ’19 of Tucson, Arizona, says, “I moved to Tucson to begin my Ph.D. program at the University of Arizona. I’ve had opportunities to explore the Saguaro National Forest and red rock formations in Sedona. Though COVID-19 has resulted in all online courses and limited ability to experience my new city, I’m finding ways to enjoy my new home!”

EMMA LEMKE ’19 of Hilbert, Wisconsin, graduated in September of 2020 with a master’s degree in cultural heritage and museum studies from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom. While there, she worked for the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum. Ripon College featured a story about Emma’s internship, which can be accessed here.

WYATT MCGILLEN ’19 of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, says, “I am currently living in Milwaukee with MITRA KERMANI ’20 and my two cats, Locke and Hobbes. I work for Prudential Financial as a financial advisor helping individuals with retirement planning and other investment or insurance needs.”

MCKENNA MEZA ’19 of Appleton, Wisconsin, says, “I started my career as a Registered Nurse and got engaged to THOMAS PHILLIPSEN ’19!”

TEARA MORGENROTH ’19 of Greenfield, Wisconsin, says, “I am in my second year of graduate school working towards a Masters in School Counseling. In Fall 2020 I was able to counsel members of the Whitewater community through my practicum experience. Now, I am applying and interviewing for internship positions for the Fall 2021-Spring 2022 school year where I will be able to practice as a school counselor in an elementary, middle, or high school. This will then prepare me to graduate in 2022!”

LUKE MUELLER ’19 of Oregon, Wisconsin, joins the New London School District as a physical education teacher at Lincoln Elementary and Sugar Bush Elementary Schools.

KATE MYSZEWSKI ’19 of Saukville, Wisconsin, is currently teaching middle school band in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Despite the challenges of teaching in-person and virtual students simultaneously, Kate is making the most of it! Outside of teaching, Kate is currently applying for graduate school, has weekly FaceTime dates with BECKY LEUENBERGER ’19, and is enjoying living with her boyfriend and two kitties.

NATHANIEL PAKOSZ ’19 of Frankfort, Wisconsin, started employment as a Clinical lab supervisor.

ROBERT ROSNER ’19 of Madison, Wisconsin, says, “I’m entering the penultimate semester of my master’s program in Water Resources Management at UW-Madison. I continue to enjoy my work as a trainee at USGS and hope to find a position there following grad school. During the holidays, I enjoyed seeing family and spending time ice fishing with my brothers.”

SHANE STRABLEY ’19 of Waterford, Wisconsin, is currently in his second of three years at Marquette University Law School.

ALEC SUTTON ’19 of Los Gatos, California, is attending graduate school at Montana State University Billings.

NICK TARANTO ’19 of the Minneapolis, Minnesota area, is working for Life Time, the fitness brand, at their corporate office.

SAVANNAH WHITE ’19 of Carol Stream, Illinois, says, “My partner and I will be moving in together this summer. We’ve been house hunting and it’s been quite the experience. We also have plans to adopt another fur baby as soon as we get settled. I’m a little over halfway through my graduate program and I have been adapting drama therapy for a virtual space since September. Working with the kindergartners and second graders has been an incredibly unique experience. I have also secured a placement for next fall at a partial hospitalization program for adults and adolescents and I’m looking forward to the new challenge. Additionally, I officially became published for the first time in November 2020 and presented the research at the North American Drama Therapy Association Conference the same month. You can find my article in volume six issue two in the Drama Therapy Review!”

Take care of yourselves and each other. <3

Our best to you,

ERIC FELS ’19
(262) 365-9726

RACHEL HAWLEY ’19
(224) 688-3049

OLIVIA HECK ’19
(262) 408-3785

TYLER STURZL ’19
(715) 889-3672

Your 2019 Class Agents

Submitted by: Class Agents: Eric Fels, Rachel Hawley, Olivia Heck, Tyler Sturzl

Greetings, Class of 2020!

So much has changed in the world since we last saw each other on campus, almost a whole year ago at the time of my writing. Almost overnight, we went from making plans to celebrate senior week and graduation with our friends and family to having to plan how to return home safely, how to manage online classes, and so many more unprecedented questions.

Despite the many challenges we faced, we adapted, and we persevered. We wore masks and stayed home to protect our frontline healthcare workers; we learned and adhered to new terms like “social distancing” and “contact tracing,” and we made sacrifices for the greater good, like our remaining time on campus with each other and our graduation ceremony.

The most remarkable thing to me, however, is how, despite the many days of quarantine that all blended together into one; despite the days, weeks, and months we went without seeing loved ones, we began to find our footing in the world. We found jobs, started at new schools, got engaged, and so much more. Although we did not have the opportunity to celebrate our collective achievements at commencement like we should have, we already have so much to celebrate that we have done in our short time since we departed campus. Accordingly, here are our Class Notes:

KAYLIE MARKS ’20 of Saint Paul, Minnesota, is in her second year of chiropractic school, living with DAKOTA WILCOX ’19 and their dog. This year she will be taking the board exam, receiving her white coat, and getting married at Ripon College!

KATELYN KABACINSKI ’20 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, is halfway done with nursing school! She will graduate from Bellin College in October with her BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing).

ALEXANDRA MOLINSKI ’20 of Arvada, Colorado, moved this past summer and started a Master’s Program in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling.

JOHANNA WIGAND ’20 of West Allis, Wisconsin, is the Initial Assessment Specialist with the Department of Children and Families with the Division of Milwaukee Child Protective Services.

ABBY KORB ’20 of Chevy Chase, Maryland, is the Political Research and Sales Coordinator at NGP VAN, Inc.

BRIANA BARTZ PETERSEN ’20 of Lakeland, Minnesota, teaches mathematics at River Falls High School. Briana and TODD PETERSEN ’19 married in the summer of 2020.

After his shoulder surgery, AUSTIN HEISELMANN ’20 of Burlington, Wisconsin, finally got his flight school dates! He will be moving to Alabama to start his Army Pilot Career! Austin has also been working as an Officer in Command for COVID-19 Operations.

ERIC DOLL ’20 of West Bend, Wisconsin, is looking forward to finishing his Student Teaching process!

JOHN MYERS ’20 of Ripon, Wisconsin, married KELLI WALSH MYERS ’16 and they are looking forward to the first spring in their new home!

ALLI SCHLOER ’20 of Park Falls, Wisconsin, got a job teaching art at two elementary schools near her hometown! Alli plans to start online courses in the summer through UW-Superior to work towards her degree in elementary education.

MIYE AOKI-KRAMER ’20 of Madison, Wisconsin, is currently long-term subbing in a seventh-grade science class at Beaver Dam Middle school! In June, Miye plans to move back to Seattle with her fiancé, STEVEN LANPHIER ’17.

DEVIN HOAGLIN ’20 of Davenport, Iowa, is a connoisseur and purveyor of fine meat products in Davenport, Iowa. Additionally, he recently announced his engagement to Ashley Madison.

MAX MINDIOLA ’20 of East Troy, Wisconsin, is enjoying his first year as a dental student at Creighton University, despite taking 50 credits per semester. He is looking forward to enjoying the College World Series and eating more of the delicious steaks Omaha is known for.

ADAM WRONSKI ’20 of Red Wing, Minnesota, began working at PPD, a leading global CRO (Contract Research Organization), shortly after his graduation from Ripon College. He is hopeful that the work of his company and countless other scientists will help bring the COVID-19 pandemic to an end promptly and looks forward to reuniting with his classmates when it is safe to do so.

MICHAEL HARTMAN ’20 of Grafton, Wisconsin, is a new Graduate Trustee on the Ripon College Board of Trustees. He currently works for Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (WI-05) in his Washington, D.C. office.

In closing, I want to express my deep appreciation for all of you. This appreciation is based not only on the great experiences and memories we made on campus together but equally on the inspiring contributions you are all making to the world around us already. I look forward to the day (hopefully soon), where we can all be reunited on campus and enjoy each other’s company and camaraderie. On that note, the College has announced a goal of hosting our Class of 2020 Commencement ceremony on Sunday, August 8th, as part of Alumni Weekend; I hope those of you who are able to make the trip will join us in this special celebration. More details will be forthcoming.

Alumni Weekend 2021 will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen with two distinct summer weekends of Ripon alumni programming for us. No matter how you’d like to connect, virtually or in person, the Office of Constituent Engagement is developing a variety of activities to continue to follow CDC, Fond du Lac County and College guidelines in both June and August. Full schedules, lodging, and programming details will be posted soon to www.ripon.edu/alumni-weekend.

JUNE 2021

• In honor of our June Alumni Weekend traditions, virtual alumni programming will be held Tuesday, June 22 through Saturday, June 26, and will include: an alumni town hall, R Connections webinars, affinity socials, a summer book club, and special recognition of the 2020 and 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees.

• The only in-person event, the Doc Weiske ’50 Memorial Golf Scramble, will be held off-campus on Friday, June 25.

AUGUST 2021
A combination of virtual and in-person Alumni Weekend programming will be held the first week of August. We will continue to evaluate the state of COVID-19. If circumstances change at the local and national level and we need to cancel in-person programming, that decision will be made and communicated by July 1, 2021.

• Virtual programming will be held Tuesday, August 3 through Saturday, August 7 and will include: a reunion-focused alumni town hall that also previews the new academic year, additional R Connections webinars, the summer book club capstone, and the traditional “That Was Then” storytelling session.

• In-person, on-campus programming will be held Friday, August 6 through Sunday, August 8, and will focus on alumni awards recognition, 2020 and 2021 reunion celebrations, and other outdoor events such as Rally Run and prairie walk.

• Additionally, we, the Class of 2020, will officially be welcomed to the alumni community with a special commencement ceremony.

Keep wearing your masks and staying healthy; better and brighter days are ahead. We look forward to seeing many of you this summer!

ADAM WRONSKI ’20
(651) 301-9390

KAILEE BETLER ’20
(920) 290-1327

MITRA KERMANI ’20
(303) 807-3662

HALEY STOWELL ’20
(715) 214-8025
Your 2020 Class Agents

Submitted by: Class Agents: Adam Wronski, Kailee Betler, Mitra Kermani, and Haley Stowell

As Mark Twain would say, the news of his death was greatly exaggerated! An obituary for George Charles Anastos ’76 ran in the summer issue of Ripon Magazine, but George is still with us! He called to tell us that he is very pleased to report that, no, he has not died and is alive and well.

The obituary that had been forwarded to Ripon College was for a different George Charles Anastos, whose wife has a very similar name to Ripon’s alumnus.

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

RUTH CARWITHEN SATTERTHWAITE ’65 of Palo Alto, California, died July
19, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in English and music, participated in music and student government, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She worked for the publisher Houghton Mifflin in Boston and Palo Alto. She was a frequent parent volunteer and substitute librarian in local schools. She was also a prominent participant in Palo Alto’s emergency response program, earning her amateur radio license and donating many hours. She also organized and moderated an early neighborhood news group and was a talented musician, writer, editor and genealogist. She participated in many musical groups and choirs and had a special interest in early vocal music. Survivors include her husband Ed; and two sons.

Full obituary:

Ruth C. Satterthwaite, a resident of Palo Alto for 50 years, died peacefully at home on July 19 of pancreatic cancer. Ruth was 78 years old. To her family, Ruth was a loving, loyal and dedicated
wife and mother. As a mother, Ruth not only unconditionally supported her sons in their academic pursuits and hobbies but immersed herself in them, inspiring in her children a sense of confidence and community. Among her friends, she was known for her cheery disposition, lilting speech and pixie sense of humor.

Ruth was also a talented musician, writer, editor, and genealogist. She was born in Doylestown, PA, to Walter M. Carwithen Jr. and Ruth Leech Carwithen. Ruth attended Ripon College, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1965 with degrees in English and music. After college, she worked in Boston for the publisher Houghton Mifflin. Ruth married Edwin H. Satterthwaite, Jr. in 1966. They moved to Palo Alto, where Ed was pursuing a PhD at Stanford. In 1971-72, they lived in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, where Ed taught at the university. That experience cemented Ruth’s life-long interest in British history and in her own family roots in the Devon-Cornwall area.

Ruth and Ed subsequently returned to Palo Alto and have lived there essentially ever since. In addition to raising two sons, Rob and Will, Ruth became the consummate community volunteer. She was a frequent parent volunteer and occasional substitute librarian in the Palo Alto school system, for which she received several special recognition awards. She was also active in the PTAs. Ruth later became a leader in the city’s Community Emergency Response Team, earning her amateur radio license and donating many hours. For such service, she received further community recognition including a Mick McDonald Volunteer of the Year award in 2007. Ruth also organized and moderated an early neighborhood news group. Ruth ardently pursued her passions for music and genealogy. In addition to joining several musical groups and choirs, she sang for fifty years with a group of friends who gathered weekly to read and enjoy early music. She also gained a reputation as an expert amateur genealogist and became active in the San Mateo County Genealogy Society as well as a writing group and several writing collaborations.

Ruth is survived by her husband, Ed, her brother Thomas, her two sons, Robert (Elizabeth) and William, and two grandchildren, Ella and Conner. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to a favorite charity in honor of Ruth.

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

MARION GOCKER HERBER ’52 of West Bend, Wisconsin, died Aug. 8, 2021. She attended Ripon College. She then went to business school at Prospect Hall in Milwaukee, where she became a secretary. She and her family spent summers at Silver Lake in West Bend from 1977-1986 and made Silver Lake their permanent home in 1986. She was a longtime member of St. Francis Cabrini Catholic Church in West Bend. Survivors include two sons.

Full obituary:

Marion Mae Herber

Nov. 8, 1930 – Aug. 8, 2021

Marion Mae Herber (nee Gocker), age 90 years, of West Bend was called home to be with the Lord on August 8, 2021 at Froedert West Bend Hospital.

Marion was born on November 8, 1930 in Milwaukee to Rupert and Ina Gocker (nee McKinnon).

She was united in marriage to Donald R. Herber on September 8, 1951 at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Wauwatosa. Donald passed away on October 29, 1990.

Marion was raised in Wauwatosa. She attended Ripon College and then went to business school at Prospect Hall in Milwaukee, where she became a secretary. Marion and Donald spent their summers at Silver Lake in West Bend from 1977 – 1986. They made Silver Lake their permanent home in 1986.

They loved the lake life! In 2005 Marion moved to Cedar Ridge. She believed in the cause of donating blood and enjoyed many years of donating at the Blood Center in West Bend.

Marion was a long-time member of St. Francis Cabrini Catholic Church in West Bend.

Those Marion leaves behind to cherish her memory include her two sons, Daniel J. (Mary) Herber and Robert A. Herber; grandson, Daniel R. (fiancée Jessica) Herber; brother-in-law, Wayne (Sally) Herber, and son-inlaw, Larry (Sandy) Stacy.

She is further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

In addition to her parents, Marion was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Donald R. Herber; daughter Lynne Stacy; and sister, Joyce Gocker.

Private family services were held. Burial was at Washington County Memorial Park in West Bend.

The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, and staff at Froedtert West Bend Hospital and Horizon Hospice for their care and compassion.

Myrhum-Patten Funeral & Cremation Service has been entrusted with Marion’s arrangements. Please consider signing our online guest book (www.myrhum-patten.com) to share your condolences with the family.

Cards addressed to the family may be sent in the care of Myrhum-Patten Funeral and Cremation Service, 1315 W. Washington St., West Bend, WI 53095.

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

HENRY AUGUST HOLZKAMPER ’62 of Bonita Springs, Florida, died Nov. 14, 2020. At Ripon, he studied business management, participated in student athletics and was a Partner in the Legacy. He also earned a business administration degree from Elmhurst College and served in the U.S. Navy. He had a varied career. He worked as a distributive education teacher and in real estate rentals and operated a powerboat charter business in the Virgin Islands. He was in the first group to experience zero gravity, sailed his sailboat three times from Chicago to the Virgin Islands and back and another time solo from Bermuda to New York. He loved adventure and telling jokes. Survivors include his wife, Jan; and two daughters.

Full obituary:

Henry August Holzkamper, born August 10, 1939, died in his sleep on November 14, 2020 in Bonita Springs, Florida.

Henry was born and raised in Chicago, the son of Henry August and Dorothy (Weinecke) Holzkamper. He showed a sense of entrepreneurialism beginning at the age of 6. Henry graduated from Lane Tech High School and Elmhurst College and immediately joined the Navy.

Henry was a remarkably good man and didn’t know he couldn’t do it. He was in the first group to experience Zero Gravity. He sailed his sailboat three times from Chicago to the Virgin Islands and back and another time solo from Bermuda to New York. He started his career as a distributive education teacher and enjoyed that, until he read a book on How to Get Rich in Real Estate and began to accumulate apartment rentals. After the high interest rates of the 1980s hit, Henry bought a powerboat and started a charter business in the Virgin Islands. He was the most booked boat in the Carribean! In 1995, Hurricane Marilyn totaled the boat – with him on it, only to be held up at gunpoint and knife the next morning. He moved to Florida and started over, buying small apartments. He was a one-man show, fixing them up and renting them. He will be remembered for Henryisms, “strangers are friends you haven’t met yet”, “better to waste than to my waist”, “the way to do this is…”, and best of all, “life is a participatory sport”.

One of the things Henry loved to do was to tell jokes – and laugh harder than anyone, no matter how many times he told it. He lived his life with curiosity as his friend. He loved adventure, the more unique and thrilling, the better. He had set out to live to be 120 years old.

He is survived by his loving wife, Jan Moore, daughters Heidi (Scott) Bernover, Holly (Anderson) McGregor and grandchildren Harrison Bernover, Tekla McGregor, Pippa McGregor, Hayden Bernover and Isla McGregor. He was so proud of all of them!

A private memorial service will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by visiting www.stjude.org/donate or the Community Pregnancy Clinic of Florida.

To sign his guest register or to leave online condolences please visit www.ShikanyFuneralHome.com

Arrangements are being handled by Shikany’s Bonita Funeral Home Family Owned and Operated since 1978.

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

MARY PURDO PEKSA ’85 of Ringle, Wisconsin, died Oct. 17, 2021. At Ripon, she majored in physical education and was a member of Alpha Delta Pi. She received a degree in nursing from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She worked for 30 years in cardiac health and rehabilitation at Aspirus Wausau Hospital. On her hobby farm, she raised sheep, chickens, and yellow Labradors, and tended apple trees, a pumpkin patch, and many gardens. She enjoyed biking, cross-country and downhill skiing, and hiking. She also was a member of golf and curling leagues. She was active in St. Michael’s Catholic Church and enjoyed cooking and baking. Survivors include her husband, JAMES PEKSA ’85; one son; and a brother-in-law, RICHARD PEKSA ’83.

Full obituary:

Mary Martha Peksa (Purdo) passed away on October 17th, 2021, at the age of 58 after a courageous 7 year battle with breast cancer.

Mary Martha Peksa (Purdo) was born in Milwaukee, WI on May 6th, 1963, to parents Edward Dane Purdo and Irene Judith (Szczygiel).  They precede her in death.  Mary was raised in Appleton, WI where her father, a world-renowned metalsmith, taught at the Art Department at Lawrence University.  She graduated from Appleton Xavier Catholic High School in 1981 and went on to Ripon College where she earned a BA in Physical Education.  It was there that she met her future husband, Jim Peksa.  After Ripon Mary attended UW-Oshkosh where she earned a BS in Nursing.  Jim and Mary were united in marriage on June 23, 1990, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Appleton.  Together their life was a beautiful adventure.  They were blessed with son Richard Jacob on August 23, 1993.

Mary worked for 30 years at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, dedicated to Cardiac Health and Rehabilitation.  Her patients and colleagues were her family.  Mary truly lived in the moment and filled every day with happiness, never letting worries of tomorrow distract her from the many joys of today.  After living in Wausau for 10 years she moved with her family to a hobby farm near Ringle in 2000 where she loved raising sheep, chickens, Yellow Labradors, and tending her apple trees, pumpkin patch, and many gardens.  She was passionate about health and lived an active life with her family. She loved the silent sports of biking and cross-country skiing.  She was an avid hiker and trail section owner of the Ice Age Trail for many years.  She was an accomplished downhill skier and genuinely loved her golf and curling leagues where she met some of her dearest friends.  Mary rarely paid attention to the score.  She had a life-long strong faith in her Lord and was active in St. Michael’s Catholic Church where she helped in the kitchen with special events and Lenten Fish Fries for many years.  She was a fabulous cook and baker.  You knew she loved you when she made you a fruit pie from her garden.  She made many, many pies.  Mary had a great appreciation for the fine arts and theater but found real joy in the simplest of things.  Most of all, Mary loved to be with those she loved.  She was a devoted wife and mother, a doting sister, aunt, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law, and the most caring friend you could ever have.  No reason was too small for her to gather friends and family around her to share a celebration of any kind with good food, beer, conversation, and togetherness.

She is survived by her husband of 31 years James Alex, son Richard Jacob (Jennifer), sister Melanie Bomier, brother Michael Purdo (Cindy), nieces Alexandra Peksa and Carly Bomier, nephews Ben and Daniel Bomier, mother-in-law Barbara Peksa, sister-in-law Margaret Durkin, Brother-in-law Richard Michael Peksa (Juliette), cousins, and many, many dear and loving friends.

Through her long battle with cancer Mary endured unimaginable pain and uncertainty, and faced it with a resolve to celebrate her life and blessings every day.

The family would like to thank Dr. Chris Peterson and the entire staff at Aspirus Oncology, and all her care-givers, for their tireless care and compassion through Mary’s long battle.  They truly are angels walking among us.

The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Monday October 25, 2021 at St. Michael Catholic Church, 611 Stark Street, Wausau.  The Rev. Msgr. Mark Pierce and Rev. William Grevatch will concelebrate.  Private interment services will take place at Forestville Cemetery.  Visitation will be Monday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the services at the church.  In lieu of flowers a memorial fund is being established in Mary’s memory to be donated to the American Cancer Society.

Peterson/Kraemer Funeral Home is providing arrangements.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com.

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

Andrew Limouris is the recipient of the 2021 Hellene of the Year Award from the Hellenic Bar Association Foundation (HBAF).

Limouris is the President and CEO of Medix and Talentoday, a family of companies specialized in connecting talent to the right career opportunities and supporting employers with the right workforce solutions.

Limouris founded Medix in 2001 based on the mission and purpose of positively impacting lives and strives to recruit others who live the company’s core values.

Medix has been featured on such prestigious lists as Staffing Industry Analysts Largest and Fastest Growing Staffing Companies in the United States, Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation and Clearly Rated’s Best of Staffing Client & Talent Awards. Limouris won EY’s Midwest Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2017 in Technology and Talent Services and released his first book, “Won with Purpose.” Invigorated by Medix’s and Talentoday’s purposes, both teams have worked together to launch a foundation called Talentomorrow to impact students, job seekers and those looking to further their careers, so they can achieve their true potential.

Limouris believes purpose can lead to satisfied employees and unified teamwork, and he now helps others find purpose, too. Outside of Medix, he mentors a child at the Raining Season orphanage in Freetown Sierra Leone, is a youth football coach and is board member of Camp Hometown Heroes, Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors.

Andrew is a proud Hellene and supporter of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago. He and his family are parishioners at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, Elmhurst, IL. Andrew served on Metropolitan Nathanael’s transition team and as a member of the Metropolis Council of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago from 2018-2019. Andrew is also a frequent speaker for young adult ministries in the Metropolis focused on inspiring leadership in our youth.

Submitted by: Associate Director of Engagement

1956 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class Agent:

GLORIA BERTSCHIE LUDDECKE ’56

(813) 468-0997 / [email protected]

Greetings, 1956ers!

Well, folks, it’s that time of year again to update you as to any College news or any news that I have heard from any of you.

Below are notes from your classmates in order as I received them. 

PETER PORATH ’56 of Camden, South Carolina, did not graduate but rather went into service. He is or was a lawyer. I only talked with him through a phone call so my memory does not always keep all the information. He is still keeping in touch. 

ROGER GERTENRICH ’56 of Portland, Oregon, wrote, “I served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in Korea. I then graduated from Northwestern University Dental School. Then my wife, Caryl, and I moved to Oregon. We have been married 61 years and have four kids and seven grandkids. I retired from dentistry and was a Salem, Oregon City Councilman and its mayor before moving to Portland, Oregon. We love Oregon. I have done dental exams on many fish before releasing them.”

CAROLYN CALLAHAN LANDWEHR ’55 of Glendale, Wisconsin, wrote with some sad news: JAMES B. LANDWEHR ’56 of Glendale, Wisconsin, died May 8, 2021. At Ripon, he majored in English and participated in student government. He stayed active in several ways, including serving on Class Reunion committees and as Class Agent. He served in the Coast Guard and particularly enjoyed being stationed in Alaska. He worked for GM’s AC Spark Plug for the space program and First National Bank (now US Bank). He was involved in his children’s sports, coached boys’ and girls’ softball, and was a swim official for the swim clubs and high school swim teams. After retiring, he volunteered with the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society, researching and lecturing on the history of the Great Lakes. Survivors include his wife CAROLYN CALLAHAN LANDWEHR ’55; two sons and two daughters. Carolyn said four wonderful “kids.” They were married 62+ years. Carolyn said, “We all want to keep learning.” I agree with her. 

GERALDINE “GERRY” JENSEN JAMES ’56 of Dunwoody, Georgia (metro Atlanta area) married JERRY JAMES ’55 in November 1957. She writes, “We lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, and then Brookfield, Wisconsin, where two daughters were born eventually moving to the Atlanta area in 1964 where one daughter and one son were born. All four children live in the area including seven grandchildren and one great granddaughter born last year. Although I worked for several other national companies, the majority of my working career was spent working for several of the Johnson and Johnson companies until retirement in 1999. JERRY passed away August 2013 after a lengthy battle with lung cancer. I have been an active volunteer and part-time employee at one of the Emory University hospitals during the past twenty-one years. I also volunteer at church plus sing with a community senior choir. As the pandemic has caused a curtailment of my volunteering this year, I look forward to returning ASAP.”

My news: GLORIA BERTSCHIE LUDDECKE ’56 of Saint Pete Beach, Florida, goes to a senior center on a bus five days a week. I drive, but I don’t like it as well as I used to. At the center, I volunteered to play the piano for a sing-a-long while another member of the group sang the words with a microphone. Plans for the next sing-a-long include another person who sings and plays. We hope to alternate- each of us playing piano on some songs and leading the singing on the microphone on some of the songs. We also have open mic days during which I have told a story or played the piano or sang with the Karaoke machine. At church, I play the keyboard once a month at a nursing home while other church members lead singing or lead a mini service with a homily. I enjoy playing Scrabble, Rummikub, and Kings in the Corner (a card game) with friends. 

I wish I had more class news to share but, as Bugs Bunny used to say “That’s all folks!” Or was it Elmer Fudd at the end of the cartoon?

I hope all of you are keeping the College up to date as your address including zip code, your phone number, and your email address. Please send all updates to Ripon College by contacting me or by filling out the online form at alumni.ripon.edu/services/update-info/ or by emailing [email protected].

Be sure to read the Ripon Magazine mailed to you twice a year. In the Memoriam section – in case you missed it in the summer 2020 edition of the Ripon Magazine – 

ROXANA GRISEWOLD FOREMAN ’56 of Richmond, Virginia, died April 19, 2020.

JOHN WEMPLE ’56 of Naples, Florida died March 15, 2020.

The Ripon Magazine also contains other interesting articles about alumni of Ripon College. 

RIPON COLLEGE NEWS OF NOTE

During Alumni Weekend this past August, 29 states were represented, including Alaska and Hawaii. The classes of 1961 to 2023 were represented. None of the 50’s crowd. Alumni Weekend for next year is planned for June 23-26, 2022.

2,087 donors supported the annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, with a total of 3,600 donors this past fiscal year. 

The endowment hit an all-time high as of August 29, 2021, with $112 million. We have some alumni with money to pass on to others!

The McCullough Family Lounge received an extreme makeover with contemporary and technology being the focus. These were made possible through a lead from a Trustee PHILLIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04 and his wife Pat. Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall with a focus on math and computer science.

Classes started on Monday, August 30. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond du Lac Health County Health guidelines regarding safety protocols. 

For those using Facebook, check Ripon College (facebook.com/ripon.college) and Ripon College Center for Diversity and Inclusion (facebook.com/ripondiversity). 

So long for now. Hope to hear more from you,

Your Class of 1956 Class Agent,

GLORIA BERTSCHIE LUDDECKE ’56

Submitted by: Class Agent: Gloria Bertschie Luddecke

1959 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class Agent:

DAVID MIRISCH ’59

www.dmirisch.com

(760) 715-0580 / [email protected]

Dear Class of 1959,

I know this past year has been different for all of us, but I hope you are feeling well as we all reach the mid ’80s. I am pleased and blessed to say I am fine and still staying active. The full length documentary on my life, “David Mirisch – The Man Behind the Golden Stars,” has already been accepted into 18 Film Festivals. One was the Coronado (California) Film Festival where my wife Sandy and I traveled from our home in Montana to be there, and where 60 of our Southern California friends joined us. And, at the age of 86, I became the Executive Producer of a feature film that takes place in 1890 and was shot totally in and around Missoula. 

If you have anything about your activities drop me an email at [email protected] and I will be sure to get it into our next Class Letter to keep us all connected. Perhaps, you just want to let me know what you enjoy watching on TV, or what you are reading about, or simply how you are passing the time with hobbies or travel. Maybe we can simply reminisce about memories from Ripon College? What was your favorite fall or winter activity on campus? I would really enjoy hearing any update or news from you, and I think our fellow classmates would, too. I welcome phone calls, emails, or letters. 

A reminder that if you can make it back to Alumni Weekend at Ripon College, all of us are part of the Golden R Reunion annual celebration now that we have surpassed our 50th Class Reunion. Alumni Weekend 2022 will be June 23-26. If you plan to travel to Ripon for Alumni Weekend, hotel room blocks are now available by calling the Heidel House in Green Lake (920-807-0300) or Cobblestone Suites in Ripon (920-748-5500), and asking for the Ripon College Alumni Weekend rate. 

Stay safe and well.

God Bless.

DAVID MIRISCH ’59

Submitted by: Class Agent: David Mirisch

1960 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class Agent:

DEBORAH JOHNSON VAN SLYKE ’60
H: (480) 284-5564 / C: (619) 889-5061 / [email protected]

Greetings, Classmates,

It is going to be a very short letter this time as it seems that most of you are hibernating or have forgotten how to get in touch with me.

Class Notes:

CHARLIE MORGAN ’60 and Samm have moved from Ponte Vedra, Florida, to The Villages.

KARL PIOTROWSKI ’60 of Aiea Oahu, Hawaii, has added his son, Brian, to his construction business in Honolulu. His daughter, Joy, and her husband are in Kenya.

Our author, KEN LUBER ’60 of Idyllwild, California, has written a children’s book “Molly & Milty – A Love Story.” The book is about a friendship between a cat and a dog. You can read more about it on his blog: http://kenluber.blogspot.com/2021/.

As for you faithful writer in the furnace of Arizona, please keep in touch.

Here are some updates from Ripon College:

Alumni Weekend:
Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus, Aug. 6-8, representing the classes of 1961 to 2023, for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend after COVID-19 put a pause on campus events over the past 18 months. Our 60th Class Reunion was celebrated as part of the Golden R Reunion with the Classes of 1970 and 1971. Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2022, which will go back to our traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022.

Past Fiscal Year Update:
A record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together.
Thank you to the over 3,600 donors who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives.

Campus Upgrades:
The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science — a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work — recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat ’04. Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments.

Endowment:
The endowment recently hit an all-time high and as of Thursday, August 19, 2021, it was at $112 million.

Start of the Academic Year:
Classes started on Monday, August 30 and the academic year is in full swing with in-person classes. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond du Lac County Health Department guidelines regarding COVID safety protocols

Online Publications:
You can read the latest editions of the Ripon Magazine online at this link: ripon.edu/about-ripon/publications/.

Send me your updates at any time. I enjoy hearing from you.

Stay well. Stay happy and bless you all.

DEB

Submitted by: Class Agent: Deborah Johnson Van Slyke

1961 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class Agent:

BARBARA KRIEPS LASKIN ’61

H: (541) 778-6188 / C: (408) 309-1225 / [email protected]

Dear Classmates:

The 2021 Alumni Weekend was a wonderful trip of nostalgia. It was reassuring to see how much remained the same, yet it was also wonderful to see the excellent changes to the campus. Imagine my surprise when I noted the starting location of the alumni walk/run Saturday morning: The Spot! Ah, I remember it well. When the building where The Spot was located was sold to a publishing company, the College decided to name the student grill in the student union The Spot. Clever.

However, it was disappointing that only five of us attended from our year – all women! Joining me at the Golden R Reunion dinner were MARA LATSONS WARREN ’61, MARY BACHUS MILLER ’61, KAREN SCHNEIDER CENTER ’61, and EVANN “SUGAR” MALTBY BALMES ’61. It was a joy having CLAUDETTE BEALL LEE-ROSELAND ’60 meet up with us on Saturday afternoon although she could not stay for the dinner. But where were the rest of you guys? Hey, it could have been your last hurrah! Here is a picture of us at Alumni Weekend at the Golden R Reunion dinner with the donation check presentation:

In order from left to right:

RUTH POTTS FLECK ’66, MARY BACHUS MILLER ’61, MARA LATSONS WARREN ’61, BARBARA KRIEPS LASKIN ’61, KAREN SCHNEIDER CENTER ’61, and EVANN “SUGAR” MALTBY BALMES ’61.

Class notes:

MAC CLAUDER JESSE ’61 of Downers Grove, Illinois, sends her regards. Her son and daughter live close by so she can see her grandchildren every week. Following the Reunion, I stayed a couple of days with her before heading back to Oregon. During my visit we spent time searching for liquor from the Chicago Distillery Company to buy some Malort, which tastes God awful. Still haven’t tasted it yet. We had a wonderful time together. It’s a special treat when you reconnect with former friends and discover that your connection is as strong as if you had seen each other yesterday. Girlfriends forever!

MAC talked to JEANIE VERMILYE JOHNSTON ’61 recently who hopes that the three of us can go on a road trip together up to Ripon. Hey, how can we go to The Spot to buy a pitcher of beer? Anyone interested in coming along?

KAREN CARLSON ’61 of Novato, California, was married in Chicago in 1963 and, five years later, moved to San Francisco. With the birth of their daughter, Kimberly, in 1968, they embarked on a journey into the disability world where they were innocently and thankfully learners. 

Upon her divorce, KAREN moved to Phoenix where she worked for a newspaper and went to Arizona State University. Upon graduation, she continued to the School of Law in Los Angeles and, afterwards, returned to the Bay area where she was employed by the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company legal department and retired in 2000 after 20 years of service. KAREN continued working part time, at the Tiburon Library and Battleborn newspaper followed by a part-time job at a candy store for 17 years. Any free samples, KAREN?

As of this writing, due to COVID, she is at home writing Kimberly’s life story, their story of survival, and honoring the people who shined a light in their life. The title is, “Forty Years in the Desert, Now We’re in the Promised Land.” KAREN says she is a mother on her knees. 

Now for some news from Ripon College:

Alumni Weekend:

Alumni and guests from 29 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, were on campus, Aug. 6-8, representing the classes of 1961 to 2023, for the first-ever August Alumni Weekend after COVID-19 put a pause on campus events over the past 18 months. Save the date for Alumni Weekend 2022, which will go back to our traditional end of June date: June 23-26, 2022.

Past fiscal year update:

A record-breaking 2,087 donors from all around the world supported Ripon’s fourth annual giving day on April 28, known as #OneDayRally, reminding us all that regardless of the circumstances, Red Hawks come together. Thank you to the over 3,600 donors who supported the College this past fiscal year through the Ripon Fund and other initiatives.

Campus upgrades:

The McCullough Family Lounge in Farr Hall of Science — a favorite location of students for studying and collaborative work — recently received an extreme makeover with the intent of making the space more contemporary and technologically friendly. The renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Trustee PHILIP MCCULLOUGH ’69/P’04, and his wife, Pat. Also, a new Data Visualization Lab was installed in Todd Wehr Hall, which will be a great asset for the math and computer science departments. 

Endowment: 

The endowment recently hit an all-time high and as of August 19, 2021, it was at $112 million.

Start of the academic year:

Classes started on Monday, August 30 and the academic year is in full swing with in-person classes. The College is continuing to follow CDC and Fond du Lac County Health Department guidelines regarding COVID safety protocols. To read more about the College’s COVID-19 response and current procedures visit ripon.edu/coronavirus-information/.

Here is a link to the news stories published by the College: ripon.edu/news/.

Here is the link to the latest Ripon Magazine, which includes features of alumni and faculty: ripon.edu/about-ripon/publications/.

If you use social media, check out these Facebook pages in addition to the main Ripon College page:

Ripon College Center for Politics and the People: facebook.com/RiponCollegeCPP 

Ripon College Center for Diversity and Inclusion: facebook.com/ripondiversity 

In memoriam:

CLAUDETTE BEALL LEE-ROSELAND ’60: May 28, 1938 – October 3, 2021

I was fortunate to reconnect with CLAUDETTE at Alumni Weekend. A remarkable person and artist. Her artwork can be viewed on her website at claudetteleeroseland.com. 

Please, guys, stay in touch and keep us updated on what you are doing, and how you are surviving. I look forward to hearing from you, and to writing more updates from classmates in our spring Class Letter.

BARBARA KRIEPS LASKIN ’61

Submitted by: Class Agent: Barbara Krieps Laskin

  1963 – Fall 2021 Class Letter

Class agent:

WAYNE WOLFGRAM ’63 

(313) 550-5094 / [email protected]

Greetings, Classmates!  

Hopefully, everyone is doing well in these trying times, and that letters such as this help to reconnect friends which brings back memories of our enjoyable and carefree (except for finals) Ripon experiences.

Class Notes:

VERNON CRONEN ’63 of Wilmington, North Carolina ([email protected]) writes, “My wife and I visited our daughter and grandson in Massachusetts. We tacked on a vacation to the Cape. We also got to visit my cousin at their vacation time-share in Hilton Head. We had not been in touch for decades. Surprisingly, we have a lot of ideas in common even though we are in very different fields. I have been working with a group on the problem of ‘moral injury’ encountered by our veterans. That is a new application of my theory. I have other projects too but that is the best developed so far. It is also where my wife’s expertise in neuropathology of speech and language comes into play. It is great working together. Otherwise, I have been trying to do the kinds of medical repairs over the summer I need to function during the coming academic year. A friend once said, ‘Old age isn’t for sissy’s.’ RIGHT!”

BARBARA SIVER JONES ’63 of Quarryville, Pennsylvania ([email protected]) writes, “For the past eight years I have been living in Quarryville, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, amidst Amish Farm Country, and I love it. I have retired from my 55-year career in Special Education. For the past six years, I have been working part-time as a receptionist in a retirement community here in Lancaster County. Last month I was privileged to enjoy a two-week visit from my classmate and Alpha Chi Omega sorority sister, ROBERTA HEYNE ’63, who is originally from the Chicago area, but who currently lives in Camden, Maine.“

SUSAN KELLER MATTHES ’63 of Carson City, Nevada ([email protected]) writes, “With all this COVID-19 and its variants (possibly with more to come), we are staying close to home. The California wildfires, especially the Dixie (over 700,000 acres) and the Caldor (jumped from 20,000 to 100,000 acres much too quickly) are sending smoke in our direction that makes it difficult to see and breathe! God bless all the fire personnel and keep them safe- They are performing a monumental service, in spite of the ever-greater number of structures burning. The winds have been truly devastating. Perhaps the rains will return and help? Keep the firefighters in your prayers!”

DAVID NEUBAUER ’63 of Ormond Beach, Florida ([email protected]) writes, “Egads, I just had my 80th(!) birthday like so many of us classmates, where did the years go? But life is good, family is wonderful, and we’re all staying healthy. Our daughter and 11-year-old granddaughter moved back home with us after their house burned down in June. Linda and I went from empty-nesters to a full house. They’ll stay with us until their insurance settles up and the home is rebuilt, probably by the spring. The five of us spent a week at Disney World this summer being kids again. We will return there next during Easter break as our lives are now controlled by the school calendar. COVID canceled our cruise in May so we signed up for a May 2022 cruise to France and Spain where we have family. We hope our governments figure out vaccine passports by then. My best to all of you.”

DAN SCHULTZ ’63 of Silver Spring, Maryland ([email protected]) writes, “We are enjoying our summer at our place on Lake Ripley again. Lots of golf and almost daily outings on our pontoon for a dip in the lake and a happy hour cruise. We will remain here until the end of September, then back to Maryland until January, and then down to Florida until May. Hard life! My golf goal this summer was to shoot my age before I turn 80 in October. Have come close (80 and 81) but no cigar yet. To celebrate my 80th birthday, Peg is treating me to the Alabama Trail, a series of golf courses all designed by Robert Trent Jones’ that are spread out over the state. It should be fun and we hope the resurgent coronavirus doesn’t force us to cancel the trip.

“We and all of our family have remained free of COVID and hope that is true for all of you. It continues to amaze us that there are people who continue to thumb their nose at the vaccine, putting themselves and others at such risk. Clearly, they could not be Ripon alumni.

“Feel so badly for the families who lost their sons and daughters in the stupid and futile 

Afghan war. Hope everyone gets out that needs to and that the Taliban fall flat on their faces in trying to run the country.

“Had the good fortune to hook up with BOB COLLINS ’64 (a year behind us) for lunch in August and I am sending in a photo of us at our get-together. Life seems to have treated him well and it was fun to get together and catch up with each other.”

BOB COLLINS ’64 (left) AND DAN SCHULTZ ’63 (right)

FRANK SMOLL ’63 of Cascadia, Washington ([email protected]) writes, “Greetings from Cascadia! I hope this missive finds you healthy and doing well. To begin, here’s a brief personal-recap. After completing my Ph.D. in Kinesiology (UW Madison), I became a faculty member at the University of Washington in 1970. My teaching and research focused on the effects of competition on children’s psycho-social development (developmental sport psychology). After 51-years of playing in academia, retirement occurred in April, and I’m now a Professor Emeritus of Psychology – I won’t engage in self-aggrandizement by giving a summary of achievements (scholarly works/publications, academic awards, etc.).

“On moving to the Pacific Northwest, I quickly became a converted native. Our weather can get dreary, but that’s what sun breaks are for during the rainy season (e.g., CA, HI, Mexico). Since 1975, I’ve enjoyed living in Kirkland, which is the “Sausalito of Seattle.

“What are my plans for retirement? At this point, there are no specific things on my plate, as I’m savoring the absence of structure and obligations. Actually, the freedom from daily routines is like an endless vacation, and I’m looking forward to the ‘next chapter. Best wishes, Frank – aka Grande ”

CAROLYN QUILLING WOLF ’63 of Valencia, California ([email protected]) writes, “We are doing well. Tom and I got our vaccine in February. We’ve survived numerous lockdowns and mask-wearing. Tom retired last September but is keeping busy with the men’s biking group, bocce ball, ping pong, poker, and cribbage. He is on our HOA Board and he is also doing some consulting.

“I am in the Belcaro Book Club and am in charge of our 5 O’clock Friends group. We go out every Thursday for dinner. We couldn’t do that during lockdown but we did cocktail Zoom meetings. I also play Bunco and Tom and I attend the monthly Bingo game at the clubhouse. During the lockdown, we did Bingo in our cars.

“Moving to the 55-and-over community of Belcaro was one of the best things we’ve done. We’ve met lots of wonderful people here and are really enjoying our ‘Golden Years.’”

—————-

Until Next Time, 

Stay Safe Everyone!

WAYNE WOLFGRAM ’63

Submitted by: Class Agent: Wayne Wolfgram