R Connections

Ripon Alumni Game, Lacrosse: KEVIN WARMACK ’79, Next to him is BILL SCHNESE ’79, TED SCHALLER ’79, TONY PONCE DE LEON ’79, JOHN HELLAND ’79, ARTIE PETERS ’79, TOBY STORZER ’82 and ANDY DIXON ’79. Alumni Weekend 2019.

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

In May, Eric completed a master of fine arts in creative writing (nonfiction) from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Retired from the Army National Guard since 2014, he is a communications and marketing supervisor at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the published author of several magazine articles and short stories.

Submitted by: Eric Atkisson

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.

Submitted by: Gregg Petersen

The Rev. Paul Nancarrow ’78, 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!

Submitted by: Gregg Petersen

I’ve had a busy academic year: I was promoted to full professor of English at SUNY Oneonta, and I received a SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. I also edited a second collection of essays, Broadening Critical Boundaries in Children’s and Young Adult Literature and Culture (Cambridge Scholars, fall 2018). In addition, I became area chair of the Fantasy and Science Fiction area of the Northeast Popular Culture Association–I’ve been area chair of Children’s and YA Literature and Culture for the national Popular Culture Association for 5 years. Finally, I was elected a Trustee at Large of the Governing Board of the Popular Culture Association.

Submitted by: Amie Doughty

Muriel Gehrman Muriel Fay (Morgan) Gehrman passed away in Spokane, Wash., on Dec. 3, 2018, from Alzheimer’s. Once in awhile, you run into someone who changes lives for the better wherever they go. Muriel was one of those people. Maybe it was partly because she grew up in paradise surrounded by Aloha. Muriel was born on Oct. 24, 1937, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and was the youngest of four children. She attended grade school in Wahiawa, Hawaii, and then entered the eighth grade at Kamehamea Schools – a school for children of Hawaiian ancestry. She excelled as a student, graduating with honors in the class of 1955 and received numerous prestigious scholarships to continue her education. She then attended Ripon College in Wisconsin for two years prior to graduating with honors from the University of Wisconsin, where she was a member of the Tri-Delta Sorority. In the fall of 1959, she started teaching social studies at Marshfield High School in Coos Bay, Ore. While there, she met her husband Ted. They were married on Dec. 24 of that year and were married for nearly 58 years.

In June of 1961, Muriel joined Ted in Germany, where he was teaching. This would prove to be the first of many overseas locations that Ted and Muriel would call home. Before leaving Germany, Muriel taught at Wuerzburg American High School and then traveled to Ethiopia for a teaching position. In 1966, they moved back to the United States, where Muriel finished her master’s degree at the University of Massachusetts and taught at Amherst High School. In 1970, their daughter, Tiare, was born. Muriel, Ted and Tiare broadened their international horizons, living in places like Ecuador, Singapore, and Tanzania, where Ted worked as an administrator for International Schools. After serving overseas, they finally settled back into Klamath Falls, Ore., where Muriel ran a fitness business for a few years before finishing up her career as a teacher at Brixner Junior High. Throughout Muriel’s many years of service, here are just a few words directly from some of those she has touched: “Muriel was a wise, kind and beautiful woman. I remember her love of flowers, gardening, fashion, children, and education. She always looked stunning and had a smile and kind word for everyone she encountered. The world is a better place from her loving and generous influence. I am glad she is at peace and can once again hula with delicate grace.”

“She was kind to me and so many of us in high school. I felt blessed to have known her.” “She will go down in history as one of my very favorite teachers and human beings. She did amazing things on this earth and impacted hundreds of lives.” “She was a light in my junior high life; a good soul for sure.” “The best teacher. I was blessed to have known her.” “She was so special to so many people. She touched the lives of so many young people as a teacher and as a kind, loving person. She will be greatly missed.” “I am so thankful that I had the privilege to be a small part of her wonderful and fulfilling life.” “It is difficult to express our collective pain for the loss of our special Muriel. She truly is a unique object of our shared sorrows. Enough of that, says she. Pining for her is the last activity she wants us to engage in. Always a smile on her face, a friend to all, level in fair weather or inclement, almost as gregarious as her spouse, always with a quick complement, graceful in her comportment and stern when righting perceived wrongs. She is bound for canonization. Alas, she takes from me one of my most prized possessions…she takes from me my indomitable doubles partner. Ah, how we love my partner.” “How blessed I am to have a woman in my life who has always been my biggest cheerleader. She has shown up for me and my family countless times. She is a woman of principle and has lived her life in such a way that her core values have always been her compass. Mama has taught me to be kind to all, give sincere compliments, celebrate others successes and scatter sunshine wherever you go. She was driven to do her best and gave 100 percent plus to her family and her students.”

Muriel is survived by her husband Ted, daughter Tiare Michele Gehrman Schlenker, son-in-law Jeff Schlenker, grandchildren Kiana, Kaikea, Kalea, and Makai, and siblings Ralph Morgan and Doris (Morgan) Timeus. She was preceded in death by her mother Carol (Bowers) Morgan and father Julian Monserat Ahu Morgan, and sister Barbara (Morgan) Hasegawa. There will be a Hawaiian luau celebration of Muriel’s life in Spokane, Wash., on July 13. Please watch for more information.

Submitted by: Jaye Alderson

In anticipation (and encouragement) of our 30th reunion, Tobi Cawthra and I created this map to help you find your way back to Ripon. See you in June!

Submitted by: Nikki Lindberg

FULTON, Mo. – Charles Belt was named the next William Woods University men’s basketball coach, announced Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jason Vittone Friday afternoon.

“I am pleased and excited to welcome Charles Belt to the William Woods university family,” stated Vittone. “I think he’ll make a great addition to our university and our community. I believe he’s the right fit at the right time for our university, department and men’s basketball program. I’m eager to watch our program grow under his leadership.”

“I’m extremely excited and blessed to be given the opportunity to join the William Woods University family as the head men’s basketball coach!,” commented Belt. “I want to thank Jason Vittone for his belief in me being the person to lead this program moving forward. I want to thank the entire athletic department staff, admissions, Dr. Mitchell and everyone who was a part of the search process for trusting and believing in me with this responsibility. I look forward to bringing an exciting brand of basketball to William Woods and the community of Fulton. We will recruit players with tremendous character who are eager to learn, grow and graduate. I can’t wait to get started. Go Owls!”

Belt comes to WWU after spending six seasons with the NCAA Division II Northern Michigan University Wildcats. He was the Head Assistant Coach for three seasons after spending three seasons as the second assistant. This past season, he helped lead the Wildcats to the GLIAC Tournament semi-finals. The team made their first post-season appearance in the 2017-18 season after an 11-year drought. In his six years with the Wildcats, the team garnered six all-GLIAC honors and 16 GLIAC academic awards.

Prior to NMU, Belt spent two seasons (2011-13) as an assistant coach at Beloit College. He helped lead the program from 17 conference wins in five years to 19 conference wins in two years. As a recruiter, he brought in a Midwest Conference honorable mention selection as a true freshman who ranked in the top 10 in seven statistical categories.

Belt also coached the boys 17U and 16U AAU Wisconsin Shooting Stars teams from the Ripon/Oshkosh, Wis. area and individual development camps for high school boys and girls in Wisconsin.

Belt played four years as the point guard for NCAA Division III Ripon College. He graduated from Ripon with a degree in business administration.

Submitted by: Jaye Alderson

Elizabeth McHone ’11 and Cory Alvey ’11 married on September 12, 2015 in Libertyville, IL. They currently live in Wauconda, Illinois. Elizabeth is a Naturalist at the Pringle Nature Center and Cory is a Senior Scientist at AbbVie, a biopharmaceutical company.

Job Update:

Pringle Nature Center in Bristol has a new naturalist who is excited to advance the mission of providing a place for people of all ages to experience nature, learn about the environment and become better stewards through conservation efforts.

Liz Alvey, 29, who started March 12, said she hopes to increase the number of visitors and expand programming to underserved age groups at Pringle, located within the 197-acre Bristol Woods County Park.

“It’s a huge wood, and it’s mostly very wild,” Alvey said. “I’d like to see more people just getting out, using the trails. It’s just really an interesting place. Besides the oak savannah and forest, there is prairie and wetlands.”

She brings with her a memory of visiting Pringle as a child, a vision for its future, and an environmental education degree.

Alvey, who grew up in Libertyville, Ill., earned a bachelor’s degree in ethnobotany at Ripon College, a graduate degree in environmental science from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pa., and is working on her doctorate degree.

She said, as she explored environmental science, she found herself gravitating toward projects involving people interacting with their environment.

“That’s something really interesting to me and something I’m passionate about,” Alvey said. “This is totally a dream job for me.”

Alvey previously worked at the Academy of Natural Sciences and a nature center in Schaumburg, Ill., where she said she most enjoyed working with kids and families.

“Pringle Nature Center is in a really good position to expand in a lot of areas,” Alvey said.

She said she hopes the addition of Boundless Adventures, an aerial high-ropes course set to open this spring in Bristol Woods, will bring more people to the nature center, 9800 160th Avenue.

“I think the partnership with Boundless Adventures in being approached very thoughtfully, and I think it will bring more people out to the park, which is great,” Alvey said.

She said they will collaborate to offer some cross programming and environmental education will be part of the high-ropes experience.

“I’m looking forward to seeing people come out and make a day of it,” she said. “Do the ropes course. Visit the nature center. Have a picnic. Go on the trails.”

The 3,000-square-foot nature center was constructed in 1998 with seed funds given to Kenosha County by Robert Pringle Sr.’s sister, Fanny Pringle.

“I think, if people are new to the area, they don’t always know we are here, but it is a wonderful place,” Alvey said.

She said she would like to explore business partnerships and research collaborations with the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and Carthage College.

“We have this great resource here, and it’s really only being utilized from a recreation standpoint,” Alvey said. “I’d like to see more of a science program taking off here.”

She would also like to increase programming for teens and young adults.

“We don’t have as many programs that involve high school and college age students,” she said. “That is something I’d like to explore — to make this more available for their use.”

Alvey said she also hopes to establish some corporate partners, increase the opportunities available to members of the Friends of Pringle Nature Center, and connect volunteers with projects at the nature center.

Architect, builder, artist, writer, pianist

Claremont resident Nick Livingston died peacefully on New Year’s Day at Oak Park Manor in Claremont. He was 87 years old.

He was known as an architect, artist, pianist, and writer of novels, screenplays and poetry.

He was born in 1931 in the Chicago suburb of Aurora, Illinois to Olga and Burt Livingston. His mother was a homemaker and his father a book salesman.

He graduated from Ripon College in Wisconsin with a degree in history. He then served in the US Army in Germany at the end of the Korean War. After receiving his architectural degree from the University of Illinois, he worked in Africa, Texas, and the Chicago suburbs, designing residential and commercial buildings.

He met his wife, then Ellen Harvell Dohner, in Park Forest, Illinois, where she was serving as lead minister to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Suburbs. They met when he played the piano for services at that congregation and would bring his band for social events.

At the time the congregation was having to rent space for their services. Mr. Livingston offered to design and build a modern cedar-framed building on land the church owned in the woods in Park Forest. He not only volunteered his services but followed through on helping to raise money for the project.

Three years after the dedication of the new building, he and Ellen became engaged. They were wed in 1982 at the new church building which offered views of the forest through the large windows Mr. Livingston had designed.

They became lifelong partners. Mrs. Livingston said he was also her colleague and loyal helpmate in every way possible, both within their shared faith and with work in her ministry.

Four years after they were married, even though they were enjoying the congregation and their light filled Frank Lloyd Wright inspired building, they made the decision to forsake the frigid weather of Illinois; Mr. Livingston persuaded his wife to send her application to what is now called the Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Montclair.

She accepted the church’s call in August 1986. The Livingstons soon fell in love with California and have lived here, first in Rancho Cucamonga and then in Claremont, ever since.

Mr. Livingston transferred his architectural license to California and worked as a freelancer and builder in the inland valley until he retired in 2012. Up until then he was known as the official designer of many additions and improvements at the congregation as well as its maintenance person. As the church’s programs expanded, he designed and built a classroom wing dedicated to and named after him, Livingston Hall.

He was a true Renaissance man, with many talents and accomplishments.

He often left his drafting board and hammer long enough to play the piano for church worship services and social events. His greatest joy was playing favorite songs there and at parties, often held in their home, while friends sang old favorites around the piano. He was often accompanied by other musicians with stringed instruments and drums.

As a painter, he had several shows over the years, both in the Chicago area and in California, where his work was shown at Pomona’s dA Center for the Arts, galleries in Laguna Beach, at the Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation, and most recently at Claremont Village Green. All of his works were painted in California and Mexico, where he was inspired by nature’s variety of gorgeous landscapes.

Four years ago he published a novel, Stained Glass Warrior. In it he portrays a young artist from the Chicago inner city who is drafted into the army, and his struggles to survive injuries sustained on the battlefield in World War II. In the book there is a description of how the protagonist developed artistic projects to encourage alternatives to a culture of war.

Although he served in the US Army during the Korean War as a teacher of enlisted men in Germany, he was a man of peace and was passionate about civil rights and the founding tenets of our democratic republic.

The Livingstons enjoyed traveling and had three places they considered their spiritual homes: Cambria, California; San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; and Ms. Livingston’s birthplace, Boston. They especially enjoyed Hispanic people, culture and places, and traveled to Mexico often.

Even though his accomplishments were many over his 87 years, it was his love of life and people that was his most outstanding gift to others, his family shared. A friend said “Nick knew how to have fun, not take life too seriously. He made me and others around him feel important. To him, all of us were. He made me a better person for having known him.”

He leaves behind his wife, the Reverend Ellen Livingston, who was his soul mate and biggest fan; three stepchildren, Markus and Luke Dohner, and Katherine Dohner Acenas, who share with him his love of art and progressive faith; five grandchildren; his niece Karen Jenneke, her brother David Jenneke, his wife Sandy and their son, Nickolas.

A celebration of Mr. Livingston’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 2 at Monte Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 9185 Monte Vista Ave., Montclair. Contributions are welcome in his honor for the programs at that congregation. To donate online, go to montevistauu.org and click on the “Stewardship” tab.

Submitted by: Kimberly Scanlon

Raymond “BJ” Kelch, 73, of Ripon passed away Feb. 8, 2017 at Manor Care in Fond du Lac, WI.

He was born July 5, 1943 in Dayton, Ohio, a son of Raymond A “Buzz” and Shirley (Smith) Kelch. BJ graduated from Oakwood Ohio High school in 1962. On June 17, 1967 he married Kay (Techtman) Kelch. Raymond worked at different jobs during his lifetime. He was a draftsman for Kiekhaefer Marine (now Mercury) in Oshkosh. Eventually his talents as a sales and promotions man found a home in Schaumberg, Illinois with the Columbia Record Company (now Sony Records). Throughout his life, Raymond enjoyed many hobbies. Free flight model airplanes, radio controlled cars, fishing, benchrest shooting and model railroading are just a few. He was a member of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ripon, and a member of several hobby organizations over the years.

Raymond is survived by his wife of 49 years, Kay Kelch; his sons Jason of Santa Rosa, CA, and Bradley of Eden Prairie, MN; grandson Caleb Kelch of San Francisco, CA; step-grandson Killian Forth of Oakland, CA. He is further survived by 2 brothers Robert “Tim” (Lisa) Kelch of Grosse Pointe Woods, MI, and Stephen (Lori) Kelch of Spring Valley, OH; 1 sister, Laura (William) Winterhalter of Biltmore Lakes, NC; brothers-in-law Jerome (Annette) Techtman and James Techtman, sister-in-law Beth (James) Vreim, as well as many nieces and nephews. Raymond was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Walter and Josephine Kelch; maternal grandparents, Carlton and Jeanette (Hawes) Smith; brother, Carlton Kelch and brother-in-law, Carl Techtman.

A private family memorial will be held at a later date. A memorial is being established in Raymond’s name at BMO Harris Bank, 333 Blackburn Street, Ripon, WI, 54971.

Please visit www.butzinmarchant.com to send online condolences.

Submitted by: Kimberly Scanlon

Rosendale – Barbara J. Kimpton, age 69, of Rosendale, passed away on Saturday, January 5, 2019 at ThedaCare Hospital in Appleton, WI with her family by her side. Barbara was born on April 21, 1949 in West Union, Iowa the daughter of LeRoy and Bonnie (Immel) Maser. She attended Ripon High School and was united in marriage to DuWayne Kimpton on April 21, 1967 in Ripon. Barbara was a school bus driver in Ripon for Laper for 10 years. She then worked at Ripon College as a Housekeeper until she retired.

Barbara loved flowers and working in the garden. She would watch the animals outside and enjoyed feeding the birds. She loved playing with all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren and traveling with her husband DuWayne. She looked forward to spending time with her sister’s every Wednesday which she called “Sister’s Day”.

Barbara is survived by her husband, DuWayne; 4 children: Ann (Baron) Campbell of Baraboo, Terry (Paula) Kimpton of Fond du Lac, Michelle “Shelly” Hendricks of Fond du Lac and Sara (Mike) Brace of Ripon; brothers and sisters: Lee (Kathy) Maser of North Fond du Lac, Eugene Maser of Pickett, Charlotte (Gary) Due of Fond du Lac, Shirley (Roy) Wyatt of Sheboygan; Pauline (Dana) Berry of Ripon, Helene (Rich) White of Oshkosh, Sue Kwakkel of Ripon, Eldon Immel of Germania and Mark (Cindy) Immel of Ripon; 10 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. She is preceded in death by her father, LeRoy Masar; mother, Bonnie Immel; step-father, Henry Immel; brother, Alvin Immel; niece, Kathy Wyatt; brothers-in-law, Dale Kimpton, Lloyd Kimpton and John Kwakkel; parents-in-law George (Sarah) Kimpton.

A visitation will be held for Barbara from 5:30PM to 7:00PM on Sunday, January 13, 2019 at Divine Passage Funeral Home, 175 N Douglas Street in Ripon.

A Funeral Service will be held for Barbara at 11:00AM on Monday, January 14, 2019 at United Church of Christ in Rosendale with Rev. Wes Wassell officiating. Friends and family may visit at the church on Monday from 10:00AM until the time of the service. Burial will be held in Zoar Cemetery in Utica. Divine Passage Funeral Home is proudly serving the Kimpton family during this difficult time.

Submitted by: Kimberly Scanlon

Brian Kent Smith was born on September 30, 1947 in Oklahoma City, OK. Brian received his B.A. from Ripon College in 1969 with majors in Russian and History. He then received his J.D. from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1972.

Submitted by: Kimberly Scanlon

It was quite rewarding for Hank Borg to serve as PGA of Europe’s executive.

A position he held from 1995 to 2007, he had the opportunity to visit a few Ryder Cups.

Borg, a 1953 Springfield High graduate, has played golf in 48 countries ranging from Japan to Saudi Arabia while visiting a total of 66.

“That probably is the thing that might stand out rather significantly,” Borg said. “I’ve had lots of interesting experiences in some of these countries.”

Borg largely grew up playing golf at the Illini Country Club, which his dad, Gus, helped develop starting in 1923.

He ended up reaching the state finals at SHS, but his high school teammate, Pete Beardsley, won the tournament and later played for Purdue.

Borg played basketball and golf at Ripon College in the Midwest Conference (which also included current Division III schools Knox College and Monmouth College).

He has one particular fond memory as a caddy at Illini Country Club. There, he served a round with Patty Berg, a founding member of the LPGA Tour.

Many years later, Borg reconnected with the famed golfer in Minnesota during the Solheim Cup.

“I think she was about 91 years old at the time and I said, ‘At the end of the round, you gave me a ball … Matter of fact, I have it with me and here it is.’ She said, ‘Let me see that ball.’ I gave it to her and she said, ‘Oh my goodness, this is my ball.’ She said, ‘Would you like me to sign that ball for you?’ I said, ‘I’d love for you to sign the ball for me.’ At about the same time she was signing, a couple of her lady friends came over and she said, ‘Girls … this young man here caddied for me in 1949.’ This young man was about 70 years old,” Borg said with a laugh.

Submitted by: Jaye Alderson

After Ripon I went on to earn a Master’s of Divinity from Yale. I was ordained as a United Church of Christ minister in 1983 I served in campus ministry at Oregon State University and as a Youth Minister and then Associate Minister at a United Church of Christ church in Corvallis, Oregon over a period of 20 years. I then sought dual affiliation with the Unitarian Universalist Association and served a congregation in Bozeman, Montana for 7 years. I headed back to the Pacific Northwest and served a congregation outside of Seattle. In September of this year, I returned to Eugene, Oregon where I had done a ministry internship from 1981-1982, to serve the Unitarian Universalist Church in Eugene. The plan is to retire from this position in the coming years, having ended my ministry where it all began.

I have four artificial joints due to wear and tear on this old body. Consequently, I have traded in my past competitive sports days for hiking, kayaking, and pickle ball. Some of my best memories of Ripon are of being on the volleyball team for four years. Thank you Coach Elaine Coll. I also remember seeing the Northern Lights for the first time late one night as I was wandering around campus. I had no idea why the sky was moving! Thanks to the profound leadership of a faith that does justice demonstrated by the campus chaplains at the time, Jerry Thompson and Jack Freiheit, I found my way from “Phy Ed” major to being an Religion and English major.

My wife, Lori, and I were married the first day it was legal to be married in the state of Washington. Last year, our 32 year old son asked me to formally adopt him. So, we are now family! Lori and I are owned by a 9 pound mini-Aussie/Poodle mix.

Submitted by: Lois Van Leer

From left: Jim Donnelly ’88, Jimmy Amedeo ’18, Mike Lamm ’05, Garrison Anderson ’16, Drew Davis ’07, Barbara Montoya ’92, Gregg Petersen ’78, Rob Needham ’86, and Scott Gustafson ’88.  At Crystal City Sports Pub, Crystal City, Virginia near D.C.

Submitted by: Gregg Petersen

Submitted by: Gregg Petersen

TODD BAKER ’92, CRAIG SCHAEFER ’87, GREGG PETERSEN ’78, ERIC ATKISSON ’94, BRENDAN MCCOY ’17, BRI CYR, SARAH ANDERSON ’10, GARRISON ANDERSON ’16, and SCOTT GUSTAFSON ’88 get together on February 6. 2019 at Virtue Feed and Grain for the D.C. Rally Hour.

Submitted by: Yvonne Nicklaus

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 Mon-Fri 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.

Submitted by: Gregg Petersen

Gregg Petersen

10829 Hilltop Lane, Columbia, MD 21044

410-884-0407 / [email protected]

July 3, 2018

Dear Classmates:

The reunion has come and gone in a flash! Two hours for the reunion was way, way too short. 39 classmates, 80+ attendees overall counting plus ones and the return of our wonderful faculty members and spouses! We thought we could meet in the Martin Luther King Lounge but in the days before the reunion, we exploded out of the downstairs of Harwood Union up to owning the Great Hall for our event!  

The night prior to the reunion, in the very same location, Ripon College recognized JOSE ALEMAN ’78 and ERIKA DOSS ’78 as Distinguished Alumni with four of the tables filled with fellow ’78 classmates and faculty there in support! Erika talked fondly of her Ripon professors. Jose remarked over the irony that as we graduated in 1978 our nation was focused on tearing walls down, whereas today our nation was building a wall. Jose opined for a return to our past.

It was an interesting journey leading up to our reunion. Our very own Emmy winner and distinguished alumni, HELEN HOLTER ’78 spent over 100 hours putting together a video that is essentially a 1974 Green List/1978 Yearbook graduation gallery. The video is 30 minutes long with only 4 seconds per classmate picture. In the process of researching all of our classmates that started with us freshman year, there have been some sad discoveries that I noted below in addition to the recent passing of JIM MARTIN ’78. Helen “finished” the video on June 10th, so the link is now posted on Facebook and we played it on a loop at the reunion. Thanks to Helen for all of her painstaking care and time on the video. If you want access to the link or a copy of the video, please contact me.

Thanks also to reunion planners LIZ PECHA POELKER ’78 and LAURIE WAGNER ’78 who pulled together our great number of classmates, friends and faculty for the reunion. Thanks to ROB “TEX” MEYER ’78 who was calling everybody that has a phone number (and will answer their phone). Thanks to LIZ PECHA POELKER ’78, JOHN ZINDAR ’78, LOUISA GEBELEIN JONES ’78, and LISA WOLLAN ’78 as well for their fruitful efforts conducting our annual fund class gift outreach.

On the final morning of Alumni Weekend, I attended the Alumni Weekend Service of Remembrance where Professor Emeritus Doug Northrop spoke very eloquently. I noticed that the remembrance program listed some other year-group classmates that passed in the last year. I was shocked to find that JEANNIE UETZMANN PORDON ’77 and TOM CONNOLLY ’76 had passed away. Others of us may know two other classmates that passed from years ‘76 & ’80:  ADAIN BUMBY ’76 and MARK GREENE ’80.

HEADLINES FOR THIS LETTER:

• ’78 Classmate Updates

• In Memoriam: JOHN BERTOLDI ’78, JOE BRUCKER ’78, ADAIN BUMBY ’76, TOM CONNOLLY ’76, MARK GREENE ’80, JIM MARTIN ‘78, TIM PARKER ’78, JEANNE UETZMAN PORDON ’77, GRETCHEN VAN NEST ’78

• Class of ’78 Dominates Participation for Ripon #OneDayRally April 25th

• Class of ’78 Wins Class Gift Participation Trophy

• Reunion Comments

• Reunion Attendees

’78 Classmate Updates:

TAMARA “TAMI” BODEN-ELLIS ’78 of Somerset, United Kingdom wrote the following concerning our reunion year Class Gift Annual Fund drive: “Thank you for your letter (and gentle reminder). I shall be participating in “gifting” but sadly will not attend the reunion this year. I am sure it will be a delightful occasion and send on my very best wishes to everyone (& you). If you are able to take my book along and share it with others, I would be most grateful. As you will see from reading it to the end, it is part of a bigger dream. And that bigger dream needs the help of others. Lastly, a “Ripon Alumni” Invite (fundraiser). I have now lived most of my life here in England. And Peter and I would be happy to share our love of it. Our home has a double bedroom w/ensuite. If ‘Ripon Alumni’ would like to visit and give a donation to Ripon for staying, we would enjoy the visit. We live in the Southwest of England, (about) 150 miles (English miles) from London. If you would like to share that with the class at the reunion, please do. In the meantime, enjoy yourselves-hope you ALL have a lovely time in Ripon.Best wishes, Tami (& Peter, of course).”

I mentioned Tami’s book in our last class letter: No Way?!: How Pickles Became the Christmas Gherkin. Tami is using the book and proceeds to raise awareness of the needs for children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).

I talked to DAN DALLMAN ’78 of Waukesha, Wisconsin where he works for a marketing company after formerly working with AIG and Liberty Mutual Company. He’s married with five children: four girls and a boy. His son is attending University of Wisconsin Whitewater. He and Merriman brother, DAN CHIONCHIO ’78 of Princeton, Wisconsin go on an annual fishing outing every year, usually coming home with walleye and bass.

Freshman classmate BOB GREYTAK ’79 is a podiatrist in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

HELEN HOLTER ’78 of Seattle, Washington sends, “As a board director of the Seattle-Tashkent Sister City Association in Central Asia’s Uzbekistan, (she) is excited about the country’s new reform-minded president in power. She’s been meeting with top-level officials – including the new ambassador and ministry officials – to help in opening up Uzbekistan to business, travel, and educational student exchanges.” Helen’s production of our class video was appropriate given that Helen has made many videos before.  Helen announced, “I am doing another volunteer project with a Seattle cancer organization. I’m producing a video on genetic cancers, specifically those caused by the MSH2 gene.” According to a search I made, the MSH2 gene is associated with autosomal dominant Lynch syndrome (also called hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome). Lynch syndrome is a genetic condition that has a high risk of colon cancer as well as other cancers including endometrial cancer (second most common), ovary, stomach, small intestine, hepatobiliary tract, upper urinary tract, brain, and skin. The increased risk for these cancers is due to inherited mutations that impair DNA mismatch repair. It is a type of cancer syndrome.

NORMAN HURD ’78 of Portage, Wisconsin was my first semester roommate in old Scott Hall and then he left.  Norm and fellow Old Scott Hall (also known as “the slums” for their lack of carpeting and other amenities) freshmen GREG HOPKINS ’78, BILL SCHUMACHER ’78, and LUD WURTZ ‘78 were aspiring basketball players for the Ripon freshman team in fall of ’74. I checked in on Norm recently to see why he returned to his hometown after one semester at Ripon. Norm had to help out his mom who had health issues, so he left Ripon to be close to home.  Thereafter, he attended University of Wisconsin-Baraboo, and then finished out his education at University of Wisconsin La Crosse. Norm went on to teach high school health classes for 32 years in his hometown of Portage, Wisconsin while coaching the basketball team for 27 years before retiring in 2011. Norm now works at the Wisconsin Dells at JustaGame Fieldhouse in retirement and continues to work as a substitute teacher at Portage High School. Our nickname for Norm was “Normal” because he was so even-tempered among a bunch of us rambunctious young freshmen in the fall of 1974. There was a funny anecdote in his local paper about a basketball game where he was coaching, and he received a technical foul for using the (not very) extreme epithet of shouting, “Jeepers-creepers ref!” Norm clearly had basketball running through his blood; Norm proudly told me that both of his sons were selected to the All State Wisconsin basketball team. They are coaches now at University of Wisconsin Stevens Point and Gale Ettrick Trempealeau High School (nicknamed “GET High!”-how interesting!) respectively. Whenever Norm hears the song Band on the Run (#23 of the Top 100 songs of 1974) by Paul McCartney and Wings he flashes back to his days at Ripon, because that was the first song that played when he hooked up his stereo in our room in Scott Hall. He occasionally tracks on his friend ADAM KRIVELOFF ’78. He also had fond memories of Resident Assistants BILLY SMITH ’76 and MAURICE RUSSELL ’76.

JOE KEEGAN ’78 of St. Petersburg, Florida writes, “Heading to St Germain for the summer after the reunion! Summers in Wisconsin for the last 30 years! Getting together with fellow Merrimen for a golf weekend in Green Lake, the week before Labor Day.  JIM KOHL ’77, KERRY GILLE ’77, TIM SULLIVAN ’77, MARK RECHNER ’77, MARK BOHMAN ’76, AL SCHEELS ’76, PAUL WISNEFSKI ’77, DANNY CHIONCHIO ’78, CRAIG WINTER ’76 …. and BOBBY WEYHMILLER ’76! And the Duke of Earle… PAT EARLE ’76! Also see GEORGE MORT ’80 up North…. and an occasional ART PETERS ’80 and RUTH HOLLINGER PETERS ’79!”

KEVIN LEAVITT ’78 of New London, New Hampshire has worked for a tree service in nearby Sunapee for the last seven years.  Prior to that Kevin was in Connecticut for 15 years. Kevin left Ripon in 1976 and hasn’t besen back.  Before he left, he warmly recalls going fishing with Merriman brothers DAN DALLMAN ’78 and DANNY CHIONCHIO ’78 (see Dan’s note above). Kevin still enjoys fishing these days and mostly catches bass, pickerel, and trout on his outings. In the off-season, Kevin usually heads to Florida for a month’s vacation in the warmer climate.  

PATRICIA KRUG MORRELL ’78 of Northfield, Illinois, writes, “Married to ED MORRELL ’77 for 41 years! I continue as an interior designer but dedicate a lot of time to working with La Casa Norte supporting homeless youth. We are expecting our first and second grandchildren in April and July.”

I talked to BARBARA MENGEL ROMANELLO ’78 of North Prairie, Wisconsin. She just retired in the last year but she and husband GREG ROMANELLO ’77 are keeping quite busy with family. Most recently their daughter had triplets! That brings their grandchildren total to 7 – and all of them are boys!

DONNA HANSEN SCYMANSKI ’78 of Hamden, Connecticut wrote the following on our Facebook page just before the reunion: “…I would be interested, and others may also in our classmate’s junior year abroad studies (such a huge part of my life, though it meant missing experiences at Ripon, even graduating the following year). So, pics of me would be in the 1979 yearbook. I was thinking ‘little known facts’ sheet could be fun. Such as STEVE RASHID’s ’79 band played at my wedding. Kathy Bakshy’s daughter and my son are a couple. In 1982 heard my name called out in a nasal tone in Paris. Was MARY PALMQUIST ’78, that sort of thing.” MICHAEL POULOS ’77 responded, “STEVE RASHID ’79 conducted the orchestra at our wedding and played piano at the reception. And then he moved to Evanston and opened a studio a block from our office and studied music at Northwestern with my high school band director, Doc Owens. Such a small world.”

EDDIE SMITH ’78 of Atlanta, Georgia writes: “Hello, Greg (and classmates)! This is Eddie Smith. Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend the reunion. I am working with a number of other attorneys to provide legal assistance on a pro bono basis to families caught in the morass at the Southern border. I hope that you and your families are well. I hope that you have a great reunion. I wish for health and happiness for you; that such health and happiness enable us in gather together for our 45th. (snip) Peace! Go YANKEES!”

JERRY WAUKAU ’78 of Keshena, Wisconsin wrote: “I am sorry I can’t make it to the Reunion this year. We are burying a friend this weekend and I need to help with the arrangements with our local church. My family has increased by two this past year with the addition of two more foster children along with my two grandsons I am raising. I am still serving as the Health Administrator for our Tribal Clinic, which I have done for the past 33 years. We have grown over the years with a total of 140 employees and a budget of $25 million dollars. Not sure if this is important to anyone but I feel blessed by the foundation Ripon gave me and I will always treasure my time there. Our Elder Teachings tell us to give back to our communities and to give back to those less fortunate, which is why I have taken in the 2 foster children. I continue to do Hoops Basketball coaching and now I am doing Little League baseball. My younger brother tells me this is good therapy, but I wonder some days. My circle of mentors at Ripon has gotten smaller with the loss of Jerry Thompson, but we do stay in touch with Doc Young, and Doug Northrop. Give my best to our classmates and I will be thinking of you all this weekend. Keep the faith, Jerry “Gatie” Waukau.”

LISA WOLLAN ’78 of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania continues to keep Wisconsin in her life through visits to her cabin in Three Lakes and ongoing connections to the Ripon campus. She is planning a fall trip to the Canadian Rockies, hiking through Lake Louise, Banff, and Jasper as a great excuse to eat delicious food and drink fine wine. She serves as President of the Valley Forge Mountain Racquet Club and is a member of the Deltaville Yacht Club on the Chesapeake Bay.

In Memoriam:  

Freshman year classmate, JOHN BERTOLDI ’78, 58, of Niagara, Wisconsin passed away on Monday, July 13, 2015, at Bellin Hospital in Green Bay after sudden heart failure in the parking lot at Lambeau Field after judging a BBQ event. John went on to receive his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, and his master’s degree from Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois. John lived and worked in Chicago for 12 years, working for Marshall Field’s Co. He returned to the Niagara area to work as the office manager of Bertoldi Oil along with his brother Jim Bertoldi. He loved his BBQ, especially the smoke of the BBQ. He was a certified KCBS judge and Table Captain. He was working on becoming a Master Judge.

JOSEPH BRUCKER ’78, 51, of Indiana Township, Wisconsin died unexpectedly Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007, at his home. He lived in Indiana Township for the past three years, previously residing in West Deer Township. He was a fine dining waiter for the Duquesne Club and Common Plea Restaurant in Pittsburgh. He was an avid sportsman. (Class Agent note: I was on the Ripon wrestling team with Joe our Junior year. Joe was a great teammate and talented wrestler.)

ADAIN BUMBY ’76.  Details in Fall 2017 R Connections.

TOM CONNOLLY ’76: I remember watching Tom play guard on our Ripon Redmen basketball team with LUD WURTZ ’78, TIM “SULLY” SULLIVAN ’77, GEORGE GOODNATURE ’77, and others. Tom was this clever, resourceful guard that always seemed to have this impish smile and flair to his game.

MARK GREENE ’80:  Mark was a member of Reader’s Theater and a Mapes resident with HORACE GARFIELD ’78, JOSE ALEMAN ’78, TOM HARRISON ’78, and others.

JIM MARTIN ’78, 62, of Racine, Wisconsin passed away Sunday, June 3, 2018 at Froedtert Memorial Hospital, Wauwatosa.  On August 11, 1979 he was united in marriage to KATHLEEN “KATHIE” GIBSON ’78. He was employed by the Garvey Group for thirty-seven years, retiring January of 2018. Jim was an active member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church where he was head of the acolytes and served on the vestry. He also served on the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters and was a member of Harbor Lite Yacht Club. An avid golfer and fisherman, Jim especially loved time spent with his grandchildren.

TIMOTHY PARKER ’78, 59, of Janesville, Wisconsin passed away, at his home, on Saturday, November 14, 2015. Tim grew up in Janesville. He graduated from Craig High School. On August 1, 1981 he married the love of his life, Moe. He enjoyed curling, fishing, riding his motorcycle and the occasional trips to Las Vegas. Tim was a member and Past President of the Blackhawk Curling Club. He worked for Beloit Corporation in Beloit for 20 years. Tim had a quiet sense of humor and was known to be there to help out any friend who called on him.

JEANNE UETZMAN PORDON ’77, 62, of Brookfield, Wisconsin passed away on December 27th, 2017. Many of us will remember Jeannie as the ‘76 Homecoming Queen with JOAN MUCCI ESPOSITO ’78 on her court, with CHRIS ANDERSEN ’78 and JIM MARTIN ’78 acting as escorts for members of the court. I remember Jeannie as being friendly, humble, and incredibly graceful and skilled in sports. I also recall her treating me like a cat toy in our badminton gym class…you couldn’t win by strength, but by coordination, and she had that. Our own Ripon Athletic Hall-of-Famer, LOUISA GEBELEIN JONES ’78 had this to say about Jeanne: “Jeannie was an amazing athlete. A track star that I was in awe of everyday at practice. Such grace as she sprinted around the track or high jumped with ease – while I literally fell into the pole.”

GRETCHEN VAN NEST ’78, 56, of Rockford, Illinois died on Sunday, August 4, 2013, in her home. 

Class of ’78 Dominates Participation for Ripon #OneDayRally April 25th:  

In a sign of things to come on reunion weekend, we topped all other class year groups in participation by nearly 10% during the April 25th #OneDayRally with 48 donations!  Ripon’s director of annual giving, Kelly Nielsen, had this to say about the Class of ‘78: “What can I say but WELL DONE! It (was) so impressive to see the Class of 1978 take the lead over all those millennials on the #OneDayRally class leaderboard!”  The Class of ’78 was the only pre-2000 class to place in the top 10 for participation!  This effort by you wonderful classmates gave a turbo boost to our ongoing class gift collection and set the stage for a successful final drive in the final three months culminating with our reunion.

Class of ’78 Wins Class Gift Participation Trophy:  

70% participation!!!  The class of ’78 defended its possession of the Alumni Weekend gift participation trophy going away with the next closest alumni class more than 15% behind.  I want to thank all of you who opened your hearts and wallets to our class gift to the Annual Fund! We doubled our participation rate of 35% from last year to 70% this year!  As you recall, five years ago, with record support, our Class of 1978 accomplished something that no other 35th reunion class for Ripon College has ever done: we won the annual gift Participation Trophy with 63% of us supporting the Annual Fund.  We have set the standard for the school for charitably engaged class alumni. I want to especially thank classmates LIZ PECHA POELKER ’78 co-chair of the campaign, LOUISA GEBELEIN JONES ’78, and LISA WOLLAN ’78 for their leadership in outreach encouraging us to donate consistent with our circumstances for Ripon and its students!

Reunion Comments:

From Professor Bill Woolley: “Your class obviously dominated the whole week end from Awards Night to final breakfast. The class gift was also stunning.  Jean and I also want to thank (the class of ’78) for including us in the ’78 dinner on Saturday night. I thought afterwards that so many of my best memories of Ripon are tied to your class. There was that miracle class that Doug and I team taught that has created its own mini-reunion. And, a significant number of my favorite students are 78ers.”

From BILL NEILL ’67: “70%!!!!! FANTASTIC!!  Now to get the rest of our alumni to “understand” and join ya’ll! Well done ’78.”

Reunion Attendees:  

Classmates: BARB SCHINTZ ’78, BETH BENEZRA ’78, MIKE POULOS ’77, DENISE BAIRD ’78, MELANIE CIVIN KENION ’78, ERIKA DOSS ’78, LISA WOLLAN ’78, SHARON RAUPP LANGLEY ’78, SUE FEITH SHANNON ’78, ANITA WALLACE ’78, HELEN HOLTER ’78, LIZ PECHA POELKER ’78, MARY SWEENEY ’78, GINNY MCGEHEE CONDON ’78, LAURIE MEYER WAGNER ’78, SUE HEDMAN ’78, GREGG PETERSEN ’78, BRYAN HABECK ’78, LARRY LAUX ’78, JEFF OREAR ’78, DAN DAVIS ’78, TOM RITSCH ’78, JOE KEEGAN ’78, JOE PRATT ’78, TOM HARRISON ’78, MIKE CHAMBERLAIN ’78, GRETA GLUEK PORTER ’78, GEOFF THRUMSTON ’78, CHIN WEI FONG ’78, BARB EDUCATE DOLAN ’78, JEFF JOHNSON ’78, JUSTIN NIEBANK ’78, JAVIER CARRIZO ’78, WILL HIGGINS ’78, ERIC RIEDERS ’79, JOHN ZINDAR ’78, ROBBIE CORDO ’78, and JOSE ALEMAN ’78.

Faculty: Bill & Jean Woolley, CHRIS OGLE ’80, Larry & Betsy Miller, Marty Farrell, Elaine & Gary Coll, Bob Wallace, Skip & MICHELLE WITTLER ’76, Paul Schoofs, Bob & Carol Young, Diane Mockridge, and Norm & SUE BOOTHROYD LOOMER ’67.  Honorable mention: Spud Hannaford planned to attend as well but cracked 4 ribs in the days prior to Alumni Weekend.

Guests: KEVIN WARMACK ’79, LARRY MALCOW ’77, NANCY BUCK HINTZ ’82, and JANE RUNKEL FREDERICK ’74.

Class Letter Updates:  I continue to need your updates to make this a worthwhile letter for your fellow classmates.  Please keep sending them in!

Hey!  What are you guys doing 5 years from now?  I hope most of you reading this said, “Attending the 45th year class reunion!”  Don’t forget-make plans to be there!  You will not regret it, unless you hate having fun and visiting with good friends and faculty!

Best wishes and warmest regards,

Gregg

Submitted by: Gregg Petersen