49ERS-----
It is time for a spring message from your class agent. However, I have a problem! I don’t have much to write about. Marilyn and I enjoy living in Decorah. We attend many events and activities at Luther College. Really, we could attend many more because the opportunities are almost never ending. The quality of the student performances, be it dramatics, instrumental music, vocal music, dance, or art, never ceases to amaze me. I have to admit, my prejudice is sports, which means for me it has been a long winter. For college sports I classify the activities into “major” and “minor.” Many, especially the coaches and participants, will disagree with my classification, but I place football and basketball into the major category. I long for the time that the major sports will be equally successful as the minor sports at Luther.
Since my fall 2009 letter we have lost classmates, but one in particular that had been my friend since 1946 was David T. Nelson. During our college years, I would guess that most of us had a small group of classmates that we were closer to than others. For yours truly it was Arnold Anderson, Bob Dieseth, Danny Lein, and David “T.” Goodness, how many card games of “Slippery Ann” (Hearts) did we play? Now three of the five are deceased. In the 1980s three of we ’49ers held leadership positions in Decorah. Bob Dieseth was chairman of Luther’s board of regents, David Nelson was the mayor of Decorah, and I served as superintendent of the Decorah schools.
As I write this letter, spring is about five weeks hence. Marilyn and I are foregoing an Elderhostel experience for a Caribbean cruise, which begins February the 21st. If you feel that most of my letter is about the Petersons, I would concur. You can help me solve this dilemma by sending me some tidbits about your highlights, or lowlights, that I can share with all remaining ’49ers in my next letter.
In closing, please remember our alma mater. Any and all gifts, regardless of the amount, are really appreciated. I encourage you to consider supporting our college in any amount that you feel comfortable doing. You may send your gift in an envelope or give online at givenow.luther.edu.
Francis Peterson
1949 Class Agent
[email protected]
PS. Please share your individual or family updates by logging on to the Alumni Directory, emailing [email protected], or posting them in the comments section below.
PPS. Thanks to the generous support of many alumni donors, Luther has benefited from the member-matching program—GivingPlus—with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Unfortunately, GivingPlus was eliminated by Thrivent at the end of 2009. The "replacement" program—Thrivent Choice—will include a component called Choice Dollars, which some members will be eligible for. Members eligible for Thrivent Choice can still choose to direct their charitable support to Luther (which will be greatly appreciated, thank you!). More information about the program (which is scheduled to begin sometime in April) is available at https://www.thrivent.com/thriventchoice/news/index.html.
Obituaries
PHILIP MEGORDEN of Prior Lake, Minn., died June 23, 2009, at age 80. A Luther attendee, he is survived by his wife, Gladys; three children; and two grandchildren. Philip was preceded in death by his father, TENNIS MEGORDEN ’20.
DAVID TORRISON NELSON, Luther professor emeritus of physics, of Decorah, died Dec. 27, 2009, at age 82. While at Luther, he lettered in basketball, playing center on the 1948-49 conference championship team. After graduation, David earned a master’s degree in physics from the University of Rochester (N.Y.) and joined the faculty at Luther in 1954. He earned a doctorate in experimental solid state physics from Iowa State University in 1960. In addition to mentoring physics students, David reached scores of students through his popular non-major courses such as astronomy and acoustics of music. His research ranged from summer research with students at the Ames laboratory of the Atomic Energy Commission to sabbatical leaves at Arizona State University studying solar collection cells and other fossil-fuel alternatives. He was a member of the Society of the Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Pi Sigma, the Iowa Academy of Sciences, the American Association of Physics Teachers, Optical Society of America, and the International Solar Energy Society. David also served as advisor for Luther’s Amateur Radio Club and supervised the college observatory. He coached the Luther cross country team from 1956-64; his 1961 team won the first Iowa Conference cross country championship. David continued his involvement in intercollegiate athletics as an official timer at hundreds of track and swim meets, as a member and chair of the college’s faculty athletic committee, and as a college representative on Iowa Conference and NCAA governing committees. He served as Luther’s director of intercollegiate athletics from 1988-92, supervising the construction and renovation project that created the Regents Center, and guiding the athletic department through its expansion to 19 intercollegiate sports programs. David retired as professor emeritus of physics in 1992. A Decorah native, he was active in his church and community, serving as city councilman from 1972-74 and as mayor from 1978-90. His leadership facilitated a 30-year era of business, residential, and economic growth and diversification, and he was influential in the city’s expansion and in enhancing the community’s quality of life. David received the Spirit of Luther Award from the college in 2004; he was a member of the Heritage Club and life member of the President’s Council. He is survived by his wife, BETTY (RIKANSRUD) ’57; four children, including ANDREA (NELSON) STREUFERT ‘81, KATHRYN (NELSON) RATTENBORG ’83, and STEPHEN NELSON ‘85; eight grandchildren, including BRIGITTE NELSON ’10, HEATHER NELSON ’11, and SARAH RATTENBORG ’13; and two brothers, ROBERT NELSON ’53 and JOHN NELSON ’58. He was preceded in death by his father, DAVID NELSON ’12, and a sister, HANNAH “BETTY” (NELSON) SEEGMILLER ’46. Memorials may be given to Luther College.
GLADYS “GLADI” (HEMMA) SHANKLIN of Galt, Calif., died Sept. 10, 2009, at age 79. She had earned a certificate in education from Luther and worked as a real estate broker. Gladi moved to Galt in 2003 from South Lake Tahoe, Calif., where she had been a resident for 30 years. She was secretary of the Galt Senior Center and a very active member. Gladi loved to garden, which showed in her beautiful flowers and plump tomatoes. She is survived by four children; four grandchildren; a great-grandson; and a sister, JOYCE (HEMMA) ANDERSON ’49. Gladi was preceded in death by her husband, John, in 1999.
