Giving List

Spring 2013

Dear LC ‘48 Classmates,

Spring is upon us again and time to hear from one of your class agents.  The winter may have seemed long “up north,” so I’m sure you will be happy for warmer, snow-free weather.

Looking at the above dates, can you believe that May will be the 65^th anniversary of our graduation from Luther College?  I hope that many of you will be able to attend our class reunion at Homecoming, October 4-6, 2013.  I am excited at the prospect of seeing all of you, because I’m hoping to be there.  It is 10 years since I visited campus. I anticipate seeing many changes in that time.  Just think back 65 years. I had never visited the campus before I came as a freshman in the fall of 1944 and was greeted by Dr. O.J.H. Preus on the steps of Larsen Hall.  Wow, how much the campus has grown and improved. Each issue of the Luther Alumni Magazine brings new and exciting information. I found the winter edition had so many interesting articles, such as the progress on solar energy, the aquatic center, the National Geographic Black Sea research, and United World Colleges. 

Another era at Luther will come to an end when President Richard Torgerson ends his tenure in June.  The article in the magazine gave a very good picture of the man and what has been accomplished during his 14 years.

One of the most exciting news items concerns the completion of the Sesquicentennial Fund initiative on December 31, 2012. The goal of $50 million was exceeded by more than $7 million.  More than 14,500 donors supported this effort.  Now that this has been completed, let’s not lower our support. There is a great need for scholarship assistance and faculty enhancement. The costs today seem staggering compared with the $125 tuition and $125 room and board per semester we paid in 1944.

A little short on news from your classmates. I was saddened to learn of the death of Helen (Stoen) Olson on February 3, 2013. She and her husband, Danny, made Sioux Falls their home for more than 50 years and were active members of First Lutheran Church.

Astrid (Johnson) Hilker has been living in a condo in a retirement village in Spokane, Wash., since Bill’s death in November 2010. She continues to enjoy very good health, is active in her church, and in many activities in the village. She says she was in awe of all the changes on the Luther campus when she visited in 2011.

Two events of importance occurred for B.I. (Bernt) Dahl in 2012.  He was honored by the NT-NL Synod assembly for 60 years of ordination.  He and his wife Vivian also observed their 60^th wedding anniversary. After serving three congregations in the state of Washington, he retired and they moved to his childhood farm home in Clifton, Texas.  He served as visitation pastor in his home congregation and as a supply pastor in the area.

If you have news to share, be sure to send to Alice or me for the next class letter.

See you in October at Homecoming.

Helene (Rowe) Furst
edhelene@cox.net

Alice (Michelson) Collings
mtaalice@comcast.net

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:

Anonymous
Roger Anderson*
William Beiersdorf
Donald Bendickson
Wanda (Anderson) Bernatz*
Vernon Bly
Warren Burstrom*
Alice (Michelson) Collings*
Betty Coxson*
Richard Coxson*
Roland Dain*
Evelyn (Fruechte) Estenson
Janet (Jerdee) Forde
Margaret (Nelson) Fure*
Wilmer Fure*
Helene (Rowe) Furst*
David Hansen
J. Bruce Harstad*
Kermit Hendrickson
Georgann Johnson-Tenner
Audrey (Hexom) Jordahl*
Donald Olson*
June (Olson) Pritz*
James Reinertson*
Doris (Hoel) Rickleff*
Cora Shiffer*
Jean (Nesheim) Swiggum*
Marilyn (Evanson) Veglahn