Spring 2013
Hello Classmates,
This year, Luther College will say farewell to President Richard Torgerson and his wife, Judy. They have been faithful leaders since July of 1999. I have been reading Transformed by the Journey - 150 Years of Luther College in Word and Image by Wilfred F. Bunge, with Mary Hull Mohr and Dale Nimrod. It details the history of Luther College under each president’s leadership. Of course you will recognize the authors as professors of religion, English, and chemistry during our time at Luther. They also used research from Betty Hoff, health and physical education, and William Kuhlman, music. It’s a great history of Luther and you can find it online through the Luther College Book Shop.
I would like to quote from the preface: “Change in a college is inevitable with the passage of time. Much of it results from changes in the larger world in which the college seeks to fulfill its mission. Change can also be intentional, the result of the quest for a more effective expression of that mission.”
We remember our president, E. D. Farwell, and how he led us through the tumultuous 60s with racial conflicts and Viet Nam looming over our society. He was able to increase enrollment and add buildings to our campus, while experimenting with co-related courses for all first-year students in English, religion, and history (the freshman CORE program).
Now the college will say farewell to Richard Torgerson and say thank you for again leading the college through rapidly changing times, with added buildings and a task force on “Embracing Technology to Support Campuswide Learning.”
The change in technology since we graduated is overwhelming. My memory is of having a 15-minute time slot in the evening to use a keyboard in the lower level of Valders. This was connected to a mainframe computer in Minneapolis. Now, students have their own computers with much more power and speed that we ever imagined!
This is too small a space to detail all the accomplishments of our presidents, but I encourage you to remember them in your prayers as wonderful, spiritual leaders of Luther College throughout the years. We look forward to welcoming our next president with enthusiasm and thankfulness for being willing to lead the college in the next era, beginning in 2013.
Peace and blessings,
Bill and Carolyn (Peterson) Kobler
billcarolyn@thekoblers.com
Class Note
JAN NELSON attended Lutherlag in 2010 and 2011. Her grandfather, Jacob A. Nelson, wrote the Articles of Incorporation to make Luther co-ed in 1932. Jan’s family has three graduating generations from Luther, and plans for the fourth.
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:
Class of 1969 total giving in 2012: $46,628 from 31% of the class
Class of 1970 total giving in 2012: $101,034 from 27% of the class
Class of 1971 total giving in 2012: $67,826 from 26% of the class
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This list includes all gifts received January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2012. Making a gift each and every year is an investment in the lives of Luther students and a show of support for the Luther College community. Thank you for your support of Luther College through your giving.
Linda Aaker*
Carin (Malmanger) Allhiser*
Janis (Zube) Altorfer*
Sharon (Zumdahl) Asp*
Sally (Swab Austin)*
Donna (Schneider) Becker
Lynn (Tupy) Benson*
Sandra (Sime) Bishop*
Wilbert Bond
Virginia (Lindquist) Bosse
Paula (Spoerl) Bradway*
Roger Campbell*
Sonja (Peterson) Chamberlain
C. Owen Christianson*
Dennis Dabroski*
Janet (Heist) Dale
Peter Deneen
John Diley
Mary (Lee) Dirksen
Mark Donhowe*
Vicki (Mohlis) Donhowe*
Susan (Gronbach) Easler
Wayne Eickhoff*
Terryl (Bruins) Eikren
Bruce Filippi
Richard Flater
Dianne (Rahn) Frantz*
Bruce Garbisch
Charles Gipp*
Jeanne (Holthe) Gross
Paul Gustafson
Michael Haedike*
John Halvorson
Bruce Hansen*
Rolf Hanson
Gregory Hart
Terri (Skoug) Heins
Carole (Vlahovich) Heisel*
James Helgason
James Herman*
Harry Hindson
Nancy (Osterbur) Hinrichs
Lynne Hirleman*
Maren (Michelson) Hjelmeng
Nancy (Johnson) Holden
Erik Holleque*
Mary (Johnson) Holleque*
Gary Hunter*
James Jaeger
Jon Jensen*
Mary (Wilkens) Jensen*
Glen Johnson*
Mary (Kabele) Juergens*
Judith (Bachler) Keller
H. Morrison Kershner
David Klevan
Carolyn (Peterson) Kobler*
William Kobler*
Sharon (Anderson) Koenings
Linda (Anderson) Krambeer
Charles Lane*
Christine (Lindgren) Lane*
David Langhus*
Barbara Lueder*
Lyle Luzum*
Susan (Johnston) Luzum*
Linda (Hermsen) Malone*
John May*
Polly (Blakely) May*
Pamela (Espinosa) McFarland
Gary Melbostad*
Pamela (Hagen) Melchert*
Marlene Michel
Michael Moen*
Diane (Lebakken) Nelson*
Jan Nelson
Rodney Nelson
Mary (Ziemer) Nervig*
Rolfe Nervig*
Glenn Nielsen
Jarvis Okkelberg*
Judith (Johnson) Olsen*
John Onkka*
Paula (Berg) Owen
Gloria Peck
Ronald Pertl
David Peschau
Luanne (Haag) Prestegaard*
Gary Rathbun
Sarah (Long) Rheinschmidt*
Donald Roalkvam
Janell Rosenberg*
Dennis Schmidt
Linda (Mathieu) Schmidt*
Sara (Gunther) Sersland*
Kathryn (Hanson) Shaffer
Mark Smeby
David Snow*
Keith Steere*
David Stenson*
Bette Jo (Grinde) Stern
Sarah Strandjord
Ralph Thompson*
Elizabeth (Tenold) Tokheim*
Terry Trimpe*
Martha (Packer) Truemper*
Harla Tumbleson*
Lynette (Ellingson) Usgaard*
Lani (Morf) Vabulas
Gale Von Behren
John Wahlquist
Solveig (Johnson) Walstrom*
Philip Wangberg*
James Whittington*
Michael Wold
* made a gift in each of the last five consecutive years.
Every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy of this list. If an error has been made, please accept our apology and contact the Luther Development Office at 800-225-8664, or e-mail giving@luther.edu.
