WSC | Alumni | Notes | Spring 2011

Kermit Ambrose of Royal Oak, Mich., celebrated his 100th birthday Jan. 6, 2010. He retired in 1976 after a long career of track and cross country coaching in the Birmingham Seaholm School District.

1941

Archie McPherran and his wife, Peg, reside in Sacramento, Calif. Archie served with the US Navy during World War II and was honored in February by the Department of National Defense, Office of Veteran Affairs, Washington, D.C., with the Asia Pacific Campaign Medal, Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Badge, World War II Victory Medal and the Philippine Liberation Medal “for acts and services of exceptional gallantry and heroism rendered to the Philippines and its people during World War II.”

1942

Ward Reynoldson was honored in May in celebration of his 90th birthday. Ward is a retired chief justice of the Iowa Supreme Court. Ward and his wife, Pat, reside in Des Moines, Iowa.

1951

Jannene (Griffith) and Don Reed reside in Sierra Madre, Calif. Jan was honored by the community as one of six citizens who has "exemplified the kind of volunteer spirit and commitment that makes this town what it is today" during the Wistaria Festival. Jan served the town as publisher and editor of the Sierra Madre News for 14 years. She is involved with the Sierra Madre Community Foundation, the Friends of the Library, the Civic Club and the Woman's Club. She was the first woman to be invited to join Sierra Madre Kiwanis Club, and was a very active member of the Sierra Madre's Centennial committee. Jan was bestowed with the honor of Citizen of the Year in 1994 and continues to contribute to the well-being of Sierra Madre.

1969

John Martens has accepted the position of senior project manager for Allscripts. Allscripts provides ambulatory, acute care hospital, physician clinic, home care, and health center solutions. He will manage projects for health care organizations based in Quincy, Ill., and Bronx, N.Y., working from his home in Plano, Texas.

1973

Jack Hobbie and his wife, Peggy, reside in Nebraska City where he is owner and president of Professional Mortgage Services. His company, founded in 1989, serves Nebraska and Iowa. He has dedicated his entire career to helping homeowners and homebuyers finance their homes. Jack has served as mayor of Nebraska City since 2008. Jack was honored with the “Lender of the Year” award in 2010 by the Nebraska Mortage Association.

1973

John Schneider is a professor of business at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Mich. He published a new book on Christianity and wealth, called “The Good of Affluence: Seeking God in a Culture of Wealth.” John hopes his book will get people thinking theologically and in fresh terms about affluence. John and his wife, Winona (Peterson’73) reside in Wayland, Mich.

1981

Karen Jonas has joined the firm of WhippleWood CPAs, Littleton, Colo., as a director. WhippleWood provides accounting, tax, and business consulting services to a wide range of business and individual clients throughout the United States and abroad.

1982

Kevin Betz joined the securities and financial consulting firm of SFC Associates, New York, N.Y. Kevin has more than 20 years of business development experience, assisting corporate, legal, banking and governmental clients with complex accounting, valuation, tax and financial issues. He earned his MBA from the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business, Babson College, Massachusetts.

1994

Susan (Nuernberger) Salmon completed her Senior Professional in Human Resources Certification. Susan is the Human Resources Supervisor at Michael Foods, Wakefield.

1998

Maria (Eaton) Michaelis and her husband, Mark, announce the birth of Leyton Paige on Jan. 17. Leyton joins sisters Lexi (7) and Laini (3) in their home in Omaha. Maria is serving her fifth year as a physician anesthesiologist and an assistant professor with the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

1998

Brian Litchfield (MBA’01) and his wife, Aarica, reside in Carrboro, N.C., along with their son, Tennyson Lonnie (1). Brian serves as the assistant director of the transit department for Chapel Hill. Mass Transit, the magazine dedicated to public transportation, announced their second annual Mass Transit Top 40 Under 40 List and Brian was included in this exclusive list of professionals. The magazine serves more than 21,000 readers associated with the public transportation industry. Honorees were nominated by their peers prior to being judged.

2000

Brandon and Mollie (Marotz) Trease and their son Ayden Davis (born Nov. 12) have moved from Broken Arrow, Okla., to Bloomington, Ill.

2002

William “Billy” Folkerts and his wife, Megan, reside in Northwood, Iowa, with their daughters, Addison Grace (2) and Evelyn Marie (born Aug. 25). Billy is the grain marketing relationship manager at Viafield in Carpenter, Iowa.

2003

Jeremy Tosaya (MSE ’05) serves as the head men’s soccer coach at Dakota Wesleyan Unviersity, Mitchell, S.D. He successfully led his team to their first Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament appearance in program history. This year’s team finished with the second most wins in the DWU program history. Jeremy and his wife, Ashley, reside in Mitchell, S.D.

2005

Drew Caskey earned a master of arts degree from Western Kentucky University in August 2008. He was named director of ticket operations at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in October 2010 after spending the last two years as assistant ticket manager at Rice University, Houston.

2005

Nicole (Jurgensen) Dobbins and her husband, Luke, reside in Howells with their children, Landon (5), Hudson (2) and Addalyn (9 months). Nicole is employed by Howells Public School as a kindergarten teacher.

2006

Tim Doggett and Katie Burns (’08) were united in marriage in October. Katie received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Buena Vista University in February. The couple resides in LeMars, Iowa.

2007

Megan Barry and James Henneberg were united in marriage Dec. 11 in Clarksville, Tenn. Megan is employed by the State of Tennessee as the child protective services assessor. The couple resides in Clarksville.

2007

Michael and Kelli (Chocholousek) Jacobsen announce the birth of son, Samuel Otto, on Jan. 6. He is welcomed to their home in Salt Lake City, Utah, by sister Lilly.

2007

Tanna Walford and Matthias Albin were united in marriage June 19. The couple resides in Omaha while Tanna continues her education at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

2008

Kesha Kracl and her husband, Darek Schuller, reside in Columbus with their son, Ayden Wayne (1 ½). Kesha is employed by the State of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services as a child and family services specialist.

Reunions and Gatherings

2011

Tucson, AZ | Reunion

Wayne State College alumni and friends held a reunion Jan. 15 at the Metropolitan Grill in Tucson, Ariz.

Attendees included (kneeling): Dianne Frye, Lorna (Sexton) Parsley ’73, Deb Lundahl, director of development and alumni relations. Seated: Marge (Stewart) Holland ’82, MAE ’84, Wilma Kingston, Arlene (Nelson) Jones ’47, Darlene (Dietze) Hansen ’55. Standing: Phyllis Conner, vice president for development, Bill Holland, Fred Kjer ’59, BAE ’60, Buford Jones ’51, MSE ’58, Jim Kingston ’42, Lucy (Moseley) Kuhlman ’43, Mike Hansen ’57, Virginia Horak, Curt Frye, interim WSC President, Carole (Tuttle) Petersen ’54, Willis Horak ’67, and Dwain Petersen ’55.

2011

Sun City, AZ | Reunion

Wayne State College alumni and friends gathered Jan. 16 at the Palmbrook Country Club in Sun City, Ariz.

Those in attendance included Marilyn ’59 (Throckmorton) and Edwin Anson, Cathy ’74 (Trendle) and Jack Baldwin, Ed ’65 and Ruth Barnat, Betty Budler, Patrick Bush ’06, Bob and Marilyn Carhart, Matthew Carney ’78, Larry ’66 and Gayle ’67 (Griepentrog) Conger, Phyllis Conner, vice president for development, Curt Frye, interim WSC President and his wife, Diane, Beth ’71, MSE ’83 (Galloway) and Morris Leamer, Deb Lundahl, director of development and alumni relations, Tom Marsicek ’70, George ’56 and Susan ’55 (Reeh) Menking, Phil ’65 and Ellen ’65 (Herril) Nelson, Dave Noyes ’70, MSE ’76, Ferne Obye, Barry Phelps ’70, Don ’56 and Ginger Robson, Bill ’98 and Debbie Tallon.

2011

Durham, N.C. | Reunion

Wayne State College alumni and friends met at the home of Terri Monk on Feb. 11 in Durham, N.C.

Attendees (back): Terri (Luedtke) Monk ’73, Kathryn Hepburn Lyons, Aarica Litchfield, Dawn (Warren) Carsey ’88. Front: Clyde Stuhr ’88, Dianne Frye, Curt Frye, interim WSC President, Tom Carsey ’89, MAE ’90, Marilyn Collings, Brian Litchfield ’98, MBA ’01, Deb Lundahl, director of development and alumni relations, Craig Weldon, and former WSC President Richard Collings.

2011

Northern California | Reunion

Wayne State College alumni and friends gathered for a reunion March 19 at the home of Mac and Yvonne McManigal in Northern California.

Attendees, left to right: Phyllis Conner, vice president for development, Morland “Mac” ’52 and Yvonne McManigal, Curt Frye, interim WSC President, Clara Ann (Peterson) Tennis ’39, Nic Windeshausen, Dianne Frye, Janis ’54 (Nelson) and Robert Wicks, Susan Baranowski, Joe Shinstock ’96, and Dale Riehart ’77.