1980–Spring ’18 Class Letter
Class Agents:
Jeff Penney
Peggy Gero DaValt
Spring 2018
“Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.
~Henry Van Dyke
Greetings Classmates!!
It’s that big celebration year!!
Greetings and happy birthday to those of you who likely already have or will be turning 60!!
Welcome to the next decade of our lives!! Just where did that past years go? I have pondered this over the past several months as I notice my high school classmates and college classmates all turning 60. When I was 18 – 60 was ancient. Now that I’m almost there, I don’t feel ancient, I feel more like a classic – aged appropriately as I have gone on life’s journey through time. For four short years, starting in 1976, many of us took a trip to a small, Midwestern town, named Ripon, for college. While there we learned about life. When we left there, we continued to learn about life. Life is cyclic. Right?
Change
As with anything we have learned – change is always there. You will notice some changes to what Ripon College is doing to keep you more connected to them.
Here are three exciting newsworthy items, as they affect us (your class agents) and you (eventually)
- R Connections will become an annual fall publication, therefore there will be no spring 2018 version mailed to alumni.
- Obituaries are going back to the Ripon Magazine starting in July 2018 and will no longer be included in R Connections.
- A stronger Class Agent, class letter and news note presence online is being developed for release this fall.
Class News
As always, there are some of you that do keep in touch with me either via Facebook, the Ripon College Class of 1980 Facebook Group and by email. Please continue to share information with me. I love connecting with all of you, and while that is often not reciprocated, I have come to learn, that maybe, just maybe, not everyone has the same relationship with Ripon College as I do as, or as I think they should and I respect you for your beliefs.
For now, you get to have me as that life-long cheerleader for Ripon College. As my journey has taught me, the four years that I spent there, were perhaps the most amazing 4 years of my life because of all of you that I have met and cared for along the way. Plus I had fun while at Ripon College!!
SUSAN ANGELL SCHMIDT ’80
ANDREW SCHMIDT ’81
The big news from our family: our son, Alex, was accepted to the UW School of Law! He starts in August 2018. He is planning to return to Wausau to carry on the family tradition. He will be the fourth generation of Schmidt to practice law in Wausau. Andy and Sue enjoyed another summer at the cabin on Lake Superior. The older we get, the more we enjoy falling off the grid. There is something to be said for no electricity and no social media. We hear only the sound of waves crashing on the beach. We are enjoying another exchange student. She is from Spain and wants to be an attorney. Hmmmm, there seems to be a trend here!
From DEBBIE CLARK GLENN’S ’80 note to me: Mid October 2017, DEBBIE CLARK GLENN ’80 met up with ELLEN BARTH ’80, in Appleton, WI after she completed teaching at the Smocking Arts Guild convention in St Louis, MO. Debbie noted she “Forgot how glorious fall is in WI”. They toured the state, viewing leaves and visiting Ripon alums…had dinner with fellow Alpha Delta Pi sisters, MARY BRANDT ’80 and CATHY SCHMIDT CRIST ’80 in Menasha, went for a tour of Birds and Art in Wausau and then to a show at The Grand in Wausau, entitled “Eagle-Mania” which is a cover band that plays all Eagles music and then met up with JANIE RUNKEL FREDRICK ’74 and toured Old World Wisconsin and a quick lunch in Madison with PEGGY GERO DAVALT ’80. Great seeing Ripon friends!
JEFF PENNEY ’80 –My youngest son just completed his basketball season on the freshmen team at Penn High School. They ended up losing in the league finals. The coolest part was his coach was his oldest brother. Other than that, it’s about time to watch the grass grow here in Indiana.
It’s time for work, so I must close. Be well and celebrate everything!! For those of you on Facebook, please make sure you continue to add to the discussion on the page for our Class. The Class of 1979, 1982 also have pages on Facebook. The link to ours is here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/283209381878413/
To Ripon College,
Jeff and Peggy
Co-Class Agents