1998 – Fall ’19 Class Letter
1998 – Fall 2019
SARAH ENG ’98
LEILANI KUPO ’98
Hello, class of 1998!
As it turns out, our 20th reunion last year was just the kickoff event to my own Ripon reunion tour. I returned to campus last fall on an Eng family vacation, and then again this spring with JOHN HINDS ’96 to attend the retirement celebration of Professor Kurt Dietrich. We were delighted to see TRISHA STOMMEL LYNCH ’98 there and meet her family; Trish was among the alumni who returned to perform with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble for Professor Dietrich’s final concert in Demmer Recital Hall.
Thanks to all of you who sent in updates for the letter – the updates are the best part of class agenting, and we are always happy to read them and share.
CHRIS ANDERSON ’98 of Havre de Grace, NC, was recently selected for promotion to Colonel in the US Army. He is currently on the team developing the cutting-edge Long Range Hypersonic Weapon system, and splits his time between Huntsville, AL and the National Capitol Region. His next assignment is as a student at Senior Service College.
JASON “PEABODY” BROWN ’98 of Stevens Point, WI, is Assistant Manager at Shepherd and Schaller in Wausau, WI.
WILLIAM DEPPIESSE ’98 of Oshkosh, WI, was promoted to a Senior Business Banking Officer at the start of 2019.
KRISTIN DODDS ’98 of Greendale, WI, started a new position in August 2018 with Komatsu Mining Corporation in Milwaukee as a Senior EHS Specialist. She also re-enlisted for six more years with the US Army Reserves and is currently a Staff Sergeant with the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion in Green Bay.
DAVID HENRY ’98 of Tampa, FL, has been the Director for Enrollment and Student Success at FSU Panama City, Panama City FL since July 2018. Family is growing every day, happy and healthy.
STEPHEN KENNELLY ’98 of Fargo, NC, writes “This year has been busy, my family and I moved to North Dakota in March. In April we welcomed our second child James Patrick into the world. In the last year, I have started a new job with BNSF Railways and promoted within the Army National Guard.”
LISA M. KRAUS ’98 of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, died Dec. 3, 2019. At Ripon, she majored in global studies and Spanish and played volleyball. She was a billing specialist with Spectrum. She loved water, the ocean and being on the lake. She enjoyed music and going to concerts, dancing, Salvador Dali, watching movies and watching sports, especially the Packers, Brewers, Lakers and Bucks. Survivors include her father, Robert Kraus.
TRISHA STOMMEL LYNCH ’98 of Flint, MI, writes “Shelly and I just celebrated four years with the dynamic duo and two years post-adoption. Isabella will be in second grade and Emmalaine in first.”
SHANNON MCKINNEY-FREEMAN ’98 lives in Germantown, TN, with her husband, Kevin, and four children (ages 4-13). Shannon was recently appointed interim Director of Experimental Hematology in the Department of Hematology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Memphis, TN) and Chair of Admissions in the new St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, where she also co-leads the Developmental Biology course. Shannon was also awarded a Scholar Award by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and a large grant by the National Institutes of Health to study the basic science of the blood-forming stem cells of the bone marrow. In other news, her 13-year-old daughter recently discovered K-pop, which has taken over the household, her 10-year old’s Calico Critters collection continues to grow, her 6-year is excited to be an independent reader and her 4-year old loves practicing Taekwondo on his brother.
JOSHUA SATZER ’98 of Sun Prairie, WI, has entered his 20th year in the financial services industry with Prudential Advisors. He also enjoys coaching his 9-year-old daughter’s winter league basketball team through the Sun Prairie YMCA.
Until next time,
Sarah & Leilani