In Memoriam - Summer 2007 Wartburg Magazine - Wartburg College

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In Memoriam

1937
JEAN LOLLICH WARNER, Clinton, Iowa, died Oct. 21. She received a B.A. in 1938 from Cornell College and an M.A. in 1945 from Columbia University, New York City. She taught elementary school in Mount Vernon, Lyons and Clinton before marrying in 1959.

1938
ELMER A. KASTNER, McIntosh, Minn., died May 24. He taught in South Dakota and Minnesota before serving in the U.S. Army during the Philippine Islands Campaign and the Occupation of Japan. He resumed teaching and went on to serve as principal, then superintendent of schools in Minnesota.

1942
JOYCE KNABE DYSLIN, Andover, Minn., died July 30. She was employed at various Jackson-area businesses.

1943
GERHARD S. REINTS, Alexandria, Minn., died Sept. 26. He served in the U.S. Army in the South Pacific and worked for Gambles-Skogmo Hardware in South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Montana and Minnesota.

1944
BERNARD A. NELSON, Oelwein, Iowa, died Oct. 28.
He served in the Air Transport Command with
Eastern Airlines and in the Merchant Marines during World War II. He later served in the U.S. Army in Korea. For more than 40 years, he worked for Interstate Power Company, retiring in 1986 as operation manager. He was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church, serving as a deacon, Sunday school teacher and on various committees. He was also active in the community, volunteering for South Fayette Red Cross, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

1945
BETH BECK BAHLMANN, Charles City, Iowa, died June 23. She taught in Floyd County and later worked in the hot lunch program for the Nashua schools. She was active in the women’s circle at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church and was a former member of the Rural Teachers Association.

1946
MELVIN H. SCHULENBURG, Reedsburg, Wis., died May 16, 2006. He was a retired milk hauler for the Grande Cheese Company.

1948
DONALD O. BLOEDOW, Bloomington, Minn., died
Oct. 21, 2006.

1949
CATHERINE GERDES DIRKS, Albert, Kan., died March 13. A homemaker and retired parish worker, she served as assistant organist, secretary of the women’s association and delegate to several church conventions.

1951
The REV. DR. CLARENCE L. BRUNINGA, New London, Conn., died Nov. 15. A graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary, he served as chaplain at Elgin (Ill.,) State Hospital, where he educated clergy on the emotional problems of parishioners. After completing his master’s and doctorate degrees, he served at Norwich State Hospital. He later served as director of the alcoholism unit and developed treatment programs. In 1983, he retired from ministry and established CB Builders, Inc. For 15 years, he served on the Builders Association of Eastern Connecticut board and twice received the Builder of the Year destinction. He was the first recipient of the Clarence Bruninga Housing Hall of Fame Award.

1955
MERWYN H. KNAKE, New Braunfels, Texas, died Aug. 4. He was a World War II veteran.

1956
GLENNICE RADLOFF CARD, Knoxville, Iowa, died
Sept. 6. She received an A.A. degree from Wartburg, where she met her husband, Giles Card ’57; he preceded her in death in March. Glennice retired from teaching in 2000 after 35 years with the Knoxville School District.

1961
MAXINE CODNER POPPEN, Allison, Iowa, died Nov. 5. She received a two-year certificate in elementary education from Iowa State Teachers College. She received an M.A. degree in 1971 from University of Northern Iowa. She taught for 32 years before working at the Allison Hardware Store for 18 years.

1962
FRANK HUDSON, Phoenix, Ariz., died Nov. 11. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He was a teacher and HAM Radio operator. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Krug Hudson ’53.

1967
RODGER N. HAYNES, Gothenburg, Neb., died Jan. 20. Prior to becoming a farmer in 1971, he worked for a veterinary clinic.

CONNIE KLASSEN AMENELL, Montrose, Iowa, died
Nov. 13. She was secretary at Santa Fe United Methodist Church and was a member of Victory Faith Community Church. She is survived by her husband, Thomas
Amenell ’66.

1968
GAIL SCHMITENDORF THOMPSON, Hampshire, Ill., died Sept. 10. She was a kindergarten teacher at Hampshire Elementary School for 33 years.

1971
RAY JENSEN, Fontanelle, Iowa, died Sept. 18. He worked for Farmer’s Co-op for more than 30 years as assistant manager and was farm manager at the Henry A. Wallace Country Life Center for six years. He served on the school board and Farm Bureau board.

1974
ELSIE SCHIEFER BACHMAN, Bloomington, Minn., died Nov. 30. She was first lady of Wartburg during the 10 years her late husband, Dr. John W. Bachman, was president. The college’s Bachman Fine Arts Center is named in their honor. She typed and proofread four of her husband’s books.

SUSAN HOTH, La Crosse, Wis., died Sept. 4. She was employed by Northern Engraving (Waukon, Iowa,) Ertle Toy Company (Dyersville, Iowa) and Duratech in
La Crosse.

1983
DENNIS E. BENDA, Dubuque, Iowa, died Sept. 30. He attended Wartburg and University of Iowa before receiving a degree in journalism from University of Missouri at Columbia. For 30 years, he was a controller for the the Finley Hospital. He also served as a mentor in the Dubuque Community School System and as treasurer of the Senior Rams Booster Club.

1987
SUE ROONEY ECKENROD, Mason City, Iowa, died Oct. 26. She was an accountant at Turner & Renner, a business manager at Anco, Inc. , and a business manager for Newman Catholic Schools.

1991
RICHARD E. BROWN, Waterloo, Iowa, died Dec. 8. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and worked at John Deere as an engineering analyst.

1993
SGT. LARRY CARLSON, Fairbanks, Alaska, died Nov. 19, 2006. He was a career soldier, serving the U.S. Marines in Hawaii, the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg, N.C., and the Alaska Stryker unit at Fort Wainwright, Ala.