June
2004
Nothing
could be finer than a Cobber '89er!
Greetings
Classmates!
The
opening to last year's class letter is the same as this year's.
it's a very windy day in eastern Montana. (screaming it this
year) Nonetheless, funny how things change and yet they stay
the same!!
I
hope this letter finds you happy, healthy and ready to reunite
at our 15 th CLASS REUNION! Concordia has done some amazing
things for Homecoming and we are so lucky to be a part of
it! October 8, 9 & 10 is the big weekend and I do hope
you plan to attend. Besides a yummy breakfast Saturday morning,
we've got Garrison Keillor doing a live broadcast Saturday
evening, in lieu of the Homecoming Show, and at 8 p.m. we've
got reservations at the Red Bear Grill & Tavern to hang
out with our class (and spouse/friends). We also have planned
a get together Sunday afternoon with family and friends at
the Red River Zoo. Please see end of letter for plea (**).
Mark your calendar and remember to register (see enclosed
form or online at www.ConcordiaCollege.edu/alumni).
Speaking
of Cobber reunions, Alyssa (Knudson) and Erik Arntsen,
Natalie (Hillman) and Bob Alsop, Leslie (Haglin) and KC Ahrens,
and Tim and Kathy Housholder
try to get together at least once a year. (Kathy was made
an honorary Cobber!) You might have seen them in the Concordia
magazine. I know camping events happen with Lois
Wallentine, Bill Fradet, Gary "Jake"
Jacobson, Darren and Trudi '90 Paulson,
Troy Panger , and Bret and Amy Paulson from the
class of '90. And some of these classmates have even vacationed
south together this past spring. I have no doubt more of you
have mini-reunions, so please be sure to let the college know.
Send pictures to the Concordia Communications Department so
that you can be included in the Concordia Magazine. It would
be fantastic to see your pictures!
If
you haven't heard or read yet, Concordia has named a new president
for the college. Dr. Paul Dovre has faithfully led the college
as interim president for the past year, and President-Elect
Dr. Pamela Jolicoeur is expected to assume duties in July.
She will be the tenth president of our 113 year-old institution.
Dr. Jolicoeur hales from California Lutheran University where
she has served as dean and provost since 1996.
Cobber
Challenge
Our
class ranked fifth in total participation with 161 of us giving.
And we ranked ninth in the amount of dollars contributed with
the total being $9,746.60. A special thanks to all of you
who have participated and helped our alma mater financially.
The class of 1983 contributed almost $45,000 to Concordia.
Now, that's something to strive for. If you haven't given
a gift recently or at all, please consider Concordia in your
giving plans. Let's boost the percentages!
Cobbers
On the Go
Norman
Achin has
moved to Manassas, VA.
Daniel
Batten ,
Portland, OR, has joined the Board of Directors of Friends
of Russian Orphans, a nonprofit organization in Yaroslavl,
Russia. He is responsible for the organization's communications
and internet campaigns.
Shawn
Brandon ,
Baudette, MN, graduated from Luther Seminary and was ordained
August 23, 2003. He was installed as pastor in the Baudette
Lutheran Parish which includes Clementson, First and Wabanica
Lutheran Churches in Baudette. He assumed his word and sacrament
ministry duties on September 1, 2003.
Sandy
(Brekke)
and Paul Grove moved to Morris, MN where Paul is the head
basketball coach for the University of Minnesota, Morris.
Julie
(Carlson)
and Tim Lamont had a baby girl, Georgia Paige, on September
25, 2003. They live in Castlerock, CO where Julie is a regional
trainer for HelmsBriscoe.
John
Hoff received
the David Birkeland Memorial Scholarship for his academic
year 2002-03 of law school at the University of ND, Grand
Forks. David Birkeland was from Sioux Falls, SD and an alum
of Concordia; he died in a plane crash in 1993. The Birkeland
Alumni Lounge on campus was built in his memory. It was an
honor for John to receive this scholarship.
Gary
Jacobson ,
New Brighton, MN, is the senior business analyst for Boston
Scientific.
Jeff
Johnson ,
Plymouth, MN, is currently serving as president of the National
Alumni Board for our great alma mater and is a representative
to the Minnesota House! His better half, Sondi
(Lee) is with Hewitt Associates and they have
two sons, Rolf and Thor.
Patricia
Kubow received
Bowling Green State University's faculty research award, the
Olscamp Research Award in November 2003.
A.
James Larson ,
Buffalo, MN, was named vice president of Oakley National Bank
on July 8, 2003.
Jayson
Perry has
moved to Plymouth, MN.
Kirsti
(Strommen)
and Torben Holm now live in Drobak, NORWAY. They have three
children: Mathias (born March 1992), Anders (born February
1994), and Christine (born July 1999).
Cobber
Wedding Bells
Terri
(Ellingson)
married Lloyd Cheney on July 12, 2003. They live in Rosemount,
MN where Terri is the adult services manager for the Girl
Scout Council of St. Croix Valley.
Cheryl
(Wade)
married Rob Flotron on August 15, 2003, and they live in Eureka,
MO. Cheryl is the senior manager of revenue services for Union
Pacific Railroad.
Bouncing
Baby Cobbers
Karen
(Anderson)
and Rick Martin had a baby boy, Isaac Kristopher, on December
13, 2002. They live in Hillsboro, OR where Karen works part-time
as an occupational therapist for Legacy Emanuel Children's
Hospital. She and her husband have applied to be missionaries
with Africa Inland Mission. They hope to be in Kenya by August
of this year.
Nathan
Bangs and
Jill (Jorud) '91 had a baby girl, Elyse, on September 21,
2003. They live in Blaine, MN.
Kevin
Doely and
Krista (Hvidsten) '90 had a boy, Noah Christopher, on May
19, 2003. This busy family lives in Plymouth, MN. Kevin graduated
from Luther Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree and
serves as associate pastor at House of Hope Lutheran Church
in New Hope, MN.
Marcia
(Jouppi)
and Darrel Todd had a baby girl, Emma on April 15, 2003. They
live in Isabella, MN.
Lisa
(Lidahl)
and Sheldon Johnson had a baby boy, Evan James, on April 11,
2004. They live in Cohasset, MN.
Lori
(McNaughton)
and John Roeller had a baby girl, Emma, on October 10, 2003.
They live in Seattle, WA.
Darron
Orr and
Barb (Kraft) '91 had twins: A boy, Gage Cliffden, and a girl,
Madelyn Quinn, on October 19, 2003. This happy family lives
in Ypsilanti, ND.
Blake
Peterson
and Tracy (Nelsen) '91 adopted a baby boy, Tyler. He was born
on May 23, 2003 and they live in Wahpeton, ND.
Congratulations
to everyone and thank you so much for keeping in touch. I
set up an email address just for Homecoming, so if you'd like
to email me regarding the weekend, please do. Otherwise, please
don't hesitate to contact me at home. I would love to hear
from you. If I missed you in this letter, please let me know.
You can also contact the Alumni Office anytime.
OK,
now, go bronze the dates of our 15 th class reunion: October
8, 9, & 10. And please be there! We've got too much fun
planned to miss! And a special thank you to Jeri
(Peterson) and Chris Nellermoe for helping plan
the weekend's activities!
**If
we reserve the Red River Zoo for Sunday noon, how many classmates/families
would plan to attend? We would rent the pavilion, gain free
admission to the zoo and have unlimited rides on a carousel
within the pavilion. We think the cost per family unit would
be approximately $10 on top of the cost of lunch if we had
between 25 - 30 families. If you know that you will be attending
our reunion, and think you would be able to stay for a noon
get together at the zoo, could you please contact me a.s.a.p.
at gocobbers1989@hotmail.com
? Thank you so much!!**
Soli
Deo Gloria!
Karen
M. Olson Beenken
702 9 th Ave. SW
Sidney, MT 59270
be enken@midrivers.com
(406)488-7830 H
(406)433-3403 W
We
have lost Cobbers! If you have contact with any of the following,
please let them know about Homecoming, and have them contact
the Alumni Office to update their mailing addresses:
Godfrey
Achaw |
Ann
Altstatt Andari |
Gail
Buell Anderson |
Astrid
Bartvedt |
Adam
Beck |
Sara
Burros Becker |
John
Bowkus |
Lisa
Rysavy Briggs |
Tracy
Thomas Cater |
Amy
Christianson |
Amy
Hoffman Coffey |
Line
Ditlefsen |
David
Ellison |
Dana
Fahrlander |
Jeniffer
Faro Hecksel |
Christine
Anderson Foster |
Elisa
Haarr |
Aaron
Kosola |
William
Lindman |
Peggy
Brunes Malecha |
Daniel
McCormack |
Mark
Olson |
Eric
Reynolds |
James
Rossow |
Timothy
Tarbell |
Beth
Tollefson |
Nancy
Langer Werner |
Mark
Wetterling |
Vance
Zuehlsdorff |
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