Fall 2009
Dear Friends,
The Koblers are looking forward to being the new agents for the Class of 1970. Simply agreeing to do this position has already brought back many memories, and we’re sure we will recall many more in the coming years.
We remember Carolyn working in the Admissions Office and spending many Saturday mornings giving tours of Luther to prospective students and their parents. It was fun to be able to share her history of coming from a family where her sisters had also been students. So, since she was 5 years old, she has been a part of the Luther family. Now, we would encourage you to tell your personal Luther story to students who are considering which college to attend.
We thank you for all your giving to support the various funds at Luther. Our class can be proud of the 137 donors who have given over $100,000 this past year. The Annual Fund boasts 132 donors for a total of almost $27,000. Great job!
We encourage you to join us in participating in these funds since charitable foundations and corporations, such as the Kresge Foundation, consider your gift to the Annual Fund a vote of confidence in your college. So, it would be great if we could increase our numbers of alumni who donate to 100 percent, as well as increase our monetary totals! You can even make a gift online at givenow.luther.edu.
Please make use of the matching funds that may be available through your company’s human resources office. Ask them for matching gift forms to complete and send with your gifts. Or you can look on the website: www.matchinggifts.com/luther. We have been told that the Thrivent Financial for Lutheran’s GivingPlus program will be discontinued as of December 31, 2009. This program currently provides a $.50 match for every dollar that a donor contributes each year, limited to two organizations, up to $300 (which requires a $600 gift).
As we look forward to our 40th (yikes) class reunion October 8-10, 2010, we will gather to share memories and tell lots of stories of our days at Luther and our lives since then. You will see many physical changes on campus, but the same quality education and fostering of life-long friendships continues. Mark your calendars for our upcoming reunion, and check out the lodging link at http://www2.luther.edu/about/decorah/lodging.
If you have not shared your email address with the college, please do so by sending a message to [email protected], or by completing the online update form, or logging on to the alumni directory. In the pursuit of “greenness,” future letters will be sent by email as much as possible. Also, remember to send any news so we can share it with everyone.
Best wishes to all of you!
Bill and Carolyn Kobler
1970 Class Agents
[email protected]
PS. “Luther College Women and Work Study”
Luther Professor of Accounting Ramona "Mona" (Feller) Nelson ’75 is conducting a research project on the career history, leadership experiences, entrepreneurial pursuits, work/life balance experiences, and general work-related perceptions of Luther alumnae from the graduation years of 1969-94. Women from the 1969-94 grad years are invited to participate in an online survey at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=x_2ff8dDNR8F96f3gdck4Xfw_3d_3d
If you have already completed the survey, thank you. If you did not receive previous notice of the survey, please go to the web address and complete it before January 5, 2010. Questions can be directed to Mona Nelson at [email protected].
Class Notes
VICKI (MOHLIS) DONHOWE of Decorah has retired from working in Luther’s Development Office.
CHUCK GIPP of Decorah is director of the division of soil conservation for the Iowa Department of Agriculture.
PAUL GUSTAFSON is senior buyer/planner for Watson Laboratories in Salt Lake City.
MARY ELLEN (KABELE) JUERGENS of Eldora, Iowa, has retired after 34 years of teaching music.
BILL KOBLER was re-elected to the Illinois State Medical Society board of trustees during the organization’s annual House of Delegates meeting in April. He is an attending physician on the medical staff at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Ill.
TANNA (TWEET) MACKENZIE is a pastoral care coordinator and office manager for Immanuel Lutheran Church Woden in Australia.
PENNY NICHOLSON earned a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Phoenix and is an assistant principal in the Clark County (Nev.) School District.
KATHRYN (HANSON) SHAFFER retired from teaching for the Mason City (Iowa) Schools.
Marriage
GLORIA PECK and Eric Forsberg, Sept. 19, 2008