Larry Nikolaus

[email protected]

Class of ’81, belated or early happy 60th. From the pictures I’ve seen and stories I’ve heard, we are doing OK. Each time I have the chance to meet with one or our classmates it seems like only yesterday that we were in Ripon.

My wife, KATHERINE HARBUT NIKOLAUS ’81, and I had two Ripon visitors this summer. TOM ABENDROTH ’81 and his wife, Terri, visited Colorado Springs and joined us for dinner in June. Tom and Terri are living near Chicago and working as partners for their respective law firms.

In July, DONNA LESLIE ’81 was touring Colorado and we had the chance to take her to the top of America’s mountain (Pikes Peak) and enjoy some kayaking in local reservoir. Donna has retired from the Army as is currently living in Greensboro, North Carolina, with plans to move to Charlotte, North Carolina, when her house is completed.

MICHELE JAROSZ BATTLE ’81 is working in regulatory affairs at a plasma collection company, Octapharma Plasma Inc., at the corporate headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. She deals with FDA, Europe, State and local regulatory agencies on all aspects of the business. Her husband, Tom, is working as an extractive metallurgy consultant so they do a lot of traveling to meetings all over the USA. Their son, Daniel, is working at Amazon as a programmer, and their daughter, Sarah, is getting ready to graduate from North Carolina, Chapel Hill with a degree is sports medicine. Michele is keeping busy and likes to stay in touch via email or messaging.

DIRK WILKIN ’81 and KAREN JOHNSON WILKEN ’84 moved from Brookfield to Delafield last year, “so we’ve been spending a lot of our spare time figuring out which household project to tackle next! Dirk celebrated 26 years at Harley-Davidson this summer with plans to hang on for a few more years before retiring. Seems like we have a culling of senior employees on an annual basis, so nothing is guaranteed.” Karen is still working at a charitable foundation, a job she’s had since 2002. Both their girls are out of school and out of state. Their older daughter lives in Indianapolis and their younger one lives in Durham, North Carolina. Both are gainfully employed and mostly liking their jobs. No news of romantic entanglements yet. 

LARRY

Submitted by: Larry Nikolaus

Margaret “Peggy” Gero DaValt

608-658-3779 / [email protected]

“History is merely a list of surprises. It can only prepare us to be surprised yet again.”  ~Kurt Vonnegut

Greetings to all of you in the Ripon College Class of 1980! Happy summer 2019. As I sit here writing this on the “last hour” before it’s really due (and I mean really due), I’ve been reflecting on so many things that have affected all of us associated with Ripon College and then with a more thorough thought process. It made me realize that it is mainly about life and how life truly is cyclic.  What came to mind was the notion of Apply shampoo. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Mr. Vonnegut’s quote does look to the positive and says just be prepared to be surprised again.

SAVE THE DATE (don’t forget … write this down) 

The Ripon College Class of 1980 will celebrate their 40th class reunion the last week in June in 2020.  WOWZA. CAN. YOU. BELIEVE. IT??? Please join me and anyone else willing to work on the Reunion Committee as we look forward to renewing and rekindling friendships and reliving memories (oh, there are so many … right friends??) I hate to beg … but please come back! It will be a blast!

Question for all of you – sharing is caring – go to the Class of 1980’s Facebook page and list three of your top favorite memories of Ripon College – go all out!!  

• Was it the Toga Party at Merriman House?  

• Was it a great speaker we had in – like James Doohan (Scotty) our last week of senior year?

• Was it meeting that special friend (who became your life partner?)

Be brave.  Plus, if I see this on the FB page, then I’ll know you read this letter. 

News in and Around Ripon

News Flash – Just in Today (July 17, 2019)

Important update from Ripon College and the Office of the President (for those of you who don’t know, President Zach Messitte has been on sabbatical in Italy and Vice President and Dean of Faculty Ed Wingenbach has been acting as the Interim President since the beginning of 2019). 

Dear Alumni and Friends, 

I write to share news that Ed Wingenbach, vice president and dean of faculty, has been named the eighth president of Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. His last day on campus will be Aug. 1.

Hampshire has made a phenomenal choice to lead them through this important period in their history. I have no doubt Ed will do great things for them as he has for Ripon since arriving here in 2015. 

We are grateful for Ed’s significant contributions during his tenure at Ripon, which include working with faculty to create our innovative Catalyst curriculum and, most recently, serving as the acting president while I was on sabbatical last semester. 

I look forward to meeting with members of Ripon’s Faculty Advisory Council immediately to start the process of identifying an interim dean from amongst the Ripon faculty. This will be followed by the creation of a committee to lead a national search for Ripon’s next vice president and dean of faculty. 

Please join me in thanking Ed for his incredible work at Ripon College and this milestone achievement. We wish Ed, his wife Susan and their children all the best in their journey ahead.

Regards,

Zach Messitte, President and Professor of Politics and Government

Julie Johnson, former athletic director, passed away June 13, 2019  

Julie Johnson, the former athletic director (after our time at Ripon College) passed away having lost her battle with cancer.  Please take a moment to check out this incredible tribute to her and her tenure at Ripon College. In her 24-year career at Ripon, she really made a difference.  While I did not know Julie personally, I wish I had. Her incredible spirit was infectious and launched a whole new era in women’s sports at Ripon College. Having worked at Storzer for three of my four years at Ripon, I loved that place and all the sports did for each of us as individuals as well as the College. Thank you, Julie Johnson, for your zest for life and for your joie de vivre. May your successes on this earthly plane be remembered for years to come.  

https://riponredhawks.com/news/2019/6/14/womens-basketball-ripon-college-athletic-director-julie-johnson-passes-away-at-age-xx.aspx?fbclid=IwAR3yOmXe2VToRkI7L09aKmFIobhfJHgzy5F5WLOmJmJ0Dec7yQYz9UlVLKk

Class News

As many of you may have heard, our class co-agent, JEFF PENNEY ’80 resigned from his post. He helped me by providing another spin to life’s journey rather than mine (which is good). I would like to extend my sincere appreciation and gratitude for Jeff’s contribution(s) to Ripon College through his volunteering to be a co-class agent. I wish you all the best in your life endeavors, Jeff, and THANK YOU! I appreciate the difference you made for the Class of 1980.

“We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.” ~John F. Kennedy

Jeff shared this with me when I quickly asked for Class News and Notes: “My son just got engaged in the hills of Colorado. Although he was accepted to Ripon, he chose to go to, faceless, mega university MSU. In addition, my daughter is going to Africa to serve a foundation that serves orphans through AIDS. Proud of both of them.”

JENNIFER FISCHER ’80 of Holyoke, Massachusetts, a registered nurse with a degree in law as well as in management, was named to the new position of chief experience officer at Holyoke Medical Center in February 2019.

JAMES D GREENEBAUM ’80: “My dog, Sparky, is 15 years, 9 months old.”

BILL QUISTORF ’80 of Everett, Washington, chief pilot with the Snohomish County Helicopter Rescue Team in Washington state, received the German-American Friendship Award, presented by Honorary German Consul Uli Fischer. Quistorf was among the crew who rescued a stranded hiker and German citizen on the Pacific Crest Trail on Oct. 27. The hiker was hypothermic, frostbitten and in trouble in the Glacier Peak Wilderness in the Cascade Range. The story gained national and international news attention.

SUSAN ANGEL SCHMIDT ’80 went back to school this year.  She attended dog obedience class with her new dog Topaz.  Susan was the student while Topaz was her sidekick. She is happy to report that Topaz’ behavior is getting better. Both can be taught!

JENNIFER SPARROW ’80: “My youngest is at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.  Checked “find my missing son” app to see his phone in a house kitty-corner to Tri-Dorms. One of his best college buds was throwing a party. Closest he ever got to Ripon.”

Thank you all for the information you share! As always, there is the FB group (here’s the link again, in case you really do want to sign-up and join us). It’s FREE! 

The link to ours is here:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/283209381878413/)

Don’t forget: Our 40th Class Reunion will be one year from now.  

SAVE. THE. DATE.  June 26-28, 2020! 

I hope to see lots of you there!

To Ripon College,

JEFF PENNEY ’80 (One. Last. Time.)
PEGGY GERO DAVALT ’80

Submitted by: Peggy Gero Davalt

Kevin L. Warmack

773-220-5360 / [email protected] / [email protected]

Greetings All, it’s a little over a week since the 40th Reunion. Quite a few hardy souls showed up, and in the immortal words of BOB GRANT ’79, “Damn good time was had by all!”

For all, here is a recap of the Weekend:   

Thursday, June 27

After checking in, who should I meet but PAUL “MOSES” SHLIEN ’83. Paul started with us in 1975, roomed with JON “CORNFLAKE” HELLAND ’79 but left mid-year. Paul eventually finished with the Class of 1983. We headed downtown to Roadhouse and who’s holding court but BILL SCHNESE ’79! I hadn’t expected him this year (his son got married the week before), so it was a pleasant surprise. I also got to see GAIL GOODRICH TRACY ’79 and MIKE TRACY ’79.

Friday, June 28

The Courses of Lawsonia and the Doc Weiske ’50 Memorial Golf Scramble. Yes, I did tee it up along with BILL SCHNESE ’79 and BOB SCHMITT ’79. It was my first time out since last August when I got my bionic equipment. I played with BLAINE GIBSON ’79 and KEN PICKNEY ’79. We shot an 80 but is was a good 80!

Dinner at Norton’s. Usually I go to the Alumni Dinner but this year since we had no one getting any awards, I skipped the event and went to dinner at Norton’s with SUZY MEIER ’79, LEE POTTER ’79 and SANDY LUNDEEN MEYER ’79 and her husband, Jim. Good food, good drink, great conversation!

Saturday, June 29

After the usual, “That was Then,” BOB SCHMITT ’79 and I took part in the All-Campus March to lunch and the presentation of the Class Gift. Of course, I held up the Class of 1979 sign with my usual “4 Beers” salute!  But I also got to run into and have lunch with KAREN STEFFES DRISCOLL ’79 and TONY PONCE DE LEON ’79.

As to our Class Gift, here are the immortal words: “Mr. President, we are proud to share that in the five years since our last reunion, the Class of 1979 has raised $340,122! We also have added one new Partner in the Legacy in that time! With 42% of our class participating, the Class of 1979 is pleased to present to you our Class Gift in the amount of $72,335.00!”

On behalf of our Gift Chair, MIKE TRACY ’79, let me express my thanks to all of us who participated in the Class Gift!

The Alumni Lacrosse Game. On Upper Sadoff, I went down to the Alumni Lacrosse Game to watch the stars – BILL SCHNESE ’79, TED SHALLER ’79, JON HELLAND ’79, TONY PONCE DE LEON ’79, ART PETERS ’79 and members of the Ripon Lacrosse team play a select team of 15-year-olds. ANDY DICKSON ’79 and I stayed on the sidelines and watched as these old men barely got by the Wisconsin Select team by a score of 5-4. 

The Reunion Dinner. The 40th Reunion of the Class of 1979 was held in the atrium of Willmore Center (Storzer). In addition to most of the souls that I mentioned earlier, RUTH HOLLINGER PETERS ’79, KIM GOSSO LAUE ’79, ALAN LOVELL ’79, STORS DOWNEY ’79, DEB MARNOCCA ’79, HEIDI HASTINGS ’79, MATT DACY ’79 and LEA COLQUHOUN DACY ’79, BETH PALMBACK NEMECEK ’79 and JAY MCDONALD ’79 showed up and enjoyed each other and took a look at our yearbook. The highlight of the night was that we got to go to the team locker room to see the locker that a few of us contributed to in the name of NATE BOYA ’79. There was a small parting gift for those who attended; and some of you who didn’t make it just might receive one in the mail.

So the 40th Reunion is in the books and now it’s time to look forward to five years from now when we celebrate 45 years! I plan on being there and I hope that a few more of you will come home to Ripon one last time!

MARK COLEMAN ’79 – Mark had a good excuse, too. Mother-in-law birthday. We husbands do understand, Mark. Let’s just say, we missed you!!

MATTHEW D. DACY ’79 of Rochester, Minnesota, was featured in Ken Burns’ latest documentary, “The Mayo Clinic: Faith-Hope-Science,” which debuted on PBS in September 2018. At Mayo Clinic, he is the director of the Heritage Hall historical museum, assistant professor of the history of medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, and also works in the development department.

ROYCE DUNBAR ’79 – Royce was down in St. Louis at the Elks Convention. But we all know, he just wanted to get close to the Stanley Cup!

MICHAEL GIBBS ’79 of San Antonio, Texas, has been promoted to executive vice president of the Whataburger restaurant chain. He also is continuing in his role as general counsel.

TOM OAKLEY ’79 – Congratulations are in order. Per a press release from February,   “Bioanalytical Systems Inc. is pleased to announce that D. Thomas “Tom” Oakley has been appointed as chief operating officer of the company, effective as of Feb. 11, 2019. Mr. Oakley will be responsible for leading operations among BASi’s three sites located in West Lafayette and Evansville, Indiana, and St. Louis, Missouri.” Tom and his wife were off in Ireland on the “three-hour tour.”

DIANE MOY QUON ’79 of Lake Forest, Illinois, earned an Academy Award nomination as producer of the documentary film “Minding the Gap,” released by Kartemquin Films. It debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018 and won the Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Filmmaking in U.S. Documentary Competition. It also recently won the prestigious Peabody Award.

MIKE ZAHN ’79 – Mike had a good excuse for not attending – he had to walk his daughter down the aisle. Having done that honorable task twice, I know Mike was full. Congratulations! By the way, Mike also retired in June.

As always, it is a pleasure to write to y’all. Special thanks to BETH PALMBACH NEMECEK ’79 for those Facebook posts from the College. Let’s plan to get together soon. By the way, I may be in your neighborhoods (work travel). So watch out for a reach out for a beer or three!

Also, when you got news, don’t hold on. Drop me a note so I can make your Class Letter the best!

Love Always, 

KEVIN L. WARMACK ’79

Submitted by: Kevin Warmack

Gregg Petersen

410-884-0407 / [email protected]

Dear Classmates: Welcome to summer, or rather fall, everyone! While this will appear in the fall, I am again writing it in June for the second year. First let me say thanks so much to our classmates who participated in the second annual #OneDayRally on May 1. While the current Ripon senior class led participation this year, we once again led all alumni classes. My most heartfelt thanks to those who gave generously and helped to remind the Ripon Office of Constituent Engagement of how well our class comes together when we choose to do so.  

Make sure you read the latest general updates from Ripon. Our enrollment numbers are looking much better this fall for the second year in a row

I am thrilled to tell you that this has been the best class letter input you have provided in some time! You made my task of pulling this together probably the easiest it has been in the 12 years I have been doing this. Thanks to all who provided an update!  

What updates? Well, we have the classmate who lives in a major city and had a day named in his honor by the mayor! We have another classmate not named Christopher George who has been leading a crucial “Rat Patrol” for 30 years. Another classmate aspires to be a “Road Scholar,” while another builds his own airplanes and the crafts actually fly, too. Other classmates traveled to jolly old England to visit our one of our published authors, while another classmate plans to become an author. Another classmate escorted a pilot who bombed his targets with 23 tons … of candy, without permission from his superiors, and won the Congressional Gold Medal. One classmate retired from the desert to the mountains, but not completely, another was just installed in a church along the Gulf Coast, and another will soon have in-laws in Myanmar. No, I did not make any of this up, we are just interesting people. Read on …

DANNI CALDWELL ’78 of Henderson, Nevada: “Advancing age is making itself known to my husband, Alan Potratz, and I, even though we don’t feel our ages! Alan had a hip replacement in May, and I had a cataract removed from my right eye in early June. The left eye cataract will be removed on June 26. We both have had easy recoveries from our respective procedures, for which we are thankful. Our oldest son, Sam, announced his engagement this Christmas. His fiancée, Sui Lynn, is a citizen of Myanmar, and in January, we will travel there for a Buddhist wedding ceremony. He has applied for a fiancée visa for Suyi and is awaiting word on that application. We continue to enjoy our lives in Nevada and keep active in our new 55-and-over community in Henderson.”

BECKY GALLOWAY ’78 of Shoreline, Washington: “Here’s a quick update from Shoreline (first cousin to Seattle) — I’ll retire from the other UW in August and am looking forward to …. still getting up early Monday through Friday to walk to my volunteer job at Whisker City, a kitty rescue shelter. Rick and I are looking forward to some “Road Scholar” trips (volunteer-run railroads are top of the list) and visiting friends and family from Portland to Pennsylvania.”

DAVE HANUS ’78 (Salem, Oregon): His wife, Ann, notes that Dave was, “… honored for his 30 years of volunteer service with the Marion County Search and Rescue Jeep Patrol. He serves as the Commander of Jeep Patrol. Over the years, he has been involved in countless searches to rescue stranded and injured people, transport emergency medical personnel during storms, find missing Alzheimer’s patients, teach kids wilderness survival skills, and assist in evidence searches.” I sent Dave a note that said, “(So you were) like a modern-day Christopher George in charge of a rescue Rat Patrol.” Dave responded, “Ha, ha. Funny you mention Rat Patrol. We have an upcoming training in helicopter hot loading and need eye protection. I asked our QM (quartermaster) if he could find some AN6530 goggles and included a picture of Christopher George with them. Ha. You (must be) reading my emails :). Oh, only jumped a dune in my FJ40 (jeep) once — too much damage and I ended up an inch shorter! Class letter, you bet. But the stories from the 600-odd missions over the years are more interesting than me.”

WILL HIGGINS ’78 of Indianapolis, Indiana: “Not to sound like a jerk, but Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett did proclaim Jan. 18, 2019, Will Higgins Day, which was nice except there was a blizzard with slide-offs, power outages etc. It was the last day of my 26-year journalism career with Indianapolis Star/Gannett/USA Today. Have some writing and video projects in the works and am doing some absurd art-type stuff of a dada nature (see American Society of Presidential Urine Collectors, see LinearBocce.com). I still play tennis and paddle tennis and am decent but can feel it slipping away — but so what? My wife, Dorothy Stites Alig, an actual artist, and I plan to split our time between Indianapolis and Northport, Michigan, and to also do some traveling and goofing around with our two grandsons.”

DAVE JUNG ’78 of Purcellville, Virginia, was invited to travel to Berlin, Germany, on May 12 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of the Berlin Blockade. He was photographed with Col. Gail Halvorsen. According to Wikipedia, Halvorsen “is best-known as the Berlin Candy Bomber or Uncle Wiggly Wings and gained fame for dropping candy to German children during the Berlin Airlift from 1948 to 1949. During (the Berlin Airlift) he founded Operation Little Vittles, an effort to raise morale in Berlin by dropping candy via miniature parachute to the city’s residents. Halvorsen’s operation dropped over 23 tons of candy to the residents of Berlin. Halvorsen has received numerous awards for his role in Operation Little Vittles, including the Congressional Gold Medal.”

DOUG KINGS ’78 was installed June 23 as pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in the Gulf coast town of Holmes Beach, Florida, on Anna Maria Island. He says, “It’s hot now but beautiful November through April. If you’re ever vacationing in the area, be sure to drop by.” 

THE REV. PAUL NANCARROW ’78, of Staunton, Virginia, will retire from parish ministry at Trinity Episcopal Church this fall. After 11 years at Trinity, and 33 years in the ordained ministry, Paul and Lee will move to the Twin Cities of Minnesota, where they will be close to Paul’s family and where Paul will take time to write up some of the theological ideas that have been incubating over three decades. There will also be bicycling!

JEFF OREAR ’78 of Peshtigo, Wisconsin: “I’ll put my two cents worth in for the class newsletter.  As you have seen on (Facebook), I sold my dental practice/building and retired at the end of April.  I’m currently experiencing the ‘what day of the week is it’ syndrome, as every day seems like Saturday to me now!  I’ve been doing a bunch of ‘binge’ flying because now, if it’s a nice day, I can literally take off and fly. Also have been spending more time with airplane project number 2, my Hatz Classic Biplane. So, as you see, I’m trying to adapt to this retirement thing as best I can.

“Our second oldest daughter, Kelly, blessed us with the birth of our fourth grandson, Ronan Edward Callahan, on March 6.  He’s quite the chubby-cheeked cutie. He will no doubt enjoy get-togethers with our oldest daughter Melanie’s three boys Colon, Aidan and Bennet. One more grandson and we’ll have a heck of a basketball team! This July, we will welcome another son-in-law, Josh, into our family as our youngest daughter Megan is getting married on the 13. Per usual, being an experienced father of the bride, I’m staying out of the planning and will show up where and when I’m told. So, as you can see, we’ve had a busy start to 2019.”  

JOE O’SULLIVAN ’78 of Tacoma, Washington: “Still enjoying semi-retirement as just received another trauma research grant. Decided on moving from San Antonio, Texas, to south of the Tacoma, Washington, area. Found a beautiful house on forested 20 acres with stunning mountain views. Also, my children have been busy over the last few years as I am now a grandpa times three. They are adorable. Looking forward to seeing everyone the next time our paths cross!”

BARB ROMANELLO ’78 of North Prairie, Wisconsin: “In January, GREGORY ROMANELLO ’77 and I traveled to the UK. We spent an incredible weekend visiting TAMMY BODEN-ELLIS ’78 in Taunton (three hours southwest of London). While Greg went off to work in London, I spent a week with Tammy fully immersed in the English culture. The Boden-Ellis’ homestead sits on Crown property with the original house dating back to the 1400s and a newer edition from the 1600s. I truly enjoyed catching up with her and reliving stories of Ripon College days.”

Class of 1978 Again Leads Alumni Participation for #OneDayRally May 1:  

As you may recall, our class topped all other class year groups in participation in the first-ever Ripon #OneDayRally last year by nearly 10% with 48 donations. This year, we AGAIN topped all alumni classes for participation! Although this may sound odd, we were the only pre-turn-of-the-century or pre-2000 class to be in the top 10 for participation. Thanks to this year’s participants in our leading #OneDayRally showing: JOSE ALEMAN ’78, DENISE BAIRD ’78, BETH BENEZRA ’78, DANNI CALDWELL ’78, DANNY DAVIS ’78 and JUDY REISINGER DAVIS ’76, PATRICIA GARDNER ’78, MARLA FULLER GARFIELD ’78 and HORACE GARFIELD ’78, MARK HEBDA, ALAN HODKIEWICZ ’78 and SUSAN HIGBY HODKIEWICZ ’77, HELEN HOLTER ’78, MARY HOLTROP ’78, MEREDITH VALENTINE JOHNSON ’78, LOUISA GEBELEIN JONES ’78, CARLA OLSEN LARSEN ’78, AMY ORR LARSON ’78 and KEVIN LARSON ’76, LAWRENCE LAUX ’78 and NINA WULFF ’77, KAREN ANDRESEN LEAHY ’78, ROBERT MEYER ’78, PATTI KRUG MORRELL ’78 and EDWARD  MORRELL ’77, PAUL NANCARROW ’78, JUSTIN NIEBANK ’78, JOSEPH O’SULLIVAN ’78, JEFF OREAR ’78, BILL OTTO ’78, LIZ PECHA-POELKER ’78, GREGG PETERSEN ’78, GRETA PORTER ’78, BARBARA JANSSEN PUGH ’78 and STEPHEN PUGH ’76, LINDA REMICK ’78, TOM RITSCH ’78, DONNA HANSEN SCYMANSKI ’78, SUSAN FEITH SHANNON ’78, JON VERSON ’78 and JOAN BALAUSKAS VERSON ’78,  LAURIE MEYER WAGNER ’78, JIM WILKES ’78, LISA WOLLAN ’78, JOHN ZINDAR ’78 and Anonymous x3.  

Special thanks to LOUISA GEBELEIN JONES ’78 who does outreach like this for a living and worked hand-in-virtual hand with me on our outreach and in coaching me. Many of you heard from her as she supported the #OneDayRally for 18 hours & 51 minutes (1851, the founding date of Ripon) in addition to performing her responsibilities at the Pomfret School on a normal workday, and refereed a lacrosse game on May 1.

So, it’s time to start planning for next year’s #OneDayRally — if you are planning to give to Ripon, you might consider waiting for May to make your contribution so we can continue our dominance. One other nuance is that if you are busy, travelling or otherwise unable to call in or do a web contribution on the day of the #OneDayRally, you can earmark or annotate a contribution given in the days before the Rally to count for Rally purposes. My wife and I give from a charitable trust, so it takes some time to send in the check. So, we gave in advance with special instructions for our contribution to count on the day of the Rally.  

Class Letter Updates: I am so very encouraged by the strong response you all (or ya’ll if you are south of the Mason-Dixon Line) provided for this letter, so morale is high here in Columbia, Maryland, today! I wonder what the rest of you folks have been doing. Please solve that mystery for me and your classmates and send in your updates and pictures for the spring ’20 letter and please continue to have a healthy, happy 2019!

Best wishes and warmest regards,

GREGG

Submitted by: Gregg Peterson

Alan Lawrence

920-730-9515 / [email protected]

With help from MARYJO MACSWAIN ’77, we have a Facebook page for our class. Please visit it. Then Like or Follow so that your news feed will include items about your classmates. Please also leave a posting about yourself: https://www.facebook.com/RiponCollegeClassof1977 

My wife and I participated at Alumni Weekend this past June 29. It is a multi-day event, but I’m fondest of the Saturday part of the program. I’ve been informed that I really should consider the Friday evening parts in future years.

Classes formally celebrate their “reunions” every fifth year, but many alumni make a practice of attending more frequently. Our next fifth anniversary reunion is in 2022. I was joined this year by MARYJO MACSWAIN ’77, JEAN BLACK ’77 and CONNIE JESS ZOLKOSKE ’77 for the Class March that walks from Todd Wehr Hall to the big tent beside The Commons for lunch and speeches. This space is called Memorial Lawn these days and is the site where Memorial Hall stood when we were students.

My daughter, JENNIFER RESCHKE ’14, was also present for Alumni Weekend because her class was celebrating its fifth reunion. It is not unusual to see two generations of alums in the same family coming together for the weekend.

On May 1, our College held its second annual #OneDayRally to raise funds in a single day.  Thanks to MARYJO MACSWAIN ’77 for offering a matching pledge and recording a video of herself asking classmates to participate. MaryJo summarized the event with these words, “Congratulations to Ripon College and to the Class of 1977! We had 23 donors and contributed almost $25,000, a significant improvement from last year. We ranked 18th in number of donors and 14th in dollars contributed.” Overall, the College raised $1,085,314 in the successful fundraiser.

Last spring LAIRD DECRAMER ’77 and LINDA GLAUBITZ DECRAMER ’89 of Princeton, Wisconsin, informed us that both of their children are currently Ripon students. “The Ripon tradition continues. Although our kids are polar opposites, CALLISTA DECRAMER ’20 (suave, sophisticated and likes to tango) and SULLIVAN DECRAMER ’21 (overzealous, long-haired and always looking for cash) both work tirelessly towards their goals.”

LARRY MALCHOW ’77, former executive director of development at Ripon College, has been receiving honors for his creative writing. “Wash the Crying River,” a short story won the John Steinbeck Award For Fiction, sponsored by Reed Magazine of San Jose State University. His first short story, “Trapped,” was a semifinalist in the Machigonne contest sponsored by the New Guard Literary Review. His second short story, “Liberty Motel,” was a finalist for the Portal Prize in Speculative Fiction and will be published in Easy Street magazine. His latest story, “Molecular Music,” can be read for free online at cagibilit.com. Click on Issue 7: July 2019, scroll down and click on “Molecular Music.”

SUSAN LENNON SOLBERG ’77 and Curtis Solberg of Greenville, Wisconsin: “We have been enjoying a new granddaughter this year! KELLY SOLBERG WILHELME ’06 had this baby this last June. Life is busy and blessed!”

Please send news about yourself either to the College or to me to be shared in our next class letter. We’d love to hear from you.

Remember that your financial help is very important to help keep Ripon a competitive and quality institution. Your donations are important every year. Your participation is very important.

Always for Ripon, 

ALAN

Submitted by: Alan Lawrence

Jondi Gumz

831-461-1120 / [email protected]

Dear Classmates, Have you seen the new R Connections online? You can find it at www.ripon.edu/rconnections. Basically, Ripon College is taking advantage of technology that didn’t exist back in 1975 to help alumni connect. You can submit your news and photos, report alumni sightings and obituaries, and read class letters from all the classes. I posted a photo from my visit with BECKY HADLEY ’75 in San Antonio, Texas. That’s where I read about LOIS VAN LEER ’78 pastoring the Unitarian Universalist Church in Eugene, Oregon, the mayor of Indianapolis honoring journalist WILL HIGGINS ’78 for his 26-year career with the Indianapolis Star/USA Today, and Mr. Basketball, Coach DICK BENNETT ’65. So check it out. Your news will make it a valuable resource.

Next, our 45th reunion is coming up in 2020, believe it or not. Dates are June 25-28, 2020, the last weekend in June. RICK ESTBERG ’75 of Severna Park, Maryland, has agreed once again to put together his Ripon Jeopardy game, which I am sure will be a highlight for everyone! Of course, there will be a class gift. One idea I have is a treasure hunt for classmates to visit special spots on campus — some you have not seen because they are new and some might not be recognizable because they have been renovated. What would you like to see or do? Which classmates do you want to see? Let me know. The folks on campus are inviting alumni to campus July 12 for a reunion planning get-together. I will be in Detroit with one of my sisters and I am hoping to Skype or FaceTime in. If you want to participate, use the online form below set up by the campus. AMY GABRIEL GERRETSEN ’04, [email protected], is our campus contact for conference calls starting in August.

Three important deadlines are coming up:

Aug. 15: Deadline to nominate a classmate for the Distinguished Alumni Citation. I want one of our classmates to be among the 2020 honorees so if you have a recommendation, let me or Amy know.

Oct. 1: Deadline to request a campus venue for our reunion. Great Hall in Harwood Memorial Union can fit 200; Heritage Room in Pickard Commons can fit 80; Lane Library, 60; West Hall, 60; Rodman Center, 60; and Bovay Terrace, 60, for a reception only. All the others are big enough for a dinner. The library or West Hall could be fun but I am leaning toward Great Hall or the Heritage Room. Why? Each has a sound system, which we’ll need for Jeopardy. Size matters, so if we have a big turnout with spouses attending, we’d need the bigger location. Do you have a preference? 

Nov. 1: Deadline to choose between a dinner event, $40 per person, or a reception event with appetizers only, $35 per person. Each has a cash bar or classmates who wish can buy the new add-on “alcohol package” for $35 per person covering beer and wine at four events: Friday night reception, Saturday lunch, Saturday evening reunion events and the All-Alumni Party with music Saturday night. I favor the dinner because it works well for Jeopardy. If the College has your current email, you should have gotten an email inviting you to volunteer to help with 2020 Reunion planning. I did! 

If you can help me with planning the reunion, or email me directly at [email protected]. Got questions? The College has put together a nifty nine-page PDF reunion planning guide with more details on timelines, and I can forward that to you. Just let me know!

I have good news to share: My integrative oncologist looked at my thermogram and my blood and urine tests in June and said, “Your numbers look fantastic!”

I’ve been following the “Radical Remission” approach. No chemo, radiation or drugs with side effects. Less stress, more movement and healthier nutrient-dense food. Left my reporting job after 26 years, which gives me more time to do Jazzercise, yoga and Qi Gong, go to farmer’s markets, make more meals at home with fresh veggies, fruit, pastured organic eggs, wild salmon and grass fed beef. No more coffee but lots of tea and Vitamin D, Vitamin Bs and C, plus zinc and selenium to reach optimum preventive levels. I have so much energy I have started a six-month program to become a health coach.

WARREN BLUHM ’75 of Luxemburg, Wisconsin: “My goal for 2019 was to resume my life as a publishing mogul. This week I published Myke Phoenix: The Complete Novelettes for Kindle and print; in July I plan to publish a collection of 101 reflections called A Bridge at Crossroads; and sometime this summer I’m going to launch The Roger Mifflin Collection, a series of editions of vintage books recommended by the proprietor of The Haunted Bookshop in the classic Christopher Morley novel I found a year ago and fell in love with. My Kewaunee County Comet news website continues to build momentum, but not so fast that I can leave my day job as editor of the Oconto County Times Herald. So I spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen these days! CJ, on the other hand, is fully engaged in retirement, helping plan her son, Lee’s, Aug. 10 wedding and pitching in as Lee and Sarah build their dream home.”

GEORGE BOOTHBY SR. ’74 of Montvale, New Jersey, will be among the Scoutmasters chosen to participate in the 2019 World Scout Jamboree in July at the Bechtel Summit in West Virginia. He will be responsible for providing guidance and supervision to 300 Scouts and Scoutmasters. He got involved with the Boy Scouts of America in 1992 as an assistant den leader. His wife, LOUISE BOOTHBY RENIER ’75, volunteered with the Girl Scouts of America for 12 years. Their son, George Jr., is an Eagle Scout, and daughter, Catherine, is a Gold Award recipient.

GEORGIANNE BRAVICK ’75, of Appleton, Wisconsin, who has been teaching middle school students in De Pere, Wisconsin, traveled in June to Atlanta, or as she calls it “Hotlanta,” for some sister fun.

DORN CARLSON ’75, of Saint Leon, Maryland, who retired in February after nearly 19 years at the National Sea Grant College, is working on his garden. He reports on Facebook that his ornamental peach tree is growing actual peaches.

SUE CHAPMAN CARLTON ’75 and her husband, Ray, have a new home address: 246 Olive St., Fort Mill, SC 29715, not far from Charlotte, North Carolina. She writes, “We are enjoying it very much, meeting many new friends and participating in numerous activities: water aerobics, golf, bocce ball, chair yoga, wine club, Metro NY club etc. Our kids are visiting now from New Jersey and Florida, and we’re renting a pontoon boat on Lake Wylie.”

JIM CURTIS ’75 and his wife, Cindy of Clinton, Connecticut, hit a milestone when their son, Sam, graduated from high school with plans to attend Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Their daughter, Alena, is pursuing her dreams as a freestyle skier. 

DENNIS FRAHMANN ’74 of Cambria, California, has written a new book, The Long Table Dinner, available on Kindle, about a cranky old rancher with grass-fed cattle who allows his coastal property to be the venture for a $250-a-plate dinner for 200+ people. “A finely crafted story about late-in-life regrets,” according to Kirkus Reviews. Dennis started with our class in 1971 and graduated in three years. When JAN PETROVSKI MACLEOD ’74, 1974 Class Agent, asked if Dennis and husband Robert were planning to come to Ripon for the 2019 reunion, Dennis said they definitely plan to be back on campus for the 50th.

RUTH GALES FRECHMAN ’75 of North Hollywood, California, participated in the inaugural Plant-Based Nutrition Leadership Symposium. She gave her assessment of the trendy low-carb diet for a report on NBC-TV New York.

BECKY HADLEY ’75 of San Antonio, Texas, and her husband, Peter Szermach, enjoyed a visit to Chicago to see family and art.

KAREN KUCKHAHN KEHL ’75 of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, retired in June. She spent 28 years teaching at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran School, specializing in third and fourth grade with duties as co-athletic director. She was recognized with a big reception, and her mom flew in from Florida for the celebration.

JULIE OLSON KEILMAN ’75 and her family saw “Hamilton,” the smash musical, at the Kansas City Music Hall.

KATHY KURKE ’75 of Ormond Beach, Florida, and husband Richard Davis celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary this year. Since retiring in 2007 from NASA as chief legal counsel, Kathy has become an artist. In February, one of her abstract pieces, a mixed media work titled “On the Verge,” won a Merit Award at a show in Daytona Beach, Florida.

MICHAEL REES ’75 of Lakewood, Colorado, retired a year ago after 27 years as a planner with the National Park Service in Denver and 6½ years with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska and Washington, D.C. He writes, “I’m now keeping busy volunteering, in the NPS Technical Information Center, at Saint Anthony Hospital, as a trailhead steward at the Jefferson County open space parks, and as an usher for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. I’m also doing lots of hiking. Enjoying my retirement!”

STEVE RUGO ’75, principal at Rugo/Raff Ltd. Architects in Chicago, provided design input for a new restaurant, Virtue, with Southern soul food by award-winning chef Erick Williams, and was just named by Eater as “one of the hottest restaurants in Chicago.”

PETER SWAN ’75 who lives in Hollywood, South Carolina, with his wife, Alexis, went back to work as a special education teacher.

I hope you will put June 25-28, 2020, on your calendar. Join us for all the fun!

All news welcome!

Your class agent, 

JONDI GUMZ ’75

Submitted by: Jondi Gumz

Jean Kirkpatrick Lederer ’73

239-390-1349 / 630-987-9388 / [email protected]

Dear Ripon College Class of 1973, As I write this on June 4, the hurricane season has just begun in Florida. The weathermen tell us there are no severe storms predicted for this season, but that remains to be seen. It is hot, hot, and the humidity high. Afternoon thunderstorms are the norm, so Gary and I, while we love living here, will be heading out soon to avoid some of this. We will be gone when this letter is due into the College, so that is why I asked classmates to send me news early.

I have to say, I am really happy with the responses I got after I said I would accept any news including trips, broken ankles and news of grandkids! That brought a much greater response than my threat to make stuff up. I did not make any of these up. They are copied and cut responses I received from the person listed. I cannot attest to whether or not their news is real of fake, but here it is:

JACKIE FARMER ANDREWS ’73: “MARK ANDREWS ’73 and I are in the throes of selling and buying houses at the moment!  We did get away for two weeks in Switzerland, down (up) the Rhine to Amsterdam on our first adventure in Europe and we loved it!  Our favorite spots were Lucerne and the Alps and Strasbourg where we walked on cobblestones for eight hours eating our way across the city. Highly recommend Viking River Cruises!”

JANE BENSON ’73: “I am afraid my retired life is quite boring. I retired April 1, 2016, and love it but am still finding my way around this new part of my life. Since I retired, my stepbrother and sister both have passed away, and this last November my stepmother died at 109. She was great up until the end, still playing Scrabble, doing jigsaw puzzles that have 1,000 parts to them (MORE patience that I would ever have with those things) and enjoying life to the best of her ability. It certainly helps me to appreciate each and every day with the people I love. Got the obligatory hip replacement in February 2017. What a difference!  I went to Wales last year with a friend and loved it. It did spoil my love of lamb, though — more sheep in that country than people and lambs are cute as can be. Have a trip to northern Italy with the same friend in September. Not much else I am afraid. Rather boring. Oh, I am learning to play golf, too.” 

MARILYN BAXTER CARVER ’73 and her husband, Johnny, have just arrived back in Minnesota after spending the winter in Arizona. During their winters, they hike, take camping trips and play music as a duo. This winter they took a camping trip with their hiking club to Colossal Cave, southeast of Tucson, Arizona, where they hiked in the beautiful park outside the cave and also toured the inside of this world’s largest dry cave. They saw raccoon-like animals, called coatimundis that live in and around the cave! In the summers, they sail on Leech Lake, go camping and spend time with their two grandsons (ages 3 and 6) in the Twin Cities. They are pretty sure that their grandchildren are the cutest in the world! I am sure they are adorable, but Gary’s and my Emily is pretty darn cute!! JKL

KRISTINA DAVIS ’73: “We are doing sleepovers with our three grandchildren, Ivy, 9, Isaac. 7, and Quin, almost 5, taking care of our Appleton and up-north houses, and spending time with family and friends. Jim got his first taste of my hometown New York City in April visiting my family there. In May, I saw first cousins I haven’t seen in years in a Maine get-together. As a group fitness instructor through the American Council on Exercise, I have been doing community presentations on the benefits of walking and how folks can start their own in-home calisthenic walking program. I also volunteer at church.”

KATHY GRANUKE ’73: “My husband and I are going to Bulgaria in mid-June. He was invited to a math/physics conference in Varna on the Black Sea. I hope German will help to communicate! We also will fly to London to see his sister who is in a play. Also, our son Richard will get his master’s degree in information management at the University of Washington. He will be working for Allstate. One sad thing: we lost our dearly beloved cat, Luke, to carcinoma of the abdomen in April. His brother, Smokey, keeps us company still.”

DAVID GROSSMAN ’73: “2018 was a year for life-changing decisions. My wife, Robin, and I have become empty-nesters. Both our children live together in Berkeley. Too much house for us in Lunenburg, so we sold it and bought a nice bungalow on the Cape. It’s on Bumps River in Centerville.  We have our own dock for kayaking which leads right to the ocean. It was difficult for me to run my newspaper, The Lunenburg Ledger, from the Cape, so I sold it at the end of 2018. Retired life is great! Haven’t made too many long-distance trips yet but we plan to next year. The Cape house needed a lot of work which took up our time. We still own two other houses on the Cape which we use for income. The transition from working to not working was a little weird, but I got used to it. I’m the property manager for all three houses so that keeps me somewhat busy. Who knows what the future will bring?”

JAMES HAWES ’73: “My official ‘kind of semi-retirement’ began in late January. So ended sequels to the pinball cyber-technology book that I completed last fall. My business forges on, as I have ongoing projects. One of them: my web pages on the history of car reverbs. After the second page, the story is engineering nostalgia. (Not for everyone. But for intrepid souls that remain reading: https://bit.ly/2WqFxWB) Summary: The golden years of car reverb ran from 1964 to 1974. Reverb preceded stereo, but for a few delightful years, a driver could entertain riders with both. Over these years, the ordinary car radio became an ‘electromechanical concert hall.’ This captivating illusion owed its improbable existence to a spring: A spring that tinkerers borrowed it from a Hammond organ.

“Today, reverb is back. The low-rider culture adopted it. For this reason, my page 2 (reverb music recommendations) also depicts low-rider cars. Most of the best reverbable music is classic doo-wop, with emphasis on Hispanic and soul favorites. I wish that JOHN STIERNBERG ’73 and AZIZ GOKSEL ’72 were still with us. They’d get a charge out of this material.

“As part of the project, I built a reverb car amplifier. This was a difficult endeavor because the specified 50-year-old semiconductors are mostly obsolete. Some re-engineering was necessary. Next, I’m going to try to connect the little amp to an old car radio. By the way: Patching a 1960s reverb into a new car stereo would invite a scene out of ‘Mission: Impossible.’ Meaning, fire in the cockpit! Reverb for new cars involves rethinking. But with a will and a spring, the way presents itself.

“I’m also spiffing up my web page on the Apollo moon downlink facility. (July 20 is the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. I must hurry.) I’ve studied the Rube Goldberg electromechanics for converting color moon video to Earth video. Yes, electromechanics, including one of the earliest video disc machines, rather than computer memories. In the Apollo years, such memories weren’t up to video field storage. Researchers have peppered me with questions about the color downlink station. These questions helped me to update my story. And speaking of video history, I’m still working on my mechanical video book: How clocks became facsimile and then television.

“My wife, Jean, is even more active than I am. Yet her usual gardening season hasn’t really begun yet. We had a late spring here and then a lot of rain. On the other hand, her yearlong Christmas bread industry is burgeoning. Unfortunately, she’s fighting pneumonia now and hardly up to snuff. (Ha.) Fortunately with powerful antibiotics, she can still go on our evening walks.”

HILDE BORMANN HENKEL ’73 and MARK HENKEL ’70: “Well, today (May 29) is National Senior Health & Fitness Day, so all I have to share is that while we are happily semi-retired, we are very active in teaching taekwondo year-round (we are both seventh-degree black belts) twice a week and we have additional activities here on the hobby farm: raising a new batch of chickens and working up and weeding with our huge raspberry patch giant garden and literally acres of lawn.”  

CHRIS KOPEC ’73: “I am still teaching at Skidmore College (and my husband, Alan, still has his small-town law practice), and living on our farm in Cambridge, New York, with sheep, chickens, dogs. My son is getting married in September, coincidentally on what will be Alan’s and my 40th wedding anniversary (how is it even possible to be married for 40 years!!). Retirement hovers for us, but we have not yet answered its siren call.”

BILL LAKE ’73 and ROBYN MACKIEWICZ LAKE ’74: “So much has recently happened in Robyn’s and my life and we thought this would be a great time to recap the highlights and share them with you. To begin, we are proud grandparents to our granddaughter, Aria, who is about to turn 4 years old. What a bundle of energy! Next, we just celebrated our daughter, Jessica’s, wedding in New Orleans, complete with a ‘second line’ parade; and then we went off to the 50th anniversary of Jazz Fest. Of other significance, Robyn retired from her retail job and after 40 years, I retired from our family business at IMS. We now are doing a 50/50 split of our retirement time between the Eastern Shore, Cambridge, Maryland, and Ajijic, Mexico (crazy, yes?). And yes, golf plays a big part in both places. We welcome anyone who is interested in exploring Maryland’s Eastern Shore or has an interest in visiting us in Ajijic.”

MIKE MIZEN ’73: “Last weekend GARY SHARPE ’73 and Gail Sharpe’s daughter was married in Milwaukee. We spent some quality time before the wedding in Green Lake. We look forward to being together again in October when ROB GADDIS ’73 and JAN BEAN GADDIS ’71’s son will be married in Minneapolis. MARGARET SEELBACH MIZEN ’75 and I are well and remain blessed. Our grandson, Kael, always brings a smile to our faces whenever he is with us either in person or via FaceTime.”

KATHERINE PARISH MILLER ’73: “I have become a stronger activist for the environment. Michigan risks polluting all of the Great Lakes with Pipeline 5. Organization is working with all of the surrounding states petitioning. Oops, I won’t use this as a political platform! OK. Glacially slow work! I’m volunteering at Telluride Mountain Film Festival. My son married a lovely woman with two boys. He is 41 and always wanted to be a dad! My children and grandchildren are all well. So thankful. Also, I am building a passive/net zero house! Builders, architects, students, interested people will be welcome to watch and learn. Activism on many levels!” 

MARTY MORRIS ’73:“Enjoying spring and summer outdoor activities. Been beachside camping up and down the Oregon and Washington coast. Attending wine pairing dinners at Oregon wineries has been fun, too. Showing up at local festivals and exploring new neighborhoods adds to the excitement. It’s hard to believe we have been here a year now. Of course, it all hasn’t been fun and games. Had some major surgery to basically rebuild an ear. It turned out well. I’m hearing things that I couldn’t for 26 years! Total readjustment.”

BETSY MOLL REZEL ’73: “Here is what Bill and I are up to. We are loving retirement! In November we went to Egypt — unbelievable! The length of history in Egypt is so amazing and the size of some of the temples boggles the mind. The people we met were all very nice but I admit we did have security. In January we went to Chile and Antarctica. That trip was planned by my daughter (the one who lives in New Zealand). Torres Del Paine park in southern Chile was very beautiful. Antarctica was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We loved the penguins, and my son-in-law and I spent a night camping out on the snow. Bill and my daughter decided to stay on the ship. We visited Hawaii a couple of times this year to visit our grandchildren who are now 9 and 11. How is that possible? Time flies way too fast. We continue to volunteer for the zoo in Milwaukee while we think about what trips to take next. I feel so lucky that it makes me nervous to even say that. Wishing everyone the best!”

JOSEPH SANDRIN ’73: “I visited campus in April 3, 2019, to meet with science majors about careers in the sciences and how mine developed. I also gave a talk about my current project, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Gulf War Remediation and Restoration Program. The talk highlighted what we are doing to restore impacts from the 1991 oil spill and the impacts of troops in the northern desert area. I enjoyed the visit and got to see a much different campus from when we all arrived there 50 years ago this coming August. I am planning to return on May 24 for the 100th Ripon College ROTC commissioning ceremony. I was one of many commissioned in the past 100 years through the ROTC program and view Ripon College and ROTC as two keys to my success — both taking second place to my wife, Janice. We, too, have been together 50 years since January 1969 and married since 1972. Anyway, that is it for the moment. More to follow as it happens. Maybe retirement will come in 2020 or 2021. We shall see.”

CHRISTINE WOLK ’73: “I am going hiking in the Scottish highlands in 10 days. It is a bucket list item. It looks like a wet walk. Also heading to Poland in September with my then-89-year-old mother on a genealogy tour to visit the archives and my roots. I am not yet retired. I broke my ankle three to four years ago — a shopping injury — so not new news.” Glad you took me at my word when I was asking for responses. Happy you are recovered and off hiking! JKL

As you may or may not know, KEN MAGRATH ’73 passed away in December. BILL MACLEOD ’73 writes: “It took more than the Class of ’73 to celebrate the life of Ken Magrath. On Saturday, June 1, a rag-tag team – DAVE BUNTEN ’73, CHRIS DOHERTY ’74, THOMAS “FUZZ” FREESE ’74 and ANN GUNDERSON FREESE ’74, RICK GLAD ’74, BRUCE GRAY ’71, BILL HICKEY ’74, ROB LEITSCHUH ’73, DAN PINS ’72 and GEORGE STEVENS ’74 – all came to Darien, Connecticut, where JULIE FENWICK MAGRATH  ’73 and her family hosted a ceremony and party in Ken’s honor. BILL HICKEY ’74 captivated the congregation with a eulogy that recalled Ken’s wit, warmth, wonkiness – and countless folks Ken counseled back to health and happiness. Then we all retired to a bar that we immediately rechristened ‘The Spot.’  With brews in hand, we told tales about ourselves, each other, and mostly all you who weren’t there. 

“For the PG version of those tales, DAVE BUNTEN ’73 (Dr. Bevis) is still teaching high school in the north suburbs of Chicago. CHRIS DOHERTY ’74 (Cleanhead), is still dabbling in real estate in the north ’burbs of Boston, but we’re more likely to find him on the Gulf Coast of Florida, where he claims his handicap is lower than ever. He and Sheryl are heading to Pebble Beach to catch the U.S. Open, where they hope to see RICK GLAD ’74. (Sounds like a party at the doctor’s house on the course!) THOMAS “FUZZ” FREESE ’74 and ANN GUNDERSON FREESE ’74 are still the unlikely entrepreneurs of New Hampshire, where their business has morphed from selling camping gear to trading in cargo containers and truck trailers.  RICK GLAD ’74 and BRUCE GRAY ’71 are busy as ever, with Rick replacing knees, hips and shoulders in Wisconsin and Bruce on call in Ohio for every injury and illness that comes through the hospital doors. They cast sideways glances at health insurer BILL HICKEY ’74, who collects premiums from rich patients and doles out payments to poor doctors. ROB LEITSCHUH ’73 (Rat, for those who remember him only by the nickname) has a contracting business that keeps buildings from Dartmouth College to Florida’s coast in tip-top trim. A (finally married) DAN PINS ’72 is still buying and selling real estate in Summit County, Colorado. If you’re looking for a mansion on the slopes or a condo in Keystone, he can make a deal. And GEORGE STEVENS ’74 could have passed as class of ’83, if we hadn’t been there and didn’t know better. 

“Forty-five years out, we still revert to Ripon form when we gather. Fortunately, the statute of limitations has run on all the Ripon misdemeanors — the epic cream puff food fight, fake IDs, underage purchases from Uncle Milt, etc. — and we managed to avoid any new infractions all evening. Like our college days when hardly anyone could afford a car, we walked to our watering hole. There would be no driving home after someone announced, as Daryl always did at closing time in The Spot …

“Spoiler alert: I was the one who gave Daryl’s benediction. Then we all returned to our hotel, motel or wherever we had to go.”

GARY LEDERER ’72 and I may run into CHRIS DOHERTY ’73 and RICK GLAD ’73 as we are headed to Pebble Beach for the U.S. Open as well. Of course, by the time you are reading this that event will be long over. We are actually headed to California to see our 6-month-old granddaughter, Emily. From Facetime — which we think is the greatest thing ever — we can tell she has grown so much since her visit to Florida in March. We are keeping very active with our three guardian ad litem cases, spending a lot of time waiting in the courthouse for hearings, trials and mediations, as well as doing are monthly visits and then some. We are playing lots of golf, too, though neither one of us seems to be lowering our handicaps by much.

Thank you all so much who answered my plea for news. I do appreciate it. I also know everyone likes to hear what classmates are doing. So till the next time …

JEAN

Submitted by: Jean Kirkpatrick Lederer

Jim Beisner 

770-570-7725 / [email protected]

Greetings, Class of 1971! Here’s to another great year! It is hard to believe we were starting our freshman year 52 long years ago just as the Class of 2023 is doing now. Where did the time go? I remember very well my first few weeks of getting acclimated to classes and the campus as if it was just yesterday. Although there is a large time gap between our start and theirs, the quality of education has not changed in all those years. Through the support of our time, talents and treasures, Ripon College has maintained a superb educational experience. The update on current college activities along with honors of graduates and faculty as noted below, continue to show the excellent contribution Ripon makes to the nation and the state of Wisconsin. Speaking of time, we are coming up on our 50th reunion in 2021. More information will be forthcoming plans for our class gift.

RAYMOND ROBINSON ’71 of Key Biscayne, Florida: “Beginning to think of retirement, maybe to part time first, hoping to do some road trips and travels.”

As we look back at our experiences at Ripon, we can all see the benefits we derived from that special time. In some way, the Ripon Fund assisted all of us. It underwrites all aspects of yearly operations, including, but not limited to, laboratory supplies, technological innovations, library resources, faculty support, financial aid and scholarships, athletics, opportunities to study abroad, the arts and facilities. I urge your consideration to increase this year’s gift in recognition of all we have accomplished as a result of Ripon College. If you gave below the Heritage Society level, consider giving at that level. If you give at one of the society levels, think about increasing your gift annually to eventually elevating to the next highest society.

JIM

Submitted by: James Beisner

Scott A. Nyquist

239-732-0523 / 630-632-1619 / [email protected]

Hello Class of ’69! It’s July 3, just four days after our 50-Year Class Reunion, and I am still feeling that wonderful feeling I felt at the party. We had about 50 classmates and about 25 spouses at the event on Saturday, June 29. It was held in Great Hall and the College had it set up and decorated beautifully. It looked like a wedding reception in the ballroom of a Ritz Carlton Hotel.

The party started at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour, then the class photo was taken on the steps of Harwood Memorial Union at 6:30 p.m. All classmates in attendance were awarded a certificate of induction into the Golden R Club (for 50 years as an alum) as well as a Golden R pin. The certificates and pins were presented by KIMBERLY LARSON ’08, president of the Alumni Association, and Ed Wingenbach, acting president of Ripon College. The Rev. JOHN BILLINSKY ’69 gave the invocation before dinner. Professor of English Emeritus Doug Northrop and Professor of Philosophy Emeritus Robert “Spud” Hannaford were our honored guests at the party. The food was delicious and the renewal of friendships even better.

After dinner, JANE WIESER BAKER ’69 had us howling with laughter as she read passages from (and made comments on) the Ripon College Student Handbook sent to us before we started in August 1965. Following that, several classmates shared Ripon stories, some funny, some poignant. The evening concluded with a 22-minute video presentation I put together about life in the ’60s, all set to the music of that era. It included a section called Classmates: Then and Now, where I paired recent photos of classmates who could not attend the reunion with their yearbook or Green List picture. (Everyone looked EXACTLY the same☺) The presentation concluded with a tribute to those class members who’ve passed away. It was an awesome party.

The next morning, our class hosted the Service of Remembrance, held every year to recognize those alumni who are no longer with us. BOBBI SUESS ANDERS ’69, FRANK ANDERS ’69, ALICE HALL HAYES ’69, PHIL MCCULLOUGH ’69, SCOTT NYQUIST ’69 and JOHN BILLINSKY ’69 were presenters at the service. Professor of Religion Brian Smith gave the invocation and Doug Northrop was a speaker. The entire service was orchestrated by VINCE AYE ’69. (Thank you, Vince.)

There were lots of activities over Alumni Weekend, including reunions of Beta Sigma Pi and Delta Upsilon, which those two groups organized. The Beta Sigs met for a brat fry on Thursday night then held an official reunion on Friday night at a local bar and grill so they could enjoy a traditional Wisconsin Friday night fish fry. The DU’s organized a boat ride on Green Lake as well as a dinner at a local restaurant. Several Kappa Delta’s held an informal “mini reunion” on Friday night.

Finally, I am proud to announce our class won the trophies for Largest Percentage of the Class at Alumni Weekend (30%), the Largest Percentage of the Class Contributing to the Ripon Fund (52%) and Largest Amount of Money Contributed to the Ripon Fund (more than $255,000). I want to thank all of you who gave to the College this past year.

I also want to thank the reunion committee for all their hard work to make the reunion a success: FRANK ANDERS ’69, BOBBI SUESS ANDERS ’69, VINCE AYE ’69, NANCY GONIA BAJOREK ’69, ALICE HALL HAYES ’69, SAM JOHNSON ’69, BILL JORDAN ’69, DEBBIE HAMELE KUKLA ’69, TOM MACE ’69, PHIL MCCULLOUGH ’69, DON PARK ’69, CHIP RETSON ’69, STEVEN RUOFF ’69, BOB “OTTO” WACHHOLTZ ’69 and JOHN WOLFE ’69.

MARK BAUER ’69 of Pewaukee, Wisconsin: “I truly enjoyed the reunion evening of June 29. That evening itself was highlighted not only by the wonderfully organized reminiscent and nostalgic video to popular late ’60s and early ’70s music, but the opportunity throughout the evening to reconnect with classmates, many of whom I had had little contact during the years at Ripon College. Yet it was amazing how many of those knew me or things about me. I have missed many reunions and now deeply wish I had attended many more. The event evoked some sadness as we are reminded how long it has been since those college years. On the other hand, we are so fortunate to be present at such an occasion in the company of people who can celebrate common experience ‘aus jenem, kurzen Schnitte des unseren Lebens’ (from that short slice of our lives).”

TERRY BROWN ’69 of Richmond, Virginia: “This is the sixth reunion that I have attended, having started with the 25th (where I was told that I should have been at the 20th, because that was the one with everyone). I like talking with people about how things have changed from what they had planned. The first three times I had a very enjoyable conversations with JOHN BRENNAN ’69 of Temecula, California, but have not seen him since. I hope that he is well and is doing OK. Checked out the dorms while on campus.”

JOHN ERICH ’69 of Scottsdale, Arizona: “The reunion was a special experience to have dinner with Dr. Hannaford on Saturday and engage with him again in some lively and stimulating conversation! We are fortunate to have had many excellent professors during our time at Ripon.”

ALICE HALL HAYES ’69 of Washington, D.C.: “The Service of Remembrance was a moving way to create a lasting memory of our dear classmates — gone too soon. Thank you, VINCE AYE ’69, for designing the ingredients of the program for us. It was my heartfelt pleasure to be a part of it and spend time with you.”

Congratulations to our classmate WILLIAM C. JORDAN ’69 who received an honorary degree from Harvard University this year. Jordan is the Dayton-Stockton Professor of History at Princeton University, a medieval historian and the director of the Program in Medieval Studies, director of the Shelby Cullom Davis Center for Historical Studies and chair of the history department from 2008–2017 at Princeton.

SCOTT NYQUIST ’69 and CYNTHIA SANBORN NYQUIST ’69 of Naples, Florida: “Alumni Weekend was so much fun. We enjoyed the Beta Sig reunion, The Other Half concert, the class reunion on Saturday night, the Sunday morning Service of Remembrance and many other events. It was wonderful to see all of our 1969 classmates and also many other friends from classes before and after ours. By the time you read this, we will have traveled to Germany in August to see our daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. Life in Naples, Florida, is wonderful.”

I am planning to obtain photos from all who attended the reunion and will compile them into a 50th Reunion album. I hope by the time you read this, that task is completed and you’ve already seen them. Anyone who wants a copy of the presentation shown at the reunion should email me a request for it and I will share it with you. It is a huge file so it will take time to download.

Remember to send Ripon College your new address if you move and to notify them of a new email address if you create one. Keep in touch. I love hearing from you guys.

Always for Ripon,

SCOTT A. NYQUIST ’69

Submitted by: Scott Nyquist

Bob Martin

[email protected]  

Dear Classmates: I suspect that, like a lot of you, I left Ripon with a feeling that I could have done a lot more, not only for myself but for the College. So when VICKY PORTH TOBIAS ’68 urged me in 2005 to become Class Agent, I accepted. Since then, I’ve been writing these letters for 14 years, as well as coordinating three class reunions. Particularly after our 50th reunion last year, I felt that I was able to finish some things that I left undone in 1968. With that in mind, I’m happy to report that the class agency reins will pass to PETER UHRIG ’68 once this letter is published.

I chose Peter not only on the recommendation of classmates but also because he has been a steadfast supporter of the College and our class, through annual giving, reunion attendance and contacts with friends from 1968. He is also facile with the written word. I wish him all the best, and thank all of you for the support you’ve given me over the years.

College News: The College celebrated Commencement on May 19 with the graduation of 152 seniors and the keynote address by Marc Edwards, a University Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering at Virginia Tech. Called the “plumbing professor” by Time magazine, he is best-known for leading the research group that uncovered both the 2001-2004 lead crisis in Washington, D.C., and the 2014-2016 water disaster in Flint, Michigan.

JOHN HERMES ’68 and Cynthia Cortright were married on May 4, 2019. John reports: “I met the love of my life at Ripon on Feb. 7, 1965. We had a wonderful marriage. On June 7, 2016, Susan lost her six-year battle with cancer. I do and will always miss her. Fortunately for me, after a couple of years, I met Cynthia. She has a doctorate in music from the University of Oklahoma and is a wonderful piano player and person.” Congratulations to John and Cynthia.

As we go to press, Sun magazine is considering a submission from TOM SELSOR ’68 for its “Readers Write” section. I have condensed it here. It’s a great narrative about a young student’s intellectual journey, with Ripon in a strong supporting role:

“It was late September 1965 and I was entering my sophomore year as a psychology major at Ripon College, having hitch-hiked there from my hometown of Berkeley, California. I had registered for an elective English course in 19th Century American Literature, and at the recommendation of my professor, William Martz, had gone to the campus library that morning to begin reading Billy Budd, Sailor. It was the last and shortest novel of Herman Melville’s, never published in his lifetime, and found in his attic after his death.

“I started reading at 8 a.m., skipped two psychology classes and finished about 9 p.m. The next morning I walked into the administration building to request a change in my major from psychology to English. I thought a psych major would teach me the mysteries of human behavior and thinking and identity. But nothing so far in over a year had even suggested the mystery and depth of this short novel of the complex moral dilemma between Man’s Law and God’s Law, between the head and the heart.

“The woman behind the desk appeared confused and nervous. ‘I think you need approval from your psych advisor to do this,’ she said. ‘You’d better talk to her first.’ I said ‘No, I’ve already made my decision. Please change my major to English.’

“In an entire year at Ripon as a budding psych major, I had never found anything remotely as absorbing and charged with depth and insight as this dilemma of true innocence vs. guilt, good vs. evil, innocence vs. guilt.

“Three years later, I would enter graduate school at the University of Wisconsin and later graduate with a doctorate in 19th Century American Literature. My advisor at Wisconsin was Merton M. Sealts Jr., who had joined with Harrison Hayford from Northwestern University to edit the definitive edition of Billy Budd, Sailor. And what was my 265-page dissertation titled? ‘A Thematic and Structural Analysis of Billy Budd, Sailor.’

“Thanks, Ripon College, Herman Melville, and professors Martz and Sealts, for setting me on the right track for a rewarding career of learning, discovery and teaching.”

All the best,

BOB

Submitted by: Bob Martin

John C. Hyde

414-530-4041 / [email protected]

Donna and I enjoying pleasant weather here in Pensacola. I’m  flying to our Conover, Wisconsin, house for two weeks to see daughter, Terrell, hubby Brendan and granddaughters Helena, Julia and Georgia. Also will see Trevor Hyde and wife Phyllis and sons Tristan and Cian. Tristan is the first grandchild to attend college. He will start at Illinois Wesleyan University this fall.

Donna and I are celebrating our anniversary this August by going to New Orleans which is only three hours by car and seeing Queen with Adam Lambert and spending a few days in the French Quarter.

JOHN HYDE ’65

JACKIE ALCORN ’65: “I’ve travelled more in the last three months than any time in my life. In April, I flew to Stuttgart, Germany, where my son is stationed with the Navy. His family included me on a cruise out of Venice to Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Ravenna, Italy. I took a trip by myself to Malta where I lived from 1954-1956. I stayed in an Airbnb that seemed like a cross between an art and a history museum. The present occupants of the house where I lived with my parents invited me in and showed me all through the house. I saw where I used to take horseback riding lessons and the beach where I had my 13th birthday party. It was like a time warp —  going back in time, but without my parents and school friends.

“After another week with my son and three grandchildren, I returned to Virginia for a few days before flying to Washington state where my oldest granddaughter graduated from Whitman College in May. From there, I flew to California to spend a couple of weeks with my friend from Ripon, Jane Person. I always enjoy my time with Jane. My granddaughter, Jackie, and her boyfriend drove down from Seattle, picked me up at Jane’s and drove me to Yosemite where we spent a couple of days. It is a must-see for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet. They took me back to Jane’s from where I flew back to Seattle from my grandson’s high school graduation in June. I was able to attend several concerts that two of my grandsons participated in.

“From Seattle I flew to Colorado where my youngest daughter and her family took me tent camping in four national parks: Grand Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon and Rocky Mountain. I’m finally home in Virginia Beach but getting ready to drive to New Hampshire where my entire family gets together each July for a couple of weeks by a lake.”

When I called PHIL HOLM ’65, he enjoyed discussing Ripon’s undefeated football team our junior year. Classmate JIM CAHOON ’65 was our quarterback and DICK BENNETT ’65 was a receiver. Phil also mentioned PETE COOPER ’65 who was on the team. Phil and Pete were on our golf team. Phil mentioned that he just sold his successful awards business that was started by his parents in the ’30s.

Phil and I talked about Dick Bennett’s success as a college basketball coach, taking Wisconsin to the Final Four, and what happened this year when Dick’s son, Tony, the basketball coach at the University of Virginia, lead his team and won the NCAA National Championship this year.

RETT HUMKE ’65 and JEANNE HYDE HUMKE ’66: “Our grandson, Basil Humke, is to begin college in the fall.” I talked to Jeanne when they were visiting their son, Ryan, and his wife, Carly, in Vermont. Jeanne and Rett were taking a 3+- week trip in the camper when I talked to Jeanne. Part of the trip was to Quebec, Canada, where Jeanne said that knowledge from Rett’s Ripon French class got them through! Their daughter, Kristen, and husband, Eric, have two daughters in college. Nicole, the oldest, who will be a senior next year, had a wonderful trip Florence, Italy.”

MARY KROENING ’65: “Not much has changed since our last class letter! My knee is replaced and is working like it’s supposed to. I’ve been doing a lot of exercising and decided to work with a personal trainer to keep progressing. I’ve been volunteering at the arboretum as usual and am working on the planning committee for our Ukulele Festival in Aurora on Aug. 25. I decided to concentrate on the uke instead of storytelling. The band is my happy place! Our son, Dave, and grandson, Trevor, are here for a short visit from Alaska. Trevor is 6’3″ — I’ve never felt so short! We all went to see “Hamilton” yesterday and loved it. There’s a wonderful Hamilton exhibit in Chicago which John and I plan to see sometime soon. Trevor’s kind of “Hamiltoned” out or else we’d take him before he flies out of here next week. We are hoping to see Carole Coop Atherton and Malarkey when they come to town this summer. We always enjoy catching up with them.”

SUE PURTELL KULLICK ’65 from Hamilton, Montana, and her husband are planning a summer wedding for their daughter at their home. She and her husband have four children. The oldest is highly ranked in the U.S. Tennis Association. They have nine grandchildren, all of whom will be at the wedding. She and her husband are celebrating their 53rd anniversary. She mentioned that Ripon classmate, MARK LEDGER ’65, gets out there a few times each year for the Western Sustainability Exchange. She is planning to be at our Ripon 55th year reunion in 2020.

CHARLIE LARSON ’65: “We haven’t got a lot planned this summer-fall, but there are a few things. Next weekend we are getting together with 12-15 of my former tennis players to celebrate one of the players, BILL FIEDLER ’82, being inducted into the Ripon College Athletic Hall of Fame. Some of these players I haven’t seen in decades. It should be a lot of fun.

“Karen and I always take a train trip (usually out west through the mountains) each summer. This year we are traveling east to Charlottesville, Virginia, in September. We are looking forward to seeing a different part of the country. Have a great summer!”

I had an interesting phone discussion with JANE PERSON ’65. She says that classmate JACKIE EADY ALCORN ’65 is doing a lot of traveling. Jackie’s son is in Germany, grandkids in Seattle and there is an annual New Hampshire bash with the Peace Corps. Jane is always full of energy and news. Our Ripon College President, Zach Messitte, stopped at Jane’s house for lunch with a Ripon alumni representative. 

WIN RYDER ’65: “Mary and I went to Egypt in January, loved it and recommend it highly.

Went to Naples, Florida, in February and Turks and Caicos in March. Made it through the Michigan winter. We live on Lake Michigan and it gets brutal. In summer, the kids and grandchildren are here. In September we are going to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Poland.”

BARB BRADFORD SEWALL ’65 and TED SEWALL ’66 spend March and April in Venice, Florida, each year. Their sons, TOM SEWALL ’93 and GREG SEWALL ’95, are Ripon grads. Greg’s wife is also a Ripon grad. Tom is an attorney and Greg is a surgeon. Ted enjoys fishing and hunting with his sons.

JIM THORSEN ’65: “I want to thank CRAIG FERRIS ’65 for his article about GREG THOMPSON ’65. Well-done, Craig. Nancy and I attended the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. Our grandkids’ high school band participated in ceremonies at three beaches, Sainte-Mere-Eglise and the American Cemetery. Everywhere on the Normandy Coast we saw U.S., British, Canadian and French flags. The French have not forgotten their liberation from Nazi rule. An emotional trip, to be sure. Have a great summer.”

LARRY TICE ’65: “Ready to enjoy another Wisconsin summer … ready to have a few more “water fights“ and pool “splashes” with the grandkids. I’m still in Chicago, still not far from where you seemingly hung out as a kid. (Seems like yesterday since I’ve had some eye surgery and other “invasions” of the “body politic“ that I’ve lost some energy and am slowing down. Hope I get the energy back.) I’m semi-retired yet; exercising with MinJa along Chicago‘s beautiful lakefront. And, what a series of venues offered by the lakefront: from Beethoven’s “Missa Solemnis” at Millennium Park to (old guys) 

Rolling Stones at Soldiers Field to still ongoing controversies between “friends of the park” vs Obama library Conservators. Minja is “happy“ to be retired and stays In touch with family in South Korea.” 

Submitted by: John Hyde

Pat Ostrom Kohnen

925-201-7377 / [email protected]

Greetings Classmates: It is time for the fall class letter, but I am enjoying summer. Life is still great here at Stoneridge Creek. I finally saw “Hamilton,” which was wonderful (I did my homework first). I wonder if some of you made it to Alumni Weekend. It is hard to imagine that we graduated 55 years ago. 

I have another Road Scholar trip planned with my friend, Cleve, for October. We will travel to Oahu and Kauai. I did not receive any information from classmates to share this time. It has been fun to see a few classmates on Facebook. If you participate in Facebook, consider asking me to be a friend.

JANE “JAN” WREDE ’64 of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, published a second edition of her field guide “Trees, Shrubs and Vines of Texas Hill Country.” The comprehensive plant chart “makes tips about color, scent, flowering period, height, site preference, and wildlife and livestock utilization easily accessible.” The book is available on amazon.com.

I encourage each of you to donate to the Ripon Fund. I know that many of you have given for a long time, but it is also not too late to start. I am really grateful for my experience at Ripon. I just completed the PATRICIA OSTROM KOHNEN ’64 and JAMES B. KOHNEN ’64 Summer Chemistry Student Research Fund.

Remember that if you visit San Francisco, I would like to meet you or have you come to visit me at Stoneridge Creek. I am very near the Livermore Valley Wine area; we have 50 wineries.

PAT KOHNEN

Submitted by: Pat Ostrom Kohnen

Wayne Wolfgram

313-882-1712 / [email protected]

Greetings, Classmates! I hope this finds everyone doing well.

LARRY HAMILTON ’63 of Dallas, Texas ([email protected]): “Ripon organized a Career Discovery Tour that included about 15 students exploring potential future career paths.The group spent a couple of days in Dallas staying at my recently completed Lorenzo Hotel. I met up with them on a Saturday night and led a little walking tour of downtown Dallas starting at the Lorenzo, then walking to the nearby Aloft Hotel, a conversion of a historic 1925 building that we completed in 2009. There we all had a drink at the bar (with our bartender not checking IDs). Then we moved to the Dallas Power & Light complex where we had dinner at its Indian restaurant, Spice in the City, and the students got to see a historic complex that we had converted into loft apartments in 2005. After dinner, we resumed the walking tour down Main Street to the former Municipal Building (where Lee Harvey Oswald was shot by Jack Ruby in 1963, our graduation year) at which point I excused myself and the students ventured on to explore the Deep Ellum neighborhood on their own.

“The following morning we had a nice brunch that I hosted at Lorenzo Hotel, and a few local alumni also attended. I think all of us elders found the students to be very impressive. They certainly seemed to be a cut above the likes of me at that age. The following day, while the students were off to other exciting venues, I had the pleasure of a brief meeting with Acting President Ed Wingenbach and Vice President for Advancement SHAWN KARSTEN ’09, so I was fortunate enough to get a good dose of Ripon College for a few days in March.”

SUSAN RITTER KALANGES ’63 of Chester, Virginia ([email protected]): “All’s well in Chester, Virginia. We always seem to be busy — with a little travel in the States (I haven’t been overseas for awhile), our organizations (need to cut down on those), our daughters who live close by and trying to downsize all our ‘stuff’ — just in case we need to downsize our living quarters one of these days! Hope to make it to our 60th reunion! Best to all!”

SUSAN KELLER MATTHES ’63 of Carson City, Nevada ([email protected]): “Here in the West, our spring often was mixed with snowfall in the mountains and rains in the valleys. Many of the peaks in the Sierra Nevada are still white and so lovely against a blue sky. Our water supply for the summer should be quite adequate here in the desert.

“Juergen and I revisited Utah and the Moab area this spring to finish up with a boat trip on the Colorado and a jeep trip into the Paradox salt extrusion areas. Here there’s a layer of 5,000 feet of salt below the earth’s surface which pushes up to the surface on occasion — a result of an inland sea which covered much of this area way back when! The forces of the earth are indeed interesting and beautiful!

“Relaxing time on our patio at Red Cliffs Lodge overlooking a quiet section of the river, listening to birds and watching rafters and kayakers float past completed our Moab visits. Flaming Gorge was another interesting, though not nearly as popular, stop for a few days in the upper northeast corner of Utah. Utah is certainly a state that has much to offer visitors of all interests.

“Value the positives of each day — and protect your health. Both are important! Happy summer days!”

DAN SCHULTZ ’63 of Silver Spring, Maryland ([email protected]): “I know that at our age most people are looking to downsize — selling the family home and moving into a smaller home or condo or into a retirement community, etc. We, on the other hand, acquired our winter home in Florida two years ago in Palm Beach Gardens; and over this past winter renovated a lakefront home on a small lake in Wisconsin that we will use for our getaway place in the hot summer months when you don’t want to be in Florida and would rather not be in the Washington, D.C., area where our primary home is. Hard to beat: Washington, D.C., in the spring and fall when it is beautiful here; Florida in the winter months; and a Wisconsin lake in the hot summer months. Our Wisconsin place is particularly special to me as it is on Lake Ripley, the lake where I spent my youth at our family summer home that ultimately became my folks’ primary home when my dad retired. Bookends of my life, so to speak.

“As we get older, our lives seem to become a series of falls. My wife fell riding her bike in February and broke her wrist and severed a tendon. One of my sisters fell last month and fractured her hip. And a number of our friends have experienced falls of one magnitude or another. En garde, and watch your step!”

All the best everyone. Let’s all stay in touch. Until next time.

WAYNE

Submitted by: Wayne Wolfgram

Deborah Johnson Van Slyke

480-284-5564 / 619-889-5061 / [email protected]

DELORES GREY HOLDEN ’60: “When I opened our copy of this current issue, I was surprised to see a photo of myself on page 3. My guess is that it was taken while I was in my senior year. In my years (1956 through 1960) Ripon’s curriculum offered classes that would fulfill the minimal requirements needed for a teaching license in either Illinois or Wisconsin. That included a two-hour course in cooperatives required by Wisconsin. I taught for one year in Plymouth, Wisconsin, then the following year in Oklahoma. Several years of substitute teaching all over Chicago, including going to an elementary school in a ghetto neighborhood the day after the riots ended. I received an M.A. in special education after raising our two sons and then worked for the Northwest Suburban Education Organization where I was the provocation all coordinator.”

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

CHARLES MORGAN ’60 of The Villages, Florida: “I enjoy golf three to four times a week. Living in The Villages is great. We, however, miss our grandkids and their athletic activities in New Jersey. You wouldn’t believe how great they are!”

Submitted by: Deborah Johnson van Slyke

Art Lundeberg

520-296-9281 / [email protected]

Dear Class of 1955: This will be my last Class Agent letter. During the years, I have tried to write articles that would appeal to our times at Ripon. I have received several email comments (and phone calls) commenting on the letters, which I have greatly appreciated and welcomed. However, I was disappointed in the lack of response to the spring letter re: going home for Christmas from Ripon. I had hoped that would have been fun and of interest to us. 

I do thank FRANCES JOANNES WINANS ’55 and BILL IHSSEN ’55 for their comments, as requested in the letter, but those were the only responses I received. I also thank everyone in our class who took the time to send me an email during the past years. I always looked forward to hearing from  everyone. I enjoyed renewing old friendships.

As always, I wish a very happy Christmas and holiday season to all.

ART LUNDEBERG ’55

Submitted by: Art Lundeberg

John Michael “Mike” Pepio, 76, of Oceanside, CA, passed away peacefully on September 18, 2019 in Oceanside, CA after a valiant battle with a rare neurological illness.

Submitted by: DevStudent

This past September, Rich Russo ’76 hiked LaPlata Mountain, the 5th highest peak in Colorado.

Submitted by: Rich Russo

In August 2019, I started working as a data scientist in the Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.  I’m currently applying my knowledge of neuroscience, statistics, data analytics, and computer science towards gaining a better understanding of the genetics of schizophrenia, autism, and depression.

Submitted by: DevStudent

A group of former Smith Indies met at John Morton’s ’86 fishing camp/Center for Male Excellence on Big Muskellunge Lake near Sayner, WI.

Back row L-R: Jim Young ’86, Steve Ganey ’86, John Morton ’86, John Thomas ’86

Front row: John Fisher ’86, Lars Greiner ’86, Paul Wenner ’86, Jon Kostelic ’86, Chandler Bathrick ’86

Submitted by: DevStudent

Phil, a Ripon College Physical Plant employee from 1974-2018, and I met while attending the National Scouting Historian Summit in June of 2019 at Philmont Training Center in Cimarron, NM. Our paths crossed while at Ripon but had not met each other previously.  We certainly enjoyed recounting interesting events and professors during our time at Ripon. Phil had been a leader for Troop 735 in Ripon for 43 years.  He retired as Scoutmaster the same time he retired from the College. I have been involved in Scouting at all levels for 20+ years in Lake Forest, IL and actually took on my 1^st leadership role as Cubmaster from current Ripon Board of Trustee Chair Ron Peterson ’70.

Submitted by: DevStudent