In Memoriam

Kenton “Kent” Finanger of Plymouth, Minn., died June 12, 2026, age 93.

Marjorie (Running) Wharton ’66 of Decorah died June 9, 2026, age 81.

Jennifer Cantine of Decorah died March 25, 2026, age 77.

1944

Lillian (Stadsvold) McConnell of Boerne, Texas, died Jan. 23, 2025, age 102.

1950

Richard “Dick” Grindeland of Cupertino, Calif., died Dec. 23, 2025, age 96.

Yvonne “Vonnie” (Scharberg) Jondal of Austin, Minn., died April 2, 2026, age 95.

Elizabeth “Betty” (Hillesland) Nelson of Woodbury, Minn., died Nov. 10, 2025, age 97.

1951

Marilyn (Myrah) Bunge of Preston, Minn., died May 29, 2026, age 96.

Warren Schoenecker of Mitchell, Ind., died April 4, 2024, age 94.

Cleetta (Fardal) Schrimper of Columbia, Va., died Dec. 9, 2025, age 95.

Audrey (Hanson) Surface of Florence, Colo., died Jan. 25, 2026, age 94.

Shirley (Peterson) Swenson of Bentonville, Ark., died March 14, 2026, age 95.

1952

Roald Knutson of Plymouth, Minn., died April 26, 2025, age 94.

Ruth (Tollefsrud) Sherry of Muskego, Wis., died June 14, 2025, age 95.

Marjorie (Brunsvold) Wilkins of Marion, Iowa, died March 23, 2026, age 94.

1953

Roger Amundson of Clermont, Iowa, died June 19, 2026, age 94.

Mary (McClure) Ersland of Menominee, Mich., died June 22, 2026, age 92.

Bonnie (Braa) Warrington of Decorah died March 24, 2026, age 94.

1954

Clifford “Cliff” Bruber of Eagan, Minn., died March 24, 2024, age 92.

Maynard “Barney” Penning of Grand Rapids, Minn., died May 27, 2026, age 94.

1955

Clarence Baalson of Clear Lake, Iowa, died June 6, 2026, age 92.

Eugene “Gene” Ersland of Menominee, Mich., died July 4, 2026, age 92.

Marlys (Braaten) Johnson of Eagan, Minn., died Sept. 28, 2024, age 89.

Janelle “Jan” (Rovang) Melenich of Long Lake, Minn., died Dec. 14, 2025, age 91.

1956

Ronald “Ron” Brandt of Waukon, Iowa, died Dec. 18, 2024, age 94.

Richard “Dick” Hansen of Black Diamond, Wash., died Feb. 6, 2025, age 94.

Kathleen “Kathy” (Anderson) Theige of Iola, Wis., died June 24, 2026, age 91.

1957

Lydell Hove of Princeton, Ill., died June 16, 2026, age 93.

Robert Knutson of Janesville, Wis., died March 12, 2026, age 92.

Marguretta “Gretta” (Ness) Yaeger of Ortonville, Minn., died May 12, 2025, age 94.

1958

Craig Anderson of Shoreview, Minn., died Dec. 31, 2025, age 87.

Ronald “Ron” Barribeau of Baraboo, Wis., died Feb. 6, 2025, age 93.

Joseph “Joe” Lee of Marshalltown, Iowa, died June 13, 2026, age 91.

1959

Paul Bertram of O’Fallon, Mo., died April 20, 2026, age 93.

Judith “Judy” (Reinecke) Torney of Keene, N.H., died June 21, 2026, age 89.

1961

Charles “Chuck” Kaiser of Silver Bay, Minn., died March 6, 2026, age 88.

William “Clay” Lyon of Glendale, Ariz., died March 15, 2026, age 88.

Bruce Moe of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died May 28, 2026, age 87.

Eleanor (Hanson) Sukkestad of Savannah, Ga., died Dec. 11, 2025, age 86.

1962

Richard “Dick” Bakka of Apple Valley, Minn., died June 18, 2026, age 86.

Janice “Jan” (Engle) Gray of Excelsior, Minn., died May 10, 2026, age 86.

John Hibbard of Andover, Minn., died June 27, 2025, age 88.

Donald “Don” Mills of DeWitt, N.Y., died April 18, 2026, age 86.

1963

Harvey Estebo of Waukon, Iowa, died April 5, 2026, age 90.

1964

Robert “Bob” Niedringhaus of St. Paul, Minn., died July 3, 2026, age 83.

1966

Adrian Olson of Howard Lake, Minn., died March 25, 2026, age 82.

1967

Leland “Lee” Blom of Green Bay, Wis., died Sept. 25, 2025, age 80.

1969

Donald “Don” Bachman of Columbia, Md., died July 6, 2026, age 78.

Janet “Jan” (Hefti) Knutson of Beloit, Wis., died April 4, 2026, age 79.

Gerald “Jerry” Peterson of Hastings, Minn., died Dec. 9, 2025, age 79.

1970

Barbara “Barb” Lueder of Coralville, Iowa, died July 11, 2026, age 78.

1971

Julie Schubert of Ames, Iowa, died March 6, 2026, age 77.

1973

Karen Davidson of New York died May 26, 2026, age 75.

Dietrich Fabricius of Hendersonville, N.C., died June 24, 2025, age 74.

Terry Teppen of White Bear Lake, Minn., died June 27, 2026, age 74.

1974

Richard “Dick” Amundson of Eden Prairie, Minn., died April 22, 2026, age 73.

Scott Barnett of Decorah died May 20, 2026, age 74.

Sandra “Sandy” (Sabin) Moore of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, died June 18, 2026, age 74.

1976

Linda (Schaffer) Brokish of Fairfax, Va., died March 26, 2026, age 71.

John Mullen of Harmony, Minn., died June 7, 2026, age 71.

Greg Wymore of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died March 27, 2026, age 71.

1977

James “Jim” Clausen of Sumner, Iowa, died April 30, 2025, age 70.

James “Jim” Schlimmer of Savannah, Ga., died March 26, 2026, age 71.

1987

Marshall “Marty” Kottke of Arden Hills, Minn., died April 23, 2026, age 61.

1991

Spencer “Spence” Ver Meer of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, died June 24, 2026, age 57.

1995

Joshua “Josh” Peterson of Green Bay, Wis., died Feb. 27, 2026, age 52.