Class Notes
Giving List

Spring 2013

Dear Friends and Classmates,

How good to say “Hello” to you again.  There are 36 living members of the Class of 1947. We lost two since my last writing: Clayton Hanson and Chuck Istad. I am proud to say I knew them both. God bless their memories.

You will be so happy to know we had 50 percent participation of our classmates in remembering Luther with a gift. Only four classes (of 79 listed) surpassed us.  Good going gang! Thank you from my heart!

You no doubt know President Rick Torgerson and his wife, Judy, will be leaving Luther at the end of this academic year. God blessed Luther through them.

The new aquatic center’s dedication will be at Homecoming 2013, on Friday, Oct. 4, at 5 p.m. I am so proud of it my blood pressure goes up just thinking about it. Talk about an addition to Luther! A delightful video about it is on the athletics website: http://www.luther.edu/sports/men/swimmingdaving/.  It will meet Olympic standards, so look for some neat events to take place there and there is seating for observers! It will be great for future coaches and teachers, and it has facilities for rehab and assisting the handicapped.

The Sesquicentennial Fund exceeded its $50 million goal with 57 million dollars. God has blessed Luther and all of us! We show our love for our Alma Mater. We remember her!

Remember each other in your prayers. Remember “Our Mother” and praise God for the blessings we have received through Luther and each other.

Sincerely,

Norma (Quill) Fisher
1947 Class Agent

Obituaries
Clayton Hanson, 90, of Cedar Falls, Iowa, died October 17, 2012. A native of Northwood, Iowa, Clayton graduated from Kensett High School in 1940, Waldorf College in 1942, and Luther in 1947. He married Geraldine “Geri” Albertson in 1951, and she preceded him in death in February 2005. Clayton served as a B-24 pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. He worked at the Cedar Falls Post Office as a clerk, retiring in 1979, and as an insurance agent for Danish Mutual Brummel-Madsen Insurance for thirty years, retiring in 2002. Clayton was a funeral service assistant at the Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home for many years; in addition, he was a member of the Sons of Norway and volunteered at Cedar Valley Hospice. Survivors include a son, Bill Hanson; two daughters, Casey Reynolds and Christa Hanson; two grandchildren; and two nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife; three brothers, Harvey and Vernon Hanson, and a brother in infancy; and two sisters, Lillian and Ruby Hanson.

Charles “Chuck” Istad of Decorah died on August 8, 2012, age 87. After graduating from Decorah High School in 1943, he joined the U.S. Army in 1944 as a parachute rigger, spending two years in the Pacific Theater. Chuck attended Luther for a year before moving west to Oregon with a contingent of Decorah friends. He married Marilyn Haugen in 1949, in Eugene, Ore. After a few years in Oregon and then Cedar Rapids, the family moved back to Decorah, where Chuck founded the Pepsi Distributorship of Northeast Iowa and Southeast Minnesota. During the Pepsi years, he was always happy to provide refreshments, as well as other support, for sports and community events at Luther, Decorah High School, and downtown Decorah. As a leader of the Decorah Jaycees, Chuck sponsored a trip to Decorah for Miss Iowa each year. Another yearly highlight was hosting the University of Iowa head football coach for a dinner in Decorah. In 1970 he began his second career with Paul Revere Insurance. Chuck bought the Cremee Freeze in 1967 and changed the name to Whippy Dip. He developed Decorah’s first condominiums at 206 Ohio Street, which was the site of the Stovewood House, now on display at Vesterheim Museum. Whether discussing sports, politics, or just keeping track of his many friends, Chuck truly enjoyed all of the people he knew from his Pepsi days, the insurance business, the Whippy Dip, and the Decorah community in general. He was a member of First Lutheran Church, president of the church council, president of the Jaycees, and a member of the BPO Elks. In the 1960s, Chuck was Decorahian of the Week. He loved to golf and keep track of the Decorah Vikings, University of Iowa Hawkeyes, and the Chicago Cubs. Chuck is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marilyn; two daughters, Julie (istad) Stroeve ‘03 and Linda Brandt; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Marlys (ISTAD) Ward ’46 and Arla Istad; one brother, Donald Istad, who died in Manila in World War II; a daughter, Jan Istad, on September 18, 2007; and an infant daughter, who died at birth in 1954.

Don't forget your Annual Fund giving! 
Each year nearly 9,000 alumni, parents, and friends support the Annual Fund with gifts from $5 to $50,000. Strong support from alumni helps Luther secure additional funds from foundations and corporations, and your gift each year helps us reach our goal of 27% alumni giving.  Here’s how your class—and surrounding classes—did in 2012:

Mona (Goulson) Ayer*
Arlene (Amundson) Bly*
Marilyn Eittreim
Norma (Quill) Fisher
Frederic Giere*
Knut Gundersen
Ione (Wennes) Hagen*
Donna (Gutteboe) Hanke*
Oliver Larson
Pauline (Kalnes) Larson
Gerald Mickelson
†Walter Moe*
Shirley (Bird) Nelson*
Sylvia (Schey) Norland)*
Jeanne (Liabo) Oxley
Irving Rosheim
Jeanne (Gilbertson) Stelloh Willinger*
Ruth (Struxness) Storvick*
Sylvia (Vaaler) Vahle