Class Notes
Giving List

Spring 2013

Dear Classmates,

It is March 1, the due date for my letter to you.  Usually I get to it at least a couple of weeks earlier than required, but this time my schedule has brought me to zero hour.  I feel like I did back at Luther when procrastination resulted in an “all-nighter”!  Should retired people be this busy?

Having committed the cardinal sin of apologizing to an audience, I move on to share some thoughts.  I work in a public school in Wisconsin.  We are given the daunting task of providing a comprehensive K-12 education to children who come to us from all kinds of home environments and with all kinds of personal strengths and challenges.  We are not allowed to be discriminating.  We are directed to follow a highly structured curriculum and are subject to testing based upon that curriculum.  If we do not measure up to standards, our teachers are held up publicly as failures and our financial support is decreased.  It appears that those who lead our state look upon education much like a business that deals in turning raw materials into products, in this case, products that will fit into more production lines! 

I apologize for turning my letter into a bit of a political rant.  My passion arises primarily from my experience as a Luther College student and my concern that Luther and schools like it continue to influence the world community.  The last chapter of “Transformed by the Journey” includes a paragraph that helps me articulate the root of my passion: “Shaping a responsible life through learning is central to the purpose of the college.  Fundamental to the intersection of faith, learning, and vocation is the vision of Luther’s commitment as a liberal arts college ‘to a way of learning that moves us beyond immediate and present knowledge into a larger world – an education that disciplines minds and develops whole persons equipped to understand and confront a changing society’.” 

Recently, I have been inspired by the stories of people who are part of the Luther family whose learning moved them to responsible living.  Georgianna Whiteley, a Luther senior, has been awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, the eighth Luther graduate to bring this distinctive honor to our college.  In the current issue of Luther Alumni Magazine Ms. Whiteley describes an “experience that taught her that she ‘wanted to be a doctor who’s more concerned with cultural competency and also how to bring health care to those in the world who don’t have it’.”  Ms. Whiteley will be a doctor who will bring much more than mere clinical proficiency to her patients.  She will bring servant-hood!

Another inspiring moment occurred earlier this week when I was honored to participate in the funeral for Ruth Monson.  Ruth was a St. Olaf graduate, as is her husband, John.  Their three children and several grandchildren, however, graduated from Luther, and the Monsons have become enthusiastic Luther supporters.  Ruth was truly a whole person, steeped in the belief that her life should be spent in service.  Consequently, she became a strong voice for human justice, especially calling for a just settlement to the Palestinian conflict.  At the funeral, her niece and our classmate Aleta Reckling Chossek spoke eloquently and thoughtfully about her aunt’s life.  I was very proud of Aleta!

As spring approaches, we prepare to say farewell and thank you to President Rick Torgerson and to his wife, Judy.  The Torgersons have served the college well, obviously responding to their own higher calling.  My personal reflection of their years will always find them serving communion at the Homecoming Eucharist – a strong, committed, quiet service, never flamboyant or arrogant.  But I will also look to the wind turbine on the western horizon as a dramatic and powerful symbol of Torgerson leadership!  Mange tusen takk for alt!

Spring is a time of hope.  As it comes in 2013, there is much in the world that could destroy hope.  Wherever we are, may we support each other in living a life of thoughtful service.  And may we support our beloved Luther College, trusting hopefully that together we can continue to help young people be “transformed by the journey” that is a Luther education!

Richard Staff
rstaff@triwest.net

Obituaries
Randall Gross of Barrington, Ill., died July 17, 2012, at age 66. He graduated from Mt. Prospect High School in 1964 and Luther in 1968, and he later earned a master’s degree in business administration from Northern Illinois University.  Randy worked as a CPA for Culligan and later started his own firm in Barrington.   He was a member of the Barrington Lions Club and served as a board member for Friendship Village and Hospice of Northeastern Illinois.  Randy also served in the U.S. Army Reserves, and he was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Atonement. Randy loved his work and was an avid reader; he also enjoyed walks with his dog, Gracie; weekends in Door County; riding bikes; and fishing at Anderson Dock in Ephraim, Wis. Surviving Randy are his wife, Karen (Knutson) Gross ‘67; sons, Matthew Gross ’99 and Christopher Gross ‘01; two grandchildren, and one on the way; a sister–in-law and two brothers-in-law; a cousin; and nieces and nephews.

ROGER BECKER of New Hampton, Iowa, died Jan. 29, 2012, at age 64, and his body has been donated to the University of Minnesota. He graduated from Lost Nation (Iowa) Community High School in 1965 and from Luther in 1969, with a major in music education. Later that year, Roger married DONNA (SCHNEIDER) BECKER ’70 and also began his career as a band director at South Winneshiek High School (Calmar, Iowa), where he taught until 1977. Roger and his family moved twice, first to a farm in Preston, Iowa, where he directed the band program for the Preston Community Schools until 1986, and then to New Hampton, where he taught high school band for the New Hampton Community Schools from 1986-2009. Upon his retirement in 2009, Roger took on the role of lay minister for Trinity Lutheran Church in New Hampton. He enjoyed many hobbies and activities, including carpentry, woodworking, creating instrument lamps, farming, cheering for the Cubs and Packers, teaching piano lessons, tuning pianos, photography, playing and singing music. He was a member of the New Hampton Community School District Board of Education, church councils, vocal groups, saddle clubs, and numerous music organizations, including the Lucky 7 Dixieland Jazz Band, the New Horizons Band, the Greater Waverly Municipal Band, the Iowa Ambassadors of Music, the Northeast Iowa Bandmasters Association, and the Iowa Bandmasters Association. Roger was recognized for serving as an advisor for the National Honor Society for 15 years by New Hampton High School, and his 40 years of teaching by the Iowa High School Music Association. Roger is survived by his wife, Donna; a son, Joel Becker; three daughters, Jana Moser, Sara Snowden, and Sheryn Boos; eight grandchildren; one sister, JANET (BECKER) SWISTON ‘66; and two brothers, Kevin Becker and Neal Becker. He was preceded in death by two infant brothers and a nephew.

Lizabeth Wing of Richville, Minn., died August 9, 2012, at age 64. She graduated from Fergus Falls High School in 1965 and went on to study music education at Luther, graduating in 1969. Liz earned a master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1971 and a doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1978. She taught for 25 years at the College Conservatory of Music-University of Cincinnati, recently retiring as division head of music education there. Liz’s legacy to music education can be seen in her publications, professional service, and dedication to students. She received a Distinguished Service Award from Luther in 1999 and the Carlo A. Sperati Award in 2009. Liz was a member of President’s Council at Luther; she was an avid photographer, a cat lover, and treasured friend to many. A memorial video created by her students and colleagues at the University of Cincinnati can be viewed at http://www.uc.edu/ucit/digitalvideo/liz_wing.html. Liz is survived by her mother, Lucy Wing; a sister, Kathryn Wing; brothers, Timothy and Marcus Wing; an aunt and uncle; and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Hugh Wing.

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:

Scott Addington
Karol (Brue) Aeschlimann
Richard Ancelet
Diane Anderson-Stine
John Avers
Donald Bachman*
Charles Backman*
Cathryn (Elmer) Baldner
†Roger Becker
Ann (Brainard) Belletire
Robert Bishop*
Stephen Blackmore
Gracia (Kraabel) Blanchard*
Stephen Blanchard*
Rolf Blank*
Cynthia (Lee) Bleich*
Gary Borlaug
Catherine (Turner) Boulanger*
Gale Brinkman*
John Broman
Douglas Carden*
Aleta (Reckling) Chossek*
Diane (Buros) Christensen*
Linda (Boots) Christianson*
Maren (Severtson) Coates*
Bev Crumb-Gesme*
George Curry
Georgette (Yoder) Dabroski*
Richard Dale
Carolyn (Hain) DeYoung
David Dickson
Steven Edwards
David Ellingson
Mary Elizabeth (Brown) Estrem
John Fischer*
Karen (Anderson) Forde*
Craig Fortney
Lynn Franck
Gene Frank*
Deborah (Lynam) Franke*
Carol (Nelson) Gibson*
Carl Glamm*
Charles Gooch
Judith Gray*
Eugene Hagen
Sherry (Dodge) Halleen
John Halvorson
Karen (Trygstad) Halvorson
Carl Hanson*
Karn Haugen*
Fredrick Haugo*
Leona (Knoblauch) Haupt*
Robert Heins
Susan (Jorgensen) Herney*
Margaret Herz-Lane
Marjean (Gordon) Hoeg
Edwin Hollenbeck*
Richard Homstad
Marilyn House*
Robert Hutson
Edith (Held) Jacobsen
Steven Jacobsen
James Jefferson
Craig Johnson
Dean Johnson*
Keith Johnson*
Mary (Bay) Johnson*
Kay (Meyer) Jones
Marcia (Larson) Kalarites
David Keller
Janet (Hefti) Knutson*
Ingrid (Kloster) Koch
Loy Krambeer
Karen (Oyloe) Kramer
Frederick Kreusch
Meredith Kvalness*
David Larson*
Ping-Yee Law
Alan Luloff
Lawrence Lynch
Donald Martinson
Jonette (Rotto) Martinson
Margeen (Bolson) Mau*
Berit Midelfort*
Richard Miller*
Karen (Schiesser) Montgomery*
Susan (Polak) Myhre*
Gary Neist
Dean Nelson*
Judith (Miller) Nelson*
Kenneth Nereng
Margaret (Funfar) Nielsen
David Oines*
Helen (Stuepfert) Olson*
Marsha (Schneeman) Olson
Jaerdis (Osmundson) Olson-Nesheim
Carol (Olson) Onerheim
Paul Onerheim
Carole (Rust) Orness
Allen Peckham*
Karen (Anderson) Peckham*
Marie (Smith) Peer*
Myrna Petersen-Konajeski
Mary (Dennis) Pons
Paula (Nassen) Poulos
D. Eric Prestegaard*
Elizabeth Preus*
Marie (Hagene) Quanbeck
Donald Richardson*
Richard Rima*
Richard Roehrkasse
Ruthanne (Gordon) Rollefson*
Everett Rowland*
Nancy Rud-Gordon*
Judith (Jorgenson) Russell*
David Ruzek
Susan (Helleckson) Ruzek
Ross Schipper
Judith Schroeder*
Marlene (Hove) Severe*
Rachel (Holt) Shidler
Leonard Skoglund
Jack Smith*
Richard Staff*
Catherine (Rauk) Steinhauer
Wendy (Tessman) Stevens*
Marcia (Wagner) Sundet*
Mark Temte*
Paul Tokheim*
Twyla Trytten*
Richard Tuenge
Harold Usgaard*
Michael Vertanen
Linda Voss
Janet (Storhoff) Weber
Rolf Wulfsberg*