Fall 2010
49ers-----
Another Luther College Homecoming is now history. So----it is time to author another “news letter” to my classmates, who have now observed our 61st anniversary. I did attend many homecoming events, including the class agent luncheon, the Friday evening alumni banquet, and the football game. Cornell College was the opponent and Luther prevailed with a late game field goal. One year ago the Homecoming game was played in a downpour of rain. The weather for the 2010 game was beautiful, but really it was almost unbearably hot—91°!
President Torgerson spoke at the Friday class agent luncheon presenting lots of data and many historical items of information about our college. Of course, money is and I guess will always be an item of real concern. This fall Luther’s enrollment is 2,481 students, which is thirty-four fewer than last fall. The per student comprehensive fee this year is $38,930. Multiply $38,930 times 34 and you have a very significant budget number. Without the money gifts from alumni and friends, the college cannot exist.
Speaking of money, I recently found a letter dated September10, 1949, which I had received from classmate David T. Nelson. We graduating 49ers pledged a $5 per person gift to Luther. Dave was the treasurer. Most of us had completed our $5 contribution at graduation time. The following is a direct quote from Dave’s letter to me. “I wonder how J. W. feels about our class being about two hundred dollars short?” Money was a problem sixty-one years ago.
If you have not been to the campus recently, it is difficult to describe its beauty. Tremendous quantities of trees, shrubs, and flowers were planted this past spring and summer. It is really something to behold. The most significant project was the Bentdahl Commons, located in the lawn south of the CFL. Another major project is the Farwell Clearing, located in the Preus Library/Franklin W. Olin building area. Other areas of new beauty include the south side of Valders, Carlson Stadium entrance, and the front of the fieldhouse. My evening walks include a trip around the campus, so I have witnessed and “inspected” all of the projects as they developed.
Following this year’s football game, several graduates from the classes of 1948-54, plus spouses and friends, came to 710 Ridge Road for refreshments and conversation. Marilyn and I really do enjoy hosting our friends for this activity and the “old stories” are numerous and humorous. They get better with age!
We continue to lose classmates and I offer my sympathy to those families. This past summer Arnold Anderson, a close friend of mine, passed away. I hope that you who read this letter are in good health and enjoying life. Take care and do plan to visit the campus soon. Also, please provide me with some items of interest about yourself so that I can share with classmates in my next letter.
Francis Peterson
1949 Class Agent
[email protected]
Don't forget your Annual Fund giving!
Each year nearly 10,000 alumni, parents, and friends support the Annual Fund with gifts from $3 to $25,000. Strong support from alumni helps Luther secure significant funds from foundations and corporations, and your gift each year helps us reach our goal of 30% alumni giving to the Annual Fund. Here’s how our class—and surrounding classes—did in 2009:
Class of 1948 Total giving in 2009: $41,971 from 45% of the class
CLASS OF 1949 TOTAL GIVING IN 2009: $37,493 FROM 53% OF THE CLASS
Class of 1950 Total giving in 2009: $24,286 from 47% of the class
Your gift can boost our class impact on current students! Visit givenow.luther.edu to show your support. Thank you!
Class Notes
JOANN DIRKS ANDERSON lives in Minneapolis and enjoys being part of the computer age enough to keep in contact with classmates and friends. Via computer she was part of the “farewell celebration” of Tavener Bridge (Fifth Avenue Bridge), before it was razed due to flood damage.
JERRY MOE is serving as interim pastor for Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Merrillville, Ind.
PAUL NELSON is living in Iron Mountain, Mich., with his wife, Charlotte. They keep busy with five sons, six grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
MARY (RAMSLAND) SORDEL of Riverside, Ill., enjoys her family, especially her granddaughter who coached the Kent State women’s golf team at the NCAA Nationals.
Obituaries
MARGARET (EVENSON) BOYD of Bellevue, Neb., died Dec. 18, 2009, at age 83. Margaret taught English and business education courses at schools in Blooming Prairie and Spring Grove, Minn., and Ainsworth, Iowa, and worked as a secretary in the history department at Iowa State University in Ames. For 22 years, she helped train U.S. Air Force personnel and civilian employees in office skills, computer keyboarding, and writing at Offutt Air Force Base. Margaret had served as an adult leader for 4-H and the Girl Scouts, and as a Sunday school teacher. She enjoyed traveling, reading, sewing, cross-country skiing, cycling, and bird watching. In retirement, Margaret enjoyed her lake home at Pequot Lakes, Minn., and worked as a loon counter for the State of Minnesota, keeping track of the number of loons, their nests, chicks, and survival rates. She also enjoyed the rich inventory of birds at Sanibel Island, Fla., and made annual trips to see the migrating cranes, geese, and ducks at Kearney, Neb. She treasured her years at Luther and was a staunch member of the “49ers Round Robbins” group taking part in its circulating letter and annual reunions. Margaret is survived by her husband, ROBERT BOYD ’51; two daughters, REBECCA (BOYD) SHIPMAN ’77 and RUTH (BOYD) STRANDJORD ’79; and five grandchildren, including DANA STRANDJORD ’06 and KIRSTEN STRANDJORD ’11. She was preceded in death by her father, EMIL EVENSON ’27. Memorials may be sent to Luther College.
GORDON “DONN” LUCE, JR. of Madison, Wis., died Jan. 10, 2010, at age 83. After graduation from Luther, he served as a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Navy from 1944-46 and was recalled to active duty attached to the Second Marine Division at Camp Lajeune, N.C., from 1951-52. Donn earned a master’s degree from Iowa State University in 1953 and became a fishery statistical agent for the Fish and Wildlife Service. In 1965 he earned a second master’s degree—library science from the University of Michigan—and became a biology librarian and later an agriculture librarian at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Donn retired in 1988. He enjoyed gardening and genealogy and was a member of the President’s Council at Luther.
