Class Notes

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`75 MARY ELLEN FOSS KIMBALL, and her husband, Jim, worked as a part of Kim Reynolds’ historic campaign to become the first female governor of the state of Iowa. Kimball continues to serve on the board of trustees for the Iowa Cultural Trust, which oversees and administers grants to arts organizations across the state. She and her husband also host a regular radio program on KSOI 91.9 FM.

`88 On Feb. 8, 2019, DR. TIM CONWAY provided a half-day seminar to 90 school principals of the Port of Spain Principals Association in Trinidad. The topic of the seminar was “The Neuropsychology of Learning, Language and Literacy.” This seminar is an extension of Conway’s 16 years of teacher training in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies with the Dyslexia Association of Trinidad and Tobago; his medical clinic, The Morris Centre Trinidad and Tobago, located in Petit Valley, Trinidad; and his EdTech company’s online eTutoring services for the Caribbean, NOW! programs.

`98 CHRIS BESSONETTE was named a 2018-19 recipient of the Milken Educator Award, accompanied by an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize. Bessonette received the award for his work with second-grade dual-language immersion students at Munger Mountain Elementary in Jackson, Wyoming. The Milken Educator Awards, hailed by Teacher Magazine as the “Oscars of Teaching,” has been opening minds and shaping futures for over 30 years. Research shows teacher quality is the driving in-school factor behind student growth and achievement.

WEDDINGS

Chad `05 and Chelsey Remmenga `09 Holstrom, Raymore, Missouri, June 3, 2018.

Nicolas `17 and Natalie Bender ’16 White, Beaverton, Oregon, Sept. 8, 2018.

ANNIVERSARIES

Kenneth`48 and Joyce Beitz ’49 Swails celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary Dec. 27, 2018.

Leonard `49 and Eilene O’Dell ’59 Speer celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary Dec. 24, 2018.

Eddie Boehm Jr. `53 and LaVeta Miller ’54 Boehm celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary Sept. 3, 2018.

Bob `57 and Jerie Gail Davis ’57 Ramsey celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary March 29, 2019.

Ralph `64 and Carolyn Mitchell ’58 Williams celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary Dec. 21, 2018.

BIRTHS

Aleks `00 and Beti Velevska ’00 Memca, San Diego, California, Veronica, born April 17, 2013; and Gabriel, born Jan. 11, 2019.

Gustavo `09 and Amanda Clemens ’08 Macias, Florissant, Missouri, Stella, born Nov. 9, 2018.

IN MEMORIUM

Naomi Cook `34 Alexander, Des Moines, Iowa, Sept. 4, 2017.

Lois Haxton `37 Milroy, Galva, Illinois, March 14, 2009.

Margaret Baker `38 Johnston, Diamond Bar, California, July 2, 2013.

Emil Cross `40, Bella Vista, Arkansas, Aug. 17, 2018.

Roy Jones `40, Independence, Missouri, Nov. 27, 2018.

Susan Baker `40 Potter, Fresno, California, Nov. 28, 2008.

Carl Miller `42, Huntsville, Alabama, Dec. 17, 2008.

John (Jack) Carmichael `43, Kansas City, Missouri, Dec. 6, 1995.

Rogene Graybill `43 Nielsen, Omaha, Nebraska, Feb. 17, 2013.

Judy Andrus `44 Doan, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Dec. 17, 2014.

Edna Fraser `44 Perkins, Wyandotte, Michigan, Jan. 8, 2017.

Dorothy Dillon `44 Snearly, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, Aug. 8, 2018.

Carol Olson `45 Christ, Independence, Missouri, Sept. 1, 2007.

Alice Thompson `45 Miller, Leon, Iowa, Nov. 28, 2012.

Jean Cramblett `46 Rains, Independence, Missouri, June 8, 2016.

Helen Wood `46 Sabourin, Independence, Missouri, Aug. 26, 2018.

Ervin Hartschen `47, Champlin, Minnesota, May 16, 2015.

Donna Williams `47 Jagger, Michigan City, Indiana, Nov. 25, 2018.

Arlene Mickelson `47 Larson, Holmen, Wisconsin, Oct.15, 2014.

Allen McCall `47, Rowlett, Texas, Sept. 28, 2016.

Kay Tabor `48 Blair, Lamoni, Iowa, Nov. 5, 2018.

Norma Derry `48 Hiles, Lamoni, IA, Oct. 31, 2018.

John Thomton `48, Kirkland, Washington, July 26, 2016.

Newell Netsch `49, Stockton, Missouri, Jan. 24, 2019.

Ronald Pincomb `49, Las Cruces, New Mexico, May 4, 2010.

Jim White `49, Sterling, Virginia, Dec. 29, 2018.

Daniel Bauman `50, Westerville, Ohio, April 19, 2007.

Robert Gibson `50, Sonora, California, Oct. 17, 2018.

James Packer `52, Saginaw, Michigan, Nov. 15, 2018.

Kenneth Stiegel `53, East Moline, Illinois, Dec. 9, 2017.

Catherine Fisher `54 Cook, Onset, Massachusetts, Jan. 18, 2015.

Margaret Trussell `55 Hardy, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, June 3, 2014.

Joe Serig `55, Independence, Missouri, Oct. 6, 2018.

Everett Ron Anderson `56, Bolivar, Missouri, March 15, 2014.

Donald del Castillo `56, San Jose, California, Nov. 30, 2018.

Kenneth Harter `56, Pella, Iowa, Jan. 13, 2019.

Wayne Janks `56, Lakeland, Florida, April 15, 2018.

Connie Weightman `57 Zirkle, Ardrossan, South Australia, Oct. 27, 2018.

Marlene Nance `58 Tufts, Portland, Oregon, Nov. 8, 2018.

Ron Calloway `59, Des Moines, Iowa, Feb. 28, 2011.

Betty Cottrill `59, Parkersburg, West Virginia, Aug. 26, 2016.

Paul Dorsey `59, Leavenworth, Kansas, June 2, 2018.

David Gussman `59, Independence, Missouri, Jan. 16, 2016.

Robert Haas `59, Moss Point, Mississippi, Oct. 23, 2018.

Nancy Davis `59 Stone, Wichita, Kansas, Nov. 23, 2016.

Russell Husted `63, Mena, Arkansas, Dec. 4, 2018.

Jon Harris `64, Fraser, Michigan, April 25, 2015.

Kenneth Johnston `65, Independence, Missouri, Dec. 11, 2018.

Cynthia Elkins `66, Charlotte, North Carolina, July 17, 2007.

Mike Lee `69, San Antonio, Texas, Dec. 4, 2018.

David Minton `69, Kailua, Hawaii, June 1, 2018.

Connie Mogg `69, Independence, Missouri, Oct. 27, 2018.

David Swayne `69, Independence, Missouri, Sept. 27, 2018.

Dan Wagler `69, Jefferson City, Missouri, August 2018.

Gayle Young Briggs `71, Adrian, Michigan, Dec. 20, 2018.

Karen Olsen `71, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Dec. 19, 2018.

Stephen Emslie `72, Tucson, Arizona, March 29, 2018.

Eric Lowe `72, Boise, Idaho, Jan. 15, 2019.

William Willis `73, Pensacola, Florida, Nov. 7, 2018.

Marsha Morgan `74, Evansville, Indiana, Oct. 23, 2018.

Wray Kiralfy `79, Bethany, Missouri, Sept.17, 2018.

Jeanne Sundell `81 Davis, Lamoni, Iowa, Jan. 1, 2019.

Jeanne Sundell ’81 Davis passed away Jan. 1, 2019. Survived by her husband, Paul ’81, and their children Mike ’10, Jacob ’12 and Julie ’15, Jeanne was devoted to her family, yet she made time to pursue her many talents in opera, watercolor, ceramics, guitar, piano and volunteering at church in her role as a High Priest. She moved with her family several times over the years, finally settling in Lamoni, and in each location, Jeanne discovered new friends and shared her many talents through relationships with her community and church family.

For many years, Jeanne worked as a professional artist with both watercolor and oil paintings, showing in galleries along the coast of California and Washington. Jeanne also worked for Community of Christ International Headquarters as a Worship Specialist and at Graceland University as Director of Communications, from where she retired in August 2018.

In her role as Graceland’s director of communications, Jeanne gave her talents over the past five years as editor of this very magazine. She told the story of Graceland through the individuals who embody it, and she captured our interest and our hearts. She is missed every day, as our editor and our friend.

Kim Lauer `82 Chambers, Arkansaw, Wisconsin, Nov. 4, 2015.

Lori Lucas `83, Lincoln City, Oregon, July 4, 2018.

Florence Uentillie `86, Forest Grove, Oregon, Feb. 27, 2018.

Lenore Brick `92 Melenyzer, San Antonio, Texas, Oct. 15, 2014.

Catherine Still `06 Akker, Thomson, Illinois, Jan. 8, 2019.

Sue McDavitt `09 Freeswick, Mandeville, Louisiana, Dec. 31, 2018.

Tyler Hardin `17, Costa Mesa, California, Dec. 22, 2018.

FRIENDS: Henrik Knudsen, Independence, Missouri, Aug. 18, 2018.