We love hearing from our alumni!
Whether you’ve reached a career milestone, started a new venture, made an impact in your community, or celebrated a personal achievement, your story inspires current and future Knights. Share your accomplishments with us so we can celebrate your success and highlight the many ways Wartburg alumni make a difference in the world.
Search Class Notes:
All Class Years
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Roger Pagel ’63
Roger Allan Pagel October 22, 1941 – April 3, 2026 Roger graduated from Tama High School, and also Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa where he played football. He met Marty in 1962 at Wartburg and they were married on August 21, 1965. Roger was a PE teacher at Mission Middle School from 1970-1999. He was…
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Robert Beener ’63
Robert “Bob” Beener, 97, of Cedar Falls, IA, passed away on Friday, March 29, 2026, at Western Homes Creekside Living in Grundy Center. Bob was born June 14, 1928, in Waterloo, IA, the third son of Charles and Lydia (Speicher) Beener. His family included-two older brothers, Irvin and LaVerne, two younger sisters, Mary, and Janice “Jenny,”…
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H. DeVere Creger ’52
H. DeVere Creger of Waverly, Iowa passed away on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at the age of 95. Hillis DeVere Creger was born November 7, 1930, the son of Hillis R. and Elna L. (French) Creger in Plainfield, Iowa. He graduated from Plainfield High School and then attended Wartburg College for two years. On March…
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Marianna Schutter King ’83
Marianna King of Waverly, Iowa passed away after a brief illness and one day of hospitalization from cardiopulmonary arrest at the Waverly Health Center, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at the age of 81. Marianna was born July 30, 1944, the daughter of Alyle A. and Helen (Lounsbury) Schutter, in a military hospital at Barksdale…
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Susan Linn Pillard ’81
Susan Linn Pillard ’81, Central City, authored the book Search, a journey as an adoptee and how she found her biological family before DNA advancements and without a private investigator.
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Justin Erickson ’10
Justin Erickson ’10, Roseville, Minn., was named deputy secretary of state for operations for the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. He will oversee legal, business services, human resources, and IT operations.
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Janet Krafka Rohrer ’68
Janet Krafka “Fritz” Rohrer passed away peacefully at home on March 9, 2026 at 91 years of age. Fritz lived a life full of family, faith and friendships. Christened Janet, she earned her nickname Fritz from her father who shortened it from Snickelfritz – a term of endearment for an energetic, curious child. The name…
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Maecie Wright Henson ’22
Maecie Wright Henson ’22, Waterloo, is a risk manager at Cedar Valley Medical Specialists, P.C.
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Morgan Goedken ’19
Morgan Goedken ’19, Mankato, Minn., is the associate athletic director of compliance and student engagement at Minnesota State University.
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Anna Mallen ’16
Anna Mallen ’16, Des Moines, is a member attorney with Whitfield & Eddy Law. She has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch (2023-2026) for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction, and Litigation – Labor and Employment. She has also been selected for inclusion in the Great Plains Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2023-2025)…
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Jordan Anderson ’12
Jordan Anderson ’12, Olathe, Kansas, is CEO and partner at Scenic Development, Overland Park.
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Garrett Christeson ’09
Garrett ’09 and Kate Christeson, De Soto, were married on Oct. 11, 2025. Garrett is district sales manager at Rubrik.
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Christine Folkerts McSweeney ’94
Christine Folkerts McSweeney ’94, Center Point, is the associate high school principal in the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District, Vinton.
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Jim Britton ’84
Jim Britton ’84, Eau Claire, Wis., is a special education assistant in the Eau Claire Area School District and has taught for 38 years. He currently serves as head coach for the Eau Claire Axemen, a professional indoor arena football team, and has coached football, baseball, basketball, and track for 46 years.
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Brian Rodemeyer ’76
Brian Rodemeyer ’76, Algona, is retired after serving 41 years as a school administrator. He officiated many high school baseball, basketball, and volleyball championship games and was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame for Sports Officials in March 2025. He now supervises student teachers for Buena Vista University and Morningside…
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Joe ’71 and Julie James ’73 Breitbach
Joe ’71 and Julie James ’73 Breitbach, Waverly, celebrated 50 years as owners and operators of Joe’s Knighthawk Restaurant and Lounge. Julie has also written and published nine children’s books.
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Janet Ames Lockwood ’64
Janet Lockwood, 87, of Sheffield, passed away on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at the Iowa Specialty Hospital in Belmond. Jan (Janet) Lockwood was born in Atlantic, Iowa, April 23, 1938. Parents were Wyman and Eva Ames. She graduated from Madrid High School in 1956, then Waldorf Junior College in Forest city in 1958. She taught…
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Robert Johnsen ’61
Robert J. “Bob” “Bubba” Johnsen, 86, of Beatrice, passed away Sunday morning, March 8, 2026, at Bryan East Medical Center in Lincoln. He was born August 19, 1939, in Beatrice to William and Grace (Wallman) Johnsen. Bob graduated from Beatrice High School and later attended Wartburg College. On December 31, 1969, he married Donna Doehler…
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Rev. Dr. Herman Diers ’49
Herman Diers, a wise and compassionate man of exceptional grace and generosity, a community builder committed to peace and an end to hunger, died March 7, 2026. He was 97. Born in Hampton and raised in Lutheran parsonages across eastern Iowa, Herman earned degrees from Wartburg College (BA), Wartburg Seminary (MDiv), Northwestern (MA), and Berkeley…
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James Pilgrim ’60
James W. Pilgrim, 87, of Clear Lake, Iowa, passed away peacefully on March 6, 2026 at MercyOne Medical Center in Mason City. James Walter was born July 3, 1938, in Tracy, Minnesota, the son of Rev. Paulus W. Pilgrim and Elsie (Bartz) Pilgrim. Jim began his education in Austin, Minnesota, and attended country school for…
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Norman Scott ’57
My husband, Norman Marshall Scott, passed away quietly at 89 years on April 2, 2025, from a long battle with cancer. Norm was born in Waterloo, Iowa on July 12, 1935. Growing up Norm worked summers and weekends at John Dere. Norm enjoyed playing golf with his grandparents where he learned the art of the…
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Robert Klemesrud Jr. ’70
Robert Duane Klemesrud, Jr., age 76, of Osage peacefully passed away on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at the Mitchell County Regional Health Center after a courageous battle with colon cancer. Bob was born on August 18, 1948, to Robert Sr. and Joan (Ryner) Klemesrud at Floyd County Memorial Hospital in Charles City, Iowa. Bob completed his…
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Kent Dahlquist ’65
Kent Glenn Dahlquist, age 83 passed away peacefully on March 30, 2025 in St. Cloud, MN in the arms of his loving wife and children. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on April 21, 2025 at Hope Covenant Church in St. Cloud, MN with visitation one hour prior to the service. A…
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Gregory Puls ’71
Gregory Puls peacefully departed from this world March 28, 2025, with family at his side after a battle of cancer, Hydrocephalus (NPH), and Parkinsonism. Gregory Wayne Puls was born January 26,1949 in Grinnell, IA to Wayne and Wilma (Jean) Puls. He has one brother, Randy Puls, who resides in Ft Dodge, IA. Greg spent most…
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Charles Steahr ’78
Charles “Chuck” Albert Steahr, age 68, of Centerville, IA, passed away surrounded by his family at the Mercy One Medical Center on March 25th, 2025, after a short battle with cancer. He was born in Muscatine, IA on September 26, 1956, the son of Charles and Betty (Workman) Steahr. He attended the Muscatine High School…
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Wayne Slack ’59
Wayne T. Slack, 88, of Ackley, Iowa, passed peacefully at Grand JiVante` on Sunday, March 23, 2025. After a long stay in the hospital, he died from complications of reoccurring lymphoma. Wayne was born on January 30, 1937, in New Hampton, Iowa, the son of Ted and Arlene Slack. He was baptized on March 7th,…
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David Rasmussen ’62
David Allen Rasmussen, age 86, passed away Saturday, March 22nd 2025 in the company of his family. Friends may greet the family during visitation at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. A rosary will be said for all who wish to pray with the family prior…
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Arthur Frick
Arthur C. Frick II, 101, of Waverly died on March 10, 2025, at the Waverly Health Center in Waverly. Arthur Charles Frick was born on October 15,1923, the son of Arthur Clement and Nola Ann (Mangum) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was baptized in 1923 and confirmed in 1935, both at the 1st Methodist Episcopal Church…
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Charlotte Scholl Spragg ’62
Charlotte Spragg passed away unexpectedly on Monday, March 17, 2025, following surgery in Ft. Myers, Florida. Born in 1937 to Beatrice and Daniel Scholl, she was the third of seven children. She graduated from Waterloo West High School and went on to attend the University of Northern Iowa and Wartburg College. She was united in…
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Jane Buenzow Rudolph ’58
Jane Jeanette Rudolf, age 88, died Sunday, March 16, 2025, in the SpringHills Memory Care Unit, in Middletown, Ohio. Jane was born in Minneapolis on August 6, 1936, and adopted by Fred and Ida Buenzow, through Lutheran Social Services. Jane was baptized on October 13, 1936 in Minneapolis, MN and confirmed at Mansfield Lutheran Church…
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Ruth Albrecht Moeller ’51
Ruth Renata Moeller, 93, of Waverly, died Sunday, March 16, 2025, at the Tripoli Nursing Home in Tripoli, Iowa. Ruth was born September 29, 1931, in New Hampton, Iowa, the daughter of Otto and Renata (Schott) Albrecht. She was baptized the following day in the New Hampton Hospital. She first lived in Waucoma where she…
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James Peters ’63
James J. Peters of Freeport, IL died March 3, 2025 at Winn Prairie in Freeport, IL. He was born in Fond du Lac, WI on February 3, 1942. He was the son of Wilbert and Helen (Miller) Peters. Jim’s early life was spent on his father’s livestock farm. He graduated from Goodrich High in 1959.…
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Lucille Lunde Hackbart ’52
Lucille Karleen Hackbart (Lunde), age 94, of Golden Valley, passed on March 1, 2025. Born in Decorah, IA, she attended High School in Monona, IA, and graduated from Wartburg College in Waverly, IA. Lucille taught 3rd grade in the Robbinsdale School District and substituted in Mpls. schools. Active in the community, Lucille was a member…
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Royce Kreul ’65
Royce E. Kreul, age 82, a 53-year resident of Oregon, Wis., died of congestive heart failure on February 26, 2025. Royce was born on November 18, 1942, in Fennimore, Wis., to Leonard and Wilma Kreul. He was baptized and confirmed in St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Fennimore. He attended Fennimore Public schools participating in football,…
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Gwenda Geyer Groskurth ‘58
November 14, 1936 — February 16, 2025 Albert Lea Gwenda Ann (Gwen) Groskurth, 88, of Albert Lea, MN, passed away at her home on February 16, 2025. Gwen was born at her parent’s home in rural Fayette County, IA, on November 14, 1936. She was the only child of her parents, Minnie Rose Springer Geyer…
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Joan Matt Oelke ‘49
Joan Adel Oelke age 96 of New Hampton died Thursday, February 13, 2025 at MercyOne New Hampton Medical Center. Joan was born Aug. 7,1928 to Will and Emilie (Mueller) Matt on the home farm in National, Farmersburg Township in Clayton County, Iowa. She was the youngest of four sisters. Joan was baptized at home by…
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Gordon Kopitzke ‘54
Gordon H. Kopitzke, age 92 of the Town of Grant, Shawano County passed away at the same home he was born in on Sunday morning February 9, 2025. Gordon was born on August 1, 1932 as the son of the late Leonard and Minnie (Pockat) Kopitzke. He graduated from Marion High School in 1950 and earned…
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Elaine Knoploh Wedemeier ‘55
Elaine R. Wedemeier, 90, of Maynard and formerly of Westgate, Iowa, died peacefully Thursday morning, February 6, 2025, at Hillcrest Assisted Living in Sumner, Iowa. Elaine Rose Wedemeier, daughter of John and Lydia (Sell) Knoploh, was born February 17, 1934. She was baptized on March 4, 1934, and confirmed on March 30, 1947, at St.…
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Deanna Lange ‘69
Deanna Kay Lange, 77, of Bettendorf, IA, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, February 5th, 2025 at her residence. Deanna was born October 1st, 1947, to Walter and Helen (Martens) Lange in Davenport, IA. She attended Davenport schools and graduated in 1965 from Davenport Central High School. She then went on to attend Wartburg College in…
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Verdell Hubbell Kelly ‘52
Verdell M. Kelly, 92, of Dows, with loved ones by her side, went home to be with her Savior, Jesus Christ, and reunited with her love, Dennis, on Monday, February 3, 2025. There will be no funeral service, as this was her desire. Woodley Funeral Home and Crematory of Iowa Falls is caring for Verdell…