R Connections

Class Agent Gregg Petersen ’78 visits with Dave Jung ’78 (left) in Dave’s hometown of Purcellville, Virginia.  Dave is currently employed as Head of Government and Corporate Relations at German telecommunications firm Rohde and Schwarz.

Submitted by: Gregg Petersen

Left to right: Benjamin Kweskin (Garrison’s friend), Garrison Anderson ’16, Ben Valdez-Hempel ’17, Scott Gustafson ’88 and Mike Lamm ’05 at the Nationals vs. Cubs game on August 18 in Washington, D.C.

Submitted by: Gregg Petersen

Dr. Jennifer Haywood Sabath DO ’92 sutured up Dr. Jason Winkelmann ND ’15 on 8.22.19 in Lake Zurich, Illinois. We have never met and only learned about both attending Ripon through conversation during the procedure. And although at different times, we also learned that we attended medical school one town away from each other.

Submitted by: Jason Winkelmann

WINNEBAGO COUNTY (WREX) — Associate Circuit Judge K. Patrick Yarbrough will retire from his position on Aug. 31, 2019.

Judge Yarbrough was appointed as an associate judge on Jan. 26, 2007. He was Winnebago County’s first African American judge. During his time on the bench, he presided over criminal, juvenile and mental health cases in Winnebago County. Since 2009, he has been assigned to hear juvenile delinquency cases. And since 2014, he has served as the supervising judge of the Winnebago County Juvenile Courts Division.

Judge Yarbrough is a Rockford native who graduated from Guilford High School in 1979. He received his bachelor’s from Ripon College and his juris doctor from Northern Illinois University College of Law.

Among his decades of service, Judge Yarbrough served as a member and past president of the Rock Valley Area Big Brothers Big Sisteres Board of Directors; a judicial liaison to the Children and Our Courts Board of Directors; member of the board of directors for the Blackhawk Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He is a member and sponsor of the Veterans Memorial Hall Black History Month committee’s Tuskegee Airmen and Montford Point Marines programs. Judge Yarbrough is a member of the I Bike Rockford Bicycle advocacy organization and a board member of 17th Circuit Therapy Dog Volunteers, Inc.

“Judge Yarbrough has contributed so much to the youth of our community from his current position. He has always had their welfare, and the long term betterment of our community as his guiding purpose,” said Chief Judge Eugene Doherty. “He impacted many, and he will be missed by many.”

Submitted by: DevStudent

Mary Beaumont, 86, of Kansasville, died peacefully on Tuesday, June 11, 2019.

Mary was born Sept. 2, 1932 to Floyd and Evelyn Beaumont. She was the oldest of three daughters. She was raised on the Beaumont Farm and was known to be quite a mischievous child. Mary was valedictorian of the 1950 graduating class of Waterford High. She went on to study mathematics at Beloit College, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1954. She then completed her Masters and post-graduate work at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Mary was a math teacher. She taught at Ripon College, Carroll College, and Port Huron High School in Michigan. She later taught at Burlington High School from 1977 until her retirement in 1992. She loved helping young people learn. After retirement, she happily continued on for the next 21 years as a volunteer math and science tutor for Waterford High School.

Mary was a lifelong member of the First Congregational Church of Rochester. This tight-knit community meant a great deal to her. She was devoted to various church activities, many of which included counting the money at gatherings and events. Mary enjoyed having many travel adventures, as a tourist, a missionary, and as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. She remained active with Beloit College over the years and volunteered on their Alumni Board, Reunion Committee, and at many student career fairs.

Mary had a steel-trap memory and a special passion for genealogy. She would always tell you who was related to whom, along with little anecdotes about their lives, not in a gossipy way, but rather in the spirit of an historical record-keeper. This talent extended beyond her own family, encompassing her little corner of the world. An avid reader with a wide range of interests, her loved ones estimate that Mary read five or six books per week throughout her life, in addition to the daily newspaper and scores of magazines. She was a generous and caring person who could not be bested in a game of trivia. Mary loved gardening, crossword puzzles, her cats, and cross-stitch. She did not like doing the dishes, talking on the phone, or being told what to do. She will be missed.

Mary is survived by her sisters Jane Haglund and Flora Roy; nephew Eric (Cathy) Haglund; nieces Elke (Tim) Hucek, Jennifer Roy, and Juliette (Jeff) Roy; great-nephews and nieces, Brendan (Kacie), Erica, and Alyssa Haglund and Liam and Devon Hucek; and a great many cousins. She is preceded in death by her parents and stepfather, Arthur Ruggles.

Mary was able to live out her days in the farmhouse she loved. A special thank you to Don Bonner and Gigi VanAcker, Connie and Andy Rusk, and Chuck and Peggy Ostrander for helping her to achieve this goal. Mary spent most of her life at her home on the Beaumont Farm and per her request her ashes will be buried under an old oak tree on the farmland.

A Memorial Gathering will take place on Saturday, June 29, 2019, from 1 to 3 p.m., with services starting at 3:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Rochester, 103 S. State Street, Rochester.

In lieu of floral expressions of sympathy, please consider a donation to the First Congregational Church of Rochester.

Mealy Funeral Home is serving the family. Well-wishers may visit www.mealyfuneralhome.com.

Submitted by: DevStudent

News update from the First Congregational Church in Ripon, WI –

On Sunday, July 21st, we will welcome Reverend Jeffrey Dodson, his wife Ashley, and their three daughters: Ainslie who is almost 4 years old, and 17-month-old twins Eleanor (Ellie) and Frances (Frankie) into our congregation. 

For Jeffrey and Ashley, their lives together began as camp counselors at Pilgrim Center in the summer of 2009. A native of the Colorado Springs area, Jeffrey spent two years at Colorado State University before transferring to Ripon College in August 2003. As some of you may remember, he was the Christian Education Coordinator in this church for two years. He graduated from Ripon in 2006 with a Theater major and Religious Studies minor. 

Jeffrey’s family has many ties to the UCC church. His twin brother Jonathan is a UCC-ordained minister who is currently a Chaplain in Hudson, Ohio, while Jeffrey’s sister-in-law is also an ordained UCC pastor and is the Associate Minister at First Congregational in Hudson. Jeffrey’s mother is currently moderator of her church in Hawaii. Jeffrey has two more brothers and his father liv- ing in southern California. 

Ashley is from Monticello, Wisconsin, where her immediate family still lives. In addition, she has a number of extended family members in and around Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. She is a 2009 graduate of Viterbo University with a BA in Religious Studies and minors in Psychology and Servant Leadership. 

After their summer at Pilgrim Center, Jeffrey and Ashley headed off for their first year at seminary, Jeffrey to Chicago Theological Seminary and Ashley to Eden Seminary in St. Louis. After a year, Ashley transferred to Chicago Theological Seminary where they graduated with their Master of Divinity degrees in May 2014. While still in seminary, Ashley and Jeffrey returned to 

Pilgrim Center for a second time and were married in Ley Chapel on October 6, 2012. 

Between 2014 and their 2016 move to Grand Junction, Colorado, they were co-Executive Directors at a UCC camp in Vermont. Following that, Jeffrey was a hospital Chaplain in Littleton, Colorado. They went to another UCC camp in Iowa where Ashley served as the Program and Facilities Manager before moving to Grand Junction where Jeffrey served as a short-term Pulpit Supply Minister. When the Senior Minister position opened up permanently in Grand Junction, the Search Committee gave him the opportunity to apply for the job and he was installed. Earlier in that year he was ordained through the Southwest Association of the Rocky Mountain Conference in Colorado. 

Jeffrey’s hobbies include theater, hiking, the outdoors, sports, micro brews, science, being a dad, Star Trek and reading science fiction and historical biographies. Ash- ley loves photography, hiking, kayaking, chasing after the girls and cooking.

Submitted by: DevStudent

Submitted by: Gregg Petersen

Submitted by: DevStudent

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

Submitted by: DevStudent

John B. Fawcett, 82, of Duluth, died Thursday, May 23, 2019 at Essentia St. Mary’s, with his family by his side. John was born February 17, 1937 in Duluth to Keith and Helen Fawcett.  He graduated from East High School and went on to receive a degree from Ripon College. John went into the insurance business and eventually had his own agency. He married Judy Ingersoll on May 29, 1997. He was a member of Waters of Life Lutheran Church and an active member of the Vermilion Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Keith and Helen; siblings, Carolyn May Lee, Barbara Jane Maculay Forrest and Keith Peers Fawcett. John is survived by his wife, Judy; children, Alicia (JuanCarlos) Fernandez, Napa, CA; Jason (Daniela) Fawcett, Anchorage, Alaska; Krista (Max) Mosser-Bakken, Chisago City, MN; stepdaughters, Julie (Pete) Buol, Stacy, MN; Jennifer (Randy) Luraas of Chippewa Falls, WI and Jill (Dick) Kelly of Litchfield, MN; 17 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Visitation will be Monday June 10, 2019 from 5:00-7:00 PM at Dougherty Funeral Home, Duluth. Memorial service will be held Tuesday June 11, 2019, 2:00 PM at Waters of Life Lutheran Church, 6221 Rice Lake Rd. Duluth. Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home, 600 E 2^nd St. Duluth, MN, (218) 727-3555.

Submitted by: DevStudent

On Thursday, May 23rd, 2019, Russell Clayton Ackley, loving husband and father of three sons, found peace at the age of 78.

Russell was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on January 4, 1941 to father Dr. H.M. Ackley and mother Marie (Krieger) Ackley . He graduated from St. John’s Military Academy in 1958 and later from Ripon College in 1962. Russ served in the Army as a Ranger in the 82nd Airborne Division during the Vietnam War and retired as a Captain in 1967. After his military service, he returned to Pewaukee where he served on the Pewaukee Village Board of Trustees and later as a Town of Delafield Supervisor.

Russ had many passions that he carried throughout his life. He loved to cook Chinese food of all types, either for his family or for large gatherings of friends. In the warmer months Russ spent many hours designing, rearranging and maintaining his many gardens with a particular affinity for hostas. He also had a great love of art. He particularly loved to paint, however, he enjoyed other mediums as well. When illness took the use of his right hand he taught himself to paint with his left. The one passion that never waned throughout his life and which he passed to his children was his love of the sport of sailing and for the Pewaukee Yacht Club. Russ started sailing at the age of eight and sailed in various fleets until his sixties and then became deeply involved in race management.

Russ is remembered by the following family members:
Loving and devoted wife of 56 years Nancy
Sons: Geoffrey Ackley, Glen (Naomi) Ackley, David (Liesl) Ackley
Granddaughters: Jordan, Suzanne, Lyndsi, Macayli
Grandson: Henry
Stepsisters: Yvonne (John) Miller, Kathleen (James) Rapinski, Carol (Peter) Strobel
Brother in Law: Walter (Sue) Hutt, niece Laura (Rob) Eschbach, and nephew Steven (Karen) Hutt

Visitation will be held Wednesday, June 5, 2019 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm, with Mass to follow from 3:00 to 4:00 pm at The Noble Victory Memorial Chapel at St. John’s Military Academy located at 409 St. John’s Road, Delafield, WI 53018. A memorial service with Military Honors will be held immediately following. A Celebration of Russell’s Life will start at 4:30 pm at the Pewaukee Yacht Club N22 W28204 Edgewater Dr. Pewaukee, WI 53072.

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the Pewaukee Lake Sailing School located at N22 W28204 Edgewater Drive, Pewaukee, WI 53072 or online at https://www.plss.org.

Special thanks to the members of the Town of Delafield Fire Department for their service.

Submitted by: DevStudent

Henderson, NV – Dwight Currier Harris, 87, died Thursday, July 11, 2019, under hospice care at 2012 Colvin Run Drive, Henderson, NV. Dwight was the loving husband of Marlys E. (Trimpey) Harris, with whom he shared 36 years of marriage.

Born September 4, 1931, in Pittsburgh, PA, he was the son of the late Elizabeth Zoe Currier Harris and Burtt Harris. Dwight attended Wayland Academy, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin; Princeton University; Dickinson College; graduated from Ripon University with the dual major of Finance and French; and earned an MBA at the University of Indiana and University of Pittsburgh.

Dwight’s career in banking spanned nearly 40 years, including Mellon Bank, Pittsburgh, PA, where he began investment research and analysis; Farmers Bank and Trust Company, Hanover, PA, as President and COO; and Peoples National Bank, Lebanon, PA, as President and CEO. In 1993, he joined the PA State Treasury as an investment officer and account manager until retirement in 2008. During his career, he served on various boards and community associations and was an avid fan of tennis, jazz, playing bridge, and gourmet food.

In addition to his wife, Dwight is survived by six children: Victoria Sands and husband Jeffrey of Burke, VA; Sandra and spouse Dianne Wainwright of Pittsburgh, PA; Judith Zang of Alexandria, VA; David and wife Katarina of Pittsburgh, PA; Ronald Davis and wife Ashley of Vancouver, WA; Jeffrey Davis and wife Connie of Apex, NC; brother Burtt and wife Carole; 11 grandchildren; one great-grandson; and was preceded in death by son Daniel Currier Harris.

Dwight never met a stranger and will be sorely missed by his family and many friends.

Private services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to:

Wayland Academy, 101 N. University Avenue, Beaver Dam, WI 53916 (Class of 1950)

Ripon College, P.O. Box 248, Ripon, WI 54971 (Class of 1954)

Nathan Adelson Hospice, 4141 Swensen Street, Las Vegas, NV 89119

Submitted by: DevStudent

Jeffrey Robert Martin passed away at his home on Saturday, July 13, 2019 at the age of 66, after a defiant and courageous, years-long battle with cancer. Jeff was born on January 27, 1953 in Racine, Wisconsin, where he enjoyed an idyllic, baby boom-era upbringing, spending the days of his youth playing street frisbee with his buddies and brother Jim in front of the family home on Thor Avenue and flaunting his mad academic skills at Park High School. Much to Jeff’s chagrin, he did spend one unfortunate year attempting to master the accordion his parents purchased from a door-to-door salesman, which became the stuff of family lore and fodder for many jokes in the years to come. After high school, Jeff followed in the footsteps of his parents, Peg and Bob, attending and graduating from Ripon College, where he met his future wife, partied with the Merriman House Fraternity and focused his studies on history and political science, ultimately graduating at the top of his class. Jeff married the love of his life, Mary, on a balmy August day in 1975, and they spent the next 44 years making a home in Delafield, Wisconsin. Jeff enjoyed a long career in sales, and when his three children were young, Jeff spent his time coaching youth soccer and basketball teams and timing at high school track meets. In his free time, Jeff enjoyed cultivating a beautiful rose garden at his home, filling the bellies of his family and friends with his home-cooked meals and treating his neighbors to his annual Fourth of July fireworks show. In his later years, Jeff’s greatest and most-treasured role undoubtedly was that of “Poppie” to his three grandchildren, who were a constant source of joy and pride. Jeff will be remembered for his calm demeanor, cherubic smile and trademark red hair.

Jeff is survived by his beloved wife, Mary, his children, Erin (Andy) Warmus, Andrew (Jenny Najduch) and Bryce (Fiance Liz chollet), his grandchildren, Kenzie, Callan and Anzolette, and his cherished sister, Jane. Jeff is further survived by his sister-in-law Kathie and nephews Matthew and Patrick along with other relatives and friends.

Jeff was preceded in death by his parents Bob and Peg Martin, his brother Jim, and his brother-in-law Gary.

Services will be held at Zion Episcopal Church on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 at 11:00 AM with a visitation for family and friends starting at 10:00 AM

Memorials are suggested in Jeff’s honor to Zion Episcopal Church or to Delafield Arts Foundation (In care of Town Bank 400 Genesee St. Delafield, WI 53018)

To send flowers to the family of Jeffrey R. Martin, please visit Tribute Store.

Submitted by: DevStudent

Submitted by: DevStudent

William C. Jordan ’69, the Dayton-Stockton Professor of History at Princeton University, received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Harvard University. Jordan is a medieval historian. At Princeton, he also has been 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. He is a prolific author and editor, a fellow of the Medieval Academy of America, the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a member of several other historical associations. His current research focuses on French-English relations in the 13th and early 14th century. Also among the nine honorary degree recipients was Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, who was the principal Commencement speaker.

More information can be read here.

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/05/harvard-awards-nine-honorary-degrees-at-368th-commencement/

Submitted by: DevStudent

Milwaukee, Wis., June 3, 2019 – With a $600,000 investment, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation is supporting the next generation of scientific leaders through its competitive and longstanding Shaw Scientist Program. Three early career faculty representing University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and University of Wisconsin-Madison are each receiving $200,000 grants to advance highly innovative research projects with implications for human health.

“Wisconsin is brimming with talent, and by rewarding innovation, philanthropy can provide incentive for talented people to stay here, or relocate here, and contribute to bettering the health of others,” said Ellen Gilligan, president and CEO of the Foundation. “Congratulations to this year’s Shaw Scientists, whose promising research honors the goals of our visionary donor, Dorothy Shaw.”

Zachary S. Morris ’02 is assistant professor of radiation oncology and vice-chair of human oncology at UW School of Medicine and Public Health. He aims to study how different doses of radiation therapy may impact the ability of a patient’s immune system to recognize their cancer and how radiation dose may affect the susceptibility of cancer cells to that immune response.

Building from that understanding, Dr. Morris plans to test whether brachytherapy – a particular type of radiation therapy that involves implanting a radioactive “seed” in a patient’s tumor – improves the tumor’s response to certain immunotherapies. Melanoma will be the first cancer tested, with the expectation of expanding this research to a wide variety of tumor types.

“In today’s research funding climate, philanthropic support plays a critical role in the development of new concepts, enabling researchers to take new ideas and advance these to more substantiated concepts with preliminary data to support their feasibility,” he said. “Without such support, it is very difficult to pursue the research needed to move new ideas into viable concepts for grants. Yet, those new ideas are the critical engine for innovation in science and medicine.”

About the Shaw Scientist Award

The Foundation’s annual Shaw Scientist Program supports early career investigators seeking promising solutions in biochemistry, biological sciences and cancer research. The awards began in 1982 thanks to a $4.3 million bequest from Dorothy Shaw, widow of James Shaw, a prominent Milwaukee attorney. In addition to $2 million in special grants, the Shaws’ fund has awarded nearly $15 million in grants to 78 scientists from UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee since its creation. An advisory panel with scientists representing major U.S. research institutions recommends the winners.

About the Greater Milwaukee Foundation
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is Wisconsin’s largest community foundation and was among the first established in the world. For more than a century, the Foundation has inspired philanthropy by connecting generous people to community needs that align with their interests. The Foundation was founded on the premise that generosity can unlock an individual’s potential and strengthen the community as a whole for everyone who lives here. We work in partnership with those who are committed to ensuring greater Milwaukee is a vibrant, economically thriving region that comprises welcoming and inclusive communities providing opportunity, prosperity and a high quality of life for all.

Submitted by: DevStudent

It is with sadness that I report the passing of Professor of Chemistry Emeritus, James W. Beatty.  Professor Beatty came to Ripon College in 1963 and retired from the College in 2002.  Dr. Beatty passed away on December 15, 2018.

A service and inurnment will be held in Ripon on June 8.  Details will be made available as the time nears.

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to Dr. Beatty’s wife, Cathy Beatty, at 4408 Desert Springs Trail, Sierra Visa, AZ  85635 or [email protected]..

Submitted by: Zach Messitte

Naples, FL, Waupaca, Wautoma – Thomas William Poullette, age 86 of Naples, FL, formerly of Waupaca, and Wautoma, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 in Kenosha. He was born on August 3, 1932 in Wautoma to Morgan and Alice (Lindquist) Poullette, and was raised by his grandparents, Thomas and Emma Poullette. Thomas graduated from Wautoma High School with the Class of 1950 where he was active in football, basketball and baseball. He then attended Ripon College and graduated in 1954. Thomas then joined the U.S. Army Infantry and served in Germany from 1954 to 1956. He then returned to Wisconsin and taught Biology at Elkhorn High School and coached basketball. In 1957 he married Sylvia Dopp. In 1958 he entered Marquette Dental School and graduated in 1962, then returned to Wautoma where he started his dental practice, and worked until retiring in the late 90’s. In 1982, Thomas married Jo Ann Sweney Howard and the couple resided in Waupaca and Naples, FL.

Thomas was an active member of Trout Unlimited, founding member of Wautoma Rotary Club, Ducks Unlimited and American Legion. He was an avid fisherman who loved to teach others about his sport and worked diligently to protect the resources he loved. Thomas especially loved spending time with his family and friends in Wisconsin and Florida. He was a generous, kind and humorous friend to many and will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Thomas is survived by his two sons: George (Sara) Poullette, Charles (Susan) Poullette; four step children: Mark (Tanya) Howard, Thad (Diana) Howard, Jay (Nicki) Howard, Anne (Cody) McInnis; eight grandchildren: Sam (Mara) Poullette, Madeline Poullette, Thomas Poullette, Alec Poullette, Dana Howard, Will Howard, Tess Howard, Millie McInnis; two sisters: Patty Mancouso, Kathy (George) Roerhig; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents: Morgan and Marge Poullette; wife: Jo Ann Poullette on February 26, 2019, and his grandparents: Thomas and Emma Poullette.

Funeral services will be held at 12PM (NOON) on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at Hope Lutheran Church, Wautoma with Military Honors to follow. The family will greet relatives and friends at church on Wednesday from 10AM until the time of services at 12PM with luncheon to follow. Leikness Funeral Home, Wautoma is assisting the family with arrangements.

Submitted by: DevStudent

Donald Reckinger ’47 passed away on Feb. 17, 2019. Entered Ripon College in the fall of 1941.  Member of Delta Sigma Psi. Served in the Army Air Corps 1942-1946. While in the service went to University of Wisconsin and the University of Chicago in Meteorology and then served on the supply air ship out of Brazil to Italy. Returned to Ripon in 1946 majoring in Math and Sciences. Graduated in 1947. He was in Education for 6 years. Received his M of Ed from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Changed careers and was a statistician for Kemper Insurance in Chicago for 32 years. In retirement lived in Florida and Wisconsin. Loved to travel, fish and garden and volunteered for AARP as a tax consultant for 20 years. Survivors include his wife, Marguerite L. Pautsch ’49, 3 sons and a daughter.

Submitted by: Marguerite Pautsch Reckinger '49