Spring 2015
Dear 49ers,
It is time for my late winter/early spring newsletter, even though I do not have much news! It is Saturday evening, February 7, 2015. I have just returned from the Luther College Fieldhouse where I witnessed two basketball victories over Buena Vista. What a great day, which also included an indoor track meet at the same time in the huge recreation center.
The Norse women are having a great season. Their current record is now 17-4 and they are in second place in the conference. The Norse men have struggled this season, but I believe they are playing good basketball. Taller players would certainly help. The Luther victory this afternoon was just the second conference loss for the Beavers.
If you will check page number 28 in the winter 2015 Luther Alumni Magazine, you will see the picture of the 1949 graduates who attended the 2014 Homecoming. Only ten of us! Do you suppose that the quantities of birthdays that we have experienced is the reason for so few of us coming back to Luther? It probably is the reason. On the same page of pictures please note: only two from the Class of 1939; only three from the Class of 1944; and you count the number from the Class of 1954.
I have not heard from any of you 49ers, so I will offer a bit from the Peterson family. Marilyn and I had a son, Paul, who produced three grandchildren, and a daughter, Susan, who had no children. Susan’s husband of many years died suddenly last November.
We have been a three-time-zone family for years! Late in February Marilyn and I will drive to New Jersey to observe a couple of birthdays. From there we will drive to Raleigh, North Carolina, to visit our youngest granddaughter, who is a freshman at North Carolina State University. We then will have visited all three grandchildren at their universities.
In closing, I hope that all of you are enjoying life. Marilyn and I are enjoying retirement. I also must remind you that if possible, please remember our COLLEGE in any way that you can, particularly with financial help.
Take care,
Francis Peterson
1949 Class Agent
710 Ridge Road
Decorah, IA 52101
(365) 381-4504
[email protected]
Obituary
MARY JANICE “JAN” (REID) BERG of Decorah died Sept. 18, 2014, at age 87. Born in Davenport, she graduated from high school in Dubuque, where she also met her husband, WARREN BERG ’48, who was training in the V-12 program at the University of Dubuque during World War II. They were married Dec. 28, 1946, in Dubuque and moved soon after to Decorah, where both were enrolled at Luther. Jan sang in Nordic Choir and played tympani in the band, but shifted to full-time motherhood in 1948 with the birth of their first child. In 1952 she was diagnosed with polio during the epidemic of that period and was paralyzed from the neck down and told she would be confined to a wheel chair for the rest of her life. After grueling physical therapy and with pure determination and multiple surgeries, Jan was able to walk again with braces and crutches. In 1958 she was named Iowa Polio Mother of the Year by the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, an honor she passed on to her husband saying, “He made me keep going. I couldn’t have done it without him.” Despite the surgeries and pain she endured most of her life, Jan participated in numerous civic and church activities and was a scout leader and member of P.E.O. She and Warren played golf, attended sporting events, and managed the Vanberia store for a time. Jan also was the radio spokesperson for McNeil’s women’s clothing store in the 1960s. For more than two decades, she and Warren directed Luther’s summer Scandinavian Institute, for teachers from the five Scandinavian countries. For this service they were awarded the St. Olaf Medal from His Majesty, King Olav of Norway. During 1966-67 and again in 1988-89, Jan and Warren lived in Malta, where he held a Fulbright professorship and she entertained dignitaries and visitors from many nations. Jan loved art and began painting in the 1970s, winning several awards and also getting involved with the Very Special Arts organization and festival. Jan was awarded the first “Spirit of Luther Award” in 2002, a testament to her commitment to the ideals of Luther College and especially for her sponsorship of many international students over the years. She will be remembered for her courage and tenacity, gracious entertaining, and staunch support of her family. Jan is survived by her children, PAULA BERG OWEN ’70 and husband Ben; KRISTIN (BERG) GILBERT ’72; KARI BERG ’73 and husband Brent Poppenhagen; Jon Torger Berg; and ERIK BERG ’77; seven grandchildren, including ERIKA (BARTH) COTTRELL ’95; and 12 great-grandchildren. Memorial gifts may be directed to Luther.
Your gift. Every year. Put to work, right away, where it is needed most.
Each year over 9,000 alumni, parents, and friends support the Annual Fund with gifts from $5 to $75,000. 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 2014:
Class of 1948 total giving in 2014: $89,457 from 39.66% of the class
Class of 1949 total giving in 2014: $24,672 from 50.00% of the class
Class of 1950 total giving in 2014: $32,430 from 43.59% of the class
Your gift can boost the impact your class has on current students! Please use the enclosed envelope or visit givenow.luther.edu to show your support. Thank you!
WITH SINCERE GRATITUDE:
This list includes all gifts received January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2014. 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.
Numbers in parentheses represent the total number of years (cumulative) in which the donor has made a gift to Luther. We are grateful for this loyal and generous support.
- Leona (Nordeng) Amdahl (33)
- †Elder Bentley (31)
- LaVern Bredeson (6)
- Gordon Christianson (30)
- Ralph Colrud (30)
- Harriet (Flatland) Danielson (14)
- Avis (Gilberts) Dieseth (24)
- Joann Dirks Anderson (13)
- Alice (Ranum) Drake (25)
- Luther Forde (35+)
- John Fritz (22)
- Lorene (Knutson) Geiselhart (10)
- Maretta (Vangsness) Grindeland (22)
- Merlin Hagen (35+)
- Nora (Forde) Hendrickson (35)
- Lavern Hillesland (35+)
- Gordon Howland (28)
- Alfred Jacobs (27)
- Christabel (Adix) Jacobs (26)
- Idamae (Prell) Knutson (29)
- Walter Korsrud (35+)
- Ruth Lunde (35+)
- Jerry Moe (32)
- Barbara (Orwoll) Nordschow (34)
- Arthur Pederson (4)
- Francis Peterson (31)
- Helen (Coffeen) Robbe (15)
- Betty (Anderson) Sanders (32)
- Donald Skaar (13)
- Mary (Ramsland) Sordel (11)
- Rachel (Noer) Spencer (30)
- Olin Storvick (35+)
- Maxine Swiggum (16)
- †Arnold Veglahn (22)
- Ethel (Tellefson) Webster (32)
- Ruth (Mikelson) Ziemann (33)
† deceased
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 email [email protected].