Spring 2017
Dear Fellow 1970 Classmate:
We write this letter with sad but grateful hearts. Weston Noble ’43 died on December 21, 2016. He leaves a wonderful legacy as a conductor, teacher, mentor, and friend. It is hard to put into words his impact on thousands of students and their families. There is a wonderful article in the last Luther Alumni Magazine that tells his story.
We would like to share some memories:
Carolyn: I first knew about Weston when my sister attended Luther and played oboe in the band in the late 1950s. From then on, I distinctly remember all the band concerts (loved watching them play the chimes and hearing the flutes) and, of course, the presentation of Handel’s Messiah(when my other sister sang a solo in the 60s). I attended Dorian Music Camps and reveled in the sound of hundreds of musicians playing in the massed band concerts.
When I was at Luther, I always enjoyed all the insights I gained from the rehearsals for Handel’s Messiah. Weston shared his faith and emotions, as well as his musical knowledge, to hundreds of us during those rehearsals.
I was privileged to join Nordic Choir as a senior and then later, to sing in his alumni choir. He continued to be as captivating and engaging as he had been those many years ago. I will always remember the spark in his eye as he called me “Cashton,” as he was able to associate me with my hometown in Wisconsin! Remarkably, he did that for so many students throughout his many years of teaching and conducting.
Bill: Sometimes it takes a little time to appreciate the effect someone has on your life. While I sensed this during my three years in the Nordic choir, I find that almost 50 years later, there is still growing recognition of this man’s impact. To have witnessed first-hand his gentle way of conducting, his passion for music, his teaching the meaning of the music, and the manifestation of his deep Christian faith in leading the choir is an honor and privilege that I will never forget or be able to repay.
There are some funny moments, as when his watch flew off his wrist and rattled across the stage of Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center during the dramatic cutoff at the end of the Advent Motet, or the corny, but hilarious, skits performed by choir members between dinner and the choir’s performance. But more memorable are the times the music was transcendent and so perfect that he once stepped off of the podium as the choir continued to sing, led only by the tenor soloist. Or the times when there was no applause as we left the risers for a break in the program, but there were tears in the eyes of the audience as we recessed down the aisle of the church. I cannot quantify the effect that Weston Noble and his teaching through music have had and continue to have on my life. For those interested, there will be a celebration of Weston Noble’s life on Saturday, May 13, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. It will be live streamed at www.luther.edu/weston. We encourage you to watch. The Nordic Alumni Choir will sing during the celebration service.
And while we shared these types of experiences through music with Mr. Noble, we know that many of you have similar stories you could share about your relationships and experiences during your Luther years. That is the kind of place Luther was in the 1970s and remains today. It changes lives in many ways, some of which we don’t understand until years later. And those experiences helped make us better people and shaped who we are today.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Bill and Carolyn (Peterson) Kobler
[email protected]
CLASS NOTE
Lorraine (Carter) Borowski is director of the Decorah (Iowa) Public Library. She was named the Iowa Library Association's "Member of the Year” at the organization’s statewide conference held in Dubuque, in recognition of her service to the association and for her work at the Decorah Library. She has been at the library for more than 25 years, starting at the circulation desk and working her way up to director.
OBITUARIES
Cheryll Braddock Brooks of Chicago, formerly of St. Paul, Minn., died Aug. 14, 2016, at age 68. A physics major at Luther, she is survived by her husband of 41 years, Gregory Brooks, Sr. ’68; three children, Andrea, Gregory, Jr., and Kimberly (Elliott) Jackson; two grandchildren; five siblings, Marie (Leroy), Junauld, Vianne (Fela), Lisa (Mike), and Tommie (Julie); and a host of friends. Cheryll was preceded in death by a granddaughter.
Edward “Ed” Dosh of Parsons, Kan., died Sept. 27, 2016, at age 67. Born in Redwing, Minn., he majored in history at Luther before attending graduate school at the University of Kansas, studying in Latin American history. In 1977 Ed earned a juris doctor degree from K.U., and he came to Parsons to work in the Labette County Attorney’s Office as assistant county attorney from 1977-79. Ed established a law practice in 1979 and continued to work there until his death. He served as the Chetopa city attorney since 1985. In his earlier years, Ed worked at Mickey’s Diners Inc. (1965-70) and Kansas Industries for the Blind in Topeka as a door-to-door salesman (1971-78). His legal associations include the Kansas Bar Association, Southeast Kansas Bar Association, Labette County Bar Association and American Bar Association, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, American Trial Lawyers Association, Kansas Trial Lawyers Association, and American Judiciary Society, and he was a founding member of Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Ed enjoyed his cats, driving Cadillacs, taking cruises, gardening, playing golf, and attending horse races. In his younger years he was an avid coin and butterfly collector and a violinist. A member of the Luther College and University of Kansas alumni associations, Ed established the Robert Davis Scholarship Fund at Luther College in memory of a favorite professor and friend. Always considered the “life of the party,” Ed was also a great storyteller. He is survived by his significant other and companion for more than 30 years, Helen Rice; two brothers, Curtis Dosh and Jeffrey Dosh (Rebecca); nephew and niece; grandniece and grandnephew; and longtime business associate and friend, Shane Adamson. Ed was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Lloyd Dosh; and good friend who was like a brother, Clint “Clinto” Jones. Memorials may be directed to Luther.
Vernon Huls of Chicago died July 21, 2016, at age 67. Born in Champaign, Ill., he graduated from Rantoul Township High School before enrolling at Luther, where he majored in accounting. Vernon earned a CPA and worked at various accounting firms in the Chicago area until retirement. He was also active in the LGBTQ community for many years, a longtime volunteer and leader of the IGLTF, which took on much of the civil rights work for the LGBTQ community in Springfield in the ’80s. Committed, soft-spoken, and intelligent, Vernon was one of the most reliable activists in Chicago and especially known for his thorough analyses of vote counts on LGBT bills. His efforts set the foundation from which human rights legislation eventually passed to protect the day-to-day lives within the LGBTQ community of those who had no voice. Vernon’s wishes were to be cremated and ashes scattered on the family farm, which took place Sept. 11, 2016, at the family farm near Gifford, Ill. Vernon is survived by his mother, Margie Huls; siblings, Velma, Vera, and Virgil; two nieces; nephew; grandniece; two grandnephews; great-grandniece; and two great-grandnephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Ernest J. Huls.
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WITH SINCERE GRATITUDE
This list includes all gifts received January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2016. 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.
Linda Aaker
Carin (Malmanger) Allhiser
Janis (Zube) Altorfer
Sharon (Zumdahl) Asp
Sally (Swab Austin)
Karen (Strum) Bear
Robert Bear
Donna (Schneider) Becker
Lynn (Tupy) Benson
Sandra (Sime) Bishop
Norris Blockhus
Rhonda (Rossler) Boettcher
Wilbert Bond
Virginia (Lindquist) Bosse
Paula (Spoerl) Bradway
Roger Campbell
Dennis Dabroski
Janet (Heist) Dale
John Diley
Mary (Lee) Dirksen
Craig Divine
Mark Donhowe
Vicki (Mohlis) Donhowe
Cheryl (Brinkman) Donlon
Susan (Gronbach) Easler
Wayne Eickhoff
Terryl (Bruins) Eikren
Kathie Elgar
Bruce Filippi
Richard Flater
Pamela (Andersen) Frame
Dianne (Rahn) Frantz
Bruce Garbisch
Dean Gesme
Charles Gipp
Paul Gustafson
Michael Haedike
John Halvorson
Diane (Amundson) Hamer
Bruce Hansen
Nancy (Bartle) Hanson
Rolf Hanson
William Hanson
Gregory Hart
Terri (Skoug) Heins
Carole (Vlahovich) Heisel
James Helgason
James Herman
Harry Hindson
Lynne Hirleman
Nancy (Johnson) Holden
Erik Holleque
Mary (Johnson) Holleque
Linda (Lembke) Houk
Gary Hunter
James Jaeger
Jon Jensen
Mary (Wilkens) Jensen
James Jespersen
Glen Johnson
Mary (Kabele) Juergens
David Klevan
Carolyn (Peterson) Kobler
William Kobler
Sharon (Anderson) Koenings
Linda (Anderson) Krambeer
Roger Krueger
Charles Lane
Christine (Lindgren) Lane
David Langhus
Kurt Leichtle
John Loken
Barbara Lueder
Lyle Luzum
Susan (Johnston) Luzum
Linda (Hermsen) Malone
John May
Polly (Blakely) May
Pamela (Espinosa) McFarland
Gary Melbostad
Pamela (Hagen) Melchert
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Marlene Michel
Michael Moen
Corinne (Anderson) Mueller
Diane (Lebakken) Nelson
Jan Nelson
Rodney Nelson
Mary (Ziemer) Nervig
Rolfe Nervig
Jarvis Okkelberg
Judith (Johnson) Olsen
John Onkka
Paula (Berg) Owen
Bruce Pankratz
Gloria Peck
Richard Perry
Katherine (Olson) Potter
Luanne (Haag) Prestegaard
Gary Rathbun
Sarah (Long) Rheinschmidt
Donald Roalkvam
Janell Rosenberg
Lynn (Sunstrom) Schall
Linda (Mathieu) Schmidt
Shirley (Ellingson) Schroeder
Sara (Gunther) Sersland
Mark Smeby
David Snow
Aaron Stegeman
David Stenson
Bette Jo (Grinde) Stern
Sue Stoddard
Sarah Strandjord
Barbara (Williams) Strinmoen
Keith Strinmoen
Louise (Spielman) Stromberg
Marcia (Wagner) Sundet
Kurt Svidal
Richard Tenneson
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Karolyn Torgerson
Terry Trimpe
Martha (Packer) Truemper
Lynette (Ellingson) Usgaard
Gale Von Behren
John Wahlquist
Solveig (Johnson) Walstrom
Philip Wangberg
Cheryl (Evansen) White
James Whittington
Stephen Wisness
Michael Wold
Norman Zellers
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].