These classmates have posted Brief Bios and/or Remember When Stories, listed alphabetically by current last name. Submit your stories and brief bio here.
Career wise: I received an MBA and Ph.D. at University of Chicago. I was Dean of Schools of Business at University of Washington, William and Mary, University of Tampa, University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Life highlight – or life insight – is learning that career highlights and educational honors are less important than relationships.
I taught kindergarten in Detroit Lakes, Blue Earth and Hopkins, Minn. where I retired in 1998. Other highlights include Bruce's induction into Macalester Hall of Fame in 1988, traveling to many countries in the world, staying four months in Saudi Arabia visiting family, moving to our lake in central Minnesota after retirement, and last but not least:
Our son David: born in 1960 writes, climbs major mountains, lives in Duluth with wife Dina, and works at Parthea Productions.
Our daughter Amy Sue: born in 1962 lives in Saudi Arabia with her husband Greg teaching in an ARAMCO American school. We have three grandchildren.
Our daughter Angie Lynn: born in 1968 teaches with husband Scott at Wood Stock School in northern India. They are on leave of absence from Hopkins, Minn. where both will resume teaching when they return.
I worked as a Medical Technician for almost 40 years in Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin. I was married to Robert Pedersen '59 for 48 years until his death in 2006. We had three children, all college graduates (none at Mac!). They live both on the East Coast and West Coast. I have four grandchildren. I have volunteered as a tutor in ESL and as a project worker in the Minnesota Genealogical Society/Library. I am the family genealogist.
I lived in Bigelow Hall and made many great, lifelong friends. I’ve always felt I received great preparation for my career in elementary education. I graduated in three and a half years with just enough credits. I still have a re-occurring dream that the office called on my last day to say I was one credit short of graduation requirements. I’m glad it was only a dream. I taught for 30 and a half years in Hopkins, Minn.; Baraboo, Wis.; and the Maple River District in Minnesota.
We have three children and nine grandchildren. We will celebrate 50 years of marriage this summer at our farm with our family and close friends.
I’m thankful each day for my years at Macalester. Those years were very much a part of the person I’ve become, and I’m proud to say I’m a Macalester graduate!
I have been very fortunate in my life since I attended Macalester. I have had a good career as a CPA including being in my own private practice for the past 38 years. My practice is almost all with individual and trust taxation. I have been married for almost 49 years to Donna. We had two children, Wendy and Tim, and we also have a son we took on when his parents died. Our daughter is married and lives near us, and Jon and his family live on an island off Vancouver, British Columbia. Unfortunately, our son, Tim, died 20 years ago, which is a constant reminder of the fragility of life.
I can't believe we have to miss the reunion, but we have to be in Missouri for a college graduation. We will miss seeing you all.
I graduated from University of Minnesota with a degree in nursing and married Kris Ronnow in 1960. I taught nursing for two years before the advent of three girls: Karin, a '84 Mac grad and now a journalist; Heather, now a lawyer; and Erika, a '88 Mac grad. I was a school nurse for several years, directed a health service at a college, worked for a county health department until I retired in 1994. I'm now active in church and volunteer activities, and we love to travel.
I married Connie Youngberg '59, and we have three daughters. Since 1959 I've been community organizing in Chicago; working on public policy and social welfare services locally and nationally; working in religious, governmental and private sectors; meeting fascinating people like Martin Luther King Jr. and Jimmy Carter; and working with and learning about community organizing from Saul Alinski and the Industrial Areas Foundation.
From Macalester I stepped right into a St. Paul elementary school classroom and stayed there for thirty seven years. I enjoyed my career and the lifelong friendships I formed over the years. I earned a master's degree in liberal studies from Hamline in 1988 and finished my career as a language arts specialist. Terry and I have been married for 52 years and enjoy travel and our cabin in northern Minnesota.
I worked as a med. tech. for 25 years and have two children and two grandchildren. I winter in Florida; traveled to Europe, Mexico, Alaska, Canada and all states except Hawaii. Canoed, hunted partridge and deer. Now I have rods in my back and glaucoma, but I still feel like a kid.
Obviously I never got far from home. (Hopkins) Ha!
I’ve been married for 47 years to Ken Severud. We’ve lived in the same house in St. Louis Park for 45 years. We have two children, Jen and Wayne, and two grandchildren. We are happily retired and enjoying everything.
I majored in Spanish, taught it two years, and then forgot it for the next 33 years. I had no idea I would use Spanish again. However, my old major has served me well for the past 12 years, leading Habitat for Humanity trips to Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. Other Habitat trips have taken me to India, Zambia, South Africa, Mongolia, and to my home state, South Dakota.
I've had a few careers throughout the years. The longest ones were leading recreation in mental hospitals and retirement centers and working with Washington's Commute Trip Reduction Law to reduce the number of people who drive alone to work.
I met my husband on the Empire Builder. We've been married 46 years and have three children, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
I have enjoyed using my Macalester training in the field of music, while I was teaching vocal music in the public school system, and working with music groups at our church and in our community. My first love has been directing choirs and performing cantatas and other musical programs. I am still playing the piano and the organ (self-taught organist) at church and doing some solo work. I am thankful for the opportunities God has given me, and I always try to use them for His glory.
The great adventure of my life, and my childhood dream, was being a farmer's wife, and to now be able to enjoy our eight grandchildren together with my husband.
I had a career in the U.S. Forest Service as public information staff. I served in the upper Midwest (St. Paul), the south (New Orleans) and Alaska (Juneau). I wrote and photographed copy for newspapers, magazines, radio, and designed special pamphlets describing forest management activities.
Carol Elizabeth Peitzman Terry (formerly Holmquist)
Welcome to a new name that is now so long the IRS and Medicare computers (bless their scientific hearts) cut off the last letters and do not recognize me in their systems. But, being a non-entity for some, I can assure you all that I truly am still up and running, or at least up and walking!
As Rosie Gubrud referred to in her bio, it seems impossible that fifty years have dissolved so quickly. With the committee meetings bringing me back to Mac s campus these past months, aside from being surrounded by all the amazing new buildings, it seems like only yesterday that I was traversing the walkways from class to class - that is until a current Mac-ite stops me with, May I carry that for you ma'am? Then I'm jolted back to the Now reality and forced to reflect on what indeed did happen in all those yesterdays...
Marriage to Lloyd Peitzman (class of '58) in 1958
Birth of daughter Linda in February 1959
Graduation with degree in Elementary Ed - 1959
Losing our first born son at birth - 1960
Living the first few years on a $4,500 annual salary — remember those days?
Being a stay-at-home Mom, raising a daughter and three sons, Rob, Jim and John - 1959-1973
Receiving a degree in Learning Disabilities and beginning to teach Special Ed in Richfield - 1973
Being diagnosed with breast cancer - 2000. (Now an eight-year survivor! And #9786)
Teaching and tutoring on a full time basis until 2002
Singing in the choir and involvement in multi church activities
Watching with amazement as children grew and blossomed in their careers.
Marveling at growth and accomplishments of seven grandchildren - Emily having already graduated from College and now working as a mortician, Cassie beginning her stint at Harvard Medical School, Alec, Elizabeth and Elycia at various stages in college, Marissa in high school, and one wee one, Myah, who is not yet two. (For her, college seems a long way off, but I know I'll blink, and she'll be there!)
Lloyd Peitzman and I parted ways when we found our lives taking different directions. I was married to Jack Terry (Mac class of '63) in 2005. Between us we now have six wonderful children and 12 grandchildren. Though we take on occasional odd jobs, we are under the cloak of retirement, which is a great place to be. This has allowed us, among other things, the hours to do extensive gardening and major projects around the house. It has also given us the freedom to be able to travel, sometimes at the last minute, to places such as Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, Africa, Peru, United Kingdom, and, most recently, Turkey. Each in it s own way broadened our perspectives and gave us an appreciation of other cultures. In retrospect life is good! And maybe, just maybe, it isn't so bad after all to be at that stage where someone stops you and asks, "May I carry that for you ma'am?"
Following graduation from Pacific School of Religion, I was five years in a parish ministry in northern Minnesota. After a year of Clinical Pastoral Educaion in Rochester, I served as chaplain at the former Rochester State Hospital for 13 years, until it closed in 1982. I then helped start a Pastoral Counseling Center in Rochester which I directed until retirement in 1999.
Connie and I have been married 50 years, last July, and have three daughters and five grandchildren, all living in Minnesota We have been in Rochester 42 years. Since retirement I volunteer a day a week at Chester Woods County Park in Rochester; play clarinet in the Rochester Community Band; participate in the Rochester Woodcarvers Club; and canoe, kayak and bike as much as time permits. For the past six years we have been wintering in Casa Grande, Ariz., enjoying the opportunity to bike and hike in the desert and surrounding mountains.
I came to Mac, on the heels of my sister, Pat, from a little farming community on the North Dakota side of the Red River Valley. My high school interest in flying was quickly peaked by the Flying Scots, and after graduation I wanted to pursue that interest in the military. I passed all the tests for both the Air Force and Navy flight training but washed out because of a pin in my hip. Figuring the Army would certainly not take me for that reason and needing to clarify my draft status for employment purposes, I volunteered for the draft. In their infinite wisdom, they took me! I served for 22 months in various personnel positions on the west coast and Korea.
My first real job was with the Minnesota Division of Rehabilitation as a counselor in Mankato, where I met Sandy, my bride of 45+ years, on a blind tennis date. When she graduated from Mankato State and took a job teaching in the Roseville school system, I transferred to the St. Paul DVR office as a placement counselor.
In the process of finding jobs for my clients, I found one for myself that I couldn't resist as a production manager for a small manufacturing company. I got the flying bug again after a few years, so I took all the testing at Northwest and was told to get my ratings and come back to see them, which I did. The day I went back in, Braniff had just laid off 90 pilots and half of them were in Northwest's personnel office! Needless to say my experience level was not up to par, but I had already given notice. I ferried some new planes up from Wichita and a few other jaunts, but nothing really clicked.
Our son, Mark, was about to come into the world, so I decided I'd better get busy with something productive, so I went back to my former employ in sales and had fun for several more years. Our daughter, Nichol, came along a year and a half after Mark. We became involved, along with several other families in a Christian Lay Ministry which took us to Fargo for a few years. Our children's early education was in a school which we started (and is still thriving), and it was a very positive experience for them.
After eight years we left Fargo and opened a small window décor business in St. Cloud in the early 80's. Do you remember the building industry bust and 18% interest rates? Bad timing! My former employer again came to the rescue and asked if I would come back.
After a few more years I dabbled in residential real estate sales, computer network instruction, and property management, before my son and I bought Minneapolis Window Shade Co. So we're back in the window décor business.
Our children completed high school in St. Louis Park, where we have resided for over 25 years. Mark married Stephanie, his high school sweetheart, and they live in Plymouth with Hana (13) and Nichlaus (9). Stephanie is the choral director for Armstrong High School. Nikki went on to be a Navy pediatrician until Madeline (5) was born. Her husband, Gabe Lee, also a pediatrician, is still in the Navy and they are currently stationed in Gulfport, Miss.
My life-long passion is to improve opportunity for all children. Upon graduating from Macalester in EE, I taught public school kindergarten in St. Paul. For twelve years, once the first of our three kids arrived, I combined parenting with volunteer work. We moved from Burnsville to St. Paul in 1966 and joined an inner city church, Dayton Presbyterian. Through the church, I became a peer mentor to young mothers at the first community-based maternal infant care clinic in St. Paul. During my five years volunteering there, a few strong friendships with young mothers developed, which brought us two godchildren who are now part of our extended family.
The clinic experience ignited my interest in preventing and treating child abuse and neglect. When our youngest began first grade, I began teaching at a parent-coop Montessori pre-school and remained for six years, while continuing advocacy for children.
When I was elected from our Saint Paul neighborhood to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1980, a reporter asked me, "Is it quite an adjustment, going from teaching young children to this?" "Indeed it is." I answered. "Little kids say exactly what they mean, don't carry grudges, and start each day fresh."
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, I chaired the judiciary committee. Laws and funding for prevention of domestic abuse and sexual violence were a natural inclusion with child abuse legislation. In my last term, 1992-1994, I chaired education finance. Trying to provide enough funds, along with some assurance the money would bring results, brought attention, ranging from gratitude to wrath, from every school district in the state. The only legislation I authored that my six grandchildren seem impressed with was the first funding for school breakfast.
I left office in 1994 and became Executive Director of a start-up early childhood collaborative in St. Paul. During the next six years we established eight Family Centers for coordinating school, city and county services. My volunteer era resumed in 2000. My main effort for the next two years was taking care of a grandson from his fourth month until age 2 ½ accompanied me to the Citizens League Board and a few other meetings, but I went alone to State Higher Education Services Council and the Sexual Victims Center board.
My husband Jim and I continue to be an active support team for the six grandchildren, four of whom live within a few blocks of us and each other. Our three children and their mates bring us great joy in both their families and their work. For more info on them, Google Tom Vellenga, Charlotte Vellenga Landreau, and Carolyn Vellenga Berman.
Now that we're both retired, we enjoy singing in choir, playing in an occasional brass group, canoeing and cross country skiing at our Wisconsin place, camping in the mountains, and a couple of Habitat builds in our home state of South Dakota. We relish our individual times too — mine is mountain skiing and biking with "Minnesota Hot Flashes," and writing a novel set in 1621. Don't ask me about it unless you're willing to spend the next thirty minutes listening, as I am obsessed!
When I graduated from Mac I started teaching in Great Falls, Mont. with a very high salary of $4,400. I was thrilled to be earning so much money. After two years there I taught in elementary schools in Wisconsin and eventually ended up teaching in Littleton, Colo. In 1975 I traveled to Iran and taught in a private school with an enrollment of mostly Persians whose parents wanted their children to be fluent in English. The history and the culture, so different from that in the US, made it a very fascinating learning experience. The Shah was in power then, and my life felt quite secure. Since then I have been living in Denver.
My last employment was with the city of Littleton in economic development until 2003 when I retired. Although I was concerned about keeping busy for the time I would have been working, I find that there are so many interesting things to do; my life is filled. Hiking is a big part of my life, and in my years in Colorado I have been on top of many of the 14,000 ft. mountains in the state as well as other peaks that are as, or more, interesting than the highest. The snow in Colorado is so good for skiing that I do that as much as possible. I travel as much as I can, often organizing foreign trips for groups, and I am active in the Colorado Archaeology Society. 50 years have passed quickly.
I spent 36 years at 3M and retired in '96. I have been married 48 years to Marilyn Hancock class of '61. We have two adult sons and four grandchildren.
Volunteer work: Courage Center, Access Ability, St. Stephens Church, Shattuck St. Mary's School, etc.
We divide our time between traveling, the lake, St. Simons Island and Edina.
I never held the same job for more than three to four years and then went on to something entirely different. I ended up at the State University System (before they merged with the colleges) and ran their retirement investment program for the faculty (the 401a). This was the last job before I retired.
Then, I discovered what I should have been doing all of my life. Art! I started to paint (watercolor) about five years ago, and it has become a compulsive addiction ever since. I have three website shops to sell my work along with a blog and a Facebook profile.
We winter in the area of Destin, Florida for two to three months each year. I am married to Lefty (Wright), and both of us play tennis and golf when we can. We have two children and four grandchildren.
