Fifty years ago last fall, September 1958, an incoming freshman from Willmar Minnesota timidly confronted the reality of entering the community of higher education at Macalester College. The succeeding four years proved to be exciting and very enlightening. A German class provided the opportunity to meet a young woman, Lynne Davis, and this was a turning point in my life. We married the following September on a Friday night and our honeymoon was a trip from Fergus Falls to St. Paul. Medical school classes began on Monday. Lynne was in her clinical internship in medical technology that fall so we both were very busy, not too busy to begin our family with the arrival of daughter Deborah in January of the following year.
Lynne began working as a medical technologist and I continued in medical school, we welcomed our first son Bill in the summer of the last year of medical school. Following a year of internship in Duluth, the U. S. Army called and this began 6 and 1/2 years of military service. During this time I enrolled in a pathology residency. I served as a staff pathologist at William Beaumont Hospital in Texas following the residency. Our sons Tom and Rolf were born during this period of Army service.
After leaving the Army in 1972, we moved to Sartell Minnesota where I began work in a clinical testing laboratory and subsequently formed an independent practice covering four hospitals and a surgical center. The practice ultimately consisted of four pathologists. Lynne was very busy taking most of the responsibilities of family life. As many of you probably experienced, the years when our children were growing up passed very rapidly and when the nest became empty, Lynne and I had the chance to reacquaint ourselves, a process that continues. We both have enjoyed the privilege of working on the Mac. Reunion Committee.
Whoops! One minute I was 22 years old and the next minute I'm 70. Where has the time gone? What have I done with my allotted days?
I've been wife to Mac grad, Bob Gubrud '59. We'll celebrate 50 years together on April 4, 2009, a milestone in today's culture, don't you think?
I've been mother to two beautiful kids. Kimberly Rae is a senior market manager with the United Health Group and Ross Elliot is a psychologist on staff at the University of Missouri.
As a five-year teacher in the Hopkins School District, I took on the tough stuff: 7th and 8th graders.
Twenty-two years were spent as the first executive director of a fund benefiting the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis. In this position, I had a new boss every two years and reported to 45 board members as well as the management of the Legal Aid Society (read: flexibility required). It was my privilege to work with some of the most outstanding, accomplished attorneys in the Hennepin County legal community. Our common purpose: providing much-needed funding for free legal services for the poor, elderly and disabled. This fund now contributes $1,000,000 annually to Legal Aid.
I have kept in touch with old friends. It's a priority. A gang of high school compatriots meets quarterly; we women do an annual overnight. Five members of a Mac bridge group, circa 1960, have resumed play on a regular basis. We are the best of friends. Even the gals in my women's club in Edina are now long-term friends. I joined the group in 1973, have been through all the chairs and still work with these buds on the club's volunteer projects.
I survived breast cancer. It's been 12 years since my diagnosis and treatment. My oncologist attached a four-letter word to my recovery: starts with "c" and ends with "e" and rhymes with "pure"
Five years ago I made nice with monarch butterflies. Bob dug a garden and I planted three varieties of milkweed, lots of purple coneflowers and a patch of rudbeckia. It ain't dainty, but it's a monarch hangout. I've learned about the four generations of monarchs and have incubated more than a few of the caterpillars. Eight other varieties of butterflies have also visited including the tiny Eastern Tailed Blue. This garden: worth the spring backaches.
The rest of my time? The cabin thing (since 1977); a tiny bit of travel and sunbelt visits to family; the reading of excellent, current American fiction; some enlightened Bible study; and being in a relationship with my loving Degnan and Gubrud families.
Married Bart Hempel, Class of 1957, in August of 1958.
Raised three wonderful daughters, living in Minneapolis, Chicago and Cleveland.
Watched our daughters become professional women, wives and mothers.
Enjoyed working in the Healthcare Industry for almost 20 years.
Experienced the heartache of losing my parents, my brother, my sister and my husband.
Learned to take time for each moment, whether volunteering in church, in the community or being with the people I love.
Found joy in living which includes visiting grandchildren, spending time with family and friends, playing golf, traveling, reading and enriching friendships with Macalester grads of '57, '58 and '59.
It has been quite a trip, filled with dreams of "study, work, and play!"
It all began with my birth -- no, we'll move forward to graduating from Mac. First, I started teaching art in White Plains, New York. Then I moved to Highland Park Junior High in St. Paul, Minn., to do the same, and met the "love of my life," Jerry Mansergh.
Over the 47 years together, we have raised a family (one daughter and three sons), who have also met their life challenges of "study, work, and play." We enjoy each of our children and their spouses, children (our three wonderful grandchildren) and animals (dogs, cats, etc.). Each is unique with their special interests, work, homes, hopes and dreams.
My "out-of-the-home" work consisted of two years in teaching art, then developing, directing, and teaching at a nursery school in Royal Oak, Mich., which required me to go to Wayne State University for a state teaching certification. After seven years in Michigan, my husband changed professorships from the University of Michigan and Wayne State University to the University of Minnesota, so I moved into another field of opportunity -- designing, developing, directing and counseling at an in-house Employees' Assistance Program (EAP). Research review regarding this line of work, along with a St. Thomas University Master's in adult education and psychology, helped me round out the knowledge and skills needed for this most challenging work. After 15 years of working with this company, which became owned by NCR, I retired as a Director in 1992.
Retirement has given Jerry and I a chance to grow, renew our selves, and redirect our lives as a team in the areas of national and international consulting. We have enjoyed nine years of working with the American International Schools of Central America, Colombia, the Caribbean and Mexico.
We live on a lake between the areas of Luck and Frederic, Wis. Here we volunteer with the schools, the Historical Society, the library, the Shriners, and the First Presbyterian Church of St. Croix Falls.
With time permitting, we travel with friends and relatives and exchange timeshares to see the beauties of the USA and the world. I spend time quilting, painting, reading, and enjoying the natural surroundings in which we live. With God's permission, I hope to continue to do this for some time to come.
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?"
I came from Itasca, Ill., to attend Macalester in 1955 and the spring of my senior year I enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard. Served in the Guard for six years, with weekly meetings and two weeks active duty each summer.
Following my six-month active duty, I returned to Illinois where I worked at the local bank until September 1960 when I entered Law School at the University of Minnesota. Graduated and was admitted to practice in Minnesota in 1964.
I worked for 3M in St. Paul from 1964-1975. Was hired as General Counsel for United Power Association in Elk River, Minn., in '75 and retired from the company (now Great River Energy) in 1999.
Lived in Hudson, Wis.; Princeton, Minn., (where our two children went to school); and Las Cruces, N.M. Currently live in the Rice, Minn., area and return to Las Cruces for the winter months.
My wife, Carol, and I have two children: Jonathan, a 1986 Carleton grad, and Susanne, 1989 Macalester. Susanne entered Macalester almost exactly 30 years to the day after I did. Both live in the D.C. area on the East Coast.
I came from Itasca, Ill., to attend Macalester in 1955 and the spring of my senior year I enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard. Served in the Guard for six years, with weekly meetings and two weeks active duty each summer.
Following my six-month active duty, I returned to Illinois where I worked at the local bank until September 1960 when I entered Law School at the University of Minnesota. Graduated and was admitted to practice in Minnesota in 1964.
I worked for 3M in St. Paul from 1964-1975. Was hired as General Counsel for United Power Association in Elk River, Minn., in '75 and retired from the company (now Great River Energy) in 1999.
Lived in Hudson, Wis.; Princeton, Minn., (where our two children went to school); and Las Cruces, N.M. Currently live in the Rice, Minn., area and return to Las Cruces for the winter months.
My wife, Carol, and I have two children: Jonathan, a 1986 Carleton grad, and Susanne, 1989 Macalester. Susanne entered Macalester almost exactly 30 years to the day after I did. Both live in the D.C. area on the East Coast.
After Commencement I began a year of internship for Medical Technology at Miller Hospital Labs in St. Paul, completed the MT coursework and earned a BS degree from Macalester in June of 1960. It was a busy year as Grayson and I had married in September of 1959, just before he began medical school. My career as Med Tech was somewhat brief, working a few months at Miller, a few years at St. Mary's Hospital in Minneapolis and a year at a clinic in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii.
We have four wonderful adult children and their spouses: Deborah Ruth Osteraas, Mac Class of '82, (Larry Broberg); William R., (Lisa); Thomas Lynn, (Kathy); and Rolf Grayson. Our third child, Bruce Davis, died at 6 months of age. We are fortunate to have six grandchildren: Amy, Tierney, Nicole, Delaney, Lauren and Lars.
Since Grayson's retirement, there has been more time for reflection and realization of what a fascinating life we've had together all these many years, starting at dear old Macalester! Currently, some of my favorite things are having our families and grandchildren visit us up north at the lake, playing golf, reading, attending concerts, volunteer work at church, and committee involvement planning for the 50th Reunion Class of '59! Don't miss it!
After I left Macalester, I accepted a job with Weyerhaeuser Company in Jamestown, N.H. Upon coming back to Minnesota to get married, I accepted a job with my uncle in a family retail lumber and millwork manufacturing business. My next position was employment with Sherwin-Williams Company as a retail branch manager and later as an operations manager for their commercial branch. In 1998, I married my present wife who I met when I was in Jamestown. She served me coffee when I went to her father's restaurant. In 2005, after my brother's death, we started a charitable foundation in my parents' name from his estate. We fund capital improvements such as the Concordia Language Villages, the Boy Scouts of America Northern Star Council Camps, and the American Swedish Institute. Much of my time now is spent with many hobbies, projects around the house and gardening.
Charles Craig Burke and I were married in August 1959. We met in Dr. Glock's geology class. I began teaching kindergarten in the Moundsview school system in September. I taught until 1963 when the birth of our first child (Lisa) precluded I could not have a teaching contract with a child under the age of 5! We had two more babies. One in 1965 (Mary) and another (Suzanne) in 1968. That same year we moved to Palatine, Ill., a suburb northwest of Chicago. It was a wonderful place to raise our girls and pursue our many interests. We returned to Minnesota in 1984 and I began working on licensure in Special Education (EBD and LD) and a master's degree in education from St. Mary's. Taught in Burnsville from 1990 until 2002. We are fortunate to have our children and families (five grandchildren) living in the Twin Cities. We enjoy times at the cabin, north of Detroit Lakes on Big Sugar Bush Lake, traveling and the various activities of our busy family. I am most grateful for the education I received at Macalester and the opportunity to do what I love to do -- teaching. I continue to teach a few days each month at the school where I taught. Keeps the brain active! Looking forward to celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary this summer, my greatest achievement and a wonderful fifty years!
After receiving a degree in geology, I went to medical school at the University Of Minnesota and have spent the last 43 years doing family practice in rural Litchfield, Minnesota. It was, and still is, very satisfying to me. Mac's well-rounded atmosphere has served extremely well.
After receiving a degree in geology, I went to medical school at the University Of Minnesota and have spent the last 43 years doing family practice in rural Litchfield, Minnesota. It was, and still is, very satisfying to me. Mac's well-rounded atmosphere has served extremely well.
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 1/2. He 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.
After leaving Mac, I graduated from medical school, spent the then two-year obligation with the Navy, and followed those experiences with five years of surgical training in Chicago, leaving with my wife and two-and-a-half children for Seattle in 1970. I spent the next 33 years in private practice, and since retired to the hobbies of travel, woodworking, volunteering and reading. All three children live in Seattle and are easily available.
I am serving on the Mac Alumni Board, and enjoying the opportunity to renew friendships with the members of the class of '59 reunion committee.
After graduation from Macalester I became a community program secretary and later an adult program and membership secretary for the Metropolitan Minneapolis YMCA for eleven years. After that I was the third district field representative for Hennepin-Anoka Republican Committee and was an insurance agent for North American Life & Casualty Company.
I then settled down and for 28 years was the executive vice president of the St. Paul Area Builders Association. In 1991 they merged with the Minneapolis Builders Association to become the Builders Association of the Twin Cities. I retired in January 2007.
While working for the residential and remodeling industry I received the following recognition:
In 1991 the Rachel L. Manley Leadership Award from the Builders Association of Minnesota for contributions and leadership given to builders association activities in Minnesota.
In 2002 the Sheldon Hale Award from the National Association of Home Builders for outstanding career achievement in management of a local home builders association.
In 2004 Inductee to the Minnesota Building Industry Foundation Hall of Fame.
I was married to my high school sweetheart for 30 years and had one daughter and two sons. Marlene died of liver failure in 1991. In 1993 I married Bernie and for 14 years have resided in Forest Lake, Minn.
I have had the good fortune of marrying Marlene Johnson '59 and enjoying a career in corporate recruiting while living in Minnesota, Nebraska, and Houston, Texas.
I married my high school girlfriend; we have four children and eight grandchildren. We are both active in many organizations in Oklahoma City. I started a company in 1973 and continue to be involved in it each day. We are committed travelers and take several trips each year. We spend about four to five weeks a year in New Mexico.
I attended seminary for two years after graduating. After deciding that was not my direction, Uncle Sam caught up with me. I served three years in the U.S. Army, including a year at the Army Language School studying Russian, then two years in Berlin. Soon after I was discharged, I married Beverly Lingwall (GAC '60). I returned to Mac to get my teaching credentials in secondary education. I taught ninth grade social studies for 32 years, starting with two years at Mahtomedi High School, then the rest in the West Saint Paul Schools. Bev was an elementary teacher. I retired in '98. Since then I have remained busy enough with various volunteer activities around West Saint Paul and in my church.
Bev and I have been blessed with three children and four grandchildren. Our oldest child, Jonathan, lives and works in Saint Paul. Our oldest daughter, Kathleen, lives in Missoula, Mont., with her husband, Simon, and their two kids, one 8 and the youngest 5. Sarah and her partner Amy live in Saint Paul and have two children, one 5 and the youngest 2.
We have enjoyed traveling in our retirement, to Japan in '98, Israel in 2000, Tanzania in 2003 and again in 2007, Ireland in 2006, Mexico, Hawaii and other destinations in the U.S.
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.
