Class Notes

BIRTHS

Jason ’05 and Jennie Clausen, a boy, Benjamin Crash, born April 23, 2015. They live in Mesa, Arizona.

Adam ’09 and Lanie (Grossenburg) ’08 Severson, a boy, Oscar George, born March 14, 2015. Adam is a regional manager for Nebraska for Grossenburg Implement out of Winner. They live in Wayne, Nebraska.

GENERAL

John K. Bruce ’64/MS ’70 was inducted into the S.D. High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in July 2014. He lives in Britton.

Austin Mardon ’88 was elected as Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in November of 2014. He lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Calvin Vaudrey (faculty) was honored as a Distinguished Engineer by the SDSU Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering on April 28, 2015. He lives in Litchfield Park, Arizona.

Donald L. Veal ’53 was honored as a Distinguished Engineer by the SDSU Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering on April 28, 2015. He lives in Longmont, Colorado.

Gary Duffy ’75 was named a 2015 Eminent Farmer/Rancher by the Colleges of Agriculture and Biological Sciences and Education and Human Sciences for his contributions to the state’s communities and agriculture industry. He lives in Oldham.

Jane McKee Smith ’83 was honored as a Distinguished Engineer by the SDSU Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering on April 28, 2015. She lives in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Justin R. Lessman ’03 is publisher and owner of the Jackson County Pilot, which was named Minnesota’s Most Outstanding Weekly Newspaper by the Minnesota Newspaper Association. He was also elected to the Minnesota Newspaper Association’s board of directors. He lives in Jackson, Minnesota.

Kevin C. Smith ’87 is the new municipal management specialist at Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services Inc. He lives in Brandon.

Mary McGregor Cook ’47 and Lorraine Schirmer Bell ’46, freshman roommates at SDSC, reached their 90th birthdays this past June and July. Mary lives in Clarion, Iowa, and Lorraine lives in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Matthew W. Urban ’02 received the R. Bruce Lindsay Award from the Acoustical Society of America on May 20, 2015, in Pittsburgh for his contributions to ultrasonic measurement of viscoelastic properties of tissues for biomedical applications. He lives in Rochester, Minnesota.

Rebecca “Becky” (Schneider) Walth ’76 was named a 2015 Eminent Farmer/Rancher by the Colleges of Agriculture and Biological Sciences and Education and Human Sciences for her contributions to the state’s communities and agriculture industry. She lives in Oldham.

Richard Sommers ’81 was appointed by Governor Dennis Daugaard as circuit court judge for the 5th Judicial Circuit Court in January 2014. He lives in Aberdeen.

S.D. Chief Justice David Gilbertson ’72 was recently named the chair of the National Center for State Courts and also selected as president of the Conference of Chief Justices. He lives in Pierre.

Weddings

Tom Weerheim ’04 and Emily Spartz – Feb. 7, 2015. Tom is an attorney who owns and operates Weerheim Law Office in Sioux Falls. Emily is a photojournalist at Argus Leader Media. They live in Sioux Falls.

Katie Knutson ’07 and Doug Backlund – March 10, 2015. Katie is the director of the Mitchell Convention and Visitors Bureau at the Mitchell Chamber of Commerce. Doug is the manager of the Rooster Roost Ranch. They live in Mitchell.

Elizabeth Bos ’10 and Ross Nichols ’06 – September 13, 2014. Elizabeth is employed at 3M. Ross is employed at Daktronics. They live in Estelline.

Bryce J. Ahlers ’10 and Kali Briggs – June 28, 2014. Bryce is pursuing his second degree in rangeland management. Kali is a psychologist for Watertown School District. They live in Watertown.

Elizabeth Fishman ’12 and Brian Halverson ’13 – December 13, 2014. Elizabeth is an RN at Sanford. Brian is an agronomist at REA Hybrids. They live in Sioux Falls.

Wesley Davis ’12 and Alison Slepikas ’12 – October 3, 2014. Wesley is employed by Electrical Consultants Inc. Alison is employed by the Billings Clinic Anticoagulation Clinic. They live in Billings, Montana.

Anthony Sutton ’13 and Stephanie Hoines – June 20, 2015.

Dylan Wheeler ’13 and Jessica Dorhout ’13 – June 27, 2015. Dylan attends the USD School of Law. Jessica works for MetaPayment Systems. They live in Sioux Falls.

Jennifer Milligan ’13 and Kevin Howard – June 27, 2015. They live in Brookings.

Mandy Nuese ’13 and Jason Newman – Dec. 13, 2014. They live in Brookings.

Maria Benson ’13 and Chet Vander Velde ’07 – July 27, 2013. Maria is working at South O’Brien Elementary School. Chet farms on the family farm. They live in Sanborn, Iowa.

Megan E. Bueltel ’13 and Gregory J. Tusa ’12 – Nov. 22, 2014. They live in Alpha, Minnesota.

Nolan Clarke ’14 and Miranda Kjenstad ’14 – June 6, 2015. Nolan is the guest services manager at Sanford Health. Miranda is the executive team leader of guest experience at Target. They live in Fargo, North Dakota.

Sara DeClerk ’14 and Jason Converse – July 5, 2015. Sara is employed by Millborn Seeds and Jason is employed by the South Dakota Soybean Processors. They live in rural Arlington.

Tara M. Heiser ’14 and Aaron King – June 28, 2014. Tara is a fourth grade teacher for the Brookings School District. Aaron works for the Arlington School District. They live in Brookings.

Remembered

1936 Wesley H. Ruth
1940 Bernita (Schmid) Meeker
1941/MS ’63 Hazel A. (Wikholm)
VandenBerg
1943 Lars E. Overskei
1944 Lester H. Heilman
1944 Robert C. Schryver
1946 Lois I. (Wierenga) Kern
1947 Philip E. Case
1948 Rev. Rolf G. Hanson
1947 William R. Hoch
1948 Mary Ellyn (Owens) Swanson
1948 Paul F. Gilbert
1948/MS ’71 Doris L. (Winter) Keiner
1949 E. Louise (Strand) Stofferahn
1949 Loris L. Gerber
1950 Audrey C. (Collins) Kelso
1950 Russell L. Tiede
1950 Shirley M. (Morrow) Tisdell
1950 Warren L. Reeves
1951 Dorothy M. (Oleson) Gosmire
1951 Duane A. Roberts
1951 John B. Taylor
1951 Robert D. Koerper
1952 Alvin Meyer
1952 Lyle L. Schmidt
1952 Maryalice (Moncur) Bentley
1952 Walter C. Conahan
1953 Richard D. Petersen
1955 Stanley K. Papoutsis
1957 Carol J. (Grebner) Iwerks
1957 Daniel T. Woldt
1957 Frederick C. Hibbison
1958 Richard C. Wright
1958/MS ’60 Lloyd E. Oldenburg
1959 David L. Larson
1959 Eugene D. Furness
1959 Lloyd F. Elliott
1959 Richard M. King
1965 (MS) William E. Fritz
1961 Stephen L. Becvar
1961/ MS ’65 David L. Stoick
1962 Denis A. Kurtenbach
1962 Dennis J. Holm
1963 Kenneth R. Daly
1964 (MS) Wayne E. Reed
1964 Roger C. Zwieg
1965 Susan (Shakstad) Pedersen
1966 Michael F. Alger
1967 Eugene W. Hamilton
1967 Gary L. Barnes
1969 Kathleen J. (Freyberg) Medrano
1970 Lyle K. Even
1971 (MEd) Vernon D. Miller
1972 David M. Rich
1972 Harold V. Opsahl
1972 Marianne K. (Duncan) Jewett
1973 (MA) Paul J. Skamser Jr.
1973 Felice J. (Schulte) Hayden
1973 Keith M. Hanson
1974 Anita A. (Johnson) Whisney
1974 Colleen K. (Horsley) Anna
1974 Valerie R. (Seely) Merry
1976 James P. Eichstadt
1976 Tan-Chu M. (Shen) Yee
1977 Bradley O. Ashmore
1979 Samuel M. Gutormson
1980 Patrick K. Duffy
1982 Gregory R. Corr
1986 Paul R. Bader
1992 Russ C. Walberg
1993 Michael A. Avok
1994 Amy C. (Tabbert) Epstein
1994 Michael A. Stoos
2009 Alicia M. (Folkers) Hummel
Nancy Bergjord (Faculty)
Jeffrey Boulware (Faculty)
Despina Brandwein (Faculty)
Kevin J. Dalsted (Faculty)
Thomas Erz (Faculty)
Carolyn (Luebke) Gullickson (Aggie)
Betty J. (Gardner) Larson (Faculty)
Eddie Pietz (Aggie)