Fall 2011
Dear Classmates,
Once again, we have the opportunity to greet you on behalf of Luther College. The sesquicentennial year is truly an exciting one. We look back on 150 years of excellence in preparing students for meaningful careers and lives filled with service.
We were privileged to again “live the Luther experience” for a week this summer as we participated in the Weston Noble Alumni Choir under the direction of Mr. Noble himself. At age 87, he rehearsed us for 4-5 hours each day and participated in the fun dinner events and skits we had each night. There were 80 voices with the oldest graduating in the Class of 1949, the same year some of us were born! It was an amazing experience, from living in Farwell Hall rooms to the concert at the end of the week.
President Richard Torgerson, in a presentation to the Alumni Council and class agents during homecoming, listed Luther’s defining characteristics:
- A dedication to academic excellence and the transformative power of the liberal arts
- A residential community grounded in the Lutheran faith
- Rigorous interconnected learning in the liberal arts
- Faculty known for excellence in teaching and scholarship
- Staff dedicated to fulfilling the college’s mission
- Commitment to achieving a more diverse community
- A passion for environmental stewardship and sustainability
- Excellence in music and intercollegiate athletics
- The Paideia program – Learning Together, Thinking for Yourself
- January Term
- Global engagement
We have seen for ourselves what the Luther experience has meant to us and our classmates through the last 40-plus years. Have you shared that with prospective students and prospective donors? As you talk to others, do you mention what Luther College meant to you and how the liberal arts education you received helped you in your life after college?
We can play the role of Luther College advocates by telling others of the value of a liberal arts education in our society today. We can also help preserve Luther for future generations by supporting it in our words, in making contributions, and remembering the college in our prayers.
Bill & Carolyn (Peterson) Kobler
1970 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 $5 to $50,000. Strong support from alumni helps Luther secure additional funds from foundations and corporations, and your gift each year helps us to reach our goal of 30% alumni giving to the Annual Fund. Here’s how your class is doing so far this year:
CLASS of 1970 TOTAL GIVING: $31,446.73 from 16.47% of the CLASS*
Have you made your 2011 gift to Luther? Only 58 more gifts are needed to reach 30% for your class. Please visit www.givenow.luther.edu to make a difference for Luther students. Thank you!
Please note: Your Spring 2012 class agent letter will include a listing of your classmates who gave to Luther during 2011. Be sure to make your gift before December 31 to be included.
*as of October 21, 2011
Class Notes
CHARLES LANE is director of the Center for Stewardship Leaders at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn.
GARY LARSON works for Realogy Corp. in Cocoa Beach, Fla., where he serves as regional director for the east and west coasts of Florida and operational review director.
KAREN (ATKINSON) ’71 and KURT LEICHTLE live in River Falls, Wis. Kurt is a history professor at University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
AL MASDEN lives in Hernando, Fla., but still has a summer home on Koontz Lake in Indiana. He retired in 2002 after selling Robert W. Hunt Co.—which provided independent third party vendor inspection and testing services―having worked there as treasurer and eventually becoming principal owner.
CORI (ANDERSON) MUELLER is a FOSS education consultant at Delta Education in Nashua, N.H.
PAULA (BERG) OWEN exhibited her work February through April at Luther’s Center for the Arts. She is president of the Southwest School of Art in San Antonio, Texas.
BETTY (BAKER) REIMAN retired from teaching in the Osseo (Minn.) School District.
RALPH THOMPSON is pastor at Luck (Wis.) Lutheran Church.
RICHARD ZIEGFELD is director of proposals at A&T Systems in Silver Spring, Md.
Obituaries
SUSAN (ANDERSON) NELSON of Calmar, Iowa, died January 22, 2011, at age 62. She is survived by her husband, Steven.
IOLA EVENSON of Denver died Nov. 19, 2010, at age 96. She had a very full life, including serving as a church organist at age 16. In the 1950s and 60s, Iola was a television pioneer, hosting two local shows for children in the Midwest – Words & Music with Iola, and The Iola Show. At age 53, she went back to college, graduating from Luther with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. Iola taught kindergarten in the Denver area for six years. Twice a runner-up in the Miss Senior Denver pageant, she enjoyed the sound of music and the laughter of little children. Iola was an 18-year resident of the Villas of Sunny Acres Retirement Home. She is survived by a son, ERIC EVENSON; three grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and five step-great-grandchildren. Iola was preceded in death by her husband, James, in 1992. Memorials may be made to Luther College.
Patricia Gunderson of Lake Mills, Iowa, died Dec. 28, 2010, at age 63. After graduation from Luther, Patty earned a master's degree in Latin American studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1971. She worked for the U.S. government as a chief customs inspector at airports in Chicago, Miami, the Bahamas, and Kansas City. At one point, she was singled out as one of the top seven customs inspectors in the country, also receiving a national award for her work with the Consumer Products Safety Commission in stopping the importation of defective toys, flammable fabrics, fireworks, and poisonous chemicals. Patty was active with the National Treasury Employees Union, serving as president, vice president, and steward. Luther was always dear to her heart, and in 1976 she helped establish a scholarship for students wishing to study Spanish abroad; she contributed generously to the fund throughout her life. Over 125 students have benefited from her generosity. In a tribute to Patty, Luther Regent STEVE SCHAVER ’76 said, “I was the first Luther student to benefit from the scholarship Patty established and it changed my life. She embodied the Lutheran value of a life of service. She was an inspiration. I will always be in her debt.” Our Saviors Lutheran Church was also a special part of her life and she most recently served the congregation as president. Patty enjoyed the friendships she made playing bridge, time spent with the Red Hat Society ladies, and her companion, Butterball the cat. She was preceded in death by her parents, Marlin and ANNA (SOLOMONSON) GUNDERSON ’41. Patty established the the Solomonson-Gunderson Scholarship at Luther in August 2010 and funded the scholarship with a generous estate gift upon her death. Memorials may be directed to the Spanish Study Abroad Scholarship Endowment Fund or the Solomonson-Gunderson Scholarship at Luther.
