Alumni
Class Notes
Marriages
1990s
Keith Bertrand ’96 \married Karin Moszur on June 5, 2010. The wedding party included Amber Hedrick ’98, David Meseth ’98, John Giovanonni ’01, Cliff Phillips ’97, Daryl Beese ’99, and Jennifer Meseth ’96. The Elmhurst College Jazz Band performed at the reception.
2000s
Gina M. Kaktis ’00 married Daniel Kaktis on June 18, 2010 at St. Gerald's Church in Oak Lawn to Daniel Kaktis. Christina Rizzo, class of 2001 was a bridesmaid.
Patricia (McBriarty) Dresen ’03 married Michael Dresen on April 18th, 2009. The couple are now residing in Racine, WI. The wedding party consisted of three Elmhurst College Alumni; Connie Bova ’01, Heather (Buechs) Knouff ’02, and Jennifer (Montiel) Decore '03. Mike Pinto ’06 arranged the music and played at the ceremony.
Maritza Sepulveda ’06 married her college sweetheart, Brian Loscheider ’04, on May 17, 2009. The couple happily resides in Naperville.
Annie (Matich) Horn ’07 and Dave Horn ’07 were married on August 9, 2008 at Meadows Baptist Church in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Elmhurst alumni in attendance were Nicole (Marski) Cox ’07, William Cox ’07, Vito Dastice ’08, Karie (Mather) Friedman ’06 and Tom Ryan ’06.
Leland (Lucky) Wagner ’07 married Hannah Leigh ’10 on July 30 2010. The wedding took place on campus in Memorial Chapel with family and friends present.
Cami (Kreft) Rodriguez ’08, graduate of the Masters Industrial/Organizational Psychology Program, married Phillip Rodriquez on July 10, 2010 in Glenview. The couple met during their undergraduate studies at Illinois State University.
Steven Langworthy ’10 and Emily Kneip ’10 on August 14, 2010. The wedding took place in West Dundee and included several alumni from the College. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Dr. Ronald Beauchamp.
Births
1990s
Sandy (Escarpita) Romo ’96 and her husband, Dr. Genaro Romo welcomed their third child, Evan, on October 25, 2008. Evan joins sister Alyssa (4) and brother Nicholas (2).
Proud parents Kevin ’97 and Jennifer (Hoban) Johnson ’98 welcomed their first child, Jacob Jett Johnson, in November 2008. The couple teaches Physical Education at Lake Park High School in Roselle.
John Ruby ’98 and his wife Amy (Wendt) Ruby ’00 added a little girl to the family on July 30, 2008. Finley Katherine Bernice Ruby was welcomed by big brothers, Rykley and Schaler.
Erin (Castronova) Cole ’99 and her husband Michael welcomed a baby boy, Brennan Michael, on November 23rd 2009.
Christa (Peterson) Raska ’99 and husband Ryan Raska '05 welcomed Lauren Christine on March 18th, 2010 at 3:41 pm. She weighs 7 lbs and 6 oz and is 19.5 inches long.
Erin (Castronova) Cole ’99 and her husband, Michael, welcomed a baby boy, Brennan Michael, on November 23, 2009.
2000s
Mark Roberts ’02 and Michelle Applebee, Associate Professor in Chemistry, gave birth to their daughter, Emma Joan Roberts. Emma was born on March 14th, 2010 and weighted 7 lbs and 7 oz.
Hana (Svobodova) ’02 and Martin Najzr ’02 welcomed Daniel Najzr on August 3, 2010.
Sara (Kiefer) ’04 and Ryan Clarin ’05 announce the birth of their first child, Molly Jean Clarin, on Saturday August 28, 2010.
Proud parents Joseph Pontrelli ’04 and Jenelle (Schoenherr) Pontrelli ’03 welcomed their first child, a daughter, Antonella Renee on January 19, 2009. Godparents are EC alumni Carla Schoenherr ‘06 and David Wischmeyer ‘03.
Brandi (Blume) Warnock ’04 and her husband, Matt, welcomed a baby girl, Ava Sophia, into their family on October 8th, 2009. Ava was born four days before big brother Logan’s 3rd birthday.
Kay (Boston) Knutson ’04 was married in 2007 and has a new baby on the way. Kay was due in April 2009.
Jennifer (Moninger) ’05 and Tom DuFore ’04 welcomed a baby girl, Macy Ann DuFore, into their family on June 16, 2010.
Susan Locke ’05 and husband Brooks Locke announce the birth of the Erin Meredith Locke on July 2, 2010 at 5:03 P.M. She weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz. and measured 20 inches long.
General Notes
1930s
Betty (Roefer) Haude ’36 writes “I enjoyed the photo of students on the steps of Irion Hall [featured in Spring 2009 Vol. 1, No. 1 FYI, pg. 12]. My husband (William) Bill Haude ’34 was in that class-the first to admit women.”
Carol M. (Long) Weise ’39 celebrated her 90th birthday on July 14, 2008. Mrs. Weise remains an active member of the Elmhurst Alumni community.
1940s
Paul and Doris (Schoening) Krebill ’49 celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on August 19, 2010 in Bozeman, Montana. They have been blessed with three children and four grandchildren.
1950s
An Elmhurst mini-reunion took place in Montreat, North Carolina, last October, when Ralph Abele ’54 and Mary E. Pflug Abele ’60 of Concord, New Hampshire, caught up with Lynnea (Almquist) ‘58 and Donald Mayer '55, of Bainbridge Island, Washington, and Richard Ellerbrake ’55 and his wife, Johann, from Lebanon, Illinois. “Dr. Ellerbrake was CEO of Deaconess Hospital in St. Louis, where we all lived while we were raising our children in the 1960s,” Mary told FYI recently. “After retiring as a United Church of Christ minister, Ralph is now a spiritual care volunteer for the Concord Visiting Nurse Association Hospice program, where he was awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award in September. I retired from teaching at Boston University in 2001 and have worked as a communication specialist for those with neurological differences, such as Asperger’s syndrome.”
An Elmhurst native and alumnus, James (Jim) Hudson ’55 writes that he and his wife are retired and living in ‘God’s Country’ in Southwest Wisconsin. An unexpected stop in Richland Center, Wisconsin, in 1964 resulted in Jim buying a 320 acre dairy farm and starting a career in hospital administration. “We learned how to operate our own dairy farm, with the help of our neighbors, where our son and daughter grew up knowing a care-free and responsible life, working with the family farm. The children completed their college and university training in the UW systems and are now raising their families in Wisconsin and North Carolina.”
Ray Hernandez ’57 writes that he and his wife, Fern, took part in a mini Elmhurst College reunion on May 28, 2009 in Wisconsin Dells. The event was held at the time share of Bob ’56 and Delores (Bergdolt) ’59 Hedeman. Other alumni in attendance were Alan ’59 and Carol (Kosanke) Hedeman ’59, Jon ’59 and Rheda(Warming) Schultz ’58 , Larry ’60 and Marliane Becker. The party moved to the Moose Jaw Restaurant and celebrated the upcoming gold wedding anniversaries of Jon and Rheda and Al and Carol. Bob and Delores celebrated their 50 years together in 2008, while the Beckers and Hernandezes will have theirs in August 2012. Ray writes, “EC folk of the 50s were lovingly remembered and a good time was had by all.
Andrew McKillop ’59 was awarded a Caring for Seniors Award from the Florida Health Care Association (FHCA). The award recognizes a long-time FHCA member who has an outstanding commitment to quality care, as well as an understanding of the importance of promoting quality initiatives among the long term care community. Andrew has been involved with FHCA for almost 50 years. As an administrator, he is best known for walking the halls of his facility to engage his residents, their family members, and his staff each day.
1960s
Eva (Augustin) Rumpf ’61 published a memoir about growing up in New Orleans, Reclamation: Memories from a New Orleans Girlhood, available at www.booklocker.com. Her autobiography is set in the 1940’s and 50’s and chronicles the joys and struggles of an adolescence spent in the lower-middle class. Eva shares her pains and joys of growing up in “the big easy”.
Ron Koeppl ’61 recently celebrated 50 years of teaching theatre at St. Charles East High School. Former students came together to honor Ron with a program of skits he directed over the years. After the program there was a short reception held to honor Ron and his career.
Dorothy ‘Dot’ (Bratton) Busby ’62 spent 10 years with the Regional Hospice in Ashland, Wisconsin, while her husband Ken Busby ’66 recently received the 10-year award as an EMT for Webb Lake/North Memorial Ambulance service near Minneapolis.
Rev. Dr. Paul Westermeyer ’62 received the 2009 Metro Lutheran Gold Pen Award in honor of his distinguished service to Christ and church through church music. The award was presented at a dinner on October 4, 2009, at Roseville Lutheran Church in Roseville, Minnesota, where Paul lives with his wife, Sally. Paul is a professor of church music and cantor at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he oversaw the implementation of a new graduate program in sacred music. Before joining Luther Seminary in 1990, Paul served on the Elmhurst College faculty as professor of music, chair of the music department, director of the choir and oratorio chorus, and organist.
Several women from the class of 1963 celebrated 50 years of friendship, meeting in the French Quarter of New Orleans in April of 2009. Carol (Hostettler) Creech ’63, Jane (Radspieler) Batte ’63, Ellen (Rasche) Pecoul ’63 and Joann (Schneider) Oh ’63 met in South Hall their freshman year (1959) and graduated in 1963, each going their separate ways. The group always kept in touch via letters, Christmas cards and email, and reunited at campus events like Homecoming. They have eight children and five grandchildren between them and love to share their memories of college life and marriages to Elmhurst men (William Batte ’63, John Pecoul ’61 and Han Soo Oh ’62). Jane Batte writes “We all are very thankful for our Elmhurst College experience!”
The prestigious COMISS Medal was awarded to William A. Nelson ’68, MDiv, PhD, by Dartmouth Medical School in recognition of his “outstanding contributions to the scholarship, teaching and advocacy for the importance of health care ethics in the Department of Veterans Affairs.” Dr. Nelson received the award at the organization’s annual forum held on January 4, 2009 in Alexandria, Virginia. The organization’s highest honor, the COMISS Medal has only been awarded five times since its inception in 1988. Currently, Dr. Nelson is an associate professor of Community and Family Medicine and Psychiatry at Dartmouth Medical School. He has dedicated his career to developing organizational ethics programs that manage ethical challenges, subsequently enhancing the quality of health care.
Larry Krengel ’69 is now retired from 33 years of teaching at York High School and currently teaching part-time at Elgin Community College.
1970s
Terri Hemmert ’70 was voted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. Among other virtues, she was cited for her encyclopedic knowledge of music, her passion for the Beatles, and her commitment to the community. She’ll be officially inducted in November 2010.
Elizabeth “Betty” Pearson ’70 is a 70-year Elmhurst resident who taught both second and third grade at Salt Creek School in Elmhurst. Betty has authored two books of Christian poetry, Points to Ponder and Kids Can Know, both of which are on the College and Elmhurst Library bookshelves. She is working on her third book now, and also writes frequent “Letters to the Editor” in the Daily Herald and other local newspapers.
Joni Davenport ’72 retired three years ago from the Chicago Public School system, where she worked as both a teacher and a principal. Joni served for 34 years in 12 different elementary schools of Chicago.
Tom Ebsen ’72 was named Oak Park’s newest fire chief—the 11th fire chief in the department’s 109-year history—in May 2010.
Rev. Bill Hoglund ’74 writes that he and his wife Rev. Laura (Sova) Hoglund ’74 hosted a “little unofficial gathering of ‘Met and Marrieds’ who (aside from the Hoglunds) never made it to the Met & Married event last spring at Elmhurst.” The gathering was on April 26 at the Hoglund’s residence in Downers Grove. The special group included: Deb (Sodaro) Freerksen ’74, Rev. Bob ’73 and Peggy (Laitas) Hatfield ’74, Stan ’74 and Verna (VanCamp) Sharas ’74 and Rev. John ‘73 and Cyndi (Cordes) Helt ’74.
Gordon Leeks ’75 recently passed the PMP (Project Management Professional) exam. The PMP® credential recognized demonstrated knowledge and skill in leading and directing project teams and in delivering project results within the constraints of schedule, budget and resources. Gordon is a Project Manager at Health and Human Services Commission in the Austin, Texas area.
Kim (DeBruine) Tsuda ’79 wrote to FYI with news of an “EC girls reunion in Key West.” Besides Kim, the group included Annie (Christou) Cussick ’78, Mary (Konrad) Feller ’79, Paula (Sutton) Heaton ‘79, Pat (Shoults) Polsley ’79, Bertha Shock ’79, Sue (Calcagno) Skora ’79, Renata Spadafora ’79. The ladies will celebrate their 30-year graduation anniversary this year and hope to reunite in Elmhurst. Kim continues “we hadn’t all kept in very good contact, but Renata called Paula while on business in Texas last year. They got together and talked about the old days. Then they decided we should all get together, so they are the ones that came up with the idea and planned it.”
1980s
Terry Clarke ’80 is in his 29th year as a teacher at York High School in Elmhurst. The current Department Chair of Health, Physical Education and Driver’s Education, Terry has also been coaching football and wrestling for the last 29 years, serving as the head wrestling coach since 1990. He is married to the former Joanne Ozello ’82
Albert (Al) Biancalana ’82 recently accepted a top assistant coach position at the University of Illinois Chicago. Biancalana will be leaving York High School in Elmhurst, where he coached men’s varsity basketball since the 2005-2006 season.
Appointed by the Arizona Supreme Court as Presiding Judge of Pinal County, Judge Robert Carter Olson ’83 is now the chief judicial officer in Pinal County, Arizona.
Nancy Neil ’84 has served as the Director on the Board of Directors of the Chicagoland USBC Association (the governing body for bowling in the Chicago area) since 2000. In October 2007, Nancy was inducted into the Chicagoland USBC Association Hall of Fame for meritorious service to the association and the bowlers. In September 2008, Nancy was elected as the General Chairman of the Intersuburban Golf League, a 32-team ladies traveling league with teams in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will counties in Illinois.
Linda (Ryan) Cox '85 completed the Chicago Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure 60 mile endurance event, Aug 6-8, 2010 with the team Jan's Bosom Buddies from Johnson City, TN where she now lives. The team raised $17,800 to fund Susan G. Komen's breast cancer education, diagnosis/treatment and research programs.
Jeffrey Hawkins ’85 serves as the Executive Director of the Christian Security Network, a national organization that provides security planning for Christian churches, ministries, schools and missionaries. A frequent speaker and media authority on the topic of security, Jeffrey was featured in a January 12, 2009 article on christiannewswire.com. He also authored the book “Introduction to Security and Emergency Planning for Faith-based Organizations”.
Guy Maniscalo ’87, the owner of CARSTAR Elmhurst, helped set a new Guinness World Record for the world's largest car wash. CARSTAR Elmhurst joined with more than 150 other participating CARSTAR stores to wash more than 4,000 cars during an eight-hour period on June 20, 2009. The event, dubbed Soaps It Up!, raised funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Make-a-Wish Foundation®, and the Ray Graham Association.
Lynda Nadkarni '87 of LaGrange Park was the 2010 recipient of the Speciale Award. This award is given by Pillars to a community member who has contributed significantly to the organization and community at large through their volunteer efforts. Lynda is a former Pillars board member, chaired their resource development committee and Pillars Ball; serves as vice-chair of the CEP Youth Leadership board and chair of their resource development committee; and is a member of the Kiwanis Club of LaGrange, coordinating their service projects and advising the Builders Club. Her volunteer work is also being recognized by LaGrange Patch (AOL's on-line community newspaper) where she will be the inaugural Volunteer of the Month.
Kathleen (Toole) Bruno ’88, RN, BSN, CMSRN, was recently granted Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse status by the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses. Currently, Bruno is the assistant manager of general surgery at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, Illinois. According to the Medical Surgical Nursing Certification Board, facilities that have certified nurses on staff have shown that quality of care is optimized, meaning increased safety and improved outcomes. Bruno holds a bachelor of science in nursing from Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Ill. She and her husband, Al, have three children.
Linda Kulawiak-Pawlicki ’88 was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for Keewin Winter Park Owners Association in Winter Park, Florida
Rodney Stewart ’89 was promoted as the Director of Operations in the Psychiatry/Ophthalmics division of Pfizer Inc. Formerly, Rodney worked for Pratt Pharmaceuticals in Oak Park.
1990s
Matthew Whiteford ’90 is currently the pit master for the Abbey Resort in Lake Geneva and owner of Whiteford’s Gourmet Foods Inc. in Wheaton. In 2009, Whiteford placed 38th in the world in the American Royal World Championships.
John Newton ’91 was hired as the new College Director of Human Resources in August of 2010. John is a graduate of Elmhurst College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and was awarded the SPHR certificate from the Human Resource Certification Institute. He is also a member of the Society for Human Resources Management. For the past five years he has taught Human Resource certification courses at DePaul University and Northern Illinois University. His professional experience includes leadership positions in Human Resources with social service organizations and health education for the DuPage County Health Department in addition to running a private consulting business providing an array of Human Resource support.
Paula Renee (Akouris) Burzawa ’92 published her debut novel, entitled, Seasons of Sun. Released in September of 2010, Seasons of Sun has earned the author an Editor’s Choice award as well as a Rising Star award. Paula begins her book tour with many speaking engagements and signings throughout the Chicago land area and the East Coast. Based on her own travels, Seasons of Sun is a coming-of-age tale about an American teenager who visits a village outside Sparta, Greece, discovering love and family ancestry, while unexpectedly witnessing a miracle brought about by mountainous wildfires.
David Watkins ’93, open heart surgery survivor and founder of Ironheart Racing Team, recently competed in the Ironman Florida with six other Ironheart participants. In 2010, Ironheart members raced in over 80 events and David plans for that number to increase in 2011 with plans to host their own “Ironheart Classic” event near Seattle in spring. "We’ve created a team that will not only raise awareness for certain congenital heart charitable organizations, but hope to provide inspiration as well.” With over 1.8 million people affected with a congenital heart defects, Dave hopes to have Ironheart Racing be a platform to show these patients and their families that there is life after surgery and to never underestimate the power of the heart.
Laura (Duffy) Petrando ’93, RN, BSN, CPON was recently granted Certified Pediatric Oncology Nurse (CPON) standing by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation. The CPON certification focuses on pediatric oncology care. Laura works in the Pediatric Outpatient Center at Central DuPage Hospital (CDH) in Winfield. She and her husband, Dan, have three sons. Laura is active in her church and her children’s school and sports teams. An active volunteer with the Northern Illinois Food Bank, Laura also coordinates the family oncology support group, the TLC Camp and the Pediatric Oncology Christmas party at CDH.
Eric Fuglsang ’94, an Illinois-based attorney at Quarles & Brady LLP, was selected by Illinois Super Lawyers® magazine as a 2010 Rising Star. Eric works at the firm’s Chicago office and was selected to the 2010 “Wisconsin Super Lawyer – Rising Star” list. He specialized in Real Estate law. Eric and his wife, Lonnie, live in Elmhurst.
Jazz songstress Typhanie Monique Coller ’95 released her newest CD, Yuletide Groove (Tyme Records). She performed the songs of the holiday season at several shows throughout Chicago in December 2008. Typhanie’s recent record was covered in the Chicago Tribune by Howard Reich, a critic. Reich referred to Typhanie as “one of the city’s most promising vocalists”, stating that “her instrument is a bit throatier, her scat singing more polished, her ballad work more simple and direct…” than her last album. A newlywed, Typhanie married Josh Richter in June, who recorded, mixed and co-produced Yuletide Groove.
Philip Murray ’95 was named interim principal for the Hunt Club Elementary School in July, 2010. Philip was appointed to the position by school district board members. Philip was a middle school math teacher before entering into administration.
Antonie (Tony) Harvey ’98 proposed to Rabia Khan ’98 on New Year’s Day. The couple is engaged and will be married later this year. Rabia is currently the Assistant Director for Staff & Programs in the Department of Residence Life at Loyola University Chicago.
Mike Pagliaro ’98 was hired as the new head football coach at Wickenburg High School in Wickenburg, Arizona, located about an hour northwest of Phoenix. Working in administration in the Waukegan, Illinois. school district for the last year, Mike has more than five years of high school head football coaching experience in the Chicago area. He served as the junior varsity head football coach at his alma mater, Ridgewood High School from 1996-2000, before sharing head varsity coaching duties with his brother Tom for three years. Along with his heat coaching responsibilities, Mike will also be teaching English.
2000s
Featured in the Chicago Tribune’s February series profiling African-Americans who are shaping Chicago, Noah Cannon ’00 serves as a history teacher and head boys basketball coach at Leo High School. In 2003-04, his first season as head varsity coach, Noah led his team to the Class A state title. Demanding responsibility towards the game and schoolwork from the kids, all of whom are African-American and from some of the toughest South Side neighborhoods, Noah directs with a “team-first” approach. Leo High School is poised to make a run at the 3A state title this season, as well as the Catholic League North title.
In February, Vince Rociola ’00 was named the WGN Teacher and Coach of the month. Vince is currently the head football and track coach at Prosser High School in Chicago.
Heather Madden ’01 won the Kohl McCormick Early Childhood Teaching Award. Winners of the Kohl McCormick Early Childhood Teaching Award “exemplify the best practices of quality early childhood teaching: dedication, innovation, leadership, respect for children and their families, and commitment to professional growth,” according to the Dolores Kohl Education Foundation and the McCormick Foundation, which formed the partnership that presents the award She will be introduced into the Kohl McCormick Academy of Outstanding Educators at a luncheon on Tuesday, June 8, 2010.
Michael Giannetti ’02 was recently named the Associate Vice President of Human Capital Management at the TriZetto Group. TriZetto is a healthcare technology company offering software and service that touch nearly half of the insured population in the U.S.
Continuing to make a name for himself in the Florida high school football coaching ranks, Pete Fominaya ’04 was recently named the new coach at Lehigh Senior High School in Lehigh Acres, Florida. Pete will take over coaching duties for the 2009 season. A Florida native, Pete was the defensive line coach and college recruiting coordinator at Naples High from 2005-2008. He’s had plenty of recent success, as the former Elmhurst defensive lineman was a guest lecturer at the Nike Coach of the Year clinic. Additionally, Pete’s team competed for the Florida state football title in 2008.
James Kryshak ’06 is on the fast track to stardom after a recent audition at the New York Metropolitan Opera. In January, the high-lyric tenor was selected as one of two singers from the Upper Midwest to move on to the semifinals of the Met’s National Council auditions. While at Elmhurst, James spent his junior year studying abroad in Vienna, Austria. It was there that he was urged to pursue his dreams of singing professionally. James earned a master of music degree in opera performance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the spring of 2009.
David Silva ’07 was voted as a 2009 inductee of the Dundee-Crown High School Athletic Hall of Fame on Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Silva will be honored during the school’s Hall of Fame weekend in September. David was an ’02 D-C graduate and still holds the wrestling program’s career record for wins. He won four straight conference titles and was a three-time regional champion and state qualifier. David placed sixth at State in 2002 and then went on to become a Division III all-American at Elmhurst.
Jaclyn Sorci ’07 produced and co-wrote a sketch comedy show with The Second City Training Center in July of 2010. The show was titled “Pop Vulture” and ran for four weeks. Jaclyn also co-wrote another successful sketch comedy show at Gorilla Tango Theater in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood called “Solo In Sanity,” which ran for four weeks in September.
Kyle Bjerga '08 and his wife Jackie departed the U.S. in July 2009, heading to Bogota Columbia to teach in a missions school for the year. Kyle taught at Wheaton-Warrenville South high school last year, where he coached golf and was the pitching coach for baseball. The couple is teaching at El Camino Academy, a school with 380 students, 30% of which are the children of missionaries. Kyle and Jackie are detailing their trip here.
Melissa Gosche ’08 was honored by Illinois Computing Educators as its 2009 Educator of the Year. A third-grade teacher at Kennedy Elementary School in Schiller Park, Illinois, she actively creates engaging projects that connect curriculum and technology. Gosche’s teaching arsenal includes animations that exhibit the digestion of food, podcasts that explain weekly classroom happening and digital stories for personal narratives in writer’s workshop.
Susanne Russell ’09 graduated from the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) program in July of 2010. Russell and her team of about 10 other members completed a series of six-to eight-week-long projects in different communities across the country. NCCC projects support disaster relief, the environment, energy conservation, infrastructure improvement, and urban and rural development. The graduating class responded to 11 disaster callouts nationwide this year in partnership with the American Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the United States Forest Service. AmeriCorps NCCC certifies 100 percent of its members in disaster relief, and has responded to every national disaster since the program began in 1994.
Samantha Burmeister ’10 was recently named softball coach and sports information director at MacMurray College. As a coach, Burmeister will be responsible for on-field coaching and recruiting of the softball team. As sports information director, she will supervise the collection of student statistics, assist with website updates and provide the public with game recaps and information about MacMurray athletics.
1930s
Martin Munz ’31 on March 6th, 2010. A beloved principal and community volunteer, died Saturday in Redlands California. He was 101.
Calvin Cunningham ’38 on June 21, 2010.
Rev. George W. Knapp ’38 of La Grange Park, on June 28, 2009. After graduating from Elmhurst with a degree in economics, George attended Eden Seminary in Missouri. He married his wife of 68 years, Virginia, in 1940.
Ruth M. (Schmidt) Hose ’38 of Indianapolis, Indiana, formerly of Jacksonville, Florida, on May 4, 2009. Ruth’s class at Elmhurst was just the second to admit women. She moved in Kansas in 1946 where she worked as a home economics teacher and later became director of the school lunch program at Prairie Village Elementary School.
Dorothy (Kross) Plassman ’39 on February, 13, 2009.
1940s
Janice (Pulse) Schierhorn ’41 of Kent, Ohio, on September 6, 2010.
Dorothy M. (Hayes) Koch ’42 of Aurora, on January 6, 2009. She was born August 20, 1920 in Elmhurst. A loving mother, Dorothy is survived by her children, Kim Keierleber and Bill, Jr.; grandchildren Ben Peterson, Chris Peterson and Kelsea and Fisher Koch.
Merlin Deppert ’42 of Perkin, on Wednesday, July 7, 2010.
Janet (Glidden) Wernecke ’44 of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on October 19, 2008. Before her passing, Janet taught elementary school for 25 years.
Catherine (Martin) Villwock ’45 of South Bend, Indiana on May 13, 2009. Catherine lived long enough to celebrate her 87th birthday and the birth of her first great-grandchild, a little girl.
Virginia (Rodgers) McClimans ’46 of Walnut Creek, Virginia, on November 25, 2008. A native of Dayton, Ohio, she lived in Walnut Creek for 10 years and was a former resident of Chula Vista, Calif. and Springfield, VA. Virginia was an English teacher at Oakton High School.
Ida L. Orosz ’48 of Kalamazoo, Michigan on May 7, 2005.
Paul H. Dunteman Sr. ’49 of Phoenix, Arizona, on January 12, 2009. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Virginia, whom he married on July 29, 1950 and his brother Howard.
Clinton S. Hagemann ’49 on February 6, 1998.
1950s
Robert Wordel ’50 of Cedar Falls, Iowa on December 20, 2008.
William Cotsakis ’52 of Palatine, on April 10, 2008. William was a WWII veteran and also served as the Palatine Presbyterian Church choir director for many years.
Billy Reeves ’52 of Las Cruces, New Mexico, on July 23, 2010.
Charles Dillner ’53 of Maywood, on July 22, 2009
Diana Joan (Phillips) Firchau ’54 of Glen Ellyn, on April 10, 2009. After graduating from Elmhurst, Diana attended St. Lukes School of Nursing in Chicago. Early in her nursing career, she worked at Elmhurst Hospital. Diana later worked for over 25 years in the newborn nursery at Central DuPage Hospital, where she cared for thousands of mothers and their new babies.
Ellis Jonswold ’54 of Omaha, Nebraska on December 19, 2009. Ellis is survived by his wife, fellow EC alumna, Lois (Thompson) ’55; daughters, Lisa Matthiessen and Janet Taylor; sons, David and Paul; eight granddaughters and one grandson.
Alan S. McComb ’54 of Plainfield, longtime resident of Villa Park, on June 10, 2008.
Charles O. Burchardt '55 passed away on October 3, 2010. Graduated with B.D. from Eden Theological Seminary in 1960, received a Master of Divinity in 1967 at Eden Theological Seminary. He served churches in Kansas, Taxas, Illinois and Missouri until retiring in 1996.
Ruth E. (Kolmer) Krueger ’56 of Elmhurst, on July 31, 2002.
Arthur Block ’57 of Las Cruces, New Mexico, on January 16, 2007. Born on August 7, 1922 in Oak Park, Illinois, Arthur was a veteran of the U.S. Army where he served his country honorably during WWII.
Mary L. (Irmis) Smith ’57 of Earlville, on December 23, 2008.
Carole J. (Fetz) Stevens ’57 of Chesterfield, Missouri, on April 27, 2009.
Thomas S. Ferry, Sr. ’58 of Long Beach, Indiana on December 22, 2008. Thomas was a police officer with the City of Chicago from 1966-1992, retiring as a commander. He married Lynda Harris on November 27, 2004 in Michigan City, Indiana.
1960s
Judith L. MacLeod Toigo Bernard ’60 of St. Charles, on January 19, 2009. She was born July 29, 1937, in Aurora, the daughter and only child of the late Ian and Audrey MacLeod Pederson. Raised in the Unitarian Church in Geneva, she graduated from West Aurora High School and Elmhurst College where she made lifelong friends.
Dr. John Frederic Oswalt ’60 of Battle Creek, Michigan, on March 26, 2006. Dr. Oswalt was born on Octover 7, 1937 in Clinton, Indiana and graduated from Oak Park River Forest High School in Oak Park, Illinois. Fred received his Doctor of Dental Science degree from Loyola School of Dentistry (Chicago) in 1963. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War and was a Captain of dental surgery at Fort Custer.
Rev. Richard W. Sather ’60 of Waverly, Ohio, on January 30, 2009. He was born April 10, 1938 in Elmhurst, the son of the late Norman and Ruth (Fredrick) Sather. On June 20, 1959, Richard was married to Judy Ann (Decker) Sather ’60.
Rev. Vencil L. Shively ’60 of Eckley, Colorado, on March 30, 2008.
John W. Zapfel ’60 of Hacienda Heights, California, on August 4, 2008.
Robert L. Livesey ’61 of Spring Valley, formerly of Chicago, on January 28, 2009. Robert married Margaret Preisinger in 1960 in Wooddale. He owned and operated Liberty Press in Chicago until retirement.
Glen Pomrehn ’64 of Cypress, California, on February 27, 2009. Glen was a member of the Bluejay football team and was inducted in the Bluejay Backer Hall of Fame in 1981.
Arthur C. Rock Jr. ’65 of Newhall, California, on April 24, 2006. Arthur was born in Berwyn, Illinois in 1943 and went on to serve in the U.S Air Force. He then joined Dow Jones & Company, Inc. in June 1971 where he served as the Associate District Manager in the Chicago office before being promoted to the District Manager of the Detroit Field and Phone Sales Division.
John M. Brennan ’69 of Burlington, Wisconsin, on March 21, 2009. Born in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania on September 25, 1946, he moved to the Chicago area as a young child where he received his education. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in history and education, Jack taught 5th and 6th grade in Zion.
1970s
Dr. William P. Smotherman ’70 of Westborough, Massachusetts, on December 10, 2008. Born in Elmhurst, Ill., William was the son of the late William and Margaret Gerdes Smotherman. He was educated in Elmhurst schools and went on to earn a doctorate at Northern Illinois University and a postdoctoral degree at Stanford University.
Richard E. Thompson ’72 of Des Plaines, on March 10, 2009. Richard was a lifelong resident of Des Plaines and retired from General Telephone Company. He was an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and was married to the former Carol Mehlhop for 49 years.
Harry E. Fassl '74 of Oak Park, on October 12, 2008. Harry received his Masters degree from Northwestern University in 1976. In his career as a computer programmer, he was part of the ongoing changes in the computing industry from the days of punch cards to open-source programming. His real passions were photography, music, drawing, ceramics and reading, especially mathematics and philosophy.
Barbara Bower ’74 of Hinsdale, on February 14th 2010
Bernard Hancock ’75 of Hinsdale on May 3, 2010.
David Long ’75 of Batavia, on July 29th, 2009.
Robert 'Sobie' Sobczewski ’75 of Fox River Grove, on April 22, 2009. Robert was a graduate of Gordon Tech High School and then Elmhurst College. He was a beloved youth basketball and baseball coach in Barrington for many years.
William Farley ’76 on February 26, 2006.
Anthony 'Tony' Roy Montegna ’76 of San Diego, California, on March 31, 2009.
Norine R. (Rosanova) Young ’76 of Lombard, on December 13, 2008. Norine was a 52-year resident of Lombard after receiving her associate’s degree from the College of DuPage and her B.A. in Education from the College.
Jeffrey English ’77 of Westchester, September 7, 2009.
1980s
Rebecca 'Becky' Wrede-Shook ’80 of Hinsdale, formerly of Monticello, on April 7, 2009, after a four-year battle with breast cancer. Born March 30, 1953, she was the daughter of Robert and Joyce Long Wrede, who survive.
Daniel M. Mojziszek ’81 of Lombard, on January 11th, 2010.
Rev. Brian C. Franklin Blackston ’83 of Savannah, Georgia, on February 14, 2001. Brian was a member of the Skidaway Island Baptist Church.
Elaine L. O’Reilly ’86 of Elmhurst, on May 13, 2008.
Kelly S. McHugh ’89 of Bartlett, on June 11, 2008.
BACK TO TOP
1990s
Joseph Borysek ’92 of Westchester, on January 14, 2008. Joseph was the beloved husband of Vera Ann, loving father of John, devoted son of Marie and the late Jan, fond brother of Zdenek and son-in-law of Jolana and the late Samko Babiar.
Eileen Carol (Czajka) Monserrate ’92 of Charleston, South Carolina, on October 30, 2008, following a courageous battle with cancer. She was born October 26, 1967, in Chicago, to Edward Czajka and Dorothy Martinek Czajka. Eileen graduated from Queen of Peace High School in 1985, and received her B.S in nursing science from Elmhurst College.
Karyn Duffy ’93 of Brookfield on February 17, 2010.
2000s
Nicholas Ashby ’07 of Plano, on August 9, 2010
Faculty & Staff
Alvin Hanke, retired wrestling coach of Gurnee, on January 29, 2009. Alvin attended Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where he was an all-American wrestler. He was a physical education teacher and coach for many years, starting at Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, then to Lake Forest College and finally at Elmhurst College, where he retired. Alvin is survived by his sons, Michael ’87 and Guy Hanke ’88. Gifts in Coach Hanke’s memory will support Elmhurst College wrestling.
Dr. Andrew “Andy” Karl Prinz, retired Director of Urban Studies of Oak Park, on March 26, 2009. A master teacher, ebullient presence, and the director of urban studies at Elmhurst College for 36 years, died after a long illness at the age of 73.
