R Connections

RAEANN BRIXIUS ‘16 has spent most of her summer training for adventure races and has been working on training her new puppy, Arugula. She’s currently getting ready to move from DC to Arizona in October!

Submitted by: Sara Driebel

SARA DRIEBEL ‘16 recently started a new job as a Senior HR Generalist and celebrated her five year anniversary at her weekend job teaching at the zoo! Her favorite class is definitely penguin class, but lemur class definitely is high up there too. Besides work, Sara has been catering to her plants and pets, reading, hiking, and playing Barbie with her niece and nephew.

Submitted by: Sara Driebel

STEPHANIE ROSENOW PERGANDE ‘16 is expecting her first little one (baby girl) early December this year! She is still working at Oshkosh Corporation but as an associate marketing manager now. She still lives in Appleton!

Submitted by: Sara Driebel

ZACH BRAYER ‘16 won his grandma’s house back by beating his rival, Shooter, at the big golf tournament.

Submitted by: Sara Driebel

ZACH MUENCH ‘16 is currently in medical school at the University of Wisconsin and continues to work part-time as an emergency medicine PA in the Chicago area.

Submitted by: Sara Driebel

BILL QUISTORF ’80: “Hi, Just a note for the alumni news. I was recently honored with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s highest award, the Distinguished Service Medal. This was awarded in recognition of our Helicopter Rescue Team completing the most challenging rescue missions of my career. Strong winds and mountain turbulence nearly prevented the rescue of this young man who was trapped by a two ton boulder, high up in the Cascade mountains.”

Submitted by: Peggy Davalt

KATHY GOODBOUT ’80, ROBERTA (BERT) KOHLHAGEN ’80, and PEGGY GERO DAVALT ’80 have continued to do their weekly Zoom meetings on Tuesday evenings, which started back in 2020. Anyone can join if they would like. Reach out to PEGGY, BERT, or KATHY for the Zoom link. They meet from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  One of the highlights of the evening is the “Long Wisconsin Good-bye.”

Please remember there is a Facebook Group Page for this Class – it’s under Ripon College (WI) Class of 1980 (facebook.com/groups/283209381878413).

Submitted by: Peggy Davalt

This is older news from SUSAN ANGELL SCHMIDT ’80 and ANDREW SCHMIDT ’81: “First, our son, Alex, graduated from UW Madison’s School of Law. He is the fourth generation, fifth Schmidt to be an attorney. We are very proud of him.

Andrew and I also contributed to the first dog park for Wausau, Wisconsin. This summer we can finally take our dog, Topaz, for a run in our city’s new dog park.”

Submitted by: Peggy Davalt

KRISTIN DODDS ’98 is deployed again and the Senior Vice Commander for her VFV Post, so still organizing events with them.

Submitted by: Sarah Eng

SARAH ENG ’98 is about to celebrate her first anniversary of working at FundApps, and is still delighted to be there. She recently used a meeting technique that she learned at Ripon with her new team. (Any other Scott Hall RAs remember “peaks and valleys” with Clarke?)

Submitted by: Sarah Eng

SHANNON MCKINNEY-FREEMAN ’98 continues to direct a research lab focused on Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC) Biology in the Department of Hematology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In April, she was awarded a new R01 grant from the NHLBI to study the effects of sickle cell disease on HSC function. This work has direct relevance to improving the safety of gene therapies for sickle cell disease. She was also promoted to Full Member (Full Professor-equivalent) at St. Jude in 2022. She continues to serve on the Executive Committee of the International Society for Experimental Hematology, where in 2024 she will serve as President. This Fall, she will submit a T32 training proposal to the NIH to fund a training program for postdoctoral fellows at St. Jude in benign pediatric Hematology. She is looking forward to visiting Ripon College again in October, where she will present a seminar and meet with students. While visiting, her daughter Mary, a High School senior, will enjoy a campus tour. Thus, Shannon is doing her part to encourage the next generation to consider Ripon College for their undergraduate studies.

Submitted by: Sarah Eng

LYNNE PHILLIPS ’98 writes, “It was great seeing many of you at Alumni Weekend! 25 years… Well, after all that time, I finally got my dream job. In April, I became the Curator of Hearthstone Historic House in Appleton, the first house in the world lit by a central hydroelectric plant. I spend my days researching, writing, working with interns (from Lawrence, but I like them anyway), and caring for the collections. I wandered the US for 22 years, but I’m back in my hometown and loving every minute! If you’re ever in Northeast WI, stop by and I’ll give you a tour!”

Submitted by: Sarah Eng

FRANK ANDERS ’69 and BOBBI SUESS ANDERS ’69 of Chesterfield, VA: “We happily announce the birth of our granddaughter, Cecilia Grace Anders, on July 25, 2023. She is the daughter of Frank and Kari Anders and joins their son, Leland Theodore, who was born December 22, 2021.”

Submitted by: Scott Nyquist

MARK BAUER ’69 of Pewaukee, WI: “Life is a series of days and weeks, punctuated here and there by super occurrences or drab non-occurrences. But life is generally good. I have a body-wide collection of orthopedic surgical scars, gray hair and variety of arthritic joints, but still love the light of day and the darkness of sleep without interference of a working profession (paid my dues). Still raising/growing those rascally pitcher plants that help keep the backyard bee population to the barest minimal. I have two grandsons, one a sophomore at Concordia in Mequon, one a sophomore in high school, and both are active in basketball in each school. My delight is watching them compete. They are both just over 6’4” and very skilled. My only granddaughter is a 4-year old New Yorker and struts like a teenager already. Yes, still studying German. It fascinates me. I do look forward to a 55th Reunion. The 50th was entertaining. Isn’t it something how we all change, not only proportions, height and health, but also philosophic outlook and attitudes. I still marvel at how the years have whisked by. I thought it would take much longer to get old. Not much else is really newsy. Fill in the blanks for me.”

Submitted by: Scott Nyquist

TERRY BROWN ’69 of Richmond, VA: “I did go on another trip this year, this one in May was to Egypt to see the monuments and antiquities. After a couple days around Cairo to see the museum and pyramids, we flew to Luxor to cruise around and see the temples. It was hot, in the 90s and 100s; but not as hot as some places in the US recently.”

Submitted by: Scott Nyquist

DON CHESTER ’69 of West Palm Beach, FL: “Like almost everyone else I have been dealing with this summer’s extreme heat to the point where I got heat stroke a few weeks ago. I work out daily with a hand cycle ride around the neighborhood on Saturdays. It is important to note, because of my spinal cord injury, I do not sweat and my body does not accommodate the heat or cold. A couple weeks ago I was feeling great. If 6 miles is good, 8 miles is better. One hour and 12 minutes of exercise in extreme heat is not a good idea. Ended up spending a night in the hospital with a tube in my nose the size of a storm drain.  On June 23, I celebrated 50 years at St. Mary’s Medical Center and the Palm Beach Children’s Hospital. Giving some thought to retiring when I get old.”

Submitted by: Scott Nyquist

BOB FERNBACH ’69 of Castle Pines, CO: “Not a lot to report, but Stacy and I got a new grandchild this week — 6 lb., 10 oz. boy, from Stacy’s older son here in Colorado! We went to the east coast to visit family and friends in April/May, and to Seattle and Portland in June to visit my daughter and other friends/relatives. Both enjoyable trips. We have a trip to SoCal planned in October to visit my son and friends, including BARRY MORTON ’69 and Jane Morton.”

Submitted by: Scott Nyquist

BILL GEBHARDT ’69 of Portage, WI: “SUE ’70 and I are both well and enjoying our home on Swan Lake in Portage. Our flowers are in full bloom. We’re currently having our kitchen in Fort Pierce, FL remodeled. Also adding a small kitchen area and bar in our home in Wisconsin. Both projects should be completed in a month or so. In July, we went to Illinois to see our granddaughters participate in a dance recital. They were really terrific.

I played in the 120th annual Pater Filius golf tournament at Midlothian Country Club with our two boys. It’s an alternate shot event. Our oldest son, Matt, and I won the Pro Division. He’s one of the pros at Naperville Country Club in Naperville, IL. Best to everyone. We plan to attend my 55th Reunion next summer. We live only one hour from Ripon!”

Submitted by: Scott Nyquist

ALICE HALL HAYES ’69 of Washington, DC: “We have had a whirlwind spring & summer. The winter and spring were spent preparing for Ed’s and my 50th wedding anniversary, occurring on April 22, 2023. Our children organized a lovely family celebration to recognize the occasion.”

Submitted by: Scott Nyquist

PAUL GELB ’69 from Stirling Castle, Scotland: “I’ve been traveling for a year now. Highlights include three months in Lisbon, three months in London, a month in Italy and a month in Edinburgh, mainly attending the Fringe Festival which had been a long-term bucket list item. With all the International traveling I’ve had little time to play in bridge tournaments but have been playing a little in online tournaments and recently reached the level of Diamond Life Master.”

Submitted by: Scott Nyquist